UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 JOHN B. GOLTON, 
 
 568 NORTH BROAD STREET 
 GALESBURG, ILLINOIS,
 
 JOHN B. GOLTON, 
 
 565 NORTH BROAD STREET 
 GALESBURG, ILLINOIS^ 
 
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 e/fc-sd-o-i^
 
 
 

 
 JOHN B. GOLTON, 
 
 565 NORTH BROAD STREET 
 GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.. 
 
 PROCEEDINGS 
 
 AT THE 
 
 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 INCORPORATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TOWN OF LONGMEADOW, 
 
 OCTOBER IJTH, 1883, 
 
 WITH NUMEROUS 
 
 HISTORICAL APPENDICES 
 
 AND 
 
 A TOWN GENEALOGY. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 
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 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 SECRETARY OF THE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE, 
 
 UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN. 
 
 1884.
 
 Copyrighted, 1884, 
 By R. S. STORKS, LONGMEADOW, MASS. 
 
 , PREMiQF t 
 
 THE CASE, LOCKWOOD it BRAINARD CO. 
 
 HARTFORD, CONN.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 By a vote of the town of Longmeadow, passed at its annual meeting in 
 the Spring of 1883, the maximum sum allowed by the Statutes of Massa- 
 chusetts one-tenth of one per cent, of the grand list was appropriated 
 for celebrating the first Centennial Anniversary of the town's incorporation, 
 and for publishing the proceedings of the occasion. The Celebration took 
 place upon the iyth of October the exact date of the signing of the Act of 
 town Incorporation in 1783. At a meeting of the Centennial Committee on 
 the 3d of November following, the report of the sub-committee of prepa- 
 ration showing a small unexpended balance from the appropriation, it was 
 voted " that an edition of the proceedings properly bound and illustrated, 
 and sufficient in number to supply one copy to each family in town and to 
 each invited speaker, be prepared by the Secretary of the Committee, Mr. 
 Storrs, acting with the Chairman, Mr. Harding, and the Town Treasurer, 
 Mr. Wolcott, as a Committee of Publication, at a total expense not exceed- 
 ing the unexpended appropriation." 
 
 It was further voted " that in the inability of the Committee or even of 
 the Town itself to legally do more than this, by reason of the statute limi- 
 tation already referred to, the offer of the Secretary to himself publish a 
 second edition to meet any outside demand be gratefully accepted ; and that 
 he be authorized to make use, for this purpose, of the preparation made for 
 the Town's edition ; incorporating with it such other material and illustra- 
 tions as he may desire to add at his own expense." 
 
 It is in accordance with these votes that the originally proposed pamphlet 
 of a hundred pages has been enlarged by the Secretary to the present vol- 
 ume of more than four hundred. 
 
 The record of the Day's Proceedings will be found unusually complete. 
 The Historical Address is given substantially as delivered ; since any 
 attempt to recast it in a more consecutive and complete form would necessa- 
 rily be at the expense of the characteristics which adapted it for oral deliv- 
 ery. The numerous historical details, by which it might otherwise have 
 been enriched and fortified, have been, by the associated compilers, 
 the Chairman and Secretary of the General Committee, collected and 
 classified in a copious Appendix. In this compilation, documentary history 
 has been largely preferred to narrative ; as only an Appendix, and not at 
 all a complete History has been here attempted. 
 
 200084
 
 Special thanks are due to the honored sons and guests whose own revi- 
 sion of their several addresses has enabled the Committee to present them 
 here with such fullness. In two or three instances the manuscript of 
 remarks whose delivery was prevented by want of time or other circum- 
 stances, has been since placed at the disposal of the Committee for inser- 
 tion at the appropriate places of which fact this general acknowledgment 
 may perhaps suffice. 
 
 The very valuable Genealogical Appendix has been added at considerable 
 expense, in the hope that many of those into whose hands the volume may 
 come, will interest themselves in supplying to the Town Selectmen, by cor- 
 respondence, those additions and corrections which may make some future 
 edition of it both complete and exact. 
 
 The liberality of several friends of the work in sharing with the Secre- 
 tary a portion of the large expense incurred for additional material and 
 illustration, has enabled him not only to enrich his own edition with a vari- 
 ety and amount of this not otherwise possible, but also to place the same, as 
 a gift from the donors, in the Town's edition. Special acknowledgments in 
 this respect are due to G. C. Hixon of Lacrosse, Wis.; Henry R. and Edward 
 O. Wolcott of Colorado ; Nelson C. Newell of Springfield; Ethan C. Ely 
 and William B. Medlicott of Longmeadow ; as well as to the donors of illus- 
 trations in which they were themselves specially interested. 
 
 To the cordial and skillful cooperation of E. J. Lazelle of Springfield, and 
 W. P. Allen of Gardner, the Secretary is specially indebted for professional 
 assistance in preparing and presenting these illustrations. 
 
 Grateful acknowledgments are also due from the Publishing Committee 
 for aid received in gathering historical information, to Messrs. David and 
 Samuel Booth, Stephen T. Colton, Ethan C. Ely, Mrs. G. McQueen, Miss 
 Julia Bliss, David Hale, Oliver Field, R: H. Burnham, Edwin Endicott, 
 Edmund Pratt, Rev. S. H. Gaylord, Thomas F. Cordis, and other fellow- 
 citizens, who have in various ways rendered their assistance. 
 
 The responsibility for the editorial work of the volume thus prepared, 
 rests jointly and equally upon the Chairman and the Secretary of the Gen- 
 eral Committee ; with both of whom it has been wholly a labor of love. 
 
 If the record here attempted of a day so fragrant in its memories, and of 
 related historical memoranda, shall help to make our brethren who were 
 detained from us on the day itself, even partial sharers with us now in its 
 joys and its lessons ; or shall prove stimulating and suggestive to other 
 communities meditating similar anniversaries ; above all, if it shall result in 
 quickening in ourselves, or others, that loving and loyal historical spirit 
 upon which rests all intelligent analysis of human progress, its purpose will 
 have been fully answered, and its compilers richly rewarded. 
 
 (R. S. STORRS, 
 Committee of Publication, 4 J. W. HARDING, 
 
 ( OLIVER WOLCOTT.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGES. 
 
 PROCEEDINGS OF THE DAY, ...... 9~ I2 5 
 
 The Introduction The Day The Tent Exercises Scripture Selec- 
 tions Dr. Wolcott's Prayer Dr. Wolcott's Hymn The Invi- 
 tation Circular The Address of Welcome Prof. Storrs' Hymn 
 The Historical Address The Collation The Centennial 
 Poem Mr. Boies' Hymn. 
 
 THE AFTER-DINNER SPEECHES, .... 66-124 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. AARON M. COLTON, . . 67 
 
 MRS. SCHAUFFLER'S REMARKS, . . . -74 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. R. S. STORRS, D.D., . . 76 
 
 ADDRESS OF PROF. E. A. PARK, D.D., . . 85 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. HUBBARD BEEBE, . . .93 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. SAMUEL WOLCOTT, D.D., . 97 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. CHARLES R. BLISS, . .100 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. JOHN R. KEEP. . . .106 
 
 ADDRESS OF DR. FREDERICK COLTON, . . .108 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. W. W. LEETE, . . . .m 
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. DORUS CLARK, D.D., . .116 
 
 ADDRESS OF JUDGE W. S. SHURTLEFF, . . .119 
 
 CONCLUDING EXERCISES, . . ... 125 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS APPENDICES, . . . 127-321 
 
 GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX, ...... 323-420
 
 APPENDICES. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 A. CELEBRATION PRELIMINARIES, ... . . 127 
 
 B. PRESS NOTICES, .... 139 
 
 C. LETTERS FROM INVITED GUESTS, 138 
 
 D. EAST LONGMEADOW GROWTH, . . . 144 
 
 E. PRECINCT AND TOWN VOTES, . . . . . . 149 
 
 The First Meeting-House The Square Pews The Seating The Drum Beating The 
 Bell The Second Meeting-House Miscellaneous Meeting- House Votes School 
 Votes Town Organization Street Votes Pastor Williams' Call Pastor Storrs' 
 Call East Parish Preaching The Baptists The Church Porch Poor- House Fund 
 The Ministerial Fund The Embargo Act Domestic Animals Change of Town 
 Name. 
 
 F. DOCUMENTS OF THE OLDEN TIME, 180 
 
 Warrant Town Incorporation Act Drowned Lands' Warrant Tithing Man's 
 
 G. BURYING-GROUNDS, 199 
 
 H. THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD, ...... 207 
 
 I. THE MERCHANT COLTON DOCUMENTS, . . . .213 
 
 J. PASTOR WILLIAMS' DIARY, 221 
 
 K. THE DAUPHIN (?) WILLIAMS, ...... 230 
 
 L. THE DAVENPORT WILLIAMS COMMUNION CUP, . . . 234 
 
 M. RELIGIOUS ASPECTS AND EVENTS, 237 
 
 N. CHURCHES AND MINISTERS OF THE PRESENT CENTURY, . 246 
 
 O. LONGMEADOW WOMEN, 255 
 
 P. INSTITUTIONS AND CUSTOMS, 262 
 
 Q. INDUSTRIES AND MANUFACTURES, . . . . .270 
 
 R. TOWN AND PAROCHIAL FUNDS, 275 
 
 S. THE RECENT MILITARY RECORD, 277 
 
 T. THE CIVIL LIST, 288 
 
 U. MISCELLANIES, 292 
 
 Devotional, Documentary, Business, Epistolary, Biographical, Incidental, &c. 
 
 V. FAMILY MEMORANDA, 305 
 
 The Burts Cooleys Elys Fields Goldthwaits Stebbinses Storrses Williamsps. 
 
 THE TOWN GENEALOGICAL RECORD.
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PACKS. 
 
 I. THE MEETING-HOUSE ON THE GREEN, . . Frontispiece. 
 
 From an oil painting by W. R. Wheeler of Hartford, for R. S. Storrs Looking 
 northward from near the old Brick Schoolhouse The present parsonage, east of 
 the Church, upon the exact site of the old Williams parsonage The Storrs 
 parsonage, just visible three doors northward The street twenty rods wide The 
 remodeled Church now located ten rods eastward. 
 
 II. THE L-O-N-G MEADOW, To face 9 
 
 A vanishing perspective view of the meadow, looking northward from the bluff 
 near the Enfield, Conn., boundary line Gleams of the Connecticut river on the 
 extreme left Mount Tom 20 miles, and Springfield 6 miles away, in the dim 
 middle distance The meadow side hill, and the Longmeadow village church spire 
 z miles away, minutely visible, on the right horizon A merely topographical 
 picture, only faintly suggesting the beauty of the real landscape under favorable 
 conditions. (See page 321.) 
 
 III. THE STORRS PARSONAGE, 24 
 
 Built in 1786 by Pastor Storrs, upon the ministry lot Now owned and occupied 
 by his descendants. 
 
 IV. THE BOIES HOMESTEAD, 57 
 
 Built by Deacon Nathaniel Ely, Senior, about 1770 Now owned and occupied 
 by his great-grandson, Rev. William Ely Boies. (See page 314.) 
 
 V. PORTRAIT OF MRS. SCHAUFFLER, .... 74 
 
 Taken from life, since the Centennial Celebration. 
 
 VI. PORTRAIT OF PASTOR STORRS, 80 
 
 From an oil painting in the possession of his grandson, R. S. Storrs of Long- 
 meadow. 
 
 VII. PORTRAIT OF PASTOR WILLIAMS, .... 88 
 
 From an oil painting in the possession of his grandson in the fourth genera- 
 . tion, R. S. Storrs of Longmeadow. 
 
 VIII. THE WOLCOTT PLACE, ....... 97 
 
 The Burnham mansion, burned in 1845 replaced by the Burnham stone cottage 
 in 1848; The Captain Burt place remodeled by William G. Medlicott, in 1864; the 
 Roderick Burt place, built 60 years ago ; purchased by Rev. Samuel Wolcott, 
 D.D., in 1883, and since removed to furnish a site for his proposed new residence.
 
 8 
 
 IX. THE COLTON HOMESTEAD AND ELM, . . . .108 
 
 One of the oldest houses on the Longmeadow street Built about 150 years ago. 
 
 X. THE PARSONAGE, CHURCH, AND CHAPEL, . . . 127 
 
 The Parsonage built by subscription in 1856 The Church removed and re- 
 modeled in 1874 The Chapel built in 1853. 
 
 XL THE NEW TOWN HALL, 148 
 
 Built of Longmeadow sandstone in 1882, in East Longmeadow. 
 
 XII. THE REMODELED CHURCH, 158 
 
 The parsonage on the left ; the Chapel on the right, with a glimpse of the bury- 
 ing-ground in the rear of the church. 
 
 XIII. THE BURYING-GROUND, 199 
 
 The front, or oldest quarter of the Longmeadow burying-ground Pastor 
 Storrs' pyramidal monument on the left Pastor Williams' table monument near it. 
 Capt. Thomas Coltou's table monument central, see page 33. Three table 
 monuments of Merchant Samuel Colton and his two wives in the right fore- 
 ground, see page 205. The parsonage roof just visible over the Ely marble 
 obelisk. 
 
 XIV. THE DAUPHIN (?) WILLIAMS/ 230 
 
 From a daguerreotype taken by Cooley of Springfield, on one of Mr. Williams' 
 later visits to Longmeadow. 
 
 XV. GROUP OF PASTORS, 254 
 
 The five successors of Pastors Williams and Storrs since 1820. From cabinet 
 photographs of later years. 
 
 XVI. PORTRAIT OF LIEUT. HOWARD BURNHAM, . . . 284 
 
 From a photograph taken in 1861. 
 
 XVII. PORTRAIT OF DEACON NATHANIEL ELY, Senior, . . 310 
 
 From an oil painting in the possession of Ethan C. Ely of Longmeadow. 
 
 MINOR ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 TENT DECORATION, . . . . . . . J0 
 
 PLAN OF THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE, .... 156-7 
 
 STREET PLAN, . . 178-9 
 
 THE DAVENPORT WILLIAMS COMMUNION CUP, . . 236 
 THE BURNHAM PLACE, 284
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 LONGMEADOW is one of the few fortunate towns of our new 
 and imitative country whose name is at once original, significant, 
 and musical. In strong contrast thus to our Romes, Smithvilles, 
 and Mauch Chunks, its liquid name both designates and describes 
 it a truly proper noun and name. LONG, indeed, and lovely is 
 the MEADOW which stretches beside the quiet Connecticut from 
 Springfield southward to the Bay State boundary, and gives its 
 own name to the village threaded upon its single broad and 
 parallel street of equal length, eastward upon the upland. 
 
 The traveler of these modern days, whirled along the iron 
 track which cuts these outspreading meadows, catches glimpses 
 only of the leaf -embowered homesteads of the street, and may 
 be pardoned, perhaps, for questioning the necessity of the 
 solitary station-house which now alone occupies the meadow. 
 But the old-time traveler upon the stage-road from Springfield 
 to Hartford would not easily overlook, nor soon forget, the broad 
 and elm-lined street of this fair New England village, with its 
 single and central Meeting House, lifting from among the trees 
 its slender but springing spire crowned with its vigilant sentinel- 
 bird, and facing 
 
 " Four-square to all the winds that blow " 
 
 its double deck of antique windows, whence the artillery of the 
 Law and the Gospel could sweep unhindered the paths radiating 
 thence to every village home.
 
 IO 
 
 The sagacious pioneers who, in 1637, threaded their way west- 
 ward from Boston along the old Bay Path to the Connecticut 
 valley, were not long, we may be sure, in discovering and 
 appropriating to themselves a spot so uniquely attractive. No 
 commemoration of the original settlement of the place can 
 therefore be intended by a Centennial Celebration of the present 
 date ; since a postponement of only eleven years will bring us to 
 the Quarter-Millennial Anniversary of that event. 
 
 Seven full decades of Springfield service 1644 to 1713 
 and seven more of semi-detached precinct organization 1713 
 to 1783 were the Leah and Rachel probation periods of our 
 pioneer youth, 'ere its hale manhood set up its own independent 
 Town organization ; the event of which the Centennial Celebra- 
 tion of October 17, 1883, was really commemorative. 
 
 Moreover to Longmeadow, as has been pointed out by the 
 learned Secretary of the New England Historic and Genealogical 
 Society, himself a grandson of the town, to Longmeadow 
 belongs the distinction of being the oldest child of the Independ- 
 ent State of Massachusetts ; since it was "the first town organized 
 after the signing of the treaty of peace with Great Britain had 
 made the Nation and the State legally and indisputably, as well 
 as practically, free and independent." ' Fittingly, therefore, was 
 it proposed to celebrate with loyal love, the One Hundredth 
 Anniversary of the "coming of age" of this eldest child of the 
 sovereign State. 
 
 1 See Appendix C. Letter of Oliver Bliss Stebbins. 
 
 1644 
 
 1783 Wfifcfi4fM.fi, 1883 
 
 TENT DECORATION.
 
 THE CELEBRATION. 
 
 The morning of the long-anticipated day broke with roseate 
 hues and a crisp and frosty air, upon a village green already 
 prepared for the day's festivities. Upon the exact site of the 
 old Meeting House, and just in front of the present one 
 remodelled upon the ancient frame, had been pitched a triple- 
 masted audience marquee, with a smaller one adjoining it for 
 collation conveniences. 
 
 At early dawn the villagers were awakened by the finishing 
 thuds of the tent men, and the wagons of the collation purveyors. 
 The bracing coolness of the morning air was soon tempered 
 by the rising sun into the mild and cheery glow of a perfect 
 October day. By and by merry groups of shouting boys opened 
 the festivities with their hilarious games upon the Green ; the red 
 coats of the musicians brightened the scene; and the steady 
 inflow of omnibuses and private carriages, bicycles, and railroad 
 arrivals, effectually awoke the old street from its wonted quietude, 
 and sent through the gathering multitude festal thrills of hospit- 
 able welcome and joyous expectation. 
 
 The chief marshal and his corps of assistants were everywhere 
 present and ready with their courtesies. Each team, as it 
 arrived, was met by attendants in waiting, ticketed, and taken to 
 a convenient open field amply provided with facilities for their 
 care; and it was by no means the least of the day's outside 
 attractions, to see the long and well-compacted ranks of horses 
 thus massed and cared for within one enclosure.
 
 12 
 
 Many guests from more distant places had arrived the day 
 before ; and as each hospitable home poured out its inmates, and 
 the long succession of East Longmeadow teams filed in through 
 the intervening woods as in the old Sabbath days when the 
 whole town worshiped together, the gathering throng rapidly 
 filled the settees of the tent to the number of more than two 
 thousand, which afterwards, when the standing room was also 
 occupied, grew to nearly twenty-five hundred. 
 
 It was a characteristic Connecticut valley audience,. combining 
 the best New England elements of both country and city life, 
 with a fair commingling of adopted citizens. It was especially 
 gratifying throughout the day to notice the respectful, and even 
 eager, interest with which these last listened to the exercises and 
 shared the common hospitalities of the occasion. 
 
 One of the most noticeable and interesting features of the 
 scene was the large number of aged men and women seated 
 upon the platform, who, with glowing faces and youth renewed, 
 sat through the protracted exercises of both morning and after- 
 noon, to the equal pleasure, of all who, with loving respect, 
 greeted their venerable presence. 
 
 On a lower platform in front of the speakers' stand sat Little's 
 Band of eighteen skilled musicians ; their scarlet uniforms and 
 shining instruments lending color to the scene, and their choice 
 selections of music giving restful pauses and cheerful inspira- 
 tions. It was noticeable that these all kept their places 
 throughout the day, even in the intervals when their attendance 
 might have been excused ; not from perfunctory decorum, but 
 evidently held fast by the intrinsic interest of the occasion. 
 
 The natural dampness and possible chill of the earth-floor 
 within the tent had been guarded against by a sufficient carpeting 
 of soft, sweet hay ; the skillful intermingling and arrangement 
 of hundreds of settees and hundreds more of chairs in radiating 
 sections, afforded convenient and restful seating for all ; while 
 the glow of the sun upon the canvas was just enough for cheery 
 light and genial warmth. 
 
 Thus, upon the hour, the place, and the multitude seemed to 
 rest the glow and the gladness of a perfect festal day.
 
 13 
 
 THE TENT EXERCISES. 
 
 Promptly at the appointed hour the exercises of the tent were 
 opened by the singing of the Doxology in long meter by the 
 whole assembly, led by the cornet and a portion of the band ; 
 and as the grand strains of that noble invocation 
 
 Praise God from whom all blessings flow, 
 Praise Him all creatures here below, 
 Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, 
 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 
 floated out on the tranquil air, it seemed, indeed, a fitting prelude 
 for such a celebration. 
 
 The following Scripture selections were then read by Rev. 
 Albert I. Button, pastor of the Congregational Church in the 
 East Part of the town : 
 
 SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS. 
 
 1. O, give thanks unto the Lord : call upon His name : make 
 known His deeds among the people. 
 
 2. Remember his marvelous works that He hath done : His 
 wonders and the judgments of His mouth. 
 
 3. He is the Lord our God : He hath remembered His cove- 
 nant forever. 
 
 4. When our fathers were but few in number, yea, very few, 
 and strangers in the land ; 
 
 5. When they went from one nation to another, from one 
 kingdom to another people ; 
 
 6. He suffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, He reproved 
 kings for their sake ; 
 
 7. Saying, Touch not Mine anointed and do My prophets no 
 harm. 
 
 8. And He increased His people greatly ; and made them 
 stronger than their enemies. 
 
 9. And He brought forth His people with joy, and His 
 chosen with gladness.
 
 14 
 
 10. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have 
 told us, what work Thou didst in their days, in the times of 
 old. 
 
 11. How Thou didst drive out the nations with Thy hand, 
 and plantedst them. 
 
 12. For they got not the land in possession by their own 
 sword, neither did their own arm save them ; 
 
 13. But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of 
 Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them. 
 
 14. Thou preparedst room before the vine of Thy planting, 
 and didst cause it to take deep root and it filled the land. 
 
 15. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the 
 boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 
 
 1 6. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches 
 unto the river. 
 
 17. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are 
 glad. 
 
 1 8. We will not hide these things from our children, show- 
 ing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord ; 
 
 19. And His strength, and His wonderful works that He 
 hath done. 
 
 20. For He established statutes, and appointed laws, which 
 He commanded our fathers to make known to their children : 
 that the generation to come might know Him : 
 
 21. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget 
 the works of God, but keep His commandments. 
 
 22. And He led. them on safely, so that they feared not. 
 
 23. Our fathers trusted in Thee : they trusted, and Thou 
 didst deliver them. 
 
 24. They cried unto Thee, and were delivered : they trusted 
 in Thee, and were not confounded. 
 
 25. So we, Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture, will give 
 Thee thanks forever : we will show forth Thy praise to all 
 generations. 
 
 26. Blessed be the Lord God from everlasting to everlasting: 
 and let all the people say, Amen. 
 
 PRAISE YE THE LORD.
 
 15 
 
 Prayer was then offered as follows, by the Rev. Samuel 
 Wolcott, D.D., Pastor of the First Church in Longmeadow 
 from 1843 to 1847, now f Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 DR. WOLCOTT'S PRAYER. 
 
 Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, Thou art our God, and 
 we will praise Thee, Thou art our fathers' God, and we will 
 exalt Thee. Thou reignest amid the grandeur and the glory of 
 Thine own eternity, and Thou art not worshiped with men's 
 hands as though Thou neededst anything, seeing Thou givest 
 to all life, and breath, and all things, and Thy tender mercies are 
 over all Thy works. All Thy works praise Thee, O iord, and 
 Thy saints shall bless Thee. We would abundantly utter the 
 memory of Thy great goodness, and would sing of Thy righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 We bless Thee that Thou hast kindly watched over us and 
 brought us to this hour, and we humbly invoke Thy presence 
 with us, and Thy blessing upon us, and upon the occasion which 
 has called us together. We ask Thee to preside over all the 
 exercises of this Centennial Celebration. We thank Thee that 
 Thou didst put it into the hearts of our forefathers to forsake 
 the dear delights of their native land and cross the wide waters, 
 bearing the ark of civil and religious freedom to this western 
 continent. We thank Thee that Thou didst safely conduct them 
 hither, to plant in the wilderness the pure Christian faith, and 
 make the solitude vocal with the praise of God. We thank Thee 
 that Thou didst watch over the vine which was here planted, 
 and preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to tak'e deep 
 root and fill the land, covering the hills with its shadow. We 
 bless Thee for our godly ancestry, and for all which they suffered 
 and wrought for us upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
 We praise Thee that our souls were early imbued with the pre- 
 cepts and the principles of the religion of our Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ ; that we were trained in the ways of Christian 
 knowledge and virtue ; that the lines have fallen to us in pleas- 
 ant places, and we have a goodly heritage. Make us worthy 
 be the descendants and the successors of those of whom the
 
 1.6 
 
 world was not worthy. In our day and generation may we be 
 faithful to the high trust committed to us, even as they were 
 faithful in their day and generation. The same institutions 
 which we have received as a precious legacy from those that 
 have gone before us, may we transmit unimpaired and strength- 
 ened to those that shall come after us. Thou who hast been our 
 fathers' God, be our God also, and the God of our children. 
 
 We thank Thee, O Father, for all the kindness which Thou 
 hast shown to the Christian families, the children of Thy cove- 
 nant, that from the beginning have composed this household of 
 faith. We praise Thee that Thou hast brought the survivors 
 with grateiul hearts to this glad festival. May they consecrate 
 themselves afresh to Thy cause, and meet faithfully the obliga- 
 tions which press upon them. Bless Thy servant, our brother, 
 the pastor of this flock of Christ. Strengthen him for the work 
 to which Thou hast here called him ; let Thy pleasure prosper 
 in his hand ; and long may he stand on these walls of Thy Zion, 
 a defender of the faith once delivered to the saints. Bless the 
 other churches and congregations, with their pastors, that unite 
 in this commemoration ; and upon the people of this town 
 bestow the blessings of the covenant of Thy grace. May the 
 rehearsal of Thy dealings, to which we shall now listen, deepen 
 in us all a sense of our privileges and responsibilities. 
 
 O God, our fathers have told us what work Thou didst in their 
 days, in the time of old, how Thou didst drive out the heathen 
 with Thy hand and plantedst them. For they got not the land 
 in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm saye 
 them ; but Thy right hand and Thine arm and the light of Thy 
 countenance, because Thou hadst a fayor unto them. Our 
 fathers trusted in Thee : they trusted and Thou didst deliver 
 them. They cried ui\to Thee and were delivered : they trusted 
 in Thee, and were not confounded. In God we boast all the 
 day long, and praise Thy name forever. So we, Thy people and 
 sheep of Thy pasture, will give Thee thanks forever : we will 
 show forth Thy praise to all generations. Amen.
 
 17 
 
 The following Commemorative Hymn, written by Dr. Wolcott 
 for the occasion, was then sung by the united assembly to the 
 tune of Marlowe, with band accompaniment : 
 
 DR. WOLCOTT'S HYMN. 
 
 The trees their crowns of glory wear, 
 Broad-branched and leafed with green ; 
 
 The meadows still their harvests bear, 
 One hundred years between. 
 
 Beneath the quiet shades remain 
 
 The homes our fathers blest ; 
 The pew and pulpit still maintain 
 
 The faith which they professed. 
 
 
 Not for themselves they bravely wrought, 
 
 In honest labor's glow ; 
 God's blessing for their heirs, they sought, 
 One hundred years ago. 
 
 Their steadfast trust in things unseen, 
 
 Devotion, calm and strong, 
 Their courage, dauntless and serene, 
 
 These all to us belong. 
 
 The gospel they so dearly prized, 
 
 Is still our precious trust ; 
 And grace to guard what they devised, 
 
 We seek above their dust. 
 
 O'er us and ours, O God, preside. 
 
 In paths our fathers trod ; 
 O Love Divine, our footsteps guide, 
 
 To rest with them in God. 
 
 The President of the day, Professor R. S. Storrs of Long- 
 meadow and Hartford, then happily indicated the keynote of his 
 chairmanship throughout the day, as being simply the represen- 
 tative of Mother Longmeadow herself, by reading from the 
 Circular of Invitation, a fac simile of which is here given, its 
 opening paragraph ; both to suggest more vividly to the minds 
 of all the gracious presence of Her whose call had gathered 
 them, and also as fitly introductory to the Address of Wel- 
 come delivered by him, in her name, immediately thereafter. 
 3
 
 i8 
 
 meadow 
 1783-0^. 17. 1883 
 
 To all the Sons and Daughters of Longmeadow, 
 our Common Mother sendeth loving Greeting: 
 
 Cordially inviting you her well-beloved Children, with 
 every friend to you or to herself allied, joyously to gather your- 
 selves upon the seventeenth day of the tenth month, under the 
 ancestral Elms of the Olden Green, To Celebrate with her, 
 in song and thanksgiving and historic reminiscence, and with all 
 fitting fellowships of heart and of hand, 
 
 Hep Qo 
 
 And this, her cordial invitation, our venerable and beloved 
 Mother sendeth, in especial remembrance, to you whose 
 name is hereupon inscribed, by the hand of her Centennial 
 Committee thereunto appointed and commissioned. 
 
 JOHN W. HARDING. 
 
 RICHARD S. STORRS. 
 To OLIVER WOLCOTT. 
 
 EDWARD INDICOTT. 
 JOHN McFETHRIES. 
 JOHN C. PORTER. 
 HENRY HALL. 
 Longmeadow, Aug. -2,0, 1883. JOHN A. McKINSTRY.
 
 THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 
 
 BY PROF. -R. S. STORKS. 
 
 Sons and Daughters of our Beloved Mother 
 
 Longmeadow : Her own invitation it was, dictated merely to 
 
 me her willing scribe, which has gathered you here to-day ; her 
 welcome, too, it is, which now, by her command, I speak. 
 
 And I would that, as I try to translate into human speech the 
 myriad voices of welcome which the dear mother has been 
 whispering to me all these autumn days, in leafy lane and on 
 sunny slope I would that I could revive in your minds some- 
 thing of that fresh nature-faith of men when the world itself was 
 young, by which they so easily and so beautifully personified in 
 tenderest human relationships old Mother Earth herself, and all 
 the manifold forces and forms of nature around them. 
 
 Then, indeed, to you, as to the Nile worshiper of old, yonder 
 silver stream which washes your beautiful meadows would be no 
 longer simply a stream, but rather some bounteous and benignant 
 Father of floods, reclining himself among New England vales, 
 and pouring from his lavish urn affluent tides of blessing along 
 your, borders ; and you would seem to hear in every murmuring 
 ripple that kisses its banks, sweet syllables of welcome home to 
 you, the children of his beloved meadow bride. 
 
 Then, too, for you, as for the ancient Greek, the hill-side 
 groves which skirt your meadows and the laughing brooklets 
 which intersect them, would be populous with nymph and naiad, 
 and vocal with their welcome to ea^ch returning child; while 
 every ancestral tree about us would seem to bend in loving 
 recognition, and to whisper in every breeze almost articulate 
 words of welcome home.
 
 2O 
 
 Thus to us, as to all those childlike races of an earlier and a 
 clearer vision than ours, it would be given to discern in this 
 round planet of our star-eyed science, the dear old Earth Mother 
 herself, bearing upon her bosom her innumerable tribes of child- 
 ren, and gladly yielding for their support her own generous life. 
 
 And then would these words of your invitation hither, "Vener- 
 able and Beloved Mother," be to you no mere figure of speech ; 
 but rather would they call up before you a glad and gracious 
 matron, of fairest form and feature, whose rich variety of beauty 
 "age cannot wither," standing with outstretched hands, waiting 
 to gather us all within her ample arms, and to breathe upon us 
 her warm maternal blessing. 
 
 To me, then, thus imagining, and thus lovingly listening to 
 the myriad whispering of the dear Mother in stream, and grove, 
 and rustling field, she has seemed to be saying, again and again : 
 
 "BlD WELCOME FOR ME, WARMEST WELCOME, to all my 
 
 Saxon children, latest and best beloved of all my offspring. For 
 they are not my only children, as they may have thought. My real 
 years date not from any human enactment of even Puritan 
 antiquity; but from the far earlier decree of Him whose omnip- 
 otent hand upraised New England's hills and hollowed out her 
 vales, spread my carpet of verdure beside yonder stream, and 
 Himself baptised me from its font with my own liquid name 
 most musical most meet. 
 
 "The 1-o-n-g meadow of the red deer, in truth I was, as he 
 bounded o'er me to slake his thirst at yonder river's side; and 
 the 1-o-n-g meadow of the red man, as well, pursuing the deer 
 through glen, and glade, and grove. Upon my bosom have 
 dwelt, upon my bounty have fed, and from me have finally 
 departed to return no more, successive generations of these, my 
 elder children. While they were with me I loved them, I nursed 
 them, I cared for them ; but they made me no large return of 
 filial service or love, and T mourned not their final departure.
 
 21 
 
 "Then came the pale face, stern of feature, strong of sinew, 
 and stout of heart, nigh two hundred and fifty years ago. My 
 Centennial is it, that ye call this latest birthday of mine ? Nay, 
 not that alone, for twice one hundred years, and more, have 
 come and gone, since the pioneer pale face builded here his 
 home, and first syllabled my liquid name. Ah, well do I remem- 
 ber them ! and brave and loyal men they were, and tender and 
 true women, who crossed the stormy seas from their distant isle, 
 looked lovingly upon my fair expanse, and chose me, from all 
 this broad land, for their future home. And my heart warmed 
 to them at once ; and I gladly gave them of my choicest and my 
 best; my golden corn, my waving grass and grain, the 
 luscious yield of orchard and of garden. 
 
 "And they were not ungrateful children of a loving mother. 
 My brow and my bosom they smoothed and glossed with kind- 
 liest culture, dotted with hospitable homes, and adorned with 
 over-arching trees till my beauty became a proverb beyond the 
 seas. Then, in my heart of hearts they reared the school of 
 culture, and the sanctuary of faith, the symbols and the expo- 
 nents of all that was highest and holiest in their own lives, and 
 most honorable and ennobling to me. And thus for seven 
 successive generations and more these noble men and women, 
 and their children's children, lived, and loved, and labored, and 
 rested. God bless them every one whether they sleep in my 
 embrace within yonder churchyard fold, or in distant lands, or 
 in the vast and wandering grave of the fathomless sea. 
 
 "And now, do you wonder that my heart goes out in warmest 
 greeting to the living descendants of those brave men and true- 
 hearted women, who have gone out from my sheltering arms, 
 and have builded for themselves other homes, and so have 
 carried my dear name and fame far and wide among men ? And 
 that I bid you give them my choicest welcome as they come
 
 22 
 
 back to-day at my call, 'To Celebrate with me under the ancestral 
 Elms of the Olden Green, with song and thanksgiving and 
 historic reminiscence, and with all fitting fellowships of heart 
 and of hand,' this gladdest day of all my years-? " 
 
 Thus far the Mother herself, to every child that hath ears to 
 hear. But the days have long since gone by, when such simple 
 faiths as these had power to sway the imaginations of men. 
 For the race, as for the individual, 
 
 It is not now as it hath been of yore. 
 
 Turn whereso'er we may, 
 
 By night or day, 
 The things which we have seen we now can see no more. 
 
 Full well we know, where'er we go, 
 That there hath passed away a glory from the earth. 
 
 But if the Christian revelation and the Christian science 
 which have superseded that elder nature-faith, have taken from 
 us something of that mysterious charm which invested the 
 mythologic world, they have, in their place, given us something 
 far higher and nobler ; and other welcomes than these there are, 
 which I am still privileged to speak to this Christian congregation. 
 
 From the all-embracing and all-sustaining Earth Mother of 
 pagan and poetic fancy, beautiful though it be, we turn reverently 
 and gladly to the Christian conception of the infinite All Father. 
 He it is who setteth the solitary in families, who gathereth fami- 
 lies into communities, who leadeth forth and planteth the nations 
 of the earth, and who allots to every human being his birthplace 
 and his home. His voice it is which speaks to every human 
 heart in those sacred affections of kindred and of home, almost 
 the deepest and dearest, almost the highest and holiest, that the 
 human heart can know. And He, above all others, it surely is, 
 who this day lovingly leads you back, and welcomes you, to 
 these fields and forests where your fathers so long ago " found " 
 what here they chiefly sought, "freedom to worship Him."
 
 23 
 
 And if the naiads and the dryads are departed, and the leafy 
 groves are voiceless for you now ; if 
 
 From haunted spring and dale 
 
 The parting genius is with sighing sent, 
 
 that faith and hope which have brought life and immortality to 
 light, have, in their place, peopled this upper air with a vast 
 cloud of witnesses, all unknown to pagan faith. 
 
 More than is of man's degree 
 Must be with us, watching here, 
 At this, our glad festivity. 
 Whom we see not, we revere ; 
 
 and subtly, o'er our inmost souls there steals a sense of welcome 
 warm, like dew distilling from the skies, as from their heights of 
 glorified vision, they, our dear departed ones, bend above us, 
 rejoicing to meet and mingle with us in this day's happy, and 
 even holy, festivities. 
 
 And we, too, the happy inheritors of all this wealth of beauty 
 and of blessing ; we, whose privilege it is still to dwell beneath the 
 same skies which smiled upon our fathers and yours, to breathe the 
 same air, to till the same soil, to gather around the same hearth- 
 stone, and to worship in the same sanctuary, we, too, welcome 
 you, our brothers and sisters, back to your home and to ours. 
 
 Most gladly do we acknowledge your common heirship with 
 us in all the rich heritage of the past, its sweet and sacred 
 memories, its holy and heroic inspirations; and we welcome 
 you to an equal participation with ourselves in all the glad fellow- 
 ships of this Centennial Day. Together let us retrace the historic 
 past, with one who "more than a brother is to us;" together let us 
 raise the song of grateful ^praise ; together let us lift the prayer of 
 reverent thanksgiving ; and together let us pledge ourselves, in His 
 strength, to lives worthy of such a history, and such an ancestry. 
 
 And may a gracious God bless and keep, for many and -many 
 a century yet to come, in ever brightening beauty and in ever 
 broadening bounty, OUR DEAR OLD MOTHER LONGMEADOW !
 
 2 4 
 
 The Address of Welcome was followed by the. singing of the 
 following Centennial Hymn, written by Professor Storrs for the 
 occasion, to the familiar tune of the Missionary Chant, with the 
 omission of the refrain line of each stanza. 
 
 CENTENNIAL HYMN. 
 
 BY PROF. R. S. STORRS. 
 
 Bend low in brightest beauty bend. 
 Ye skies, that o'er our fathers smiled : 
 Sweetest, selectest influence lend, 
 To bless the heart of every child, 
 On this dear Natal Day. 
 
 Blow soft ye balmy breezes, blow, 
 That winged our fathers o'er the sea, 
 These meadows, fresh and fair, to sow 
 With sacred seeds of. Liberty, 
 
 For this free Natal Day. 
 
 Flow gently, flow thou silver stream, 
 That washed those meadows fresh and fair ; 
 Let "gladness glow in every gleam 
 That flashes on th' illumined air, 
 
 Of this bright Natal Day. 
 
 Ye mountains, meadows, woods, and plains, 
 Ye skies, and streams, and glades, and groves, 
 EXULT that still to you remains 
 This village of our fathers' loves, 
 
 To this glad Natal Day. 
 
 God grant that while the sun shall shine, 
 And human hearts and homes endure, 
 Around these homes fond hearts shall twine, 
 In love and homage deep and pure, 
 
 As on this Natal Day. 
 
 The President then introduced the Orator of the Day, Rev. 
 John Wheeler Harding, under the perhaps pardonable pseudonym 
 of " Rev. John Williams Harding, a lineal descendant, if there 
 ever was one, in spirit at least of the Rev. John Williams of 
 Deerfield." 
 
 Mr. Harding, after a pleasant acknowledgment of the relation- 
 ship thus unexpectedly attributed to him, proceeded to deliver 
 the following Historical Address.
 
 X-
 
 THE HISTORICAL ADDRESS, 
 
 BY REV. JOHN W. HARDING, 
 
 PASTOR OF 
 
 THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST 
 
 IN LONGMEADOW. 
 
 This centennial anniversary seizes upon the land-mark of our 
 town incorporation only as the starting place for a review, not 
 of one hundred years alone, but of the two hundred and forty 
 years that have poured their treasures into our Longmeadow 
 history. It is quite impossible to compress such a history into 
 a historical address. Avoiding, therefore, the tedium of chro- 
 nological and genealogical precisions, I shall simply attempt, 
 within the hour allotted me, a series of photographic glances ; 
 not, however, at random, but with the connecting purpose of 
 illustrating what Alexis de Tocqueville, that acute observer of 
 our American institutions, said of the New England township. 
 "It was the nucleus round which the local interests, rights, and 
 duties so collected and clung, that it gave scope to the activities 
 of a thoroughly democratic and republican life. Its local assem- 
 blies of freemen the town-meetings were to liberty what 
 primary schools are to science; they brought it within the 
 people's reach ; they taught men how to use and enjoy it ; and 
 even while the American colonies still recognized the supremacy 
 of the mother country, the republic was already established in 
 every township." 
 
 My illustrations will cover, though all too rapidly anc} suc- 
 cinctly, three periods, the Meadow or Springfield period, the
 
 26 
 
 Precinct, and the Town period, the latter specially marked by our 
 centennial, one hundred years, the former two about seventy 
 years each. 
 
 Our Longmeadow founders, the Coltons, Burts, Cooleys, 
 Blisses, Keeps, Elys, Fields, Hales, and Stebbinses, were not 
 exiles or separatists, like the Plymouth pilgrims. They belonged 
 to the company of some 20,000 Puritan emigrants, whose sails 
 whitened the Atlantic sea between 1630 and 1640; Englishmen 
 of the adventurous and thrifty sort, who came with their cattle 
 and household goods, many of them with considerable substance, 
 not simply for wider religious freedom, but to better their 
 worldly condition. 
 
 It is the summer of 1630. From one of Boston's hills we view 
 the sea. Westward ho! A sail! Another sail! Seventeen 
 ships that summer come from Albion's shore 1600 passengers, 
 and of the best that ever came. Among them, John Winthrop 
 and his friend, William Pynchon, bringing the charter of the 
 province of Massachusetts Bay, both patentees, Winthrop gover- 
 nor, Pynchon assistant. They reinforce the notable company 
 already there and rapidly increasing ; bold, hardy, resolute men ; 
 brave, gentle, patient women ; their ministers such as Cotton, 
 Hooker, Stone, Warham, scholars of renown from Oxford, Cam- 
 bridge, from the best pulpits} whom the Church of England 
 could ill spare, and yet with too much of non-conformity in their 
 bones ; they must go they must breathe freer air. They settle 
 in Roxbury, Newtown, Dorchester, Watertown. And again, 
 westward ho! These hives must swarm. Pynchon has lived in 
 Roxbury scarce a year, when three Indian Sachems come from 
 fair Connecticut. They bring rich furs beaver, otter, fox, and 
 wolf, and mink. They tell of their great river, fertile meadows, 
 the salmon, bass, and shad, and sturgeon. John Cable and John 
 Woodcock go to explore. They bring back a good report.
 
 27 
 
 William Pynchon himself explores; the western fever grows, 
 and while the people of the bay protest, the boldest spirits, most 
 enterprising, the very elect, prepare to go. The Watertown 
 people with Henry Smith, Pynchon's son-in-law, to Wethersfield; 
 the Newtown or Cambridge people, with Thomas Hooker, to 
 Hartford ; the Dorchester people with John Warham, to Wind- 
 sor. The Roxbury people will soon follow Pynchon to Agawam. 
 There is romance in those paths. The leave-takings with old 
 neighbors, the Indian trail through dim old woods and boggy 
 marshes, the river fords, the ringing axes, the camp-fires under 
 lofty pines or by some gurgling brook, the feebler women borne 
 on litters, the little children lulled to sleep upon their hemlock 
 beds by the soughing in the tree-tops, frightened by the screech 
 owl, the baying wolf, or painted Indian; the processions of 
 lowing cattle, and the shouting boys, the pack horses, armed 
 men with trusty match-locks ; at morn and night the prayers and 
 psalms when each pastor, with his own church about him, 
 invokes the Almighty care : 
 
 " And they shook the depths of the forest gloom 
 With their hymns of lofty cheer.*' 
 
 It is the 1st of May, 1636. William Pynchon starts with his 
 Roxbury neighbors by the old bay path to Agawam. Their bulkier 
 goods have already gone round by water in John Winthrop's 
 shallop, the "Blessing of the Bay'' Learned, gifted, wealthy, 
 devout, every way qualified for leadership, Pynchon becomes the 
 father of Springfield, as he had been the father of Roxbury. 
 Already his eye had taken in the choice localities. Hear the 
 sixth article of agreement between Pynchon and his associates : 
 "The Long meddowe called Massacksick, lying in the way to 
 Dorchester [now Windsor] shall be distributed to every man as 
 'we shall think meete." A few days after he purchases the 
 " Long meddowe" from those ancient Indians of Agawam, Com-
 
 28 
 
 muck, and Matanchan ; and in particular with the consent of 
 Machetuhood, Wenepawin, and Mohemoos, "for 4 fathom of 
 wampum, 4 coates, 4 hatchets, 4 howes, and 4 knifes." "And 
 the said Pynchon doth further condition with the said InHians 
 that they shall have and enjoy all the ground which is now 
 planted; and have liberty to take fish and deer, ground-nuts, 
 walnuts, acorns, and peas. And also if any cattle spoil their 
 corn, to pay as it is worth." 
 
 These Indians were not cheated. It was "value received." 
 They attached little value to the land they sold that they did not 
 still retain. They had repeatedly and urgently invited Pynchon 
 and his friends. They saw the great advantage of their coming, 
 in a ready market for their furs, in the tools, the cloth, the many 
 equivalents and increments of their welfare. For forty years 
 they lived in perfect unity with our fathers, and they had con- 
 tinued so but for outside influences of distant tribes and the 
 wily machinations of King Philip. They were not numerous 
 enough, they were too idle and roving to really possess the land. 
 Fearfully decimated by the small-pox before our fathers came, 
 thinned again by intestine wars, sometimes for miles not a single 
 wigwam, it was a vacant domain, although they gathered more 
 numerously about the great river where fish abounded and the 
 beavers built their dams. There was a village on Pecowsic 
 brook, a palisaded fort on Long hill, a burial-ground on yonder 
 river bank, its skeletons revealed from time to time by the 
 prying river. Their scattered arrow-heads and pottery, and rude 
 implements of tillage often remind us of them, but never to 
 condemn our fathers. 
 
 The scene changes. It is the 5th of October, 1675, at dead 
 of night. Listen ! On the river road in yonder meadow, the 
 clatter of flying hoofs. Why this headlong haste ? A messenger 
 from Windsor. King Philip the night before has led by winding
 
 29 
 
 ways and noiseless stealth, three hundred of his Indians into 
 Long hill fort. He waits a day before the sack of Springfield 
 for his scouts to go to Hartford and effect the escape of certain 
 hostages the Springfield people have in durance there. On 
 their way they have let out their dreadful secret to Toto, a 
 Windsor Indian in Mr. Wolcott's family. He betrays it in his 
 looks they wrest it from him, and their messenger speeds the 
 warning. When our Longmeadow settlers hear the war-whoop 
 from Long hill and see the smoke of Springfield they look well 
 to their powder and their bullets. Each house becomes a fort. 
 They fetch their harvests in with one wary eye toward the river 
 and the other toward the hill-side; they keep their muskets 
 primed. 
 
 The mild winter merges into spring. Skulking Indians are 
 about, but thus far they are unmolested. On the 26th of March 
 they muster courage to go to church. They are eighteen men, 
 women, and children. They have just passed through the Long- 
 meadow gate, and are descending Pecowsic hill ; the war-whoop 
 halts them ; the arrows fly ; John Keep falls dead ; his wife and 
 two children receive mortal wounds ; some of the rest are taken 
 captive. Before this, in the sunny meadow, peace, tranquil indus- 
 tries, the growing thrift of happy homes. But now to the hard 
 discipline of work joins the tougher discipline of war the con- 
 stant watch for ambushed foes. Every boy over 15 is counted a 
 soldier; there is a training day every month ; the "Worshipful 
 Major" John Pynchon is in chief command. Good soldiers in 
 those days, as well as good farmers and good Christians. En- 
 signs Cooley, Keep, Stebbins, Quartermaster George Colton, and 
 best officer of them all, our Miles Standish, Captain Thomas 
 Colton. How the Indians feared him. One of them aims at 
 him as he is plowing in the cornfield from behind a bush, but his 
 hand trembles, and he dares not fire, so sure, he said, that if
 
 30 
 
 he should miss the captain, the captain would make an end 
 of him. 
 
 The meadow period draws to its close. It is December, 1695. 
 A mighty flood. All day long the river rises. The long 
 meadow is a sea. Night draws on. The relentless flood swashes 
 into the cellars, above the floors, puts out the fires ; and still it 
 rises. The Cooleys, dwelling northward, flee to Springfield ; the 
 Blisses, Burts, and Stebbinses of the central settlement, row for 
 the hill-side and spend the night in the woods ; the Keeps and 
 Coltons, dwelling southward, row past the deserted houses to 
 one near Cooley brook, and there venture to spend the night. 
 They will risk no more floods. The removal to the hill begins. 
 This spacious street is located ; the new home lots apportioned, 
 and our present village grows apace. In 1709 was born the last 
 child of the meadow settlement, Simon Colton, grandson of the 
 quartermaster. 
 
 Here endeth the Meadow or Springfield period. Our fathers 
 have been selectmen of Springfield long enough to know how to 
 set up for themselves. The Precinct period begins. "Although 
 not fully up to the number of forty families," their petition to 
 Great and General Court maintains that they " are of good 
 and sufficient ability to maintain a minister." The petition is 
 granted. A separate precinct for the gospel ministry. That is 
 the crystalizing thought. At the second precinct meeting 
 "Honorable Colonel" Pynchon, moderator, the first vote is to 
 raise, shingle, and clapboard a meeting-house by January ist 
 ensuing, 32 by 38 feet, place left to the prudential committee ; 
 another committee raised " to provide workmen and materials to 
 carry on the work to that maturity and by the time as aforesaid." 
 It was further voted " to call a learned orthodox minister to 
 dispense the word of God to us this winter, and that the com- 
 mittee take care to provide such a minister as speedy as may be,
 
 and first to take advice of the Reverend Elders in order to pro- 
 vide one suitable for us." It was further voted " to git or have a 
 school-master to teach or learn our children to read and write." 
 
 Here is your republic already established your independent 
 nation in rapid process of equipment. The elders advise, and 
 the "learned and orthodox," that is the correc tly learned minister, 
 comes Stephen Williams, a youth of twenty-one, a graduate of 
 Harvard, of that remarkable family ninety and more of whom are 
 enrolled as alumni of Harvard, more than eighty alumni of Yale, 
 and a like proportion on other catalogues ; one of them founder 
 of Williams College ; another signer of the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence ; eminent in all professions, adorning every rank. No 
 aristocratic child of ease, however, is the youthful candidate. 
 Taken captive by the Indians at ten years of age, he has early 
 borne the yoke of fearful sorrows and unusual hardships. A 
 brother and sister killed on that dreadful night at the sack of 
 Deerfield, his gentle mother slain upon the wintry march, he has 
 been schooled in Indian wigwams, in all the arts of woodcraft, 
 among the Jesuits of Quebec, as well as in college cloisters. He 
 knows already much of men and their affairs, and he is to lay the 
 life-long impress of a rare social culture and a wide acquaintance 
 on the Longmeadow parish. 
 
 It is his ordination day, October 18, 1716, just one -hundred 
 and sixty-seven years ago to-day. A great assembly held 
 abroad. Samuel Keep makes suitable provision at the pre- 
 cinct's cost for the entertainment of the reverend elders and 
 other gentlemen that may be present ; application made to the 
 quarter sessions to license Nathaniel Bliss to make provision for 
 entertaining the promiscuous crowd. The church is gathered : 
 " And those of us whose names are hereto suffixed did give our- 
 selves to God and to Jesus Christ, and did promise to walk 
 together in a faithful attendance of all God's holy institutions
 
 32 
 
 in order to His glory, and the edification of our own souls, and 
 
 the souls of our children 
 
 STEPHEN WILLIAMS, NATHANIEL BLISS, 2d, 
 
 THOMAS COLTON, Sr., JONATHAN ELY, 
 
 DANIEL COOLEY, THOMAS BLISS, 
 
 GEORGE COLTON, SAMUEL BLISS, 4th." 
 NATHANIEL BURT, Jr., 
 
 True history is to a large degree personal. It revolves around 
 its central characters. Such were these nine founders of the 
 "First Church of Christ in Longmeadow" its catholic and 
 unsectarian name ; " Congregational " is the suffix of a later day. 
 Who are these men ? Of their leader, Stephen Williams in the 
 sum total of his character and molding influence, our foremost 
 man I shall speak hereafter. Would that the time permitted 
 me to make larger mention of these laymen, each a representa- 
 tive of our leading and characteristic families, the staunch sup- 
 porters who called Stephen Williams- to his work and gave him 
 his opportunity. I trust it will not seem invidious if I select 
 one to represent the rest. These men and their associates, with 
 their successors of later day, were all of good English stock, a 
 remarkably homogeneous community, some entitled to the address 
 of Mr., but generally yeomen or freeholders, of that degree in 
 the fatherland next to the English gentry ; singularly independent, 
 and tenacious of their personal rights ; men of affairs and able 
 to manage them ; not so highly educated as William Pynchon, but 
 understanding the supreme value of mental training, they will 
 have no other than a learned ministry. Omitting then, because 
 compelled to, the particular mention that might well be given in 
 large detail of the Coltons, Burts, Cooleys, Blisses, Elys, Keeps, 
 Hales, Fields, Stebbinses, Wolworths, Whites, Steels, Booths, 
 Chandlers, Coomeses, Wolcotts, Ashleys, McGregorys, Dwights, 
 Peases, and other honorable names, let me give you an outline
 
 33 
 
 sketch of one man from our most numerous family, Capt. 
 Thomas Colton, son of " Quartermaster George." 
 
 "As a military officer," says Stephen Williams in his funeral 
 sermon, " active, forward, daring, ready ; upon the least intima- 
 tion of hostile approach, upon the wing ; he underwent great 
 hardships and fatigues in tedious marches all night long ; exact 
 in discipline, yet the darling of his company. He always 
 began and ended his trainings with prayer ; as master of his 
 family a very Joshua ; as a neighbor he set before you an excel- 
 lent pattern of industry ; always ready for offices of love and 
 kindness ; of a catholic spirit, he always showed a great 
 concern for the public ; always pleased with any measures for 
 reformation ; he was very remarkable in the gift and grace of 
 prayer ; wonderful in the aptness and pertinency of his expres- 
 sions. Oh ! how have I heard him wrestling with God for this 
 place, for the outpouring of his spirit, and the welfare of the ris- 
 ing generation." These are but a few bold strokes of the pic- 
 ture. You see the man. 
 
 The pastor elect is not married ; he is not engaged. But he 
 expects to be, and it is the general expectation. He delays the 
 acceptance of his call till things are well provided, the original 
 terms amended, three or four acres fenced and broken up for an 
 orchard in the home lot he shall choose, two more lots fenced 
 out forty rods backward from the street; .200 settlement. The 
 young minister is sagacious ; " 55 for this present year and if 
 God continue him in the ministry among us, to add as we are 
 able, and his circumstances may require," is too hypothetical. 
 When Nathaniel Burt and Samuel Bliss are chosen "to goto Mr. 
 Williams and acquaint him with the mind of the society " they 
 come back. Instructed at another meeting, to report better 
 terms, "and further to add to, or to add to if his necessity calls 
 for it," they go, and come back again ; until finally, at another 
 5
 
 34 
 
 meeting of the precinct, the Honored Col. Pynchon being pres- 
 ent, it is voted without any " ifs " or contingencies of provi- 
 dence, "at the end of eight years from May 4, 1715, to add 
 to Mr. Williams's salary (which will then be .70) X$ per 
 annum." And now, he accepts the call, and although seven 
 months before his ordination, proceeds to build his house. It is 
 two storied, with huge central chimney, generous fireplace, spa- 
 cious north and south rooms and ample kitchen, built for a large 
 family and hospitable intentions. The diary reads : " This morn- 
 ing I heard that my neighbor Brooks is uneasy because of my 
 house being so stately. I have heard of others that speak meanly 
 and reproachfully of me. God forgive them and help me heartily 
 to do it. O Lord, help me to walk inoffensively, so that none 
 may have occasion to speak ill of me ; help me, O Lord, to do 
 my duty, and by no means to neglect that, to curry favor with 
 man. Man had better be angry with me than God." This is 
 the key-note of all his patient and successful future. 
 
 He is setting himself down for a ministry of sixty-six years 
 but he needs a wife. It is the wedding day, July 3, 1718. The 
 Stamford meeting-house is packed. Father Williams begins with 
 prayer; Father Davenport preaches, and then joins his daughter 
 Abigail to the Longmeadow minister. Another prayer and 
 singing, and the bridegroom remarks: "Being before so great 
 an assembly, it made the case look very solemn to me," and 
 quite as solemn to the bride, if we may judge from the reveren- 
 tial style of a letter to her lover a few days before the wedding. 
 
 Reverend and Worthy Sir: Missing the opportunity by our Deputies 
 of Sending a few Lines, but willing to Gratify you in that which you was 
 pleased when here to say would be a particular Gratification to you, in doing 
 of which Good Sir, I would desire might not be for my being exposed, altho' 
 there may be justly faults found by your critical eye, yet I would, if I did 
 but know how Modestly crave your favorable thought, hoping that these 
 lines may find you in good health, as at present I am, through ye goodness
 
 35 
 
 of God, for which I desire to be thankful. . . . Please, Good Sir, to 
 pardon my boldness and freedom as to one thing, which might have been 
 spoken to, but was not when you was here. 'Tis Customary by some to have 
 Gloves alike for color. If you pleas to have them like mine, Sir, you may 
 get white. Valuable Sir, be not angry, if one who would desire to be made a 
 comfort rather than a trouble to you, should desire a remembrance by you 
 in your petitions at ye throne of grace. Suffer me to beg your pardon once 
 again for my burdening you with such scrolls. I would not be tedious, but 
 Subscribe myself, Sir, your very observant, and hopefully well affected, 
 
 ABIGAIL DAVENPORT. 
 
 It is a festal day when the happy pair escorted by their cavalcade 
 draw rein like Canterbury pilgrims at the new Longmeadow 
 parsonage. Their neighbors have prepared a royal feast. There 
 are anagrams too, and acrostics, " On the happy marriage of 
 Rev. Mr. Stephen Williams with that virtuous gentlewoman, 
 Madam Abigail Davenport." Let us quote a specimen line 
 
 or two : 
 
 How happily two names are mett, 
 
 Two names of note and of Renown ; 
 
 The foremost here in order sett 
 
 Is Stephen which denotes a crown 
 
 The other name is Abigail, 
 
 A Father's joy it signifies ; 
 
 Which Twain conjoyning will not not fail 
 
 Of sounding forth sweet Harmonys. 
 
 The Precinct and the Pastor are fairly launched. They man- 
 age the temporalities; his is the care of souls; and yet.no 
 cloistered monk or moldy celibate, he has enough of worldly 
 business to make him practical, to identify him with his people's 
 daily life. He must take care of his orchard after they have 
 broken it up ; improve the ministry lands that are perquisites of 
 his salary ; turn the various grains that stand for half his stipend 
 into beef and milk and pork ; must know how to deal with hired 
 men, and with men of high degree, to entertain strangers, to
 
 36 
 
 consult and advise in a thousand cases that demand prudence, 
 courage, tact, and sympathy. 
 
 The people accord a certain pre-eminence to their minister, 
 but it is no blind loyalty. They are very sturdy in their inde- 
 pendence. They will do their own work in their own way, their 
 own time, in open meeting, under their own moderator, and he a 
 layman. Everything must be discussed and re-discussed, voted 
 up and voted down. Out of this " heats and uneasiness," but 
 these are incidental to the republican training. The anxious 
 pastor prays continually, and the meeting-house progresses 
 gradually; at first, the square, barn-like frame, pyramidal roof, 
 and central bell-tower, but no bell for twenty-seven years, 
 voted often, and as often reconsidered. Meanwhile Deacon 
 Nathaniel Burt goes up and down the street beating the drum. 
 At first only the ground floor, rude benches, the women seated 
 by themselves on the west side, then two glass windows on the 
 south side ; as the years progress, the gallery floor ; after thir- 
 teen years, the walls lathed and plastered. By and by, two 
 more glass windows on the north side. They pay as they go. 
 Meanwhile the burying-ground, a pound, the school-house, and a 
 bier. At length three pews, an aristocratic innovation care- 
 fully located at the lower end in the place of two hind seats, and 
 eyed with jealous circumspection but once builded, of course, 
 another pew for Mr. Williams's family. Next, green plush for a 
 pulpit cushion, then three pews more voted, and voted down. 
 But at last the pews get the better of the benches. The meet- 
 ing-house in this slow way of getting finished grows old enough 
 to need repairs. 
 
 It is 1764, the fifty-first year of the Precinct period. The 
 question is put " whether the precinct will proceed to build a 
 new meeting-house for the public worship of God passed in the 
 affirmative." A committee raised to get the best information
 
 37 
 
 about the respective cost of a brick or a wooden meeting-house. 
 It is voted to build a wooden house. But in due time the ques- 
 tion of a brick house is renewed. Some months after, the ques- 
 tions are put to the precinct separately whether to repair the 
 old house or build a new one ; and both passed in the negative. 
 These actions and counter actions proceed till in the lingering 
 course of time " a new timber meeting-house " is voted, and a 
 committee raised to provide hospitable entertainment, both 
 victuals and drink, for the raising, June 17, 1767, one hundred 
 and sixteen years ago. 
 
 It is raising day ; a great concourse of people. " I prayed 
 with them," writes Stephen Williams, " in the old meeting-house 
 at eleven of the clock. They went on prosperously ; got up the 
 north side to the roof, and the east end in part." When the 
 workmen stop at night Mr. Williams prays again and gives thanks 
 with the people. This is Wednesday. On Thursday, Friday, 
 Saturday, and the next Monday, the same services at morning 
 and at night. On Tuesday the steeple is raised, and the raising 
 is complete. " At night," Stephen Williams writes, " we went 
 into the old meeting-house, and I prayed and gave thanks with 
 the people, and we sang a psalm, 
 
 ' Praised be the name of the Lord.' " 
 
 It is a Sabbath day, one hundred years ago. The second bell 
 first peal. From north and south and east the tribes come up 
 the whole population, afoot, in wagons the farm wagons without 
 springs. Some are drawn by horses, the rest by oxen. The 
 women and the younger children and old men sit on straight 
 backed chairs or milking stools ; the young men and maidens, 
 and the boys, line the wayside. The bell begins to toll. The 
 congregation throng the meeting-house steps, the porches, and 
 the aisles. It is the day of greetings, the social exchange, the 
 newsday. Dr. Williams at length emerges from the parsonage 
 
 200084
 
 38 
 
 in gown and bands and powdered wig, three-cornered hat, knee 
 breeches, silk or woolen stockings and silver shoe buckles. The 
 bell will not stop tolling till he passes through the massive 
 double door with iron-handled latch and into the high pulpit, 
 with its carved work of grapes and pomegranates under the 
 great sounding board. The deacons are seated in their railed 
 pew, beneath the pulpit. 
 
 There is no stove. For fifty-one years the frosty air of the 
 new meeting-house was only mitigated by the women's foot- 
 stoves and the cracking together of frozen boot-heels. The par- 
 son sometimes preached in heavy homespun cloak and woolen 
 mittens, and at the nooning, grateful indeed was the roaring fire 
 in the great kitchen of the parsonage, at the tavern bar-room, at 
 all the hospitable neighbors' open houses. Comforting were the 
 home-made lunches, the apples roasting on the hearth, the cider, 
 the hot cider, that is to say the flip. The congregation stand 
 up to pray, bodily infirmity alone prevents. If one sits down in 
 prayer-time, it is a sudden and emphatic protest against the par- 
 son's praying for the king and royal family. That habit clings 
 to Dr. Williams a little beyond the patriotic sufferance. Not that 
 he is a " tory," or " inimical to the liberties of America," by any 
 settled convictions ; only an old man, to whom the times look 
 dark, and "fears are in the way." In due time he reads from 
 the pulpit, though not without some misgivings, the Declaration 
 of Independence, and gives his benedictions to the soldiers as 
 they march from the church door to the camp of General Wash- 
 ington. For fifty years the congregation sit down to sing ; but 
 after the deacon has ceased to line out the psalm, and the pitch- 
 pipe no longer toots, and the singing-master has organized the 
 choir, and the bass viols and flutes conspire with young men and 
 maidens to make a joyful noise, they rise up, and face about to 
 see the choir. Alas ! the strife that raged awhile between the
 
 39 
 
 Psalter and Watts's Hymns ; between the free singing and that 
 by rote the unheavenly dissonance " left," as Thomas Walter, 
 the Roxbury pastor says, " to the mercy of every unskilful throat 
 to chop and alter, twist and change, according to their diverse 
 fancies; and, so little attention paid to time, that they were 
 often one or two words apart, producing noises so hideous and 
 disorderly as is bad beyond expression." 
 
 The gallery of the new meeting-house runs around the east, 
 south and west walls, square pews line the gallery walls, the negro 
 pew is in the southwest corner, the boys of twelve occupy the next 
 pew, the boys of fourteen the next, those of eighteen the next, it 
 having the extra advantage of a window, and the boys of sixteen 
 the last pew on that side. A similar arrangement for the girls in 
 the eastern gallery; the single men and women of discreet age 
 occupy the pews lining the south gallery wall. The choir seats 
 run all around the gallery front, and the smaller children sit on 
 benches directly behind the choir. In such an arrangement the 
 necessity for tything men is great. Dr. Baxter Dickinson, 
 successor to Mr. Storrs, told me that once, praying under 
 difficulties from singular noises in the gallery, and having lost 
 his nominative case, he was constrained to open his eyes, when 
 lo ! a red-haired boy in the process of being twitched over the 
 pew rail by our now venerable friend, David Booth, but hanging 
 on as only a red-haired boy can and will to the balusters with 
 both hands so successfully, that with a fearful crash the whole 
 railing had to come with the boy. The seats of honor are in 
 the broad aisle pews below, nearest the pulpit ; the pews are 
 all free, but the seating committee assign them. They are first 
 instructed "to wait on Dr. Williams and know his pleasure 
 what pew in the meeting-house he chooses for his family to 
 sit in." But after that, no easy task this " dignifying the hp.use." 
 Age is one consideration, property another, standing another.
 
 40 
 
 Such as Nathaniel Ely, Moses Field, Deacon Aaron Colton, 
 Leftenant Hale, with their wives, may be put into the same pew 
 with mutual satisfaction and the common consent, but such is 
 human nature, sanctified or unsanctified, that as the assortments 
 go on, the utmost wisdom of the wisest fails. 
 
 The Precinct period resounds from first to last with the noise of 
 war. The village trainings are no mere holiday parades. Queen 
 Anne's war, which summons to savage fights Captain Thomas Col- 
 ton and his brave comrades, is followed by a few years' rest. In 
 1744 breaks out the French and Indian war, which calls to bloody 
 fields Captain Moses Field, Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt, and their 
 fellow-soldiers. Stephen Williams goes with them as chaplain. 
 
 It is June 25, 1755. The drum and fife announce that Deacon 
 Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt is ready with his company to start for 
 the front. "The soldiers of this place," writes Stephen Williams, 
 " gathered at Deacon Burt's. I went over to the deacon's ; we 
 sang the I2ist psalm and prayed together, and then they went 
 off to town. Soldiers passing along, one company after another." 
 And soon the reverend chaplain himself follows, to engage in the 
 military service through three campaigns ; to Louisburg under 
 Sir William Pepperell, to Crown Point under Sir William John- 
 son, to Lake George under General Winslow ; and repeatedly 
 urged to go again, after failing health had compelled his return 
 from the hardships of the camp. A few days after is the fierce 
 battle at Lake George ; Deacon Burt is killed with his Colonel, 
 Ephraim Williams. 
 
 The sad message in the handwriting of Chaplain Stephen Wil- 
 liams is read on the Sabbath day to the Longmeadow congrega- 
 tion. Mrs. Sarah Burt, the widow, faints on hearing it and is 
 carried out, but revives, to marry, by and by, her reverend pastor. 
 The local poet of that day, " Clark Stebbins," (Longmeadow 
 has never wanted for poets) in his requiem portrays the scene.
 
 41 
 
 At length a courier the sad tidings brought, 
 
 Of a most bloody battle Lately fought 
 
 Between New England Troops and Gallic foe 
 
 Which spread the plain with a promiscuous woe, 
 
 But yet no certain Tydings we could hear 
 
 Which held us in suspense, Twixt hope and fear, 
 
 Until a Reverend Letter passed the plain 
 
 With the sad, mournful news, Brave Burt is Slain. 
 
 Struck with Surprize, the whole assembly stood 
 
 Drowned in silence and a Briny flood. 
 
 His Consort Dear Just heard the awful sound, 
 
 And sighed, and groaned, and sunk unto the ground." 
 
 A few years of outward peace ; but, gathering clouds and 
 lightning flashes of murky discontent. The Revolution is at 
 hand. April 20, 1775. "This mbrning, as soon as it was light, 
 the drum beat and three alarm guns. The story is that some of 
 the British troops have marched from Boston to seize military 
 stores at Lexington or Concord. But accounts vague, uncertain. 
 Our minute-men are gone to town." April 21, "This morning at 
 four o'clock another message. A smart engagement at Concord 
 between the regulars and our people; many killed; 'Tis said 
 houses burnt, women and children killed ; more men are going 
 forth. I prayed with a company." David Burt was Captain, 
 John Hale, Lieutenant; Sergeants, Ebenezer Cclton, Samuel 
 Keep ; Corporals, Nathaniel Ely, Josiah Cooley, and for privates 
 more Burts, Blisses, Coltons, Stebbinses, David White, John Ack- 
 ley, and the rest on the quick step off " to assist our breth- 
 ren at Lexington," and as their colors disappear, " we met," says 
 Stephen Williams, "in the meeting-house for prayers." 
 
 And now, turmoils, heats, suspicions, alarms by night and day, 
 the times that try men's souls. No quiet like ours to-day. They 
 were paying its great price for us. 
 
 It is midnight, July 24, 1776. A company of men, headed by 
 Nathaniel Ely, Festus Colton, and Azariah Woolworth, with
 
 42 
 
 faces blacked and variously disguised, attack the house of Mer- 
 chant Samuel Colton ; seize his rum, salt, and molasses ; carry 
 them away, and appoint Jabez Colton the village "man of 
 affairs," Yale graduate, classical teacher, familiarly known as 
 " Master Jabe," guardian and salesman. Merchant Colton's 
 wife peeping through the shutters has keenly scrutinized the 
 mob and their disguise does not avail. So broken in spirit was 
 Merchant Colton by this outrage of his neighbors that he never 
 after spoke aloud. At the close of the war they were sued, and 
 judgment was rendered against them in favor of one Church, 
 who proved his ownership of a part of the abstracted goods. 
 Apprehending further suits, they petition the General Court for 
 an act of indemnity, and are met by a counter petition. Both 
 papers display shrewd ability. The patriotic robbers plead the 
 absence of statute law that succeeded for a time the declaration 
 of independence, the necessity that knows no law. Merchant 
 Colton pleaded the natural equity of private rights which is the 
 fundamental source of law that without law, liberty is license, 
 and independence but a sorry farce. The act of indemnity was 
 passed. 
 
 One of the last lessons of valuable experience the precinct 
 learned was that of "fiat money." In 1780 Dr. Williams was 
 voted a salary of $22,500 in Continental currency; corn rated at 
 $38 per bushel, rye $50, wheat $84. "What will you take for 
 those fine oxen ? " said a speculator, with his pockets full of Con- 
 tinental money, to a Longmeadow farmer plowing in his field. 
 "Don't you want," was the significant reply, "to sell that fine 
 horse of yours, and take your pay in yellow butterflies after har- 
 vest and catch 'em yourself?" Among the last votes of the 
 precinct is a grant of ^30, good money, to the family of Rev. 
 Dr. Williams, deceased, and the first thought of the newly-
 
 43 
 
 incorporated town is to raise a monumental table over his 
 honored grave. 
 
 His ministry of sixty-six years, rounds out the precinct 
 period. The last time he appears abroad, his loving and beloved 
 deacons tenderly carry him in his arm-chair-across the green, and 
 help his tottering steps into the deacon's seat for he cannot 
 mount the pulpit stairs. They hear, with tearful eyes, his last 
 address, bring to him three little ones for his parting blessing 
 in the rite of holy baptism, and then carry him back to the 
 home he builded in his youthful vigor in a few days more to 
 die in the ninetieth year of his age. At the funeral, a great 
 assembly and the sermon by his devoted friend, Robert Breck, 
 a very tender and eloquent tribute which may still be found in 
 print, to the worthiest name that our history enshrines. 1 He was 
 firm, gentle, prudent, patient, earnest ; of genuine humility and 
 devoted piety; widely known and as thoroughly respected; his 
 counsel sought far beyond his parish bounds; his influence and 
 usefulness increasing to the very verge of his life. 
 
 He is so thoroughly sincere; everybody trusts him; a peace- 
 maker, full of magnanimous sensibilities. " This day Lieutenant 
 Cooley and Captain Burt came here. They had been here many 
 times before, and after a great deal of discourse, they were brought 
 to join hands and say that they desired heartily to forgive one 
 another. I drew up something which they signed." And so a 
 bitter and disastrous feud was healed. The next Sabbath the 
 
 1 In his address to his fellow clergymen at the funeral Mr. Breck says : " My 
 brethren, it has pleased God to remove from us our father who has been for many 
 years at our head. I trust that we, his sons in the ministry, who in a body made 
 him a visit when he was declining fast, will never forget with how much affection he 
 committed us and our flocks to God; the advices he gave us; the fatherly blessing 
 he bestowed upon us; and the tenderness with which he took his last leave of us. I 
 could not help thinking that I had before my eyes the old prophet wrapped in 
 his mantle, just stepping into his chariot, ready upon the wings of the wind to take 
 his flight into heaven. My brethren, it is worth while to live as our father Williams 
 did, if it was only to die as he did."
 
 44 
 
 agreement is read before the congregation, and the good pastor 
 joins to it an earnest and loving exhortation. 
 
 He is a plain reprover. " This day I again discoursed with and 
 very severely reproved my neighbor, John Colton, for his drink- 
 ing. I told him I desired to deliver my own soul, and if he 
 should perish, his blood would be upon his own head." 
 
 He is a social, cheery, hospitable man. The parsonage 
 abounds with guests; hosts of relatives, among them Rector 
 Williams of Yale, and Col. Ephraim, founder of Williams Col- 
 lege. And there is President Wheelock of Dartmouth, Presi- 
 dent Holyoke of Harvard, and the army officers, his fellow-sol- 
 diers in three campaigns, and Judges Salstonstall and Sewall, 
 and the other judges, whom he always " waits upon" when they 
 come to town on their respective circuits; and such divines as Dr. 
 Cooper, Dr. Coleman, and Jonathan Edwards. The constant 
 influx of these guests, the sermons of the best preachers in the 
 pulpit, bring into the village a culture which leavens the coming 
 days. 
 
 He is catholic and progressive; is not afraid of novelties and 
 innovations; encourages the new hymns and the singing-masters, 
 and the pulpit readings of the Scriptures; looks kindly at the 
 "New Lights;" will not multiply the " Separates" by fighting 
 them; welcomes George Whitefield when it is the clerical fashion 
 to decry him. 
 
 He is philanthropic and public-spirited. Beginning at home, 
 his charity goes all abroad. With a tender eye for all distressed 
 persons, he scans their practical necessities and presses his 
 people for contributions. The widow Steele's house must be 
 shingled, wood must be sledded to the widow Aitchison. Our 
 Thanksgiving collection he originated. Our Benevolent Associa- 
 tion is but the unfolding of his old charity meeting. Our weekly
 
 45 
 
 conference meeting is no improvement upon his frequent meet- 
 ings from house to house, and the sermons that he so often 
 repeated to the aged and the invalid at home. Our Sunday- 
 schools impart less solid instruction than his frequent catechis- 
 ings and familiar conferences with the young men at the school- 
 house when he encouraged them to propose their questions. 
 Often he goes to Springfield jail to visit the prisoners. Brimful 
 of the missionary spirit, his heart is always going out to the 
 Indians. He is instrumental in securing John Sargeant for 
 .missionary to the Stockbridge tribe; he is interpreter for the 
 Housatonics when his friend Gov. Belcher meets the Indian 
 congress of various tribes at Deerfield. Rejoicing as we do this 
 day in so many honored missionary names connected with Long- 
 meadow, the Schaufflers, Temples, Raynoldses, Calhouns, 
 Blisses, McQueens, we must not forget the benediction and the 
 impulse that come down from Stephen Williams. Eleazer Wil- 
 liams, the reputed " Dauphin," descended from Eunice, his 
 captive sister, was a missionary to the Iroquois and educated 
 by Deacon Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 Our foreign missionaries suggest the mention of our foreign 
 commerce. Merchant Colton, the richest man of the precinct, 
 had a ship-yard on the river bank. His vessels, the Speedzvell 
 and the Friendship, were launched at high water, floated over 
 Enfield Falls, rigged at Hartford, laded with hoops and staves, 
 ihese exchanged at Havana for molasses, and this sold at Bristol, 
 England, for a general assortment of goods to be distributed 
 again at Piscataqua now Portsmouth at Boston, and at 
 Longmeadow. See how our fathers put their religion into their 
 bills of lading : 
 
 Shipped by the grace of God in good order and well conditioned by 
 James and Dickinson, and in and upon the good ship called the Friendship, 
 whereof is master under God for this present voyage, Edward Sargeant,
 
 4 6 
 
 and now riding at anchor in the harbor of Bristol, and by God's grace bound 
 for Piscataqua to say ten casks of naUs, etc., on the proper accommoda- 
 tion and risque of Mr. Samuel Colton. ... In witness whereof the 
 master or purser of the said ship hath affirmed to three bills of lading, etc. 
 And so GOD send the Good Ship to her desired port in safety. Amen. 
 
 Dated in Bristol, June 6, 1771. 
 
 EDWARD SARGEANT. 
 
 The Town period, our recent century, may be briefly 
 scanned; for it is simply the outcome and enlargement of the pre- 
 ceding periods. It is the receptacle of all the priceless treasures 
 accumulated by our fathers' sturdy faith, ceaseless toil, and heroic 
 sacrifice. Do we see further than they, it is because we stand 
 upon their shoulders. Do we enjoy more than they, it is because 
 they suffered for us. Do we build better than they, it is because 
 they discovered the quicksands and settled the foundations firm. 
 Have we peace in our day, 'tis because they fought the inevitable 
 battles. Even as our towering elms derive not their leafy 
 crowns and royal stature from the sandy surface, but from the 
 deep clay subsoil, so if we have any spreading roots of character, 
 or our institutions any permanent vitality, it is because we are 
 planted by the living waters of our historic past. " The child- 
 ren of Thy servant shall continue, and their seed shall be 
 established before Thee." 
 
 The Town period opens with Shays's Rebellion. The times 
 are out of joint. The people are generally impoverished dis- 
 tressed with debt, crazy over paper money ; deceived and ruined 
 by it, and yet wanting more. It is the heyday for demagogues. 
 The courts and lawyers are denounced. The blind remedy is 
 insurrection ; the very foundations of social order begin to rock, 
 and it is a question whether the American Revolution has not 
 been fought in vain. In this demoralized state of things, there 
 is among many of our people too much disposition to shun hard 
 work, to haunt the taverns, to indulge in wrestling matches on
 
 47 
 
 the village green. John Bliss is the Longmeadow bully and he 
 magnifies his office. Alpheus Colton is the captain of our 
 insurgents, and brings upon himself like the other leaders the 
 sentence of death. But our more conservative citizens like 
 Dea. Nathaniel Ely and Col. Gideon Burt were Gen. Shephard's 
 minute-men, standing by the guns of the commonwealth and 
 the federal stores, true to hard work, hard money, law and order. 
 When Shays quarters his marauding soldiers on Wilbraham, and 
 a battle seems impending, the frightened women and children 
 of Wilbraham flee for refuge to Longmeadow. 
 
 The Town period opens also with the ministry of Richard 
 Salter Storrs. He is a fit successor to his great uncle, Stephen 
 Williams, connected with him by various ties of blood, which 
 were afterwards renewed by his marrying for his second wife 
 Sarah Williams, granddaughter of his predecessor. Moreover 
 Mr. Storrs had been singled out in the secret choice of Dr. 
 Williams, some three years before he began to preach, for his 
 successor in the Longmeadow pastorate. He was as Elisha to 
 Elijah. The old prophet's mantle fell upon him ; he entered 
 into his labors, reaped what he had sowed, carried out his line 
 of things, and by essentially the same methods. Their com- 
 bined ministries made just one hundred years, and that century 
 was the corner-stone of our foundations. 
 
 Mr. Storrs, like his predecessor, was ordained in the fresh 
 vigor of his youth, having but just passed his majority. The 
 salutatorian of his class at Yale, his superior scholarship and 
 felicitous address had already excited brilliant expectations. He 
 was far more eloquent than his predecessor. Of commanding 
 presence, a piercing though genial eye, strongly built, his expres- 
 sion bold and earnest, suggestive of a hidden energy, and yet 
 softened by a warm and confiding heart, of quick sensibilities, 
 and lively and exuberant imagination, he was a natural orator
 
 4 8 
 
 and the father of orators. At the same time he was subject by 
 native temperament to alternate elations and depressions, and 
 harrassed through life by periodical attacks of nervous headache. 
 These constitutional infirmities fell in with his native self-dis- 
 trust and dislike of publicity to keep him at home, a dweller 
 among his own people ; not therefore so widely known as Dr. 
 Williams, nor had his public influence, cut off in his prime at 
 the age of fifty-six, ripened to that maturity which crowned the 
 old age of his predecessor. But in the chosen sphere of his 
 own parish and in all this region, pre-eminently admired and 
 beloved, given to hospitality, attractive in social life, a son of 
 consolation. He was peculiarly gifted in public prayer, remark- 
 able for his appropriateness, copiousness, fervor, and a variety 
 of expression that suited every place and each occasion. The 
 favorite chaplain on the muster-field, well mounted, with shin- 
 ing Blucher boots and cocked hat, he delighted in the hearty 
 welcome of his fellow-soldiers. More easily stirred and not so 
 patient as his predecessor, he was a little ruffled if the bell 
 stopped tolling when he was but half way across the green. 
 He once preached with all sincerity and solemnity, though with less 
 necessity, his farewell sermon. It relieved his mind and resulted 
 in his continuance. He rode home from the First Church in 
 Springfield without preaching the lecture because the parish 
 authorities had failed of their repeated promise to cut down an 
 apple tree behind the pulpit window, which had too often obscured 
 his vision. His theology was of the Pauline type, and while he 
 forgot not the terrors of the law, he delighted more in the 
 affectionate entreaties of the gospel. He magnified the divine 
 sovereignty, and was pertinacious on the decrees. 
 
 An arrangement having been made with his brother, Dr. 
 Howard of Springfield, for exchanging lectures, they meet half 
 way on horseback. Says Brother Storrs : " Brother Howard,
 
 49 
 
 you see how it was ordained from all eternity that you should 
 preach my lecture." Says Brother Howard : " I don't see it ! 
 And if it was so decreed, I'll break it ! " The good brethren 
 got warm ; each turned his horse for home. But Brother Storrs 
 has the parting word : " If you won't preach my lecture, that 
 was decreed ! " 
 
 It would be but ungracious, unhistorical, and unfair, should I 
 fail to connect with these influential pastors the less conspicuous 
 but greatly helpful and sustaining power of their godly wives, 
 Abigail Davenport, Sarah Chapin Burt, Sarah Williston, and 
 Sarah Williams. And these names are singled out only as 
 representatives of that goodly company of the Longmeadow 
 women who, as our foremothers, well deserve ancestral honors. 
 Even as they, with the fathers, are laid away in the sacred dust 
 of the old churchyard, so, side by side, and hand in hand, and 
 heart to heart, they lived and wrought together. It was from 
 the blazing hearthstone of their beloved homes, lit up most of 
 all by the fervent affections of mother, daughter, sister, wife, 
 that our fathers went forth to build the Church, the School, the 
 State. It was ..woman's influence that made the New England 
 home the unit of a civilization widely different from that of 
 other American colonies, where Frenchman and Spaniard fol- 
 lowed, not the New England pastor, but the celibate priest, 
 not the",Puritan mother, but the homeless nun. Let the tenderest 
 memories of this centennial day be given, in our common 
 Mother's name, not so much to her sons as to her daughters. 
 " Their price is far above rubies. The hearts of their husbands 
 did safely trust in them. They girded their loins with strength, 
 and strengthened their arms ; they laid their hands to the 
 spindle, and their hands held the distaff; they stretched out 
 their hands to the poor ; they were not afraid of the snow for 
 their households ; they made fine linen and sold it ; they deliv- 
 
 7
 
 50 
 
 ered girdles unto the merchant ; strength and honor were their 
 clothing ; they opened their mouths with wisdom, and in their 
 tongues was the law of kindness ; they looked well to the ways 
 of their households, and they ate not the bread of idleness. 
 Their children rise up and call them blessed. Give them of the 
 fruit of their hands ; and let their own works praise them in the 
 gates ! " 
 
 *The Town period also opens with a public library, the numer- 
 ous subscribers headed by Mr. Storrs, the admirable preamble 
 and constitution drawn by "Master Jabez Colton." (I would 
 that the time allowed to name the whole catalogue of our 
 honored pedagogues, such as Rufus P. Stebbins, John Dixon, 
 Sanford Lawton, William Goldthwait) our town clerk and 
 village lawyer, also ; steadfast, tenacious, true, ready for every 
 good work ; the lay reader of sermons when the pastor was ab- 
 sent or disabled ; and on Fast days he read the annual statutes 
 of the commonwealth from the broad pulpit stair. There 
 never was a permanent place in this town for titled lawyers ; for 
 there has always been some unprofessional citizen able to do the 
 needed business. 
 
 But we never could have spared the village doctor, Dr. 
 White, Dr. Stebbins, Dr. Frost, Dr. Bliss, to mention no more 
 of the honorable succession. And they were very reasonable 
 in their charges, only twenty cents for a visit, thirteen cents 
 for an emetic, and not without an occasional trace of quack- 
 ery, when the public sentiment clearly called for it. As witness 
 Dr. Stebbins's well-worn " Perkins' Metallic Tractors." 
 
 It is a little before Mr. Storrs' untimely death in 1819, that 
 the seating business goes out and with it compulsory taxation. 
 Here is one of the old warrants from Assessors Ephraim Colton, 
 John Hale, and Aaron Cooley, to Nathaniel Ely, constable. It 
 includes the minister rate and so winds up: "And for want of
 
 goods or chattels whereon to make distress, you are to seize the 
 body or bodies of the person or persons so refusing, and him or 
 them commit unto the common jail, there to remain until he or 
 they pay and satisfy the several sum or sums whereat they are 
 respectively assessed." 
 
 Let us see how this works. It is town-meeting day. A 
 citizen by the name of Glazier, not long resident, but long 
 enough to pay his minister-rate, is presented with it by Samuel 
 Stebbins, constable, a poll-tax, amounting to eighty cents. 
 He squarely and profanely refuses. The constable insists. 
 "What if I don't pay?" The constable replies by putting his 
 hand upon Glazier's shoulder. " If you really won't pay, I arrest 
 you; and you go with me to Springfield jail." In mild astonish- 
 ment the prisoner would like to see him do it. The constable 
 appoints Mr. David Booth keeper, while he hastens for his 
 wagon. Glazier proposes that they save the constable the trou- 
 ble of returning, as he lives a half-mile distant on the way to 
 Springfield. They find the constable engaged in catching his 
 horse. " Let us go and help him," proposes the prisoner. As 
 they go the prisoner breaks for the woods. Mr. Booth, however, 
 has the longest stride, and as the prisoner vaults over a fence, 
 his. collar is firmly grasped. There stand the two men panting 
 with the fence between. " You may as well come along," re- 
 marks the stalwart keeper. The wagon being ready, the pris- 
 oner takes out his wallet and proffers the eighty cents. " But you 
 must also pay my fee for arresting you," replies the constable. 
 After a considerable pause, with one eye to the woods and the 
 other towards neighbor Booth, fifty cents more is tendered 
 " But you must also pay for the keeper." A profane refusal 
 bursts forth. On arriving at Springfield jail, the wallet comes 
 out again. " But you must also pay the transportation fee." 
 The jail is preferred, with profane expletives. It becomes evi-
 
 52 
 
 dent that this man needs gospel preaching. The turnkey is 
 about to shut the iron door when the love of liberty inquires, 
 " What can I settle the business for." " You must also pay the 
 turnkey's fee." The eighty cents has grown to several dollars, 
 but he pays it. 
 
 In the midst of the Town period comes in the temperance 
 reform. Our nineteen cider mills and our six brandy, gin, and 
 whisky stills go out. The wood-sleddings for the minister, the 
 payments of the minister rates in grain, the ministry lands, go 
 too. Likewise go the meadow gates, and the gates of the 
 home commons, and the town's and the proprietors' land 
 grants, and the browsing cattle, no .more to run at large, 
 and the swine, and the geese, three cents fine for each goose. 
 And the fire wards come in, no more setting of fires in the 
 woods. And the Sunday-school, at first a questionable innova- 
 tion, and the Baptist church in the eastern part of the town, 
 with its able and fervent pioneer ministers, Elder George Atwell 
 and Elder Alvin Bennett, established as a branch of the Enfield 
 Baptist church in 1807, as an independent church in 1818. 
 
 The successor of Mr. Storrs in the old church is Baxter 
 Dickinson, after six years called to a pastorate in Newark, New 
 Jersey, and thence to the chair of pulpit rhetoric in Lane Theologi- 
 cal Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, judicious, solid, able, thorough ; 
 a strong and impressive preacher, a diligent and successful pastor ; 
 beloved at home, greatly esteemed abroad. His impress here 
 was firm and strong, and he made his special mark in his in- 
 auguration and victorious leadership of the temperance reform. 
 After him came Jonathan B. Condit youthful, singularly win- 
 ning, ornate, magnetic for personal attractions most admired of 
 all the occupants of our pastorate, before or since ; and by and 
 by called to the rhetorical chair in Amherst College, thence to a 
 pastorate in Portland, Maine, and finally to a professorship in 
 Auburn Theological Seminary, New York.
 
 53 
 
 In 1829 the old church colonizes. The Second Congrega- 
 tional church begins its prosperous and useful career. It is 
 blessed in those earlier years, with the faithful ministries of 
 Calvin Foote and Martyn Tupper, with marked revivals, and 
 numerous accessions, and since then, with a succession of faith- 
 ful pastors and a steady and healthy growth. The whole eastern 
 district of the town at the beginning of the century, sparsely 
 settled and almost an unbroken forest, has been constantly 
 increasing in enterprise and thrift, rich especially in its famous 
 quarries of the Longmeadow sandstone, a source of future in- 
 dustry and wealth that seems to be exhaustless. 
 
 The last fifty years of the Town period with its events of 
 interest and progress, including the establishment of the Roman 
 Catholic church in this part of the town and the Methodist 
 Episcopal church in the eastern district, and the stirring scenes 
 of the civil war, must be passed over by the present limitations 
 of this address, as belonging to the more familiar recollections 
 of our own times ; times whose harvests are yet unripe, whose 
 actors like ourselves are yet upon the stage, not for historical 
 treatment, but as living epistles known and read of all. 
 
 A hundred years ago! Were the former times better than 
 these? Better for us, but not for them. The glory of the chil- 
 dren are the fathers, but it is the glory of the children. The 
 goodly heritage is ours. The stream is better than the fountain, 
 the harvest better than the seed-corn. 
 
 Behold the contrasts then, the blowing sand ; now, this 
 park-like green. Then, the arid, well-nigh treeless plain ; now, 
 these shaded walks, and spreading elms. Then, the tortuous, 
 steep and miry roads ; now these viaducts and smooth highways. 
 Then, the unpainted, lean-to houses, the weather-beaten horse- 
 sheds, the unsightly row of shops in the middle of the village 
 green ; now, these cultured lawns and ornamental mansions.
 
 54 
 
 Then, the rude, springless, heavy wagons and the rope traces ; 
 now, the, trim and handsome turnouts. 
 
 As to the qualities of character we should be more modest in 
 our comparisons. Let the next centennial praise us and not 
 our own mouth. 
 
 Since the civil war it has been with us as with many rural 
 towns, a time of much depression. But not like that which 
 attended the French and Indian war, or that which succeeded 
 the Revolution, or the hard times belonging to the war of 1812. 
 Our young men it is true have left us ; the cities have won 
 them ; our manufactures too have fled to the more convenient 
 centers. We have been accounted slow and dull. But in the 
 face of all these depressing circumstances, not our fault, I can 
 say to my fellow-townsmen : You have made as brave a fight as 
 ever the fathers did. The old vitality yet survives. This 
 anniversary asserts it. Those " meadows fresh and fair " await 
 a better agriculture. Their thirty-fold shall be a hundred fold. 
 These sweet homes, the church, the school, cherished still, we 
 shall transmit them to our children and they will hand them 
 down to theirs. We shall not abate our courage or our hope. 
 We claim our full share in the honorable prestige of this valley, 
 fairest portion of New England, New England, the genius and 
 inspiration of the republic, the republic that leads the course 
 of empire till the rising shall catch the setting sun, and Occident 
 shall with Orient clasp hands in blessing those brave hearts that 
 came, westward ho ! across the sea, two hundred and fifty years 
 ago. 
 
 De Tocqueville is right. As the oak is in the acorn, the 
 republic is unfolded in such histories as ours. We are members 
 one of another. The civilization that lines our silver stream 
 from its rising to the Sound, take it in the collective sum of all 
 its thriving cities, enterprising towns, its smiling villages and its
 
 55 
 
 lovely homes ; its churches, libraries, factories, colleges, asylums ; 
 its cultured men and women ; where on this round earth is it, for 
 a like extent, surpassed? I have but this last word to say : This 
 old town is a part of it by inseparable and immortal ties of 
 sacred memory and of benignant hope. 
 
 And, when we shall have joined the majority of the immortal 
 dead, that silent congregation in yonder church-yard, and when 
 our children's children shall gather here a hundred years to 
 come ; from the upper air, 'mid the great and increasing throng 
 of witnesses, may we behold their grander prosperity and their 
 brighter joy ! 
 
 For documents and authorities referred to in the preceding Address, as well as 
 for that expansion of some of its sections which was inconsistent with the pictorial 
 form, by preference adopted for oral delivery, the reader is referred to the Appen- 
 dix, as being in fact if not in form an integral part of the Address itself. It has 
 been preferred, however, not to encumber the printed page with numerous and 
 minute references to an Appendix whose entire perusal will, it is hoped, prove 
 interesting. 
 
 THE COLLATION. 
 
 It being now somewhat past one o'clock, the President, at the 
 unanimous request of the Committee of Arrangements, announced 
 a slight change in the day's programme by which Mr. Boies' 
 Poem should follow, instead of preceding the Collation. 
 
 A few moments were allowed after this announcement for the 
 vacating of the aisles by those who had been standing in them, 
 when -presto! there suddenly appeared in every part of the 
 tent. a hundred waiters, selected from the young people of the 
 town and formed in companies of ten, each officered by its lady 
 captain and gentleman lieutenant and distinguished by its own 
 badge, a letter of immortelles, corresponding to similar large 
 letters upon the tent side, marking the settees into ten sections
 
 with separating aisles. Each lady captain presided over a large 
 table in the supply tent containing her proportion of the Colla- 
 tion viands, and thence supplied, in rapid succession to her own 
 company of waiters, each item in its pre-arranged order ; the 
 waiters following each other in this exact order in their service 
 in the audience tent. Each gentleman lieutenant kept open 
 passage for the waiters of his section in its aisle, and signaled 
 to them the wants of those occupying the settees. The viands 
 were substantial and abundant ; the coffee, tea, and cake, being 
 specially prepared by the ladies of the town to ensure their 
 quality. All the culinary details were conveniently arranged 
 and perfectly screened under the adjacent tent, from which there 
 were ample and convenient passage ways into the larger one. 
 
 It was the surprising result of this happily conceived and 
 systematized arrangement, thoroughly administered in all its 
 details, that the great congregation of probably twenty-five 
 hundred people were all dined to their apparent entire content, 
 and without the least confusion or interruption of their social 
 intercourse, in the almost incredibly short space of forty minutes. 
 
 A well-known proprietor of one of our largest metropolitan 
 hotels, among the guests of the occasion, observing with amaze- 
 ment the order, celerity, and success of the collation arrange- 
 ments, said of the chairman of the committee of preparation, 
 to whose organizing and executive faculty a large part of the 
 success was due, "The man who organized the details of that 
 Collation could feed an army of ten thousand, and not a soldier 
 lose his rations." While the chairman himself, in his own re- 
 port, modestly observes that the success of the Collation may 
 not be due so much to the organization, as to the perfect har- 
 mony and intelligent co-operation of every worker. Each 
 probably was right. 
 
 The close of the Collation was signaled, as its opening had 
 been, by the stirring strains of the band ; and after an interval of 
 a few moments for changes of position, and the seeking put of 
 mutual friends, promptly at the expiration of the allotted hour 
 the assembly was again called to order by the President, intro- 
 ducing the Poet of the day, William E. Boies of Longmeadow.
 
 57 
 
 THE CENTENNIAL POEM. 
 
 BY WILLIAM E. BOIES. 
 
 The kindly mother who doth greet 
 Her children here with grateful tears, 
 
 That tell her love surer than speech, 
 Had never cared to count her years, 
 
 Until the sum of them should be 
 
 The cycle of a century. 
 
 'Tis said the aloe in our clime 
 
 A hundred years will waiting stand, 
 
 And then flower-crowned look fresh and fair 
 As any rose-tree in the land ; 
 
 Though building for itself a tomb 
 
 From its own pyramid of bloom ! 
 
 Our century-plant is blossoming, 
 
 Not like its prototype to die, 
 But as the fabled almond-tree 
 
 Cherished with loving loyalty, 
 A larger growth to gather thence, 
 And yield a richer recompense. 
 
 From their sojourn up the river 
 Came our fathers to the lea, 
 
 Lured by its rare virgin beauty, 
 And serene tranquility. 
 
 Then those meads by honest purchase 
 Passed from red man to the white, 
 
 While their rankly growing grasses 
 Wove an emerald carpet bright,
 
 Flecked with buttercups as sunshine, 
 And with daisies like the snow, 
 
 Bordered by a belt of silver 
 Golden in the sunset's glow. 
 
 Earth and sky turned not yet lurid 
 
 At the woes of savage strife, 
 But were with the mellow radiance 
 
 Of the Indian summer rife. 
 
 With the crushing of the Pequots 
 Came to war-whoops a long truce, 
 
 Till by jealous crafty Philip 
 
 P'riends were changed to demons loose ; 
 
 And was waged that war of races 
 
 To the bitter, bloody end, 
 Which should out from all our valley 
 
 Remnants of a doomed race send. 
 
 Let us linger with the Indian, 
 
 Trusted as the white man's friend, 
 
 Who, in his untutored fashion, 
 Aid and guidance sure did lend. 
 
 In wood-craft he taught the stranger, 
 
 Ere his craft was as a foe, 
 How to hunt in leafy coverts, 
 . And to track game on the snow 
 
 Shewed him herbs and leaves of healing, 
 Others to be shunned as bane ; 
 
 And his rude signs for foretelling 
 Days of sunshine or of rain. 
 
 It may be that to his camp-fire 
 Was the stranger welcomed oft, 
 
 Who, too, gave the red man greeting 
 Where his home-fire blazed aloft.
 
 59 
 
 A memento of that era 
 
 Lends its luster to the days 
 
 When we harvest for the garner, 
 Peacefully, our golden maize 
 
 Whose trim stocks, so like to wigwams, 
 'Mind us of the tented field 
 
 Where our meads' first dusky owners 
 In their fealty stood revealed. 
 
 At the brink of yonder waters, 
 Washed and wasted by their flow, 
 
 Is a burial plot primeval, 
 
 Where the Indian sleepeth low. 
 
 And as sunbeams leave a blessing, 
 
 Fading slowly in the west, 
 Grudge we not our benediction 
 
 To the red man's place of rest. 
 
 Fair, yet fickle, valley-queen, 
 On thy crystal throne serene, 
 Thou did'st lure men o'er the sea, 
 Now of sainted memory, 
 To salute thee in thy pride 
 And sit spell-bound near thy side. 
 
 Dazzling was thy jewelry 
 More than gems of royalty, 
 And the songs thy minstrels sung, 
 Soaring, or green nooks among, 
 Sounded sweeter to our sires 
 Than those by cathedral choirs. 
 
 'Neath thy smile, when mist or snow 
 Veiled not its enchanting glow, 
 Visions of a hamlet rose 
 Lovely as the Avon knows ; 
 Bearing none of olden names, 
 Yet with kin by Clyde and Thames.
 
 6o 
 
 Lo ! a strange commotion, 
 Hurried locomotion, 
 
 Strong men strangely pale ; 
 At the dire transition 
 From sweet fields Elysian, 
 
 To a submerged vale ! 
 
 Soon the oars are gleaming 
 'Mid a deluge streaming 
 
 O'er the fated lea 
 Plied with lusty rowing, 
 And the river flowing 
 
 Broad as inland sea ! 
 
 Blithe is still our mother, 
 After all this pother 
 
 Sings in hopeful strain 
 Baptized by immersion, 
 Only through coercion, 
 
 And so washed from stain. 
 
 Safe upon the upland, 
 Despite the drifting sand, 
 
 She will build anew ; 
 Floods by day defying, 
 And while winds are sighing 
 
 The hushed night hours through. 
 
 Driven from the meadow, 
 Close as her own shadow, 
 
 Clings her name alway 
 Tinted with the color, 
 Fragrant with the odor, 
 
 Of the meads in May ; 
 And thro' centuries vanished, 
 Tainted not, nor tarnished, 
 
 LONGMEADOW 'tis to-day !
 
 6i 
 
 The track of four-score years we saunter down, 
 Through precinct, parish, to the corporate town. 
 What was dense forest, or the open ground 
 Where a few kine their scanty forage found, 
 Yet 'neath broadshade at noontide to recline, 
 And access free where brooks thro' dingles twine, 
 Becomes a village common, and wide street, 
 Comely, in time, as Goldsmith's " Auburn Sweet." 
 
 Beyond a belt of woodland, where the bear 
 And ravening wolf long kept their hidden lair, 
 A rocky ridge, that was so tough to till, 
 The settlers cursed it as " Poverty Hill," 
 Becomes the thrifty parish miles away, 
 Whose town-house looks as if it came to stay ; 
 Whose rock of old offence has, quarried, won 
 A world-wide fame for the Longmeadow stone ! 
 
 Timber was plenty, and the early frame 
 Would put the later balloon sort to shame ; 
 Wood piles were ample, and the fire-place broad 
 Enough to swallow even a sled-load ! 
 And, though a tempest raged outside the door, 
 That generous open fire would blaze and roar 
 Until the hearthstone glowed so wondrous bright 
 It lit the smoke-stained walls with solar light. 
 
 Simple, yet earnest, lives were nurtured there, 
 In homespun raiment and on frugal fare. 
 Mothers, indeed, with jewels were arrayed, 
 Such as Cornelia in her sons displayed, 
 And boasted their conservatories full 
 Of olive-plants, both plain and beautiful ; 
 Though the piano must needs bide its time, 
 And penciled harmonies that with it chime. 
 
 Attic sweet singers at their toil were heard 
 While spinning wheels the obligato whirred ; 
 Or on the roof the patter of the rain 
 The song accompanied, and its refrain.
 
 62 
 
 And by the cradle wooing slumber nigh, 
 Distilled in cadence soft the lullaby, 
 Whose mystic charm comes not from any art, 
 But the deep yearning of a mother's heart. 
 
 The waltz was frequent in those homes of yore, 
 From birches sprouting at the very door ; 
 And everywhere of rods enough were rife 
 To keep a lictor busy all through life ! 
 Yet 'mid these stern surroundings bloomed a feast, 
 Whose fragrance lingered long when thanks had ceased 
 As blooms the flower that ushers in our May, 
 Where lilies soon would droop unto decay. 
 
 The central figure was devotion's shrine 
 The unpretending house for use divine ; 
 No fountain gushed upon the village green 
 In liquid melody and silver sheen, 
 But dearer to our sires than fountain's jet 
 Was the meek fane where reverent they met, 
 While holy calm was brooding everywhere, 
 To drink of water on which angels fare. 
 
 How true the pastors to their life-long trust, 
 Williams and Storrs, a hundred years though dust 
 Their bodies now may be, their memories 
 Still live, and lift our thoughts unto the skies. 
 How too by charge preceded after charge so brief, 
 Yet gladdened each with its own harvest sheaf, 
 The pastor of to-day with thirty years and three 
 Doth supplement their work, and century ! 
 
 Some mourned, as if when the old church moved 
 Toward the grave-yard, solemnly slow, 
 
 Its last hour had come, and funeral too, 
 And in dust it soon would lie low. 
 
 That it came to dust was a smothering fact, 
 
 And its bats, too, came to grief, 
 While the poor church-mouse in his secret haunt 
 
 Was tremulous as a leaf
 
 63 
 
 As the workmen were baring the antique frame 
 
 To the open light of day, 
 And the century cock on his airy perch 
 
 Wondered what was to pay ! 
 
 Yet the cherished fane, under guidance sure, 
 
 Left the spot it hallowed so long, 
 For a site that now lends a pathos to prayer, 
 
 To sermon, and sacred song. 
 
 And I fancy 'tis still the same old church, 
 
 In its heart and ribs of oak, 
 As when from the belfry at noon and night, 
 
 And in shine and storm it spoke. 
 
 Stained windows, and frescoed walls change not 
 
 The faith it kept on the green, 
 While steadfast as ever its finger points up 
 
 To the temple eternal unseen. 
 
 Methinks, when its lengthening shadow doth fall 
 O'er the place of the last, long sleep, 
 
 The mourner discerns a sheltering arm 
 That will safely his treasure there keep. 
 
 In the still place of graves memorials tell 
 Of heroes brave and true, who fought and fell, 
 From wars colonial, gone from thought away, 
 Down to that latest ne'er forgotten fray ; 
 Though all too soon its votive garlands fade, 
 Which, wet with tears, on the green turf are laid. 
 
 There, too, sleep those to country true, and God, 
 As even these whose blood hath stained the sod ; 
 Who sought no mention in the roll of fame, 
 Only to leave unspotted a good name. 
 They lived that other mortal lives might be 
 More sweet and true for their fidelity
 
 64 
 
 From lifting others' burdens theirs were less, 
 And blessing others they themselves did bless. 
 In stars which beamed above their peaceful homes, 
 Brighter than over pinnacles and domes, 
 Radiant they read what their reward would be 
 When mortal put on immortality ! 
 And so they passed on, pilgrims to the sky, 
 Contented here to live, and here to die. 
 
 I know not what the years will bring 
 
 Of glad news, or alarm, 
 But pray that the new century 
 
 Break not the olden charm. 
 
 Heaven bless the city of our love, 
 Our mother's mother dear, 
 
 While the blue hills beyond abide 
 And flows the river near. 
 
 Yet as her toil waxes intense 
 With busy hand and brain, 
 
 And rises unto fever-heat 
 The mastering lust for gain, 
 
 More welcome be the day or hour 
 
 When her worn toilers hie 
 To pastures green, and where the still 
 
 Waters are gliding by. 
 
 Even if as Jerusalem 
 
 Yon city grows to be, 
 Let her loved suburb keep the charm 
 
 Of quiet Bethany !
 
 At the conclusion of the poem the following patriotic hymn, 
 also written by Mr. Boies, was sung by the assembly, to the 
 tune of Ametica, with band accompaniment, concluding the 
 first section of the day's programme. 
 
 MR. BOIES' HYMN. 
 
 Our Country, unto thee 
 Still we would loyal be, 
 
 As were our sires ; 
 Who watched thine infancy, 
 Fought for thy liberty, 
 Kindled on hill and lea 
 
 Thine altar-fires. 
 
 For Thee, O grand old State, 
 Never shall love abate, 
 
 Whate'er betide. 
 
 Though friends thy servants blame. 
 And foes asperse thy name, 
 Firm as thy Rock of fame 
 
 Thou shalt abide ! 
 
 Sweet hamlet of our love, 
 As dew shed from above 
 
 Peace be to thee ! 
 With plenty be thou blest, 
 With concord, East and West, 
 And days of holy rest 
 
 In worship free. 
 
 God bless us gathered here, 
 While draws our parting near, 
 
 To meet no more 
 Until through loss and gain, 
 And washed from mortal stain, 
 Triumphant we attain 
 
 The shining shore ! 
 10
 
 66 
 
 THE AFTER-DINNER SPEECHES. 
 
 In opening the symposium of after-dinner speeches from 
 invited sons, daughters, and guests, the President spoke briefly, 
 as follows : 
 Children and Friends of Our Good Mother Longmeadow : 
 
 You are invited to a 'feast of reason and a flow of soul,' which will 
 doubtless make all that has preceded it seem tame to you, in the com- 
 parison. We have a list of speakers whose very recital must awaken 
 your most eager anticipation. Let every settee claim its occupants, 
 that all maybe unhindered in hearing and seeing. The good Mother 
 will deem it no disrespect to herself for any son or daughter to sit 
 with covered head, even in her venerable presence, if prudence so 
 suggests. 
 
 I will detain the speakers from you longer by only a single ' little 
 story.' It is related of the venerable Dr. Shaw of Rochester that, 
 being about to take leave of his Presbytery in his advanced years, he 
 said to them in words of chastened, yet complacent humility : " Breth- 
 ren: During my long connection with you I may have done some 
 foolish things, and have doubtless clone many wrong things ; but you 
 will bear me witness that I have never done a long thing ! " 
 
 The bearing of this story does not lie, I may add, in the applica- 
 cation ; for you will readily see it can have no possible application to 
 our circumstances. The afternoon may, indeed, prove short ; but the 
 speeches of our guests cannot, by any possibility, seem to us long. 
 
 Speaking now, however, only as the humble representative of our 
 gracious Mother, I am instructed by her to say that she remembers 
 reading often in her early childhood the then recently revised version 
 of the sacred writings, done by command of her Most Gracious Sov- 
 ereign King James I, of learned memory, and that in it, of a certain 
 Aaron of old it was written, that ' he could speak well ; ' and, there- 
 fore, commandment was given concerning him, that ' he should be to 
 his brother Moses instead of a mouth.' Much more, surely, may a 
 mother expect that any Aaron among her own sons who can speak 
 well should be to her instead of a mouth, on such an occasion as this. 
 
 Will the Rev. Aaron Colton, of Easthampton, take the Mother's 
 hint?
 
 ADDRESS OF REV. AARON COLTON. 
 
 Mr. President and Good Friends : 
 
 In our present quest we do not propose to go back to Adam, 
 nor to Noah. We stop this side of the flood and of the Red 
 Sea. We begin at Moses our Moses my Moses, Mr. Presi- 
 dent, otherwise named Quartermaster George Colton. Let 
 alone Egypt. Let alone England, except just to say that the 
 said George aforesaid came over from Sussex, a southeast county 
 in the fatherland, about the middle of the Seventeenth Century. 
 No matter for anything beyond. Enough, and good enough 
 this side. No great concern whether the first man ever named 
 Colton was Norman, Swede, Celt, or Turk. Don't propose to 
 go into fits over the question whether the Coltons across the 
 brine were of princely blood or plebeian. That is no great 
 shakes any way. The real point is, What are we, and what do 
 we ? All else is fustian and prunella. We make personal con- 
 fession, that for groping one's way by light of a tallow candle 
 through endless " genealogies," we have, in this short life, no 
 time, tact, nor taste. Had indeed a little rather not have come 
 up (or down) from ape, tadpole, or clam, as the evolutionists 
 would have it. 
 
 Quartermaster George Colton on him we. plant ourselves, 
 and shake fists at all questioners and comers. We have in him 
 an honorable and auspicious beginning. He is found a Magis- 
 trate in Springfield at almost its earliest, and before Longmeadow 
 is even a precinct, or is more than a pasture for flocks. Came 
 among the first, if not the first, to what is now this goodly place 
 and name. Was a wise master builder, and laid here good 
 foundations, whereof we this day are witnesses. Had nine chil- 
 dren, and that was auspicious prophecy. And famous children 
 they were altogether redoubtable. Isaac, Ephraim, Mary, 
 Thomas, Sarah, Deborah, Hephzibah, John, and Benjamin. 
 There ! Scriptural, Biblical, every one patriarch and evangelist 
 face to face ; both Testaments drawn from not to say ,, ex- 
 hausted ; not a heathen name among them. If from all the
 
 68 
 
 hoary registers of time, any man can cite the equal family rec- 
 ord, let him stand up and be counted. 
 
 And if Quartermaster George was great, a still greater than 
 he, perhaps, was his son Thomas, our Joshua. Captain Thomas 
 Colton like John Gilpin 
 
 " A citizen 
 
 Of credit and renown ; 
 A train-band Captain eke was he." 
 
 He was the hornet against the people who had dwelt in the 
 land. For it came to pass when they set themselves to over- 
 come him, he joined battle and fought against them ; yea, he 
 drave out from before him the Jebusites, the Hivites, and the 
 Hittites, (or subdued them under him,) and gave their lands for 
 a possession unto your fathers, and unto you, as it is this day. 
 It was said of him that he could scent an Indian from as far as 
 he could shoot one and that was at long range. Turning to 
 the old records I find a minute in these words : " Capt. Thomas 
 Colton died September 30, 1728. On the 6th of the following 
 October Dr. Williams preached a sermon in which he gave 
 Capt. Colton a very extraordinary character, especially in the 
 Indian wars, and as a man of eminent piety." Reminds one of 
 the centurian, and of Havelock ; a soldier, yet fearing God with 
 all his house. His monument in the burial ground near by, a 
 stone slab, large, strong, durable, of such fine grain and texture 
 as to have withstood, without fleck or flaw, the storms and sun- 
 shines of a century and a half, testifies to this same high esti- 
 mate and appreciation. And then Captain George Colton, son 
 of Thomas, worthy son of worthy sire. Thus we have it these 
 military spangles and splendors Captain, Lieutenant, Ensign, 
 Sergeant, etc. And then as to actual service the tug of war. 
 My grandfather Aaron, with several others of the name, bore a 
 part in the struggle for our independence. Sergeant Ebenezer 
 Colton, with his company of minute men, marched from here as 
 far as to Brookfield for the rescue of Lexington, but was coun- 
 termanded with the intelligence that the peril was past. 
 
 But the Colton name fills a much larger space in the civil list 
 and life of this grand old town. For a hundred years one-half, 
 less or more, of the moderators of the meetings of precinct and
 
 69 
 
 town were Coltons. How readest thou ? " At a meeting of the 
 inhabitants of the precinct of Long Meadow, March 15, 1756, 
 Capt. Isaac Colton was appointed Moderator ; Sergt. George 
 Colton, Ensign ; Simon Colton and David Burt were chosen 
 Committee, and Samuel Colton, Assessor" Coltons four to 
 one. One more instance out of many in the record. At the 
 first meeting of Longmeadow as a town, Festus Colton was 
 chosen Surveyor of Highways, and Luther Colton, Fence 
 Viewer. So were the powers and prerogatives, the honors and 
 emoluments of high official station heaped upon the Coltons as 
 the most capable and worthy among the people ! 
 
 If now any one shall, in malicious and mischievous deprecia- 
 tion, insinuate that the Coltons were all the people, and had the 
 honors of office as the college boy did the valedictory, being 
 himself the whole class, we shall not stop to answer that despiser 
 of dignities, except by the silence that means disdain. 
 
 And then, coming down, or rather up, to the queenly matron, 
 ever venerable and fair this church. Of the sixteen persons 
 joining to organize this church, one hundred and sixty-seven 
 years ago, six were Coltons four women and two men. 
 
 I have just now alluded to numbers. If you carp at the Col- 
 ton quality, we can easily balance the account by quantity. 
 Those early family records quivers full. We have looked at 
 them, and have sat astonied one hour. Quartermaster George 
 is found to have had nine children ; Thomas, fifteen ; Ephraim, 
 of the second generation, seventeen ; Benjamin, of the third 
 generation, fifteen ; and Benjamin, of the fourth generation, ten. 
 Prophets and prognosticators of omen good or ill ! Census 
 bureau and the multiplication table ! But take comfort. This 
 is a great country, with territorial domain sufficient for a good 
 many Coltons and some few others a remnant, at least. Glad 
 to have it so ; for we seem to hear voices saying, give us room, 
 that we may dwell. 
 
 We'll then, the just claim of the Coltons to precedence and 
 preeminence before all the other Longmeadowers, here and else- 
 where : i. We were first in the field, and possession is, nine 
 points of the law. 2. We are fullest in numbers are the major- 
 ity are the people not to insist that wisdom will die with us.
 
 ;o 
 
 And then as to the parts the Coltons have played and are 
 playing in the field of the world. True, we cannot point to a 
 Colton as chief executive of the nation, nor of this common- 
 wealth. No matter. The greed and scramble for office, as now 
 seen, would only soil our ermine. But we stand well on the roll. 
 One or two governors or alcades, one or two presidents of col- 
 leges, several college professors, educators not a few, physicians 
 many, clergymen a goodly number, judges rare, lawyers a suffi- 
 cient and satisfying scarcity. 
 
 But after all, our grand distinction and boast is of our dea- 
 cons. DEACON COLTON. Here, on this eminence, we plant our- 
 selves, and boldly challenge all competition and comparison. 
 We are owners of the deaconship here and elsewhere 
 
 " From the center all round to the sea." 
 
 We are born deacons, as princes are dukes to the manor 
 born. Deacon is our escutcheon heraldic, our ensign armorial. 
 True, indeed, in this democratic, leveling age and country, where 
 men have such petty jealousies and prejudices against office 
 bearing and authority, it may perhaps be as well, for the sake of 
 peace and good will, to allow the people the privilege of a voice 
 and vote in putting Coltons into this as into other offices. But 
 a Colton is a deacon anyway, and every time, vote or no vote. 
 He is deacon by very virtue of his being a Colton. To say of a 
 Colton that he is a deacon is only to pronounce him a little more 
 a Colton an Hebrew of the Hebrews. In fact, we don't need 
 the title ; we are deacons without it, all the Same. To think of 
 distinguishing one Colton from another Colton by saying that 
 one of them is deacon, would be about as lucid an identification 
 as to say of one John Smith that he is brother of James. Not 
 to count from other branches of our genealogical tree, but only 
 from my own especial bough or twig, I once found here thirteen 
 deacons living contemporaneously, and a blessing to their time. 
 My grandfather Aaron was deacon ; two or three uncles of mine 
 were deacons ; a half score of cousins were deacons ; my father 
 was deacon ; three brothers of mine were deacons ; and a son 
 of mine is deacon. Presumably this branch is no exceptional 
 one, but is a fair sample of the entire ancestral tree.
 
 I have not claimed, may it please you, that all the good dea- 
 cons in the world are Coltons. I am too modest for that. I 
 magnanimously and cheerfully concede that there are good peo- 
 ple, some few at least, outside of the Colton fold. I benevo- 
 lently wish there were more of them. And here, while I am in 
 this charitable and hopeful mood, and before I lose it, I may just 
 add and admit, that, since an humble self -estimate is a grace 
 becoming in all, even in the best, it is conceivable that we Col- 
 tons, all of us, might not do amiss to wish ourselves a little bet- 
 ter than we are. There is always room at the top. 
 
 And then as to issues and results of intermarriages and inter- 
 fusions, cross-currents and comminglings of blood and quality 
 ours with the other tribes, the Elys, Cooleys, Blisses, Morses, 
 Morrisses, Keeps, Chapins, Burts, Williamses, Bridgmans, Kings- 
 leys, Goldthwaites, Storrses, Wrights, Lawtons, Brockways, and 
 I know not how many more ; whether in all this the Coltons 
 have gained most, or given most of whatsoever things are lovely 
 and of good report, may properly be left a question for a debat- 
 ing society. It is presumable, however, that our debtors they 
 are. 
 
 From this account it is very plain, first, that the Coltons are a 
 modest race, thinking others better than themselves ; and sec- 
 ond, that there are among them no humorists. How could 
 there be ? Being deacons all of us, we are too sedate and 
 Solemn to relax into mirthfulness and levity. ' Sober as a 
 deacon ! ' 
 
 But I must draw to a close. Let me try, as I do so, to sketch 
 for you, with a free but faithful hand 
 
 AN AVERAGE COLTON. 
 
 A plain man of medium stature ; rather spare in flesh ; hair 
 brown and scant as age advances ; small eyes ; prominent nose 
 and chin, denoting push and persistence ; complexion red, white, 
 and blue ; circulation and temperament a trifle slow ; not the 
 quickest in catching an idea, but good at keeping it ; modest, as 
 we have already said and sung, yet somewhat self-opinionated 
 and set not to say stubborn ; second or third cousins, inaybe, 
 to the Mr. Will-be- Wills ; of cheerful turn, and not addicted to 
 long face and low murmurs ; laughs moderately, but laughs ;
 
 72 
 
 prefers to live in the south side of the house ; is sociable and 
 neighborly ; likes to do obliging things, and does them ; thinks 
 comfortably well of himself, and likes to have others think the 
 same of him ; is affectionate in disposition, loves his kindred and 
 friends, and is given to hospitality ; loves a good story, and is apt 
 to be a little prolix and tiresome in telling it ; is pretty sure to 
 be found a singer, and no marvel if a chorister ; is neither a sun 
 to blind your eyes, nor a comet to be gazed at wonderingly ; 
 wouldn't excel in metaphorical pyrotechnics and gymnastics ; is 
 not given to minding high things, but is reasonably content to 
 pursue a quiet and even tenor ; is patient of toil, working with 
 his own hands that which is good ; is fair-minded and fair-handed 
 in business dealings ; has half an eye open for the main chance, 
 but doesn't clutch frantically for the everlasting more ; is neither 
 a millionaire nor a pauper ; is not crowned king nor hanged a 
 culprit ; is seldom found in a palace, and more rarely in a prison ; 
 is a democratic republican in politics ; is found among a gentler 
 commonalty, the middling interest, the middle extreme in 
 society, the upper middle if you please; is not a saint by natural 
 birth and blood (no man is), but is blessed with such make and 
 molding, such natural disposition, aptitudes, tendencies, as fits 
 one (if there be such fitting in any) to receive God's free grace 
 and be molded by it to diviner patterns, even the spiritual and 
 heavenly. 
 
 On the whole, a fair sort of a man, this average Colton, found 
 respectable, faithful, useful, serving God and doiag good to men, 
 and as likely as most to be saved finally by grace divine and 
 grace alone. 
 
 We should not boast and we need not blush, manward, over 
 what the Colton race and name have been and done here in this 
 dear old home, our Jerusalem, Longmeadow, name ever dear, 
 and mother of us all ; and done also in the 
 
 " Land of our fathers, wheresoe'er we roam." 
 
 And may I add one word in the name of all the tribes and 
 families represented here, today. To. the Longmeadow resi- 
 dents, people and their honored pastor, having here and now 
 their beautiful home and habitation, we tender on this memorial
 
 73 
 
 anniversary our hearty greetings and gratulations. All hail and 
 farewell ! our dear old Longmeadow, venerable with age, crowned 
 with beauty ! Her children rise up and call her blessed. May 
 other generations of men and women, the good and gentle, the 
 true and brave for the right, rise up here to bless the ancestral 
 home, the nation, the world. Our ancestors here. We seem to 
 see their venerable forms. We tread reverently by the graves 
 where they lie in glory, every one in his own house. We sit, 
 to-day, beneath the roof and within the walls where they wor- 
 shiped the ever living and loving God, theirs and ours. We 
 walk beneath the elms that to them were a shadow from the 
 heat. We tread on hallowed ground. 
 
 " A charm from the skies seems to hallow us here." 
 We feel here an inspiration and uplifting to good endeavor to do 
 well our part, and so be followers of them who through faith 
 and patience inherit the promises. 
 
 " Our boast is not that we deduce our birth 
 From loins enthroned and rulers of the earth; 
 But higher far our proud pretensions rise, 
 The sons of parents passed into the skies." 
 
 -; At the close of Rev. Mr. Colton's Address, in introducing the 
 next speaker, the venerable Mrs. Mary Reynolds Schauffler, the 
 widow of the distinguished and lamented missionary Rev. Dr. 
 William G. Schauffler, and the devoted partner of his missionary 
 labors at Constantinople, but since his death residing with a son 
 in New York city, the President said : 
 
 "It is with rare pride and pleasure that the Mother welcomes back 
 to-day, a beloved daughter, whom she might almost more properly 
 call a sister; one, certainly, whom all her younger children will 
 gladly recognize as a mother, revered and beloved. Will our dear 
 Mother Schauffler enrich our Centennial feast with any reminiscences 
 from an experience so honorable to herself and to her native town ? 
 
 10
 
 74 
 
 MRS. SHAUFFLER'S REMARKS. 
 
 My Dear Friends :,. 
 
 It is with great pleasure that I am permitted to be here on 
 this Centennial day, in this place so dear to me as the place of 
 my birth, the home of my childhood, and the home of so many 
 of my honored ancestors. 
 
 I have listened, with great delight, to the history of my great- 
 grandfather, Dr. Stephen Williams, and his family. It reminds 
 me of the story of the first family, that of Robert Williams, who 
 came from England to this country- in the year 1638. 
 
 Mrs. Williams was unwilling to leave her English home to 
 come to this, then howling wilderness ; so the voyage was 
 deferred from time to time. At length Mrs. Williams awakened 
 one morning, and said to her husband, "My dear, I am now 
 ready to go to America. I had a very remarkable dream last 
 night. I dreamed that we went to America, had a numerous 
 posterity, and that among them were many men of influence in 
 the land, and, especially, many ministers of the gospel." 
 
 You have heard, this morning, that many of the name of 
 Williams have been graduates of our best colleges. Of the sons 
 of my great-grandfather, three were ministers of the gospel, and 
 several of their sons and grandsons. It is remarkable how 
 many of the descendants of the Williams family have been 
 clergymen. 
 
 When my great-grandfather returned from captivity in Canada, 
 his sister Eunice could not be found to be redeemed. She was 
 a child of eight years when taken captive, and had been at once 
 sold by the Indians to some of the Catholic nuns in Quebec ; 
 they secreted her for years, and at last married her to an Indian 
 chief, who thought it an honor to take an English name, and was 
 ever after called Williams. 
 
 After years, Dr. Stephen Williams learned where his sister 
 was, and sent to her to come and visit him. She came, with 
 her husband and some other Indians, to Longmeadow, but they 
 would not lodge in the house. They built a wigwam in the 
 orchard, behind the parsonage, and slept there.
 
 MBS. MART REYNOLDS SCHAUFFLKR AED 82. 
 
 (OVER.
 
 75 
 
 One day my grandmother and her sisters got their Aunt 
 Eunice into the house, and dressed her up in our fashion. 
 Meantime the Indians outside were very uneasy, and when 
 Aunt Eunice went out in her new dress, they were much dis- 
 pleased, and she soon went into the house, begging to have her 
 blanket again. Nothing could induce her to remain in New 
 England, although great efforts were made to persuade her hus- 
 band and herself to remain. 
 
 Some years later, one of Aunt Eunice's sons came for a visit, 
 and was induced to bring two of his sons for education. One 
 of them, Eleazer, became a missionary to the Iroquois Indians. 
 
 I wish to congratulate Longmeadow that she has sent out so 
 many missionaries, six of them born here, and five of their 
 children also having taken up the work. I trust Longmeadow 
 will send out many more of her sons and daughters to the 
 foreign field. Young men are greatly needed, as well as more 
 women. 
 
 Last year, the American Board sent out only four new mis- 
 sionaries. We greatly need more men and more money. The 
 world is wide open to receive the gospel, and shall we not be 
 more than ever in earnest to send the glad tidings of salvation 
 to the ends of the earth ? Are there not, in this large assembly, 
 some who will devote themselves to this blessed work? 
 
 May the blessing of the God of our fathers ever rest upon 
 dear old Longmeadow. 
 
 The spoken word is indeed here ; but no words can report the sweet and gracious 
 Presence of the venerable matron, who, with great natural diffidence, yet with 
 perfect self-possession, addressed to the multitude of affectionate listeners her 
 loving reminiscences and earnest missionary appeal. Erect in form and quietly 
 dignified in bearing, the presence around her of loved schoolmates and the throng- 
 ing memories of earlier years seemed, for the moment, almost to renew for her the 
 glow of her girlhood's feeling. Public speakers, too, might well take a lesson from 
 the apparent ease with which the distinctly uttered words and perfectly modulated 
 tones of this delicate voice reached every part of the spacious tent. The very 
 presence of this dear Mother in Israel was felt by all to be both an inspiration and 
 a benediction.
 
 7 6 
 
 After music by the band, the President said : 
 
 The Mother gladly sees with her here to-day a grandson not only of 
 herself, but of a beloved pastor of her early years bearing in full, 
 third in a sacred succession, an honored name which he has himself 
 yet more widely interlinked with literature and with life. Will the 
 Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, D. D., of Brooklyn speak words of cheer 
 for the Mother to whom his own father's heart, untraveled, ever 
 fondly turned with tenderest affection ? 
 
 DR. STORKS' ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. President: Dear Friends : 
 
 As I stand before you for a few minutes, preceding others 
 whom you are naturally impatient to hear, I am reminded, by the 
 very kind words with which I have been introduced, of an inci- 
 dent of somewhat recent occurrence which had been recalled 
 to me, also, in the course of the excellent historical discourse to 
 which we listened with so much pleasure this morning. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Leonard 'Bacon of New Haven, a beloved and 
 honored friend of many of us, was accustomed, I believe, in the 
 later years of his life, after his active pastorate had ceased, to 
 introduce to his congregation, with the grave and graceful 
 courtesy which belonged to him, those who were to preach in 
 his pulpit. On one occasion he did it in substantially this way : 
 " The first Pastor of this Church was the Reverend John Daven- 
 port," on whom he then proceeded to pronounce a brief eulogy. 
 " The grandson of that pastor was the Reverend John Daven- 
 port, of Stamford. The son of that pastor was the Reverend 
 James Davenport of Southold, Long Island. We are to-day to 
 be addressed by a lineal descendant of John Davenport, our 
 first pastor." A friend of mine, who was in the congregation, 
 noticed that the face and forehead of the minister so introduced 
 flamed suddenly into a blush which seemed more vivid than was 
 necessary on the occasion ; but the secret of it was perhaps 
 explained when he announced his text : " Visiting the iniquities 
 of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's chil- 
 dren, unto the third and fourth generation."
 
 77 
 
 I don't know, I am sure, what iniquities my grandfather can 
 have ever committed, in consequence of which I have been put, 
 on his account, into this early .place among the speakers. I have 
 always understood that he was an excellent man. Probably he 
 must sometime or other have been careless about the duty of 
 making a after-dinner speech on a centennial occasion. At any 
 rate I feel at this moment much as the lawyer did who was about 
 to be married of which story also, by the way, I was reminded 
 this morning. He was well esteemed in his profession, but 
 rather remarkable for never being quite ready to try his case, 
 and always desirous of a postponement. 
 
 At last he was to* be married, as I have said, but when the 
 minister asked him : " Dost thou take this woman to thy wedded 
 wife ? " the old habit got the better of him, and he answered 
 that he was not altogether ready to proceed with the case, and 
 would like an adjournment for two weeks. It seemed to me, 
 when we were told this morning of the elaborate ceremonies at 
 the marriage of the Reverend Dr. Williams to Miss Abigail 
 Davenport, that if he had known beforehand what these cere- 
 monies were to be, he might have been excused for wishing a 
 temporary adjournment ; and that if she- was really as deferential 
 to him as the letter which was read from her seems to indicate, 
 she would not have objected. I don't want a two weeks adjourn- 
 ment for my remarks ; but really wish they might have come a 
 little later in the afternoon. 
 
 However, it ought not to be difficult to say a few words of 
 hearty affection and admiration for this beautiful village, and for 
 those who live in it, on this pleasant occasion. 
 
 I remember the village as it was more than fifty years ago, 
 when I first came to it as a lad, with my father and mother, both 
 of whom have now been walking for years one of them for 
 many years in the gardens of God. And I remember the 
 impression which it then made upon me ; how wholly retired it 
 seemed to me, and set by itself. 
 
 There was no air of foreignness about it, no breath of the sea. 
 In the towns along the eastern shore, with which I was acquainted 
 Boston, Salem, Weymouth, Wareham, New Bedford, and the 
 others one was constantly reminded of distant counties. There
 
 78 
 
 were ships at the docks from India and China ; sailors rolling 
 and rollicking on the streets, or in the taverns ; foreign orna- 
 ments and furniture in the houses ; a general fragrance of orien- 
 tal spicery in the air. Here, on the other hand, appeared a 
 typical, interior, New England village, where all was home-born, 
 home-bred ; with no noise in the air, no hurry in the streets ; 
 "a happy harbor of God's saints." 
 
 So it seemed to me as a boy ; and the first impression has 
 never departed ; in fact it has been deepened and revived in my 
 subsequent visits, which have been somewhat numerous. Very 
 likely there has been more or less of tragedy here, in life and 
 character ; undoubtedly there must have been ; animosities, 
 perhaps, there may have been, and sharp disputes about line- 
 fences. But the total impression made by the village has always 
 been that of quietness, peace, and a charming rural beauty. I 
 remember the sense of incongruity which I felt it had really 
 almost an element of wit in it when I saw, some years since, a 
 brisk old gentleman driving a young horse along these streets, 
 at what must have been about a 2.40 pace. He was a Colton, I 
 am sure ; therefore, according to our friend who has just spoken, 
 a born deacon ; and I think he was then already over eighty 
 years old. The whole thing seemed amusingly inappropriate, in 
 the leisurely stillness of these shadowed streets. 
 
 I am not sure but one feels this quietness all the more as he 
 comes to Longmeadow through the haste and bustle of Spring- 
 field. I know something of the wealth of character and of cul- 
 ture which are in that prosperous and famous town. I know 
 that by its great manufacturing establishments, and its enter- 
 prising processes, its lines have gone out into almost all the 
 earth, and its words nearly to the end of the world. But it is 
 certainly, in some parts of it, a pretty noisy town ! A man was 
 riding with me in the cars, some years since, from one of the 
 southwestern States, who had been visiting rapidly several of the 
 eastern cities, and we talked about them. I asked him if he had 
 been at Springfield ; at first he thought not, but then recalling it 
 he said, " O yes, ' That's the right smart town that's built around 
 the ^Massasoit Hotel.'" I was reminded of his remark when, 
 sometime after, I had occasion to pass the night at that famous
 
 79 
 
 hostelry. Coming to it without previous arrangement, I was put 
 into a room on the railroad side of the house, and one might 
 almost as well have tried to sleep in the great bell at Moscow, 
 with twenty men beating on the outside with steel hammers all 
 night ! I fully determined that if I had occasion to stop again 
 in this neighborhood I should come to Longmeadow, at least 
 for the night. Isn't it possible, by the way, that the people who 
 formed this separate town a hundred years ago may have done 
 it on the principle of elective affinities ? that they found the 
 drive of enterprise up there too much for them, and wanted to 
 get where they could rest in the bosom of encompassing quiet- 
 ness. At any rate they have liked it all the better ever since 
 because it was quiet. 
 
 My father's attachment to it has been referred to ; it was a 
 very deep and tender affection, and seemed to grow continually 
 stronger all his life. To the end of his days, I am sure that he 
 thought of this village as nearer to heaven than any other place 
 of which he knew on earth. I have known a good many others 
 who had gone out from it into the world, and who have felt 
 about it in after-life as the old bachelor felt about the state of 
 single-blessedness, when a friend who had shared his lot of 
 loneliness for a good many years was about to be married, and 
 he could think of nothing to send him as a wedding present so 
 perfectly suitable as a fine copy of " Paradise Lost ! " 
 
 There has been nothing accidental, either, ladies and gentle- 
 men, in the development of this lovely village. One cannot 
 stand in it, I am sure, without feeling the power of those mold- 
 ing forces from which it has come. 
 
 No doubt the spirit of the early settlers has contributed to it ; 
 God-fearing, prosperous, middle-class English emigrants. No 
 doubt the fact that the original blood has continued here without 
 any general admixture of foreign elements, has contributed to 
 it ; and the very configuration of its territory has had an influ- 
 ence in the same direction ; the placid river, the mellow mea- 
 dows, the long level reaches of the higher table land. But after 
 all, there has been something back of all these, to produce the 
 result in which we delight ; and that has been simply the force
 
 8o 
 
 of the Christian religion, here resident and regnant from the 
 beginning. I do not say this as a minister, but as a student 
 of history, accustomed to trace effects to causes. 
 
 No village like this was possible in the Pagan times, or is pos- 
 sible now in Pagan lands. The whole spirit of society in the 
 ages before Christ pressed steadily in other directions. There 
 was not even that love of charming natural landscape which is 
 here so constantly gratified. It does not appear in the writings 
 of the historians, or the philosophers, or even of the poets. It 
 stands connected with a higher conception of God than then 
 existed ; and Theocritus himself whose idyls have so long been 
 famous in the world seems to have got something of his lan- 
 guage, as well as of the better part of his spirit, from the psalms, 
 with which he may well have become acquainted, in the then 
 recent Septuagint version, while he tarried at Alexandria. I 
 know, of course, that Horace has some delightful lines, express- 
 ing his own wish for a moderate portion of land, with a garden, 
 and a fountain in it, a brook beside the house, and a little wood- 
 land not far off. But even he says that it is only when the mer- 
 chant dreads the stormy winds and the Icarian waves that he 
 commends tranquillity, and rural retirement ; and though he 
 represents the sated usurer as envying the happiness of the man 
 who lives removed from business, and cultivates his paternal 
 acres with his own oxen, he adds that the man so moved toward 
 the country called in his money at the Ides, only to put it out 
 again at the Calends ! 
 
 The gentler sensibilities, the finer and more tranquil tastes, 
 were not then nurtured as they have been in the times since 
 Christ. Men who had no clear expectation of a life beyond the 
 present were eager to crowd the life which they had with fierce 
 excitements, brilliant success, and passionate pleasures. So the 
 tendency was constant with them toward splendid spectacles, 
 and the fascinating pageantry of life. An existence without 
 these appeared monotonous, unrewarding. Slavery, too, was uni- 
 versal in those times, as it has not been since, and can never 
 be again ; and the labors of the field, as performed by slaves, 
 came to seem despicable.
 
 SECOND LONG-MEADOW PASTOR FROM 1785 TO 1819.
 
 8i 
 
 Women were not honored, either, as they have been since 
 Christ ; as they have always been honored here ; and their deli- 
 cate influence was not widely and intimately felt. It is to that, 
 that these villages of New England owe much of their beauty. 
 If there was any defect in the large and admirable presentation 
 this morning of the history of this town, it seemed to me that 
 it lay in the want of the full recognition of its indebtedness to 
 woman, which no doubt will be abundantly supplied when we 
 come to read the addresses in their completeness. I, for one, 
 should like to know what Abigail Davenport did for Longmea- 
 dow, as well as what Doctor Williams accomplished. I should 
 like to know what that saintly mother of my father, whom of 
 course I never saw, but of whom in his very last weeks on earth 
 he spoke with tender, filial love did for the village, as well as 
 what was done by her husband. These very trees around us 
 seem to represent such a feminine influence. The oak, or the 
 hickory, is a natural image of the robust masculine force. The 
 elm in its graceful and symmetrical sweep, appears to represent 
 the more refined and delicate, yet not less strong, feminine 
 nature. And all this great cathedral of the elms, through which 
 we walk as through a nave along these streets, seems typical of 
 the influences here long exerted by faithful and cultured Chris- 
 tian women. 
 
 So it was in the absence of the forces prevailing in our times 
 that village life had almost died out of Italy in the time of 
 Augustus, and it took centuries to establish it again ; in fact it 
 never has been there fully re-established. And so it is that a vil- 
 lage like this becomes a fruit and a trophy of the Divine Faith 
 whichjcame out of Nazareth. It is certainly a grander attesta- 
 tion of that Faith than could be furnished by many elaborate 
 argumentative proofs. 
 
 It must not be forgotten, either, that it has been Christianity 
 in what are often regarded as its more austere and less attractive 
 forms, which has built up this remarkable beauty and peace. 
 The most orthodox of doctrines have always here been preached ; 
 of Law, and Sin, Atonement by Christ, Regeneration, eternal 
 Judgment and Recompense.
 
 82 
 
 Men say often, in our time, that these doctrines only repress 
 and repel ; that they have no affinities with fine and delicate 
 intellectual and social culture ; that a gentler, daintier, and more 
 soothing Faith is necessary to such. All history disproves the 
 assertion. I have never believed it ; I think I believe it less 
 than ever to-day. 
 
 The doctrines here preached have been the same which Paul 
 proclaimed, and in which he found the sure source and support, 
 for himself and others, of love, joy, gentleness, peace. ' They 
 have been the same which Augustine preached, and in which his 
 heart rested in security while the Vandals raged around his 
 death-bed. They have given seriousness to life here, no doubt ; 
 even solemnity; but they have not impaired, they have only 
 added to, true beauty of character. Out of fiery heats comes 
 the purest gold. It is the cloud from which the lightnings leap 
 which is touched, when the sun's radiance smites it, with ame- 
 thyst and gold. It is the vast earthquake force which crushes 
 mountains, which also, they say, fashions the inestimable crys- 
 tals of the diamond. And so from the teachings of divine 
 truth which many call stern, sterile, and harsh, has come this 
 loveliness unsurpassed, in human work and human life. A gleam 
 from the immensities has touched the common activities of men. 
 The solemn voices out of eternity have only given emphasis to 
 the message always connected with them of the Divine patience 
 and grace ; and men have been reverent, submissive, faithful, 
 by reason of their religion, while also frugal, industrious, and 
 free. 
 
 With such orthodoxy of doctrine has been connected, also, a 
 most exact and simple democracy in the administration first of 
 church affairs, then of the parish, and then of the town ; so that, 
 as we were told in the morning, the moderator of the society 
 must always be one chosen by its distinct vote, and a layman at 
 that. Men say sometimes that such democracy tends to rude- 
 ness, roughness of manner, and a sharp self-assertion. On the 
 other hand, it has manifestly tended here to a just self-respect, 
 to independence of character, to mutual good will, and to kindly 
 offices among neighbors.
 
 83 
 
 Its effects are seen in the common interest of all in the church 
 of their worship, and in the village of their love. And if any 
 one thinks that the more aristocratic institutions in society and 
 in the church, work more naturally toward beauty and grace, I 
 don't know that we could answer him better than by putting this 
 village, as it stands before us, in comparison with any village to 
 be named on English soil, and leaving the disputant to decide for 
 himself ! The cathedral is not here, to be sure ; nor the ivied 
 and ornamental parish church ; nor the castle, and the park ; 
 but the surrounding prosperity and distributed beauty are such 
 as no English village can show ; and no one like this ever sprang 
 from the loins of any prelatical or aristocratic system on earth. 
 
 It is well for us to remember this ; and remember, also, how 
 long-continuing has been that energetic life in the past of which 
 the blossom is here around us. We have had the history of a 
 hundred years told us this morning ; but back beyond the time 
 of the earliest settlers in these meadows reach the influences 
 whose fruit we see. Governor Bradford said, in his history of 
 the Plymouth Plantations, that the Pilgrims were ready to come 
 from Leyden to these wilderness shores that they might be, if 
 needful, " stepping-stones to others." Our Fathers made them- 
 selves stepping-stones for us. We walk reverently amid their 
 graves as we come to this celebration. In yonder cemetery is 
 the seed-field of this abundant harvest. Back even beyond that, 
 beyond the great age of Elizabeth, back to the Reformation, 
 back to the advent of Christ on the earth, are to be traced the 
 secret forces of which we see the lovely outcome. The stars 
 which to-night will look down on these streets only represent 
 the numbers and the glory of those who have really, though 
 often unconsciously, been working and suffering for this result. 
 
 This same development which we see around us is to continue, 
 too, I trust, for other generations and other centuries, while the 
 conditions of this peculiar moral and social life remain essenti- 
 ally unchanged. 
 
 This seems prophesied by the past. All the changes, of which 
 there have been so many, in the country and in the world, 
 swirling around this peaceful village, have not hitherto touched
 
 8 4 
 
 it, unless to add to it new beauty and charm. I remember the 
 whirlwind which a few years ago swept over Deerfield, Hadley, 
 Northampton, and laid many of their majestic elms level with 
 the turf. I happened to be riding northward, through the edges 
 of that hurricane, and I wondered at the time whether these 
 elms, too, would have to go. But even the turbulent and tem- 
 pestuous air seemed to have heard the command laid upon it 
 Don't touch Longmeadow ! 
 
 And as long as this village shall continue, in its attraction and 
 restful beauty, it will show and will cultivate a much needed ele- 
 ment in American life. We think very well of ourselves as a 
 nation, and have no doubt some reason for doing so ; but we are 
 certainly a noisy people, and a hurrying people. The jump has 
 got into the mind and spirit, as well as the muscle ; and we need 
 very much, now and then, what Charles Lamb said he went into 
 the Quaker meeting to get " a bath of silence." We need such 
 spots of restfulness as this, where tastefulness, quiet industry, 
 economy, and temperate enterprise flourish together, under the 
 influence of an educating religion, and combined with a remark- 
 able social equality. Our country will never be at its best, until 
 there are many such villages in it. I had almost said that the 
 Millenium will be here whenever there are ! There seems a sort of 
 premonitory gleam from that promised future already upon these 
 charming and tranquil .streets and homes; even as on the fra- 
 grant and smiling regions amid which, before Bunyan's Pilgrim, 
 the shining ones walked. But, however many villages there may 
 be in coming time, showing the same general character which 
 we rejoice to recognize here, I am sure that there will not be one 
 of them all, even to the end, more serene or delightful, or more 
 illustrative of the influences which have founded and fashioned it, 
 than this of Longmeadow. 
 
 So I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your cordial wel- 
 come, and pray that the blessing which has been upon the fathers, 
 and on their children, may continue to rest upon their children's 
 children, to the end of their history !
 
 In introducing the next speaker after Dr. Storrs, Professor 
 Edwards A. Park, D.D., of Andover, the President said: 
 
 Exactly two hundred years ago, in 1683, there was graduated at 
 Harvard College a youth of nineteen years of age, afterward Rev. 
 John Williams of Deerfield, Mass., the father of Rev. Stephen Wil- 
 liams, first upon the list of the Mother's seven pastors. This John 
 Williams, student, was wholly educated at Harvard by the liberality of 
 his maternal grandfather, William Park of Roxbury, Mass. It 
 appears, therefore, that in the last analysis, the entire culture and 
 influence of the Williams family, so far at least as Mother Longmeadow 
 is concerned in it, rests upon a Park ! Will Professor Edwards A. 
 Park of Andover, illuminate this or any other subject ? 
 
 PROFESSOR PARK'S ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen: 
 
 I cannot avoid a feeling of complacency in the thought that 
 among my English ancestors were Edward Park, a London mer- 
 chant ; and his son Henry Park, also a London merchant. 
 According to the best information which I can obtain, my remote 
 ancestor Edward was a near ancestor of Deacon William Park 
 of Roxbury, Massachusetts. About two hundred and thirty 
 years ago, Theoda Park, a daughter of William, was married to 
 Samuel Williams of Roxbury ; and her son, John Williams, the 
 celebrated minister of Deerfield, was the father of Stephen Wil- 
 liams, the first, minister of Longmeadow. He was the ancestor 
 of many persons who have become eminent in the State as well 
 as the Church. Indeed, I do not find that the Williams family 
 ever amounted to much in 1 this country, until Theoda Park 
 became the mother of John Williams, and until her opulent 
 father, William Park, provided at his own expense for the educa- 
 tion of this grandson at Harvard College. I flatter myself with 
 the fancy that Deacon William Park inherited some portion of 
 his property from my ancestor Edward Park, the London mer- 
 chant. 
 
 My somewhat remote relationship thus to the Williams family 
 has given me an interest in the career of Stephen Williams, the
 
 86 
 
 first minister of Longmeadow. I have been interested in read- 
 ing the stafement of President Edwards that David Brainerd's 
 friend and interpreter, " whose name was John Wau-waum-pe- 
 quun-naunt " " had lived with the Rev. Mr. Williams of Long- 
 meadow, and had been further instructed by him at the charge 
 of Mr. Hollis of London, and undefstood both English and 
 Indian, and wrote a good hand." It is pleasant to associate this 
 village with the interpreter whom Jonathan Edwards calls " an 
 ingenious young Indian," and who was supported here by the 
 funds of Thomas Hollis, and honored afterward by the compan- 
 ionship of David Brainerd. 
 
 It is also pleasant to think that the first minister of Long- 
 meadow selected for his ministerial successor Richard Sailer 
 Storrs, three years before the young man began to preach. 
 Two sons of your second minister were perhaps the two most 
 eminent men ever born in Longmeadow. These two were 
 Richard Salter Storrs of Braintree, and Charles Backus Storrs, 
 the President of Western Reserve College. They were the 
 grandsons of Rev. Eleazer Williams of Mansfield, Connecticut, 
 who was a brother of your first pastor. They were not only 
 descended from Rev. John Williams of Deerfield, but were also 
 connected in a two-fold way with his eminent contemporary and 
 friend Rev. William Williams of Hatfield. 
 
 In addition to this, their step-mother was a daughter of Dr. 
 Stephen Williams, the patriarch of Longmeadow. As if this 
 Williamsism were not complete enough, Richard Salter Storrs 
 of Braintree married Anne, a lineal descendant of the same Dr. 
 Stephen Williams ; and her father, Rev. Stephen Williams Steb- 
 bins, was trained in Dr. Stepheii Williams' family in the old 
 Longmeadow parsonage. 
 
 It may not be easy for us to form a vivid idea of the excel- 
 lences belonging to Richard Salter Storrs, your second pastor. 
 There is one scale, however, by which we may be aided in raising 
 our minds to this idea. We have just been listening to the 
 eloquent remarks of Dr. Richard Salter Storrs of Brooklyn. 
 We have previously heard his sermons and read his published 
 writings. We have thus a distinct idea of the first line on the 
 scale. So much is fixed.
 
 87 
 
 Now I was once riding in a rail-car through the town of Brain- 
 tree. Two passengers behind me were talking in loud tones on 
 the merits of the Braintree minister, who was the father of Dr. 
 Storrs who has just addressed us. " How does the son compare 
 with the father ? " was the question ; and the answer was : "The 
 son does not approach to the father. He ought not to be named 
 on the same day." Here we get a distinct idea of the second 
 line on the scale. 
 
 We next come to the father of Dr. Storrs of Braintree. I once 
 asked the Braintree doctor whether he and his father resembled 
 each other. " I resemble my father!" he responded. " I am no 
 more fit to be compared with him than a tadpole is fit to be com- 
 pared with a professor of astronomy in Harvard College." Now 
 the difference between a tadpole and a professor of astronomy in 
 Harvard College is certainly very considerable; and we have 
 thus a distinct idea of the third line on the scale the line which 
 marks the position of Richard Salter Storrs of Longmeadow. 
 If the scale be rightly graduated we may easily account for the 
 intelligence, the taste, the beautiful spirit which we have seen 
 developed at this anniversary, and for which we all feel so deeply 
 grateful. 
 
 In the remark of the Braintree minister depreciating himself, 
 he must be suspected of using an hyperbole. He was celebrated 
 as a man of power. I have often heard that when a young man 
 he once preached a political sermon on a Fast Day, in which he 
 was so pungent in his reproofs that seven of his hearers rose 
 from their seats and walked out of the sanctuary with heavy and 
 noisy steps. Mr. Storrs had been recently ordained, and some 
 of his parishioners feared that he would be depressed by this 
 political movement. They attempted to console him ; but he 
 assured them that the occurrence had shown him some resem- 
 blance between his own work and that of his Master ; for " as 
 the Master cast out seven devils from Mary Magdalene, so I have 
 cast out seven from the Braintree meeting-house." The ejected 
 politicians afterwards bore the sobriquet of " the seven devils," 
 and never repeated their offense.
 
 88 
 
 For more thai; sixty years I have been familiar with the name 
 of Richard Salter Storrs of Braintree, but I never saw him until 
 the 1 3th of December, 1826. On that day I heard him offer a 
 prayer ; and I never heard a more seraphic address to the throne 
 of grace. It was simply wonderful. Since that day I have 
 listened to the eloquence of Theremin and Louis Harms ; of 
 Chalmers, Guthrie, and Gladstone; of John Quincy Adams, Web- 
 ster, Clay, Calhoun ; but I have never heard a more effective 
 appeal to the conscience and to the heart than I once heard from 
 Dr. Storrs on a cold and stormy evening, in a small room, and 
 before an audience of not more than thirty-five men and women. 
 
 I know that the family of the Williamses have eminent worth, 
 but it is not safe to say much about them. They know their 
 worth, and they know that they know it, and they also know that 
 other families ought to know it. If they are not treated with due 
 reverence, they know how to signify their displeasure. One 
 member of the family was a brave officer in the French and 
 Indian war. He lived in a village near Longmeadow, and when 
 he walked through the main street of his village he carried an 
 imposing cane. If any young man did not take off his hat when 
 he met this distinguished colonel, the cane was uplifted and the 
 hat came off without the young man's consent. This is Wil- 
 liamsism. There are six lineal descendants of that hero now sit- 
 ting near me on this platform, and if I should not come up to 
 the required standard of praise they would not hesitate to treat 
 me as their ancestor treated the ignoramus who met him in the 
 street. If I should see them approaching I should take care to 
 be on the opposite sidewalk ! 
 
 The Reverend Eleazer Williams, once a resident of this vil- 
 lage, was thought by many to be the son of Louis the Sixteenth 
 and of Marie Antoinette, and thus the lawful heir to the French 
 throne. He was once met by another clergyman bearing the 
 honored name of Williams, and was addressed in these solemn 
 words : " Eleazer Williams ! Do you pretend to be the son of the 
 French king ? I tell you what ! I will not let the name of Wil- 
 liams be disgraced by any relationship to any French monarch.
 
 FIRST LONGMEADOW PASTOR FROM 1718 TO 1783.
 
 8 9 
 
 You must do one of two things. You must either renounce 
 Williamsism or else renounce Bourbonism ! " 
 
 This being the spirit of the Williams family, I was relieved 
 by the words of your president, when he called on me to speak 
 in reference to that family, or " any other subject." I flee for 
 refuge, then, to the " other subject." When I came to Long- 
 meadow I intended to be either a silent listener, or else to say a 
 few words on the early New England ministers. This is the 
 " other subject." But here I am met by a difficulty. A very 
 large number of the early New England ministers were Wil- 
 liamses. The Williamses are everywhere. "The other sub- 
 ject," then, seems to be nearly the same with the one I have 
 fled from. Still, I must go on, even at the hazard of losing 
 my hat. 
 
 The early ministers of New England were noted for their 
 indefatigable diligence in study. Some of them devoted twelve, 
 fourteen, sixteen hours a day to their books or manuscripts. Dr. 
 Solomon Williams of Lebanon, Connecticut, was regularly in his 
 study, engaged in reading the Hebrew or Greek Testament, 
 before sunrise through the winter season. Many other min- 
 isters were like him. Two of them, who were connected by mar- 
 riage with the Williams family, pursued through a period of fif- 
 teen years the following habit of life : Each of them entered his 
 study at about eight o'clock in the morning, and did not leave it 
 until about twelve. At about one o'clock in the afternoon he 
 re-entered it and did not leave it until about six. He entered it 
 again about seven and did not leave it until about nine in the 
 evening. Some of the old-time ministers were wont to meet 
 each other for theological discussions, and to spend whole nights 
 in their work. One of these ministers, who was not connected 
 with the Williams family in any other way than that of being 
 decidedly opposed to and decidedly opposed by some members 
 of it, was accustomed to visit a scientific physician in a neigh- 
 boring town and spend a day and a night in theological debate.
 
 9 o 
 
 On one evening the clergyman mounted his horse to return 
 home ; the physician stood by the horse after the clergyman had 
 mounted it. " A new topic was started ; the horse walked on a 
 few steps, and then stopped ; then a few steps more, the friends 
 being still earnestly engaged in discussion. At last they were 
 alarmed at the appearance of a fire in the east, which, after a 
 short time, they found was the break of day ! " 
 
 Many early ministers of New England were noted for their 
 influence in educating their parishioners. Their example was a 
 means of popular instruction. Their sermons were a means of 
 intellectual and moral discipline. Some of these ministers 
 preached in a method so logical and on themes so inspiriting as 
 to awaken many a young man to a habit of thinking for himself. 
 In the forenoon of the Sabbath they explained and proved a 
 great doctrine ; in the afternoon they drew inferences from it 
 and thus revealed, the connection between one great truth and 
 another. 
 
 One of them, whose admirable wife was the daughter of Rev. 
 Chester Williams of Hadley, was in the habit of preaching dis- 
 courses like these in one parish for more than half a century. 
 While riding, in his extreme old age, through a neighboring 
 parish he was stopped by an utter stranger who proposed the 
 question: " Why do not ministers now [in 1835] preach as min- 
 isters did when you were in active service ? " The aged pastor 
 asked : " Do not the modern ministers preach as their fathers 
 did ? In what respect do they differ ? " The stranger replied : 
 " The old ministers divided their afternoon sermons into different 
 heads, each one beginning with the words, ' If what has been said 
 in this discourse be true, then it follows, first ;' ' If what has been 
 said in this discourse be true, then it follows, second ; ' and so 
 onward through several heads, each one depending on the fore- 
 going ; but I hear no such discourses from ministers now." 
 The venerable pastor replied : " There are two reasons for this 
 change; one is, that the ministers of these days have not said 
 anything ; the other is, that if they had said anything, nothing 
 would follow from it."
 
 9 1 
 
 Many of the New England ministers have exerted an educat- 
 ing influence, not only over their own parishioners, but also over 
 men in other and distant parts of the land. There was one 
 pastor, an intimate friend of several eminent men in the Wil- 
 liams family, and himself connected with that family by marriage, 
 who retained a rural pastorate more than fifty years, and one of his 
 parishioners writes concerning him : " When I was a very young 
 man, I used to attend a meeting for debate in which were from 
 ten to twenty persons liberally educated and residing in the 
 parish. Some of them were law students, and some theological 
 students. Our pastor interested the students of law as well as 
 the students of divinity." This logical pastor in a remote 
 country town was regularly listened to by six judges of Massa- 
 chusetts courts. Young jurists learned principles of law from 
 his discourses, and they diffused through a large community the 
 knowledge which they had derived from him. Lawyers and 
 politicians have received no small degree of honor which was 
 really due to comparatively unknown pastors. 
 
 There is one trivial incident which illustrates this fact. A min- 
 ister in this immediate neighborhood was once asked in an inso- 
 lent, if not insulting, way, " Do you think that you have got any 
 religion ? " He answered, " None to speak of" This apt reply 
 was mentioned to John Randolph, who was pleased with it, and 
 soon afterwards said on the floor of our National House of 
 Representatives, " I have no religion to speak of" The felici- 
 tous remark has been ascribed to him as an original one. It 
 was borrowed from a minister who has often preached in Long- 
 meadow. The honor awarded to Nathan Dane for his celebrated 
 ordinance regarding the government of the territory northwest 
 of the Ohio River, is to be shared in part by Dr. Manasseh 
 Cutler, a pastor of a small town in Massachusetts, an astronomer, 
 a botanist, a physician, a statesman, a patriot. He was highly 
 esteemed by George Washington ; and was appointed by him 
 the first judge of a United States Court in the Northwestern 
 Territory. Scores of humble pastors might be named who have 
 extended their influence through all the learned professions, and 
 through all parts of our land.
 
 9 2 
 
 Many of our early . ministers were noted for the authority 
 which they maintained in their parishes. We may not justify 
 the methods in which they sometimes used their power ; these 
 very methods, however, indicate their superiority to the men 
 around them. I have read of a very aged pastor who was 
 thought, by some of his parishioners, to need the help of Ruling 
 Elders. The two deacons proposed to him that he should 
 receive this aid. He suggested that the two deacons themselves 
 should be appointed to the new office. They consented. He 
 asked them what they supposed to be the duties of the Ruling 
 Elders. They replied that he knew better than they, and that 
 they would do what he said. " Well, then," he answered : " I 
 should like to have one of them come up to my house before 
 meeting on Sunday, and get my horse out of the barn, and then 
 saddle him, and bring him up to the door, and hold the stirrup 
 while I get on. The other may wait at the church door and hold 
 him while I get off ; then, after meeting, he may bring him up to 
 the steps. This is all of my work I can ever consent to let the 
 Ruling Elders do for me." The story adds that the office of 
 Ruling Elders in that church has remained vacant until the pre- 
 sent day. 
 
 History proves, however, that, in the main, the ministers of 
 New England have used their authority in a kind spirit and 
 with benign results. Whoever will study their writings on the 
 sciences, and especially on theology, the most inspiring of the 
 sciences whoever will examine their intellectual, and especially 
 their moral, greatness whoever will consider their personal 
 history, and the personal history of their descendants will 
 be convinced that the character of New England has been 
 moulded by them in large measure, and that New Englanders 
 at the north, south, east, and west, owe to these ministers a 
 debt of profound gratitude.
 
 93 
 
 Music by the band, at the close of Professor Park's Address, 
 was followed by the Address of Rev. Hubbard Beebe, pastor of 
 the First Church in Longmeadow from 1837 to ^43 ; now of 
 New York City. The President said : 
 
 Three pastorates of one hundred and thirty-four years in the aggre- 
 gate for four generations of her children, and four pastorates of 
 thirty years aggregate for one generation, this is the somewhat 
 striking record of the Mother's seven pastorates. Will the Rev. 
 Hubbard Beebe recall, for this fraternal hour, any reminiscences of a 
 generation so exceptional in its spiritual requirements ? 
 
 REV. MR. BEEBE'S ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. President and Friends: 
 
 Some mothers do things which the children cannot satisfac- 
 torily explain ; and this seems to be the case with our good 
 Mother Longmeadow in the matter mentioned by the President. 
 Whether the two pastors who ministered to her welfare during 
 the first one hundred years of her history were of such excep- 
 tional excellence that it cost her thirty years of patient toil to 
 find a son worthy to succeed them ; or whether she grew fastidi- 
 ous with advancing years ; or became subject to the law of con- 
 trasts; or perhaps had a quickened taste for the spice which 
 variety is said to give, I will not here attempt to decide. One 
 thing, however, 'must be obvious to all who are familiar which her 
 history, that the story of those later pastorates is so intimately 
 connected with those of their predecessors, that it cannot well 
 be told separately from them. 
 
 My ordination here occurred forty-six years ago to-morrow, 
 October 18, 1837. Dr. Williams died fifty -five years, and Mr. 
 Storrs eighteen years previously ; the two pastorates covering a 
 period of one hundred years. A stranger among strangers, I 
 found it convenient to inquire about these two remarkable men. 
 Very soon one of the oldest members of the church, their dele- 
 gate, took me to an ecclesiastical council ; and I asked him if he 
 remembered Dr. Williams, and what were his impressions of 
 him. He replied that he had some recollections of him ; that he 
 wore a large wig, and that his appearance was very venerable and
 
 94 
 
 imposing ; and then added, that in his boyhood it used to be said 
 that the people of Longmeadow regarded Dr. Williams as their 
 Maker; with the exception of one rather skeptical fellow who 
 alone questioned it. There were no other persons about whom all 
 were so ready to converse, and of whom they had so much to say, 
 as of their two earliest pastors. Instead of having died so many 
 years before,- those grand old men, they rather seemed to 
 me to be still living in the memories and thoughts and daily lives 
 of the people ; as if they were still engaged in their active, living 
 ministries. It appeared that Dr. Williams had molded and 
 made them in their home life and Christian character, and that 
 Mr. Storrs had both broadened and deepened their intellectual 
 and moral culture. It was also apparent that Dr. Dickinson had 
 impressed on them the stamp of his decided and emphatic char- 
 acter, and especially that he had added the, then new, temperance 
 element ; so that, as Deacon Ely told me, he had no longer to 
 carry the large tankard of wine after the communion to his 
 pastor, as the custom here had always been. And then Dr. 
 Condit came, and spent the brilliant years of his pastorate here, 
 and threw over these households the peculiar charm of his own 
 native grace and gentleness. 
 
 And what was the result of all this ? And what was the 
 legacy which the early ministry of such men had bequeathed to 
 this community ? 
 
 First of all the Town, whose centennial you celebrate to-day, 
 was born of this Church, which had already had a history of sixty- 
 six years. This is true of other towns up and down the Connec- 
 ticut Valley, and is a marked peculiarity of many early towns of 
 New England. 
 
 Again this one united and never divided parish is not of 
 your making, but the creation of the fathers and the fruit of 
 their hundred years of wisely directed labor. A sickly and sen- 
 timental religion disintegrates and divides many parishes, and 
 inflicts upon them the miseries of two or three small and starve- 
 ling churches, begetting jealousies and feuds which drag more 
 angels down than they lift mortals up. To all this your one 
 unique and beloved parish is a rare and beautiful exception.
 
 95 
 
 But perhaps the richest inheritance that came to you and to 
 us of later times, is this community of homogeneous and inter- 
 woven families, dwelling permanently together in their own 
 homes. Forty-five years ago they were all natives here, and to 
 the manor born. 
 
 The Family is the most original and perfect institution in the 
 world. We do not need the Bible to tell us of its origin. It 
 stands out clearly by itself, like the great mountains; a master- 
 piece from the Creator's hands. It is also the strongest insti- 
 tution in the world. Like the Sabbath, it survived the wreck 
 and ruin of the fall ; and centuries later, it emerged singly and 
 alone from the desolation of the flood, and for the second time 
 God planted the world with a single family. It has a strength 
 and a unity yes, an organic unity which no human power, no 
 changes of time, or race, or country, can break up or dissolve. 
 Nothing but the awards and separations of the final judgment 
 can effectively destroy the unity of the family. 
 
 But best of all the Christian Family is the most perfectly self- 
 governed and self-governing institution in the world ; and this 
 was the distinguishing peculiarity of the families of our New 
 England ancestors. A community of such families made our 
 self-governing churches, and parishes, and towns ; and these, in 
 turn, made our self-governing States ; and a Union of such 
 States at length made our grand and growing self-governed 
 and self-governing empire, strong to vindicate itself against all 
 foes from abroad, and to crush out all rebellions at home ; and 
 by its own vital forces, like the vital forces of a tree, to throw 
 off the most firmly rooted and appalling system of human slavery 
 the world ever saw. And self-poised and self-governed still, it 
 is passing right on to fill the land' and the world with righteous- 
 ness and with blessing. 
 
 Do you ask, then, whence came the Christian and church-going 
 households that were the helpers and the strength of the later 
 pastors here fifty years ago ? Again I reply, we did not make 
 them. We inherited them from the generation that preceded ; 
 and we tried to perpetuate them to the generation that should 
 follow. True, they were the fruits of Christianity ; but of Chris-
 
 -96 
 
 tianity as preached in the sanctuary, and exemplified in the prac- 
 tice, and made lovely and winning in the homes of the elder 
 pastors. 
 
 In the precious revivals which gladdened us with exceeding 
 joy, they too were the sowers and we the reapers. 
 
 In the missionary work, both at home and abroad, they were 
 the pioneers, and we only the followers. And of the daughters 
 of this church there went out a goodly number, to carry the 
 light of your homes to the dark places of the earth, which are 
 full of the habitations of cruelty. Yes, and one of them, a con- 
 vert here in 1 840, is still toiling in her loved work on the side of 
 Mount Lebanon, having just returned from the grave of her only 
 and noble son and she a widow. 
 
 And now, what is to be the future of this church, and of the 
 generations that are to come ? Shall your grand inheritance 
 from the past become smaller or greater, richer or poorer ? Your 
 Christian homes are still here, your one united church and one 
 parish, with the same evangelical .ministry. It is doubtless 
 physiologically intelligible that the present generation should, 
 by a kind of moral atavism, after an intervening generation of 
 shorter pastorates, return to the ways of their grandfathers ; and 
 that so the present pastor should have already equalled the term 
 of one of those earlier pastorates. And if he shall have the gift 
 and the grace of continuance to labor on thirty-four years more, 
 and thus leave his earliest predecessor no longer peerless, I am 
 very sure that none of us, his later brethren, will demur. 
 
 Toil on then, my brother, more cheerful and more hopeful than 
 your immediate predecessors did, trusting that your future, and 
 that of your people, may be what the psalmist so earnestly longed 
 and prayed for; "That your sons may be as plants grown up in 
 their youth : that your daughters may be as corner-stones, polished 
 after the similitude of a palace : that your garners may be full, 
 affording all manner of store : that your oxen may be strong to 
 labor : that there be no breaking in, nor going out ; and that there 
 be no complaining in your streets. Happy is that people that is 
 in such a case; yea, happy is that people, whose God is the 
 Lord."
 
 97 
 
 The Address of Rev. Mr. Beebe was followed by that of Rev. 
 Samuel Wolcott, D.D., of Cleveland, O., who succeeded the former 
 in the pastorate of the First Church of Longmeadow in 1843. 
 The President said : 
 
 The name of Wolcott the Mother learned long ago to honor and 
 to love. In was in 1704, the very year in which Deerfield was 
 captured, and her earliest pastor, then a boy of ten years, was seized 
 into captivity, that a certain Roger Wolcott, near neighbor upon the 
 south, building himself a home, adorned the walls of its parlor with 
 a large fresco painting representing that midnight assault. Familiarity 
 with such a painting could hardly fail of inspiring the rising Wolcott 
 family, both with a strong martial ardor, and a warm Williams attach- 
 ment. 
 
 This seed-fact bore fruit first, when, in 1745, this same Roger Wol- 
 cott, as second in command of the famous Louisburg expedition, led 
 to that successful seige a band of the Mother's own sons, with her 
 Pastor Williams as their chaplain ; receiving therefor the public thanks 
 of Governor Shirley of Massachusetts. It bore still further fruit, when, 
 just one hundred years later, a descendant of this valiant Roger Wol- 
 cott entered the line of the Mother's own pastoral succession in 
 this branch of the church militant. The voice of the Rev. Samuel 
 Wolcott will be ever welcome in the ears of the Mother herself, or of 
 any of her children. 
 
 REV. DR. WOLCOTT'S ADDRESS. 
 
 I am obliged to you, Mr. President, for the very generous 
 terms in which you have referred to me, and should be pleased 
 to honor this flattering introduction with a suitable response ; 
 the waning time admonishes me to be brief. 
 
 The reminiscences of a youthful pastorate in this parish are 
 what brought me to this celebration to-day. But the sentiment 
 to which I am asked to respond, has reference to a period much 
 earlier than the date of the event which this centennial day com- 
 memorates, and really includes historic events of still greater 
 antiquity. In late years nearly all the families of this period 
 have been brought into kinship by intermarriages. But in the 
 early history of the place, when the families were fewer, 1 they 
 built themselves up by alliances with families in neighboring
 
 9 8 
 
 communities. They crossed the State border for this purpose ; 
 and thus it happens that the family to which I belong became an 
 element in the early and forming period of this community. 
 Two of the grand-daughters of Henry Wolcott, our emigrant 
 ancestor, one of the founders of the town of Windsor, and the 
 Colony of Connecticut, both sisters of Gov. Roger Wolcott, 
 whom the President of the day has named, made their homes in 
 Longmeadow. The elder, Elizabeth, in 1680, more than two 
 centuries ago, in the " Precinct period " referred to by the orator 
 of the day married Daniel Cooley ; the younger, Joanna, in 
 1690, married John Colton. These ladies, through their descend- 
 ants, are now represented in most of the leading families of 
 the place. I remember during my residence here to have 
 seen an antique volume of manuscript poems by one Jonathan 
 Stebbins, a native bard, in which the younger lady is the subject 
 of several elegiac stanzas. The tender tribute paid by a cotem- 
 porary to Mrs. Joanna Colton was, I trust, deserved ; it certainly 
 has been due to Colton ladies who have lived here since her day. 
 
 Two generations later, a Henry Wolcot married Abigail Cooley, 
 and through a large family of children brought up here, formed 
 still further connections between the Family and the Parish. 
 Still later, a Cornelius Wolcott married in the East Parish, and 
 settled in this region ; and thus it happens that a name which 
 has been borne by two of the governors of Connecticut, appears 
 on the list of your Centennial Committee. 
 
 My own pastorate in this parish commenced forty years ago, 
 this autumn. If those were not the palmy days of the place, it 
 certainly was not less true then than now, that it was the best 
 specimen extant of preserved Puritanism. This was manifested 
 in that reverence for sacred institutions, which was always a dis- 
 tinctive mark of Puritan faith. It was conspicuous in their 
 deference toward their minister, whom they treated with thought- 
 ful respect and courtesy. When the parish killed its pig, the 
 minister was sure to receive a spare-rib. 
 
 Our three eldest sons, now far away, were born here, and their 
 regret is as sincere as my own, that they cannot be present to 
 participate in this festival. Since I stepped upon this platform,
 
 99 
 
 the following telegram from two of them has been placed in my 
 hands by the friend to whom it was addressed, with a request 
 that I would read it. 
 
 DENVER, COL., Oct. i5th, 1883. 
 REV. JOHN W. HARDING. 
 
 As sons of Longmeadow we congratulate her on arriving at this 
 centennial anniversary in such vigorous health and prosperity ; and 
 join in most sincere regrets that we cannot, upon this joyous occasion, 
 unite with her other children and friends in celebrating her one hun- 
 dredth birthday. Horace Greeley's advice has led us a long way 
 from our old home, but we left our hearts behind us. 
 
 HENRY R. WOLCOTT : EDWARD O. WOLCOTT. 
 
 In the council which sanctioned the dissolution of my pastoral 
 relation here, the closing prayer was offered by the venerable 
 minister from Braintree, to whom repeated reference has been 
 made. He prayed, I remember, that it might be my privilege to 
 revisit the place and preach again in its pulpit. That prayer 
 waited twenty years for its answer, when on the invitation of the 
 pastor I passed a Sabbath here. Again, on the last summer, in 
 compliance with another invitation from him, Mrs. Wolcott and 
 myself together passed a Sabbath here. We had been looking 
 around a little for a place in the Eastern States to which. we 
 could retire, and pass the quiet evening of a busy and diversified 
 life. It seemed to us that our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Leete, had 
 done a sensible thing in securing a freehold here. It occurred to 
 us that if the opportunity should offer, it might not be unwise for 
 us to do the same thing, and close our wedded life where it com- 
 menced. I thought of the line in Parnell's Hermit : 
 " Prayer all his business, all his pleasure praise." 
 
 And while I could not promise that our pursuits would be 
 exclusively spiritual, I could not but hope that such pursuits 
 would not be uncongenial, as they would not be unbecoming, 
 to our closing days. And I could think of no locality more 
 favorable to meditations and employments of this nature, than 
 these tranquil shades. Should this thought be realized (as it now 
 seems likely to be) it would be but the fulfillment of a desire 
 which I remember to have cherished many years ago that I 
 might be joined with this people in burial, to await with' them 
 an associated rising on the morning of the resurrection.
 
 IOO 
 
 The Address of Dr. Wolcott was followed by that of Rev. 
 Charles R. Bliss, Secretary of the New West Commission at 
 Chicago, introduced as follows by the President : 
 
 " Westward ho ? " was the inspiration and the watchword of the 
 Mother's own settlement, two hundred years ago. She hath since 
 heard of a Newer West, of yet brighter beauty and broader bounty than 
 her own. To her this seems scarcely credible, and where ignorance 
 is Bliss, 'tis folly, perhaps, to seek to be wise. Yet she k would fain 
 ask of her younger son, the honored commissioner of that New West, 
 whether he hath anywhere there seen aught to shake his allegiance to 
 herself ? Will the Rev. Charles R. Bliss respond ? 
 
 RESPONSE OF MR. BLISS. 
 
 No, Mr. President, My heart untraveled fondly turns to home. 
 There are loftier mountains than those skirting this valley, wider 
 plains, more majestic rivers than yonder silver stream, but never 
 did hills and valleys, meadows and streams, combine in a more 
 beautiful landscape than that which met the sight of our fathers, 
 as they wound down the Bay Path to the banks of the Connecti- 
 cut, the vanguard of the mighty army that for two hundred 
 and fifty years has been marching westward. 
 
 In introducing me you have taken up the old Elizabethan 
 watchword " Westward ho ! " and alluded to the fact that my 
 special work is on our western frontiers, in transplanting, if it 
 may be by God's help, the New England institutions and spirit 
 into the New West. 
 
 How strange it seems that this old town was once a border 
 town, an outpost of civilization. Then deep ravines intersected 
 this broad and level street ; a wilderness of oaks and chestnuts 
 stood in place of these overhanging elms ; rank vines and 
 impenetrable thickets covered the meadows at our feet. Only 
 the resolution and the sinews of vigorous and brave men could 
 have filled those ravines, felled those forests, and cleared those 
 meadows. 
 
 And how different the ideas upon which they built this 
 ancient border town from those on which many border towns are 
 now rising in the New West. On the very spot covered by this
 
 101 
 
 spacious tent our fathers built a Meeting-House, and not far away 
 a Schoql-house; but where did they put the Saloon, the Dance- 
 house, and the Billiard hall ? Alas, that age was dull and tame. 
 They gave to piety what was due to conviviality ; to God what 
 was due to the devil. How can we forgive them ! Ask those 
 wise gentlemen, who pity and defame the Puritans, what can ever 
 condone the loss of the early saloon, the dance-house, and the 
 billiard hall ! 
 
 In other respects, too, they were peculiar, In the administration 
 of law they were slow, submissive to magistrates, careful of legal 
 forms, anxious to guard human rights. v But they committed one 
 mistake ; they never saw the advantages of putting the judicial 
 ermine upon the allies of criminals, and then appealing to popu- 
 lar fury to punish crime. Being in Salt Lake City the past sum- 
 mer, I saw one day an unusual commotion. A negro had shot a 
 white man, and been himself hung by the mob ; and the second 
 transaction followed the first in less than twenty minutes, and 
 cost nothing. What a saving of time, and legal costs ! 
 
 But dropping the tone of satire, -it was an honor beyond that 
 of titles and crowns that the founders of this town brought every 
 popular purpose, practice, and current of feeling to the test of the 
 word of God. Commissioned in His providence to build a town, 
 they put into their work not only toil and daring and endurance, 
 but fidelity to moral ideas, and obedience to divine instructions. 
 Would that the founders of the countless towns now springing 
 up in the far West were actuated by similar principles ; but, as 
 the spent ripples on a lee-shore so are the conservative influences 
 of justice, intelligence, and religion upon many of those towns. 
 A revival of the rigid and uncompromising virtues that brought 
 our fathers here, and sustained them till their work was grandly 
 done, is needed from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean; and upon 
 its coming, we cannot doubt, rests the safety of the republic. 
 
 But I do not forget, Mr. President, that I am expected to 
 speak as a representative of the family whose name I bear. The 
 earliest authentic records of the family take us across the sea to 
 the Parish of Belstone, Devonshire, England, and back to the 
 year 1550. About that year was born Thomas Bliss although
 
 IO2 
 
 the names of his parents cannot be traced in the illegible 
 records of the parish. He succeeds to valuable estates, .belongs 
 to the yeomanry, and is a Puritan. From this fact arise persecu- 
 tions. He is imprisoned, fined, and almost ruined in health and 
 purse. He has five children, three of whom are sons ; Jonathan, 
 Thomas, and George. The famous Parliament of 1628 is about 
 to assemble. The country is deeply excited over the usurpations 
 of King Charles, and members of Parliament are escorted to 
 London by their determined supporters. Among these are the 
 two elder of the Bliss brothers, mounted upon iron-grey steeds. 
 The King's spies learn th'eir names, and they are fined a thousand 
 pounds for non-conformity and thrown into prison. The three 
 brothers, with several others, are led through the market-place 
 in Okehampton with ropes around their necks. Jonathan dies 
 from a disease contracted in prison. 
 
 From these indignities and wrongs the family soon decided to 
 escape by coming to America. Thomas, with his wife Margaret 
 and six children, his brother George, and his nephew Thomas, 
 son of Jonathan, embark in 1635. The nephew settles in Reho- 
 both, George in Newport, R. I., while Thomas and his family 
 go first to Newtown, and then to Hartford. Thomas soon dies, 
 and Margaret, with her family increased to ten children, removes 
 to Springfield. And from that ten have sprung the larger part 
 of the entire family, now living, reaching the number of nearly 
 nine thousand souls. 
 
 The eloquent remarks that have been made to-day upon this 
 platform, concerning early New England women and their 
 influence in molding society, apply with emphasis to Margaret 
 Bliss. She was a woman of remarkable energy, force of char- 
 acter, and intellectual ability. In the midst of the severe hard- 
 ships of new settlements, she reared a large family, whose 
 characters bore the impress of superior training. She conducted 
 business affairs with great discretion and success. She made 
 exhausting journeys, endured many privations, and, having 
 reached the great age of ninety years, passed away, leaving the 
 record of a noble life. She is described as good looking, with a 
 broad open brow, fair hair, and blue eyes; and the family
 
 IDS 
 
 traditions declare her to have been, in character, manners, and 
 personal appearance, worthy of any rank in life. How rich was 
 early New England in women of that stamp, and how much of 
 the moral force for which she is distinguished is due to them. 
 
 The Blisses have always been an indefatigable and plucky 
 sort of people. Feats of remarkable physical prowess are nar- 
 rated of some of them. Others have lived to very great age, 
 not seldom passing eighty years, sometimes ninety, and in some 
 instances measuring the limit of a full century. And tradition has 
 it that sometimes they have disputed the advance of death 
 itself. One of our ancestors, though bearing another name, 
 actually died, as was supposed, and was laid out for burial ; when 
 she suddenly sat up, and afterward became the mother of nine- 
 teen children. Where is Brother Colton now ! The plethora 
 of deacons in his family is hardly worthy of mention in com- 
 parison with a fact like this. 
 
 By the way, however, that abundance of deacons in the 
 Colton family is easily explained. Not only did the original 
 Captain Thomas Colton, and also his nephew, Samuel, marry 
 Blisses, but the great Quartermaster himself married the widow 
 of a Bliss. The Longmeadow diaconate, it may also be in order 
 to say, has for sometime lacked a Colton. There is none in it 
 now, though there is a Bliss, whose name is Noah ; and for forty 
 years before his elevation to office, there was no Colton, but 
 there was a Bliss, whose name was Ebenezer. Evidently, a few 
 more Coltons should have married Blisses. 
 
 Like the Coltons, the Blisses are proud of their deacons; but 
 they do not rest their claims to fame on them alone. Look at 
 the facts. Fifth from Thomas of Belstone, through Margaret 
 and Samuel of Springfield, is Daniel, who graduated at Harvard, 
 became pastor at Concord, Mass., was a leading pulpit orator of 
 his day, a friend of Whitefield, and through Phebe, his daughter, 
 who married an Emerson, was the great-grandfather of Ralph 
 Waldo Emerson. 
 
 The Blisses have always despised pettifoggers, but taken very 
 kindly to good lawyers, and not a few of them have risen 
 to eminence in the legal profession. Sixth from Thomas of
 
 IO4 
 
 Belstone, through Lawrence of Springfield, was Jonathan, Chief 
 Justice of New Brunswick. William B., his son, was Chief 
 Justice of Nova Scotia. Seventh from Thomas of Belstone, 
 through Samuel of Longmeadow, was John Murray, Solicitor 
 General and Judge of New Brunswick. Eighth in the same 
 line was Lemuel Wilmot, Solicitor General and Governor of 
 New Brunswick. Ninth from Thomas of Belstone, through 
 Nathaniel of Springfield and Samuel, 2d, of Longmeadow, is 
 Philemon, Chief Justice of Dakota, and afterward Supreme 
 Judge of Missouri. But time would fail me to speak of all our 
 eminent lawyers, of Alexander of Boston and Washington ; of 
 George, and George his son, and George his grandson of 
 Springfield and New York; of Metcalf of Troy; of Asahel 
 of Michigan ; of Neziah of Chicago ; of William H. of St. 
 Louis, and scores of others who have not only won success as 
 lawyers, but have been advanced to high responsibilities by 
 their fellow citizens. One man of the last century should not 
 be forgotten. Hon. John Bliss of Wilbraham, born and brought 
 up in Longmeadow, and early a member of this church, became 
 one of the most prominent men of his time in this region, 
 serving many years as Judge, in three Provincial Congresses, 
 and twenty-eight-years in the Legislature, or in the Executive 
 Council. 
 
 It also reflects honor upon the family that religious motives 
 so much shaped their actions. How could it be otherwise, 
 springing from such a parentage. The forces of personal char- 
 acter that lead men to look calmly upon the spoiling of their 
 goods, imprisonment, and even death itself, rather than be false 
 to their religious convictions, do not expend their strength in 
 one generation. They perpetuate themselves, and become the 
 unconscious springs and sources of character through successive 
 centuries. 
 
 As might be supposed, ministers and missionaries have been 
 numerous in the family. Eighth from Thomas of Belstone, 
 through Nathaniel, one of the founders of this church, is Asher, 
 once a devoted missionary of the American Board to the Indians. 
 In the line of Samuel, are Edwin N. and Isaac G., who have long
 
 IDS 
 
 been honored missionaries resident in Constantinople ; also Daniel, 
 missionary President of Beirut College, Syria. Nor is the last 
 that I mention the least Emily Bliss Gould, eighth from 
 Thomas, through Lawrence of Springfield, a devoted Christian 
 woman, who employed her means and leisure, during an ex- 
 tended residence in Rome, to establish a Christian school and 
 church. 
 
 Many other -honorable professions and pursuits bear a similar 
 witness. Nor has the country, in her repeated perils, called 
 upon them in vain. More than two hundred and fifty have 
 shouldered arms in her defense, serving her in all ranks from the 
 private to the general, and scores of them have died in her behalf. 
 This well accords with the heroism and moral earnestness of 
 those ancestors, who so appreciated the priceless value of a free 
 country, as fearlessly to demand it of a tyrannical king ; and 
 failing to obtain the boon from him, sought it in the wilderness, 
 which their self sacrifice has converted jnto the free and fruitful 
 land we to-day call our own. 
 
 Never can we extol too highly the deeds of our fathers. By 
 whatever names our families are known, they all strike their 
 roots into the same rich soil. We are not so much Coltons, or 
 Cooleys, or Keeps, or Blisses, as descendants of the Puritans ; of 
 the lineage and household of men who, with cruel persecutions 
 behind them, and hardships and disasters before them, erected 
 here altars whose fires, after two and a half centuries, are 
 to-day burning brightly as ever. No other people upon this round 
 earth have a richer heritage of glorious memories and inspiring 
 examples, than we. In a land made free to us by their toil and 
 sacrifice, with moral purposes inherited from them throbbing in 
 our veins, and with every door of opportunity wide open, we 
 must not, cannot, fail to complete their work. When the next 
 centennial shall come, it may be our privilege to revisit with 
 them, in spirit, these scenes of their and our toil and love. If 
 that shall be, God grant that we may then discover no broken 
 links in the golden chain that shall bind the First Puritan 
 Century with the Fourth, in rich and glad prosperity. 
 14
 
 io6 
 
 The President : In days long gone, the name of Keep was a 
 familiar one to the Mother's ear, and dear also to her heart. She 
 numbers, indeed, fewer of that lineage among her present children, 
 than of some others ; but the name itself is not therefore less dear to 
 her. Any reminiscences connected with it will be gratefully received 
 by her from Rev. John R. Keep of Hartford. 
 
 REV. MR. KEEP'S ADDRESS. 
 
 There are but few of the Keep name, and for this reason; 
 the usual three brothers did not come over, but only a single 
 ancestor; and he with his wife and infant child were cut off by 
 the Indians. The line had to commence again, which it did in 
 the person of an orphan boy of six years old. For what he was 
 for he became a mighty man of valor, and bore the name of 
 Ensign Samuel Keep he was indebted to his uncles, Samuel 
 Bliss and Joshua Leonard, under whose guidance he remained 
 until he was twenty-five years old. And what did he do then ? 
 Why, he married Sarah Colton, and thus incorporated into his line 
 all the sterling qualities which the Rev. Mr. Colton has so vividly 
 portrayed in his ancestors. Having left his impress, and that of 
 all the Coltons also, upon the appropriate number of Johns, and 
 Samuels, and Matthews, and Stephens, not to mention the 
 daughters, he fell on sleep at the age of eighty-five, and his mili- 
 tary title went sacredly upon his tombstone. 
 
 A son of Ensign Samuel was my father's grandfather, and 
 the father of my great uncle, Rev. John Keep, the minister of 
 Sheffield. Of the latter I will say a few words. He was born 
 in 1648, and graduated at Yale in the class of 1669 with Dr. 
 Dwight and Dr. Strong of the First Church in Hartford ; being 
 the first Yale graduate from Longmeadow. He was a man of 
 deep piety, and was, according to Dr. West of Stockbridge, a 
 man of rare pulpit eloquence ; " the finest pulpit orator he ever 
 heard," are Dr. West's words. As might have been expected, 
 he was the resort of his people in every emergency. The fol- 
 lowing will suffice as an example. During the Revolutionary 
 war, when the post-riders were infrequent in their journeys 
 through the country, the post-rider who passed through Sheffield'
 
 107 
 
 was greatly annoyed by the hindrances which he met with from 
 one woman, who, whatever the weather, would run out and waylay 
 him with the demand for the news. Tired of the interruption, 
 he at length determined to teach her a lesson. Accordingly, 
 one fierce November day, out she comes with her hair and 
 her apron streaming in the wind, and laying hold of the post- 
 rider demanded as usual, " What's the news ? " " News enough !" 
 says the postman, " The Indians have cut through the great lakes, 
 and we are all going to be drowned." Without stopping to get 
 her breath, she flies to the minister, Mr. Keep, and rushes in 
 upon his studies, exclaiming in her sharpest tones, " We are all 
 going to be drowned." " O, no, my good woman," said the 
 venerable minister, "we have the promise of the Lord for that." 
 " The Lord ! The Lord's nothing to do with it ; it's them 
 plaguey Indians." At the early age of thirty-six, this godly man 
 passed to his reward. His older brother, my grandfather, lived 
 to be eighty-four. 
 
 In the next generation, Samuel remained a farmer, and John 
 became a minister. He is within the remembrance of many of 
 you. On his settlement at Blandford, he first put the roads in 
 order, then he rebuilt the school-houses, then set the people an 
 example of good farming. He thus gained their respect and 
 sympathy, and so was sure of a willing ear when he spoke to them. 
 He made his wit subservient to the great end of leading men to 
 God. He was reputed to be an excellent judge of a horse. A 
 man came to him one day to get his judgment respecting a horse 
 which he wished to buy. After carefully looking him over, he 
 observed that his knees were strained and bruised. " Bruised 
 knees are an excellent thing in a minister," said he, " but I should 
 not recommend them in a horse." Later in life he went west 
 and became identified with the institution at Oberlin, Ohio, in 
 whose behalf he undertook a mission to England, and brought 
 thence thirty thousand pounds as the fruits of his solicitations. 
 
 Of my brother, Dr. N. C. Keep, I may be permitted to say 
 that in his busy professional life, and amid his new associates, he 
 never forgot his early home, nor ceased to feel a warm interest 
 in the town and in all connected with it.
 
 io8 
 
 The President : It is remembered by the Mother as one of the 
 quaint sayings of that venerable man, Rev. Dr. Robbins of the Hart- 
 ford Antiquarian Society himself apparently its greatest antiquity 
 that whenever he- met a Longmeadow man whose name he could not 
 positively recall, he always first addressed him as Colton, and that in 
 nine cases out of ten it proved to be the right name. 
 
 Will Dr. Frederick Colton of Brooklyn, N. Y. an Hebrew of the 
 Hebrews respond for the Colton, and any other, boys of 'later years. 
 
 DR. FREDERICK COLTON 'S ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. President: 
 
 Longmeadow is very dear to me ; I am proud of her history, 
 and never so proud as to-day. I am bound to her by the living, 
 and by those who sleep among her dead. My arrangements are 
 never made to revisit the old place but I feel the thrill of a 
 boy's anticipation at returning home. 
 
 As soon as the train, sweeping around the curve, glides upon 
 the long meadow stretch, and the familiar landmarks are one 
 after another passed, my childhood begins to come back with a 
 delightful vividness. Glancing over to where the Goss house 
 used to stand, opposite the station, upon the river bank, my 
 heart beats quicker ; for I recall how, one April day thirty-six 
 years ago, a little fellow with pockets bulging with base balls 
 and hands clutching tightly his cap lest it be lost, struggled 
 hopelessly in the swollen river, until a brave man of the town 
 periled his own life and saved mine. I would that he, the old 
 parish sexton, Mr. Skinner Coomes, were alive, that he might 
 know how gratefully I still cherish the memory of his heroic deed. 
 
 With a quaint and pleasing voice all her children were sum- 
 moned "to celebrate in song and thanksgiving and historic 
 reminiscences the one hundredth birthday of the town." My 
 own recollections stop a little this side of the half-way mile- 
 stone, but the contrasts between then and now are, some of them, 
 sufficiently sharp. 
 
 There was the old meeting-house, with its high pulpit at one 
 end, and choir at the other sustained by the base-viol, violin, and 
 flute. Earnest exhortations from the pulpit, and copious drip- 
 pings of liquified soot from long spans of stovepipe, furnished
 
 THE MAJOR LUTHER COLTON HOMESTEAD AND ELM.
 
 the spiritual and material droppings of the sanctuary. How 
 delightfully I used to sleep there, if only I could get to my 
 mother's end of the pew, and lay my head on her friendly lap. 
 What jolly excursions into the sanctuary spire, to the great 
 dismay of the swarming bats, when we boys climbed up the 
 winding stairway and out upon the balcony, which commanded 
 that rich view of mountain and meadow, and quiet river. 
 
 How eagerly did I watch for the crowing of the gilded cock 
 the " old Probabilities " of the village, before weather bureaus 
 were invented assured by grayest testimony that he did crow 
 "every time he heard another rooster crow!" 
 
 And then the old brick school-house, which stood near by, 
 since gone up in flames, where the brace of elms still chant their 
 mournful requiem. Shall the boys and girls of my day ever 
 forget the story of the ant, with which the good Parson Tupper 
 of the East Parish was wont to point the lesson of perseverance ? 
 How that seventy times the insect attempted to climb with its 
 burden before accomplishing its purpose, which was only a few 
 times less than we heard the story. Shall we ever forget how 
 we used to be got ready for examination by reciting, day after 
 day, the same passages of English history, and placing the same 
 examples on the black-board ? And when the great day came, 
 how delighted our fathers and mothers were with our astonish- 
 ing proficiency; until, one luckless day, a new minister came into 
 town and into the school he seems almost as young to-day, so 
 lightly do the years rest upon him and after we had been put 
 through our parrot-like performances as usual, took the question- 
 ing into his own hands. How dumb as oysters we suddenly 
 became ! I think I can still hear the melodious strains which 
 the master, in shirt sleeves, used to squeeze out of a mammoth 
 accordion, to the tune of "Oft in the Stilly Night;" or those 
 which oftener came from some recalcitrant scholar under the 
 infliction of his ruler. 
 
 Ah, those were the days of the ferule code, the thrashings, 
 the dunce cap, standing on one foot, holding the arm extended 
 at a horizontal, or bending the body forward until the = hand 
 touched the floor, with an occasional stroke but I will not 
 dwell longer upon these tender recollections ! And of the
 
 no 
 
 "select schools" which followed these juvenile experiences; 
 how gratefully the honored names of Goldthwait and Lawton 
 are remembered by those who enjoyed their instructions. 
 
 Those, too, were the days when, on Saturday night, I wished 
 the western mountains were deep valleys, that the sun, going 
 down, might not so soon interrupt my sport ; and on Sunday 
 night, that the. valleys were high mountains that the Sabbath 
 rigor might sooner end. 
 
 Not unknown then, too, were the tavern and the toddy- 
 stick; the horse-racings, foot-racings, and turkey-shootings, 
 which, with their accompaniments, lowered the morals and 
 cheapened the social values of our community. 
 
 Who will say that the former days were better than these ? 
 Look at yonder beautiful house of worship, evolved as it were 
 from the old, and none more attractive in any village of the 
 Connecticut valley. Fire devoured the old brick school -house ; 
 but out of the flames came a better one, and a new enthusiasm 
 which put educational facilities on a higher plane. The best 
 of teachers came, who used a kindlier discipline. Higher 
 studies were introduced ; and I have never ceased to appreciate 
 my opportunity to get so far on in college preparation that one 
 year more at Andover made it complete. 
 
 It may be that the pendulum is swinging too far from the rigid 
 Sunday observances of the olden time ; but sure I am that the 
 day has been brought into greater harmony with the declaration 
 "The Sabbath was made for man." 
 
 In addition to the venerable " Benevolent Society," dating 
 back in its origin to Pastor Williams, you have your " May 
 Breakfast " and Christmas festivals ; your " Village Improvement 
 Society," and your " T. T. T." clubs ; all so conducive to good 
 fellowship among the citizens, and to an enviable reputation 
 among the surrounding communities. 
 
 But I will not " extend my remarks," only to say that these 
 days seem to me much better than the former ; and to express 
 the hope that, when the great-grandchildren of this generation 
 shall gather under these elms to celebrate the next centennial, 
 it may be not far from the gateway of the millenium.
 
 Ill 
 
 After a brief interlude by the band, the President said : 
 
 With a very tender partiality the Mother looks upon the children of 
 her old age. Some bring it as a reproach against her that these younger 
 children pull so stoutly and successfully away from her apron strings; 
 and that her own attractions seem to have so little power to detain 
 them at home. She herself, however, secure in her own conviction of 
 their loyalty, bids them ever a hearty Godspeed when they go, and as 
 hearty a welcome whenever, as this day, they return. Will the Rev. 
 William W. Leete of Ridgefield, Conn. under strictest seal of the 
 confessional indulge a Mother's affection with reminiscences of his 
 own, or his comrade's boyish days. 
 
 REV. MR. LEETE'S ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
 
 This festal day is one of especial significance and sugges- 
 tiveness to me. Elder John White, my ancestor upon my 
 mother's side, and Governor William Leete of Connecticut, upon 
 my father's side, from each of whom I am eight generations 
 removed, died, both of them by a singular coincidence, in 1683, 
 just two hundred years ago. It is not likely that I should be 
 called upon to stand here except through my connection with 
 the first of these names. My mother was born here. This 
 ground was probably not unfamiliar to the Elder John. With 
 that little company of one hundred he came under Thomas 
 Hooker through the wilderness to Hartford, and passed through 
 your borders. Again and again he must have traveled on your 
 roads as he went to found Old Hadley, and returned to spend his 
 last days as Elder of the South Church in Hartford. 
 
 And I may fittingly mention my other ancestor, Governor 
 Leete, to plead his example as an excuse from following exactly 
 the line of thought which you, Mr. Chairman, have proposed to 
 me. You have intimated that I might present some reminis- 
 cences of the nature of a confession of my own boyish sins and 
 those of my companions here. Permit me, rather, to draw from 
 the example of my ancestor from Connecticut a lesson of 
 reticence, at least, if not of charitable oblivion, for any such 
 youthful peccadilloes of ours as you seem to suspect.
 
 112 
 
 When the ambassadors from the Court of England came, on 
 the accession of Charles II, to search in this country for three 
 men who had signed the death warrant of Charles I, they visited 
 New Haven and Guilford. Coming to Governor Leete they 
 desired him to assist them in seizing at once the transgressors 
 whom they had reason to believe were hidden in his neighborhood. 
 The day was the Sabbath, and the Governor's answer was that 
 he could not offend against the sanctity of the Lord's day by 
 engaging in a hunt for regicides. I wish that you would be so 
 kind to-day as to call the misdemeanors of us young children, 
 regicides. They were no doubt unjustifiable, and there ought to 
 be a reckoning for them ; but we would not disturb the serenity 
 of this your holy day in seeking them out. If these things 
 must be revealed, let it be before a smaller company, where 
 we should be less embarrassed and also probably more truthful. 
 
 But in regard to all else concerning the life of Longmeadow's 
 younger children, I am glad to speak. Many of their faces have 
 brightened the exercises of this hour, and their quick hands min- 
 istered to your wants at the noon season. Another company 
 must also be remembered, for I am sure they think of us to-day. 
 How gladly would we take their hands in the midst of our 
 festivities ! They are absent only because they cannot be here. 
 But how attractive is Longmeadow to them still. Away in dis- 
 tant homes, at school, journeying, or pursuing the life work 
 of their various avocations they pause to think awhile of the 
 Mother's birth-day. Nor can we leave out in our computation 
 a smaller company, and yet select, numbering in it some of the 
 brightest, happiest of us all, whom God spared but too short a 
 time in this earthly home, and whose departure started the 
 tears which have not yet ceased flowing. 
 
 The impressions which the present generation have of Long- 
 meadow are of the pleasantest kind. I do not here refer to those 
 impressions which quick justice sometimes saw fit to give. They 
 were duly painful at the time and called forth often loud lamen- 
 tations. But their trace has long since passed away, and 
 in spite of these chastisements it would be hard for us to find 
 a place in which our life could have been happier.
 
 "3 
 
 We are persuaded, moreover, that this is a good place in which 
 to lay the foundation for a successful future. Great men have 
 often been born in small places. As our thought roams over the 
 past centuries, we see how, from one place and another, small in 
 wealth and fame, have sprung the men who have stood in 
 the front ranks of the theological, literary, political, and business 
 world. Augustine, greatest of the four renowned fathers of the 
 Latin Church, came from Tagasta, a minor town in Numidia. 
 Anselm, the scholastic philosopher of the eleventh century, sprung 
 from Aosta at the foot of St. Bernard. Jonathan Edwards, our 
 New England theologian, whose voice was heard in the Long- 
 meadow pulpit during the great revival of 1735-40, passed his 
 early years a few miles below us at East Windsor. Shakespeare 
 was christened in the little town of Stratford-on-Avon. Burns 
 was born in the hamlet of Alloway in Ayrshire, the son of a 
 peasant farmer of the humblest class. The republic is proud to 
 tell of those who, like Abraham Lincoln and James A. Garfield, 
 have risen to its highest honors from rural homes. 
 
 It may seem out of place to make such allusions, since none 
 of us have attained to any great celebrity. But it is fair to con- 
 sider the favorable conditions of our past and the possibilities, 
 at least, of our unknown future. How appropriate this broad 
 and sunny green and these overhanging elms, for the early home 
 of such a man as Tennyson sings. 
 
 " Whose life in low estate began 
 
 And on a simple village green. 
 
 Who makes by force his merit known, 
 
 And lives to clutch the golden keys 
 
 To mould a mighty State's decrees, 
 
 And shape the whisper of the throne." 
 
 But if few great things can be reported of the later children of 
 this village, it is fitting to say, that as far as I know, not a single 
 one of the number has become openly vicious and depraved. 
 
 One noticeable peculiarity of our venerable Mother's house- 
 hold is the mutual interest here felt by one child for another. 
 The village is like one large family. There is a freedom allowed, 
 15
 
 114 
 
 and an interchange of social greeting which would be impossible 
 except in a place as united and homogeneous as this. 
 
 It has been my privilege, within the last few hours, to con- 
 verse with one of the older daughters attending the anniversary. 
 While others were recalling names, a certain gentleman who 
 once lived here was mentioned, and she remarked, " I knew him 
 very well ; I was quite fond of him, and I think he liked me." 
 This did not seem so strange ; but when several others were 
 named, and she seemed to be equally fond of them all and they 
 as fond of her, it led me to wonder whether social life was in 
 those days, in this respect, at all peculiar. A moment's reflec- 
 tion explained the matter. It was then even as now. The young 
 people of Longmeadow to-day are attached to each other as the 
 children of different families seldom are. To be sure the affinity 
 becomes, in particular cases, so close that union becomes inevit- 
 able ; and this, I suppose, was just the same long ago. But aside 
 from these special cases, the esteem in which each holds the rest 
 is something remarkable, and for this the younger children are 
 thankful. 
 
 I would gladly speak did the time allow of our physical sports 
 and recreations. What games we have had on this spacious 
 green ! What long expeditions into the fields and wood for 
 berries and nuts ! What enjoyable excursions to the river and 
 ponds for fishing or bathing ! And how helpful all these to the 
 muscular life of a boy ! 
 
 Our thoughts, also, turn fondly to the intellectual and religious 
 element in our early lives. Longmeadow would not be the Long- 
 meadow of to-day without this venerable church. Around it has 
 clustered the happiest associations, from it has emanated the spirit 
 which has purified and beautified the social condition of this 
 village. Here where you now sit stood the old church ; its 
 slender and graceful spire, capped by the exultant rooster, of 
 whose size we heard fabulous stories, and within whose body we 
 conjectured all sorts of strange things were hidden. And high 
 as that bird was, even beyond the reach of the arrows which 
 we shot, and the stones which we threw, so high and shining 
 was the ideal of Christian excellence preached within the walls,
 
 set before us by the pastor whom we loved and the teachers in the 
 Sunday-school as the worthy object of our life's endeavor. 
 
 There are many thoughts of interest to which I might allude ; 
 some tales, which, if unfolded, could create almost as much com- 
 motion, as that which the ghost could have told to Hamlet. But 
 I, like the ghost, will be considerate. 
 
 You have alluded, Mr. President, to the fact that the boys 
 go away from Longmeadow. But you cannot wish to keep 
 us all. There is a plant growing by your roadside, which 
 all the summer time is storing up seeds and fastening to 
 them the softest and most delicate wings. Then when the 
 frosts have come, and the fields are golden with autumn 
 glories the seeds fly away, and borne on the zephyrs or the 
 storms they pass far beyond the house-lot, and the township, and 
 resting at last, repeat in a new soil with the coming spring the 
 same story of life and growth. If we who go forth are as true 
 to your nurture as these humble plants, we shall but be, to your 
 lasting honor, reproducing in other States and lands the charac- 
 teristics of the place in which we had our training. 
 
 We, who are the young, have been asked to-day to listen to 
 the things which have been done in the days of old. We have 
 heard with abundant pleasure what has been told us, and the 
 Mother never seemed so worthy, to us, as she does to-day. 
 But I am sure we have a higher purpose in this celebration than 
 merely to review the past, and to develop a wide self-consciousness. 
 Our poet singing beautifully has also expressed the prayer 
 
 " That the new century 
 Break not the olden charm." 
 
 As the good Mother has rested her hand.s upon our heads in 
 welcome and in blessing, she has turned her ear to catch from us 
 some word of promise. TJie younger children speaking through 
 me would utter it. ' Your future fame and glory rests with us. 
 And as the day is closing, and ere we say good bye, we make the 
 pledges to preserve as best we can, in time to come, that ancient 
 and honorable name for sterling character, pure society, and 
 enlightened faith, which has crowned this good old town through 
 all her departed years.'
 
 u6 
 
 The President : As the Austrian Empire is said to owe more of 
 its standing among the nations to the matrimonial alliances of its 
 royal daughters, than to its arms, so has Mother Longmeadow through 
 many a daughter's plighted affections wedded herself to fame and 
 fortune. Will the Rev. Dorus Clark, D.D., of Boston,speak of Long- 
 meadow as a mother-in-law ? 
 
 REV. DR. CLARK'S ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. President: 
 
 In obedience to your call upon "the sons-in-law" of Long- 
 meadow, allow me to say, that the first time I saw this town was 
 in the year 1822. I had occasion to go from Springfield to En- 
 field, and " must needs pass through " Longmeadow. The Rev. 
 John Wheeler, afterwards President of the University of Ver- 
 mont, then preaching here as a candidate for settlement, was 
 boarding with Capt. Burt, in the house now occupied by Mrs. 
 Medlicott. I called -to pay him my fraternal respects, as we had 
 been well acquainted at Andover, and, after a little conversation, 
 he said that his preparatory lecture was appointed that after- 
 noon, and that it would be a great favor if I would stop and 
 preach it. I did so ; and, after the service, as we were saunter- 
 ing up and down this beautiful street, talking over Andover mat- 
 ters, he suddenly turned the conversation into another channel 
 by saying, " Brother Clark, have you got a wife in training yet ? " 
 I told him that I had been impervious to the attacks of Cupid 
 unto that day. " Well," he said, " there are a dozen young ladies 
 here, all of them well educated and qualified to be ministers' 
 wives, and I advise you to look around." I replied that my time 
 would not suffice to call on a dozen, but if he could narrow the 
 case to a single individual, and that the right one, I might be 
 open to conviction. " Well," he replied, " here she is ; right 
 here " (we were then passing by Mr. Bliss' door). " I know her 
 well ; she is just the right one." You know that Davy Crockett 
 used to say, " Be sure you are right, then go ahead." My friend 
 was sure that he was right, went ahead, and introduced me to a 
 young lady, who, within two years, became my wife, and contin- 
 ued my beloved wife fifty-four years. Since her translation I 
 have been a lone wanderer. If sainted spirits are permitted to
 
 visit this world, she is here to-day, for she was deeply interested 
 in everything which concerned Longmeadow. She had a fer- 
 vent love for the old church, which stood on precisely the spot 
 we now occupy ; and, if possible, a warmer regard for the confer- 
 ence-room in the attic of the old brick school-house hard by, 
 where the beams and the rafters were visible, and where large 
 audiences were often densely " compacted together." Sometimes 
 a " Bochim," where the young people poured out their tears over 
 their sins ; and sometimes the " land of Beulah," whence they 
 could see the " Delectable Mountains," and, further on, the super- 
 nal radiance of the "Celestial City." 
 
 Her brother, the Hon. Gad Olcott Bliss, was some five years 
 younger than herself. When I first knew him, he was a stout 
 boy, somewhat rough and brusque in his manners, and very 
 willing to have his own way. He became interested in a young 
 lady in this village, who was five years his senior. The Hon. 
 Patrick Boies of Westfield, who knew the parties well, celebrated 
 that event in heroic verse. One stanza ran on this wise : 
 
 " Bliss Olcott Gad, while yet a lad, 
 Love did possess him wholly ; 
 And under age he did engage 
 To marry Harriet Cooley." 
 
 That early marriage was a benison to him. Harriet Cooley 
 saved him, and she made him ; and though he stood at the head 
 of his family and governed it, as by God's ordination every hus- 
 band should do, yet after all she governed him, and very suc- 
 cessfully too, because she did it so cautiously, kindly, deftly, 
 Christianly, and because she had good sense enough never to tell 
 him of it, and he never found it out. 
 
 Mr. Bliss was a highly respected and useful citizen. He was 
 a man of affairs, and often employed to write deeds, execute 
 wills, settle estates, the untitled "Longmeadow lawyer." 
 He was a Director of the Chicopee Bank, and at one time a 
 Senator of the Commonwealth. Now, I hold that a young lady 
 who can do what Harriet Cooley did ; who can save a young 
 man, make him a man, and " govern " him when he needs it, 
 deserves to be canonized. And, if the young ladies in this great 
 assembly intend to "govern" their husbands, when they get
 
 them, and some husbands need a good deal of "government," 
 I hope they will do it after the fashion of Harriet Cooley. 
 
 Longmeadow has never been distinguished for lawyers. 
 When Peter the Great was in London and he saw the law lords 
 in their bag wigs coming out of Westminster Hall, he asked 
 " who those fellows were." Being told that they were lawyers, 
 he exclaimed, " What ! Lawyers ! What do they need so many 
 lawyers here for ? I have only two in Russia, and I mean to 
 hang them as soon as I get home." I do not know that Long- 
 meadow people have ever hung a lawyer, but they have starved 
 them all out of the town ! 
 
 Longmeadow is much noted for her religious activity. She 
 has raised up a large number of eminent clergymen, and quali- 
 fied not a few young ladies to become the worthy wives of cler- 
 gymen. She has sent out her sons to " teach the deaf to hear 
 and the dumb to speak." She has furnished wives for several 
 foreign missionaries, Mrs. Calhoun, Mrs. Schauffler, Mrs. Tem- 
 ple, Mrs. McQueen, Mrs. Garner, names lustrous in the annals 
 of Missions. 
 
 Of that memorable " dozen " of young ladies who were here 
 when I first knew Longmeadow, only one I believe, Miss Eunice 
 C. Storrs, after the lapse of more than sixty years, now survives. 
 She is widely known, and as widely beloved, respected, and hon- 
 ored. I regret her inability to be with us here to-day, and my 
 fervent prayer for her is, if I may adopt the old Roman suppli- 
 cation, Serus in ccelum redeas. 
 
 Upon the tomb of John Howard, the English philanthropist, 
 in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, you will find this inscription : 
 "He trod an open, but unfrequented, path to Immortality" 
 Longmeadow has done herself the credit, and the world the 
 benefit, of sending forth many of her sons and daughters, east, 
 west, north, and south, on multiform pursuits of usefulness ; and 
 they have trodden the " open," and yet comparatively " unfre- 
 quented paths to Immortality." 
 
 Mr. President, I have nothing but benedictions, of the most 
 heartfelt character, to pronounce upon Longmeadow.
 
 The last of the series of After-Dinner Addresses was given by 
 Judge William S. Shurtleff of the Probate Court of Hampden 
 County, in reponse to the following introduction by the President : 
 
 In her Urban neighbor on the north, Mother Longmeadow recog- 
 nizes not so much a mother to herself, as, rather, an elder sister, under 
 whose legal guardianship she passed the years of her minority. The 
 period of that guardianship was one of sisterly affection, and of due 
 respect and subordination on the younger sister's part ; and the sub- 
 sequent years have been fruitful of mutual harmony and happiness. 
 Whether the guardian's final account has ever been rendered, the 
 Mother is not wholly sure. If not, surely no extension of time 
 beyond a century can reasonably be asked. 
 
 Will Judge Shurtleff of Springfield, respond for the guardian her- 
 self. 
 
 JUDGE SHURTLEFF'S ADDRESS. 
 
 I regret to begin what I have to say to you with the correction 
 of an error which the President of the Day has made, in stating 
 that Springfield has been used to regard Longmeadow less as a 
 daughter than as a ward, and that Longmeadow has been accus- 
 tomed to consider Springfield rather as its guardian than as its 
 parent. 
 
 As far. as Springfield is concerned this is not so ; for she has 
 never ceased to regard Longmeadow as a part of herself. Inter- 
 meddlers have drawn a geographical line between the two 
 sections of the old town, but no barrier has ever been estab- 
 lished between the people. We do not recognize your right to 
 a separate social existence from us, nor do we admit the validity 
 of any decree that excludes us from co-socialty with you. Nor 
 are we of old Springfield, a different people. New comers, 
 during the past century, have crowded in upon us, bearing names 
 strange to the old lists ; but we have still, as you have, the 
 Blisses, the Coltons, the Elys, the Williamses, and certainly more 
 Storr(e)s than you have. The Act of the " General Court" did 
 not sever the ties of family relationship ; and, I repeat, despite 
 the invisible geographical line of separation, we are still of .you, 
 and you are still of us, and we are of each other. I am 
 of you, anyhow, and I shall adhere. Besides, I claim kin-
 
 I2O 
 
 ship with the most vaunted, perhaps, of your noted families 
 the Williams family for William 's my front name ! 
 
 But, suppose it were true that Springfield has been, as your 
 President claims, the guardian of Longmeadow he is unwise in 
 calling for a guardianship account. I should not have thought 
 of bringing up such an unpleasant matter at a festivity like this ; 
 but now that the demand has been made upon me, " officially," 
 and in a manner that implies that Springfield is a delinquent, I 
 am bound to state the case as it actually is ; unfavorable as it may 
 be to the so-called "ward" of Springfield. 
 
 The fact is, that a hundred years ago, Longmeadow ran away 
 from home, and took with her the fairest possessions and many of 
 the best of the tenantry of Springfield, and set up for herself 
 upon the richest of the outlying lands. Not, I admit, like a 
 prodigal, but like a provident child ; for she was then, as now, 
 shrewd and thrift-sighted ; and, perceiving that the increase of 
 family, the requirements of fashionable life, and the demands of 
 enterprise at the old homestead would soon make the contribu- 
 tions levied upon individual pockets onerous, she said, " Go to ! 
 I will get from under. Let there be drawn between us a line that 
 shall be called a town line, so that it may be lawfully said : ' Thus 
 far shall the tax assessors of Springfield come, and no further ;"' 
 And, carelessly and improvidently, Springfield suffered such a 
 line to be drawn ; and, ever since, northward of it there has 
 been grimace, and southward of it smiling, as the tax-gatherers 
 have made their annual rounds. And so it has come to pass 
 that Springfield has been paying anywhere from $ioto $18 per 
 $1,000, while Longmeadow has paid from $4 to $8 per $1,000 
 taxes, for a century. 
 
 And yet, Longmeadow has enjoyed all for which Springfield 
 has thus paid ! We have paved our streets and hardened our 
 roads to save the wheels which rolled your garnered harvests 
 to our eager market ; we have called, by our allurements, thou- 
 sands of customers for your productions, and have built school- 
 houses, churches, theatres, hospitals, court-houses, and bridges 
 for their accommodation, that they might content themselves 
 to stay within reach of your thrifty grangers, and you haven't 
 paid one dollar toward the expense of all this. Therefore, the
 
 121 
 
 account of guardianship, as I must render it, in justice to 
 Springfield, shows a balance against the "ward" of well, the 
 arrears of taxes for a hundred years say the difference between 
 what you have paid, and what you would have paid but for that 
 thrifty dodge beyond that town line ! A little arithmetic will 
 give you the exact sum due. 
 
 But, Springfield forgives the debt. You have given her more 
 than an equivalent. You have more than repaid her by the gen- 
 erous hospitality that you have shown to her through all these 
 years, even to the present day. You have given and are giving 
 her lessons in the etiquette of the heart and in the esthetics of 
 sociality, not alone on public occasions like your May Breakfasts 
 and to-day's Fete, but in the private welcomes to your individual 
 homes, that are educating her to a better, more hearty, the 
 good old-fashioned social life. We are quits; or rather we are, in 
 all save pecuniary matters, your debtors. Give us time, and a 
 little longer good example, and we will try to get even on that 
 score. 
 
 I am proud to respond for Springfield to-day, although I must 
 know that I have been called upon as its representative only 
 because those who are more representative than I, are not at this 
 late hour in attendance ; and speaking for Springfield, I have to 
 tell you what is her feeling for you. I shall ask my own heart 
 to prompt me, but I feel sure that what it shall suggest to me, 
 the hearts of all of old Springfield, at least, will confirm. 
 
 There is an Old and a New Springfield, the Old, made up of 
 the descendants of ancestors who were fellow-townsmen with 
 yours, the New, composed of later-comers and the children of 
 later-comers, all strangers to the old times. Old Springfield has 
 for you the love of the. olden time. New Springfield admires 
 you, and wonders at you a little. Both delight to visit you. Only 
 the bad Springfield, and with such a numerous and mixed 
 population we necessarily must have some bad un-Longmeadow- 
 ish people among us only the bad Springfield is not attached 
 to you. They find it lonely when they come here. When we 
 want to impress our visitors, we drive them down here and don't 
 let on about the town line, and they say, " What a lovely place 
 Springfield is, to be sure ! " 
 16
 
 122 
 
 Your historian said, to-day, as he modestly closed his chroni- 
 cle at the opening of the present era, "We will not praise 
 ourselves, but let our eulogy be left to the next centennial cele- 
 brators." I cannot delay so long. I must say now for myself, 
 that I regard Longmeadow as exceptional in the world my 
 world. It reminds me, most, of one of those delightful quiet 
 English villages in interior England, away from the great mer- 
 cantile or manufacturing cities, wherein for generations old fam- 
 ilies have dwelt on broad, fair lands, surrounded by an industrious 
 peaceful, happy peasantry ; where for generations have been 
 wealth, culture and comfort undisturbed. Longmeadow and its 
 people, to me, are just what New England and New Englanders 
 were intended to be, and should be ; the Old English culture, 
 comfort, and repose, with the New England independence. 
 
 For interior and surrounding beauty it is unexcelled. For the 
 culture of its people it has always been and is remarkable and 
 remarked upon. For honest thriftiness it has been, and is, notable 
 and noted ; and for its morality it has been, since I have known it, 
 unequaled. A single term of the Criminal Court of Hampden 
 County would have easily disposed of all the cases of crime com- 
 mitted within its limits for a century. Rarely have its domestic 
 dissensions troubled the divorce courts, and I think fewer law 
 suits have found entry upon the dockets of civil tribunals from 
 here, than from any town of its population in the county. In the 
 position which I have held for more than twenty years, I have 
 had occasion to note and have noted this. Surely I may be 
 permitted on such an occasion as this to say, that in administer- 
 ing the affairs of my court, I have been accustomed to expect 
 integrity from those who have come to me from among you to 
 settle their accounts as administrators., executors, guardians, 
 and trustees, and I have not been disappointed. There have 
 been men among you who are now in honored graves, whose 
 names you will recall without my mentioning them, who have so 
 impressed me that I have come to consider a Longmeadow name 
 as a synonym for rectitude ; and there are others now among you 
 charged with affairs with which I have to deal, who are filling 
 the places of their predecessors, and winning the same measure 
 of esteem.-
 
 123 
 
 As I have listened to the history of your of our town to-day, 
 and to the words of the speakers who have given utterance to so 
 much genuine enthusiastic appreciation of their old home ; as 
 I have heard of your prosperity in the past ; as I have seen 
 your happiness and prosperity in the present, I have sought the 
 causes : and I came to the conclusion that your past and present 
 enviable condition is due first, to the foundation laid by the 
 sturdy Christian fathers second, to the after culture you have 
 so sedulously sought and found, and third, but less in import- 
 ance only to the first, for to the first is most indebted for its 
 prosperity not only your town but every town, city, state in the 
 Republic and the Republic itself, to the fact, that you have 
 always been, and are, an independent people in your individual- 
 ities. 
 
 You are composed of three classes; agriculturists, inde- 
 pendent because they can produce upon their own glebes all that 
 is essential for their support ; laborers upon your farm lands 
 and in your quarries, independent because by their own indus- 
 try they are able to be self-providing ; men of wealth, who hav- 
 ing acquired or inherited ample means have remained, or come, 
 here to enjoy the ease that competence affords ; independent 
 because they have enough. What is more conducive to happi- 
 ness, and to moral, intellectual, and social prosperity, than such 
 independence ? 
 
 Here, many in elegant, all in comfortable homes, self-support- 
 ing, drawing only upon your own resources, preserving the old 
 traditions, and respectful of the old moralities, in a location so 
 delightful that no other tempts you away, you have dwelt and 
 dwell, a peculiar people, religious, cultured, independent Why 
 should you not continue to be prosperous and happy ? 
 
 I suppose that mine is the closing speech of the day for I 
 believe that your programme is concluded and therefore I may 
 without presumption venture upon lay dene-diction. Nearly all, 
 perhaps all, of the "visitors " have gone. We are a family party ; 
 and I want to say, what some one ought to say, that the day has 
 been a perfect success. It has been a most delightful one to me, 
 a day of inspiration that I would not have missed for a hundred
 
 124, 
 
 ordinary days of life. The exercises have interested me deeply. 
 The Address of Welcome was a prose poem, inspired by the truest 
 appreciation of the poetry of the occasion, and of the heart and 
 soul feast to which it called us. The Historical Address was such 
 as the racy, reverend predecessors of the racier and not less 
 reverend historian would have vied, if they could have listened 
 with us, in applauding ; perhaps they did ! The poet's heart sang 
 first the verses that his lips have repeated to-day. Truth has been 
 eloquent by the mouths of the sons and daughters who came to 
 tell of their respect, pride, and love for the " Old Mother," who 
 had called them to the old home once more. The Collation was 
 perfect! It. would "go without saying" that a Longmeadow 
 Collation would be perfect; but both gratitude and history bid 
 me say it, nevertheless*. Everything up to the time when your 
 President required you to listen to me has been just right, 
 refreshing alike the body, brain, and heart of every one present. 
 Evidently all came gladly, have remained gladly, and will go 
 away reluctantly ; bettered by the influences which have here 
 met them. Would that such occasions, in such places, among 
 such people, might oftener come to give us restful pause in these 
 too restless days ! 
 
 I congratulate the Committee of Arrangements ; I congratu- 
 late their beneficiaries ; most of all, I congratulate myself for 
 having been here. Up to last midnight I had thought it impos- 
 sible to be present ; but then the presentiment of regret was so 
 strong that I determined to make it possible, and I did. When 
 I was informed that I might be called upon for a speech, I felt a 
 natural reluctance and embarrassment, and would have been 
 glad to have been excused ; but now, I thank you for permitting 
 me to say what I should be sorry to have left unsaid. Again I 
 congratulate you all. I do not congratulate the " Old Mother " 
 upon having reached her one hundredth birthday, but upon hav- 
 ing lived one hundred years so worthily ; and the best wish I 
 can leave with her is, that at her next Centennial she shall 
 exhibit no change in feature or in heart. For her to change 
 would be to deteriorate. And you, fellow townsmen, keep just 
 as you are Puritans with all the modern improvements.
 
 125 
 
 CONCLUDING EXERCISES. 
 
 The hour for bringing the exercises to a close had now unmis- 
 takably arrived. The chill of an October afternoon was begin- 
 ning to steal into the tent, which had been wholly comfortable 
 during the day. 
 
 Gathering more closely together, at the suggestion of the 
 President, and clasping hands with each other as they conveni- 
 ently could, the audience and the band united in the good old 
 parting hymn and tune of " Auld Lang Syne," as given upon the 
 programme. 
 
 AULD LANG SYNE. 
 
 Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
 And never brought to mind ? 
 
 Should auld acqaintance be forgot, 
 And days of auld lang syne ? 
 
 And here's a hand, my trusty friend, 
 
 And gie's a hand o' thine ; 
 And we'll take a right guid parting grasp 
 
 For auld lang syne. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 For auld lang syne, my dear, 
 
 For auld lang syne, 
 And we'll take a right guid parting grasp 
 
 For auld lang syne. 
 
 The Doxology in long meter was then sung, after which the 
 Benediction was pronounced by Rev. Mr. Harding, and the cen- 
 tennial services were ended. 
 
 A social gathering of the young people of the town enlivened 
 the tent early in the evening ; and finally, with the concurrence 
 of the band, resolved itself into an impromptu serenade of distin- 
 guished guests in various homes. Later, the music died away ; 
 one by one the village lights went out ; and the full moon alone 
 looked down, only upon a ghostly tent, with a solitary sentinel 
 watching for the dawn of THE NEW CENTURY.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A. CELEBRATION PRELIMINARIES. 
 
 The earliest efficient action of the town in regard to a Centennial 
 Celebration was taken by a vote of the Town Meeting, April 3, 1882, 
 adding to the Committee of Inquiry previously appointed and con- 
 sisting of Rev. John W. Harding, David Booth, R. S. Storrs, Edwin 
 Indicott, and Oliver Wolcott the Selectmen, ex qfficio, Charles S. 
 Newell, Abel H. Calkins, and Edward H. Tabor ; and constituting 
 the whole a permanent Committee of Preparation, with an appropria- 
 tion of $50 to meet its incidental expenses. The following year a 
 further appropriation of $900 was made to meet the expenses of the 
 celebration and of the subsequent publication of the proceedings ; 
 and Rev. R. S. Storrs, D.D., of Brooklyn, N. Y., was designated as 
 Orator of the Day. 
 
 At a meeting of this Committee of Preparation in June following 
 changed in its personnel only by the election, meantime, of a new 
 Board of Selectmen, J. C. Porter, Henry Hall, and J. A. McKinstry 
 the resignation of Mr. Booth, on account of the infirmities of 
 advancing years, was reluctantly accepted, and the vacancy was filled 
 by the appointment of Mr. John McFethries. Mr. Harding was 
 chosen Chairman, and Mr. Storrs Secretary, of the Committee. 
 
 At subsequent meetings of the Committee, Rev. Mr. Harding was 
 unanimously chosen as Orator of the Day, in place of Dr. Storrs, 
 whose engagements had compelled him to decline the service ; the 
 Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Storrs, was chosen President of the 
 Day ; and a special Committee of Preparations was appointed, con- 
 sisting of Messrs. McFethries, Porter, Hall, and McKinstry, with the 
 following ladies Mrs. Brinton P. Allen, Mrs. Roman A. Crane, Mrs. 
 John Hooker, Mrs. Edwin Indicott, and Mrs. Charles S. Newell; 
 Chas. S. Newell and William B. Medlicott were chosen as a Committee 
 on Music ; Ethan C. Ely was appointed Chief Marshal of the Day, 
 17
 
 128 
 
 with five Assistant Marshals from each part of the town, viz., J. M. 
 Butt, William Eaton, Nelson Lombard, J. C. Pease, and Edgar Sellew, 
 from the East part, and Sylvester Bliss, Stephen Colton, Thomas F. 
 Cordis, Sumner W. Gates, and William C. Pease from the West part 
 of the town. Mr. Storrs was chosen Committee upon Invitations and 
 Programmes. 
 
 Important assistance was rendered to the Committee on Invitations 
 by several persons, especially by Mrs. G. McQueen in superintending 
 their distribution. The method adopted was to request, by public 
 notice from the pulpits, that all families should send in to the Com- 
 mittee names of their personal friends, and also of non-residents 
 without resident kindred. The memoranda thus obtained were col- 
 lated and catalogued by Mrs. McQueen, as the basis for the distribu- 
 tion of invitations. 
 
 The varied and arduous duties of the sub-Committee of Preparation 
 were still further subdivided and assigned among its own members 
 and invited helpers, to whose cordial co-operation they were greatly 
 indebted. To the almost ubiquitous presence and untiring zeal and 
 energy of the Chairman of this Committee, Mr. McFethries, should 
 be attributed in large measure the success which crowned its efforts. 
 
 Each family in town was invited to contribute cake for the celebra- 
 tion, the cheerful response to which suggestion brought to the colla- 
 tion tent more than three hundred loaves. Some of the other items 
 of supplies were 400 Ibs. of beef, ham, and tongue, 4,000 rolls, 50 Ibs. 
 of butter, 1,500 crullers, 50 Ibs. of coffee, 70 Ibs. of sugar, 5 barrels 
 of pears, 300 Ibs. of grapes, etc. 
 
 The seating capacity of the tent, accurately estimated, was more 
 than twenty-three hundred ; and, making due allowance for those who 
 took their refreshments in the collation tent, the number of persons 
 dined can fall little short of twenty-five hundred. It was only the 
 exact order and rapid succession in which the various items of supply 
 followed each other in the systematized service of the waiters, which 
 rendered it possible to supply the wants of so large a number so satis- 
 factorily and in so short a time. 
 
 Doubtless, also, the experience of the villagers in their annual 
 May Breakfast Festivals during the last fifteen years, had assisted in 
 preparing them for this occasion. Cheerful and experienced co-opera- 
 tion was here, as always, the secret of success.
 
 129 
 
 B. PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 Editorial, Springfield Republican, Oct. 18, 1883. 
 
 The Longmeadow centennial, yesterday, was one of those occasions 
 that should be precious to every Yankee, because in them the undi- 
 minished fire and force of New England is shown. It is not in the 
 cities any longer that the noble God-fearing and self-respecting com- 
 munity of the fathers of the nation is to be seen, it is in the country 
 towns, where every man of foreign birth or foreign tradition who is 
 present must either merge his antecedents in the prevailing sentiment 
 and be thenceforward a whole-souled American, or stay without and 
 curse the place with a hateful alienism. This country is yet New 
 England, it is better than the old England, and infinitely better than 
 any amalgamation of European peasantry can make her. The life of 
 the land is shown in such truly representative gatherings as this 
 centennial brought forth. 
 
 From the Springfield Republican, Oct. 18. 
 
 The centennial celebration of Longmeadow, yesterday, was one of the rare 
 occasions whose excellences far surpass their prefatory promise ; for noth- 
 ing of the sort was ever more modestly heralded, and assuredly nothing of 
 the sort was more rich, satisfying, and complete. Almost everything from 
 dawn till dusk was characteristic of New England old New England ; the 
 brass-band, which certainly would have been thought rather elaborate a 
 hundred years ago, was after all a legitimate successor of the fife and drum ; 
 and as for the tents, they date farther back, even to the red men themselves, 
 for their local nativity. The golden weather of brave October, though most 
 of the trees are bare, inspired every friend of the old town with a heartiness 
 and courage that at least might sympathize, though it might not be com- 
 pared, with the spirit of the fathers. The green was early alive with gath- 
 ering sons and daughters, and through the greater part of the day they 
 continued to come. The scene of the village green was indeed festal. The 
 tents, the big marquee for the speaking, and the smaller one where the 
 collation was prepared, with their passages and entrances, were surrounded 
 with groups of young and old in various disposal, and down the eastern road 
 for a furlong the horses and buggies of the visitors made along row, as if some 
 great church affair had taken place, as in the old times, whereto all the clergy 
 and the deacons of the settlements for sixty miles around had come. The 
 grave-yard fence was lined without by horses gravely contemplating the stone 
 memorials of the founders of Longmeadow, and through the green and in 
 the several yards other horses stood. The trains brought their scores, and 
 the town itself represented fully all that it was in the audience of the tent.
 
 130 
 
 The occasion was pure New England, and that only, from first to last. The 
 elms, that had strewn most of their leaves for carpet on the green, rose in 
 air loftily with their enduring Benedicite, and the old houses that are still 
 numerous along the broad street bore witness to the historic dignity of the 
 town. 
 
 There was every arrangement made that could be for the comfort of the 
 visitors, men ready to take care of horses, guides ready to show the way to 
 any place, and the most good-natured and genial of Aids of the day to keep 
 the world still and orderly. The long and generous open green ; the houses 
 alongside that confide themselves so unreservedly to the public by taking 
 away their fences, opening so a noble democratic park throughout the vil- 
 lage ; the church with its hospitable doors, and the social hall so well known 
 to all May breakfasters ; everything beneath the benignant brightness of the 
 sky and in the brisk and bracing air breathed the welcome that the speakers 
 uttered. 
 
 The celebration in the tent began with perfect fitness for a New England 
 gathering by the singing of the doxology. It was led ably by the principal 
 singers of the village choir, though not lined off as once hymns used to be, 
 or started with the pitch-pipe's toot. All the singing was led in the same 
 way, although the audience were not all sure of their cue, and came in very 
 assiduously in the interlude by the band, with the first lines of the succeed- 
 ing stanza. But there was good, hearty singing, for all that. After this 
 praise to God, nowhere more consonant than in religious Longmeadow, 
 came a seasonable reading from the Bible by Rev. A. I. Button of the East 
 village ; then Rev. Dr. Samuel Wolcott, pastor of the church more than a 
 generation ago, offered prayer, and a hymn of Dr. Wolcott's writing was 
 sung. 
 
 The tent, that held over 2,000 persons, was' filled, every seat and much of 
 its standing-room, and with solid New England, the best illustration of 
 democracy in the world. The speaker's platform was on the east side, and 
 filled with men and women of consequence. There -were present Prof. 
 Edwards A. Park of Andover ; Rev. Dr. Dorus Clarke, that veteran of Con- 
 gregationalism ; the eloquent Rev. Dr. R. S. Storrs of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Rev. 
 Aaron M. Colton, formerly pastor in Easthampton ; that noble and venera- 
 ble woman, descendant of Rev. Stephen Williams, wife of the lamented 
 missionary, Rev. W. G. Schauffler, and partner in his labors in Turkey ; 
 Rev. Dr. Wolcott of Cleveland (but soon to be again of Longmeadow) ; 
 Rev. Dr. S. G. Buckingham, Rev. L. H. Cone, and Rev. Charles Van Nor- 
 den of this city; Rev. Hubbard Beebe of New York, another former 
 pastor ; Rev. W. E. Park of Gloversville, N. Y., son of the Andover pro- 
 fessor , Rev. Dr. Russell of Hofcrook ; W. R. Sessions of Hampden, and 
 others. Among the large group of octogenarians now living in Longmeadow 
 and only recently thinned by the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Eliazer Wil- 
 liams Storrs, aged 81 and 83, and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Colton, 84 and 83, are
 
 still living Miss Eunice C. Storrs, only surviving child of Pastor Storrs, aged 
 82 ; Mrs. Cyrus Newell, 94 ; Dr. George Hooker, 90 ; Mrs. Wareham Col- 
 ton, 86 ; David Booth, 86, with his sister, Mrs. Margaret Bartlett, 83, from 
 Coleville, Ohio, several of whom occupied prominent places on the plat- 
 form. Among other notable lady guests on the platform were Mrs. Prof. 
 B. B. Edwards, of Andover, a granddaughter of Pastor Storrs, with her 
 younger sisters Mrs. Prof. Mead of Oberlin, and Miss Billings, her daugh- 
 ter Rev. Mrs. Park of Gloversville, and several other lineal descendants of 
 Pastors Williams and Storrs, to whom, as will be seen, Prof. Park paid his 
 particular respects in his after-dinner speech. The pastor of the church 
 to-day, Rev. Mr. Harding, and the president of the day, Prof. R. S. Storrs of 
 the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Hartford, were the foremost ornaments of the 
 first session of the day ; and no two men could better have accomplished 
 their public service. 
 
 Opposite the speakers hung a large placard bearing an inscription ; above 
 in the center the date " 1644," beneath that "Welcome ! " and flanking the 
 welcome on either side the dates, " 1783," " 1883." It was facing this pla- 
 card that President Storrs, himself a grandson of the second minister of 
 Longmeadow and a cousin of Rev. Dr. Storrs of Brooklyn both of them 
 bearing the full name of their common ancestor uttered his most poetic 
 address of welcome given by Longmeadow to her children. The address is 
 given elsewhere in full; and our readers will notice how naturally it runs 
 into rhythmic melody, and how finely poetic its thought and phrase is 
 throughout. It was in fact a gem of oratory, and was delivered with such 
 grace of gesture and such fervor of utterance as rendered 'it doubly admir- 
 able. The ease of Prof. Storrs' delivery reminds us to say that without 
 doubt it is largely due to his long experience as a teacher of the deaf and 
 dumb in the Hartford asylum ; for in that work not a few notable orators 
 have been trained. His speaking was followed by the singing of a hymn 
 he had written for the occasion, to the familiar " Missionary chant" and 
 thereupon came the principal particular of the day, the centennial address 
 by Rev. Mr. Harding. 
 
 Mr. Storrs, with that happy facility of speech and fitness of illustration 
 which characterized his chairmanship throughout the festival, introduced 
 the orator of the day as "The Reverend John Williams Harding, a lineal 
 descendant in spirit, if there ever was one, of the Reverend John Williams 
 of Deerfield." Then the pastor of Longmeadow for a third of a century 
 stood forth to tell his townsmen, the returning children of the town, and all 
 its friendly visitors besides, of the history of the Longmeadow. Mr. Hard- 
 ing did not need an introduction to his, hearers, or certainly to very few of 
 them, nor does he need an introduction to the Republican's readers, who 
 have known him' so long and so well. He stood on that platform a rare 
 embodiment of the best qualities of the old New England ministry, the 
 friend, counselor, and teacher of the whole community, no less in his life
 
 132 
 
 than in the pulpit, and his address caught all the salient features of their 
 notable and representative history, presenting them in an address which, 
 though covering two hours, was so excellent in material, so judiciously 
 wrought, so artistically broken at the right points by freshening humor, so 
 finely informed with the central idea of illustrating the township basis of our 
 republic, and so eloquently rounded with eulogy of the New England char- 
 acter, that no hearer was wearied, but all were delighted to the very end. 
 Mr. Harding's clear and resonant voice, his unlabored but effective rhetoric, 
 his cordial glance and entire appreciation of the points of his discourse, all 
 won to him the hearts of his hearers. Long though it was, they would have 
 been glad to hear him still longer. 
 
 The collation immediately followed Mr. Harding's address, while music 
 by Little's band of this city enlivened the moments, as it had done at inter- 
 vals before, besides their accompaniment of the singing. The band in their 
 red coats and with their gleaming brasses furnished the note of color in the 
 tent that way, as well as in their performance, which was always very good 
 and much enjoyed. The collation was as perfectly managed as anything 
 could be. The visitors were not invited to scramble for food at long tables, 
 but the towns-people themselves provided the most attentive and gentle of 
 waiters, who brought the thousands their food as they sat on their seats, 
 and fed them generously and well. The occasion was one of a hundred at 
 least, for this one thing the perfect skill, tact, and readiness with which its 
 participants were refreshed. This eating time was also a season of social 
 reunion ; seats were left and friends hunted up, and a delightful interchange 
 of pleasant comment and remembrance went on while the band played and 
 the people ate. After a while the players upon instruments likewise ate, 
 and nobody noticed that the music had stopped, they were so busy talking. 
 The old grave-yard was visited, where Parson Stephen Williams' mortal 
 dust reposes beneath a monumental table, -and the spacious green was ram- 
 bled over; people went to see the parsonage, the Storrs' house, and Mr. 
 Cordis' noble two-year-old colt ; and so they were ready when tattoo was 
 beat, and the tentful came to order to listen to the charming poem of W. E. 
 Boies, with whom also the Republican's readers are well acquainted. The 
 poet delivered his fluent verses in an excellent fashion, with spirit and force. 
 
 The post-prandial flood-gates now were open, and a great many speakers 
 worth hearing were announced by President Storrs. The first was Rev. 
 Aaron M. Colton, one of the numerous Colton family of Longmeadow, as 
 he proceeded to inform the audience in one of the wittiest of disquisitions 
 on family characteristics ; which, if reported ever so faithfully, would lose 
 much from default of the rich humoristic appreciation of the speaker him- 
 self. There was much laughter among the audience while this went on, 
 and a good deal of it might be presumed to have come from where knots of 
 Coltons were gathered, for the name is numerous in Longmeadow still. 
 The next speaker strongly contrasted Mr. Colton, for the aged Mrs,
 
 133 
 
 Schauffler came forward to say a special word that was borne in upon her 
 mind. Her tall, slender, venerable figure, her fine, serious, intellectual face, 
 with deep, vivid eyes beneath a crinkled wave of white hair, won instant 
 admiration, which her affectionate address of mingled reminiscence and 
 missionary appeal soon deepened into loving respect. Woman was cer- 
 tainly worthily represented upon the Longmeadow platform. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Richard Salter Storrs of Brooklyn, grandson and namesake of 
 the second Longmeadow pastor, was next introduced. Dr. Storrs makes a 
 strong figure on the platform. Good height, broad chest, sturdy limbs, large 
 and shapely head, a healthy, ruddy complexion, a swift and keen though not 
 large gray eye, side-whiskers, and a magnificent manner, these equip one 
 of the great orators of our day. The first and indeed the largest part of his 
 speech was devoted to that ministerial story-telling which is the perfection 
 of the art. No other sort of men can tell so many and so good stories and 
 with so adept a skill, as ministers, and Dr. Storrs did credit to the profes- 
 sion. But from this pleasant persiflage Dr. Storrs launched into a stream 
 of splendid eloquence concerning Longmeadow, the typical New England 
 village, and the influences which have made it such, .... closing with a 
 glowing eulogy on the excellences of the town as a select and favored refuge. 
 
 That eminent pillar of old New England orthodoxy, Edwards A. Park, so 
 long professor at Andover Seminary, was next introduced by President 
 Storrs with the observation that Rev. John Williams, father of Rev. Stephen, 
 was educated wholly by the liberality of William Park of Roxbury, whence 
 it appeared that the entire culture of the Williams family, so far as Long- 
 meadow was concerned, was due to a Park. Prof. Park's address was a 
 second notable example of the clerical penchant for anecdotes. The memo- 
 rabilia which he uttered in that short speech of his would set up a corps of 
 story-tellers for a week, and he ought to jot down and publish his store of 
 
 such delightful contes The speaker told many stories with brilliant 
 
 ability, but with an unmoved face, looking with his spare, clean-shaven 
 face, strong, thin jaw, and sunken blue eyes, the incarnation of Edwardsian 
 logic, severity, and purity. He closed with a fit eulogy on the New England 
 ministry. 
 
 There were many interesting speakers as the afternoon went on, Rev. 
 Charles R. Bliss, Rev. Dr. Wolcott (who, it is understood, is soon to become 
 a resident of the village), Rev. W. W. Leete of Ridgefiekl, Conn., and 
 others ; but the waning hours prevented the calling up of all who had been 
 announced The speech of Judge W. S. Shurtleff, as the representa- 
 tive of Springfield, the mother of " Mother Longmeadow " herself, concluded 
 the abundant but not for a moment tedious exercises of the centennial day. 
 They ended with a singing of " Auld Lang Syne," with a slightly adapted 
 version of Burns. In the evening the young people held a reception in the 
 big tent for a general jollification, and had a very pleasant time. Long- 
 meadow from first to last did herself thorough credit.
 
 134 
 
 [From the Springfield Daily Union, Oct. 17, 1883.] 
 
 If, when last August the day was finally fixed for Longmeadow's Centen- 
 nial Celebration, the rare beauty of last week Wednesday could have been 
 foreseen, doubtless it would have been selected as the day, despite the more 
 exact coincidence of the i7th, with the governor's signature to the act of 
 town incorporation in 1783. Any one who, on that Wednesday of almost 
 oppressive beauty and mildness, had driven through Longmeadow street, 
 and especially through its meadow bright with a thousand tints of brilliant 
 or mellow beauty, could have hardly imagined the change which two days 
 of rain and wind would make in all that beauty. Yet, though less beautiful 
 to the eye on this the centennial day than a week earlier, Longmeadow's 
 welcome to the hosts of incoming guests has been no whit less warm. The 
 bright October skies and the crisp bracing air were favorable for comfort 
 and enjoyment, and old Mother Longmeadow is to be congratulated upon 
 the propitious weather for this centennial occasion. From east and west, 
 from north and south, by team, by train, by bicycles, and on foot, the 
 townsmen and guests of the day poured into the place till it almost 
 seemed as if even the broad street itself, extending from Pecowsic to 
 Enfield, would be too strait for their accommodation. The tent pitched for 
 the accommodation of the public exercises stood on historic ground, occu- 
 pying the site where for so long stood the village church. Near by is the 
 church with the pastor's study filled with historical relics, the Storrs home- 
 stead, a century old, with furniture that has been in use for 200 years, 
 choice and dainty china, etc., and on either side the hospitable homes of 
 the descendants of the men and women who wrested Longmeadow from the 
 primeval forest and have made it one of the most beautiful and typical of 
 New England villages. 
 
 And right here it should be said that the town of Longmeadow is a most 
 illustrious and conspicuous example of the permanent influence of com- 
 manding personal character. Especially is this true of the men who have 
 been the pastors of the village church. Rev. Stephen Williams, son of 
 Rev. John Williams, of Deerfield, and himself carried into Canada as a cap- 
 tive, was the first pastor, and went in and out before the people from 1715 
 to 1782. A graduate of Harvard, Parson Williams represented the best 
 New England culture of that time, and his infinite patience, wisdom, and 
 tact in the instruction and management of his parish rendered his formative 
 influence in that community important and indelible. The diary of Parson 
 Williams is a wonderful revelation of the force of his character and depth of 
 his spiritual life, and is a rich mine of historical fact and incident. Next to 
 him came Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, a graduate of Yale and the husband 
 of Parson Williams's granddaughter. His pastorate extended from 1 785 to 
 1819, and strengthened and deepened the influence of his honored predeces- 
 sor, and gave the town an anchorage in solid character from which it has 
 never departed nor sought to depart. From 1820 to 1850 there were
 
 135 
 
 four short but quite distinguished pastorates, those of Rev. Baxter Dickin- 
 son of Amherst, Rev. Jonathan B. Condit of Hanover, N. H., Rev. Hubbard 
 Beebe, now living in New York, and Rev. Dr. Samuel Wolcott, now of 
 Cleveland, O. Messrs. Dickinson and Condit were called from Longmeadow 
 to fill professors' chairs. Rev. Mr. Harding's pastorate, begun in 1850, has 
 flowed on in unruffled serenity for thirty-four years, and strengthens in use- 
 fulness and promise as the years advance. Mr. Harding has thoroughly 
 identified himself with the town in all its interests, and in courtesy and tact 
 has shown himself a worthy successor of the first pastor of the village. 
 The tent pitched on the green in front of the church was furnished with 
 settees and chairs in sufficient abundance to amply, accommodate the 2,000 
 people or more who listened to the speaking with took place from a raised 
 platform at the east side. On the side of the tent directly opposite the 
 speakers' stand stood forth in bold letters and figures the inscription 
 
 1644. 
 
 1783. WELCOME. 1883.. 
 
 The large audience was a striking one, and listened most attentively 
 throughout to catch every word of the speakers, the old people 
 especially who occupied seats in close proximity to the speakers' platform. 
 The faces of many Springfield people could be discerned sprinkled about 
 through the large audience, among others Rev. Mr. Simons of the Florence 
 street church, Judge W. S. Shurtleff, Rev. Dr. Rice, and Maj. Ingersoll. 
 Managing Editor Hubbard of the Hartford Courant also occupied a seat 
 in the audience. The forenoon exercises were of great interest and excel- 
 lence, and are reported elsewhere. The afternoon was devoted to speeches 
 of reminiscence and congratulation ; but the time was far too short for all 
 there was to be said. President Storrs, personating Mother Longmeadow 
 in his address of welcome, called up Rev. Dr. A. M. Colton of Easthampton 
 to speak for the numerous family to which he belongs, and right wittily 
 did he respond. Then came Mrs. William G. Schauffler, the venerable 
 widow of the honored and revered missionary, Prof. Park of Andover, 
 one of whose ancestors was instrumental in sending Parson Williams' 
 father to college, and Rev. Dr. Storrs of Brooklyn. Other names on 
 President Storrs' list when our reporter left the tent were Rev. Charles R. 
 Bliss, Rev. Hubbard Beebe, Rev. Mr. Wolcott, Rev. Mr. Leete, Rev. Dr. 
 Dorus Clark, and Judge Shurtleff. There were so many speakers and they 
 had so much that was interesting to say that the hours sped away all too 
 fast, but everybody agreed that the occasion had been one of the rarest 
 interest. 
 
 It was remarked as a fine instance of journalistic enterprise that 
 copies of the Union containing the above, and reports of the forenoon 
 addresses and poem, were on sale at the tent before the close of the 
 afternoon exercises. 
 18
 
 136 
 
 From the Hartford Courant, Oct. 18, 1883. 
 
 A beautiful October day, a well arranged programme of exercises, and 
 a well-planned and a well-carried-out scheme in every detail, all helped to 
 make the Longmeadow centennial celebration, yesterday, one of the most 
 enjoyable celebrations of its kind we have known in these days of centennial 
 celebrations. A large tent was spread in the center of the beautiful, wide, 
 old green, on the site of the original church edifice, which accommodated 
 2,500 people, among them many who had come from far away to join with 
 the present dwellers in their native place in the celebration of the one hun- 
 dredth anniversary of the organization of the town. There were naturally 
 many pleasant meetings of old friends and acquaintances, and many happy 
 family reunions. Quite a number of Hartford people who are in some way 
 allied to Longmeadow families, or who came by virtue of the invitation 
 extended to the sons and daughters of Longmeadow and to "every friend 
 to you or herself allied," were present. Among these were Seth Talcott, 
 wife and daughter ; Prof. Pratt, of the Theological Seminary, and wife ; 
 Misses Julia B. and Katherine Burbank, Miss Goldthwait, Howard H. Keep, 
 Miss Keep, daughter of the Rev. John R. Keep, a descendant of the early 
 settlers ; Prof. Robert Keep (now of Easthampton, Mass.), Richard S. Burt, 
 George D. Bartlett, and others. 
 
 The formal exercises of the day in the large tent commenced about half- 
 past ten o'clock, Prof. R. S. Storrs, of the American Asylum in this city, 
 being the president of the day. The exercises of the day opened with Old 
 Hundred by. the assembly, led by Little's band of Springfield, followed by 
 Scripture reading by the Rev. A. I. Dutton, of East Longmeadow, prayer 
 by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Wolcott, of Cleveland, Ohio, and a commemorative 
 hymn by Dr. Wolcott. 
 
 Then followed the " Address of Welcome " by the president of the day, 
 Prof. Richard S. Storrs, of this city. He commenced by reading the quaint 
 invitation of "Mother Longmeadow" to her children, which has already 
 been printed in the Courant, and following out the mythological idea of such 
 motherhood as a basis, made an address exceedingly graceful and appro- 
 priate ; assuming in part to use the words whispered to him by the dear 
 Earth Mother, "in stream, and grove, and rustling field." The address was 
 not alone graceful in language, but was delivered with a refinement of speech, 
 and with a grace and appropriateness of gesture, which indicated that famil- 
 iarity with the "sign language" taught at the institution with which Prof. 
 Storrs has been so long connected admirably fits one for effective presen- 
 tation of thoughts and ideas in the pulpit or upon the platform. (The thought 
 occurs that a study of the sign language by those whose professions require 
 much public speaking may be as important as some other branches of study.) 
 The address, in its happy conception and in its language, might in some 
 measure be appropriately made to children of other beautiful towns in the 
 lovely Connecticut valley.
 
 137 
 
 A Centennial Hymn, written by Prof. Storrs, and recited by him after the 
 address of welcome with the same grace of elocution and gesture that 
 characterized the welcome was sung to the tune, " Missionary Chant." 
 
 The historical address was delivered by the Rev. John W. Harding, pas- 
 tor of the Longmeadow Congregational church. This, also, was a model 
 production for such an occasion. It was stripped of tedious details of sta- 
 tistics, and was full of well-painted pictures of the life and experience of the 
 early settlers, of incidents which showed the character of the people, their 
 struggles through the early days of the settlement, and up to the time of the 
 incorporation of the town, 100 years ago. The close attention of the audi- 
 ence was held throughout. This address also was admirably delivered. 
 
 An intermission followed this address, during which a bountiful collation 
 was served to the large assembly as they were seated in the large tent. 
 In the afternoon a poem was read by Mr. William E. Boies, of Long- 
 meadow, and a hymn by Mr. Boies was sung to the tune of " America." 
 The afternoon was occupied by addresses by various distinguished speakers, 
 
 more or less intimately related to the town, all of great interest ; 
 
 but the waning hours of the afternoon prevented the calling out of some of 
 the gentlemen whose names had been announced. The exercises closed 
 with the singing of " Auld Lang Syne," followed by the doxology and the 
 benediction. It was a happy day for all present, and this celebration was in 
 all respects highly creditable to the residents of the town who conceived it 
 and carried it out so well. 
 
 The Congregationalist, Oct. 25, 1883. 
 
 The past week has witnessed another notable commemorative occa- 
 sion, the centennial of Longmeadow, equally successful in its way 
 with the quarter-millennial anniversary of the First church of Hartford, 
 the week before. We remember no two occasions of the sort which, 
 on the whole, have been made so rich in interest and instruction, with 
 so little drawback of any sort. Dr. Walker seems to have untied some 
 of the toughest old knots of New England history in a complete way, 
 making plain English of what has baffled two centuries. And Mr. 
 Harding's singularly graphic he called them, and did not overname 
 them, /^0/0-graphic sketches, bringing out the salient points and the 
 remarkable men of that lovely river town, were as successful and 
 instructive in their elaboration as they were original and striking in 
 their conception. We are proud to number such historical scholars 
 at once so accurate in detail and so broad in scope among the Con- 
 gregational ministers of our generation.
 
 138 
 
 C LETTERS FROM INVITED GUESTS. 
 
 BOSTON, October 16, 1883. 
 
 Messrs. JOHN W. HARDING, RICHARD S. STORRS, OLIVER WOLCOTT, 
 and others, Committee on Longmeadow Centennial : 
 
 GENTLEMEN : I have delayed answering your kind invitation to be pres- 
 ent at the celebration of Longmeadow's one hundredth birthday until the 
 last moment, hoping that the state of my health would permit my replying 
 in person. I may not call myself a son of Longmeadow, but I may perhaps 
 claim the title of a grandson of your beautiful town, for my father, Dr. John 
 Bliss Stebbins, was born there in 1802, and received his earliest education 
 there at the hands of his uncles, Drs. John and Oliver Bliss ; for the latter 
 of whom I am named. 
 
 Longmeadow is, I believe, entitled to be called the first child of the State 
 of Massachusetts; that is, the first town organized after the signing of the 
 Treaty of Peace, Sept. 3, 1783, had made the State and the country legally 
 and indisputably, as well as practically free and independent. Allow me, 
 gentlemen, while thanking you for your polite remembrance of me, to pro- 
 pose, if it is proper, as a sentiment, the motto of the society of which I am 
 a member " In Memoriam Majorum." 
 
 Yours very gratefully, 
 
 OLIVER BLISS STEBBINS. 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 13, 1883. 
 
 Rev. J. W. HARDING, R. S. STORRS, OLIVER WOLCOTT, and others, 
 Longmeadow Centennial Committee : 
 
 GENTLEMEN : I regret that I cannot, in my present state of health, take 
 the part in the exercises of your Centennial which you have proposed to 
 assign to me, and I fear that the same cause may debar me from the privi- 
 lege of attending the Celebration at all. 
 
 I regret this exceedingly, because, from the first, I have counted upon 
 visiting Longmeadow on that occasion and uniting with my cousins, the 
 Blisses, the Coltons, the Cooleys, and others, in celebrating the virtues of 
 our common ancestors. 
 
 Many of our forefathers and foremothers were remarkable specimens, 
 physically and morally, of manhood and womanhood. It is related of 
 Samuel Bliss, one of the number, that he was a man of great physical 
 powers. He died in 1749 at tne age of 102 years. His son John lived to 
 be 94, and his grandson, the Hon. John of Wilbraham, to be 82. 
 
 [These statements of Judge Morris seem to find some corroboration in the follow- 
 ing extract from the Springfield Records. EDS. 
 
 " John Bliss is by grant of the plantation possessed of that Part of the Pond in 
 the Longmeadow at the Rear of the Lott he purchased of Anthony Dorchester and 
 is of Like Breadth with the said Lott, and runs to the foot of the great hill Eastward. 
 Registered April 6, 1682. PELATIAH BLISS, Town Clerk."}
 
 139 
 
 Quartermaster George Colton, an early settler, was the ancestor of all the 
 Coltons in this region. His name was one of considerable prominence both 
 in Church and State. In 1656 he was on a committee with Pynchon and the 
 two deacons to supply the Springfield pulpit. In 1671 he represented the 
 town in the General Court. About the same time he was one of a com- 
 mittee that laid out the town of Suffield. Late in life, after the death of 
 his first wife, he became the fourth and final husband of Lydia, the daughter 
 of Deacon Wright. 
 
 So far as I know, these ancestors of whom I have spoken, were reputa- 
 ble men. I have never heard that any of them was ever charged with any 
 offence, except one George Colton, a son or grandson of the quartermaster. 
 That young man went out to Brookfield to hear the farewell sermon of Rev. 
 Mr. Smith, and his conduct there was so flagrant that the grand jury of the 
 old County of Hampshire indicted him. According to the Court record the 
 charge was that on that occasion " he expressed himself in an Extravagant 
 and Romancing manner relating to Deacon Gilbert's setting the psalm." 
 For this he was admonished by the Court of General Sessions in May, 
 1723, and discharged upon paying costs. Yours with great respect, 
 
 HENRY MORRIS. 
 
 ORANGE, N. J., 22 Sept., 1883. 
 To Mr. R. S. STORRS, Secretary Longmeadow Centennial Committee : 
 
 MY DEAR COUSIN : Let me thank you for this very kind invitation just 
 received to unite with the sons and daughters of Longmeadow in celebrat- 
 ing her Centennial next month. 
 
 It is with extreme regret that I am compelled to decline its acceptance. 
 But the Synod of New Jersey is to meet on that very day with my church 
 here, and I cannot be absent. I trust you will convey this explanation to 
 the committee, with assurances of my sincere sorrow that I cannot share in 
 what I am sure will be a most delightful occasion. 
 
 Beyond this, however, I recognize the claim of the fair town by the 
 "long meadow" upon my filial devotion on such a day. For from her 
 bosom and her still religious life, and all the benign influences flowing from 
 that, my father came forth to his work, the man that he was. That was a 
 kind Providence which set Longmeadow as the home of his childhood. The 
 solemn earnestness of his nature found fit environment in the tranquil 
 silences that brooded all atmospheres for him in these early years. Quiet 
 strength, invincible stability, ripe thoughts, convictions, love ; that divine 
 unfolding of humanity toward which we are looking, but which for most of 
 us comes only after long conflict all seemed to mature rapidly in him under 
 the gracious influences of his childhood's home. He went forth to a great 
 work when scarcely more than a child, yet fitted for it. More than many, 
 then, I have reason for bringing an offering to these services of grateful 
 commemoration.
 
 140 
 
 Almost a sacred duty, too, it seems that I should come at such a time to 
 join with so many others in the loving greetings that will be showered upon 
 dear " Aunt Eunice," now sole survivor of that large group of brothers and 
 sisters cradled in the old Parsonage, the only representative to us of that 
 vanished generation. 
 
 As these and other tender memories will consecrate the day for those 
 who shall gather to it, shall we not all the more reverently adore the God, 
 and religiously maintain the faith that has made Longmeadow what it is, and 
 its history the record of so many saintly lives. 
 
 With affectionate remembrances to you and sincere regards for your col- 
 leagues on the committee, I am most truly yours, 
 
 H. M. STORKS. 
 
 BUFFALO, Oct. 13, 1883. 
 To the LONGMEADOW CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE : 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Your communication is before me, and it would be very 
 gratifying if I could accept your invitation and be present with you ; but my 
 advanced age 94 the 5th of November next forbids it. I was eleven years 
 old when my father moved to Longmeadow. He, with my mother, were 
 members of the church, and we attended there until they removed their rela- 
 tion to the East Longmeadow church. At 16 I left home, and my studies 
 preparatory to entering Yale College in 1809, were at Monson. During my 
 Junior year an unusual interest prevailed, at which time I, with many others, 
 was converted and joined the College church. I graduated in 1813, and 
 soon after entered the Theological Seminary at Andover. During my vaca- 
 tion in 1816, learning that the Association were to meet at Mr. Storrs' house, 
 I applied for and received a license, and at Mr. Storrs' request supplied his 
 pulpit the next Sabbath. Since that time I have known comparatively little 
 of Longmeadow, though always remembering with pleasure my early asso- 
 ciations. I trust that your centennial gathering may be a very happy one 
 and am, Gratefully yours, 
 
 D. L. HUNN. 
 
 CITY OF JEFFERSON, Sept. 7, 1883. 
 To Rev. JOHN W. HARDING, R. S. STORRS, and others : 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Your kind invitation to the " Longmeadow Centennial " is 
 received, and hereby gratefully acknowledged. Born and nurtured upon her 
 soil, where have dwelt my grandfather, my father, and my brother, as culti- 
 vators of that soil, in unbroken succession, from a date long anterior to that 
 event which you propose to celebrate, I would be base indeed were I to be 
 wanting in respect and reverence for her, or in love for her people. If it be 
 possible, I shall be present. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 GEO. C. PRATT.
 
 IOWA UNIVERSITY, IOWA CITY, Oct. 4, 1883. 
 KIND FRIEND AND " COMRADE IN DAYS GONE BY " : 
 
 It was very kind and thoughtful in you to send me an invitation to your cen- 
 tennial gathering. As I read, a memory-chamber of my heart opened, and I 
 was a little girl again in your good old town, going to school, happy in my home, 
 with older as well as younger friends. How well I remember the street with 
 its "grand old trees," and the beautiful sunlight and moonlight shadows upon 
 snow and grass ; remember also the houses, and the dwellers in those 
 homes ! I seem almost to see their faces, to hear their voices once more. 
 Your home, your grandmother, and dear aunt Eunice, and the portraits in 
 the parlor that always had such charms for me, they seemed so like "real 
 folk" I thought of my sister and her babes as resting, with many other 
 loved ones, in your village cemetery. The living friends are widely scat- 
 tered ; what matter, if all are workers for the Master ? As I cannot be 
 with you (save in spirit), I send all good and kind wishes for a happy and 
 highly successful celebration for you all. I feel sure you will extend a loving 
 remembrance to those absent, as well as give loving greetings to those 
 present at your celebration. Kindest regards from 
 
 MRS. CORNELIA WOODHULL PICKARD. 
 To R. S. STORRS, Sec'y Centennial Committee. 
 
 BELOIT COLLEGE, BELOIT, Wis., Oct. 10, 1883. 
 Rev. J. W. HARDING, R. S. STORRS, and others, Committee, etc. : 
 
 Longmeadow's call through you to her sons and daughters to gather and 
 celebrate with songs and thanksgiving her one hundredth birthday has 
 reached me, and it means me ; for in my veins is mingled the blood of her 
 Coltons and Elys, Blisses and Burts. From earliest childhood I have been 
 familiar with her broad street, her grand old elms, her venerable meeting- 
 house, her comfortable homes, and the simple, genial ways of her industrious, 
 godly people. For my school and college vacations the place always had 
 strong attractions, especially in the watermelon season ! Delightful was the 
 companionship of cousins, there born and bred ; alas ! that most of them 
 have been already called away from earth ; and yet, thanks to God for the 
 good lives they lived, and for the good record they have left behind. 
 
 I am sorely grieved that I cannot appear in person to share in the festivi- 
 ties, and to get a blessing from the goodly fellowship of the occasion. My 
 thoughts will be with you, under the ancestral elms of the olden green, this 
 day a week, and I will call on my soul to be glad and bless our God for all 
 the good people and all the good influences sent out by our revered Mother. 
 Praying that the day may be bright with sunlight, and brighter still with the 
 light of God's favor shed on all who may be gathered, I am, 
 
 Yours fraternally, A. L. CHAPIN.
 
 142 
 
 TUSTIN, Los Angeles 'Co., Cal., Sept. 25, 1883. 
 CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE, LONGMEADOW : 
 
 It is with sincere regret that I, a "daughter of Longmeadow," am com- 
 pelled to decline the cordial invitation of our " beloved Mother " to meet 
 under the "ancestral elms" to celebrate her one hundredth birthday." 
 Three thousand miles lie between us, with the Sierras and the Rockies. 
 
 One hundred years ! What changes and revolutions have they wrought ! 
 " A wonderful stream is the River Time ; " sixty-three years has it borne 
 me along, until now, the last of my father's family, it has landed me, with my 
 husband, in a pleasant home, among the orange groves of this sunny land of 
 California. We eat the fruit of our own "vine and fig-tree," and summer 
 and winter alike, are surrounded with living green. Still, I look back with 
 fond and loving memory to the place of my nativity, and am " made a child 
 again " as I remember my childhood and youthful days passed in happy 
 freedom in dear old Longmeadow. 
 
 To all her sons and daughters who may gather in October to celebrate her 
 natal day, I send my best wishes and kindest regards. Yours truly, 
 
 HARRIETT NEWELL KELLOM. 
 
 ' VAN, EASTERN TURKEY, Oct. i, 1883. 
 Rev. J. W. HARDING, R. S.-STORRS, and others : 
 
 DEAR FRIENDS : Yesterday's mail brought the kind invitation from your- 
 self and the other members of the committee for my wife and self to be 
 present at the coming centennial anniversary of the settlement of the good 
 town of Longmeadow. Though my residence in the town of my birth was 
 too short to fully identify me with it, yet the memory of my sainted father 
 who lived and died there, and the continued residence within its bounds of 
 many loved and honored friends, have sufficed especially to endear to me 
 my native village. 
 
 And who is there that has ever wandered " under the ancestral elms 
 of the Olden Green," and been permitted to visit in the beautiful, cul- 
 tured, and hospitable homes that border it on either side, who would not 
 feel honored by an invitation to its centennial gathering, and make every 
 effort to honor the same by acceptance ? But alas ! too many leagues of 
 sea and land divide us. I regret that I cannot hope that the letter will 
 reach you in time for the celebration, for I would like to ask the many there 
 assembled to entreat the Lord to grant to us here in Van that gracious out- 
 pouring of His Spirit's presence, which we so much need. 
 
 With grateful acknowledgments and hearty greetings from my wife and 
 self to all who may remember us, I remain yours most truly, 
 
 G. C. RAYNOLDS.
 
 H3 
 
 SHWEIFAT, TURKEY, Nov. 28, 1883. 
 MY DEAR COUSIN SALTER : 
 
 I was much gratified by the receipt of the invitation from our "venera- 
 ble and beloved Mother," and still more by the very interesting notice of 
 the celebration in the Republican, which I read with the greatest pleasure. 
 With its aid, I can imagine a great deal, though I cannot but wish most 
 earnestly that I could have been there. How pleasant must have been 
 the gathering of relatives and friends, as well as of townspeople, on such 
 an occasion. Dear Aunt Schauffler must have so enjoyed her visit with 
 Aunt Eunice. 
 
 I cherish delightful memories of my early home at Longmeadow, and 
 of later visits there. With tender interest I always walk through the 
 quiet grave-yard, and I love, here in my distant home, to recall the grand 
 old elms and beautiful green sward beneath, of my girlhood. That photo- 
 graph of the old meeting-house and part of the noble street which you so 
 kindly sent me hangs in my own room, and in imagination I see it in its 
 natural coloring. 
 
 How many of our precious ones who have walked those paths with us are 
 already garnered above. I often recall the silent, sad moments, after my 
 dear father breathed his last, broken by my grandfather's voice, in quiet 
 tone saying, " Be still, and know that I am God." It is good to lie still in 
 His hands and to learn more and more what a God he is ; how merciful and 
 gracious, even when he takes our precious treasures from us. To that 
 heavenly home, with its river of life and trees of healing for the nations, 
 may we all at length attain, to go no more out forever. 
 Your affectionate cousin, 
 
 EMILY P. CALHOUN. 
 
 A fitting " pendant " to the letters of those invited guests who were 
 detained from the exercises, might be a series of those since received 
 from guests of the occasion, testifying their enjoyment of it. A sin- 
 gle sample from many must suffice. 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, Dec. 13, 1883. 
 Prof. R. S. STORRS. Secretary of the Centennial Committee : 
 
 Next to the Bible, I would like the Longmeadow Centennial Volume. 
 Such an enjoyable occasion I never shall forget, and Rev. Mr. Harding's 
 historical address on that gala day for Longmeadow. And all those fine 
 speeches ! Ministers are full of wit and are very human, I find, and like 
 fun at the right time as well as professors do. I thank you for starting 
 that ball which assumed such large proportions as the day wore on. 
 
 We do not belong to the Colton family. My husband's father was deacon 
 of the church at East Longmeadow, though we were not born deacons all 
 of us. Please send the book, when it is issued, to Mrs. E. A. B. McNary 
 Chandler. 
 
 19
 
 144 
 
 D. EAST LONGMEADOW GROWTH. 
 
 That portion of the town now designated as East Longmeadow, was 
 originally an almost unbroken forest, infested with bears and wild 
 cats, which considerably annoyed the early settlers. It was also 
 prolific with deer, turkeys, pigeons, and other wild game. Pastor 
 Williams alludes to the bear hunts which were organized to protect 
 the cornfields in their clearings from this pilfering beast, and also to 
 the more welcome and noble flocks of wild turkeys which used to 
 emerge from the forest into his home lot. The countless pigeons 
 that thronged these woods, tempted our fathers to spread their nets, 
 and furnished them with cheap game in great abundance. A wide 
 expanse of this original forest still remains to separate the two por- 
 tions of the town, and so extensive and intricate is it, that a wild hog 
 which had been imported from Smyrna by Mr. Francis T. Cordis 
 and had escaped from his enclosure, not many years ago gave an 
 exciting chase of several days duration to a company of expert hunt- 
 ers. This forest, which, by reason of its natural soil and situation, 
 gives promise of indefinite continuance, is traversed by a labyrinth of 
 roads that are much sought for as pleasure drives, and may well be 
 widened and improved in view of their easy connection with the sys- 
 tem of "park roads," and the utilization of the adjacent Pecowsic 
 Valley contemplated in the public improvements of Springfield. 
 
 The eastern part of the town used to be called " Inward Commons," 
 because it consisted, apart from the scattered clearings here and 
 there appropriated to private ownership, of undivided lands which 
 were used for general pasturage. The early settlers of East Long- 
 meadow acquired their titles either from " Town grants " or " Pro- 
 prietor's grants." The town originally owned all the land, and made 
 its own grants. The " proprietors " were inhabitants and land owners, 
 among whom were distributed these undivided lands in the time of 
 the tyrannical Governor, Edmund Andros, when he began in other 
 parts of the province to sequestrate the undivided or " common " 
 lands, and the threatened danger was that the provincial charter 
 might be annulled, and that all such lands might revert to the crown. 
 They were hastily laid out taking advantage of the saving clause 
 which protected individual property into long and narrow strips 
 proportioned to the number of polls belonging to each man's family, 
 and to his rateable estate ; and they were merged in the course of time 
 by sale and exchange into the more convenient form of compacted 
 farms.
 
 145 
 
 The first settlers from the " street " were Jonathan and Elijah, sons 
 of David Burt ; and Silas, son of Thomas Hale, about the year 1740. 
 After them came from various quarters, the Taylors, Dwights, Lathrops, 
 Hancocks, Ashleys, Munns, McGregorys, Cooleys, Wolcotts, Halls, 
 Websters, Indicotts, Hunns, Stebbinses, Hills, Swetlands, Pratts, Bil- 
 lingses, Markhams, Steels, Browns, Scotts, Porters, Peases, Cranes, 
 Ellises, Morgans, Calkinses, Chandlers, Webbers, Mclntoshes, Chap- 
 mans, and Rumrills. 
 
 Notwithstanding the separation by several miles of intervening for- 
 est, the two portions of the town were from the outset closely con- 
 nected by intermarriages, and identified in the same precinct and 
 town, and until 1829, in the same church, if we except from. this 
 statement the Baptist organization of a somewhat earlier date, in the 
 extreme eastern district. 
 
 During this more recent period, however, their several interests 
 have been growing more and more divergent and diversified by the 
 formation of new churches, as well as by the thriving industry of the 
 stone quarries, the centralization of business in the East Longmeadow 
 village, and the new railroad connecting it with Springfield and Hart- 
 ford. 
 
 Although in the past the advantages of a richer soil, larger wealth, 
 and larger population have belonged to the old community of the 
 "long meadow," the thrifty agriculture, growing enterprise, and 
 increasing population of the eastern part of the town, are already 
 balancing the accounts. The outlook of the stone quarry business 
 especially gives cheering financial promise. In the chief cities far and 
 near, the Longmeadow red sandstone has gained a national reputa- 
 tion. Of fine grain and durable material, rich and warm in color, it 
 is more and more demanded. 
 
 The earliest quarries were upon the lands of McGregory and Pratt, 
 the Lords, Ashley, and Mclntosh, who used principally the surface stone 
 and furnished little beyond local demands. As the business extended, 
 it was for a time monopolized and extended by Burgess Salisbury, and 
 Seth Taylor. Then the Messrs. Kibbe and Alfred Taylor engaged in 
 it. Again, it was concentrated in the hands of A. Dwelly of Spring- 
 field. In the course of time Edmund Pratt, Sidney Kibbe, and Je- 
 rome Billings, took it up. At the present time this industry, with 
 greatly enlarged facilities of labor and machinery, is mainly absorbed 
 by the Norcross Brothers of Worcester, and James and Mara of 
 Springfield, who do a widely extended and increasing business,
 
 146 
 
 The settlers of East Longmeadoxv were, from the beginning, men 
 and women of the same sterling character and homogeneous stock 
 that peopled the elder community, and their friendly rivalries in all 
 public affairs of town or State administration have been maintained 
 with equal ability. No men have better served the town in offices of 
 trust, both at home and abroad, than such as Joseph W. Cooley, 
 Deacon Abial Pease, Seth Taylor, Burgess Salisbury, Randolph Steb- 
 bins, and others of like capacity. 
 
 One of the elder citizens of East Longmeadow, thus records his 
 early recollections. " There was a large extent of wood land, poor 
 roads, sqme stone wall and Virginia rail fence, but more of hedge- 
 fence, or piled up staddles and brush. The people were honest, indus- 
 trious, capable, hospitable, obliging, and Sabbath-keeping. On a 
 Sunday morning a long string of wagons would file into the highway 
 leading to the old church in the street ; generally two horse farm wag- 
 ons with boards across for seats, one covered hack the Taylor car- 
 riage, and Deacon Burt's chaise ; the boys and girls went on foot, and 
 sometimes with their shoes in hand to be put on as they neared the 
 church. As the long line filed out through the woods, the first were 
 the Dwights, then came the Hales, Gowdies, Pratts, Taylors, Cooleys, 
 and Ashleys ; from another road the procession was joined by the 
 Burts, Blisses, Hunns, Websters, and others all worthy names 
 while in the southeast corner, or Baptist neighborhood, there re- 
 mained to worship in the old and long school-house, the Peases, Mark- 
 hams, McGregorys, Swetlands, Indicotts, and Dwights, with some of 
 their neighbors living across the Somers line. Among the educated 
 men furnished by the east part of the town, were Revs. Lathrop Hunn, 
 Joseph Scott, Jonathan Burt, Henry Martyn Tupper, and Hon. Geo. 
 C. Pratt of Missouri, Professor in the State University, and more 
 recently Civil Engineer and Railroad Commissioner. Among the 
 practising physicians may be enumerated Henry White, Edwin McRay, 
 Rial Strickland, Edward S. Beebe, Ralph P. Markham, and Joseph B. 
 Atwater." 
 
 From other local sources are gathered the following data. David 
 Lathrop, the present David Lathrop's grandfather, came from East 
 Windsor, Ct., in 1804, and lived where E. K. Sellew now lives ; his 
 wife's maiden name was Nancy Chipman. Ephraim Hunn, father of 
 Rev. Lathrop Hunn, came from Hadlyme, Ct., in the year 1800. He 
 was taken prisoner by the British, being at Stonington when Arnold 
 burned the place. He settled where his son Erastus now lives, and
 
 147 
 
 died in 1862, aged 96. Thaddcus Billings settled on the farm now 
 owned by John Allen, and owned all the land reaching to and includ- 
 ing the farm where Calvin Webster now lives. He gave the land 
 for the burying ground on " Billings Hill." Ebenezer McGregory, at 
 whose house pastor Storrs used frequently to preach, settled where 
 Elliott B. Markham now lives, 93 years ago ; he built a log house in 
 the wilderness and the first winter kept his cattle on brush. He was 
 a blacksmith and used to make nails for the government. He married 
 Susan Bradley from Tolland, Conn. His sons were Ebenezer and 
 Joseph ; his daughters', Susan, Thankful, Hannah, and Lucina. The 
 name Ebenezer continued in the family to the fifth generation. 
 
 Timothy Brown settled near where Warren Frost's house stands. 
 He died without issue 56 years ago. Dea. Abial Pease was a prom- 
 inent business man in the early history of the town. He lived to a 
 great age and died without issue. Jacob Hills settled in the wilder- 
 ness near Watchoag brook, where his son Solomon's widow now 
 lives, 97 years of age. He built a cabin of poles, and after living 
 in it a number of years built a log house which he occupied until 
 1811, when he built the frame house occupied by his son's family. 
 He was in the Revolutionary war, and present at the execution of 
 Andre. He married Naoma Bishop of Wilbraham. They had a 
 family of nine children, some of whom are still living. Joseph Scott 
 came from Brookline, Mass., and settled on the hill where his daughter 
 Eunice now lives. Israel Swetland settled on the farm where Calvin 
 Kibbe lives, and was probably one of the first proprietors. His 
 daughter, Mrs. Hannah Hall, recently died at the age of* 86. 
 
 The Dwights of East Longmeadow were descendants of Nathaniel, 
 eldest son of Timothy Dwight of Dedham ; the Springfield Dwights 
 being the descendants of Henry, the fourth son of Timothy. Elihu 
 Dwight settled on Pecowsic Brook, in 1784. It is said of him, "A 
 very honest man but much set in his way ; a quaint old Puritan, of 
 as strong likes and dislikes as any Dwight ever had." The " Dwight 
 place " was bought for about 83 cents per acre. Elisha Dwight 
 used to bring his family to church in an ox-cart, the custom also 
 of some others. In his old age, he joined the Baptists, and one 
 of his " dislikes " came near preventing his profession of faith. 
 Standing upon the banks of Scantic river when his turn came to 
 go into the water for baptism, he seemed strangely reluctant. Fixing 
 his gaze upon the stream and shaking his staff in a mysterious man- 
 ner, he would not move. " Come," said Elder Atwell, in a persuasive
 
 148 
 
 tone. But the old man, still gazing into the untried depths would not 
 stir. Finally he broke the mysterious pause. " Paul Langdon killed 
 three big water-snakes right there last June ! " But having reassured 
 himself by sundry vigorous passes in the water with his staff, he sub- 
 mitted to the proprieties of the case. His son, Oliver, carried on the 
 coopering business in connection with his farm. He left the old 
 church and joined the Baptist because of his " strong dislike " towards 
 the " seating " arrangement of the committee who " dignified the 
 house." He taught school in " district No. 4," for $4.00 per month. 
 His son, the late Oliver Dwight, carried on for many years the tanning 
 business. 
 
 Elam Hale owned the first one-horse wagon in East Longmeadow, 
 and Dea. Ebenezer Burt the first chaise, about 1812. An Enfield 
 man having been injured by a fall from his wagon in descend- 
 ing Burt's Hill, so that he was laid up in a neighboring house 
 for several weeks, and his condition forbidding his riding in a wagon 
 without springs, his Enfield neighbors came one Sunday and carried 
 him home on their shoulders. The house now owned by Joseph 
 Nichols is the oldest in the eastern part of the town. As late as 
 1820, there were only five painted houses, and these were painted red. 
 Carpets were unknown, and stoves very rare. 
 
 Grindstones were furnished from the quarries for the government, 
 until superseded by the Nova Scotia stone. Coopering was carried 
 on by Solomon and Luther Hills, who also ran a saw-mill. A fulling- 
 mill and several cider-mills were also numbered among the manu- 
 factures, and cider-brandy was not neglected. The inhabitants of the 
 eastern part of the town claimed and maintained their equal rights 
 in school privileges, in military affairs, in town offices, and in the 
 administration of the gospel, and shared in the support of a public 
 library which was located in the street. At a later day they estab- 
 lished a library of their own. Pastors Williams and Storrs were 
 assiduous in their pastoral visitations in this portion of the united 
 parish and frequently held preaching services in private houses. 
 About 1820 the arrangement was consummated of holding the 
 elections alternately in each part of the town. In 1882, a spacious 
 Town Hall was provided by votes of the town, in the upper story of a 
 new school building, and built at the center of the east village, of the 
 native sandstone, by Norcross & Brothers, at a cost of $7,000. The 
 recent increase of private buildings stimulated by the quarries and 
 the new Railroad station, gives fresh evidence of the growing thrift 
 and properous outlook of East Longmeadow.
 
 149 
 
 E. SELECTIONS FROM PRECINCT AND TOWN RECORDS. 
 
 During the seventy years of the Longmeadow Settlement no Records 
 appear to have been kept distinct from those of Springfield, of which it was 
 an integral part. Its separate precinct records, commencing in 1714, are 
 contained in two square octavo volumes, which are curiosities of ancient 
 binding and chirography. One is a Book of Records of Precinct Meetings 
 the other of the accounts of the Prudential Committees. The latter 
 bears on its fly-leaf the inscription, " The Comm te for the Prudential Aff" 
 of Longmeadow precinct in Springfield. Thare Book." The authority for 
 its purchase is found upon page 17 of the .Book of Precinct Records. " Voat- 
 ted to purchas a book for the Committee for the prudential afairs of the 
 precinct to keep the accompts of the precinct in from time to time ; and by 
 the voatt of the precinct the prefent Commute were ordered to Doe itt on 
 the charge of the Precinct." Both are strongly bound in flexible hide. The 
 records of the first century of Town history are contained in two large folio 
 volumes of more modern make, and those of the Parishes in still separate vol- 
 umes. Besides these there is a Road Book, as it is called, containing the record 
 of the doings of the Springfield Committee who originally " modeled " the 
 Longmeadow Settlement on the hill, including the individual " grants " as well 
 as the highway " lay-outs," besides many other documentary records. 
 
 It is the aim of the following selections from all of these Record books 
 to group them in such a way as to tell successive stories of Town history 
 as nearly as may be in the words of our fathers themselves. 
 
 The work of deciphering and collating such ancient manuscripts is no light 
 one, as all who have attempted it know full well ; but there is a raciness and 
 flavor in the result which amply repays. The incessant challenge which such 
 documentary history necessarily makes upon the imagination of the reader to 
 link the votes together in the unity of the actual occurrences, is far more stim- 
 ulating than the passive reception into his mind of the historian's narrative. 
 These votes are the collective utterances of our fathers themselves their 
 very words and have all the piquancy of actual dialogue and direct quota- 
 tion, over diffuse narrative and oblique translation. Reviewing such a series 
 of votes and reading between their lines, we seem to see our ancestors them- 
 selves enacting before us the drama of their real lives, and to become partici- 
 pants in their passing thoughts and plans. Their policy, their strategy, 
 and all their phases of character become evident and real to us, as no mere 
 description of arlother could make them. 
 
 Our pioneer ancestors were as independent and original in their spelling 
 as in their character, or as the most ardent of modern phonetic reformers
 
 150 
 
 could desire but not one whit more so than the most celebrated literary 
 characters of those, or slightly earlier, times. Modern precisians who may be 
 inclined to disrespect them on account of their independence in this regard 
 may properly be reminded of Coleridge's dictum in another application ; 
 " Until you understand your opponent's ignorance, presume yourself ignorant 
 of his understanding." 
 
 Shakespere is said to have spelled his own name in thirty different ways. 
 Queen Elizabeth spelled the word ' sovereign ' in seven. The Duchess of 
 Norfolk, an accomplished lady of the 1 6th century, writes thus to the Earl of 
 Essex : " My ffary gode lord. Her I fand you in Tokyn hoff the neweyer 
 a glafs of Setyl fet in Sellfer gyld." 1 pra you tak it. An hy wer habel 
 hit fhowlde be bater." And to give no further illustrations, Tyndale in his 
 translation of the New Testament spells the little word " it " in the follow- 
 ing seven different ways : " Itt yt ytt hit hitt hyt hytt." * With 
 this explanation the following extracts from the Longmeadow Ancient 
 Records are submitted to the reader : 
 
 THE BUILDING OF THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE. 
 
 Just as the Gospel Ministry was the crystalizing thought of the Precinct 
 organization, so the story of its Meeting-House is by far the most important 
 in its history. It is simply wonderful to see to what an extent the thought, 
 the affection, and the action of the Longmeadow Precinct concentrated 
 itself upon its Meeting-House. Delete from its Record Book all those votes 
 which have reference directly or indirectly to this, and the residuum would 
 be of very minor amount and importance. The following are a few of 
 them, consecutively arranged in such a way as to tell, of themselves, 
 
 THE STORY OF THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSF, 
 from its commencement in 1714, to its sale in 1769: 
 
 April 26, 1714. Voated, To proceed in building of a meeting-hous, and to accom- 
 plifli it so far as to Raise fliinglc and Clabbord the fame by the firft day of January next 
 infuingj having a regard to the tennor of the agreement made by thofe that gave their in- 
 tereft in the meeting hous Timber. 
 
 April 26, 1714. Voated, that the meeting hous fliould be built Thirty Eight foots 
 fquare,' if the Timber that is already gotten will allow it, or if this Timber be too leant to 
 make it fumthing less. As to the place of fetting up or railing laid Meeting-hous, it was 
 voated it fhould be left to the determination of the prefent Committee. Nath 1 Burt Jun. 
 Sam 1 Keep, Thomas Haile, Thomas Colton Jun. and Samuel Stebbins were chofen a 
 Committee to take care to provide workmen and materials to carry on the work of the 
 f d Meeting-hous to that maturity and by the Time as afor sd . 
 
 * Cornhill Magazine, May, 1876.
 
 October 1 1, 1714. Hon rd Col. Pynchon being chofen Moderator for faid meeting, and 
 for all futch meetings when prefent among us Voted to Raife and Gather the fum of one 
 hundred and twenty pounds for the Defraying the charge of building the meeting-hous. 
 Daniel Cooley, Sam 1 Keep and George Colton were chofen as Truftees to receive the faid 
 fum granted, and to have the approbation of three of the Committee within the precinc~l 
 for the difpenfing and paying out of the f d fum, Viz Capt. Colton, Serg* Jofeph Cooley, 
 and George Colton. 
 
 It was furder voated the prefent Committee for the carrying on the work of the 
 meeting hous fhould profeed to provide for and to lay the floore, and doo fum part of the 
 walling and to fet up the Doors and other neceffaries of the meeting hous for our meeting 
 in it. 
 From a record on the fly leaf of the Committee Book it appears that, 
 
 "The year 1714 there was a Rate amounting to the fum of one hundred and twenty 
 four pounds four fhillings and one pence delivered to Nath 1 Blifs Collector to gather to de- 
 fray the charges arifing for the building the meeting house. 
 
 THOMAS COLTON. NATHANIEL BURT 2 nd Com." 
 
 February 10, 1715. Voated, to chufe and appoint a Committee to carry on the work 
 of the meeting hous to the finifhing and compleating of the fame Except the Galeries 
 by the Month of April, which will be in the year 1716. 
 
 That the house was already used for worship, although incomplete, is 
 shown by the following vote from the Committee's Book, providing for its 
 weekly care : 
 
 March y e 22d Ano. 1 7 if. We then agreed with Margaret Cooley to fweep the meet- 
 ing houfe for one year from this date, and to give her feventeen fhillings if there be no 
 worke don in the meeting hous ; for eighteen ("hillings if there be any confiderable. 
 
 NATH' BURT 2 nd SAML KEEP 2 nd THOMAS BLISS. 
 
 September 3, 1716. Furder Voated that the Committee for the meeting hous fhould 
 profeed to lay the Joyce and fome bords for a floor in the Galery of the Meeting-hous. 
 
 November 2, 1722. Voatted to Raife the fum of two pounds for to procure fum bords 
 and gice for the laying the gallery floor and fum other work in the meeting-hous. 
 
 March n, 1728. Voatted thatt Dea n Natth 1 Burtt: En: Keep and Ser nt Haille Should 
 be a committee to Do Sum Work in the meeting hous j that is, to make flairs in to the 
 Gallery and to Lay the Gallery floar and faw under the banifters Round the Gallery and to 
 plain the Gice and under fide of the flore of the Gallery. 
 
 April 3, 1729. It was Determined by Voat to Repaire the meeting hous fo far as is 
 needfull : and to finifh the wall of the meeting hous with Lath and plafter and white 
 wafh and lay the floore and plafter the clabords with Lime in the Bell Chamber. 
 
 October 26, 1730. Granted the Sum of twenty five pounds ten fhillings for Defraying 
 the Charge of Repaireing and finifhing the meeting hous. 
 
 Granted to Decon Nath 1 Burtt one pounde twelve fhillings and fixpenfe for making flairs 
 into the Bell Chamber. 
 
 October 3, 1732. Voted to raife the fum of twenty pounds for Defraying the charge of 
 finifhing the Gallery in the meeting hous and fum other work that is to be Don as provide- 
 ing and laying fteping ftones and laying the floore in the weft of the meeting hous. 
 
 October 5, 1733. Voated to Raife the Sum of ten pounds to defray the charge that 
 
 2O
 
 hath been expended on work about the meeting hous" ; and Sum work that is yet to be 
 Don partly by the Com tee of the meeting hous and partly by the precindt Com tee ; as laying 
 fteping ftones at the meeting hous dores, and laying gravel or clay or fomething of that na- 
 ture, to preferve the underpining from foundering by the blowing away of the fand, and 
 also the precindt Com tee to Draw out money out of the treafurery to defray this charge. 
 
 March 12, 1722. Voated that the Committee of the precindt fhall take the care of 
 fecureing the meeting hous and Repaire itt att the corners of the underpining outt fide 
 whar the wind hath blown away the fand. 
 
 March 10, 1740. Votted to cover the pulpit Cufhen with Green plufh and that the pre- 
 cindt Com tee take care to Doe itt and to Draw money out of the precindt Treafury to De- 
 fray the charge. 
 Which is supplemented by the following entry on the Committee Book : 
 
 March id, 1740. Mr. Timothy Nafh. Cr. 
 
 By 4 yds Green Plufh to Cover the Pulpit Cufhion 7 oo oo s d 
 
 By 10. yds of filk . . . . . 0136 7136 
 
 Also, November 16, 1741. Granted to Mr. Nafh five fhillings for an hower glafs. 
 
 November 2, 1743- Voted that the Committe that were chofen to pave Round the 
 meeting hous do it as follows : to wit 5 foots wide on the eaft fide and on the weft fide and 
 on the fouth fide ; and on the north fide 3 foots wide. 
 
 Aug. 24, 1743. Voted to make two glafs windows on the North fide of the meeting 
 Hous on each fide of the pulpit and the precindt Commitee to accomplifh it. 
 
 December 9, 1754. Voted that David Burt John Hale and Serg* Sam 1 Keep be a 
 Comt ee Impowered to View and Buy the Shingle that Deacon Burt Deacon Ely and Jofiah 
 Cooley Have Already Got, or May further Get to Cover the Roof of the Meeting Houle, 
 or to Procure Shingle for the afore sd use Other Where If they Cant Agree with the Above 
 Mentioned Perfons. 
 
 March 24, 1755. Voted that The Roof of the Meeting Houfe be New Covered with 
 Shingle this Prefent year and alfo the Waift in f d Roof Boarded. Voted that Jonathan 
 Stebbins, Deacon Nath 1 Ely and Deacon Nath 1 Burt be a Comt ee to Profecute f d Work 
 and Provide what is further NecefTary therefor.. 
 
 May. 5, 1755. Voted That the Comt ee Chofen March 24 1755 to Profecute the Cov- 
 ering the Roof of the Meeting Houfe and the Waift in f d Roof Ceafe from Profecuting 
 f d Work for this Year or till further Orders from the Precindt. 
 
 December 5, 1755. v 'ed That Enfign Colton be a Comt ee in the Room or Stead of 
 L* Nath el Burt Dec'd to Joyne MefTrs Jonathan Stebbins and Deacon Nath el Ely who 
 were chofen a Commitee March 24 1755 to Profecute the Covering the Meeting Houfe 
 as in f d vote is expreffed and Provide what is further NecefTary Therefor The above Com tee 
 are Defired to Provide as Soon as May be Every thing Necelfary for the Covering I' 1 Houfe 
 Both the Body and Roof. 
 
 January 3, 1759. Voted that the Meeting Houfe in faid Precindt fhall be New Covered 
 in Whole or in Part. Voted that the f d Meeting Houfe fhall be Covered in the Whole 
 Both the Body and the Roof as foon as Conveniently Can be the Enfuing Year. Voted 
 that Dea" Nath el Ely Capt Simon Colton John Hale Jun r Jonathan Stebbins and Josiah 
 Cooley be a Comt ee to Take the Whole Care to Profecute and Effect the Covering f d 
 Houfe. Voted that the Com tee Confider of and make Report to this Meeting in What
 
 153 
 
 form f d Houfe fliall be Covered and then take fuch further Inftrudions from f d Meeting as 
 they fliall ^hink Needful to Give them in f d Affair. 
 
 January 29, 1759. The Queftion being put Whether the Report of the Com for 
 Repairing the Meeting Houfe brought into this meeting dated Jany 23, 1759 fliall be ac- 
 cepted. It paffed in the Negative. 
 
 Voted that the Comt ee .... are Impowered to Repair the Roof and Body of 
 the f d Meeting Houfe by Patching the fame Where it Needs as foon as Conveniently May 
 be at the Precindls Coft. 
 
 April i, 1763. Voted That Jofiah Dwight Efq. Dea n Nath 1 Brewer and Dea n Jon- 
 athan White be defired to give us their advife about Repairing our meeting houfe or build- 
 ing a new one. Voted that John Hale, Dea n Nath 1 Ely and Jonathan Stebbins be a 
 Comt ee to inform the above f d Gent n of this vote, and defire them to lend us their 
 Affiftance in f d afair and To Reprefent the fame Unto them and obtain their Judgment 
 thereon. 
 
 The result of this advice seems to have been the building of a new Meet- 
 ing-House, and the passage of this final vote after its* completion, in respect 
 to the old one : 
 
 January 6, 1769. Voted that the Comt ee Chofen for Building the New Meeting Houfe 
 be Impowerd to Difpofe of the Old Meeting Houfe for the ufe of the Precinct in fuch time 
 and manner as they fliall think beft. 
 
 THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OLD SQUARE PEWS 
 
 in the first Meeting-House seems to have been a delicate matter and the occa- 
 sion of no little discussion : 
 
 March 7, 1748. Voted that the two hind feats in the meeting houfe be taken up and 
 in the room of them to make three pews. 
 
 November i, 1749. Voted to Chufe a Com tee to build three Pews at the Lower End of 
 the body of the Seats in Y e Meeting hous according to a former vote made in that Affaire 
 to wit Simon Colton, Deacon Burt and David Burt 2 nd ware the men that ware chofen. 
 
 November i, 1749. Votted to chufe a committee to build three pews at the Lower End 
 of the body of the Seats as was agreed on by a former vote ; and Simon Colton, Deacon 
 Burt and David Burt 2 nd be the com tee as aforef d and to make Ufe of half a foot of the 
 Alley for that purpofe. 
 
 December 4, 1749. Voted to Raife the Sum often pounds old tenor to be Laid in the 
 Treafury for contingent Charges out of which to pay the charge of building the pews. 
 
 December 4, 1749. Voted that the middle pew that is to be maid at the lower end of 
 the body of the meeting houfe be for the ufe of the Rev nd M r Williams family and that 
 this pew be raifed five or fix inches from the flore not exceeding fix inches. 
 
 March 5, 1754. Voted that There be Three Pews Built in the Body of the Meeting 
 Houfe Adjoyning to the Pews Laft Built there at the Charge of the Precindl and that three 
 Seats through Adjoyning as aforef d be granted for the Ufe of Building f 4 Pews and an Ally 
 for Conveniency to Go into them. 
 
 March 25, 1754. Voted that Simon Colton and Deacon Nath el Burt be Joyned to John 
 Hale Caleb Cooley and Deliverance Atchinfon who were Chofen a Comt ee March 5 th 
 1754 to Build Three other Pews in the Body of f d Houfe and that the before Named Per- 
 fons be a Comt ee to Build the whole of f d Pews in the Body of f d Houfe.
 
 154 
 
 March 25, 1754. Voted that there be Three Pews Built in the Body of the Meeting 
 Houfe Adjoyning to the Alley by the Pulpit in the Room of the foremoft Seats there at 
 the PrecincVs Coft and that f d Pews be Shaped and Situated and Built by a Comt ee to be 
 Chofen for that Purpofe. 
 
 March 24, 1755. Voted That the Committy be Defired to Raife the Benches in 
 thofe Pews in the Meeting Houfe where they are needed at the Charge of the Precinct. 
 
 THE SEATING OR " DIGNIFYING " 
 
 of the Meeting-House, was also the occasion of numerous votes, and of more 
 or less jealous feeling : 
 
 March 12, 1716. Voated that the Seats for the Women fhould be on the Weft fide of 
 the Meeting hous. 
 
 October 26, 1730. Voated : to chufe a Comt ee to value the meeting hous feats. Voated 
 that the pew that is on the weft fide of the Great Dores fliall be for the improvement of 
 the minifters family to fit in. 
 
 November 2, 1730. The Comt ee chofen to Dignifie the feetts in the meeting hous 
 brougt in a map in to the precindtt of there Doings which was excepted by a voat with 
 alterations which map lies in the Clerk's office. Voted to chufe nine men as a comt ee 
 to feat the meeting hous. 
 
 December 4, 1749. At this meeting the featers prefented a Lift of there Seating to the 
 precinct which was not excepted but voted that the feators aforef d take the work into their 
 own hands again having no regard to what is already done as to their former work but to 
 Doom the feats as they think beft and to feat the meeting houfe as they think proper. 
 
 April 8, 1754. At a Precindlt meeting Thomas Blifs 2 nd was Chofen Moderator After 
 Confideration and Debate the Queftion was Put Whether the Meeting Would Nullifie the 
 Vote Paft at the Laft Meeting April II th 1754 to accept the Report of the Comt ee Chofen 
 to Seat the Meeting Houfe Refolved in the Negative. 
 
 November 20, 1769. Voted that the Comt ee be Defired to wait on the Rev. M r 
 Williams and Know His Pleafure what Pew in the Meeting Houfe He Choofes for 
 his Family to Sit in. 
 
 November 20, 1769. Voted That Meffers Moses Field, Jon a Stebbins, Dea n Nath 1 
 Ely, Jon a Hale, Sam 1 Colton 2 nd Dea n Colton and Jon a Burt 2 nd be a Comt ee to feat the 
 Meeting Houfe and Make Report to this Meeting. 
 
 February 19, 1799. Voted that W m Colton John Hale and Nath 1 Ely be a. Jl an ding 
 Comt ee to provide feats in the meeting houfe for any perfons who are or may come into 
 town and fhall defire fuch feats or for any new married people who fhall alfo defire fuch 
 feats in the lower part of the Meeting Houfe. 
 
 THE BEATING OF A DRUM 
 
 was, for many years, the somewhat incongruous appointed signal of assem- 
 bling for public worship, as appears by numerous votes similar to the following : 
 May i, 1722. Lef ntt Colton being chofen moderator for f d meeting itt was Voated to 
 have a fign of beetting the Drum for Seafonable afembling on the Sabbath for the Space 
 of one year and thatt the Comt ee fhould take the care to provide the fign as aforf d on the 
 charge of the precin&t.
 
 155 
 
 By an entry in the Committee Book it appears that this vote was immedi- 
 ately carried out by the Committee : 
 
 June 12, 1722. Then the Comt ee agreed with Nath 1 Bliss Jr. to beat the Drum every 
 Sabbath day from this date till the twenty fouth day of March next Infewing this date for 
 y e sum of ten /hillings. 
 
 April i, 1724. It was voated to have a fign in order to attend the public worfliip ot 
 God att the meeting houfe, and it was Determined by Voat that the Beet of the Drum 
 fhall be the fign for this prefent year and that the Comt ee for the precinftt fhall Take 
 Care to provide the fign aforef d on the charge of the precinftt. 
 
 January 7, 1729. Voated that the Comt ee Draw outt of the Treafury the mony that 
 was expended for mending the Drum if it be there to find : and be Difpofed of to Tim? 
 Nash. 
 
 THE PURCHASE OF A BELL 
 
 was a matter, the consideration of which seems to have extended over a 
 period of several years : 
 
 April 19, 1728. At this meeting it was Determined by Voat to have a Bell for the 
 meeting hous the price not exceeding the fum of fifty pounds in mony ; and alfo voated that 
 the Comt ee for the prudentiall afairs of the precinftt fhall take the care to make inquiry 
 where a Bell may be had and for what price and to make Return to the precinftt of what 
 information they may obtain and if the comt ee afore sd can find a meeting hous Bell that is 
 convenient and fuitable for the meeting hous, and not exceeding the price of fifty pounds 
 that they fhould try and procure itt for the precinftt. 
 
 November 3, 1742. Voted to Raife the fum of one hundred and fifty pounds to pro- 
 cure a meeting houfe Bell for the ufe of the precincT: old tennor, 100 < to be Raifed this 
 year and 50 pounds the Next. 
 
 November 3, 1742. Voted to chufe a Comt ee to Procure a Bell as aforef d and thofe 
 that ware chofen for that purpofe ware E n Stebbins M r Nafh and Simon Colton. 
 
 January 10, 1743. Voted to forbid the Comt M r E n Stebbins M r Nafh, and Simon 
 Colton taking any further care or pains to Procure a Bell as aforef d . 
 
 January 5, 1744. Voted to raife the fum of one hundred and fifty pounds in publick 
 bils of Credit old tenor for procuring and purchafing a meeting hous bell as aforef d . Voted 
 that E n Stebbins, Tim>" Nafli and Simon Colton be a comt" to procure the Bell aforef d . 
 
 January 25, 1744. At a precindlt meeting for prizing Grain to Defray precinftt charges 
 and for granting money to procuring a Meeting Houfe Bell &c Voted to Gitt a meeting 
 houfe Bell for the use of the precindtt. 
 
 The bell was certainly procured about this time, for in the Committee 
 Book appears the following entry : 
 
 December 6, 1744. Upon a meeting of the Comt ee we agreed with Eben r Blifs 2 nd to 
 ring the bell for one year on the Sabbath. SAML KEEP JuN r . EPHRAIM COLTON 2 nd . 
 
 February 19, 1799. [The Town] voted that MefTrs Hezekiah Hale Elijah Burt and 
 Nath 1 Ely Jun r be a Comt ee to procure a new Bell for the meeting Houfe in exchange for 
 the old Bell or otherwife as they fhall find to be mod advantageous for the Town. 
 
 August 29, 1803. Voted that Jabez Colton, Capt Ethan Ely and Col. Gideon, Burt be 
 a Comt ee to procure the Meeting Houfe Bell to, be recaft. 
 
 December 13, 1808. Voted that the fum of one hundred and twenty five Dollars be 
 paid out of the money in the Hands of the Town Treafurer to procure for the Town a New
 
 156 
 
 Meeting Houfe Bell weighing one thoufand one Hundred pounds or more, provided that for 
 that fum and the prefent Meeting Houfe Bell, and alfo with the money which may be obtained 
 by subfcriptions from individual Perfons, a good new Meeting Houfe Bell of the f d uoo lbs 
 weight or more {hall be procured for and fhall be the property of this Town. 
 
 May i, 1809. Voted to grant the fum of Fifty dollars to procure a New Meeting 
 Huufe Bell in addition to the fum of $125 Granted December 13, 1808. 
 
 The bell having been rung so violently as to crack it in the tumultuous 
 joy of the inhabitants upon the declaration of peace in 1815, it was voted 
 
 August 21, 1815, that the Town grant the fum of Seventy five Dollars for the purpofe 
 of new calling the Meeting House Bell provided a fum fliall be raifed by Subfcription fuffi- 
 cient to make the Bell as large as it now is. 
 
 THE SECOND OR NEW MEETING-HOUSE. 
 
 More than fifty years had passed from the commencement of the building 
 of the first Meeting House, when the advice of the three Springfield gentle- 
 men, mentioned on page 153, was sought concerning the advisability of its 
 further repair : that advice having been duly given and considered, 
 
 November 5, 1764. the Queftion was put to the Meeting whether the Precinft would 
 proceed to build a New Meeting Houfe for the Publick Worfhip of God, and it was voted 
 in the Affirmative. 
 
 November 30, 1764, the Queftion was Put Whether the Precintt would Build a 
 Wooden Houfe for the Publick Worrtiip of God, and it was voted in the Affirmative. 
 Voted that Dea n Aaron Colton John Hale and Mofes Field be a Comt ee to Inform them- 
 felves of a Sutable Deminfion Both Length Width and Heighth of f d Houfe and alfo a 
 Sutable Deminfion for a Steple to f d Houfe and make Report to this meeting. 
 
 December 6, 1764. Voted that John Hale Cap* Simon Colton and Mofes Field be a 
 Comt ee to make Enquiery and Get the beft Information they Can the Coft of a Brick 
 Meeting Houfe and the Coft of a Wooden Meeting Houfe and make Report to this 
 meeting. 
 
 February 20, 1765. The Queftions were Put to the Meeting Concerning the Meeting 
 Houfe Separately Whether the Parrifli would Repair the Meeting Houfe or Build a New 
 One 5 and they' Both paft in the Negative, 
 
 March 18, 1765. Then the Queftion was Put (agreeable to the Warrant) to the 
 Meeting (viz) Whether they would Repair the Meeting Houfe by Covering the Outfide 
 and it PafTed in the Affirmative. 
 
 January 2, 1766. Voted That the Precindlt of Longmeadow Build a Brick Meeting 
 Houfe for Publick Worfhip Meflrs Nath 1 Ely 2 nd Sam 1 Colton 2 nd Mofes Field Jonathan 
 Stebbins John Hale Simon Colton and Jofiah Cooley to be a Comt ee To Draw up fome 
 Scheem proper to Profecute the Above vote for Building a meeting Houfe and make Re- 
 port to this meeting. , 
 
 January 15, 1766. The Comt eo Repoart was accepted and it was voted to choofe a 
 Comt ee to Profecute the Affair of Building a Brick Meeting Houfe. 
 
 January 15, 1766. Voted that the Brick to Build the above Houfe be made on the 
 Enfueing Summer (as Soon as the Seafon will allow) in the Country Road on Wheel- 
 meadow Brook and That the Above Comt ee Chofen to Carry on the Building f d Houfe are 
 Defired and Directed to Imploy any Perfons able to Work (Belonging to f d Precinftt) that
 
 157 
 
 are Willing to Work or be Imployed in f d Buiffnefs and Give them for their Labour Re- 
 fpectively According to their Labour in the Judgment of f d Comt ee . 
 
 January 15, 1766. Voted that the Wood to Burn f d Brick be Provided as Soon asfliall 
 be thought Convenient in the Judgement of f d Comt ee . 
 
 January 15, 1766. Voted that the Stone to Lay the Foundation of f d Building be Pro- 
 cured in the moft Cheap and Eafy way and as foon as Convenient in the Judgement of f d 
 Comt ee . 
 
 January 15, 1766. Voted that all Perfons that /hall Labour in f d affair More than the 
 Proper Dividend for the Refidue fhal be Obliged to take their Pay in the Produce of the 
 Earth viz Grain Hemp Flax Merchantable bords White Pine Shingles Bief and Pork at 
 Current Market Price and that f d Comt ee Provide good Window timber for f d Houfe as 
 Soon as they Shall Judge Convenient. 
 
 February 26, 1766. Voted thai the Brick Meeting Houfe Voted to beBuiltbe 55 foot in 
 Length and 43 foot in Breadth and the Brick Wall 25 foot High. Voted that the Steple 
 of f d Hous be Built with Brick 14 foot fquare and 50 foot in Height. Voted that the 
 Comt ee Chofen to Provide Materials for f d houfe, be Directed to* Procure a Quantity of 
 Lime in the beft Manner and as foon as they ihall Judge Pioper. 
 
 April 10, 1766. Voted that the vote parted Jany 15 1766 for building a Brick meeting 
 Houfe in f d Precinct be Reconfidered Nullified" and made Void and all other Votes Rela- 
 tive Thereto. 
 
 April 15, 1766.. Voted that the Prefent Standing Meeting Houfe be Repaired and 
 That Mofes Field Jofiah Cooley and Dea n Aaron Colton be a Comt ee to Prosecute f d work. 
 Voted that the Comt ee be and are Directed to Repair f d Houfe by Covering the outfide by 
 Shingling the Roof and Covering the Body of the Houfe and Making New Windows as 
 the Comt" Shall think beft as foon as may be. 
 
 June 3, 1766. Voted that Nehemiah Stebbins and Eleazer Smith be added to the 
 Comt ee Chofen at this Meeting April io th To Profecute the Affair of Repairing the Meet- 
 ing Houfe. Voted that the Money Now in the Pre ct Treafury be appropriated for the 
 ufe of Procuring Materials for the Repairing the Meeting Houfe and be Ordered or Drawn 
 out of the Treafury, by the Precindr. Comt ee as Needed. 
 
 September 18, 1766. Voted that the Parrifh ihall Build a New Timber Meeting Houfe 
 for Publick Worfhip. 
 
 October 30, 1766. Voted That the Length Wedth and Heighth of f d Houfe be as 
 follows (viz) Fifty fix foot in Length and Forty Two foot in Wedth and 25 foot Poft and 
 that the Steple to f d Houfe be 14 foot fquare and 54 foot in Heighth. Voted that the 
 Above Comt ee be Defired to Procure the Timber for f d Houfe in the Moft Advantagous 
 way and Manner for the Precindt and Proceed in f d Businefs the firft moft Convenient 
 Seafon for Cutting Timber and Alfo Procure all or any other Materials NecefTary for the 
 Building f d Houfe in the Moft Suitable Convenient and Expeditious Manner According to 
 the Judgment of f d Comt ee . 
 
 November 24, 1766. Voted that the Comt ee chofen for Profecuting the Building of a 
 Timber Meeting Houfe, be Defired to Draw up a Plan to Profecute the affair and make a 
 Report at an adjourned Meeting. 
 
 December 4, 1766. And the Report of the f d Comt ee was Read, Confidered nd the 
 Question Put Whether the Meeting Would Accept the Same and it was accordingly voted 
 and accepted and the Sums Therein Mentioned was Voted and Granted to be Raifed for 
 f d Ufe in the Manner as Exprefled in f d Report : the Report of the Comt ee is as follows: 
 
 Whereas Wee the Subfcribers are Chofen a Comt ee to Determine and Report a Plan or
 
 158 
 
 Scheem of Operation to Profecute the Building of a Timber Meeting Houfe for Publick 
 Worfhip Report as follows viz that the Comt ee Chofen to Manage f d Affair be Defired to 
 Profecute f d Building as Soon as Poffibly May be in Procureing Timber Stone and all other 
 Material NecefTary for f d Houfe in order that f a Houfe with the Leave of Providence may 
 be Setup and Covered Next Summer and that the PrecincT: Raife the Sum of 67, 18, in 
 money and alfo the fum of 233 to be paid in Labour Grain Bief Pork Good Merchant- 
 able bords White pine Shingles at the Market price. All to he under the Direction of the 
 Comt ee who are to Allow Each Perfon for his Labour in f d BuifTnefs According to the 
 Worth Thereof in there Judgement. 
 
 SIMON COLTON JOHN HALE JONATHAN STEBBINS NATHL ELY 2 d AARON COLTON 
 MOSES FIELD DAVID BURT 3 d , Comt". 
 
 November 28, 1766. Voted That the Affeffors Affefs the Inhabitants of the Precinct 
 the fum of 67-18 in Monny for f d Ufe, and the Sum of 230 in Labour thereon Accord- 
 ing to f d Report and Order the Same into the Treafury. 
 
 June 2, 1767. Voted That the Meeting Houfe now in Building be Set up the North 
 Side of the Old Meeting Houfe as near as Conveniently may be and that f d Houfe be fet 
 the Length way Eaft and Weft with the Steeple to the Weft. Voted that the Comt ee 
 Chofen to Profecute the Building f d Houfe Hire a fuitable Number of Men to Raife f d 
 Houfe at the Charge of the PrecincT:. Voted that f d Comt ee Provide all fuch Refrefti- 
 ments Both Victuals and Drjnk for f d Building as they fhall think Proper at the Coft of f d 
 Precind. 
 
 March 9, 1768. Voted that the Comt ee for the affair of the Meeting Houfe be Defired 
 to Make Enquiry and Get the Beft Information they Can Concerning the Building the 
 Top of the Steple of f d Houfe Whether by Building another Square or Building in the 
 Common Form and Proceed and Finifh f d Steple According to their Judgement. 
 
 April 5, 1768. Voted that the Comt ee Chofen to Build the Meeting Houfe be Impow- 
 ered and Directed to Order the Mony out of the Treafury to Defray the Charges of f d 
 Houfe. 
 
 The Second Meeting-House, as thus finally finished, stood without impor- 
 tant changes for more than half a century. In 1828, however, an extensive 
 remodeling took place, the pulpit being removed from the north side to the 
 east end, the galleries reconstructed on the remaining three sides, the old 
 square pews replaced by more modern slips, and the exterior porches all 
 removed. As thus remodeled, repainted, and gradually provided with 
 blinds, the old church maintained itself for nearly another half century as a 
 conspicuous landmark in its commanding central position on the village green. 
 In 1874, however, to meet a growing public sentiment, and to obtain the ben- 
 efit of legacies conditioned upon its removal from this position, the front portion 
 of the original burying-ground Grant was secured as a new site, to which the 
 still staunch and strongly-knit framework of the old edifice was removed, and 
 wholly clothed upon with new beauty under the advice of a competent 
 architect ; the result being a gem of modern church architecture, still sacredly 
 suffused with the sentiment and associations of the past, and giving promise of 
 continued service for at least another half century period to come. 
 So endeth the story of the Old Longmeadow Meeting-House. 

 
 THE REMODELED LONGMEADOW CHURCH AND THE CHAPEL. 
 A GLIMPSE OF THE OLD BURYING-GROUND IN THE REAR. 
 
 ALL AS SEEN FROM TH E OLD LANDLORD BuRT PL ACS 
 
 ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET ; 
 
 NOW OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY 
 
 MR. JOHN MoFsTHRiEs. 
 DISTANCE FROM THE GOTHIC OATE-POSTS TO THE CHURCH, 
 
 ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED FEET ; 
 
 FORMER MEETING-HOUSE SITE MIDWAY 
 
 THE CHURCH MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN 1874.
 
 159 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS VOTES RESPECTING THE MEETING- HOUSE CARE 
 might be multiplied indefinitely, covering even the minutest details of both 
 the sanctuary and its services, but a few only must suffice : 
 
 February 20, 1765. Voted that there be Some Suitable Perfon Provided Upon the Pre- 
 cincT: Coft to Inftruct us in the Art of Singing And that Dea n Nath 1 Ely Ezra Stebbins and 
 Eleazer Smith be a Comt ee to Hire Some Perfon for f d Purpofe and Have the Whole Reg- 
 ulation of f d affair, and order the Money for the Payment of f d Perfon out of the Treafury. 
 
 May, 1792. Voted that any perfon put curtains at any of the meeting Houfe windows 
 if it be his pleafure. 
 
 To which record some apparently dissatisfied scribe has added the comment, 
 " How much wifer than our Fathers were ! " 
 
 March 8, 1796. Voted that it is the Will and Direction of this town that ten o'clock 
 be the time in the forenoon of beginning Publick Worfhip on the Lord's Days in all the 
 Months of the year except December and January and in thofe months at one half an 
 hour after ten ; And from the firft day of April to the firft day of October the time of begin- 
 ning in the afternoon be at two o'clock. And in the months of October November Feb- 
 uary and March at one half an hour after one o'clock, and in the months of December and 
 January at one o'clock. Provided neverthelefs that the time of beginning Publick Worfliip 
 in the afternoon on thofe Sabbaths on which the Lord's Supper is adminiftered be in all 
 the months at two o'clock. Voted that the Rev M r Storrs be defired to give notice of the 
 aforef d times of beginning Publick worfhip at the different feafons of the year and the per- 
 fon who fhall ring the Meeting Houfe bell is hereby directed to obferve the fame. 
 
 November 4, 1811. Voted that Lieu* W m White M a J Sam 1 Williams Jofiah Cooley 
 Jofeph W. Cooley and Dea n Eben r Burt be a Comt e on behalf of the Town to fee that 
 the feveral Pafs ways into the Aleeting Houfe fhall not be encumbered by people (landing 
 idlely in them and thereby rendering it inconvenient for people paffing in and out of the 
 houfe at times of publick meetings on Sabbaths and other days. Voted that the beforef d 
 Comt ee fhall regulate proceedings at funerals. 
 
 May i, 1815. Voted that the Comt" chofen to provide preaching for the Eaft Part of 
 the Town be alfo a Comt ee to confult with the Rev. Richard S. Storrs on the propriety of 
 altering the time of the intermifiion on the Sabbath. 
 
 April 6, 1810. Voted to grant the fum of Fifty Dollars to defray the expenfe of a 
 Stove fet up in the Meeting Houfe. 
 
 Upon the blowing down of the Church spire in the great gale of 1821 the 
 Parish voted as follows, viz.: 
 
 April a, 1822. Voted to repair the Spire of the Meeting Houfe the prefent feafon. 
 Alfo that a Comt ee of three be chofen to devife and prepare a plan for repairing the fame 
 and make their report at the next or adjourned meeting of the Parish. 
 
 May 6, 1822. Voted to accept the report of the Comt ee chofen to devife a plan 
 for repairing the Spire to the Meeting Houfe, which report was made verbally as follows 
 viz That the Spire be repaired by fplicing the fame with a ftick of timber fo as to raife the 
 fame as high as it was before it was broken and that an Iron fpindje be put in the Timber 
 to fix the weather vane upon the Vane alfo to be repaired and the Spire to be pawned as 
 far down as the walk. Voted that the Comt ee be requefted to proceed and repair the Spire 
 according to their report. Voted to grant the fum of one hundred dollars to defray the 
 expenfe of repairing the Spire to the Meeting Houfe. 
 21
 
 i6o 
 
 GROUND-FLOOR OF THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE, LONGMEADOW, MASS.
 
 SMALL BOYS. 
 
 SMALL GIRLS. 
 
 GALLERY OF THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE, LONGMEADOW, MASS.
 
 l62 
 
 VOTES IN REGARD TO SCHOOL MATTERS 
 
 abound throughout the Precinct and Town Records. A few selections are 
 made : 
 
 September 30, 1714. Voated to Gitt or have a fchool-mafter to Teach or Learn our chil- 
 dren to Read and Write, perfuant to a vote of the Town bearing date May 30, 1706. It 
 was furder voated that the prefent Cornt 80 for the prudential affairs of y" precinct fliould 
 take care to provide futch a fchoolmafter for us as aforf d voted. 
 
 Which is supplemented by the following agreement from the Committee 
 Book : 
 
 Whereas the town of Springfield have given liberty for the inhabitants of Longmeadow 
 to git a Schoolmafter to teach there children to Read and Write, and alfo that the inhabit- 
 ants of Longmeadow have ordered the Comt ee for management of the prudential affairs of 
 the precinct that they provide fuch a fchoolmafter from time to time. According to f d 
 vote, with y e approbat'un of the Selectmen of the town of Springfield we doe agree with 
 M r James Gareld to keep the fchool in Longmeadow for the fpace of half a year from the 
 date hereof and for his faithfully attending the work of Schoolmafter in Longmeadow for 
 the fpace aforef d wee promife to give him the fum of fifteen pounds in own pay or eleven 
 pounds ten millings in money of which as the town of Springfield pleafe, unto the true 
 performance of which we do fet our hands this nineteenth day of March. 1717. 
 
 JAMES GERALD. NATH' BURT 2 nd SAML KEEP THOMAS BLISS 2 nd . 
 
 The following vote preceded the building of the Old Brick School-House, 
 so familiar to all Longmeadow people during the first half of the present 
 century : 
 
 March 8,1791. Voted that the new School Houfe (of the middle Diftrict) be fet 35 
 rods fouth of the Meeting Houfe in the middle of the ftreet. Voted to Grant the fum of 
 12,0 to the Middle School Diftrict for the purpofe of building a houfe for the ufe of 
 fchools and other occafional purpofes of the Town. 
 
 The proper care of the school fund derived from the donation of Mr. 
 Nathaniel Burt, often engaged the attention of the Precinct : 
 
 December 18, 1751. At a Precinct Meeting Dea n Jonathan Ely was Chofen Modera- 
 tor. Voted that M r Stephen Keep be impowered to Make Serch for and bring to 
 the Meeting (If it can be found) a Certain Deed from M r Nath 1 Burt Dec d to the Pre- 
 cinct of Longmeadow of a Tract of Land in f d Precinct Called the School Lot. 
 
 December 19, 1751. Voted that Jonathan Stebbins Clerk of f d Precinct Be Impow- 
 ered to Put on Record in the County Regifter, at the Coft of the Precinct a Deed of Gift 
 from M r Nath 1 Burt Dec d of Twenty Acres of Land Towards the Support of the School 
 in the Precinct of Longmeadow. Voted that Eben r Blifs Sam 1 Keep and Simon Colton 
 be a Comt ee to Enquire into and See upon What Terms the School Lot in f d Precinct May 
 be Leafed for and Make Report to Some future Meeting. 
 
 December 5, 1755. Voted that Enf n Simon Colton Dea n Nath 1 Ely and Jonathan Steb- 
 bins Serg 1 Sam 1 Keep and John Hale Jun r be a Comt ee to fell and difpofe of the School 
 Land Given to the Inhabitants of the Precinct of Longmeadow for the Support of a School 
 forever by M r Nath 1 Burt dec d and f d Cornt" are Impowered to give Proper Conveyances 
 and Security for f d Land in the Name and Behalf of the Precinct and Take Good aad 
 Sufficient Security in the Name of f d Precinct for f d Land for the ufe of a fund.
 
 163 
 
 February 20, 1756. Voted that the Bonds taken for the Security of the money the 
 fchool land was fold for be in the Name and Lodg d in the Hands of M r Jon a Stebb 8 
 Treasurer for the ufe of the Precinct and the Intereft of f d money to be difpofed of by 
 f" Precinct from time to time according to the true Define thereof as they ftiall think 
 beft. 
 
 March 24, 1757. Voted that Dea n Nath 1 Ely be Collector and Receiver of the Intereft 
 Money Due to the Precinct of Longmeadow by Vertue of the fale of the fchool land 
 Given to the Precinct by M r Nath 1 Burt Dec d and that the f d Collector Pay out the Same 
 from time to time as the Precinct Comt ee Shall Direct for the ufe of the School in f d Pre- 
 cinct. Voted that the Bonds Given for the Security of the aforef d Money to and in the 
 Name of Jonathan Stebbins Treafu r for the Ufe aforef d and One Bond Given to Cap 1 
 Simon Colton and Lieu* Nath 1 Ely for the Ufe aforef d Be all Lodged in the Care of the 
 Aforef d Nath 1 Ely. 
 
 April 7, 1800. Voted to choofe a Comt ee of five, Viz Jabez Colton Jolhua Trafk 
 Tho s Huntington Hezekiah Hale and Ethan Ely, whofe duty it mall be at convenient 
 times to vifit the feveral fchools and attend to their regulations, and alfo fee that no teacher 
 keeps a fchool for any confiderable time without their approbation and the approbation of 
 the minifter of the Town, as well qualified to keep fuch a fchool as the f d teacher ap- 
 proved engages to keep. Voted that to excite an Engagednefs for Learning the Comt ee 
 chofen to infpect fchools, by order of the felectmen be allowed out of the Town Treafury 
 a fum of money not exceeding feven Dollars to purchafe proper Premiums to be beftowed 
 as honorary, upon fuch fchollars who ftiall make the beft progrefs in the feveral Branches 
 of Learning during the Term in which any fchool is kept. 
 
 THE CHANGE FROM PRECINCT TO TOWN ORGANIZATION 
 
 was not effected without prolonged agitation, and against the usual opposition 
 in such matters. The earliest record upon the subject is the following from 
 the Precinct Book, some thirty years after the Precinct incorporation : 
 
 "At a Precinct meeting April 1741 to Receive the Repoart of a Comt ee Chofen to 
 Confider whether it is beft to have this precinct Set of a Diftinct Town three of the Comt ee 
 aforef d being prefent, they Report that it was the minds of the Comt ee al things confid- 
 erd not to perfew that afaire at prefent. Which Report was excepted by the Precinct." 
 
 This seems to have settled the matter for another period of thirty years, 
 when, in 1772, an agitation was again revived, which resulted, after ten 
 years, in the desired change. 
 
 February 10, 1772, a meeting was held "to fee Whether the Precinft Were Defirous 
 to be fet off from the Town of Springfield as a Diftinct Town or Diftrict with all the 
 Priviledges of a Town or Diftrict by Law with Such Bounds as they Now have as a Par- 
 rifhj alfo Such proportion of Moneys in the Town Treafury or any Other Matter or 
 Things Relating thereto as is Common or Reafonable in Such Cafes ; and It Pafled in the 
 affirmative. A Comt ee was chofen to Prepare and Prefer a Petition to the Town of Spring- 
 field for that Purpofe at the Next Annual March Meeting. 
 
 March 27, 1772. Voted that there be a Comt ee Chofen to Prefer a Petition to the 
 Great and General Court of the Province to Pray f d Court to Set oft" the Parrifh of Long- 
 meadow in Springfield from f" Town a Diftinct or Separate Town or Diftrict and Proceed
 
 164 
 
 in f 1 Affair as to Time and Manner According to their beft Judgment. Cap* Simon Col- 
 ton, Dea n Nath 1 Ely Dea n Aaron Colton Enf n Sam 1 Williams and Jon a Stebbins were 
 Chofen a Comt ee for f" Purpofe. 
 
 April 9, 1773. Voted that Dea n Nath 1 Ely, Cap* Simon Colton, and Dea n Aaron Col- 
 ton Be a Comt" to wait on the Comt ee Chofen by the Town of Springfield to look into 
 and Confider the Circumftances of the town and Reprefent to f d Cornt" the Situation that 
 we in this Parifh ftand in to the Town in Order that Longmeadow May be Set off from f d 
 Town as a Separate Town or Diftridil. 
 
 December 13, 1773. The Queftion was Put whether the Precinct were Defireous to 
 be Set off from the Town of Springfield a Diftindl Town or Diftrict. And it was Voted 
 in the Affirmative. 
 
 December 31, 1773. Voted That the Precindtt Make Application to the Great and 
 General Court of this Province at their Next Sefiions That the Precindt of Longmeadow 
 be Set off from the Town of Springfield as a Diftindt Town or Diflridt in Such Mode and 
 form as Shall be Agreed Upon. Voted that Enf n Sam 1 Williams, Jon a Hale Jun r David 
 Burt 3 rd Dea n Aaron Colton and Dea" Nath 1 Ely be a Comt ee to Profecute f d affaire. 
 
 January 19, 1774. Voted that Two Men More be Added to the above Comt ee and 
 That Jon a Stebbins and Jon a Burt 2 nd be of the f" Comt ee . Voted that f d Comt ee be 
 Impowered and Directed to Take all Such Advice and Counfel to Conduct in f d Affair as 
 they Shall find Neceffary from time to Time. 
 
 January 31, 1774. Voted to accept the Springfield vote of Jan^ 17, 1774 viz that 'the 
 Town Confent that the Third Parrifh in Springfield be fet off as a Diftincl Town or Dif- 
 trift With the Limmits as they now enjoy as a Parrifh, they too take their proportionable 
 part of the poor in the Town and their part of the flock of Monies or Securities for money 
 in the Town Treafury. Excepting Four hundred pounds Voted to be appropriated or raifed 
 in f d Town for the building of bridges acroft Agawam River and Chicopee River.' A 
 Comt ee was chofen to prefent this petition to the General Court ; alfo voted to " fend 
 one agent from Amongft ourfelves." 
 
 February i, 1774. Voted that the vote paffed in the Meeting Jan>" 31, 1774 To fend 
 an Agent from Amongft ourfelves to Prefer our Petition to the General Court the Prefent 
 Sefiions be and is reconfidered. Voted That the Comt ee Chofen to Profecute the Above 
 Affair be Impowered and Defired to Employ Col n BenJ Day, as an Agent to Prefer the Pti- 
 tion f d Comt ee have Prepared to fend to the General Court the Prefent Seffion. 
 
 March 1 6, 1774. The Queftion was put whether the Parifh were Still Defirous to be 
 Set off from the Town of Springfield and it Paffed in the Affirmative. 
 
 November 20, 1775. Voted that we will Prefer a Petition to the Great and General 
 Court Praying that we may be Set off a Separate Town or Diflridl from the Town of 
 Springfield. Voted to Choofe a Comt" to Prefer the aforef d Petition. Voted that this 
 Comt ee Confift of three Persons. Voted that Cap 1 Simon Colton Dea n Aaron Colton and 
 Jon a Hale Jun r be f d Comt". 
 
 During the stress of the Revolutionary struggle the agitation seems to have 
 been suspended but in 
 
 August 23, 1781, the Queftion was put whether the Meeting are Defirous that this 
 Parifh mould be Set off a Separate Town from the Town of Springfield and it paffed in 
 the affirmative. Voted to afk the Town if they will confent that the Parifh of Long-
 
 i6 5 
 
 meadow be made a Separate Town. Voted that we will prefer a Petition to the General 
 Court praying that the Parifh of Longmeadow be made a Separate Town. 
 
 August 23, 1781. Voted to Choofe a Comt ec or Agents to Tranfact the Matter of 
 Getting off both in Town and at the General Court. 
 
 October 13, 1783. Voted that Jon a Hale Jun r Lieu 1 Nath 1 Ely and Jon a Burt z". d be 
 the Comt ee . 
 
 P 
 
 Which is the last vote recorded before the passage of the act of Town 
 incorporation. 
 
 The following memorandum among the papers of Dea. Nathaniel Ely, Jr., 
 the representative of Longmeadow at that time at the General Court, gives a 
 hint of the opposition then made to the change, and of the grounds of that 
 opposition : 
 
 " Objection I st That the Petitioners by Accident or Define Omitted to Produce a Coppy 
 of f 51 Petition and the Order thereon. 2 nd the II Pollicy of Dividing Towns. 3'? that it 
 will be a Damage to the Gramer Scholls. 4'y that the Diftance from one to Another 
 is not Greater than is Common between Parifhes. $ l y Altho the meatings have Com- 
 monly been held in the firft Parifh, they are willing to hold them a Proportionable Part of 
 the Time at Longmeadow. that 6'J" the Population Eaft of the Street Can Attend meat- 
 ings as well at the firft Parish. 7^" that Sum of them are Oppofed to a Divifion. 8'y 
 that the Lands are Better in Longmeadow than in tRe Other Pariflies. 9'? that the Refpond- 
 ants are Traders and the Petitioners are Farmers." 
 
 The following is the vote by which the Precinct of Wilbraham had 
 already been accorded permission to be set off if the General Court should 
 see " fitt : " 
 
 March 10, 1740. Voted that the feveral perfons and families belonging to the precindl of 
 Longmeadow Settled on the Eaft part of Springfield called the outward Commons be fet 
 off a Diftinct precindl for the benefit of the Gofpel miniftry and other privileges belonging 
 to precinfts whensoever the Honour* General Court of the province of the Maflachu- 
 fetts Bay fliall think fitt and proper upon application made to them. 
 
 THE BROAD -AND BEAUTIFUL LONGMEADOW STREET 
 
 has been at different times the subject of many votes, showing how narrow 
 has been its escape from the most serious encroachments, .urged in the inter- 
 est of individuals, or even of the public itself. It may surprise some to learn that 
 the present central section of park-like sward was originally a long sand-drift, 
 similar to many now found in the wood-belt eastward, and that this was 
 reclaimed and converted into its present verdure by a process of enrichment 
 and cultivation extending over several years, carried on by a citizen (Capt. 
 Calvin Burt), who was permitted for that purpose temporarily to enclose a 
 long section of the street. The northern half of this same central section 
 was also by town -permission occupied for many years by a central series of 
 shops, stores, and manufactories, under forty-year leases, in the sarhe way 
 that the front portion of the Burying-Ground grant was permitted to be
 
 1 66 
 
 occupied by a blacksmith's and a wheelwright's shops. These last, unfortu- 
 nately, by unchallenged occupancy for more than forty years, gained finally 
 a title to the land itself which it cost the Parish several hundred dollars to 
 extinguish when this corner was desired as a site for the remodelled Church 
 edifice in 1874. Fortunately the danger was earlier discovered in regard to 
 the Main Street leases, and the removal of all those buildings was secured at 
 the expiration of the lease-term ; while a sentiment of jealous and loving 
 care now exists which would make their renewal forever impossible. The 
 following are some of the street votes referred to : 
 
 November 22, 1787. Voted that the Town Confent that Stephen Cooley have two 
 rods wide out of the ftreet acrofs his home Lot in order to fet a Houfe on. 
 
 December 8, 1789. Voted the Town Confent that Mr. Jabez Colton have a piece of 
 Land out of the ftreet to fet a Houfe on Near Henry Coltons late Deceafed if the Court 
 fee fit. 
 
 March 1 6, 1790. Voted that Dea n Nath 1 Ely and Nath 1 Ely Jun r have the confent of 
 the Town to Extend their fence into the ftreet ten feet from the Meadow Gate to the Brow 
 of the hill in front of their Home Lots. 
 
 May 3, 1791. Voted to give Rev. Mr. Storrs a deed of the [miniftry] land which 
 was fold him by the Town if he will p^y 40. Lawful Money for the fame with Intereft 
 from the 3 rd of May 1791. 
 
 April 2, 1792. Voted to choofe a Comt ee to fell or leafe all or any of the Town Lands 
 that faid Comt ee be impowered to give good and lawful deeds of the fame, they fecuring 
 the Town for the Payment, that Meflrs Jabez Cotton. Lieu* Nath 1 Ely and Col Gideon 
 Burt be f d Comt ee . 
 
 September 2, 1793. Voted that this town give their Confent thatthe Court of Sefiions 
 fhould grant to certain Perfons for the term of forty years who will undertake to build fhops 
 for the ufe of Mechanicks, the following Tract of Land in the County Road in Long- 
 meadow, being feven Rods in length and three Rods in Width, the North End of faid Tract to 
 be fo far South of the New Brick School Houfe as to be in an Eaft and Weft Line Parallel with 
 the North fide of Sam 1 Coomes Home Lot. and the length tp be from North to South in a 
 line parallel with the Street, and to be fo laid as to be at equal Diftances from either fide of 
 the Street. Voted that the Selectmen be directed to make fale of the old Brick School 
 Houfe to the beft Advantage for this Town. Voted that the town give their confent that the 
 Court of Seflions Grant for the term of forty years to any perfon or perfons who fliall pur- 
 chafe f d Houfe the following tract of Land Viz the Ground on which the f d Houfe now 
 ftandeth together the fpace of the width of the Houfe extending twenty feet north and a 
 space extending sixteen feet eaft of f Houfe. Voted alfo, that the Selectmen ftay the fale 
 of the f d Houfe till they fliall know the determination of the Court of Seflions refpecting 
 the grant of the Land. 
 
 February 1 8, 1794. Voted to reconfider a vote pafied April 2 1792 Empowering Jabez 
 Colton Col Gideon Burt and Lieu* Nath 1 Ely a comt ee to fell or leafe any or all of the 
 Town's lands that the fame be null and void. 
 
 Marrh 4, 1794. Voted that Robert Silcocks have the Towns confent to improve a 
 tract of Ground in the Street too feet long and 30 feet in breadth to begin 10 feet north of
 
 1 67 
 
 the Hatter's (hop for the purpofe of erecting a building for carrying on the Duck Manu- 
 factory and that the Town confent f d Silcocks improve this ground for the fpace of forty 
 years. 
 
 February 17, 1795. Voted that Cap' Calvin Burt have the Confent of this Town to 
 take up a piece of Ground thirty feet Square beginning fix feet fouth of the Hatter's (hop 
 and to extend weft in a Parallel Line of f d (hop for the purpose of erecting a Store to pro- 
 mote the Commercial Interests in the Town. Voted that Eliab Wafliburn have the Con- 
 fent of this Town to improve a piece of Ground in the Street of thirty feet Square next 
 north of Rob' Silcock's Duck Manufactory Houfe for the Purpofe of erecting a Hatter's 
 (hop on the fame. Voted that Jabez Colton have the Confent of this Town to occupy 
 a piece of Ground in the Street Thirty feet Square next north of the Ground purpofed 
 to be occupied by Eliab Wafhburns f d Ground to be improved by f d Colton for erecting a (hop. 
 , This point seems to mark the awakening of the town to the danger from 
 such leases, for we find no further votes of this nature after the following : 
 
 April 6, 1795. Voted that this meeting do reconfider the vote paffed FebJ' 17, 1795 
 granting liberty to Jabez Colton to build a (hop in the Street. 
 
 The necessity, however, which the people coming from the East Part for 
 Sabbath service experienced for having suitable horse-sheds, caused the fol- 
 lowing among other votes : 
 
 February 16, 1796. Voted. That this Town Confent that Sundary of the Inhabitants 
 of the Eaft part of this Town have liberty to erect an Horfe Houfe in the Meeting Houfe 
 Lane, and that Meffrs Ethan Ely, Hezekiah Hale, Elijah Burt, David Burt, and Sam 1 Keep be 
 a Comt" to view the Ground and reporfwhat place in Said Lane will be the moft Suitable 
 for Said Horfe Houfe. 
 
 March 8, 1796. Voted that the People in the Eaft Part of this Town have liberty to 
 erect an Horfe Houfe on the North fide of the Meeting Houfe lane fixty feet in length and 
 Said Horfe Houfe to adjoin the fence of Mr. Sam 1 Williams and to extend as far toward 
 the Main Street or Country Road as to be parallel with the Eaft fide of Said Williams Up- 
 right Houfe. 
 
 THE PRECINCT RIGHTS IN THE SPRINGFIELD MEETING AND SCHOOL HOUSES 
 which they had abandoned in becoming a separate Precinct, are the subject of 
 occasional solicitude : 
 
 January 23, 1718. Voated to Chufe Sum men to undertake in behalf of the precinft 
 to Confult and inquire for advice and Councel as to the precindYs proceeding to petition the 
 Town for Some alowance or Recompenfe for our Right in the Meeting hous and School 
 hous. 
 
 February 10, 1719. Voated to chufe fum men to petition the Town in behalf of the 
 precinft for fome allowance for our Right in the Meeting hous and School hous in the 
 Town plot. 
 
 March 9, 1719. Voated to chufe sum men to petition the Town in behalf of the pre- 
 cincl: for fum alowence outt of the Town Treafuery towards building a fchool hous in 
 Longmeadow and too to petition the Town platt together with Chickapuay and Skijpmuck 
 Deftincl from the other precindls for fum alowence for our Right in the Meettmg hous in 
 the Town platt aforef d ; and thofe thatt ware chofen for that purpofe ware Ens" Sam 1 
 Keep Lef utt Joseph Cooley Lef ntt Ephraim Colton. 
 22
 
 i68 
 
 THE CALL AND MAINTENANCE OF DR. WILLIAMS, 
 
 the first and only Precinct Pastor, was the occasion of an interesting 
 series of votes, evidencing no little caution on the part of both Pastor and 
 Precinct: 
 
 September 30, 1714. Voted to call a Learned and Orthodox Minifter to Difpenfe the 
 Word of God to us this Winter in Order to a Settlement among us. It was furder voted 
 that the prefent Comt ee fhould take care to provide a Learned and Orthodox Minifter for 
 us as fpeedy as may be and in the Firft place to Take Advife of the Elders in order to pro- 
 cure one fuitable for us. 
 
 February 10, 1715. Furder Voated to have a meeting of the Inhabitants of the precinft 
 on the firft Monday in March next infuing, at 1 1 o'clock in the morning at the Meeting- 
 hous, to call the Rev d M r Stephen Williams in the Ministry among us. 
 
 Mirch 7, 1715. Voated that the Rev d . M r Stephen Williams fhould be our Minifter to 
 Difpenfe the ordinances of Chrift to us it was furder voated to Give the Rev d M r Wil- 
 liams aforef d the Aim of fifty five pounds for this prefent year ; and if God in his provi- 
 dence Continue him in the Miniftry among us, to Add as we are able, and his fircum- 
 ftances May Require. Furder voated that the one half of his Rate for the prefent year 
 fhall be paid him in April next infuing, and the other half by November next infewing. 
 Furder voited to fence and break up three or four acers of Land this Spring for an 
 Orchard for M r Williams aforef 1 , in the horn Lott that he fhall chufe. 
 
 May 4, 1715. Voated to givs the Rev d M r Stephen Williams for his fettlement the 
 Aim of two hundred pounds befides His yearly Salary to be paid him in four years time 
 from this prefent Date viz : fifty pounds the year if God in His providence Settle him in the 
 Miniftry among us. It was furder voated that the two horn Lets on the Hill viz the Min- 
 ifter and Miniftry fhall be fenced out backward from the ftreet forty Rods and Thomas^ 
 Haile and Sam 1 Colton were chofen to take Care to Overfee and Gary forward the work 
 aforef d and to profccute the former voat made concerning the Land above mentioned. 
 
 January 17, 1716. Voated to give Mr. Williams the Aim of fifty five pounds yeerly for 
 the term of five years, and then to Add five pounds per yeer until we make it feventy 
 pounds for his yeerly fallery and furder voated for ten yeers If his Neceflity Calls for it 
 and then to pay him half his Rate in Grain at Curent Mony price. 
 
 February 28, 1716. Voated. that at the end of Eight years from May 4, 1715, then to 
 add to M r Williams Sallary (which will then be Seventy pounds) five pounds per annum 
 this prefent Voat not to invalidate the former Voat made Jan 17. i7i6. It was Voated 
 that the prefent Comt" for the precinft fhould go and treat with Mr. Williams Concern- 
 ing his fettling heer in the Miniftry. 
 
 September 3, 1716. Voated that the Ordination of the Rev d M r Stephen Williams 
 fhould be on October 17 th next infuing. furder Voated to have a day of fafting and 
 prayer on the fourth day of October next infuing. It was furder Voated to fend a Letter 
 of Requeft to the Rev d M r Williams of Deerfield, to the Rev*" M r Williams of Hatfield 
 and to the Rev d M r Howard M r Tailor M r Brewer and M r Woodbridge to be afliftants 
 at the Ordination. Furder Voated that Sam 1 Keep fhould make fuitable provifion for the 
 entertainment of the Rev d Elders and other gentlemen that may be here prefent and 
 is to have five pounds alowed him by the precincl herefor. Furder Voated to make apli- 
 cation to the Quarter Seffions that Nath 1 Blifs Jun r might have Liberty to make provifion 
 for Entertaining of Strangers and others that may be prefent at the Ordination.
 
 169 
 
 The salary of Mr. Williams having thus been fixed at 55, one-half to 
 be paid in April and half in November, with 200 of settlement money to 
 be paid at the rate of 50 per annum for four successive years, the follow- 
 ing extracts from the Committee Book will show the formal steps in carrying 
 out the vote for the first year : 
 
 April 15, 1717. The Cornt" of Longmeadow Precinct met viz Cap 4 Tho" Colton 
 Nath 1 Blifs Sen r Ephraim Colton Jofeph Colton Sen r . We gave order to the Afleflbrs to 
 Raife a Rate of Eighty one pounds four {hillings and eight pence 81-04-08 Seventy feven 
 pounds and ten /hillings for y e Rev d M r Stephen Williams and y e remainder of f d money 
 to defray y e charge of our Meeting hous. December 17, 1717. Att a meeting of y e 
 Comt ee order was given by y e Comt ee to y e Treasurer M r Sam 1 Colton to pay feventy feven 
 pounds ten /hillings out of y e Treafury to y" reverend M r Stephen Williams fifty pounds 
 of it for his fettlement and twenty feven pounds ten fhillings for half years salery. 
 
 Numerous votes are from time to time recorded of additional sums 
 granted to Mr. Williams on account of sickness in his family, or of the high 
 prices of provisions, showing no little liberality in the dealings of the Pre- 
 cinct with their Pastor. And, on the other hand, the Committee Book con- 
 tains many autograph signatures of the Pastor to such releases in full as the 
 following : 
 
 "March the 19 1722 Att a meeting of the Comt ee of Longmeadow Precinct, viz. 
 Lieu' Ephraim Colton Enf n Sam 1 Keep, Sam 1 Stebbins, Then Reckoned with y e Rev d M r 
 Stephen Williams from Nov. y e 26, .1721 and Due to y e Precinft from him four pounds, 
 two Ihillings and three pence. I acknowledge this reckoning STEPHEN WILLIAMS." 
 
 "Whereas ye Inhabitants of Longmeadow Precin6l made a vote March y e 7. 1720 to 
 ' add to my Salerv five pounds pr. year for y e Term of four years from this prefent Date in 
 order to procure me fier Wood which Vote amounts toy e fum of Twenty pounds, in which 
 y e Precinct overcharged themfelves five pounds I Doo therefore upon y e receipt of fifteen 
 pounds of y e Wood money mentioned in y e vote acquitt and difcharge y e PrecincT: from any 
 further payment Relating to that vote. STEPHEN WILLIAMS." 
 
 Nov. 8. 1723. 
 
 " Att a meating of the Comt" of the Precinftt April 20, 1725 The Rev d Stephen Wil- 
 liams gave the following difcharge to the Precinflt. April 20, 1725 I acquitt and difcharge 
 the precinftt of long-meadow of all that is my due from them to the fourth of May 1725 
 as witnefs my hand. STEPHEN WILLIAMS." 
 
 All of which shows thrifty caretaking upon both sides. 
 
 From the Proprietors' Book of Records is also extracted the following 
 entry of this date, well illustrating the same point : 
 
 April 29, 1718. Att a meeting of y e proprietors of y e Inward Commons affembled ac- 
 cording to Law it is voted and granted to give to the Rev d M r Stephen Williams of the 
 Precindtt of Longmeadow upon the condition that he quits and Relinquifhfs all Right of 
 Claim and Intereft and Improvement to any of y e Ministry Land in y e Township of Spring- 
 field then he fliall have y s Improvement of the Town Land in Longmeadow fometimes 
 called Longmeadow Commons as it is lying within the field fence for the term of 10 years, 
 he continuing and carrying on y e work of the Miniftry there in f d Longmeadow and If it
 
 I/O 
 
 prove to be of more value yearly than his fhare or proportion of y e Improvement of y 
 Miniftry Land aforef d then to allow and pay fo much more as it is efteemed at to the f d 
 Town of Springfield. (Attest) INCREASE SIKES proprietors Clerk. 
 
 Springfield ffeb 2.6 t!l 17 -|^ at a meeting of the proprietors of the Inward Commons 
 Affembled according to Law The Rev d M r Stephen Williams defired the pro- 
 prietors to Refolve the matter how they did underftand their vote of Aprill 28 1718 Re- 
 fpedYmg his Relinquifhing his Right to the Miniftry Land in the Townfhip of Springfield 
 as fet forth therein. Voted, that we underftand M r Williams Relinquifhed his Right to 
 the Miniftry Land fo Long and no Longer than he improves the f d Land called the Com- 
 mons in Longmeadow. (Atteft) INCREASE SIKES, proprietor's clerk. 
 
 Towards the close of the Precinct period, however, there are some salary 
 appropriations which seem indicative of a liberality as astonishing as it was, 
 to that date, unprecedented. The large salaries of some favored city clergy- 
 men at the present day shrink into insignificance compared with the appro- 
 priation of the Longmeadow Precinct, more than one hundred years ago, of 
 four thousand five hundred pounds for a single year's salary of Dr. Williams : 
 
 Att a Parifh. Meeting Legally affembled on the 8 th of Dec r 1780 at the Brick School 
 Houfe Maj r Gideon Burt Chofen Moderator. Voted to Choofe a Comt ee to Repoart How 
 D r Williams fhall be paid his Salary. Voted that Dea n Ely Maj r Gideon Burt Jon a Hale, 
 Jon a Hale Jun r be f d Comt ee . Voted this meeting be adjourned half an hour then to 
 meet at this Place. The Meeting Met according to Adjournment. 
 
 Granted to the Rev d D r Williams for his falary the Prefent year 4500-0-0 Old 
 Continental Currency. 
 
 Granted to Mary Blifs to make good for her fweeping the Meeting Houfe two years ago 
 the fum of Twenty Pounds 20-0-0. 
 
 Voted to raife the fum of Five hundred Pounds for contingant charges out of which the 
 fervices Done lo the Meeting-Houfe as Ringing Bell fweeping and Tending Clock are to 
 be paid 500-0-0. 
 
 Voted that the fum of Five thoufand Ninety Nine Pounds Four fhillings be affefed on 
 the Poles and Ratable Eftate of this Parifh and ordered into the Treafury by the Fourth 
 Day of May next and that the fame be ordered out by the Parifh Comt ee 5099-0-0. 
 
 At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parifh of Longmeadow Legally affembled at the 
 Brick School Houfe 15 th March 1781 Maj r Gideon Burt Moderator. Price of Grains for 
 the payment of the Rev d D r Williams Salary the present year 
 
 Viz Indian corn @ 38 Dollars per bufhel. Rice @ 50 Dollars per bufhel. 
 
 Wheat @ 84 do. do. Barley @ 50 do. do. 
 
 Oats @ 24 do. do. Pease @ 84 do. do. 
 
 THE CALL OF PASTOR STORKS, 
 
 early in the town period, was preceded by the following series of votes, 
 showing that the same habits of caution still governed the people as at the 
 time of Dr. Williams' settlement : 
 
 At a meeting of the inhabitants of thf: Town Duly Qualified and Legally affembled at 
 the Meeting Houfe Tuefday. the 19 th day of July 1785. it was voted, that the Meeting 
 are Defirous that M r Richard S. Storrs be defired to continue with us and to Settle with
 
 us in the Gofpel Miniftry that the Meeting will proceed to Make Propofals of Settle- 
 ment and Salary to the f d M r Storrs and to Choofe a Comt ee to draw up Said propofals 
 for the Meeting and that M r Jon a Hale. Dea n Nath 1 Ely. Jon a Burt Cap* Gideon Burt, 
 Cap 1 Mofes Field W m Colton, Cap' Eben r Colton and Jon a Hale Jun r be f d Comt ee and 
 make Repoart of their proceeding to this or fome future Meeting. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting. Aug 2. 1785 It was Voted. That the Incouragement Re- 
 poarted by the above Commit" to be made to Rev d M r Storrs in order to Incourage him 
 to Settle with us be accepted and be the Incouragement to propofe to him. 
 
 Aug. 29, at a meeting ftill further adjourned it was voted that the former Comt ee to wait 
 on M r Storrs be Defired again to wait on him and to Inform him that the Town Defire 
 him to Return to us again as foon as May be. 
 
 The Repoart of the Comt ee to Draw up propofals to Make to M r Storrs was that we 
 will Grant him 200 Settlement and 90. Salary Yearly, one half to be paid in the fev- 
 eral Species or kinds of Grain at the Current Mony Price to be Priced by the Town at a 
 Meeting Called for that purpofe in the month of February. And further Voted to Give 
 him all the ufe and Improvement of the Miniftry Land in the Town and alfo voted to 
 Give him Twenty four cords of wood Yearly. Sixteen of it Oak. and Eight of it Pine 
 which Repoart was Read and Voted to be accepted. 
 
 The zi. day of Nov, 1785, at a meeting called to receive the Repoart of a Comit ee to wait 
 on M r Richard Storrs and Get his anfwer whether he is Determined to Settle with us in 
 the Gofpel Miniftry Alfo to See if the Meeting will make any addition or alteration in 
 the Terms before propofed to M r Storrs or Make any grant of a Sum or fums of Money 
 for Settlement or Salary they shall think Proper, it was voted that at the Expiration of 
 Five years from the Time of M r Richard S. Storrs Ordination there be added to his Salary 
 the Sum of Five Pounds, and at the End of five years more the fum of Five Pounds 
 more. Making in the whole at the End of Ten years from the time of his Settlement Ten 
 Pounds addition and Six cords of Wood more which after the Last Mentioned Time will 
 be One Hundred Pounds and Thirty Cords of Wood. Voted that'Wednefday the 7 th day 
 of December next be the Day for M r Storrs Ordination. Voted that a Comt ee of Five be 
 chofen to Make Provifion for the Ordination Council and that Lieu 4 Nath 1 Ely. Lieu 1 
 Hez Hale M r Jofiah Cooley. Cap* Mofes Field and Cap' David Burt be Said Comt and 
 that all Needful Expenfes arifing on account of said Ordination be Defrayed at the Charge 
 of the Town. 
 
 The actual settlement of the account for these needful expenses seems to 
 have been somewhat delayed, for November 1 1, 1793, it was 
 
 Voted to grant to Dea n Nath' Ely Eight Pounds five Shillings and fixpence for Entertain- 
 ing and keeping the Ordaining Council of Rev d M r Storrs. Voted alfo to grant him One 
 Pound eight (hillings and ten pence half penny for intereft of the above fum feven years 
 at 3 per cent. 
 
 PREACHING IN THE EAST PART 
 
 occasionally engages the attention of the Town, specimen votes of which 
 are given : 
 
 April 2, 1804. Voted that this Town will procure Preaching for fix Sabbaths in the 
 prefent year in the Eaft Part of the Town and that Elijah Burt. Cap* Ethan Ely and Jabez
 
 1/2 
 
 Colton be a Comt e<s to procure a preacher for that purpofe Either to fupply in the Meeting 
 Houfe that M r Storrs might go thither or to be employed in faid Eaft Part. 
 
 November 3, 1806. Voted to grant the fum of One hundred and Thirty pounds for 
 payment of the Salary of Rev d Richard S. Storrs the year Enfuing. In paffing this Vote 
 the Moderator obferved that the Rev d M r Storrs was willing in confequence of the Addi- 
 tional grant to preach Sundry Sabbaths in the Eaftern part of the town when his pulpit 
 might be supplied by occafional Help. 
 
 THE BAPTIST ORGANIZATION 
 
 and its relation to the standing order was the occasion of some solicitude at 
 various times, as witness such votes as the following : 
 
 May 2, 1808. At.this meeting, the Petition of John Endicot and others being read 
 citing this Town to make anfwer to faid petition if they fee caiife which petition prays 
 the General Court to incorporate the Petitioners into a Baptift fociety Voted that Cap 1 
 Ethan Ely, the Reprefentative of the Town to the General Court fhall on behalf of the 
 Town make fuch anfwer to faid Petition in the General Court as he in his difcretion fhall 
 think Proper. Voted, that the teacher of the Baptifts in the South Eaft part of this Town 
 may receive of the Town Treafurer the Minifter's Taxes paid by thofe who attend their 
 meetings the Tax granted laft November. Provided the felectmen fhall think it to be 
 their duty according to the Laws of this Commonwealth to order the fame to be paid 
 to him. 
 
 November 7, 1808. Voted that if any of the Denomination of Chriftians called Bap- 
 tifts in this Town is defirous that the Money which they fhall pay to this Town for the 
 Minifters Tax the enfuing year fhould be applied to the Teacher on whom they attend, and 
 fhall certify fuch their defire to the Selectmen, and fhall produce to them a Certificate 
 Signed by their Teacher and a Comt ee of their Society, certifying that they feverally belong 
 to their Said Society and frequently and ufually when able attend their faid meetings for 
 religious worfhip, then' the Selectmen fhall order to be paid out of the Town Treafury to 
 their faid Teacher a Sum equal to their feveral minifters Taxes paid to this Town for the 
 year enfuing. 
 
 The proposal to make various additions and repairs upon the Meeting- 
 House of the Standing Order in 1810, and to provide for the expenses from 
 sundry town funds formerly raised, but not expended, for building a Poor 
 House, taken in connection with this jealousy between the Bapiists and the 
 Standing Order, gave rise to an amusing series of votes and counter-votes 
 respecting 
 
 A CHURCH PORCH. 
 
 November 5, 1810. Voted that Col Gideon Burt Dea n Walter White and Noah Bliss 
 be a comt ee to confider of the Bufinefs of Building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meet- 
 ing Houfe. 
 
 May 6, 1811. Voted that Cap' Ethan Ely, Dea n Walter White and Noah Blifs be a 
 Comt ee to build or contract for building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe, 
 and for painting or contracting for painting the faid Meeting Houfe as they fhall think 
 beft, and that the expenfe of Building faid Porch and painting faid Houfe be paid out of 
 the property in the Hands of the Treafurer called the Poor Houfe Fund.
 
 173 
 
 June 24, 1811. Voted to grant to the Baptift Society In this Town fome part of the 
 property which has been appropriated to the purpofe of building a Poor Houfe in propor- 
 tion to what the Town fhall expend in repairing the Meeting Houfe out of faid fund. 
 
 July 4, 1811. Voted to reconfider that part of a vote pafTed by the Town May 6, 1811 
 fo far as it relates to building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe, and apply- 
 ing Money for that purpofe. Voted to reconfider a vote paffed June 24, 1811 granting to 
 the Baptift Society in this Town fome part of the property which has been appropriated for 
 building a Poor House. 
 
 July 2.6, 1811. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Longmeadow largely 
 afsembled in the school houfe in the fouth eaft part of the Town Voted to build a Porch 
 on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe in the Street [89 for. 83 again 8 *.] 
 
 The explanation of this peculiar place of meeting and of the entry of the 
 number of votes lies in the fact that the " Street" people being a little dila- 
 tory in their attendance, and the Baptists by previous concert unusually 
 prompt, the latter adjourned the meeting to their own remote locality, hoping 
 thereby to have a numerical majority in attendance and so carry their point. 
 The " Streeters," however, getting wind of the plan, rallied in force and 
 barely carried their own point ; but using their hardly-won victory with 
 fairness and moderation, as will be seen, the result was an equitable adjust- 
 ment of the entire controversy : 
 
 Voted to appropriate money for that purpofe out of what has been heretofore appropriated 
 for the purpi>fe of building a houfe for the Toivn's Poor but Voted to excufe the Baptifts 
 and any others if fuch there be in the Town who do not belong to the Standing Order 
 of Chriftians, from bearing any part of the expenfe which may accrue from painting and 
 repairing faid Meeting houfe or building f^id Porch. Alfo Voted that the Comt ee hereto- 
 fore chofen to build a Porch to the Meeting Houfe proceed in the bufinefs of their appoint- 
 ment to build the fame. 
 
 May 3, 1813. Voted that the Treafurer be and hereby is directed to pay out of Monies 
 or property in his hands belonging to the Town a fum fufficient to pay what may be defi- 
 cient in the poor houfe fund to pay the Comt ee bill for a Porch on the Eaft End of the 
 Meeting Houfe and other work about faid houfe and alfo to pay a fum which was voted to 
 be paid to the Baptift Society in proportion to the Money expended about faid Houfe. 
 
 "THE POOR-HOUSE FUND," 
 
 referred to so frequently in the preceding series of votes, appears by other 
 votes of previous years to have be'en not really a Meeting-House Fund, as 
 these votes might seem to imply, but sundry 
 
 " Notes belonging to the Town in the hands of its Treafurer, and appropriated for the 
 purpofe of building an Houfe for the maintenance and employment of the Poor viz one 
 note for $233-34 cts given by W m Pynchon Esq r one note for $100. given by the Uni- 
 ted States one note for $35 I5 cts given by the Commonwealth of Maflachufetts and one 
 other note for $12 33 cts given alfo by faid Commonwealth, together with the intereft 
 which may be due on faid notes or Money which may be received for them." 
 
 The Poor-House seems never to have been built, however, and the funds
 
 174 
 
 to have remained in the Town Treasury under the above designation until 
 expended upon the Meeting-House Porch, as before described. 
 
 The following is the vote preliminary to the organization of the Board 
 of Trustees for 
 
 THE MINISTERIAL FUND, 
 
 derived from the sale of the old ministry lands. 
 
 Nov. 5,4804. Voted that Jabez Colton, Aaron Crane, Capt. Gideon Burt, Capt. 
 Ethan Ely, Capt. Calvin Burt, Major Alexander Field, and Lieutenant Hezekiah Hale be 
 a Committee to look into the Propriety of having feme perfons incorporated for the purpofe 
 of holding and managing a fund to be applied for the maintenance of a Minifter of the 
 Gofpel in the firft Society in this Town; in a manner fimilar to many incorporations in 
 Societies within this Commonwealth. 
 
 The wide range of discussion and action in a New England village Town 
 Meeting is well illustrated in the following, among other votes in the national 
 excitement which preceded and attended the war of 1812. The footprints 
 of the State Capital seemed the natural standard by which to gauge the village 
 step as, shoulder to shoulder, the two presented their united protest against 
 
 THE EMBARGO ACT. 
 
 4 
 
 August 29, 1808. Voted to fend a Petition to the Prefident of the United States for 
 the removing the Embargo Law. Voted that this Petition be in form and words conform- 
 able to a like Petition from the Town of Bofton inserting Longmeadow infted of Bofton, 
 and omitting the fecond fentence in the third Section of f d Petition. Voted that the Se- 
 lectmen in behalf of this Town tranfmit this Petition to the Prefident of the United 
 States. 
 
 It is a significant fact that the Embargo Act was promptly repealed by 
 Congress the year following this vote of Longmeadow ! 
 
 That this wholesale appropriation of the Boston Petition was not, however, 
 due to any home incapacity, is demonstrated by the following series of original 
 resolutions adopted a few years later upon the same general subject : 
 
 June 29, 1812. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Longmeadow legally 
 aflembled in faid town on Monday the twenty ninth day of June i8iz for purpofes ex- 
 preffed in the warrant iffued for calling this meeting, which fee in the files. Cap* Ethan 
 Ely was chofen and prefided as moderator. The meeting being unufually full the follow- 
 ing Refolves being prefented were read and unanimoufly voted firft by Paragraphs and then 
 as a whole and voted alfo that the fame be entered on the Publick Records in the Town 
 and that the Printer at Springfield be requefted to publi/h the fame in the Hampfhire 
 Federalift. 
 
 Refolved that it is at all times the Right, and at times of imminent danger it is the duty 
 of the people, peaceably to aflemble to confult for the common good, and to addrefs the 
 Legiflature by remonftrance and petition for a redrefs of Grievances ; and that we confider 
 all who attempt to infringe this right and the freedom of Speech, as enemies' to the moft 
 eflential interefts of the People.
 
 Refolved that we confider Embargoes and the whole Syftem of meafures Reftraining the 
 Commerce of the United States, as inconfiftent with the principles of the Conftitution 
 as extremely injurious to this Commonwealth, and by diminifhing the funds and refources 
 of the nation as rendering the people lefs able to fuftain the burden of War. 
 
 Refolved, that while we admit that there may be extraordinary emergencies when the 
 legislative Bufinefs of the Nation ought to be tranfadted with clofed doors ; yet we fee with 
 pain this courfe purfued by Congrefs without fuch aparent neceflity, and feel alarmed that 
 while difcufling and adopting a meafure fo eflentially affecting the vital interefts of the 
 Nation as a declaration of War, the arguments for and againft the meafure are withheld 
 from publick view. 
 
 Refolved That in the prefent fituation of our Nation we cannot fee from the facts dif- 
 clofed to the publick, any reafonable ground for making War upon Great Britain. If it 
 be undertaken to protect Commerce, we apprehend it will completely annihilate this. If 
 it be to recover our impreffed feamen, we underftand that the Britifh Government has 
 never claimed the right to imprefs them, nor refufed to reftore them ; but we confider War 
 as likely to involve our feamen in poverty at home or captivity abroad. If, as has been 
 publickly alledged, it be undertaken to conquer Canada, we confider fuccefs as worfe than 
 defeat. 
 
 Refolved That we confider it an extreme hardfhip that the militia fliould be called from 
 their farms and other lawful occupations to repel invafions which do not appear likely to 
 take place. 
 
 Refolved That we do deprecate as completing the deftruction of all we hold dear in 
 fociety, the effect and tendency of War as leading to an alliance with France and binding 
 us as flaves in the chains of the Tyrant who fears not God nor regards man. 
 
 Refolved that we will unite in fupport of order, and will not ceafe our exertions to pro- 
 cure an honorable peace, and to effect thefe defirable objects we will take all conftitutional 
 meafures to procure an election into office of the friends of commerce impartiall neutrality 
 and peace. 
 
 Voted to choofe Jabez Colton a Delegate to reprefent the Town in a convention pro- 
 pofed to be holden at Northampton on the 14 th day of July next ; and that he be and 
 hereby is directed to communicate the doings of this meeting, and endeavour to obtain a 
 general concurrence herewith. JABEZ COLTON Town Clerk. 
 
 Nothing in the present appearance of Longmeadow Street would indicate 
 any necessity for the following series of votes early in the present century, 
 respecting 
 
 VARIOUS CLASSES OF ANIMALS, 
 
 which, however, were doubtless not uncalled for at the time : 
 
 April I st ,. 1799, Voted that the Swine have liberty to go at large only being yoked and 
 ringed according to Law. 
 
 February 17, 1801. Voted that for the fpace of one year from this day it is ordered 
 and directed that Neat Cattle, Horfes or horfe kind Mules or Affes fliall not go at large 
 within the Limits of this Town without a keeper, under Penalty of twenty five Cents for 
 Each Beaft agreeable to a Law of this Commonwealth paffed Feb 26. 1800. 
 23
 
 1 7 6 
 
 April 6. 1 80 1 it is Voted that from and after the firft day of June next Geefe mall not 
 have liberty to go at large in this Town under Penalty of three Cents for Each Goofe fo 
 found going at large Said Penalty to be recovered with Cofts of Suit of the owner or 
 keeper of Geefe found at large by any perfon who mall fue therefor before any Juftice of 
 the Peace belonging to the County of Hampfhire. Voted that Col. Gideon Burt be a 
 Comt ee from this Town to obtain the approbation of the foregoing By Law at the Court of 
 General Seffions of Peace at Northampton in May next. v 
 
 A CHANGE OF TOWN NAME, 
 
 has, strange as it may seem, occasionally exercised the minds of Longmeadow 
 citizens. The following letter written by Nathaniel Ely, ST., to his son 
 Nathaniel Ely, Jr., our agent at the General Court at the time of Town In- 
 corporation, shows how little the peaceful and pastoral beauty of a perhaps 
 too familiar name, was then appreciated by even such a citizen : 
 
 " LONGMEADOW Oct. 13. 1783. 
 
 11 SON NATH el We received your Second Letter by M r Adams the Poft. by whom I 
 mail fend you Five Pounds in Cam. We rejoice to hear of your welfare and al y e profpedr. 
 of your accomplifhing the Important Bufinefs you have the care of Would Inform you 
 through Divine Goodnefs we are all well as ufual. Nothing remarkable has happened here 
 
 fince you Left home My kind Compliments to Col. Blifs. Your Mother fends 
 
 love to you. With my fincere regards and Concern for your welfare and Good ConducT: I 
 fubfcribe myfelf Your affectionate Father NATH el ELY." 
 
 "P. S. If we are Made a Separate Town I ihould Chufe to be Called South Springfield 
 Rather than Longmeadow." 
 
 About twenty years later the matter engaged the attention of the town 
 quite seriously, as appears from the following votes : 
 
 April 6, 1812 Voted that Cap 4 Ethan Ely Chefter Woolworth Col Gideon Burt. 
 Stephen Taylor and D r Oliver Blifs be a Comt ee to confider of the propriety of having the 
 name of the Town altered and make a report at the Town Meeting in May next. 
 
 May 4, 1812 Voted that the Comt ce Chofen April 6. 1802 on the Bufinefs of Altering 
 the Name of the Town attend further to their Bufinefs. and look out a Name which may 
 fuit the Town to receive inftead of their prefent Name, and report to the Town at their 
 meeting next November. 
 
 November 2, 1812 Voted to petition the General Court that the Name of this Town 
 Longmeadow may be Exchanged for Lifbon and that the Town Clerk make out a Copy of 
 this vote and deliver the fame to the reprefentative of the Town for him to petition f' 1 
 General Court that this alteration may be made. 
 
 This project was, however, given up upon the fortunate discovery that 
 there was already another town in the Commonwealth bearing the name of 
 Lisbon. The subject, however, was not dropped at once, for 
 
 November 12, 1812. Voted that the Cornt 68 chofen April 6. 1812 to find a new Name 
 for the Town be directed to find a name for the Town and if they cannot agree upon any 
 one particular Name they are defired to feledr. a Number of Names moft proper and refer 
 them to Roderick Burt to choofe one of them and prefent to the Town at this adjourned 
 meeting.
 
 1/7 
 
 As no further reference to the matter appears upon the records, the pre- 
 sumption is that no more fitting name than Nature's own was found by Mr. 
 Burt. Long may it be ere the agitation is revived, at least for that portion 
 of the town which was first thus named, and to which it so evidently 
 belongs. 
 
 This series of votes illustrating the Municipal Life of a New England 
 Village of the last century might be indefinitely extended. As a strictly 
 proportional exhibit of the public interest upon the varied subjects included, 
 it has indeed some deficiencies, notably in the educational department. 
 Probably more votes uppn this subject than upon any other, except church 
 matters, crowd the pages of both the Precinct and the Town records ; but 
 chiefly of a statistical character, which renders them less adapted for present 
 use. Enough of all have, however, been given to demonstrate the intelli- 
 gently minute yet broadly comprehensive religious and patriotic sentiment 
 which pervaded that ancient town life. It is impossible to read such a 
 series of votes as the preceding without recognizing on every page that 
 sturdy independence, strong common sense, and high moral purpose which 
 have everywhere characterized Saxon civilization. By the sharp attritions 
 of keen minds and the resolute wrestle of strong wills in the close encoun- 
 ters of town debate, all finally mutually consenting in the compromises of 
 a saving common sense, every important question of public welfare has 
 been surely and safely, if not swiftly wrought out. Churches and school 
 houses have been built and maintained, roads constructed, local laws 
 enacted and administered to meet every exigency of social life, and all the 
 varied machinery of municipal government so systematized and sustained as 
 to realize justice and comfort for all ; far more so, at least, than could 
 have been the case under the autocratic rule of any single mind or will, 
 however imperial in intelligence or energy. Under what other civilization 
 could such a record of incorporated yeoman enactment as is here presented 
 be matched ? 
 
 To impart to this monograph of Ancient Town Life its utmost aroma of 
 antiquity, it has been preferred to present it in veritable antique typography, 
 even at some sacrifice of visual beauty and clearness. For the longer docu- 
 ments however which follow, though of equal or even earlier antiquity, a 
 return to more modern typographical dress will probably not be unwelcome 
 to even the most ardent antiquarian.
 
 1 7 8 
 
 SPRINGFIELD LINE 
 
 
 
 1703- 
 Joseph Cooley, Sen. 
 
 
 1708. 
 Thomas Colton. 
 
 
 ijij; 
 
 
 -X 
 
 Abel Curtis 
 
 
 '''',' 
 
 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 Eliakim Cooley. 
 
 
 
 HIGHWAY TO WOODS. 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 # 
 
 1708. 
 Nathaniel Burt, Jr. 
 
 
 
 R H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 
 / 
 
 \/ 
 
 Unknown. 
 
 
 Obadiah Miller. 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 1703. 
 
 
 
 Thomas Cooley. 
 
 n 
 
 Increase Sikes. 
 
 ' 
 
 I ! i ; 
 
 
 H 
 
 FIELD HIGHWAY. 
 
 o 
 
 
 Benjamin Cooley. 
 
 
 
 1708. 
 Samuel Cooley. 
 
 o 
 
 (* 
 
 ill i 
 
 Jonathan Cooley. 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 1708. 
 Jonathan Cooley. 
 
 '* 
 
 ', M 
 
 ii i| 
 
 Joseph Cooley. 
 
 ^ V 
 
 1708. 
 Daniel Cooley. 
 
 o 
 
 ,-] 
 
 i; c/5 
 
 1703. 
 Daniel Cooley. 
 
 & 
 
 > 
 
 1708. 
 John Cooley. 
 
 1 1 
 
 n 
 
 M :: C 
 
 > !N 
 
 1714. 
 Joseph Cooley. 
 Coo 
 
 i* 
 
 LEY B 
 
 Geo. Colton. 
 
 ROOK. 
 
 ;C 
 
 I! a 
 o ii HH 
 
 1703. 
 Thomas Bliss. 
 
 K 
 
 H 
 
 Benjamin Cooley, 2 A. 
 
 
 <! iif 1 
 
 ^ ; _. 
 
 . 
 
 1703. 
 Joseph Bliss. 
 
 I* 
 
 N 
 
 1707. 
 Bassil Steele. 
 
 
 
 p i 
 
 j... 
 
 Eliakim Cooley. 
 
 M 
 H 
 
 1707. 
 Simon Cooley. 
 
 < 
 
 : ::i 
 
 EMBRSON HIGHWAY. 
 
 
 S. BLISS HIGHWAY. 
 
 M 
 
 ! 
 
 ^OS- 
 Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 
 1707. 
 Joseph Cooley, 2d. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i?3- 
 
 o 
 
 Thomas Cooley. 
 
 
 
 Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 * 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 1707. 
 Nathaniel Bliss, Jr. 
 
 
 
 WHEEL M 
 
 w 
 
 E A D O W 
 
 I7 7 ' Dan'l Cooley, Jr. 
 BROOK. 
 
 ) 
 
 
 Thomas Bliss, 2d. 
 
 < 
 
 O 
 
 i7 3- 
 Jonathan Ely. 
 
 
 
 ELY HIGHWAY. 
 
 B 
 
 1703- 
 
 ! 
 
 / 
 
 ; 
 ; 
 
 i':!: 
 
 i?3- 
 Nathaniel Burt. 
 
 
 Nathaniel Burt. 
 
 
 
 
 CHURCH. 
 
 j2i 
 
 HIGHWAY. 
 
 CENTER LINE. 
 
 These two pages exhibit a plan of the entire Longmeadow Settlement as origin- 
 ally modeled and granted by the Springfield Committee. The central street was 
 laid out twenty rods wide and four miles long, extending from Springfield to Enfield. 
 A highway ten rods wide ran eastward from this into the woods, commencing near 
 the middle of the main street, and several highways led from it westward to the 
 meadow at intervals of about half a mile. The church was located about the center 
 of the main street, and the burying-ground on the south side of the highway leading 
 eastward at that point.
 
 NE. 
 
 i> 
 
 
 I73- 
 
 " 
 
 Burying-Ground. | H'wav. 
 
 
 
 
 HORCH. 
 
 1703. 
 
 
 ;;!;!;; 
 
 Samuel Bliss, ad. 
 
 
 Benjamin Cooley. 
 
 
 jjjti j{! 
 
 
 (/I 
 
 o 
 
 1703- 
 John Ely. 
 
 
 
 1703- 
 
 (1 
 
 '703. 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 Samuel Bliss, ist. 
 
 
 
 1703. 
 Jonathan Burt. 
 
 ffi 
 
 1703. 
 Jonathan Burt. 
 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 
 George Colton. 
 
 W 
 
 1707.- 
 Nathaniel Bliss. 
 
 
 
 BOOTH HIGHWAY. 
 
 O 
 
 1703. 
 
 o 
 
 
 i?3- 
 
 
 John Atchenson. . 
 
 o 
 
 (--> 
 
 ' ' I ' ; ; 1 1 
 
 Thomas Haile. 
 
 o 
 as 
 
 1703. 
 Thomas Haile. 
 
 ^ 
 
 JiijIHi 
 
 
 o 
 
 I? 7 ' Samuel Colton. 
 
 M 
 
 
 Samuel Colton. 
 
 * 
 
 MILL HIGHWAY. 
 
 n 
 
 g W 
 
 
 g 
 
 1703- 
 
 . 
 
 H 
 
 W ;i U;i 
 
 Thomas Colton, Jr. 
 
 1 I 
 
 
 f~) 
 
 > li Wjj 
 
 
 25 
 
 1703- 
 
 
 o iimii 
 
 HIGHWAY. 
 
 en 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 <: 'if 1 ;; 
 
 ^ lif 1 :' 
 
 L O N G M 
 
 Samuel Keep. 
 
 B A D O W 
 
 pd 
 
 BROOK. 
 Samuel Keep. 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 HIGHWAY (Green Street.) 
 
 i i 
 
 iSilli'j 
 
 John Colton. 
 
 w 
 H 
 
 1703. 
 John Colton. 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 1703. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 A 
 
 Y 
 c 
 
 ::! !; i: 
 > i ; iii:i 
 
 > lijiji 
 
 R A S P B 
 
 Nathaniel Burt. 
 
 B R R Y B 
 
 "^o""' 
 
 
 
 & 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 Ul 
 
 $ 
 
 O 
 H 
 
 ROOK. ^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 EN FIELD LINE. 
 
 The individual grants usually fronted about twenty rods on the main street, but 
 those former owners of the hill lands who had now given them up for the new set- 
 tlement were permitted larger allotments ; that of Nathaniel Burt, e. g., extending 
 from the meadow gate, south of the later Ely mansion, as far south as the church, 
 besides forty rods front on the opposite side of the street, which he gave afterwards 
 as ministry lands, and still other large allotments both at the lower and upper ends 
 of the street. The dates are those of the respective grants.
 
 i8o 
 
 F. DOCUMENTS OF THE OLDEN TIME. 
 
 THE MEADOW PETITION. 
 
 The petition of the inhabitants of the Longmeadow settlement to 
 the town of Springfield for leave to remove from the meadow to the 
 higher ground eastward, is as follows : 
 
 January the 29 th 170! We the Inhabitants of Longmeadow in Springfield do 
 make our Addrefs to this Town of Springfield as followeth we would declare our 
 difficult Circumftances 
 
 i" Our living in a general Field we are thereby forced to be at great charge to 
 make Lanes or outlets for our Creatures. 
 
 2 A By reafon of Floods our lives have been in great Danger our Houfing much 
 damnified and many of our Cattle have been loft. 
 
 3 d A third Difficulty which we fhall mention in the laft Place (not that we count 
 it a matter of leaft Concernment but becaufe in Reafon it will be helpt in the laft 
 Place) and that is our living remote from the Publick Worfhip of God as to hearing 
 the word preached and alfo our Children are thereby deprived of the Benefit of In- 
 ftruclion by the School Mafter in the Town. 
 
 Now for our Relief we do fuppofe our beft way is to move out of the General 
 Field and build on the Hill againft Longmeadow and we have been at the pains to 
 meafure what Lands we thought might be convenient to build on for Three fcore 
 or four fcore Lots and be twenty Rods in breadth and about eighty Rods in Length. 
 We therefore do defire the Town, to grant us faid Lands as home lots to build on 
 Alfo that the Town would order thofe Lands to be laid out and modled in fuch way 
 and manner as may be moft comfortable for Selling thereon. We defire not this that 
 the Town by granting this our defire fhould be brought into any fnare or inconven- 
 ience hereafter but for our own Benefit and Comfort and our Posterity after us. 
 
 The answer of the town of Springfield to the above petition is as 
 follows : 
 
 March 9 th 170! At a general Town meeting for the election of Town Officers. 
 At this meeting the Petition of the Inhabitants of Longmeadow prefented at the 
 Town meeting January 29 th 170! was confidered and it was voted to give them lib- 
 erty to build upon the Hill Eaftward of faid Longmeadow. It was further voted to 
 give the Land from Pecowfick to Enfield Bounds and from the Hill Eaftward of the 
 Longmeadow half a mile further Eaftward into the woods unto the faid Long- 
 meadow Inhabitants and to fuch others as a Comt ee appointed by the Town fhall 
 allow. In all which they fhall be ordered and modled in fuch way and manner as 
 may be moft comfortable to fettle on referving liberty for convenient highways. 
 And MaJ John Pyncheon Japhet Chajoin and Lieu 1 John Hitchcock were appointed 
 to be the Comt ee to fee to the modling and dividing of thofe faid lands and the 
 Charge of this work to be born by the Longmeadow Inhabitants and fuch others as 
 fhall be added to the Longmeadow Inhabitants. 
 
 HIGHWAY LAYOUTS AND GRANTS. 
 
 The records of the Springfield Committee appointed to model and 
 lay out the Longmeadow Hill settlement specify numerous numbered 
 grants, of which. the following are samples:
 
 i. THE MAIN HIGHWAY. 
 
 The Comt ee hath laid out a Highway or Country Road of twenty Rod wide upon 
 the Hill on the eaftward fide of the Longmeadow beginning at Pacoufick and fo to 
 Run to Enfield Bounds. 
 
 44. THE MEETING-HOUSE LANE. 
 
 Granted a highway of ten Rods wide on the Eaft fide of the Country Road in 
 Longmeadow Precincl Running eaftward into the Commons bounded South by Benj" 
 Cooley. North by Nath 1 Burt Sen r . 
 
 45. THE BURYING-GROUND. 
 
 Granted out of the Highway aforef' 1 one acre of Land for a Burying Place bounded 
 Ibuth by Benj" Cooley' grant aforef d and extending north in the Highway four Rods 
 Bounded weft by the Country Road aforef a and extending eaft 40 Rods. 
 15. THE FIVE-ACRE MINISTRY LOT. 
 
 April 28"'' 1793 Granted to Nath 1 Burt Sen r two Lots 20 Rods wide Each on the 
 Eaft fide of the Country Road bounded foutherly by the Highway that leads into 
 the woods Northerly by Jon" Ely's Land weft by the Country Road Provided it does 
 not prejudice any former Grants. 
 
 April 28"' 1793 Granted to Jon" Ely a Lot of twenty feven Rod wide on the eaft 
 fide of the Country Road bounded fouth by Nath 1 Burt Sen r his Land North by 
 Daniel Cooley Jun r provided it does not prejudice any former Grants. 
 
 FORFEITURE AGREEMENT. 
 
 In the map of the layout 'of the Hill settlement given upon pages 
 178 and 179, it will be noticed that a large proportion of the allotments 
 were made within a period of five years, from 1703 to 1708. The fol- 
 lowing copy of an agreement of certain meadow settlers with a for- 
 feiture condition attached, to encourage early settlement upon the hill, 
 explains this fact : 
 
 SPRINGFIELD the 29"' of November Ano 1703. 
 
 Thefe Prefents teftify an Agreement by the Subfcribers hereof, allb an Obligation 
 with the Conditions. 
 
 Whereas it is difcouraging to ibme particular perfons that are about to build on 
 the Hill in Confideration that they fhall live far from neighbors and alfo with refpe6t 
 to highways convenient for them to Carry their Crops up the Hill To incourage 
 thofe who fhall go forthwith up and build and carry on, and in order to collect on 
 the Hill. We the fubfcribers do bind ourfelves to carry on as to making Highways 
 Equal with thole that go up at prefent to dwell there. Alfo as to our equal propor- 
 tion of fencing out f' 1 ways from particular Enclofures and to maintain f d ways. 
 
 Here follows several individual agreements of John Colton, Eph- 
 raim Colton Jr., George Colton, Samuel Colton, and Capt. Thomas 
 Colton, to give land for suitable highways from the meadow to the 
 Street, which appear to have been laid out three in number, and about 
 half a mile apart. The document concludes with the following pledge : 
 
 Furthermore, we the Subfcribers both thofe who give the Land for the Highways
 
 182 
 
 alfo all others that have Lotts there viz between Longmeadow Brook and Wheal- 
 meadow Brook do oblige ourfelves under forfeiture of Ten pounds to build a Good 
 Dwelling Houfe on the Hill within five years to be paid to thofe who go up there 
 before. This is to be underftood under condition that extraordinary troubles by 
 wars or fickness prevent or that any of us move away before that time. We subfcribe 
 EPHRAIM COLTON THOMAS COLTON GEO COLTON DAVID BURT NATH' BURT JUN V 
 THOMAS HAIL SAM' COLTON JON" BURT JOHN BURT SAM' KEEP 
 
 THE PRECINCT ACT OF INCORPORATION. 
 
 The following is the Act of Precinct Incorporation, applied for some 
 years later, as copied from the Book of Precinct Records : 
 
 " PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY. 
 
 At a feffion of the Great and General Courtt or Affembly, held att Bofton Feb'- v 
 10, 1713. It being Reprefented that the Petitioners Inhabitants of thatt Partt of the 
 Town of Springfield Commonly Called Longmeadow, (altho not fully the Number 
 of Forty Families) are of Good and Sufficientt ability to Maintain a Minifter ; and 
 oftentimes Cannot with any Conveniency attend the Publick Worfhip at -the Meeting 
 Hous that now is in the f d Town, by reafon of their great Diftance from it. 
 
 Ordered that the Prayer of the Petition be Granted, and that a Seperate Precinft 
 for the Gofpel miniftry be and heerby is fet of and eftablifhed in the f d Town of 
 Springfield accordingly with all ufual powers and privileges : To be bounded 
 Northerly by a Line to be Drawn from the mouth of Pecowfick Brook fo Called 
 where it falls into Conecticutt River, to the province's Land paralel to the Line of 
 the Southern bounds of the f li Town of Springfield, Wefterly by Coneclicut River, 
 Southerly by the Town of Endfield and Eafterly by the province's Land Provided 
 that the Inhabitants and Interefted in the f d precinct fhal pay to the maintainence of 
 the Miniftry in the other partt of the Town as formerly until they are provided with 
 a Learned Orthodox Minifter and agree to Raife and pay the fum of Fifty pounds at 
 leaftt annualy for his Suport." 
 
 PYNCHON'S DEED TO QUARTERMASTER GEORGE COLTON. 
 
 The following copy of a very old deed from John Pynchon to Quar- 
 termaster George Colton, though it bears date of 1678 only, refers to 
 the actual sale, it will be noticed, as having been made " many yeers 
 since." The memorandum at the end, also, as to the source from 
 whom Pynchon himself obtained his own title, may have historical 
 value as indicating the original allotment of the lands in question : 
 
 Thefe prefents teftifie that John Pynchon Esq. of Springfield in the Colony of the 
 Maffachufetts, for and in good and valuable confiderations, him and herevnto mov- 
 ing, hath many yeers since, given, granted, bargained and sold, And by thefe pref- 
 ents doth with the free confent of Mrs. Amy Pynchon his wife fully clearly and abfo- 
 lutely give, grant, bargain and fel vnto George Colton of Springfield aforef* 1 and 
 vnto his heires and affignes for ever, Certain Portions or parcels of Lands, arable, 
 medow and pafture lying and being in the Long Meadow in Springfield or the bor- 
 ders thereof, as follows in this deed mentioned : Imprimis.
 
 1 83 
 
 [Here follows an enumeration of thirteen parcels of meadow land 
 with reference to former or present ownerships of various persons, 
 viz. : Jonathan Burt, John Lumbard, John Harman, Thomas Hicks, 
 Alexander Edwards, James Bridgman, John Clarke, Henry Burt. 
 Roger Pritchard, George Langhton, the Widow Bliss, Joseph Parsons, 
 and including in the aggregate over seventy acres of meadow land.] 
 
 Al of which parcels of Land being thirteen parcels, and al the Trees, Timber, Woods 
 and vnderwoods, Fences, profits and other appurtenances therevnto belonging, the f d 
 George Colton is to Have, Hold, and Enjoy for himfelf and his heires and affignes 
 for ever. And the f d John Pynchon Efq. doth hereby covenant and promife to and 
 with the f' 1 George Colton to fave the f d George Colton harmles from al manner of 
 Claim, right, title or Intereft of any perfon or perfons lawfully Claiming any right or 
 Intereft in the f ' Lands above mentioned, and by thefe prefents fold From By and 
 vnder him the f d John Pynchon Efq And It is the Intent of thefe prefents that this 
 Deed of Sale (hall not be to the prejudice of any highwayes laid out thorow any of 
 thofe Lands, And in Witnefs to thefe prefents the abovef' 1 John Pynchon Efq. and 
 Mrs. Amy his wife have hereto fet their Names and Seals this feventh day of March 
 i6|f. 
 
 Thofe words in the laft line but four [from By and Under him the f d John Pynchon] 
 were interlined before figning. JOHN PYNCHON 
 
 AMY PYNCHON 
 
 Subfcribed fealed and delivered in the prefence of 
 JOHN HOLYOKE. 
 BENJAMIN HINTON. 
 
 March 8 th i6f f Mrs. Amy Pynchon acknowledged this Inftrument to which fhe 
 hath fubfcribed her Name to be her ac~l and Deed, freely refigning all her Intereft in 
 y e Land above mentioned to Geo. Colton and his heirs Before me JOHN PYNCHON. 
 
 Memmorandum That al the thirteen parcels of lands in this Deed mentioned 
 were by Alexander Edwards fold and by fale fully and forever paft away over to 
 John Pynchon Efq. and his for ever. 
 
 JOINTURE AGREEMENT. 
 
 The following marriage jointure agreement would seem to indicate 
 the ability of our foremothers to -secure all their just rights under legal 
 forms, as well as the willingness of our forefathers to grant them, 
 even in a period so long prior to any Woman's Rights' agita- 
 tion. Indeed, it is a little suggestive of the formula sometimes attrib- 
 uted to the opposite sex as expressive of their assumed rights, 
 " What's yours is mine and what's mine is my own " : 
 
 ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT Made and Concluded Upon between Nath 1 Burt Sen r , 
 Plow Right, and Mary Crowfoot Widow Both of Springfield in the County of Hamp- 
 fhire in the Province of the Maffachufetts Bay in New England Witneffeth That 
 Whereas a Marriage is Concluded and Agreed Upon by and Between the f a Nath 1 Burt 
 and Mary Crowfoot and by the grace of God fhortly Intended to be folemnized by 
 and Between them, and to the End that Love Peace and Unity may be Kept by and 
 Between them and Their Children Refpeclively and that Juftice May be Don It is 
 Hereby Covenanted and Agreed by and Between the f d Nath 1 Burt and Mary Crow- 
 24
 
 1 84 
 
 foot for themfelves their feveral and Refpeclive Heirs and Adminiftrators in Manner 
 and form following, In Cafe the Said Intended Marriage fhall take Effecl That is 
 to Say 
 
 That the Said Nathaniel Burt on his Part Covenants and Agrees with the f d Mary 
 Crowfoot that all fuch Houfehold Goods and Movable Eftate that fhe (hall Put in 
 Poffeffion and Improvement of the f' 1 Nath 1 Burt Either Before or After the Time of 
 their Marriage, fhall be Returned to the f d Mary Crowfoot Immediately Upon the f d 
 Nath 1 Burts Deceafe In Cafe fhe furvive him, and if the faid Mary Crowfoot mall De- 
 liver to the f cl Nath 1 Burt one Cow for his Ufe, the f d Cow, or Another Cow of Equal 
 Value ihall be Delivered to the f' 1 Mary Crowfoot in Cafe fhe furvive Him to be then 
 at her Own Dilpofal with the Other Movable Eftate as aforef d . But if in Cafe it ihall 
 fo Happen that the f d Mary Crowfoot fhall Deceale before the 1 s Nath 1 Burt, then all 
 the Moveable Eftate with the Cow as Aforef 3 mall be Delivered to the Heirs, Executors 
 or Adminiftrators of the f d Mary Crowfoot or to Thofe Perfons to whom fhe (hall 
 Order and Appoint to have and Receive the fame. And Further it is Agreed that in 
 Cafe the f' 1 Mary Crowfoot fhall furvive the f" Nath 1 Burt that fhe Ihall have the Ufe 
 and Improvement of one of the lower Dwelling Rooms of the Now Dwelling houfe 
 of the f 3 Nath 1 Burt being in Long Meadow in Springfield aforef d viz. the Eaft 
 Room and fuch a Part of the Orchard in the Home lot of the f Nath 1 Burt As (he 
 (hall have Need and Occafion for her own Perfonal Ufe and Comfort but not to Dif- 
 pofe of any of the fruit of f d Orchard Otherwife than for her Own Ufe as Aforef' 1 , as 
 alfo fuch a Part of the f 1 Home Lot as is lying Between the Eafterly End of the f' 1 
 Houfe and the Highway as alfq fo Much of the Cellar Room Under the f' 1 Houfe as 
 (he (hall need, and Liberty of Setting and Keeping fome Neceffary Houfehold Goods 
 in the Eaft Chamber of f' 1 Houfe if (he mall have Need or Occafion thereof, as allo 
 the Liberty of Improving the well Near the f d Houfe for the Drawing of Water with 
 liberty of Faffing to and from the ( d Well as (lie (hall have Occafion: as alfo Liberty 
 of a convenient Paffagefrom the Great Door of f d Houfe, to the ftreet upon the Couth 
 fide of f d Houfe and fo long as (he (hall Remain his Widow and no longer if (he fee 
 Caufe but not to Leafe or Let the fame to any other Perfon, .... And the f d Nath 1 
 Burt Further Agrees with the ( d Mary Crowfoot that all fuch Eftate which the f d Mary 
 Crowfoot (hall be Pofleffed of and have Right and Title to at the Time of the Mar- 
 riage Aforef" (hall be and Remain to her, her Heirs and Affigns in the fame ftate and 
 Condition as they would be in Cafe the f d Intended Marriage (hould Not Take Effect 
 Excepting what Movable Eftate (he (hall Deliver to the f d Nath 1 Burt as Aforef d 
 and that fhe (hall have Power and Authority at Any time During her ueing the 
 wife of the f d Nath 1 Burt to Give, Grant and difpofe of her f d Eftate in fuch way and 
 Manner as fhe (hall fee Caufe and the f d Nath 1 Burt from all Right and title or In- 
 tereft therein by Means Hereof (hall be Secluded and Debarred Save Only What he 
 is to have the Ufe of as Aforef d . 
 
 And the f d Mary Crowfoot on her Part Covenants with the f d Nath 1 Burt that all 
 fuch Estate Both Real and Perfonal he (hall Die Siezed and Poffeffed of or which 
 he (hall have Right and Title to at the Time of his Death (In Cafe (he Survive him) 
 ihall be and Remain to the Heirs of the f d Nath 1 Burt or to thofe Perfons he fhall 
 Give and difpofe of the Same Unto them their Heirs and Affigns and that from all 
 Right and Title to and Intereft Therein (he The f d Mary Crowfoot her Heirs and 
 Affigns (hall by means Herof be Secluded and Debarred. 
 
 In Witnefs Whereof that this Agreement (hall be held good and Valid by and 
 between the f d Nath 1 Burt and Mary Crowfoot Their Heirs, Executors and Admin- 
 istrators According to the True Intent and Meaning Thereof They Have Hereunto
 
 i8 5 
 
 Set Their Hands and Seals this Ninth Day of May in the Thirteenth Year of his 
 Majeflies Reign. Annoque Domini 1740. 
 
 Signed fealed and Delivered In prefence of NATHANIEL BURT Sen r 
 
 MARY CROWFOOT 
 
 INDENTURE AGREEMENTS. 
 
 The following indentures of apprenticeship of the olden time have 
 both a literary and sociologic interest : 
 
 I This Indenture Witneffeth that Nath 1 Ely Jun r of Springfield in the County of 
 Hampfhire and Commonwealth of Maffachufetts Guardean in Law to A. C. of 
 Springfield Aforef d have and do by thefe Prefents Put the f d A. C. an Apprentice to 
 John Dewey of Suffield Houfe Joyner in the County of Hartford State of Connect- 
 icut to ferve him from the Day of the Date hereof untill he Arrive to the full Age 
 of twenty one years During all which time he the f d Apprentice his f d Mafter (hall 
 faithfully Serve his fecrets keep his Lawfull Commands Every where Cherfully 
 Obey he fhall do no Damage to his f d Mafter nor fee it done by Others without Give- 
 ing notice thereof to his f d Mafter. he fhall not waft his Mafters Goods nor lend 
 them unlawfully to Others, he fhall not Commit fornication nor Contract Matrimony 
 within the f d term at Cards Dice or Any unlawfull Games he fhall not Play, to the Dam- 
 age of his f d Mafter. with his own Goods or the Goods of Others During the f d Term 
 without leave from his f d Mafter he fhall Neighther by nor fell, he fhall not Abfent 
 himfelf by Day or Night from his f d Mafters fervice without his leave, nor haunt Ale- 
 houfes Taverns or Playhoufes but in all things behave himfelf as a faithfull Appren- 
 tice Ought to do During the f d Term. And he the f d Mafter Shall ufe the utmoft of 
 his Endeavours to Teach or Caufe to be Taught and Inftrufted the f d Apprentice in 
 the Trade or Myftery he now Profefeth Occupieth or followeth and Procure or Pro- 
 vide for him the f d Apprentice Good and Sufficiant Meat Drink Waihing and Lodg- 
 ing futable for an Apprentice both in Sicknefs and In Health During the f d Term 
 and he the f d Mafter Shall Pay all Rates and Taxes that fhall Arife on his the f d 
 Apprentices Account or Any moneys that may Arife on Account of his the f d Ap- 
 prenticefes being Claffed or Drafted to Go into the War During the f d term, and alfo 
 to teach the f d Apprentice to Read and Write and Inftrucl; him in the Principles of 
 the Prodiftant Religion, and for the true Performance of Each and Every of the f d 
 Covenants and Articles we hereunto let our hands and feals this Twenty firft Day of 
 Auguft.AD 1781. in the fifth year of the Independance of the United States of 
 America. JOHN DEWEY NATH" ELY Jun r 
 
 Sind Seal d and Delivered in Prefents of 
 EBENEZER COLTON NATH ! BLISS 
 
 II This Indenture witneffeth that Calvin Burt Jofeph W. Cooley and Ethan Ely, Se- 
 lectmen of the town of Longmeadow in the County of HampfViire by virtue of a 
 Law of the Commonwealth in fuch cafes made and provided, have placed and by 
 thefe preients do place and bind out as an Apprentice, a poor child named A. S., 
 daughter of E. S. decef d unto Hezekiah Hale of f d Longmeadow, to learn the art of 
 houfewifery, the f d A. S. after the manner of an Apprentice to dwell with and ferve 
 the f d Hezekiah Hale from the day of the date hereof until the day when fhe the f d 
 A. S. fhall if living arrive to the age of eighteen years or fhall be lawfully^ married, 
 during all which time or term the f d A. S. her f d Mafter and Miftrefs well and faith- 
 fully fhall ferve, and his lawful commands every where readily obey; fhe fhall wil-
 
 1 86 
 
 fully do no damage to her f d Mailer or Miftrefs or to their property, or willingly fuf- 
 fer any to be done by others, from the fervice of her f d Mafter or Miftrefs (he fhall 
 not abfent herfelf, but in all things and at all times (he fhall carry and behave her- 
 felf as a good and faithful apprentice ought, during the whole time or term aforef d . 
 And the f d Hezekiah Hale on his part doth hereby promife and agree to teach and 
 inftru6l the f d A. S. or caufe her to be taught and inftrucled in the art of houfewifery 
 in the feveral branches of bufinefs which are common and proper for a maid to be 
 inftrucled in, and alfo to teach or caufe her to be taught and inftrucled in reading 
 and writing as much as is proper for fuch a girl and well and truely to provide her 
 with good and fufficient food, drink and clothing, lodging and other neceffaries, in 
 ficknefs and health, fuitable for fuch an apprentice during the term aforef d and at 
 the expiration of the term aforef d (hall give unto the f d A. S. two fuits of wearing 
 apparel, one fuitable for Lords days and the other fuitable for working days, and 
 alfo (hall give her a Bible. 
 
 In teftimony whereof the Parties aforef d have hereunto interchangeably fet their 
 hands and feals the i8 th day of Decemb r AD 1804, CALVIN BURT ETHAN ELY 
 
 Signed, Sealed and delivered in prefence of Jos. H. COOLEY HEZE U HALE. 
 
 GIDEON COLTON JuN r LUTHER BURT. 
 
 INVENTORY OF THOMAS BLISS. 
 
 [Husband of Margaret Bliss afterwards of Longmeadow.] 
 
 The Inventory of the Goods Chattells and Cattle of THOMAS BLISS of Hartford 
 deceafed taken by Jofeph Mygatt and Nath 1 warde this 14 th Feb?. 1650. 
 
 It : his wearing Apparell 02 : oo : oo It : one bedftead with 2 feather bedds 
 uppon it with fheets and Blankitts 08 : oo : oo It : a trundle bed, a flock bed 
 uppon it with fheets and Blankitts i pr of each 03 : oo : oo It : pr meets and 
 table Cloths and yarns in y e house 03 : oo : oo It : 2 brafs potts, i Iron pott, 2 
 kettles, 13 (killet and a Mortar 03 : 10 : oo It: in milk veffells and other fmall 
 dimes oo : 10 : oo It: in pewter as much as comes to 01 : 15 : oo It: i 
 Spitt, i frying pan, I tramell, i firepan and tongs oo : 08 : oo It : i beetle fome 
 wedges oo : 06 : oo It : one ould trunck, 2 chefts, and one boxe, old ones 
 oo : 10 : oo It: 2 pair of fcales and weights m/- v oo : 06 : 08 It: 2 old bibles 
 bo : 05 : oo It : one powdering tubb and a Cowle oo : 07 : o It : one br- 
 axe veffell and old tubbs oo : 12 : oo It: 2 wheeles and 2 feives oo : 08 : oo- 
 It : i chaire and 2 oldftooles oo : 02 : oo It : I charne, i buckett and 2 payles 
 oo : 06 : oo It: i Loome with baner and Slayes, and one Whefle 02 : 
 !6 : oo it : 2 axes and 4 old hoes oo : 09 : oo It : 2 Sawes and one 
 fpade oo : 12 : oo It: 2 cowes and 2 yeare old calves 16 : oo : oo It: dew 
 to him in a debt 02 : oo : oo It : his howfe and Lott belonging to it 02 : oo : oo 
 It : of meadow, and upland 35 . 35 : oo : oo It : another houfe Lott 
 02 : 10 : oo Total 86 : 12 : 08. ( NATHA: WARDE 
 
 Feb: 14 th 1650 ( JOSEPH MYGATT. 
 
 mary parfons of Springfield the daughter of Thomas Blifs Late of Hartford de- 
 ceafed, doth teftifie, that when her father Lay on his death bed, (hee heard her 
 mother Afk him, how hee would difpofe of his Eftate, he Anfwered hee would give 
 it to her, who mould have it alone, her mother afked him if he would not difpofe 
 of it to his Children, her father Anfwered again no, her mother fliould have it, this 
 (hee fhall bee ready to teftifie if called thereunto : witnefs . 
 
 JOHN PINCHEON 
 
 Feb 7 20 th 1650 HEN: SMITH
 
 i8 7 
 
 This Court taking into confideration the Eftate of Thomas Bliss, deceafed, ac- 
 cording to the evidence given in, doe give unto his relict power to Adminifter uppon 
 the whole Eftate w ch mall remaine in her hands and for her ufe, and the education 
 of her Children during her natural life (if (he fo long continue a widdow) and after 
 her death to be divided amongft the Children whofe names are in the margent 
 [Laurence Blifs, John Blifs, Sam: Blifs, Hefther Blifs, Eliz: Blifs, Hannah Blifs, 
 Sarah Blifs] in fuch proportion as fhe mail apprehend them to deferve, but if 
 Ihee fhall marry again then fecurity (hall be given in, before (hee bee Contracted to 
 the fatiffaction of the Courte for the Cum of fifty pounds to be devided amongft 
 the Children aforefaid. 
 
 This was done by this Courte (as appeares in the Records thereoff) with the con- 
 fent of the f d Relict only with the provifo " except the elder Children can give juft 
 grounds and reafons that they mould come in with the younger Children for a pro- 
 portion of the Eftate : " 
 
 PULPIT NOTICES. 
 
 The following are specimens from a great variety of public notices 
 read from the pulpit in the olden time : 
 
 FEBRUARY the ii" 1 i;f. 
 
 I Thefe may Certifie to Whomfoever it may Concern that Wee the Subfcribers 
 are Confenting that our fon Robert Harris of Springfield Should Marry with M r 
 Bathfheba Pynchon of f d Springfield DANIEL HARRIS JOANNAH HARRIS. 
 
 II Thefe may Certifie that ony* 18"' day of Auguft Ano Dom' 1732 David Burt 
 of Springfield y e 3 d Ent d his Intentions of Marriage with Sarah Colton of f d Spring- 
 field and that on y" 19"" day of f d Month Publication thereof was made as y e Law 
 Directs by pofting a Notification of y* fame. Att 9t 
 
 W m PYNCHON JUN r Clerk of Springfield. . 
 
 III This may Certifie that on y e II th day of April Anno Dom 1 1735 Frances Sikes 
 of Brimfield Entered his Intention of Marriage with Elizabeth Knowlton of Spring- 
 field and that on the 12 th day of f' 1 April Publication was made by pofting a Notifi 
 cation of y e fame as y e Law Directs And a!fo that on y e 23 d day of f d April the 
 Banns of Matrimony between the f d Perlons was forbidden by Elizabeth Sikes of 
 f d Springfield Wid w Att 8t W m PYNCHON JUN F Clerk of Springfield. 
 
 IV Mathew Kep and his Wife Defire the Name of GOD may be praifed for his 
 goodnefs to him in Preferving him Whilft abroad and Returning him hum and re- 
 ftoring him To fuch helth as he is able to atend the Publick Worfhip this day they 
 Defire they may be helpt to Live anfwerabel to the mercies Received. 
 
 V Stephen Keep Jun r Being about to go Into public fervice in the ArmyDefires 
 the prayers of this Congregation for him that God would keep him from fin and all 
 Evils hee may bee expofed unto and bee Returned home again to his friends In 
 fafety his parents Join with him. 
 
 Ephraim Brown 2 nd with his wife Defire to Offer Publick thanks to god for his 
 goodnefs to them in appearing for hur in an hour of deficulty and Deftrefs and make- 
 ing hur the Mother of a Living and Perfect Child they defire Prayers that god 
 would be Pleaf d to Reftore his handmaid to her ufual helth and ftrength again and 
 Ennable them to live to his Praife and glory, alfo Defir Baptifm the Child name 
 is Afa.
 
 1 88 
 
 THE WILL OF DR. WILLIAMS. 
 
 The following is a copy of the will of Rev. Stephen Williams, D.D., 
 the first Longmeadow Pastor : 
 
 IN THE NAME OF THE ETERNALL JEHOVAH AMEN. 
 
 The twenty fixth day of March Anno Domini 1771 and of the Reign of King 
 George the 3 d y" eleventh ; I Stephen Williams of Springf d (clerk) in the county of 
 Hampshire, and of the province of the Maffachufetts Bay in N. E. being in a com- 
 fortable ftate of Health, and of found mind and memory (for which God be praif d ) 
 calling to mind the mortality of my body, knowing that tis appointed to all men once 
 to dye do make and ordain this my laft will and Teftament viz. principally and firft 
 of all I do Give up my Soul into the Hands of. God my Creator through the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift my Redeemer thro the merits of whofe death and paffion I hope for the 
 forgivenefs of my fins and to inherit eternall life ; my Body I corfiitt to the Earth to 
 be decently (not pompoufly) buried at the difcretion of my friends, having hope of 
 the Refurreftion of the fame &c. And as touching fuch worldly Eftate which the 
 divine Bounty hath been pleaf d to lend me, I do give and difpofe of the Same, in the 
 following manner viz : firft my mind and will is, that all thofe debts and dues, that I 
 do owe in right or confidence, to any perfon whatfoever mail be paid by my Execu- 
 tors (Hereafter to be named) in a fuitable time after my deceafe. And my mind and 
 will is that the meat, meal, Tallow, candles, fugar &c and fuch like neceffaries in the 
 Houfe, as likewife the Grafs, and Grain that fhall be on the Ground, and the Hay 
 and Grain that fhall be in the Barn, at the Time of my death, and the Grain that 
 fhall be in the chambers or Garretts of the Houfe, fhall not be reckoned as part of 
 my Eftate, to be accounted for in the divifion of it ; but they fhall be for the ufe of 
 my family and for the family of my fon Sam 1 . Item, my mind and will is, that my 
 Executors take fpeciall care that the Agreement made between me and my prefent 
 wife Sarah, be fullfilled and comply d with according to the true intention and mean- 
 ing thereof, by procuring for her what fhe is to Have by f d Agreement, or jointure, 
 which was made before our marriage : I do alfo giye to my dear wife Sarah (in cale 
 fhe outlive me) my mourning ring, befides what fhe is to have by the above f d 
 Agreement or jointure. 
 
 Item. I give and bequeath to my fon John Williams, His Heirs or Executors &c 
 my Quarto Bible, containing the Apocrypha &c and twenty (hillings worth, or 
 value of my other Englifh books or pamphlets, &c. 
 
 Item. I give to my fon Sam 1 Williams, His Heirs, Executors, &c. M r Burkett's 
 edition of the New Teftament, that is now in the Hands of his brother Nathan. I 
 give him alfo twenty millings worth of my other Englifh books or pamphlets of 
 pra6licall piety or devotion &c. Item I give to my daughter Eunice Stebbins, Her 
 Heirs, Executors, &c. D r Guife's Paraphrafe of the Evangelifts, (which was given 
 me by His Excellency Governor Belcher, deceaf d .) I give her alfo of my other Eng- 
 lifh books or pamphletts &c. y e value of twenty fhillings &c. Item I give to my 
 daughter, Martha Raynolds, Her Heirs, Executors, &c. the Rev d M r Willard's Ex- 
 pofition of the Affemblies Catechifm, as alfo to the value of twenty fhillings of my 
 Englifh books and pamphletts. 
 
 My mind and will is, that my fons John and Sam' do take care of, and provide for 
 Phillis negro, what is proper and needfull, and comfortable for her, fo long as fhe 
 lives, and in confederation thereof, I do give to my f d fons, John and Sam 1 , their 
 Heirs, and Affiigns, my negro fervant Peter, to John and Sam 1 I fay, in equall pro-
 
 1 89 
 
 portion ; that is that one (hall have one half, and the other the other half, of right or 
 intereft in him. 
 
 Item. I give and bequeath to my fons John and Sam 1 their Heirs, Executors, 
 and that in equall proportion, all my. ftock of Horfes, neat Cattle, Sheep and Hogs, 
 and all my Hufbandry utenfils, carts, ploughs, chains, &c &c,' my faddles, bridles, &c 
 that I (hall dye poffeffed of, and all my money, or what is due to me, (excepting 
 what is due for Land, fold to M r John Kirtland in Merryfield). this Bequest of crea- 
 tures, Hufbandry utenfils, money, &c. is upon condition that they, (i. e. my ions 
 John and Sam 1 ) pay all the debts and dues from me at my deceal'e, and fullfill the 
 Articles of Agreement between me and my prefent wife Sarah made before our mar- 
 riage ; as alfo that they are at the expenle of my funerall ; as alfo that they take care 
 of me and my wife, during my natural! life, without expenle of their Brethren or 
 Sifters, or any deduction from the Bequefts that fhall be made to them or either of 
 them, &c. 
 
 Item. I give and bequeath to my Belov d fon, John Williams, His Heirs and 
 Affigns, befides Farm at Somers, that he lives upon, (and which I have given him a 
 deed of), I give him^ I fay, ten acres of land in Wales, belonging to or part of the 
 Land, granted to Cap' Thos. Colton, deceaf d , lying and being in a place called 
 Wales. I do alfo give to my fon John, His Heirs, &c. all the Land belonging to me 
 lying Eaft of the Farm that was Ebenezer Jones fo as to extend to the ftream or brook 
 called Scantick, and this bequell has thefe conditions annexed to it, viz. y' he pay his 
 brother Warham y e fum of two pound, lawfull money, within one year after my de- 
 ceafe if he does not do it before ; and to each of his lifters (i e Eunice and Martha) 
 one cow, within a year after my deceafe, if not done before, &c. 
 
 Item. Whereas my fon Sam 1 hath lived with me and labour d for me, from his 
 arriving to the age of twenty one year to the tyme of his marriage, (which was near 
 ten years), which fervice meritts a particular notice and reward, I defire this may be 
 born upon y e mind of all my children : and let it be remembered, that I do give and 
 bequeath to my Belov d Son, Sam 1 Williams, His Heirs and Affigns, my Home Lot, 
 manfion Houfe and Barn, and all the buildings on the Lot, and I do give and be- 
 queath to him &c all the Land I have in Longmeadow or any other part of Spring- 
 field, as alfo all my Land in Wales ( fo called) lying Eaft of the Rivulet called Scan- 
 tick, excepting what is devifed and given to my fon John ; the land I give to my 
 fon Sam 1 in Wales is thus Bound' 1 viz. fouth on the province line, eaft on Brimfield, 
 .north on Land that did belong to M r Jofeph Chaffee, and weft on the Brook call d 
 Scantick, and on y e ten Acres bequeathed to my fon John ; thefe lands, Buildings 
 and Appurtenances belonging to them I do give and bequeath to my fon Sam 1 , His 
 Heirs and Affigns, upon condition, that he y e f d Sam 1 do give a deed of that land 
 lying and being in Wales aforef d that I gave him a deed of, (i. e. fo much of it as 
 lyeth weft of the aforef d Rivulet or Brook) unto his Brother John Williams, and do 
 pay to his Brother Warham Williams, the fum of two pound, lawfull money within 
 a year after my deceafe &c and to each of his lifters a cow, within a year after my 
 deceafe, if it be not done before. 
 
 Furthermore with refpect to my other five children, viz : Stephen, Warham, Na- 
 than, Eunice and Martha, I do declare that my mind, and will is that including what 
 they have Allready had, for Education, and what has been advanced to them for fet- 
 tlement, and what I have ordered and directed my fons, John and Sam 1 , to advance 
 for and pay to Any of them, my mind and will (I fay) is that they fhall have each of 
 them, to the Amount or value of two Hundred, thirty one pound, eight milling, and 
 four pence, which I expect, will and order, that they have or receive out of my Land,
 
 190 
 
 in Stafford in Connecticutt, and my land eaft of Stockbridge, (in a Tract of Land, 
 called the minifter's Farm, or the minifter's Land), which Land I eftimate or value 
 at the following rates or prices, and expect they be fo accounted in the Bequeaths or 
 devizes, hereafter mention" 1 . I do I fay, Eftimate the Land I have lyeing and being 
 in Stafford, in the colony of Connecticutt, (which is two hundred and fifty acres), I 
 do I fay eftimate or value it, at ten (hillings lawfull money per acre ; and the Land 
 lyeing and being Eaft of Stockbridge (which I account is two hundred and fourty 
 or fivety acres), I eftimate and value at ten millings per acre, yet fo, that if it prove 
 but two hundred and fourty acres, y e whole (hall be account" 1 of y e value of one hun- 
 dred twenty five pound, thefe things premif d or what I expect to be obferv d or at- 
 tended to : I do proceed to fay, that inafmuch as I have advanced to my belov d fon 
 Stephen Williams the fum of one hundred pounds for his Education at School and 
 College, and towards his Settlement I have advanced the fum fourty Eight pound, 
 four (hilling and eleven pence, I do now will and bequeath to him, thirty one pound, 
 (even pence to be paid out of y e money, due to me, upon the mortgages of y e Land 
 at Merryfield, which mortgages were given to me by John Kirtland, of f d Merryfield. 
 I do further give, bequeath and devize to my f d fon Stephen, Hi! Heirs and Affigns, 
 to y e value of fivety two pound, three (hillings and ten pence, which he is to receive or 
 have out of my Land in Stafford aforef d : the whole advanced to him before and 
 now bequeathed, amounting to the fum of two hundred thirty one pound, eight (hil- 
 lings, and four pence. 
 
 Item, inafmuch as I have advanced to my Belov d fon Warham Williams, y e fum 
 of one hundred pound, lawfull money, for his Education at School and College, and 
 for and towards his fettlement, I have advanced y e fum of one hundred twenty eight 
 pound five (hilling, fo that I do account he has received of me, two hundred and 
 twenty eight pound, five (hillings ; I do give and bequeath and devize to him my 
 f d fon Warham, His Heirs and Affigns to y e amount or value of three pound, three 
 (hilling and four pence, out of the Land lyeing eaft of Stockbridge ; I do likewife 
 give and bequeath to my f d fon Warham, His Heirs and Affigns, all the land I have 
 left at New- Haven, yet unfold ; that defcend d to me or to my brother (the Rev d 
 Warham Williams, late of Waltham, deceaf d ) from our Honour" 5 uncle Warham 
 Mather, Efq r late of New Haven, deceaf d .... I have purchafed of the heirs of 
 my B r Warham above mentioned all their right and title to f d land. 
 
 Item, inafmuch as I have advanced to my Belov d Daughter, Eunice Stebbins, for 
 and towards her fettlement, y e fum of ninety pound, one (hilling and four pence, and - 
 have advanced to her in money, fivety three pound, nine milling and five pence, and 
 have ordered her Brethren John and Sam 1 (Each of them), to pay or deliver to her 
 a good cow, which I eftimate at three pound each cow ; fo that I account (he has 
 receiv d or fecur d to her y e fum of one hundred fourty nine pound, ten (hillings and 
 nine pence ; I do further give, bequeath and devize to my f d daughter Eunice, her 
 Heirs and Affigns, to y" value or amount of feventy three pound, fix (hillings, eleven 
 pence out of my Land, lyeing and being in Stafford aforef d and to y e value and 
 amount of eight pound, ten (hilling, and eight pence out of my Land lyeing Eaft of 
 Stockbridge y* whole advanced to her and now bequeathed amounts to y e fum of 
 two hundred, thirty one pound eight milling and four pence. 
 
 Item, inafmuch as I have advanced to my Belov d Daughter Martha Raynolds, for 
 and towards her fettlement, y e fum of one hundred fiveteen pound, (even (hilling 
 and five pence, and have order d her Brethren John and Sam 1 , each of them, to pay 
 or deliver to her a good cow, which I value at three pound pr cow, and 1 have ad- 
 vanced to her in money, fivety pound ; fo that I account (he has receiv d or has fecured
 
 to her, to the amount of one hundred feventy one pound, feven (hillings and five 
 pence, and I do further give and bequeath and devife to her, f d Martha, Her Heirs 
 and Affigns to y e value or amount of Sixty pound and eleven pence, out of my Land 
 lyeing Eaft of Stockbridge, the whole advanced to her and now bequeathed amounts 
 to the y e fum of two hundred thirty one pound, Eight (hilling and four pence. 
 
 Item, inafmuch as I have advanc d to my Belov d fon Nathan Williams y e fum of 
 one Hundred pound, lawfull money for his Education at School and at College, and 
 for and towards his fettlement I have advanced thirty three millings and three 
 pence, and have advanced to him, by land, fconvey d to him, in Merryfield, by M r 
 John Kirtland, purchafed or paid for by me) to the amount of fourty five pound, fo 
 that I account he has receiv d of me to the amount of one hundred feventy Eight 
 pound, three (hillings and three pence, and I do further give bequeath and devize to 
 my f d fon Nathan, His Heirs and Affigns to y e value or amount of fivety three pounds, 
 five (hillings and one penny out of my Land lyeing and being Eaft of Stockbridge, 
 y e whole advanced to him and now bequeathed amounts to the fum of two hundred 
 thirty one pound, Ejght (hillings, and four pence. 
 
 Furthermore, my mind and will is, that all my Books not allready difpofed of or 
 given away, and all my indoor moveables, fuch as beds, bedding, tables, chairs, lin- 
 nen, pewter, Brafs, iron, Silver cup, Silver fpoons, looking Glaffes, yea all proper in- 
 door moveables or Houfehold Stuff, be eftimated or valued, (either by my children 
 themfelves, or fome other perfons they (hall choofe), and when eftimated or valued, 
 be divided into five equall parts, as to worth or value, and I do give and Bequeath 
 to my five children, that is to fay, Stephen, Warham, Nathan, Eunice, and Martha, 
 to each of them refpectively, their Heirs, Executors, Adminiftrators, and Affigns, 
 one fifth part of the whole ; i. e. to Stephen, His Heirs, &c, one fifth part ; to War- 
 ham, His Heirs, &c, one fifth part ; to Nathan, His Heirs, &c, one fifth part ; to 
 Eunice, Her Heirs, &c, one fifth part ; to Martha, her Heirs one fifth part, the 
 three fons to have the Books, as far as they will go towards their parts ; and the 
 daughters to have the firft choice, as to y e movables. I defire Stephen may have 
 D r . Guife's Paraphrafe, Warham M r Stackhoufe's Body of Divinity, and Nathan M r 
 Henry's Annotations &c. 
 
 But principally and above all, I give, and bequeath as my laft legacy, to all my 
 dear children, my ferious and folemn advice, that they choofe the Lord Jehovah for 
 their GOD. " He hath been my Father's God, and I truft and humbly hope, mine 
 alfo, He hath been with me in great difficulties, and troubles. He has remarkably 
 helped, delivered, and faved me. I do recomend him to my children, folemnly 
 charging them to make it their firft care to feek peace with God and reconciliation 
 thro' a crucify d Chri/l, and being reconcil d to make it their perpetuall ftudy to pleafe 
 him in all things ; it is my repeated charge to them all to follow GOD, follow him 
 early, follow him fully. I have devot d you all to God ; and there is nothing I fo much 
 defire for you, my dear children, as to HAVE this ftand; that you may be the Lord's, 
 and ferve him, with a perfect heart, and willing mind ; the LORD GOD himfelf de- 
 termine your hearts to feek him, and may he be your portion and provide for you." 
 See Chronicles xxviii : 9. 
 
 Finally I nominate and appoint my belov d fons, John and Sam 1 , to be my fole 
 executors of this my laft will and Teftament, and I give and bequeath, my black 
 cloak, and my two beftt black coats, to my three fons, Stephen, Warham, and. Na- 
 than, they to agree, to take each one of them, one of thefe garments, as may beft 
 fuit &c. 
 
 2 5
 
 1 92 
 
 And inafmuch as I expect, and direct, my executors to difcharge all my debts and 
 dues (as fpec'fy d in the firft leaf, or folio of this inftrument) I do further give and 
 bequeath, to my above mentioned executors, my fons John and Sam 1 , all my wearing 
 apparell of every kind, the cloak and the two black coats, above mentioned, ex- 
 cepted. I do alfo give and bequeath to my f d executors, all the right, and title, I 
 have to the land in South-Hampton that was my Honour d uncle's Warham Mather, 
 Esq. late of New Haven, deceaf d I do give to them, their Heirs and Afligns, equally 
 my right and title to f d land ; to them alfo I give all my eftate whether reall or per- , 
 fonall, that I have anywhere, whatfoever, that I have not alienat d , bequeath d , de- 
 vif d , or given away by this will or fome other way. And I do by thefe prefents, re- 
 voke and disanull, all wills and teftaments, by me made heretofore, declaring them 
 to be null, and of no force, or virtue. 
 
 And I do confirm this to be my laft will and Teftament, in witnefs whereof I have 
 hereunto fet my hand and feal, the day and year before mentioned. 
 
 STEPHEN WILLIAMS. 
 
 Signed fealed publifh d and pronounced by f d Stephen Williams, that what is 
 above and contained in the three preceding pages, or folios, is his laft will and tefta- 
 ment, in prelence of us, who fign as witneifes, in the prefence and at the defire of 
 the Teftator, &c. 
 
 NATH 1 BURT, 
 
 GIDEON BURT, 
 
 NATH 1 ELY, 4 th , 
 
 JACOB CHAPIN. 
 
 A CODICILL OR SCHEDULE TO MY WILL OR TESTAMENT. 
 
 Know All men, by thefe prefents, that I Stephen Williams of Springf d , Clerk, do on 
 this eleventh of Auguft, 1773, declare my approbation and confirmation of my will da- 
 ted the fixth of March 1771. And now add this Codicill, or Schedule thereto, viz. I do 
 give to my dear wife Sarah, in cafe (he outlives me, the free ufe and improvement of the 
 North Room of my Houfe, and the ufe of the Cellar, as far as fhe needs, with free lib- 
 erty of paffing to and from the f d room, to the well, and ftreet, &c, fo long as fhe contin- 
 ues my widow ; this is to be underftood as liberty for her and family to live in, and 
 not to Let or Leafe to any other perfons. Item, inafmuch as my fon John Williams 
 is in an infirm ftate of health, I do nominate and appoint my Belov d Son-in-Law, 
 Sam 1 Raynolds, Efq r of Somers, an Executor of my laft will and teftament, in con- 
 junction with my Belov d fons, John and Sam 1 mentioned in my will, and expect my 
 f d fon-in-law be paid for his trouble and pains out of money that may be due to me at 
 my deceafe, or out of the flock, or Hufbandry utenfils, &c. 
 
 STEPHEN WILLIAMS. 
 
 Sign d feal d and pronounc d by f d Stephen Williams, that the above Codicill is his 
 will and mind, in the prefence of us who fign as witnefles in the prefencfe and at the 
 defire of f d Stephen Williams. 
 
 NATH 1 BURT, 
 
 GIDEON BURT, 
 
 JACOB CHAPIN.
 
 193 
 
 QUARTERMASTER GEORGE COLTON'S WILL. 
 
 I George Colton of Springfield in Hampfhire of the Province of the Maffachu- 
 fetts Bay in New England being fenfible of the weaknefs of my Body and yet 
 through the Mercies of GOD having comfortable ufe of my Underftanding and 
 Memory and not knowing how foon my Change (hall come, do make this my laft 
 Will and Teftament as followeth. Imp, I commit my foul into the hands of GOD 
 who made it, and unto Jefus Chrifl who hath redeemed it, and my Body I defire 
 when it fhall pleafe the Lord to releafe me hence, that it may be committed unto the 
 Earth in decent manner, there to lie till the Refurreclion of the Juft when Body and 
 Soul mall be united by a Joyful Refurre&ion, which I hope for through the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. And as for my Worldly Goods and Eftate which the Lord hath gra- 
 cioufly beftowed on me I difpofe of it as followeth. 
 
 I give and bequeath unto my four fons Isaac, Ephraim, Thomas and John all my 
 Lands in Springfield to be after my deceafe equally divided between them, and to 
 continue to them and their male Heirs and of their own Bodies lawfully begotten 
 forever, and for want of male Heirs, to their Female Heirs of their own Bodies 
 lawfully begotten forever. Provided always and my further will and meaning is that 
 my f d four fons Shall pay unto their three natural Sifters, my own Daughters, the 
 fum of Forty Pounds apiece in good merchantable form at current Prices, or in 
 Cattle as they Ihall be indifferently prized (Horfe flefh only excepted unlefs they de- 
 fire them.) Further my will is that the Forty pounds apiece which my three Daugh- 
 ters are to receive iliall be paid to them or their Heirs within the Compafs of Six 
 Years after my Deceafe. Further my Will is that my f d four fons fhall pay unto my 
 daughter Sara, deceafed her three Children Rebecca, Sam 1 and Jofeph the fum of 
 Forty pounds in Current pay as aforef ci viz, unto Rebecca Twenty Pounds and to 
 Sam 1 and Jofeph ten pounds apiece when they come to be Married and Settled in 
 the World. Provided always and my further will is that if my fon John fhall have 
 a male Heir that his Land fhall pay unto his now Daughter Abigail Fifty Pounds in 
 Current Country pay, and in cafe of no male Heir then the aforef d Abigail mail 
 pay out unto the reft of the Children if there be any what indifferent Judges mail 
 think to be convenient. And for the performance of the Legacies aforef d to my f d 
 three Daughters all my aforef d lands mall be obliged to be refponfible, provided al- 
 ways, and my further will and meaning is that if either of my fons their Heir or 
 Heirs or either of them do or ihall attempt or go about to do any act or acts, thing 
 or things to alien or difcontinue the Lands bequeathed unto them or any Part or 
 parcel thereof as abovef d by me bequeathe4 unto them either by fale Feoff ment 
 Mortgage or otherwife by any ways or means, fo that the f Lands and every Part 
 and Parcel thereof may not or cannot defcend, come, revert and remain and be in 
 manner and form as before in this my laft Will and Teftament limited declared and 
 appointed and according to the true intent and meaning hereof, that then immedi- 
 ately and from thenceforth the Eftate, Intereft or Title of him or them so attempt- 
 ing or going about any fuch A61 or Acls, thing or things (as aforef d ) of and in the 
 f d Land and any part thereof fhall ceafe and be fully and clearly determined and 
 extinguimed and that then immediately and thenceforth the fame remain and belong 
 to fuch perfon or perfons as by this my laft Will and Teftament is limited and appointed 
 in fuch manner and form and upon the like Conditions as though he or they fo at- 
 tempting or going about any fuch Act or Acts, thing or things as aforef d in form 
 aforef d were departed this Life anything before in this my laft Will and Teftament 
 mentioned and declared to the contrary notwithftanding.
 
 194 
 
 And I do make and ordain my two Eldeft fons Ifaac and Ephraim my whole and 
 fole Executors of this my laft Will and Teftament and in cafe of any Ambiguity or 
 Doubt, my defire is they fliould explain and interpret the Same according to their 
 wifdom and underftanding of the fame. 
 
 And in witnefs hereof that this is my laft Will and Teftament, I have hereunto let 
 my hand and feal this 2 nd day of April 1697 and in the 9 th year of the reign of W m 
 ye 2 rd King of England &c. 
 Signed fealed in pretence of GEORGE + COLTON. 
 
 BENJ + BROOKS JNO HOLKOKE 
 
 Diark 
 
 HAMPSHIRE ss Jan>" n" 1 f?{J| 
 
 Ifaac Colton and Ephraim Colton prefented the above Inftrument as their Father 
 George Colton dec" his laft will and teftament when (before me Judge of Probate) 
 appeared M r Jno Holyoke and BenJ Brooks each of whom made Oath that being 
 prefent at the time of it they faw George Colton, then of found difpofing mind, fign 
 and feal the fame as his laft will and teftament, to which they then fet their hands as 
 witneffes with the other two perfons now abfent. 
 
 Sworn to Jan> II th IfgJJ before JNO PYNCHON Hampfhire Probate Office. 
 In the fettlement of Ifaac Colton's Eftate Sept. 25 th 1700 is as follows 
 " And whereas Qu r George Colton, father to f d Ifaac Colton dec d , by his laft 
 "will and teftament did fettle certain lands in Springfield to the value of .318.17.9 
 " unto his f' 1 fon and the male heirs of his body lawfully together equally, and there 
 " being fons each one's equal fhare is, to George Colton one of -f d male heirs 
 .106.5.10 to Jofeph Colton 2 d of f d male heirs ^"106.5.10 and to BenJ Colton a 
 3 rJ male heir ; 106.5.10 all which to be fet out to them in f appropriate Lands as 
 to quantity and quality equally which is moft agreeable to the fame aforef d will, and 
 the f* Jofeph and BenJ 'Colton not being yet of age to receive their f d portions, the 
 f d Mary Colton their Mother to have the ufe and improvement of their fhares or 
 parts in Lands till they come of age, viz 21 years of age, and if either or any of 
 them die before of age the furvivor to receive it in proportion according to the will 
 of the dec d . 
 
 Sept. 25. 1701. PRECINCT TAX WARRANT. 
 
 Hampfli: ff. To Nathanael Ely Conftable of the town of Springfield within the 
 
 County of Hampfhire Greeting 
 
 In his maisties name you are Required to Levy and-Collect of the Several Per- 
 fons named in the Lift Herewith Committed unto you each one his Respective Pro- 
 portion therein Set down of the Sum Total of Such Lift Being a tax of affeffment 
 Granted and agreed upon by the Inhabitants of the Precinct of Longmeadow within 
 the S d town Regularly affembled for Defreying of the neceflary Charges arifing 
 within the Same and to deliver and pay in the Sum and Sums which you fhall So 
 Levy and Collect unto Charles Pynchon treafurer of the S d Precinct and to Com- 
 pleat and make up an account of your Collections of the whole Sum at on or before 
 the forth Day of May next and if any perfon or perfons fhall neglect or Refufe to 
 make payment of the Sum or Sums whereat he or they are Refpe&ively affeffed and 
 fet in the S d Lift to deftrein the Goods or Chatties of fuch perfon to the Value 
 thereof and the Diftrefs or Diftreffes fo taken to keep by the Space of four Days at
 
 195 
 
 the coft and charge of the owner, and if the owner do notj>ay the Sum or Sums of 
 money fo affeffed upon him within the f a four Days, then the f Diftrefs or Diftreffes 
 lo taken you are to Expofe and openly Sell at an outcry for payment of the f money 
 and Charges, notice of fuch Sale being pofted up in ibme Public place within the 
 fame precin6t twenty four hours beforehand and the overplus coming by f a Sale if 
 any be befides the Sum or Sums of the Affeffment and the Charges of taking and 
 Keeping of the Diftreffes to be Immediately Reftored to the Owner and for want of 
 Goods or Chattels whereon to make Diftrefs, you are to feize the Body or Bodies of 
 the perfon or perfons fo Refufing and him or them Commit unto the Common Goal 
 of the f u County there to Remain until he or they pay and Satisfy the feveral Sum 
 or Sums whereat they are ^Reflectively affeffed as aforef unlefs upon application 
 made to the Court of General Sefiions of the Peace the fame or any part thereof 
 lhall be abated. 
 
 Dated in Longmeadow in Springfield the 22 Day of January. In the twenty firfl 
 year of his majesties Reign Anoq Dom. 1749. (Signed) 
 
 EPHRAIM COLTON JuN r ) 
 
 JOHN HALE > Affeffors. 
 
 AARON COOLEY ) 
 
 TOWN INCORPORATION ACT. 
 
 An A6t to incorporate the Second Parifh in Springfield called Longmeadow, into a 
 Town by the Name of Longmeadow. 
 
 Whereas it is reprefented by the Inhabitants of the S d Parifh, that they labour 
 under great burdens and inconveniences by reafon of their Situation, and the Sepa- 
 rate Interefts'in the S" Town ; and it appears to this Court to be expedient that the 
 S d Parifh be incorporated into a Separate Town : 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and Hous of Reprefentatives in General Court affem- 
 bled and by the authority of the Same. That the Second parifh in Springfield 
 called Longmeadow, in the County of Hampmire and all that tract of Land known 
 by that name and bounded as Follows, viz. Weft on Connecticut River, South on 
 the towns of Somers and Endfield, Eaft on Wilbraham and North begining at the 
 mouth of Pecoufick-Brook (so called) and runing eaft on the parifh line to the 
 Town of Wilbraham, be, and hereby is incorporated into a Town by the Name of 
 Longmeadow, with all the powers privileges and immunities that towns in this Com- 
 monwealth have or do enjoy; and that the S d town of Longmeadow pay its juft 
 proportion of publick taxes affeffed on the S d town of Springfield, agreeable to the 
 prefent valuation, and untill a new valuation is taken, and bear its due proportion of 
 the expence and charges towards the Suppoart of the prefent poor thereof, and pay 
 its proportional part of the publick debts now owed by the S d Town, and receive its 
 Shares of publick Moneys and Debts now due to the S d town, and the common 
 Stock thereof, in the Same proportion that they paid to the laft State tax affeffed on 
 the town of Springfield. 
 
 And be it further enacted that the Honor ble John Blifs Efq r be and he is hereby 
 impowered to iffue his warrant to Some principal inhabitant of the S u town of 
 Longmeadow requiring him to call a Meeting of the S d inhabitents in order to chufe 
 Such officers as by Law towns are impowered to chufe in the month of March 
 annually. 
 
 This aft Faffed October 13 th 1783.
 
 196 
 
 DROWNED LANDS' WARRANT. 
 
 The following warrant for the compulsory levying of a tax upon the 
 proprietors of the flooded " Drowned " or " Pond " portions of the 
 meadow land, under the highest authority of the Commonwealth 
 nearly a hundred years ago, may well engage the attention of the same 
 proprietors, or of the town itself, as a possible precedent at the pres- 
 ent day, when the area of the same lands is apparently annually in- 
 creasing and their malarious influence more and more suspected : 
 
 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HAMPSHIRE Ss. 
 To Ebenezer Blifs Collector for the Proprietors of the Drowned Land in the Town 
 
 of Longmeadow within this Commonwealth of Maffachufetts in the County of 
 
 Hampfhire Greeting 
 
 In the Name of the Governor and Councel of the f Commonwealth of Maffachu- 
 setts you are hereby required to levy and Collect of the feveral Parfons named in 
 the Lift herewith Committed unto you each one, his refpective proportion, therein 
 fet down, of the Some total of fuch lift, it being .20.16.6 each proprietor propor- 
 tion of a Tax or Affeffment of twenty Pound, Sixteen Shilling and Six pence, Agreed 
 upon by the Commiffioners appointed by his Excellency the Governor and Councel 
 aforef d , at a meeting appointed for that purpofe in f' 1 Longmeadow on the fifth Day 
 of May Seventeen Hundred and eighty five, for defraying the neceffary Charges of 
 Dreaning and Flowing f j weat or Drowned lands of f (i proprietors and you are to 
 tranfmit and Pay in the fame unto M r Sam 1 Keep Treafurer and recever of the above 
 f d Tax, appointed by the Commiffioners of f d weat lands or to his fucceffor in that 
 Office, and to Compleat and make up an account of your collection of the whol fum 
 on or before the firft Day of April, feventeen Hundred and eaghty eaght and if any 
 paribn fliall refufe or neglect to pay the Sum he or fhe is affeffed in the f d lift to Dif- 
 train the Goods or Chattels of fuch parfons to the Value thereof and the Diftrefs fo 
 taken, to keep for the fpace of four Days at the Coll and Charges of the owner and 
 if he or fhe fhall not pay the fame fo affeffed, within f d four Days then you are to fell 
 at Public Vandue the Diftrefs fo taken for the payment thereof with Charges, firft 
 giving forty eaght hours notice of fuch fale by porting up adyertifements thereof in 
 fome public place in the Town, and the overplus arifing by fuch fale if any there be, 
 befides the fum affeffed and the neceffary Charges of taking and keeping the Diftrefs, 
 You are immediately to reftore to the owner ; and for want of goods or chattels 
 whereon to make Diftrefs (befides tooles or implements neceffary for his trade or oc- 
 cupation, beafts of the Plough neceffary for the cultivation of his improved lands, 
 Arms, utenfils for hous-keeping neceffary for upholding life, bedding and apparel 
 neceffary for himfelf and family) for the fpace of twelve Days, you are to take the 
 body of fuch parfon fo refufing or neglecting and him Commit unto the Common 
 Goal of the County, there to remain until he or fhe pay the fame or fuch part there 
 of as fhall not be abated by the Commiffioners for the time being, or the Governor 
 and Councel of this Commonwealth. 
 
 Given under our hands and Scale by Virtue of a Commiffion from the Governor 
 and Councel aforef d , this firft day of June, in the year of our Lord one thoufand, 
 feven Hundred and eaghty fix, in the tenth year of the Independence of the United 
 States. (Signed) GIDEON BURT ) 
 
 SAM' KEEP > Commiffioners. 
 
 Longmeadow March io tb 1788. JOSIAH COOLEY )
 
 197 
 
 TITHING MAN'S COMPLAINT AND WARRANT. 
 
 To Ethan Ely, Efquire one of the Juftices of the Peace within and for the County 
 of Hampden, complains upon oath William Burt, Tithing man within the Town of 
 
 Longmeadow in l d County. That L N of Longmeadow, labourer refi- 
 
 dent in the family of Amos Parker, on the twenty fecond day of March inflant, being 
 the Lord's Day, at f d Longmeadow, Did within the walls of the Rev d Baxter Dick- 
 infon's meeting houfe being a houfe of public worfhip in f d Longmeadow behave 
 rudely and indecently againft the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth and con- 
 trary to a law of the fame, and entitled, An Act providing for the due obfervation of 
 the Lord's Day and repealing the feveral laws heretofore made for that purpofe. 
 
 WM. BURT. 
 Dated at Longmeadow March 27 th 1829. 
 
 Hampden SS. The above named W m Burt made oath to the truth of the forego- 
 ing complaint, March 27* 1827. before me ETHAN ELY, Juftice of the Peace. 
 
 Hampden SS. To the Sheriff of the County of Hampden or either of his Dep- 
 uties or either of the Conftables of the town of Longmeadow in f d County Greeting. 
 
 Forafmuch as the foregoing complaint hath this day been made upon oath to me 
 the Subfcriber, one of the Juftices of the Peace for the County of Hampden, Thefe 
 are therefore in the name of the Commonwealth of Maffachufetts to require and 
 command you forthwith to apprehend the body of L N therein men- 
 tioned and bring him before me or fome other of the Juftices of the Peace for the 
 f d County of Hampden that he may be examined touching the premifes and delt 
 with as to law and juftice (hall appertain, and you are alike required to fummon the 
 Complainant to appear and give evidence relative to the fubjecl matter of f d Com- 
 plaint when and where you fhall have the f d L N . 
 
 Given under my hand and feal this 27"" day of March AD. 1829. ETHAN ELY. 
 
 Hampden SS. 28 th March 1829. By virtue of this warrant I have arrefted the 
 
 body of the within L B. N and have him before Ethan Ely one of the 
 
 Juftices of the Peace for the f d County, and alfo have fummoned the within Com- 
 plainant to appear at the time and place mentioned. JOSEPH PARKER Conftable. 
 
 Fees. Service 5oc. Travel 8c. Summoning witnefies roc. Travel 8c. Keeping prifoner 
 & attendance i.oo 1.76. 
 
 March 28. 1829 There came before me L N and anfwered not guilty 
 
 to the within complaint and put himfelf on trial before me ETHAN ELY, Juftice of 
 the Peace, upon full hearing of witneffes it appears that the defendant is guilty 
 and is fined $i.ooand coft of profecution comp 1 & warrant 5oc. entering examination 
 &c 7 50. witnefs W m Burt attend 34C. travel 8c. office fees 1.76. Total $8.43. 
 
 DEED OF MINISTRY LAND. 
 
 The following deed of the north half of the " Ministry " five-acre 
 lot originally given to the Precinct by Nathaniel Burt it being a por- 
 tion of his grant No. 15, (see page 181) and subsequently sold by the 
 Precinct to Pastor Storrs, is of interest both as incidentally showing 
 the terms under which the Precinct originally received the whole prop- 
 erty from Mr. Burt, and also the somewhat complicated legal steps 
 necessary for its subsequent transfer to Pastor Storrs in fee simple. 
 It seems to have been thought necessary for the pastor himself to join
 
 198 
 
 with the Precinct Committee in relinquishing his right in the land as 
 " Orthodox Nonconformist Incumbent " for life and the Precinct's 
 rights in fee, respectively, to an . indifferent third party, Wm. Ely of 
 Springfield ; by whom upon the same day, and for the same sum, the 
 same property was then re-transferred to Pastor Storrs personally. 
 
 The former only of these deeds is here given, the latter being 
 nearly its duplicate in substance : 
 To all People to whom thefe prefents (hall come Greeting 
 
 Whereas M r Nath 1 Burt of Springfield in the County of Hampfhire by his certain 
 Deed dated the firft Day of May Anno Domini 1716 did convey and make over to 
 the then Parifh of Longmeadow in Springfield being the Prefent town of Long- 
 meadow among other Lands therein defcribed one certain Part or Parcel of Land 
 lying a little north of the meeting houfe in f d Longmeadow and butting Wefterly on 
 the Street or highway containing five Acres more particularly described in f d Deed 
 to have and to hold the fame and the fame to be and remain to the ufe and improve- 
 ment of the Orthodox Nonconformift minifters of f d Parifh Succeffively forever And 
 whereas at a nieeting of the Inhabitants of f d Town of Longmeadow on the Twenti- 
 eth Day of February in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and 
 eighty fix legally convened for that purpofe it was Judged expedient and for the fur- 
 therance of the Intentions of the original Grantor to Sell and difpofe of the Same 
 Land and it was then and there voted by the f d Inhabitants that Nath 1 Ely Gentle- 
 man Mofes Field Gentleman and Jon" Hale Jun r Efq r all of f d Longmeadow be a 
 comt ee veiled with full power and authority in behalf of f d Town to bargain and fell 
 the fame Land and in behalf of f d Town to make and execute good and fufficient 
 Deed or Deeds of the fame according to Law. 
 
 Therefore know y e that We Richard Salter Storrs of f d Longmeadow Clerk and 
 incumbent minifter of f d Town of Longmeadow formerly Parifh of Longmeadow 
 aforef" and the f* Nath 1 Ely Mofes Field and Jon a Hale Jun r in f Capacity for and 
 in confideration of the Sum of forty Pounds lawful Money to us in Hand paid be- 
 fore the enfealing hereof by W m Ely of Springfield in f d County of Hampfhire Gen- 
 tleman the Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge have bargained Sold and 
 conveyed and do by thefe prefents bargain Sell and convey and confirm to him the 
 f,i \ym Ely hi s Heirs and Affigns the Northerly half of the aforef d Tract of Land 
 bounded weft on the Highway aforef North on Land of Azariah Woolworth eaft 
 on land of Sam 1 Williams fouth on the remaining part of faid Lot extending ten rods 
 north and fouth and forty rods eaft and weft, containing two acres and an half 
 To have and to hold the aforef d Premifes with the Appurtenances to him the f d W m 
 Ely his Heirs and Affigns as a good and indefeafible Eftate in fee fimple forever. In 
 Witneis whereof We the f d Rich d Nath 1 Mofes and Jon* have hereunto fet our 
 Hands and Seals this Twelfth Day of September in the year of our Lord one thou- 
 fand feven hundred and Ninety one. 
 
 Signed Sealed and delivered in prefence of RICH d S. STORRS 
 
 NATH 1 ELY 
 
 JOHN Buss MOSES FIELD 
 
 DAVID BURT. JON a HALE JuN r
 
 199 
 
 G. BURYING GROUNDS. 
 
 The old burying ground of the Town of Longmeadow consisted 
 originally of just one acre of land "granted " out of the town highway 
 leading eastward from the main street into the commons literally a 
 " God's acre," in area as well as in assignment of sacred use. By 
 the records of the Committee charged with the duty of modeling and 
 laying out the Longmeadow settlement upon the hill 170!, it appears 
 that this highway was first laid out ten rods wide, and that then a strip 
 four rods wide upon the south side of the highway, commencing at the 
 Main street and extending thence eastward forty rods, was granted 
 out of this " for a burying ground." 
 
 The earliest interments appear to have been made at the eastern 
 end of this grant, remotest from the Main street, and thence in suc- 
 cessive years for more than a century westward, until the interments 
 had approached within two hundred feet of the Main street. Further 
 interments in this direction were then prohibited, and an additional strip 
 of land eastward of the original grant, and of the same width, and extend- 
 ing so far east " as to come within five rods of the east end of the home 
 lot of Major Luther Colton deceased," was by formal vote of the 
 Town assigned for the same purpose. Four years later twenty rods 
 of this extension was enclosed with the occupied portion of the origi- 
 nal grant, leaving about two hundred feet of the front portion of the 
 old burying ground grant upon the corner of Meeting House Lane and 
 the Main street unenclosed. The expediency of selling or leasing 
 this corner was more than once considered in town meetings, as ap- 
 pears from such votes as the following : 
 
 "April 7, 1788. Voted to raife a Committee of Five to look into and confider 
 the propriety of leafing fome part of the burying ground on any confideration and 
 to make report to fome future meeting. Capt. David Burt, Deacon Nathaniel Ely, 
 Jofiah Cooley, Ebenezer Blifs and Hezekiah Hale were chofen faid Committee." 
 
 A portion of this corner was subsequently occupied presumably 
 under a forty-years lease, though no record of the fact appears by 
 a blacksmith's and a wheelwright's shops ; whose unchallenged 
 occupancy for a longer period ultimately gained for them a right of 
 possession which it cost the parish several hundred dollars finally to 
 extinguish. 
 
 The remaining portion of this corner was in 1853, by formal vote 
 of the Town, granted to the First parish, and" was then occupied by it, 
 first as a location for its new chapel building, and afterwards^ upon 
 the removal of this to the lot southward in 1874, as the site of the 
 
 removed and remodeled church edifice. By this apparently fortuitous 
 26
 
 2OO 
 
 course of events the old burying ground has become at last in truth 
 the church-yard, and the latter building has found, it is to be hoped, a 
 final location not less appropriate than its former central position up- 
 on the village green. 
 
 By further votes of the Town in 1808, the burying ground was 
 extended still further eastward " to come within twenty feet of the 
 west side of Widow Ann Field's dwelling house," successive portions 
 of which extension were by votes of the Parish, in 1837 and 1857, en- 
 closed and laid out into burial lots which were gratuitously assigned 
 to such heads of families as applied for them. By vote of the Town 
 also, in 1846, permission was given to the Parish " to remove the fence 
 on the north side of their burying ground to the north side of the row 
 of trees standing near the said burying ground, and to improve said 
 land thus enclosed as they shall think proper ; '" which grant furnished 
 about ten feet of additional space for the roadway, which now extends 
 the entire length of the burying ground upon its northern side. 
 
 It was at this critical point in the history of the old burying ground, 
 when nearly two acres in all had been thus fully occupied, and the 
 limit of desirable extension eastward had been obviously nearly reached, 
 and when the unfortunate experience of so many other ancient bury- 
 ing grounds might so easily have become hers, in the diversion of 
 public interest and affection to a new and perhaps remote modern 
 cemetery, resulting finally perhaps in the disuse and neglect of the old 
 one it was at this critical point that the opportune purchase of an 
 equal area immediately adjoining the old burying ground upon the 
 south, by a legally organized Cemetery Association consisting of 
 twenty prominent citizens, all deeply interested also in the old burying 
 ground, solved the problem of cemetery extension for at least a cen- 
 tury to come, and secured for the sacred resting-place of the fathers 
 and the children a perpetual unity of enclosure and of interest. 
 
 A Contract of Record was at once entered into between the two 
 burial properties, as represented by the Parish Prudential Committee 
 duly authorized thereto and the executive officers of the Cemetery 
 Association, by which all separating lines and fences were at once and 
 forever abolished, and perpetual rights of way across each mutually 
 secured ; so that the eye of the sharpest observer now recognizes only 
 one burial enclosure in the whole. The Contract of Record, by which 
 this unity of use and interest was secured, is perhaps of sufficient in- 
 frequency, interest, and importance, to warrant the insertion of its 
 main text here in full, as a possible precedent for other places. It 
 reads as follows :
 
 2OI 
 
 " This agreement made and executed this Thirtieth day of July in the year of our 
 Lord eighteen hundred and seventy-two by and between the First Parish in Long- 
 meadow in the County of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the 
 Longmeadow Cemetery Association in said Longmeadow, witnesseth; that whereas 
 the lot which the said Association has appropriated for its cemetery adjoins the 
 burying ground of said Parish, now for the more convenient use of the grounds by 
 the parties respectively for the purposes of burial, it is hereby agreed as follows : 
 
 I. All fences separating the said cemetery lot and the said burying ground shall 
 be removed, and no fence nor*wall nor other partition shall ever be placed between 
 the same. 
 
 II. Each of the said parties shall perpetually maintain a sufficient and suitable 
 fence upon all other portions of its own boundary except that separating the two lots. 
 
 III. Each of the said parties shall have all rights of way across the grounds of 
 the other necessary for convenient access to said lots respectively. 
 
 IV. Said lots shall respectively be forever devoted to purposes of burial, and 
 neither party shall make nor suffer to be made any use thereof inconsistent with 
 said purpose." 
 
 With all the usual legal formalities of execution and registry in the 
 Hampden Registry of Deeds ; in which office also was recorded a 
 plan of the cemetery lots, as the basis of the Deeds which the Asso- 
 ciations gives to the purchaser of its individual lots and records in its 
 own Registry of Deeds. 
 
 It is for the loving care and adornment of this entire burial property 
 as thus constituted that an effort has been recently inaugurated 
 toward securing a Perpetual Cemetery Fund, to be held in trust by the 
 Cemetery Association and administered by it, in co-operation with the 
 Parish Prudential Committee, for the impartial benefit of the whole 
 property. 
 
 As the first fruits of this effort, and of the interest probably stimu- 
 lated by the Centennial celebration, nearly a thousand dollars has been 
 already pledged by friends from abroad, while an equal sum is sub- 
 stantially assured from home contributors. The donors thus far are 
 Mr. Gideon Cooley Hixon, of Lacrosse, Wisconsin, $500. Rev. John 
 R. Keep of Hartford, $100. Mrs. Susan H. Page of Boston, $100. 
 Mrs. Geo. G. Crocker of Boston, $100. Mrs. S. D. Warren of Boston, 
 $100. Mrs. G. W. Hammond of Boston, $50. 
 
 It is hoped that the success already attained, encouraging as it 
 certainly is, may prove but the beginning of an universal interest alike 
 among residents and non-residents, which shall result in a fund, whose 
 annual income shall insure such affectionate care of the entire grounds 
 as shall make the Longmeadow burying ground a model one among 
 New England rural cemeteries. Subscriptions to this end may be 
 addressed to the care of R. S. Storrs, Secretary and Treasurer of the 
 Longmeadow Cemetery Association.
 
 202 
 
 Similar subscriptions and manifestations of interest on the part of 
 non-resident friends of the East Longmeadow burying grounds will be 
 also welcome there, though no similar effort has been there organized. 
 
 In regard to the several burying grounds in that part of the town, 
 no record appears until April 14, 1806, when it was voted that Stephen 
 Taylor, Israel Spencer, Thaddeus Billings and Elijah Burt be a com- 
 mittee to find a suitable place for a burying yard in the eastern part 
 of this town. No record appears of the success attending this search; 
 but April 6, 1818, a vote is recorded requesting the selectmen "to 
 view the several places for burying grounds in the east part of the 
 town, and see to the title of said grounds and make report thereof to 
 the next meeting, so that the town may fence the same if they see fit." 
 Also, that the selectmen " may order the burying grounds aforesaid to 
 be fenced provided they shall receive a satisfactory title." And May 
 8, 1818, it was voted that the selectmen "be directed to order the sum 
 of eight dollars to defray the expenses of fencing each of these several 
 places of burying ground, respectively near Capt. Luther Markham's, 
 Henry Fuller's, and Thaddeus Billings, Jr.'s, provided they shall ob- 
 tain a satisfactory title to them," and " Capt. Luther Markham, Aaron 
 Crane, Ensign Daniel Porter, Gideon Gardener, Henry C. Fuller, 
 Abel Pease, Theodore Billings, Jr., Theophilus Swetland, Loring 
 Lathrop, and Lieut. Thaddeus Billings were appointed a committee 
 to superintend the fencing of the aforesaid burying grounds." 
 
 It may be of interest in this connection to note a few of the oldest 
 precinct votes in regard to the fencing and care of the original bury- 
 ing ground. 
 
 Jan. 23, 1718. It was furder voated to fence and clear for a burying yard, ten 
 rods in length of thatt parcel of land granted by the Committee of the Town for the 
 precinct and four rods in breadth as they have granted and the committee for the 
 prudential afairs of the precinct fhall pitch upon the plan moftt convenient and see 
 that the work be accomplifhed as aforefaid on the charge of the precinct." 
 
 " March 18, 1742. Voated that the committee provide a biere for the ufe of the 
 precinct on the charge of the precinct," and 
 
 Nov. 3, 1742. As appears by the Committee Book they " Granted to Nathaniel 
 Burt for making a byer for the ufe of the precinct ten (hillings old tenor. Granting 
 alfo at the fame date twenty millings old tenor to be laid in the Treaiury out of 
 which to prepare the burying yard." 
 
 March 17, 1779. The following votes are recorded in the Precinct Book showing 
 how near the old burying ground came, more than a hundred years ago, to being en- 
 closed with a stone wall from the- East Part quarries. 
 
 " The meeting met at 6 o'clock according to adjournment and voted that the 
 burying ground be fenced with a wall of ruf-ftone. Voted that the Parifh Commit- 
 tee be directed to enclofe the burying ground with all convenient fpe ed and expedi- 
 tion with ftone agreeable to the laft vote and to make a juft apprifement of the 
 fame." Which vote seems to stand as yet both unreconsidered and unaccomplished.
 
 203 
 
 The following are sundry votes of the Town in regard to monu- 
 ments : 
 
 March 23, 1784. Voted to raife a monument over the grave of Rev. Dr. Williams 
 on the Town's coft, and that the felectmen be defired to fee the fame effected. 
 
 Voted to grant the fum of ^3 to procure a decent pair of grave ftones for the 
 grave of Nathaniel Burt who gave lands to this town for the ufe of the minifters and 
 for the ufe of fchools, and that the felectmen be directed to procure faid ftones 
 with a proper infcription on the fame. 
 
 April 4, 1820. The Parish voted to grant the fum of Twenty-five dollars to pro- 
 cure a monument to be placed at the grave of the Rev. Richard S. Storrs. 
 
 The total number, of monumental stones now standing in the old 
 Longmeadow burying grounds is 914, viz.: in the oldest part, with the 
 head toward the north, 444 ; in the first extension eastward, reaching 
 to and including the Burt tomb, 333, with the head toward the west ; 
 and in the second extension eastward from the tomb, 137 ; with some 
 twenty later interments in the new cemetery addition on the south. 
 Of these 200 bear the family name of Colton, 65 that of Burt, 59 each 
 of Bliss and Cooley, 37 of Keep, 34 of Hale, 29 of Stebbins, and 24 
 each of Ely and Field ; these nine family names comprising consider- 
 ably more than half of the total. The oldest stone now standing in 
 the yard is one indicating no actual interment, but brought from 
 Springfield by permission of its authorities, when the old Springfield 
 graveyard was ploughed through by the track of the Southern Rail- 
 road, and all its monumental stones removed to the new cemetery. 
 The following is the partial inscription upon this fragmentary stone : 
 MARY COLTON ALIAS MARY DRAKE WHO DIED OCT. 
 10, 1682 MY DAYS ARE FEW MY GLASS IS RUN MY AGE 
 32 AND ONE YET AM *** The following are a few of other 
 inscriptions copied verbatim et literatim with the termination of lines 
 typographically indicated by upright bars : 
 
 In Memory of | The Rev. STEPHEN WILLIAMS D.D. | who was a prudent and La- 
 borious Minilter, | a found and evangelical Preacher, | a pious and exemplary Chrif- 
 tian, | a fincere and faithful Friend, | a tender and affectionate Father and | Confort, 
 a polite and hofpitable | Gentleman, and a real and difmterefted | Lover of man- 
 kind; departed this life | with humble and cheerful hope of a | better, June io th , 
 1782, in the ox) tu year | of his age, and 66 th of his miniftry | 
 
 Softly his fainting head he lay His Maker kiffed his soul away, 
 
 Upon his Maker's bread ; And laid his flefh to reft. 
 
 In Memory of M rs ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, | the Amiable Confort of the Rev d STE- 
 PHEN WILLIAMS. | born July 14, 1696, | died Aug. 26, 1766 | Genefis 35, 20 | And 
 Jacob fet a Pillar | Upon Her Grave | 
 
 In Memory of M rs SARAH WILLIAMS | Late wife of Rev" | STEPHEN WILLIAMS 
 D D | Who Died Nov. 18, | 1790 | in her 85'" Year. This ftone ftands but to tell | 
 where her duft lies, not what fhe was | when faints fliall rife that day will mow | the 
 part fhe acted here Below. |
 
 2O4 
 
 Sacred | to the memory of | the Rev. RICHARD | SALTER STORRS | Paftor of the 
 Church | in Longmeadow. | He was born | at Manffield Conn | Aug. 3o th 1763. | 
 Graduated at Yale | College in 1783. | Ordained Dec 7, 1785. | died Oct 3, 1819. 
 
 In the private rela | tions of life He emi | nently illuftrated | the graces of the | 
 Chriftian character. | As a Minifter of Chrift | He was distinguifh | ed for his ap- 
 propri | ate perfpicuous and af | feclionate Exhibition | of Evangelical Truth, | 
 for propriety rich | nefs and fervor in focial | prayer, and for his in | struclive con- 
 verfation | and Chriftian fympathy j in paftoral duties. 
 
 In testimony of j their affectionate | remembrance of | his perfonal worth | & 
 high regard for | his Ability, Zeal, and | Ufefulnefs as their | Chriftian Paftor, | his 
 mourning | Congregation | erect this | Monument. 
 
 "RELIGION. | Her Almighty breath Amidft that calm | of fweet repofe 
 
 Rebuked the winds | and waves of death ; To Heaven his | gentle fpirit role." 
 
 " Bleffed are the | dead who die in the | Lord, for they reft | from their labour | & 
 their works do | follow them." | 
 
 Sacred to the Memory | of SARAH Confort of the | Rev d Richard S. Storrs and 
 | of their infant E. WILLIAMS. | M TS Storrs at an early | period of her life gave | 
 reafon to hope that fhe | was a veffel of mercy | preparing for Glory. | Poffeffed of 
 fuperior | natural and acquired | accomplifhments fhe filled her ftation with | dig- 
 nity and ufefulnefs ; | exhibiting an eminent | example of the conjugal | and parental 
 virtues and | of all focial and Chriftian | affections | In the full affurance of hope | 
 and in the triumph of faith | fhe died Jan 29 th 1798 aged 33 | 
 
 In Memory of SARAH W. relict of | Rev. | RICHARD S. STORRS | & Grand- 
 daughter of | Rev. | Stephen Williams | D.D. | She died Feb. 7, 1846 | Aged Si | 
 
 In Memory of | M r | THOMAS BLISS | who died | Aug st 12. 1758 | In His 85"' | 
 year | | Our Life is Ever | on the Wing | And Death is Ever Nigh | The Mo- 
 ment When Our Lives Begin | We all Begin to Die. 
 
 In Memory of | Mr. EBENEZER BLISS | who died | March 2 nd 1808 | aged 82. 
 
 Bleffed are the dead which | die in the Lord, that they | may reft from their la- 
 bours | and their works do follow them. | 
 
 MR. NATHANIEL BURT. | a refpeclable and worthy | Father of the | Town of 
 Longmeadow J was born A.D. 1636 | and died Sept 29"' 1720. | This Monument is 
 erected to | his memory | by the inhabitants of faid Town | as a token of gratitude 
 for | donations in lands made by him | to them, for the fupport of the | Gofpel and 
 public Schools | Ifaiah 32. 8. The liberal devifeth | liberal things, and by liberal 
 things | fhall he ftand. 
 
 How art thou fallen in the | Midft of the Battle | O very pleafant haft | thou 
 been. | In Memory of | LIEUTENANT NATHANIEL BURT | Who was flain in the 
 memorable I Battle near LAKE GEORGE | September 8 th 1755 | W r hen his COLONEL 
 and other | BRAVE OFFICERS fell | Yet a fignal Victory was obtained | Over the 
 ENEMY. | Mr Nathaniel Burt | Was A Deacon of this Church | An Exemplary 
 Chriftian | A Man of PUBLICK Spirit | & A good SOLDIER, Well beloved at home 
 and in y e Army A concern for pure RELIGION | caufed his going into y" military 
 | Service. He died in his 45 th year. | 2 CHRON. 35 th and 25"" | & JEREMIAH | 
 lamented over | JOSIAH. |
 
 205 
 
 In Memory of | Adf JONATHAN BURT | who departed | this life in a fudden | and 
 Surprifing manner | April i8 th 1794: | in his 56 th year. | 
 
 How ihort how precarious how | uncertain is life, how quick the | Tranfition 
 from time to Eternity ? | How foon the thread of life is fpun | A breath a gafp a 
 grone or two | and we are feen no more. | Yet on this britle thread of life | hangs 
 a vaft Eternity. | 
 
 In Memory of | CAPT ISAAC COLTON | who died | Jan^ 23 rd 1757 | In his 57th 
 year. Capt. I. Colton had a military Genius, commanded a Company | at Louif- 
 bourg in 1745. | Was refpecled and ufeful at Home. | Was a man of Prayer. | Ifa 
 31: 3. For Behold the Lord | Doth take away the Captain. 
 
 HERE LIES INTERR'D THE BODY | OF CAPT THOMAS COLTON WHO | DEPARTED 
 THIS LIFE SEPTEMBER | THE 30 th 1728 AGED 77 YEARS. | PRO. x, 7. THE MEMORY 
 
 OF | THE JUST IS BLESSED. I 
 
 In Memory of | M rs HANNAH 
 h , 1737 | In Her 73"! | Year. 
 
 Wife of | Cap Thomas | Colton | who died | Nov r 
 Pro. ii. 1 6 | A virtuous Woman | Retaineth 
 
 Honour. | 
 
 Here lies interr'd y e | Body of MR SAMUEL | COLTON who was born | Jan r v 17, 
 1679 and d }*ed | March 13 1748 Our | Life is a paffage to | Eternity and ought to 
 be a | preparation for Eternity. | 
 
 Here lies Buri'd the Body | of MRS. MARGARET COLTON | Wife of Mr. Samuel 
 Colton | Who was born Sept nth | 1684 and dyed Jan r ^ | y e 19'" 1738. | A true 
 Chriftian has | Nothing to fear beyond | the Grave. | 
 
 Sacred to the Memory of | Mr SAMUEL COLTON \ Merchant | who departed this 
 life | Nov. 5, 1784 in the 57'" year | of his age. | 
 
 The Sun's too quick revolving beams Then happieft he whofe lengthened fight 
 Apace diffolves the humane dreams Purfues by virtue's conftant light 
 
 And brings the appointed hour. A hope beyond the fkies 
 
 Too late we catch his parting ray Where frowning Winter ne'er (hall come 
 
 And mourn the idly wafted day But rofy Spring forever bloom 
 
 No longer in our power. And Suns eternal rife. 
 
 In Memory of | M rs FLAVIA Wife of | M r SAMUEL COLTON | Who died April 
 19. 1763 | In her 22 Year | My fellow youth ftop here awhile | & View my Monu- 
 mental pile | Once I like you alive But ah ! | am nothing now but Native clay. 
 
 Sacred to the Memory of | M 1S LUCY COLTON | Relict of M r Samuel Colton, Mer- 
 chant | She died Dec 7 A.D. 1799. fiLt 57. | She poffeffed a mind much above | the 
 common ftandard and | practiced the focial virtues | in an eminent degree. She 
 was an | affectionate and faithful Partner | Parent and Friend. Being | liberally en- 
 dowed, (he judicioufly | and liberally contributed to public | purpofes and caufed 
 the heart of the | Widow and the Fatherlefs to rejoice | Thus (he honored the 
 Lord with her | Subftance and her Memory is bleffed. | She was an underftanding 
 Believer | in the doctrines of Chriftianity | Serious attendant on Divine | In- 
 ftruclion, & died in the hope of an | immortal and glorious life. 
 Death ! Great proprietor of all ! 'tis thine 
 To tread out Empires and to quench the ftars. 
 The Sun himfelf by thy permiffion mines 
 And, one day, thou (halt pluck him from his fphere.
 
 2O6 
 
 In Memory of | Mrs. LUCRETIA wife of | Rev. SIMEON COLTON and | daughter of 
 Capt Gideon | Colton. She died at Pal | .mer July 14. 1821 aged 33; | her hufband 
 being at that | time Paftor of the Church in | that place. With her are de | pofited 
 two ftill born children | Affectionate in her difpofition, | fervent in her piety, (he was 
 | eminently ufeful in her ftation, | and in death was much | lamented. Enjoying 
 the confo j lations of religion in her laft | moments, (he with calm refig | nation 
 committed her foul to | her Savour, and died in the full | hope of a glorious 
 refurrection. | " Bleffed are the dead who die in the Lord." 
 
 To the | Memory of | ELIZA W. CONDIT | confort of | Rev. Jon B. Condit | who 
 died Jan. 7. 1835. | E l 24. | Selah S. Woodhull | their Son, | died March 15. 1835 
 | E l 3 Months & 4 days. | How flender all the proudeft ties | That bind us to a 
 world like this. | 
 
 In Memory | of | Enfign | Samuel | Keep | Who died Aug 9t | 23 rd 1758 aged 85. 
 
 In Memory of | DEA. WALTER WHITE: | who died July 14. 1819 : | Aged 54. | In 
 a long & diftreffmg | ficknefs he proved himfelf | to be the man of God | & exhibited 
 the excellenc'y & | fure fupports of the | Chriftian Religion. | In the duties of his 
 office | he was fignally faithful, | in the home of the mourning | a comforter, in the 
 | conference room a Guide. | Help Lord for the godly man ceafeth. 
 
 A notice of Longmeadow burying grounds would not be complete 
 without mention of an aboriginal one which antedates all the others. 
 Many years ago, at the lower end of the long meadow, the encroaching 
 freshets in their annual assaults upon the river bank laid bare pro- 
 jecting human bones which examination showed to be regularly interred 
 Indian skeletons. These were usually found, when the floods had not 
 already disturbed them, with the lower limbs somewhat drawn up, but 
 without other observable peculiarity of interment. The number of 
 skeletons found and other indications do not warrant the belief that 
 this was a principal Indian burying ground, which probably would be 
 found in some more secluded and sheltered portion of the adjacent 
 Pecowsic Valley ; but it was probably the adjunct of the summer camp- 
 ing ground of the tribe when the meadow cultivation invited their 
 more exposed sojourn near the main river bank. Not very far from 
 this place abundant traces have been found of what must have been 
 a sort of manufactory of stone arrow-heads, hatchets, hoes, etc.; the 
 ground being literally full of the chippings incident to such manufac- 
 ture, with occasional specimens of the rudely finished articles them- 
 selves as well as of Indian pottery ; of which the present owner of the 
 spot, Mr. David Booth 2d has collected quite a respectable little museum 
 the sole present relics of the former lords of the meadow manor. 
 
 " And as sunbeams leave a blessing, 
 Fading slowly in the West, 
 
 Grudge we not our benediction 
 To the red man's place of rest."
 
 207 
 
 H. THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 
 
 The Longmeadow history abundantly illustrates the patriotic senti- 
 ment as well as the daily anxieties, and what pastor Williams calls 
 "tumults and uneasiness" of a highly sensitive and more or less 
 divided community. A few selections from his diary will suffice to 
 put us into the very midst of those perilous days. 
 
 April 15, 1775. By the accounts brought by the post, things appear more 
 threatening. The court at home seem determined to treat us as a people in 
 rebellion. Great uneasiness in the nation. 17. 'Tis reported this day by 
 the way of New York, from home, that the court have purposed to put off 
 their violent measures for the present to see what we will do in this land. 
 
 20 This morning as soon as it was light, the drum beat and three guns 
 were fired as an alarm. The story is that some of the troops had marched 
 from Boston to seize some military stores at Lexington, or Concord, and 
 that some men had been killed, but the accounts are vague we must wait. 
 The Lord mercifully prepare us for the tidings we may have. The minute 
 men are gone to town and men are collecting from various parts, and we 
 have reason to fear that much mischief is done. 
 
 21 This morning at 4 o'clock another message is come advising that 
 there has been a smart engagement at Concord between the regulars and 
 our people, and many killed, but we have but an uncertain account. 'Tis 
 said houses are burnt, and women and children killed sad work, indeed 
 more men are collected and going forth. I prayed with a company. The 
 Lord be pleased to go with them and prosper them; keep them in thy fear. 
 This day we met together for prayer in the meeting house and I offered 
 some remarks from the 3d chapter of Jonah. 
 
 [The muster-roll of the Longmeadow minute men who marched at the 
 Lexington alarm, on April 2ist, 1775, is as follows : 
 
 First Lieutenant and Acting Captain, David Burt. 
 
 Second Lieutenant, - Jonathan Hale. 
 
 f Ebenezer Colton, 
 
 Ser S eantS ' 1 Samuel Keep. 
 
 < Nathaniel Ely, 
 
 Cor P rals ' - IjosiahCooley. 
 
 Privates Abner Colton, - - Oliver King, 
 
 John Colton, - - Nehemiah Rumrill, 
 
 Ebenezer Bliss, 2d, - Thomas Stebbins, 
 Aaron Bliss, - - Sam 1 Morgan, 
 
 Sam 1 Smith, - - James Parker, 
 
 David White, - - Gad Lamb, 
 
 John Ackley, - - Ebenezer Stebbins, 
 
 Elijah Burt, - Sam 1 Burt.] 
 
 Richard Woolworth. 
 27
 
 208 
 
 22 This morning the post, Mr. Adams, came along, and we got his 
 account of matters ; they are very indistinct, but we learn that there has 
 been a battle between the king's troops and our people, and that on both 
 sides it was supported with great spirit ; thus a war is begun. In the even- 
 ing our people, excepting the minute men, came home and bring an account 
 that the king's troops are gone back to Boston ; the account of the battle is 
 yet very uncertain. It is said that Gen'l Haldiman is killed. 
 
 23 By the post from Hartford, 'tis said that a number of men at H. went 
 to the P. O. and took away a packet of letters to Gov'r Gage. This is a 
 very unadvised, imprudent measure, in my opinion, and doubtless we shall 
 be looked upon as in a state of daring rebellion. 
 
 24 Various reports ; accounts of men's gathering together from all parts 
 of the country, and 'tis said that a number of men from R. I. went to 
 Marshfield and killed and took a considerable number of the king's troops, 
 and laid many houses in ashes of such people as took part with the king's 
 forces. 
 
 25 Reports still various ; some things reported yesterday, contradicted 
 this day. In the P. M. we met for prayer. Jonathan Stebbins and Dea. 
 Colton prayed. I read a sermon of Dr. Doddridge's from Deut. 23 : 9, and 
 we concluded with singing. 
 
 26 The story of Marshfield being laid in ashes is contradicted, and 
 whether any persons have been killed there is yet uncertain ; the most 
 probable account is that they are contriving to collect an army to be raised 
 by the N. E. provinces and colonies. Messengers are sent to Hartford, 
 where the Conn. Assembly is now sitting. The Lord give wisdom, prudence, 
 discretion, and moderation. I learn the people are very ready to misrepre- 
 sent my words, even in prayer. The Lord be pleased to direct and assist 
 me and keep me from doing anything displeasing to His Majesty. 
 
 27 I perceive the people are out of humor with me for things that I have 
 said and done. My own conscience don't upbraid me for what they pretend 
 to be uneasy at. I desire to refer myself to the Lord and cast my care upon 
 Him, praying that I may be kept from sinning against God and that my use- 
 fulness may not be obstructed. 
 
 April 28 George Cooley, who went with a wagon and provisions, is 
 returned. He says trnt our men, who went from home, are stopped at 
 Waltham at present. I wish that they may behave as becoming their 
 Christian profession ; reports are so various that we know not what is to be 
 depended upon. 
 
 May 5 Various reports indicating the disquietness of the times. 6 Our 
 country is in tumult by reason of the late measures taken by the king's 
 troops ; blood is shed and people are in a great uproar and distress, 
 especially in Boston, where the inhabitants are shut up, as prisoners and 
 people are got to be jealous of one another, because they have different 
 opinions as to the times and measures taken. The accounts from home are 
 very different ; some are for violent measures with the colonies and prov- 
 inces, some for lenient and moderate measures. The Lord be pleased to 
 help, pity, and reform. 

 
 20Q 
 
 ii A public fast. Mr. Trotter of Stafford came hither to preach for me ; 
 his forenoon text, from Job 36: 18 ; P. M., from Luke 18 : 1-8. He 
 appears a bold and daring man, was very popular, and doubtless greatly 
 pleased our warm people. Some of his notions I could not join in with ; 
 but 1 hope his calls to repent, reform, and engage God's presence may be 
 well attended to. I myself shamefully fell on sleep in the time of the fore- 
 noon sermon. The Lord be pleased to humble me. 
 
 1 6 Report as if Ticonderoga had been taken possession of by some of 
 the king's troops from Montreal, but that a party from N. England had dis- 
 possessed them, and without shedding blood. Thus we are evidently in a 
 state of war, and I fear we shall feel the horrors of a civil war. But our 
 God is infinitely wise, powerful, and merciful. He reigns, he governs the 
 world ; to Him I desire to look, and upon Him alone have my dependence. 
 
 23 I perceive a coldness among my own people towards me because they 
 apprehend I don't think with them as to the present times and measures. 
 I heartily desire their welfare and happiness. My conscience is void of 
 offense. As to people's jealousies, reproaches, hard speeches, they are but 
 trifles in comparison with what many others, very excellent men, have met 
 with. Oh, my heavenly Father, forgive nnd bless those that ha' e in any 
 measure and manner been unkind to me. 
 
 June 16 'Tis said that there are considerable numbers of troops arrived 
 at Boston. 17 The post confirms the account of more troops, but makes 
 light of it as to their numbers. Gen. Gage has published a proclamation 
 inviting people to lay down their arms, and promising favor to those who do so ; 
 but in his proclamation Mr. Hancock and Mr. Samuel Adams are excepted. 
 
 20 This day we have a sorrowful account from our troops that there 
 had been an engagement between them and the regulars at Bunkers Hill, in 
 Charlestown, and considerable numbers slain on both sides. Our people 
 were driven out of their entrenchment and the town of Charlestown was burnt 
 down by the king's troops. I hear of no particular persons being killed but 
 Dr. Warren, who was president of the Provincial Congress. The slaughter 
 was probably great, but we at present have only flying reports. My wife's 
 son Nathaniel (Lieutenant of the Longmeadow company) is returned home, 
 for which God be praised. He was not far from Bunkers Hill where the 
 fight was, and saw the fire at Charlestown, and heard the hurras and shout- 
 ings among the troops. 
 
 23 We hear that all was still at Boston on Wednesday noon. 26 We are 
 looking, hoping, waiting, fearing. Still various reports. A quantity of 
 powder carried to-day through the town for the army. A general action 
 expected by some. 29 This day Mr. John Hale came home from the Con- 
 gress. Things look exceeding dark to me. 
 
 j u ly i The sword of civil war is drawn in this land ; the fruits of the 
 earth languish ; the earth is parched ; the drought is distressing. 3 'From 
 the accounts brought this day, the clouds thicken. 'Tis said the Canowaga 
 Indians have taken up the hatchet against the English ; skirmishing on the 
 sea-coasts ; vessels taken and retaken ; substances wasted and destroyed.
 
 2IO 
 
 i8 This day I saw in the Hartford paper a declaration of the General 
 Congress at Philadelphia which will doubtless be called a declaration of 
 war with Great Britain. 21 News from England that when the news of the 
 Lexington and Concord fight got thither that the mob gathered and were 
 much out of humor, and that Lord North promised that there should be no 
 more troops sent to America ; but whether they dispersed upon that 'tis not 
 said, and truly what the news is and how it comes, I don't know, but expect 
 when the post comes along, we may learn something. 
 
 January I, 1876 Grant us help in this day of trouble ; a very remarkable 
 year past ; the most that I ever saw unnatural war, great sickness, and 
 remarkable drought. 100 years ago we were in a struggle with the Indians, 
 who rose up in rebellion and designed the ruin of the country, but God pre- 
 served us. In the year past the leaders of our nation have sent troops to 
 subdue and bring us under in this country, to submit to their arbitrary and 
 tyrannical measures. Much blood has been shed towns destroyed. I do 
 humbly pray that God would humble and reform us, and heal our backslid- 
 ings, and yet regard us in our low estate, and relieve us in this calamity, and 
 grant that real religion may yet revive and flourish, and that we may know 
 God and turn to Him and accept the punishment of our sins, and answer 
 the ends of it. 
 
 5 By post we have the king's speech to Parliament and observe that he 
 seems resolutely set to bring the Americans under. O Lord, be pleased to 
 restrain the wrath of man and cause it to praise thee. 12 Report that the 
 great mortar and some cannon are brought through the woods from Ticon- 
 deroga. What the design is I do not know. The Lord mercifully regard 
 and help ; otherwise all these schemes and pains and labors and expenses 
 will be to no purpose. 
 
 March 28 This day our military company was called together and chose 
 their officers. I prayed with them at the meeting house. 
 
 April 9 I hear of tumults and disorderly practices, stupidity, hardness 
 of heart, atheism, and unbelief prevail. The British ministry breathe out 
 cruelty against the colonies still. Things look darker and darker. 21 
 Sabbath, and a quiet Sabbath. No alarm or tumult, praised be God. 
 
 May I. A report of 20,000 troops at Halifax from England, not yet con- 
 firmed. 
 
 July 24. A number of people gathered together, some dressed like 
 Indians with blankets, and manifested uneasiness with those that trade in 
 rum, molasses, sugar, etc. I understand that a number went to Merchant 
 Colton's and have again taken away his goods. I don't see the justice or 
 equity of it. Many don't approve of it, but have not resolution enough to 
 interpose and endeavour redress. I am fearful of special troubles in this 
 place, not only on account of Samuel Colton's goods, but also because sev- 
 eral of our people are going into service in Connecticut, and so our quota 
 will be deficient, and possibly men may be drafted.
 
 211 
 
 August ii. This day I read publickly, being required thereto by the 
 Provincial Council, the Declaration of the Continental Congress for Inde- 
 pendency. 21. Joseph Bumstead (a trusty man servant of the family) and 
 grandson Stephen set out for Roxbury to join the army. 
 
 [The following directions are found in a letter addressed to this grandson : 
 
 MY DEAR GRANDCHILD As you are going abroad, and may be expofed to diffi- 
 culties and dangers to fickness, and possibly to y fword of y e enemy ; as alfo you 
 may be in danger Great danger of fin, I Give you thefe directions: 
 
 ist. Take care of your health, don't unneceffarily expofe yourfelf to heat and 
 cold ; be careful as to your diet, and don't be too free with fruits that are like to 
 chill your ftomach and expofe you to y e dyffentery and difeafes common to y e fall 
 of y e year. 2d. Obey y e orders of your officers, don't expofe yourfelf to military 
 punifhment by difregarding y e orders of your Superiors: be kind to your com- 
 panions and fellow soldiers. 3d. Avoid temptation to fin, to all manner of fin : 
 don't accustom yourfelf to drinking, to fit with thofe y' meet together to drink. 
 Don't take God's name in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh 
 his name in vain. Carefully avoid Gaming, playing at cards, and dice; thofe per- 
 fons that do fo, Generally fall into much fin. 4th. Fear God and keep his com- 
 mandments. Eccl. 12: 13. 5th. Attend upon the public worfhip of God, when 
 you can. 6th. Pray to God in fecret. Matt. 6: 6. 7th. Ready' Scriptures daily. 
 John 5 : 39. 8th. Avoid quarreling and contention. Get fome acquaintance with 
 my Relations in Roxbury and let them know who you be. 
 
 Behave with decency and modefty, and fo as to credit religion, to adorn the Doc- 
 trine of God our Saviour. The Lord be with you and keep you in his fear. Hear 
 oh my Grandfon, and receive my faying, that the years of thy life may be many. If 
 the Lord pleafe I hope I may yet fee you in the Land of the living. The Lord pre- 
 pare for what his pleafure may be as to that. 
 
 I am your loving Grand-Father, STEPH" WILLIAMS.] 
 
 L.m. Aug'. 20, 1776. 
 
 14 Sabbath. This day a number of soldiers came from town on their 
 march to the southward and breakfasted eastward of Dea. Ely's. Not so 
 much interruption as we feared. The men behaved with moderation. They 
 are under the conduct of Gen. Lee, who is gone down the other side. 
 
 1 6 Report, probably true, that our forces at Quebec have met with a 
 great rebuff. Gen. Montgomery killed, Col. Arnold wounded, 70 men killed, 
 300 taken. 
 
 Sept. 4 Awful work ; our troops driven from Long Island ; reports more 
 affecting and distressing; thousands destroyed, especially Connecticut 
 people. 6 A gentleman of intelligence came from New York and gave me 
 a more favorable account. 12 Report of regulars and Indians coming 
 down the Mohawk river towards Albany ; likely to divide our forces and 
 distress us on every side. Report that the General Court has voted that 
 every fifth man of our militia be ready at a minute's warning. 14 In the 
 evening an order came to have the militia ready at a minute's warning. 
 Sabbath disturbed.
 
 212 
 
 Oct. i Several persons inimical to American liberty brought to town 
 some confined in the jail ; others carried to Worcester, brought from the 
 Westward, near Hudson river. 
 
 Nov. 16 This day a number of men called tories were escorted by a 
 party of armed men and came to Dea. Ely's and breakfasted, from Long 
 Island, who have showed themselves unfriendly to the liberties of America. 
 Lord grant moderation and kindness. 25 Dark weather, dark things, 
 stupidity, and obstinacy; disregard of the business of the house of God. 
 
 30 Military Co. called together at a minute's warning to go wherever 
 called. People don't appear forward. 
 
 December 4 Our soldiers begin to return that enlisted for a stated time, 
 and people seem engaged to get money, and I fear by oppression and unjust 
 measure. 6 Reported a large fleet appears before New London. People 
 are in a fright and the Connecticut militia flocking down to New London. 
 
 31 The last day of the year. It has been one of the most remarkable 
 in the history of America. The people, by their Congress, have declared 
 Independency, and the king's troops and fleets are come against us. Battles 
 have been fought; forts and towns taken; much blood shed; many taken 
 captive and wounded ; many sick, and many have died in our army. Sick- 
 ness has everywhere prevailed ; deaths have been many ; a clay of darkness 
 indeed. 
 
 And so the good old pastor's diary goes on in alternate rumors, 
 forebodings, and spiritual lamentations, giving us a vivid insight of 
 those troublous times. The Revolutionary period might also be illus- 
 trated by many other papers of old Longmeadow families, muster-rolls, 
 officers' commissions, certificates of soldiers' claims, etc., all showing 
 how close and sympathetic was the relation of this New England pre- 
 cinct to the great national struggle. We have also, revealed, honest 
 differences of opinion^ hinted at in Parson Williams's remembrance of 
 the king continued till he was reminded of its untimeliness by the 
 sudden sitting down of his patriotic auditors when that petition came ; 
 in his reading from the pulpit the Declaration of Independence 
 " being required thereto by the Provincial Congress ; " and in his 
 sympathetic allusion to the Merchant Colton case, a fuller explanation 
 of which is given in the following section. 
 
 As the case progresses towards its close, gleams of sunshine light 
 up the clouded pages. On the day of the surrender of Cornwallis the 
 diary records " great rejoicing in town ; great guns fired ; bells rung ; 
 rockets played at y e Court-house ; taverns illuminated. Rev. Mr. 
 Breck and many people went into y e meeting-house ; he prayed ; the 
 people sang psalms and hymns."
 
 213 
 
 I. THE MERCHANT SAMUEL COLTON DOCUMENTS. 
 
 The original documents in the care of Merchant Colton, referred 
 to in the Historical Address, page 42, and in Appendix H, page 210, 
 are of great interest as throwing light upon some of the transactions 
 of those troublous times. The petition of the citizens to the General 
 Assembly for an act of indemnity, when they were afterwards threat- 
 ened with civil suits to compel their restoration of the property they 
 had taken, and the counter remonstrance of Merchant Colton pre- 
 pared for, but vainly presented to, the next General Assembly, are 
 both able and interesting documents ; and only their great length pre- 
 cludes their publication in full. A synopsis of each is, however, given 
 and, as far as possible, in the very words of the documents themselves : 
 To the Hon ble Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives of the Commonwealth of Maffa- 
 chufetts in General Court affembled on the firft Wednefday of January the 7 th 1881 : 
 The Petition of Nath 1 Ely, Feftus Colton, Azariah Woolworth all of a Parifh 
 called Long Meadow in Springfield in the County of Hampfhire humbly fheweth, 
 that at the Beginning of the prefent Conteft between Great Britain and the American 
 States there was a Confiderable Time when the courts of Juftice were fhut up and 
 the Operation of the Laws of the Land fuipended and all Power having originated 
 from the Body of the people reverted back to its fource and Fountain and was in 
 Fact exercifed by them in fome Inftances and in others by Comt ees appointed by the 
 People for that Purpofe ; That it was found abfolutely neceffary at that Time to 
 guard againft Evils and Mischiefs which then threatened the Deftrudtion of the 
 whole Body, that for that Purpofe it was found Neceffary to hinder fome Members 
 of the Community from acting Contrary to the general Welfare Juil as their Humor 
 or malice fliould Direct as to imprifon thofe that were hoftile to feize on Private 
 property where neceffary and in fome Inftances to prevent People from Ufeing their 
 Property in fuch a Manner as effentially to injure the whole. That in fome In- 
 ftances whole Towns or Parifhes arofe in a Body to Correct or prevent Something 
 which appeared inconfiftant with the general Good and in fome Inftances the people 
 when thus affembled acted for themfelves without Delegating Their Authority to 
 any others that on other occafions when the people were affembled they chofe fev- 
 eral Perfons out of their Body to act for them, and that ufually when People were 
 affembled in Town Meetings they chofe general Comt ees of Safety to manage the 
 Pudentials of their Conftituents for fome Limited Time but as all Power was vefted 
 in the body of the people, they had a Right to Delegate it to others in any Way they 
 thot beft and the power Derived was the fame in each of the above Cafes, that at 
 thofe times many things were done by the body of People and by their Comt ees 
 which Could not be Juftified at a Time when Juftice was adminiftered by the Law of 
 the Land tho at the time of doing them they were not only Juftifiable but neceffary 
 and Commendable as being done for the general Good. That on the Happy Re- 
 iftablifhment of order and Juftice as adminiftered by Law there was Danger that 
 thofe that had efcaped themfelves for the public would be ruined by the Malice and 
 Revenge of their Enemies, in order for the Prevention Whereof the Legiflature 
 have paffed feveral Acts of Indemnification and Pardon but unhappily for your
 
 214 
 
 Petitioners the provifion already made Does not extend to all Cafes that Come 
 within the fame Reafon and require the fame or fome other Remedy. 
 
 To this Merchant Col ton replies by first exposing at equal length 'the 
 Artifice of the Petitioners, 'in first concealing from him for two weeks 
 the knowledge of the citation upon him which they had procured from 
 the General Assembly, to show cause within twenty days why such an 
 act of indemnity should not be passed, and in finally serving this cita- 
 tion upon him at a distance of a hundred miles from Boston only six 
 days before the expiration of the time allowed ; and in then using their 
 own knowledge of his partial answer thus hurriedly prepared, and his 
 plea for a longer time for preparation which had accidentally fallen 
 into their hands instead of those to whom it was sent to hasten a 
 meeting of the Assembly Committee appointed to consider the case, 
 to compel the attendance and answer in his behalf of counsel unin- 
 structed by him and wholly unprepared, and in thus finally procuring 
 the passage of the desired act upon a hearing which was really only 
 an " ex parte " one, through their ' Artifice.' 
 
 Replying then more particularly to their preamble, the remonstrant 
 says that he " Cannot but Take Notice of the Artful Manner in which 
 the Subject is Introduced." Conceding then most fully all which they 
 have claimed, so far as it applies to periods when the laws were in- 
 deed suspended, he yet claims .that the whole case of the petitioners 
 lies outside of this line of argument, as they have themselves practi- 
 cally admitted by asking for a peculiar act of indemnity in addition to 
 those general ones which they cite as precedents. 
 
 To the further allegation of the petitioner that 
 
 The f d Sam 1 Early fhewed an unfriendly Difpofition to the Liberties of his Coun- 
 try and exerted himfelf with the People to blafl the Power and Influence of the 
 Congrefs of the United States and the general Court of this State as we Can (hew 
 by a Variety of Inftances, and Contemning and Difpifing the Recommendations and 
 Authority of both and fordidly preferring his own private Intereft to the general 
 Welfare of the whole he acted in direct Oppofition thereto in Divers Inftances par- 
 ticularly he raifed Confiderable on the prices of his Rum, Salt, &c on Hand and 
 declined felling unlefs for filver Money whereupon after moderate Meafures to Re- 
 claim him had been found ineffectual, the Body of the People of f d Parifh moved 
 with Juft Indignation at his Conduct Deprived him of the Poffeffion of l d Rum Salt 
 &c, whereupon f d Colton defired his Goods might be Reftored to him which was 
 Done on his Promifmg freely to Difpofe of them at the ufual Prices of thofe Arti- 
 cles but he very foon relapfed into his former Conduct the people then arofe a 
 Second Time and Retook the Goods from f d Colton and Delivered the fame to 
 your Petitioners and fome others who were appointed a Comt ee for the Body of the 
 people of f d parifh to Difpofe of the fame whereupon an exact Account of the 
 Quantity of each was taken by a Perfon under Oath for that Purpofe, and a Partic- 
 ular account kept of the Quantity fold to each perfon and the price alfo which we 
 Can now produce, the price was high as the Regulated Price for the fame Articles 
 the next Spring and no Deduction made therefrom for felling and the Money arifing 
 from the Sale of the whole foon Carried to the Houfe of the f d Sam 1 and there left for 
 him tho he then declined accepting thereof, but there is no Doubt but he afterwards 
 Converted the Money to his Ufe.
 
 215 
 
 The remonstrant replies that it is True your Memorialift was Poffeffed 
 with a Confiderable Quantity of weft India Goods in July 1776 and at the time as 
 Mentioned In the Petition which he was felling and 1 Retailing at fuch Reafonable 
 Prices as He could afford the fame, but that he ever manifefted any Unfriendly Dif- 
 pofition to the liberties of his Country by any Prediction or Attach 1 to Britain or the 
 Britifh Government (which no Doubt is the Idea Defign d to be Convey d by the 
 Terms) he utterly denys. Nor Does he think this was ever his Character however 
 his Enemies may Reprefent him to anlwer their Own particular private views, on the 
 Contrary he hath always Entertained the moft Cordial Efteem Regard and attach- 
 ment to the Liberties of this Country and of Mankind and a fmceer abhorrence of 
 Tyranny in all its forms But Then Being a Perfon Naturally of a Good and Steady 
 Temper of mind and a Lover of peace and order in fociety and one that avoided 
 Contention and Strife as much as Poffible throughout the whole Courfe of his Life 
 he did not fall in with all the madnefs and Extravagances of the Times or aft the 
 part of one who might be Juftly called Liberty 'Mad. Or that your Memorialift 
 ever Exerted himfelf or did any act Either by himfelf or in Connection with 
 others to Blaft the Power and influence of Congrefs or of the Gen 1 Court he utterly 
 Denys or that he ever Contemn" 3 or Difpis d their Recommendation or acted in Di- 
 rect oppofition thereto knowingly in any Inftances Is what he Likewise Denys tho' 
 poffibly he may have Done it Thro' Inadvertence or inattention, on the Contrary he 
 hath Conftantly Endeavoured to Demean himfelf as a Peaceable Member of Soci- 
 ety and Govern himfelf by and Conform to fuch Regulations and Recommendations 
 as were made from time to time by The Hon le Congrefs or Gen 1 Court in Like Man- 
 ner as other of his fellow Citizens did at the fame time. But now as to the partic- 
 ular Inftances that are given your Memo 8 ' Begs leave to obferve fome things more 
 particularly, and As to his .... and Raifing upon the prices of Goods then upon 
 Hand which is firft Mentioned this your Memorialift Conceives not to be Contrary 
 to or in Direct Oppofition to any Recommendations of Congrefs then in force. But 
 that the Refolution of Congrefs for that purpofe had been fome time Before Re- 
 pealed Not indeed before it had Loft its Effect and opperation Throughout the 
 whole Continent for it is a Matter of too publick General knowledge to Queftion it that 
 the prices of almoft every Article of Foreign goods and moft articles of this Coun- 
 try Produce were then Raifed Confiderably higher than Before the War, of which 
 the fcarcity of the Currency was the Undoubted Caufe and your Memo" thinks he 
 may With Truth and Confidence fay of himfelf that the Articles Mentioned Rum 
 and Salt were fold by him at Lower and more Reafonable Rate than by other Deal- 
 ers In Gen 1 at that Diftance in the Country and that Both by Whole Sail and Retail 
 and of which he trufts he can give your Honours undoubted Proof, as to the other 
 Inftances Given, that your Memoralift Declin d Selling only for Silver Money this 
 your Memorialift prefumes to fay is as falfe as it is invidious and Malicious and what 
 your Memo 81 is abundantly able to difprove, all his Neighbours and others that 
 delt with him Know the Contrary and that He Received Both Silver and paper In- 
 difcriminately In Payment for his Goods but chiefly the Latter, And indeed he fur- 
 niflied the Publick with very Confiderable Supplies which were paid only in paper 
 Bills ; and So far has your Memorialift Been from Taking advantage of the times to 
 Encreafe his Eftate by Oppreffion Extortion Or Monopily fo far from fordidly im- 
 proving his own Intereft to the Gen 1 welfare as is Suggefted that he Believes he may 
 Truly fay he Hath Suffer d more in His fortune and Loft more of his intereft During 
 the War Than the whole Parifh Befide and he is Confident that before he was 
 28
 
 2l6 
 
 Robb d of His Goods by the Petit' 8 and others he had furnifhed more Supplies to 
 the publick and that chiefly upon Credit, than the whole parifh Befide. and Every 
 one Knows the Publick had Nothing but Paper Bills to pay their Creditors with. 
 Your Memorialift, therefore Hopes your Honors will Confider thefe Falfe Ground- 
 lei's Allegations as the mere fruits of Slander and abufe and as Calculated and De- 
 figned to Bring an Odium upon him and his Caufe 
 
 To the further allegation of the petition that 
 
 Said Colton was at that time adjudged by the general Comt ee of Safety for the whole 
 Town to be unfriendly and Inimical to the Liberties of his Country and unanimoufly 
 agreed to be advertized as fuch, as will appear by the Depofitions of the Chairman 
 and one other of the f d Comt 68 hereto annexed and which was prevented not by any 
 Reformation of the f d Colton but by a fingular Circumftance which we Decline men- 
 tioning at prefent. 
 
 The remonstrant replies that 
 
 As this appears to him to be a Matter of Great Confequence, he hopes for your 
 Hon rs Indulgence and patient attention to what he has to offer in his own vindica- 
 tion, and here he hopes your Hon rs will call to mind the intemperated Heat and 
 Furious Zeal manifefled at the Beginning of the prefent Conteft againft moft of the 
 Traders in the Country who continued in the ordinary Courfe of their Bufmefs which 
 conftrained many of them to Store and Leave off Trade intirely and it was your 
 Memorialift's miffortune to have fome of thefe over Zealous Perfons who Either 
 thro' Enmity or Envy or perhaps only from their over Zealous Temper of Mind 
 Raif d a Clamour againft him in the year 1775 a time when the minds of too many 
 were full of jealoufy and Sufpicion and this occafioned a Complaint to be made 
 againft him to the Comt ee of Inflection and Safety for the Town that he had 
 Raifed upon the prices of his Goods, upon which he was Called and accordingly 
 appeared Before the Comt" to Vindicate Himfelf and the only particular Charge 
 or inftance Eleged in the Complaint as far as your Memori" can Recollect was his 
 Selling some Liver Oyl at a higher Rate than before the War, and that he had 
 raifed and increased the price of this Article which as all Dealers in it well know is 
 very apt to Leak and waft by being kept any length of Time, which was the fact 
 with this, fo that he Could not afford it fo cheap as Before without being a Loler 
 and this your Memor" offer d as his Excufe and for his Vindication to the Comt ee 
 and this he Thought Sufficiently Satiffadlory. Sure he is that it must be fo to all 
 Reafonable unprejudiced Perfons. this he Conceives to be the Simple State of the 
 Cafe Neither was there ever any Pretence of any other Charge againftt him that 
 he knows of nor any .... of his Gen 1 unfriendly Difpofition to the Caufe of his 
 Country or oppofition to it much lefs of his attachment to Britain and the Britifh Gov- 
 ernment and even for this, after the moft Carefull Inquiry of the Members of the 
 Comt ee he does not find they ever Came to any Refolution to Convince him much 
 lefs to Publifh him as an Enemy to his Country as is afferted in the Pet n . Sure he 
 is he had never any Knowledge of any fuch Thing. Not that he Doubts but Some 
 of the Comt ee had Inclination enough to do it to Gratify their own private Enmity 
 or intemperate Zeal as some would every Perfon who at this time had Been found 
 to have Taken Only a Cup of Tea. But the Generality of the Comt ee were of a 
 Different and more Cool Temper and Prevented moft of the Exceffes of thefe over 
 Zealous perfons of all Which your Memor" hopes abundantly to Satiffy your Hon rs 
 by the Teftimony of a Number of the Comt ee Themfelves and that therefore the
 
 Perfons who make the application Annex d to the Pet n Labour under fome very, 
 great Miftake Refpe6ting the Matter, they are Certainly Miftaken in Suppofing that 
 they were of the Comt ee at all in the year thefe goods were Taken away from your 
 Memor st as will appear from the Town Records themfelves and what that Singu- 
 lar Circumftance may be which presented your Memor st from being Publifhed as an 
 Enemy Referred to in that Pet n your Memor st cannot even guefs. 
 
 To the allegation of the petitioners in their preamble that at the 
 time these goods were taken from him, viz., in July, 1776, we were 
 without law and the administration of justice, the remonstrant replies 
 that at the time thefe Goods were Taken from him, (viz) in July 1776 'tis a matter 
 of Publick Notoriety that Both the Juftice of the Supe r Court and Juftice of the 
 peace were then Commiffioners who Might fufficiently reftrain and Punifh all Delin- 
 quents and Offenders againft the Laws tho' no civil Matters were then Heard or tried 
 in the Country, to Reprefent your Memor 8 ' therefore as a Dangerous Perfon and an 
 Offender againft the Laws and then Bring no civil Authority to Try and Punilh him 
 for his Suppof d Dangerous Crimes and that therefor on this account, the Petitioners 
 with others folely with a view to the Public good were as it were oblidged to Inter- 
 fere of their own Heads and Deprive him of his property Which he was ufing in 
 
 such an invidious Manner and to the Hurt of Society muft be fure idle If 
 
 your Memor 8 ' was an evil doer he might Certainly be punifhed by the Proper author- 
 ity and then no occafion for private violence and this muft Convince all Judicious 
 and Imparcial perfons that fome other motive than pure Patriotifm and a Regard to 
 the good of the Community was the inducement to Rob and fpoil your memor" of 
 His property. 
 
 To the allegation of the petitioners that they acted by the concur- 
 rence and advice of two of the General Committee of said town, being 
 all of that body that lived in that Parish, the remonstrant gives a brief 
 statement of the circumstances of the transaction, and then shows that 
 the petitioners really acted in direct opposition to the advice of the 
 committees of the town, and of the several towns in this section met 
 in convention. 
 
 In July 1776 a Great Number of Perfons Blackt and in Difguife Affembled To- 
 gether at a late Hour of the Night at your Memor 8 " Houfe, He and his family being 
 then within and Retir d to Reft upon which he begs Leave to observe that pure 
 Honeft Patriotifm Does not need any Difguife neither does it feek the Darknefs of 
 the Night for a Covering, thefe are rather the marks of Spoilers and Robbers and 
 no Doubt their Number and Difguife were Difign d to Terrify and intimidate your 
 Memor 81 and Being thus affem d they forcibly Took and Carried away a Large Quan- 
 tity of his Goods, to the amount of about Two or Three Hundred pound Hard 
 Money, it is True your Memor st obtain d and got Back a part of thefe goods again 
 into his Poffeffion But not many Days after without any new Caufe given the fame 
 Perfons and perhaps others with them affembled again in the Night, forcibly Brake 
 open his Store Locks and Took and Carried away the whole of his Runvand Salt 
 &c, Except a Trifle Left for private ufe, Ranfacking and Searching his Houfe from 
 top to bottom Plundering and Carrying away what they Saw fit this a True ac- 
 count of the Manner and Circumftances attending the Transaction. How Thefe 
 Goods were afterwards Difpofed of is Beft known to y r Petitioners nor is it of any
 
 2l8 
 
 .Confequence to your Hon rs tho' we Cannot keep from obferving that it is impolTi- 
 ble for the Petiti" or any perfon elfe to know or afcertain what Goods were taken 
 or what Quantity or that the whole was ever Brought to Any Account what ever. 
 Suffice it to Say that the whole were Divided among them or Difpof d of as they 
 faw fit and no part were ever Reftor d to y e Rightful Owner, Contrary to the Ad- 
 vife of the Comt Be of the Town and of the Comt ee ' of the Several Towns in this 
 County met and affembled in a County Convention at Northampton foon after ; who 
 upon application to them made in this Behalf advifed and Earneftty Recommended to 
 all the good People of the County to abftain from all acts of violence upon the per- 
 fons or Properties of others and to Reftore to the Rightful Owners Whatever had 
 been in any inftance Taken away as Appears by a Coppy of their proceedings ready 
 to be Shown to your Hon and fo far is it from being True What is pretended by 
 the Petiti r " that they a6ted by the Advife and Concurrence of the Comt ec they acted 
 in Direct Oppofition thereto. 
 
 To the claim of the petitioners that they kept a fair account of the 
 sales and disposals of all the goods taken away, and soon after 
 brought and offered the whole of the money received for them to the 
 memorialist which, upon his refusing to accept, they left with him, 
 the remonstrant replies that 
 
 He has to obferve that the Money was not Brought and offer d till fome time in the 
 Year next after, when paper Bills had Confiderably fallen and Depreciated and 
 probably would not fetch and purchafe more than one half the Goods that were 
 taken away from your Memor". he therefore abfolutely Refufed to Receive it or 
 have any Thing to do with it whatever ; and as to what the Peti on Mentions of their 
 having Been fued already by M r Church and his Recovering Judgment againft 
 them for one Hogfliead of Rum taken out of your Memoralist's Store at this Same 
 Time, it is True that M r Church Recov d Judgment upon a fair Trial at Law in y e infe- 
 rior Court and afterwards in the Sup r Court upon a Reference to three very Judi- 
 cious Difmterefted Perfons who all Lived at a Diftance from the parties and Unani- 
 moufly after a full and fair Hearing Reported in favour of f d Church 
 
 To the further allegation of the petitioners that 
 
 They have great Reafon to believe that between the Time of the firft and fecond 
 taking of f d Rum Salt &c from f d Colton he applied to Several People out of his 
 own Parifh to befriend him and to take of him a Hogfhead of Rum or Salt &c each, 
 and that Sham Bargains with that View only were made, and that in fact if any 
 Money was ever paid to f d Colton therefor, that the fame has long fince been paid 
 again by l a Colton as the Goods were never Delivered to the pretended purchafers 
 and now we are threatened by f d Colton and others the pretended purchafers to be 
 Sued for the Remainder of l d Rum Salt &c which may prove our total Ruin at the 
 prefent Price of f d Articles, and that they Have Endeavored to fettle with f d Col- 
 ton by leaving the whole affair to Difmterefted and Judicious Men, but he will not 
 confent thereto excepting we will agree wholly to leave out of the Submiffion 
 the Confideration of his Inimical conduct and Character and alfo the Money we left 
 at his Houfe to pay for the Rum Salt &c which propofal of his is fo unfair and 
 Difhonerable that we Cannot and we Truft your Hon r " will think we ought not 
 in Juftice to our own Selves to Comply therewith. 
 
 The remonstrant replies that 
 This is what he often propofed and wifh d for Himfelf and by them as often Declin d
 
 219 
 
 unlefs to fuch Men and upon Such Terms as he would not by any means Confent 
 .To. not but that he thinks it may be fettled with as much Juilice and fairnefs and 
 Quite as Little Expenfe in a Courfe of Law. he knows and feels himfelf greatly in- 
 jured and abufed and at the Same time isconfcious to himfelf that he Hath never de- 
 ferved it. he therefore hopes in fome way or other He fhall obtain perfonable Satif- 
 faction either in a Legal Courfe Or By the Judgment of Indifferent perfons either 
 of which are very immaterial to him. 
 
 To the final appeal of the petitioners that 
 
 Being informed that no Provifion that is yet made by the Legiflature Will Extend 
 to our Cafe and that being no general Comt ee of a Town we are not included in any 
 Indemnification that has been paffed by the General Court, we yet Truft your Hon r " 
 will think that our Cafe comes within the fame Reafon as that of general Com" 8 , and 
 that a Veil of Eternal Oblivion ought to be Drawn over the Tranfactions of thofe 
 unhappy Times and that the Law which was defigned for the Protection of the In- 
 nocent, fhould not now be ufed to their Ruin and Deftruction. 
 
 The remonstrant replies that 
 
 For Your Hon r " to now interfere and by Act of Supreme Sovereign Power preclude 
 and Cut off your Memorialift from all Tryal of his Right in any Way which is the 
 thing pray d for he apprehends to be Contrary to the Principles of Natural Juftice 
 and tho' it may be Reafonable that a veil of eternal Oblivion fhould be Drawn Over 
 many Tranfactions of the Late times' when we were without the Due adminiftration 
 of Juftice in Courfe of Law, fo far as the publick is Concerned and that Men fhould 
 not be Cal d in Queftion or Punifh d for Crimes Againft the peace by them Committed 
 and this were what found Policy may Dictate, yet it will not from thence follow that it 
 will be Either Juft Reafonable or Politick to Preclude any one from Obtaining Due 
 Reparation and Legal Satiffaction for any violation of Private property, fo far as the 
 Publick are concerned, the Publick Legiflature No Doubt have a Right to Decide 
 But in all Matters of Private Right and Queftions of Private property your Memo" 
 apprehends with all due Submiffion the Legiflature have no Right to interpofe and 
 Deprive any one of a Tryal in the Due Courfe of Law. The Law of the Land by 
 the Great Charter and the Bill of Rights as well as the Exprefs Provifions of the 
 Lately Eftablifh d Happy Conftitution is the Birthright of every free Man and by 
 This Law every one Who is injur d in his Property hath full Right and Liberty to 
 Seek Redrefs and Endeavour to obtain Satiffaction in a legal Way and with all due 
 Submiffion your Memo 8 ' apprehends That the Legiflature themfelves are as Much 
 Bound and will Conform themfelves to the Principles of the Conftitution and Bill of 
 Rights as the Executive are Bound and obliged to Conform to the Laws Themfelves. 
 your Memo 8 ' has Rec d Manifeft Injury his Rights and property openly invaded and 
 violated attended with Circumftance of Great Infult and abufe as every unpreju- 
 diced Perfon in the world muft acknowledge for which he hath Rec d no Legal Satif- 
 faction and Shall he now by an act of Sovereign power be Cut off from all hopes of 
 Redrefs and Depriv d of hfs Birth Right the Benefit of the Law which is the Birth 
 Right of Every Englifhman. this favours So much of Cruelty as well as injuftice that 
 he Trufts Your Hon" will not be induc d by any Confideration to Comply therewith 
 or pafs any act of Indemnity as Pray d for. 
 
 To the final plea of the petitioners that 
 
 Your Hon rs would pafs an Act of Indemnification for us or others under like Cir- 
 cumftances or find out fome Method to Save us from that Rum and Deftfuction 
 which threatens us.
 
 22O 
 
 The remonstrant replies, with shrewdness and earnestness, that 
 He Can't but Obferve what Little Reafon the Petition" have to Cry out of the Dan- 
 ger of their being Ruin d if Your Memo st fhould obtain a Juft Recompenfe for What 
 hath Been fo unjuftly taken from him fince they are Supported by fuch Members who 
 no doubt ought and will and Many of them have engag d to bear their Due propor- 
 tion, this in ftead of a Reafon for the Indemnity Pray d is a very good Reafon againft 
 it Since the Lofs Whatever it be will be lefs felt and eafier Bourn by a Number 
 than by one Individual 
 
 But Concerning this Multitude of Subfcribers with Which the Pet" is Back d he 
 craves leave to fay a few Words. Many of thefe perfons were Children and Minors 
 when thefe Matters were Tranfacled and fome of them perfecl fttrangers who have 
 come into the Place Since, others of them were Parties and as much Concern d in 
 the original Treffpafs and Violence as the Pet Themfelves and have ingag d and 
 oblig d themfelves to Indemnify them or at Leaft Bear their Proportion of any Dam- 
 age or Expenfe that may Be fuftained. many Others are Nearly related and Intimately 
 Connected with Thofe that Did it. others have Shar d in the Spoil and plunder and 
 think themfelves oblig d in Juftice and Hpn' to Endeavour to Serve thofe that have 
 Supplied them at Such Reafonable Prices and no Doubt many others have sign d 
 their names Mearly through importunity and Solicitation. But Let the Cafe be what- 
 ever it may and how Great foever the Number be, ftill the Nature of things is not 
 Altered by any fuch Circumftances. Truth and Juftice Remain Still the Same And 
 he Trufts that Your Hon" will not be induced thereby to do anything againft the 
 Principles of Natural Juftice and Sound Policy and he Humbly hopes your Hon rs 
 Will be thereby induced to Difmifs the Pet" intirely. But if notwithftanding anything 
 he hath already Said and urg d againft it your Hon" Should give Leave and a Bill 
 * Should be Brought in agreable to the prayer of the Pet" he hopes and Earneftly 
 prays your Hon" Would give him Leave to be Heard by his Councel Againft its 
 being Paff d into a Law, who he Doubts Not will be able much more Clearly and 
 fully to Shew and State to your Hon r " the Injuftice and Inexpediency of Faffing the 
 Same and as in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray. 
 
 Springfield (Longmeadow) May 30. 1781. SAM 1 COLTON. 
 
 The desired act of indemnity was, however, granted and no subse- 
 quent efforts of Merchant Colton availed to obtain any redress. Is 
 it strange that the old man, conscious to himself of his own loyalty, 
 not only to his king but to his native country, but broken now in health 
 and in heart by what seemed to him such cruel injustice, should ever 
 after refuse to exchange even a word with any of those who had thus 
 injured him ? 
 
 The actors in an exciting drama are not the best critics of its pass- 
 ing scenes. A century's remove is an interval none too long for ripen- 
 ing that historical candor essential to a just judgment of the men and 
 measures of such an excited period as our Revolutionary struggle. 
 Nothing is more certain than that our liberty-loving ancestors were 
 sometimes hurried by the very passion of their patriotism into acts 
 which neither their own cooler judgment, nor that of their descend- 
 ants, can wholly approve, as in the case here described.
 
 221 
 
 J. THE WILLIAMS DIARY. 
 
 Among the superior advantages for illuminating Longmeadow his- 
 tory, by no means exhausted in this volume, not the least is the diary of 
 Stephen Williams, in ten manuscript volumes, beginning January i, 
 1716, and ending June i, 1782. Its peculiar value consists in its 
 quaint simplicity, and perfectly ingenuous record of daily occurrences. 
 The thorough internal evidence that it was never meant for the public 
 eye makes it all the more valuable, and imposes a sacred obligation to 
 use as not abusing it. Aside from its historical utility in illustrating 
 particular periods or events, a somewhat continuous section of it can- 
 not fail to interest the reader, not only for its personal revelations of 
 the man, but also for its incidental contributions to the history of the 
 period. 
 
 Opening then the diary at hap-hazard, without any search for mat- 
 ters of peculiar interest, let a few glances from page to page suffice 
 the present purpose. 
 
 May 30, 1754. I preached to y e convention (the Massachusetts Con- 
 vention of Congregational ministers still continuing its annual meetings in 
 Boston). I believe some were gratified by my sermon some I conclude 
 were not pleased. I endeavored to deal faithfully concerning some matters 
 and I hope I delivered the mind of God ; and if God approves, I disregard 
 y e displeasure of men. 
 
 September 6. The Bears are about in great numbers ; they kill hogs and 
 sheep. (On the pth he goes out into the woods with his neighbors on a 
 bear hunt.) On the 26th. Was at y e tryall of poor Michael Fowler ; fair 
 and impartial ; found guilty. Oh, that God would pity and pardon y e poor 
 man and have mercy on his soul. Blessed Jesus, pity him as thou didst y e 
 poor thief when thou wast upon y e cross. (His visits to this prisoner are 
 quite frequent.) 28. One Newton convicted of making and uttering 
 counterfeit coin ; sentenced to be pilloried and whipt. Joseph S and 
 Eunice W convicted of incest, and are to stand upon the gallows, &c. 
 Oct. 5. One Taylor and Crawfort got some hair from a dead Indian at 
 Stockbridge and pretended that they had killed an enemy ; but their sin has 
 found them out. 16. Reuben W. has run away with John W.'s wife. 22. 
 I am much concerned for Billy Stebbins who is weak and discouraged. I 
 have been to see him, and am glad to find his spirits up so well as they be. 
 
 Nov. 14. Attended at y e vendue of some land sold by y' proprietors 
 committee and proposed that they put off y e sale of the land below my pas- 
 ture to see whether the town inhabitants or y e proprietors would not consent 
 that the land might be left for y e use of y e ministry in Longmeadow in case 
 they relinquish their right to the ministry land in y e Town. I hope that I 
 did not go beyond my line in what I did. Dec. 10. Wife .went out to her 
 daughter Eunice. Came home in safety, tho' the beast she rode on fell.
 
 222 
 
 Jan. 18, 1755. Precinct met to set price upon grain. They sent for me to 
 pray with them, and they desired me to tarry they proceeded, and that 
 without heat and concluded peaceably and without confusion. I rejoyce at 
 it. Pardon for Michael Fowler tho' he does n't know it. 21. Went to 
 Town to consult with y e gentlemen there about the publishing the pardon 
 of poor Fowler, and they have thot best to do it before y e day appointed for 
 y e execution to prevent the meeting of y e people which will occasion much 
 expense of time and money. 
 
 March 7. This day my neighbors sledded wood for me. They appeared 
 in general engaged in y c affair, and brot me more wood than common. The 
 Lord grant love and unity may be encouraged. Samuel Cooley died in a 
 fainting fit. 9 Sabbath. I endeavored to back y e late Providence by a 
 discourse, Matt. 13. 33. 
 
 March n. Fifty-one years ago I was taken prisoner and carried to Can- 
 ada. Oh, that God would affect me with his dealing toward me, in preserv- 
 ing me among y e Barbarous Heathen ; in returning me and continuing me 
 to this day. Repeated a sermon to Capt. I. Colton who is still confined and 
 a number of neighbors attended. 22. Sore broken and grieved because of 
 y e uneasiness of my dear wife. Know not what to do. O, that God would 
 shew me my duty ; compose and calm me. (The trouble that afflicts his wife 
 is elsewhere spoken of as " the vapours.") 29. Hear my poor sister Eunice 
 was alive at last January in Canada. O, that the Lord will have mercy on 
 her soul. (Notwithstanding these constant prayers for his captive sister, 
 she remained to the end of her life wedded to her Indian life and her 
 Roman Catholic faith.) 
 
 30. This day I began to read y e Scriptures publickly in y e congregation, 
 wish and pray it may be serviceable and a means to promote Scripture 
 knowledge among us. (This was an innovation which Stephen Williams 
 had some difficulty in sustaining. The first pulpit Bible was used Jan. i, 
 1808, 54 years afterwards; a royal folio, price $30, the gift of Lieutenant 
 Hezekiah Hale.) 
 
 April i, 1755. Have been into y e woods to look after spruce that they 
 make beer with. I think we have found it, and if so, I hope it may be of 
 advantage, since 'tis reckoned very wholesome. (" Tar water " was one of 
 Stephen Williams' favorite panaceas and tea of violets another.) April 3. 
 Son Nathan home from college. God be praised that we see y e child so 
 comfortably of it. 
 
 8. Noise of the expedition against Crown Point begins to increase. II. 
 Military companies of y e Town called together in order to enlisting of men. 
 14. Mr. Breck here tells me that I shall be applyed to, to go on y e present 
 expedition. If I should, I entreat the Lord would make y e way of my duty 
 plain before me. May 5. Received a letter from y e Hon. J. Osborn, Esq., 
 desiring me to go as a chaplain in y e expedition. I know not what to do. 
 6. Went to Town to discourse with Col. Worthington, but I desire to have 
 my eyes with y e Lord, to show me what He w d have me to do.
 
 223 
 
 (The neighbors come in and greatly perplex the good parson about his 
 invitation.) 8. This day I referred y e matter of my going to my Heavenly 
 Father. I enjoyed an happy serenity and calm. Here I am the Lord do 
 as it seemeth him good. 9. Lecture. Mr. Breck preached from 2 Chron. 
 14, n, a pertinent sermon, and then the congregation were asked whether 
 they w d consent, if I should comply with the call given me to engage in y e 
 expedition. Y e major part voted affirmatively. Thus I have the voice of 
 y e people but yet, after all, I refer the matter repeatedly to God. Col. 
 Worthington and J. W. and E. W. (Ephraim Williams) were here to dis- 
 course, &c. I am still at a loss. (He goes to Boston, finds his friends there 
 generally desirous of his going.) " Y e Rev. Dr. Sewall, who has treated 
 me as a familiar friend, joined with me in special prayers to God for direc- 
 tion in y e affair. We prayed in his chamber. O, how good it is to draw 
 nigh to God and ask His counsel in difficult affairs. I have been brot to 
 think it my duty to go." 
 
 26. Dear M r Raynolds (the Enfield minister) and his consort here. 
 We had an opportunity to confer &c and we prayed together. June 16. 
 Fast in the Parish M r Hopkins and Raynolds preached. 18. Lecture at 
 Town by M r Breck who addressed the soldiers a pertinent sermon. 19. 
 Companies mustered. Officers took the oaths. I took y e oaths with the 
 rest. 25. The soldiers of this place gathered at Dea n (Lieut.) Burts. I 
 v ent over to the Deacons (opposite the present parsonage.) We sang the 
 121. Psalm and prayed together and then they went off to town. 
 
 The following is a sample of his addresses to soldiers : I would exhort 
 you who are going abroad in the public service. My dear friends remem- 
 ber that you are under Bonds to God by y r Baptism, and let me entreat you, 
 if you have not done it already, that you w d ' : now personally and particularly 
 dedicate yourselves to God ; instantly, by private transaction of y e covenant 
 between God and y r own souls. This may be done by every one of you if 
 God dispose y r hearts to it. I am very sorry it is done by no more in a pub- 
 lick, solemn manner as it was done by most of y c young people in this place 
 above 16 years of age in some of the first years of my ministry. I urge 
 this matter upon you that are now going abroad ; thus truly to dedicate 
 yourselves to God. Take an oath of allegiance to God, that the Lord shall 
 be your God, that you all be for Him and none other. You are wont in y r 
 notes for public prayer to ask that you may be especially preserved from 
 sin, and some add it the worst of evils. Yes so indeed it is I hope and 
 desire you would second your own desires with answerable endeavors to 
 keep yourselves pure, to keep at a distance from all sin. Be careful to do 
 violence to no man of your friends and countrymen in any places where the 
 army may be called to reside. Dont take the name of God in vain ; dont 
 give yourselves to intemperance, to gaming, stealing, uncleanness. t quarrel- 
 ling. Be much in prayer, and watch as well as pray. Acknowledge God 
 in all your ways. Live sensible of your entire dependence on God. I do 
 now, my dear friends, bid you farewell, and may the Lord preserve your 
 going out and coming in from this time forth and even f orevermore. Amen. 
 29
 
 224 
 
 July i. I expect to move this day to join the army. I desire to give up 
 myself to y e Eternall Jehovah, praying He w 1 grant me his gracious pres- 
 ence and enable me to do y" work, business, and service justly expected of 
 me. Gracious God, be pleased to take care of my family and flock at 
 home. I leave them with a Gracious Covenant God. If it be thy pleasure, 
 be pleased to return me in safety and peace. Y e Lord is my God, and my 
 Father's God. O Lord, I am thy servant. 
 
 (During that campaign occurs the battle of Lake George, September 8th, 
 in which his kinsman, Col. Ephraim Williams, and his deacon, Lieut. Burt, 
 are both killed.) 
 
 Oct. 28. 1755. I returned to my home in safety and find my family in 
 comfortable circumstances. (He blesses God for the cordial welcome of 
 his neighbors, who flock into the parsonage, and for his opportunity on the 
 Sabbath with his dear flock in the public assembly.) 
 
 Dec. 5. I hear that 8000 hand cuffs were found aboard a French vessel 
 taken near Louisburg. Alas ! were they designed for poor Protestants ? 
 Dec. 10. The people iny e place are fond of disposing of the school land by 
 sale or lease. I wish they were not so hasty. I pray God to grant them 
 prudence and discretion in managing y e publick affairs. Dec. 26. This day 
 we have an ace 1 of an awfull Earthquake at Lisbon and Cadiz. A previous 
 entry, November i8th, records " About 4 A. M., awaked and surprized with 
 the amazing shock of an earthquake that shook the bricks from the 
 chimney." 
 
 Jan. 6. 1756. It is proposed than my son Davenport should ride post this 
 week to Boston. 12. I have been at some pains to get some Sassafras 
 roots, hoping that they may be serviceable to purify the blood. O that God 
 would purify my heart. 
 
 Feb 29. 1756. Sabbath My subject was awfull: y e text Matt 25. 41. O 
 that God w' 1 speak to the consciences of poor sinners. 
 
 (While the pastor's daily petitions are continually being offered in connec- 
 tion with passing events, on the day preceding the Sacrament of Commun- 
 ion there is almost invariably recorded a special prayer of preparation, 
 unusually copious, thoughtful, and minute :) March 6. Tomorrow Sabbath 
 and Sacrament Day. After abundant confessions of unworthiness and 
 shortcomings: "Cleanse me from my sin ; sanctifie me thro-out ; sweeten 
 me for y e enjoyment of Thyself ; give me to do duty as duty, in obedience 
 to thy commands shew me my duty upon all accounts. If there should be 
 any application made to me to go again in y e Army, be pleased to make y e 
 way of duty plain. If thou would 8 ' not have me go, give me to see and 
 know y e mind of God." After full petitions for the nation, " in all these 
 provinces and colonies," and in view of the peculiar exigencies of the pend- 
 ing war, and after supplications for the town and precinct : " Oh Lord, be 
 pleased to bless my dear family ; comfort, console, and calm my consort ; 
 bless my children that are gone out into families ; let Samuel be preserved 
 and protected and taught now he is abroad ; let Davenport have y e gracious
 
 225 
 
 Presence of God and health ; let Martha's health be precious in God's sight 
 and bring her willingly to sit at Jesus' feet " (and so on, not forgetting any 
 members of the family, whether children or servants.) 
 
 March 3. People in a ruffle about choosing a deacon insisting upon y e 
 deacon's being ordained, which I can't see to be duty, unless we have a 
 church stock which many of the brethren are averse to. n. I attended 
 the Weekly Lecture but many were absent. I fear they are tired with the 
 service. I don't know but it will be best to lay down the Lecture for a 
 season. 
 
 16. Town Meeting. I preached. The publick affairs went on with good 
 agreement, but we were interrupted by a number of rude soldiers who came 
 along and behaved riotously and wounded severall men that attempted by 
 order of Authorities to seize them. M r Tom Hopkins was knocked down, 
 but I hope may do well, tho' much hurt. 
 
 19. Received a letter from Brigadier Gen 1 Dwight inviting me to go as a 
 Chaplain in y e army again. 21. Sabbath. I was warm and affectionate in 
 my addresses to y e people, and I do pray that God would speak to y e hearts 
 of my hearers. 23. This day I went to Enfield to see my Dear Friend and 
 B 1 ' M r Raynolds and his family had an opportunity to pray with him, and 
 had great pleasure and comfort in so doing. 29. At y" Lecture I preached 
 from John 8. 39 and endeavored to show how unreasonable y 8 papists are in 
 denying y e use of y e Scripture to y e Laity. May 2. Sabbath and Sacra- 
 ment. I had my children severall of them about me at the Lords table. 
 O, y e amazing love and grace and condescension of God. I hope I have 
 had some sense of it. Would that I might be one of y e poor in Spirit, for 
 theirs is y e Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 26. Now I have passed my Grand Climactericall year. I w d not think 
 any other than that my times are in God's hands and I rejoyce that they are 
 so. 27. I hear Co 1 Ruggles is gone along and it is expected we march 
 speedily. 31. The Church met and brot in votes for a deacon. M r Aaron 
 Colton had the majority of votes but not so great a majority as I could 
 wish for. 
 
 Dec. 10. Y e inhabitants of y e Precinct met to grant money. They are 
 desirous that I remit a part of my salary, because I had (they apprehend) 
 good wages when abroad. I can't see it my duty, since they were so well 
 provided for in my absence. They have adjourned the meeting and made 
 no grant to me. I pray God to keep them calm and give me prudence and 
 meekness, and prevent confusion among us. 12. Sabbath. I have en- 
 larged considerably extempore as I was preaching and hope and desire that 
 my so doing may not be hurtful, but serviceable. 14. I don't know but 
 people will get into a heat' about my salary. I pray that they may be kept 
 from wrong measures. 15. Nathan invited to be Tutor of Yale. 23. 
 The conversation among the neighbors is yet about my salary. Their spirits 
 are evidently raised. The Lord be pleased to calm and quiet their spirits, 
 and keep mine calm and composed. 26. Sabbath. Some rain and many 
 people absent from the publick worship. We need resolution.
 
 226 
 
 Jan. 2. 1757. Sabbath and Sacrament Day. I enjoyed calmness and 
 serenity at y e Sacrament, though my affections were not moved as at some 
 times. Jan. 6. I have signified my mind to the Clerk of the precinct in 
 writing respecting my salary. 9. Sabbath very stormy had prepared a 
 new Sermon, but preached an old one because the assembly was small, and 
 not able to write new sermons sometimes ; hope I did not indulge sloth. 
 
 24. Funeral of Cap' Isaac Colton, attended tho' a stormy day by a great 
 number of people. Thus honour was done him as one that had been useful 
 among us. 26. Concerned about my son Davenport who acts as Deputy 
 Sheriff. Y e Lord give him to do justly and grant that he may behave with 
 tenderness and prudence. 27. Went down to see my Dear M' Raynolds 
 and family and find that he is perplexed at y e conduct of his people who 
 incline to go to y c Separates. The Lord be pleased to support and comfort 
 his servant, and teach and restrain that people. 
 
 Feb. 15. Council at Blandford adjourned to Westfield. The minister 
 imprudent and the people violent and almost outrageous. (This Council, 
 adjourned from time to time, appears to have been conducted with some- 
 thing like legal form, " P. Nelson. Complainant. A Rising. Appellant." and 
 consumed much time, the Council besides using the daytime, sitting up late 
 at night, and the final result not, after all, of much avail.) 
 
 Feb. 24. Long talk with Cap* S. Colton and Serg' D. Burt (two of pre- 
 cinct Committee) about y e affair of my salary. I am in fear peoples spirits 
 and tempers are too much raised ; and so mine may be. The Lord keep us 
 from dishonoring his great name. 23. Oh Lord, lead me not into tempta- 
 tion, but deliver me from evil. 26. Sabbath. I found myself more com- 
 posed than at some times and some what enlarged. I have been concerned 
 lest I become ruffled and discomposed because of y e conduct of my people. 
 Oh, Lord, don't leave me to myself and my own counsels. 
 
 13. Sabbath. I have used great plainness of speech in cautioning 
 against lewdness and lasciviousness. Y e Lord grant his blessing may fol- 
 low these cautions and make them really serviceable. April 7. Letter 
 from Nathan that Yale College is about to form a Collegiate Church. July 
 4. We have had thots of buying another negro, but am at a loss in my own 
 mind. I pray God to help me do my duty to those under my care. 8. This 
 day a shock of an earthquake at 2 o'clock p. M. 
 
 Aug. i r. Hear Co 1 Ruggles is gone along and left a pressing message 
 for me to follow him. Went to Town met S ir W m Pepperell and S ir John 
 S 4 Clair. 
 
 Oct. 19. M r Raynolds and his consort came here to ask our daughter 
 Martha for their son Samuel. The young man is in Good reputation and of 
 Good Behaviour. The family is most agreeable to me. I hear that Rev d 
 M' Edwards is chosen President of a New Jersey College. Jan. 18. 1758. 
 Last night I met the young men at y e School House ; prayed with them, 
 advised and counselled them.
 
 227 
 
 Feb. i. I perceive that there is some notice taken of y e school y l M r 
 Wheelock and others have projected for the poor Indians by Lord Halifax 
 and others in England. 26. Sabbath. Lord London and his attendants 
 passed by. I am sorry there are such examples of travelling on the Sab- 
 bath by Great men. 
 
 March 14. I am at a Great loss what to do ab k Settling my Estate how 
 to do justice among or to my Children. I do pray that He y* is wonderfull 
 in counsell would be pleased to direct and help me. 23. Co 1 Ruggles has 
 writ to me again to engage in the expedition. I do fear that it won't do 
 for me to think of it because of my age and infirmities. 
 
 April 3. This morning Cato was taken with a cold shaking fit. I hear 
 that the Rev' 1 M r Jon a Edwards is dead (he dyed in the Jerseys) a valuable 
 man and a great loss to y e church of God. 7. Y e Lord be pleased to pour 
 out of his Spirit upon us in order to our Reformation morall means of 
 themselves, will not do it. 10. This day we hear y e Alarm of War, y e 
 beating up for volunteers. I prayed with y e company. 
 
 July 31. This day M/ s Edwards y e relict of y e Rev d M r Jon" Edwards 
 and her son Jon" were here. This Gentlewoman has had sore bereavements 
 of Late. I pray God to be her support. 
 
 Aug. i. I attended upon the children at y e publick Catechising. 28. I 
 catechised y e children a fine sight of Children in y e place. (The good pas- 
 tor rejoices in his frequent catechisings. He has generally about eighty 
 present.) Sept. 7. We have had an opportunity for Sociall prayer at the 
 House of G. D. Praised be the Lord. 
 
 8. A memorable day this day three years ajro we had our fight at the 
 Lake. I desire never to forget it. 16. What a poor stupid creature am I. 
 Oh for wisdom and patience and a care to redeem time. 20. Dear M r 
 Raynolds visited me and we prayed together. I bless God for such a friend. 
 
 Nov 19. 1760. 'Tis said a man y' came from y e Army and was lodged at 
 M r Sam 1 Bliss's in y e Town is supposed to have y c Small pox and is carried 
 to y e pest-house; 'tis feared y 4 he has communicated y e disease. (His fears 
 are sadly realized. The disease spreads ; a hospital is established at Mat- 
 thew's swamp for those who voluntarily contract the disease by inoculation, 
 about which doubtful remedy there is great excitement and difference of 
 opinion. His son Stebbins, Jonathan Ely, and a number of others are 
 inoculated. His son's house and the "new room" in the parsonage are 
 occupied for a time as hospitals, but as the disease spreads, all infected per- 
 sons are removed either to the " Swamp House " or the pest-house.) Feb. 
 29. 1761. This day my son Sam 1 carried out in a sleigh six persons y'- have 
 taken y e Small pox by inoculation. Y* L rt be pleased to be with them and 
 carry them well thro. March n. This day my son Raynolds and others 
 came hither in order to prepare to receive y e small pox. 
 
 12. Last night about 2 of y e clock there was a considerable shock of an 
 earthquake. (He improves "y e late Providence" in next Sabbath's dis- 
 course.)
 
 228 
 
 13. This day the doctor is here and inoculated y c Gentlemen with us. 
 19. Town meeting. M r M c Kinstry preached a good sermon. A turmoil is 
 raised among y e people in y c Town as to y e affair of inoculation. Severall 
 of y e persons y' were at Matthews Swamp are removed this day. I hope 
 and pray y e infection may not be spread by them. (As time proceeds the 
 inoculation process seems to prove successful and gains favor. The good 
 pastor goes out to the swamp from time to time and confers with his in- 
 fected parishoners through the window.) 
 
 30. This morning Cato has moveingly advertised me of my mortality by 
 asking me what he shall do when I am dead, which he says will be by and 
 by. The Lord help me to realize this, and to wait on the way of faith, re- 
 pentance, and new obedience till my change come ; and y e L d be pleased to 
 take care of the poor fellow, and enlighten him with y e knowledge of Christ 
 and bring him home to Thyself. 
 
 April 12. Sabbath. I have been preaching about publick reading of the 
 Scriptures. I hope people may be convinced of y e duty and y' we may 
 attend it with seriousness and reverence. (On the next Sabbath he again 
 sets up the practice of reading the Scriptures from the pulpit.) 
 
 April 27. This day y e doctor determined that Joseph Chapin's wife has 
 got the small pox. We are in a toss, but all our care will be to no purpose 
 unless God help us. 28. There seems to be a Tumult among us upon 
 y e ace' of J. C' s children who are put into y e School House. May 8. I re- 
 turned home frem Tolland y e place in an uproar. Several of J Chapin's 
 children sick with y e Small pox. Y e mother is carried up to y e pest-House 
 in a chair and four of the children, and E. M. (M r Woolworth's apprentice) 
 is broke out and is carried to the pest House also. Y e L d preserve and help 
 and mercifully prevent the spreading of this awfull disease. 
 
 9. This morning George C. Cooley came to me to deSire I w d go and 
 Baptize a child of his born last night, and not like to live in y opinion of 
 M Warner y e midwife, and I went and Baptized it a number of neighbors 
 being present. This afternoon my son Samuel's wife was safely delivered 
 of a daughter. I bless God who by his Providence seems to be speaking 
 the continuing of my house for awhile to come this being y e fifth Grand 
 child born in y e space of half a year. O Lord be pleased to establish thy 
 Covenant with me and mine to be a God to me and to my seed after me. 
 
 June 28. Sabbath. I have used plainness of speech respecting the sup- 
 port of y e Gospel ministry a part of y e Counsell of God y' I thot it my 
 duty not to shun to declare. I desire that it may be well received. 
 
 30. This day my Sister Eunice, her Husband, her daughter Katherine 
 and others come hither from Canada. Y e L fl Grant it may be in mercy to 
 her y* She makes this visitt. We have no interpreter and So can't say what 
 her intentions and pretensions arc. (His sister Eunice was taken captive 
 with the rest of the family, at the sack of Deerfield, she then being 7 years 
 old and he n. She was brought up by the Indians, embraced the Roman 
 Catholic faith, and married an Indian chief who adopted the name of Wil-
 
 229 
 
 liams. When this Indian party in their blankets, beads, and moccasins 
 arrived at Longmeadow, and encamped in the orchard behind the parsonage, 
 there was a great stir in the village. The most assiduous efforts were 
 made to induce her and her family to remain. The Legislature of Massa- 
 chusetts offered a grant of land in case she would consent.) 
 
 July r. I have been seeking for an interpreter have sent to Deerfield. 
 Thus I am in concern. Y" L d be pleased to direct and bless me Grant I 
 may take prudent measures. 2. We attended y c meeting before y e Sacra- 
 ment, and after meeting people came in Great numbers to see my Sister. I 
 am fearful that it may not be agreable to be gazed upon. I am sending 
 hither and thither to my children and friends, and I pray God to bring them 
 together that we may have a comfortable and profitable meeting. My cares 
 increase. I have an interpreter come from Sunderland sent by Sister Wil- 
 liams of Deerfield but I fear he does not understand y c Language very 
 well but hope he will be somewhat serviceable. 
 
 4. Sabbath and Sacrament. My daughters Eunice and Martha are now 
 here with me upon y e joy full sorrow/till occasion of my poor Sister Eunice 
 who is now with me also her Husband ; Katherine and her Husband, and a 
 little son of Mary. I beg God to Direct me what to do for my Sister ; be 
 pleased to incline and dispose her and her Husband to come into, or comply 
 with, such measures, as may have a proper tendency, to promote her Spiritual 
 and Eternall Good, and that of her family and offspring ; oh that y e vail 
 might be removed from her eyes, and that God w (1 give her to know y e truth 
 as it is in Jesus. 
 
 6. My children, John and his wife, Stephen, with our interpreter, M r 
 Dodge, are come hither. Our company and cares increase. Y c L" Grant 
 us his guidance. 7. This day my son Nathan and wife, Cap' Grant and 
 wife came hither. I had a sad discourse with my Sister and her Husband, 
 and find they are not at all disposed to come and settle in y e Country. I 
 am at a great loss to know what course to take, what measures to go into. 
 I do pray God to direct me and show me my duty. About night M r Salter 
 and others came hither. Our numbers increase. My daughter Raynolds 
 returned Home wearied and Fatigued. July 8. Cap 1 Grant and M r Salter 
 went from us. At night my son Warham came hither, John and his wife 
 went home. 9. Hot and we are fatigued and full of Company at night 
 my wife poorly. 
 
 10. This morning my poor sister and company left us. I think I have 
 used y e best arguments I could to persuade her to tarry and to come and 
 dwell with us. But at present they have been ineffectual. I must leave 
 y e matter with God this I desire to do. N.B. Y' when I took my leave o'f 
 my sister and her daughter in the parlour they both shed tears, a'nd seemed 
 affected. Oh, that God w d touch their hearts and encline them to turn to 
 their Friends, and to embrace y e religion of Jesus Christ." 
 
 Would that some master painter might depict this touching scene.
 
 230 
 
 K. THE DAUPHIN (?) WILLIAMS. 
 
 The name of Eleazer Williams is related to Longmeadow not only 
 by his reputed relationship to the first pastor, Dr. Stephen Williams, 
 the brother of Eunice Williams, Eleazer's grandmother, but also by his 
 own early residence in the village for several years while he was 
 acquiring an education. It was at the earnest request of Deacon 
 Nathaniel Ely of Longmeadow that his parents were induced to allow 
 him to receive this education thus, and the liveliest interest was felt in 
 Eleazer, not only then but in all his subsequent life, by many Long- 
 meadow citizens. 
 
 The following hitherto unpublished letter of Pastor Storrs to Rev. 
 Dr. Romeyn of New York, will be found of much interest in this con- 
 nection, not only as a clear statement of the facts relating to Eleazer's 
 early residence here, but as casting a strong side light upon subse- 
 quent claims in his behalf. The statement of Thomas Williams, 
 Eleazer's father, as to the origin of Eleazer's baptismal name is of 
 special significance. 
 
 LONGMEADOW, April 6, 1811. 
 
 Very Dear Sir: Yours of the I st inst was received yesterday. The subject 
 of our correspondence has long been to me one of importance ; that it has 
 become apparently so to you, and to other New England friends, is highly 
 gratifying. 
 
 In addition to those cares which are common to me, I have on hand special 
 concerns a circumstance which must excuse me while I attempt nothing 
 more at this time than a plain statement of a few facts concerning which 
 you enquire. 
 
 Eleazer Williams came to this town in January of the year 1800; the May 
 following he was 12 years old the friends here have never known any 
 other name of the family than that of Williams. Eleazer was baptised, as 
 is supposed, in his infancy by a Catholic priest. His father informed me 
 that he named him after his great uncle, Eleazer Williams, first minister 
 of Mansfield, Connecticut. [N. B. It has been a serious question with 
 Eleazer since he became hopefully pious whether he ought not to be 
 rebaptised by a Protestant. D r Romeyn's opinion on the subject would 
 give pleasure.] 
 
 The great grandmother of this lad, Eunice Williams, though she lost the 
 knowledge of her native language, never lost the knowledge of her native 
 friends and country. She married in early life and had two children, viz : 
 Catharine and Mary, who lived to grow up and were married. Mary, the 
 mother of Thomas the father of Eleazer, on the bed of death, gave her son 
 to her sister Catharine, who never had children. 
 
 After his return from captivity and re-settlement at Deerfield the Rev" J. 
 Williams, unto the day of his death, did not cease to labor and hope for the
 
 231 
 
 redemption of his daughter Eunice, but he never witnessed the fruit of his 
 exertions, nor an answer to his pra/ers and the prayers of his numerous re- 
 lations and acquaintances. His son Stephen, the first minister of this town 
 and my immediate predecessor, was so happy, after many fruitless attempts, 
 as to obtain an interview with this sister in Albany, New York, in the year 
 1740. She, with her husband and children, were persuaded to accompany 
 him to Longmeadow and spend a week in receiving the visits and largesses 
 of their friends in New England, who flocked together to see her. She and 
 her family at three different times afterwards came down from Canada to 
 New England and spent one whole winter in this quarter. She lived till the 
 year 1786 or 7. 
 
 The grandson Thomas, the father of Eleazer, was here on a visit in the 
 latter part of 1796 or beginning of 1797, bringing letters from her and from 
 Gen 1 Schuyler of Albany ; when it was proposed to him by Dea" Ely to 
 send on one of his sons to receive an education here. The proposal seemed 
 to give him pleasure, but we heard nothing from him until some time in 
 Decem r , 1799. O Qe f our neighbors who was going to Montreal took on a 
 letter from Dea n Ely, in which he expressed a desire to Thomas that he 
 would immediately forward one of his sons, agreeable to the proposal which 
 he had formerly made to him. 
 
 Accordingly, at the close of the month following, viz, Jan>', 1800, he came 
 with two of his sons, Eleazer and John. He left them both, and they were 
 with us about three years, attending school the most of that time, learning 
 to speak read and write our language ; in all which branches they both made 
 good proficiency, especially Eleazer. It was an object with us to have them, 
 however, retain their Indian language, which Eleazer did. In the winter of 
 1803 their parents both came to visit them, and informed us that unless they 
 carried one or both of them home, their priest (who had expressed great 
 displeasure from the beginning with the business) would excommunicate 
 their mother from the church. Taking John, they were persuaded to leave 
 Eleazer for two years longer. John was at home one year, perfectly re- 
 gained his knowledge of the Indian language, and returned' to us again. He 
 remained in these quarters about four years more, learning to read and 
 write and perform tolerably well most kinds of farming business. He then 
 returned to his father's, where he now is, never having manifested any special 
 regard for labor ; nor any abiding sense of religious things. Eleazer has 
 made but two visits to his parents ; the last a few weeks since, having heard 
 that his mother was near to death. He has at all times to this day been able 
 to speak readily his native language. Canawaga lies across the river about 
 nine miles from Montreal. It contains about 300 families of Indians, who 
 are a part of the Six Nations. 
 
 As to overtures made by Episcopalians, I know nothing only what I had 
 from his own mouth. He told me and several others in this quarter that 
 D r Moore of New York, or some of his church, invited him to place him- 
 self under their care ; for they would do anything and everything for him in 
 3
 
 232 
 
 completing his education and preparation for the missionary service. Like- 
 wise that an Episcopalian clergyman in Montreal, I think he said 'twas D r 
 Montain, urged him to join their communion, urging similar and many other 
 motives ; this was at a time when we were difficulted to procure money for 
 his support. 
 
 He is now with Rev' 1 M r Hale, of Westhampton, in this county. When 
 I saw him in Decem r last, he told me that he had read six books of the 
 ^Enead, several of Cicero's orations, and one or two of the gospels in Greek ; 
 he has spent much time upon the Latin, as he has found that the most diffi- 
 cult language, except his mother tongue, to pronounce. He is greatly de- 
 sirous to obtain a knowledge of the Greek and Hebrew; for he says that 
 when he presses the Friars with a passage of Scripture as it stands in the 
 English Bible, they tell him that it is not translated right, and he is unable 
 to contradict them. 
 
 I have heard it objected to Eleazer that he appeared fickle; but who would 
 rationally expect that an Indian would at once become steady. I have 
 heard it said that he was assuming; this no one will think strange who con- 
 siders how much he has been flattered and caressed by many of the first 
 characters in New England. For some time past I must say that to me he 
 appeared more stable, more meek, and in every respect more promising. 
 His whole soul seems swallowed up in the idea of becoming a preacher of 
 Christ among his own countrymen. In a letter received from him since his 
 last return to Canawaga, he says he had much conversation with them, and 
 they expressed great desire that he should come and be their religious 
 teacher immediately. 
 
 My dear friend, do not the designs of Zion's King, who is also Lord of 
 of Providence, in permitting the awful destruction of Deerfield, and in 
 counteracting all subsequent exertions for the redemption of Eunice Wil- 
 liams from Indian captivity, begin to develop themselves. 
 
 Your brother in Christ, 
 
 R. S. STORRS. 
 
 Whether Eleazer Williams was really the grandson of Eunice Wil- 
 liams, or the son of Marie Antoinette, will probably always remain an 
 open question at least for persons of large credulity. That he was 
 strikingly European, and even Bourbon, in physiognomy is unquestion- 
 able ; the one fact which gives some coloring of plausibility to the 
 whole tissue of newspaper and oral gossip constituting the staple of 
 Mr. Hanson's book entitled "The Lost Prince." 
 
 Most of this gossip carries upon its face the evidence of its improb- 
 ability, and scarcely deserves any attempt at historical analysis. Mr. 
 Williams's own statements and reminiscences in its corroboration de- 
 pend for their value entirely upon the degree to which he was, per- 
 haps unconsciously, influenced by his personal interest in the case. No 
 law of mental action is more imperative than that desire long indulged
 
 233 
 
 comes greatly to influence every faculty of the mind ; and to this law 
 Mr. Williams was probably rio exception. Nothing can be more in- 
 correct than the impression which Mr. Hanson would give, that Mr. 
 Williams was a man of such guileless simplicity and of such compar- 
 ative indifference to the personal bearings of the case as to be in no 
 danger of accepting his reminiscences from his imagination instead 
 of his memory. He was, on the contrary, very keenly alive to his own 
 possible historical importance, and brooded upon it so long and in- 
 tensely as to become at last apparently quite liable to mistake the un- 
 conscious cerebrations of his sleeping hours for actual reminiscences. 
 Such wildly improbable stories as the alleged De Joinville interview 
 in the cabin of a Western steamboat, with solemn deeds of abdica- 
 tion soliciting the poor missionary's signature, and very much else of 
 his evidence both subjective and objective can hardly be explained 
 except upon this supposition. 
 
 The writer was well acquainted with Mr. Williams his supposed 
 kinsman and frequent guest and has often discussed the whole sub- 
 ject with him ; receiving from him more than once the playful promise 
 of a French premiership whenever Mr. Williams should attain his 
 royal rights. It was always interesting to listen to the story, literally 
 ever new as he rehearsed it in these successive interviews with ever 
 increasing detail of circumstance and dramatic illustration from his 
 constantly growing collection of royal relics a robe of Marie Antoin- 
 ette, a Bourbon snuff-box, etc., etc. But every such rehearsal only left 
 upon my mind a still stronger impression that I was merely listening to 
 the excursions of a lively imagination* into the realms of pleasant 
 possibilities under the stimulus of a strong self-interest, rather than to 
 the clear deliverances of memory, or the sober deductions of reason. 
 
 Possibly Mr. Williams did come at last to believe that where there 
 were so many assertions and affidavits there must be some basis of 
 fact; and that it was his own duty "to put himself" like a presiden- 
 tial candidate " into the hands of his friends ; " not only doing noth- 
 ing to contradict their claims in his behalf, but even rendering them 
 the support of a grateful and quickened memory. 
 
 Be this as it may, it is quite certain that the memory which could 
 possibly accept the stupendous dream of the De Joinville cabin inter- 
 view as a veritable fact, is fatally discredited throughout. And 
 equally certain that no really reliable evidence, subjective or objective, 
 has been yet adduced to connect Eleazer Williams with the throne of 
 France ; or to disconnect him from a legitimate Longmeadow rela- 
 tionship as the grandson of Eunice Williams.
 
 234 
 
 L. THE DAVENPORT WILLIAMS COMMUNION CUP. 
 
 The destruction by fire in 1846 of the old Williams parsonage in 
 Longmeadow was undoubtedly a very severe loss to antiquarian re- 
 search in the Connecticut valley. It was occupied at that time by a 
 bachelor grandson of Dr. Williams, who kept its treasures of manu- 
 script and of printed Americana jealously locked up in the old attic, 
 scarcely permitting any one access to them after the abuse of his for- 
 mer confidence by a noted antiquarian who had, as he believed, sur- 
 reptitiously conveyed some of them away. The fire took upon the 
 roof from the cinders of the old Burnham place upon the opposite 
 side of the street, and but little comparatively could be saved from 
 such exposed and combustible material. Among rescued matter, how- 
 ever, were most fortunately the ten manuscript volumes of Dr. Wil- 
 liams' diary covering the entire period of his ministry, with the excep- 
 tion of one missing volume, and a small collection of original letters 
 and other manuscript, all now in the possession of the writer. Of 
 special interest among them is the following original document 
 showing the seed-thought of one of the most noted of early American 
 publications, " The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion " : 
 Mem dm for the Rev d M r Sam 1 Miles 
 
 The Lott of Bills of Exchange Payable to Yourfelf I defire maybe difpofed of by 
 advice of the Rev ds of the Clergy of this town and M r John Williams of Deerfield 
 for the Procuring an ace 1 about the Englifh Captivity of the late Wars in Canada; 
 how they were ufed there in general, but in particular what Ways and Means they 
 ufed to make them become Roman .Catholics and Indians; and towards the printing 
 fome fmall tract concerning a Difference of our Religion againft the Roman Catho- 
 lics and Indians, to be conveyed to them privately in Canada &c ; and in doing of 
 thefe things you will all oblidge him who is 
 
 Yo r moft affectionate friend 
 
 and faithful humble ferv* 
 
 Boston Dec r 215 1714. FFR. NICHOLSON. 
 
 Among other more bulky articles in lower rooms, and hence more 
 easily rescued, were the old oak writing table and the inkstand of Dr. 
 Williams now in the church pastors' room, two very old bureau and 
 buffet pieces of furniture whose painted ornamentation includes the 
 arabesque initials of Abigail Davenport, an extremely old and odd 
 pistol which unbroken tradition refers to the former ownership of 
 John Williams of Deerfield, and, most curious of all, a long, slender 
 wooden tube, about six feet in length and an inch in diameter, octa- 
 gonal at one end and round at the other and fitted at either end for
 
 235 
 
 ear and mouth pieces now, however, missing, which has for genera- 
 tions been known as the " Courting Stick." Whether it was really 
 used for that purpose, as tradition has it, by young people sitting in 
 the usual place for young people, upon opposite sides of the old-fash- 
 ioned fireplace, to carry on their whispered love-making unheard by 
 their elders more honorably located in front of the blaze, or whether 
 it was simply used, as experiment now easily demonstrates it might 
 have been, as a very effective ear tube for good old Dr. Williams, it is 
 in either case a curiously unique relic of the olden time. 
 
 But by far the most interesting and important of these material 
 relics of the old parsonage, is the Davenport Williams silver commun- 
 ion cup. now in the possession of the first church in Longmeadow, of 
 which some more particular account should be here given. 
 
 The inventory of the estate of Rev. John Davenport of New 
 Haven, made in 1670, mentions, among other items, silver plate to 
 the value of .50. The will of Abigail Davenport, widow of his son 
 John Davenport of New Haven, probated in 1718, the very year of 
 the marriage of her granddaughter Abigail to Dr. Williams, bequeaths 
 " unto the Church of New-haven my Silver caudle cup, desiring a cup 
 to be made thereof for the service of that Church, as Likely as y* will 
 afford for the Vessel and its making, out of my love and affection to 
 the house of God." The cup thus made is still in Communion use 
 by the First Church of New Haven. 
 
 The will of Rev. John Davenport of Stamford, a signed copy of 
 which is in the writer's possession, in a codicil (which is not given with 
 the printed document in the Davenport Genealogy) bequeaths to each 
 of his minor children " a silver cup market at y e bottom outwardly." 
 
 [From the same codicil also are the following curious provisions: 
 " Alfo, I give and bequeath to my Loving Wife Elizabeth befides y e thirds of my 
 perfonal Eftate w ch I expecl: (he take in other parts of my Eftate than what I now 
 Name I fay I give my f d Wife Elizabeth my two negroes to fay Dick and Su who 
 were both hers before my marrying her to be to her y e f d Elizabeth all y e term of her 
 being my widow, and after that that both be to my f d Children. Alfo I abfolutely 
 give to her my f d Wife Elizabeth to her Affigns my Mulatto boy Vannall who there- 
 fore my mind is that he f d Vannall be not put in my Inventory; but if f d Su fhall 
 have any more child or Children while under y 9 Improvement of my f' 1 Wife Eliza- 
 beth my mind is y* fuch child or children every of them continue with f d Su under 
 y e care of my f d Wife Elizabeth, but then to be accounted my Eftate and on y e ex- 
 piration of f d term of her being my widow then to belong to my f Children John, 
 Deodate, Abraham, James, Abigail, Martha, Sarah, Elizabeth."]
 
 236 
 
 The married children had previously received a similar cup also 
 "markt at y e bottom outwardly," and that of Abigail, brought by her 
 to Longmeadow, was in family use by old Dr. Williams until his death, 
 as his own personal drinking cup. The little recess above the fire- 
 place, in which it stood with the wine-toast liquid which constituted 
 his occasional refreshment, is well remembered by his great-grand- 
 daughter Miss Eunice C. Storrs, still living in Longmeadow. This 
 cup, "markt outwardly at y e bottom," with the initials " A. D." Abi- 
 gail Davenport and upon the side with those of John Davenport, her 
 great-grandfather J. D. was at the death of Dr. Williams willed by 
 him to his children, and coming ultimately into the possession of his 
 granddaughter, the second wife of Rev. R. S. Storrs, was by her pre- 
 sented to the church in Longmeadow as a Communion cup. The his- 
 tory of the cup from about the time of Cromwell to the present time 
 seems thus reasonably established. It is of hammered silver Eng- 
 lish make and was almost certainly among the plate brought by John 
 Davenport of New Haven from England in 1639 an< ^ probably consid- 
 erably antedates any similar Communion cup in this section except 
 that of the New Haven Church, of which it is nearly the fac simile, 
 and which was probably, with it, a part of a social drinking set belong- 
 ing to Rev. John Davenport. The accompanying engraving is an 
 accurate representation of the Longmeadow cup : 
 
 THE DAVENPORT-WILLIAMS SILVER COMMUNION CUP. 
 PlBST CHURCH OF CHRIST IK LONGMEADOW. 1718.
 
 237 
 
 M. RELIGIOUS ASPECTS AND EVENTS. 
 
 The Precinct of Longmeadow was equivalent, as to its religious 
 aspect and intent, to what is now known as the Parish or Religious 
 Society. Its germinant principle and immediate occasion was the fact 
 that a sufficierit number of families or about forty had gathered, and 
 were competent to the independent support of the gospel ministry. 
 On this ground their petition was heard by the " Great and General 
 Court" and they were incorporated as a Precinct February 17, 1713. 
 
 When, three years after, the spiritual body of the church, in distinc- 
 tion from the prudential body of the Precinct, was organized, it was 
 under no denominational name. Its appellation was " The Church of 
 Christ in Longmeadow." The original tendency was towards a synod- 
 ical government. At the second church meeting, February 19, 1716, 
 it was voted 
 
 " Y* we acknowledge power in Ecclefiafticall Councills and do judge it our duty 
 (o be fubjecT: to a Councill of y e Churches (if we in a difficulty fhould call them) till 
 fome Superiour Councill be fet up in y e Province unto which we may appeal." 
 
 But this High-church Congregationalism was gradually modified 
 until it finally disappeared, as appears from the following votes : 
 
 Oct. 22. 1770. The church voted their full concurrence with y e 6 th faction of the 
 13 th Chapter of y e Cambridge Platform. Feb. 14. 1775. Y 6 church met to recon- 
 fider this vote, and the meeting was adjourned to y e 13 th of March. 
 
 March 13. Y e church met and paffed the following vote viz : As to the exer- 
 cife of Government and difcipline in the church, we agree to take y" Word of God, 
 for our Guide, which is the only rule, our Great Lord and Mafter, has beftowed for the 
 regulation of our Conducl in that affair ; being willing to receive light and help 
 from any forms of humane compofure agreeable thereto ; and do in fpeciall Adopt 
 the Cambridge Platform, as to the Subftance of it, and as far as agreeable to 
 Scripture. 
 
 The last clause is a gentle relinquishment of the Cambridge Plat- 
 form and the precursor of its vanishing away. 
 
 The Longmeadow church set out under the " Half-way Covenant ; " 
 an insidious, and, as it proved in the after history of this- and other 
 New England churches, a dangerous error. Cotton Mather, one of 
 Stephen Williams's ancestors, had lamented the exclusion of many of 
 the children of his day from baptism, and from the " Ecclesiastical 
 Inspection" which should accompany baptism. The Half-way Cove- 
 nant permitted those who had themselves been baptized in infancy to 
 renew their " Baptismal Covenant," although not ready " to come up 
 to that experimental account of their own regeneration, which would 
 sufficiently embolden their access to the other Sacrament." Solomon 
 Stoddard of Northampton, who gave the charge to Stephen Williams
 
 238 
 
 at his ordination, made the tendency of the Half-way Covenant looser 
 still, by holding that " the Lord's Supper is instituted to be a means of 
 Regeneration." 
 
 During the first year of the church thirty-seven were admitted to 
 " our fellowship " or full communion, and forty "owned y covenant." 
 The Confession of Faith and the Covenant were the same for all. 
 
 CONFESSION OF FAITH. 
 
 You believe that there is one only liveing and true God ; y e Father, Son and Holy 
 Ghofl ; that God entered into a covenant of works, with man on condition of perfect 
 obedience ; that our firft Father by Eating the forbidden fruit, caft himfelf, and all 
 his pofterity, into a date of Sin and mifery ; that God out of his mere mercy, Sent 
 his only begotten Son, who in our nature hath borne the curfe, and anfwered y e law 
 for us : that all who believe on him, are juftifyed. and will be kept by the power of 
 God, through Faith unto Salvation. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and 
 New Teftament are the word of God. You believe that at the Laft Day, Jefus 
 Chrift will defcend from Heaven, and condemn all ungodly men to Everlafting Fire 
 with y e devill and His Angells ; and invite his Saints to y e poffeffion of the King- 
 dom prepared for them, before the foundation of the world. 
 
 THE COVENANT. 
 
 You do here take hold of the Covenant of the Lord, and defire to Give up your- 
 felf to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and you do promife to Submit your- 
 felf, to the Government of Chrift in this Church, and that you by God's grace will 
 walk in Brotherly Love, and Seek the peace of this church, So long as God (hall 
 continue you here. 
 
 RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 We promife (by God's Grace) to walk toward you in Brotherly Love, and to 
 watch over you, for the Good of your Soul, and make you partaker of the ordi- 
 nances of Chrift among us, that belong to thofe in your ftation. 
 
 Thofe y l own the Covenant and affent to the Confeffion of Faith as above do then 
 acknowledge That by Baptifm I have been dedicated to God, a favor I thankfully 
 acknowledge, and do now Subject myfelf to the Government of Chrift in his church, 
 and to the regular adminiftration of it in this church, while his providence (hall 
 continue me here, promiffing allfo to take pains to obtain yet further preparation of 
 y e Sanctuary, y l may Embolden me to wait upon God in all his ordinances. 
 
 It was voted by the church Feb 19. 1717 That if any Baptized perfon living among 
 us, mould fall into any Scandalous tranfgreffion, though he hath not actually owned 
 y e covenant, yet we will proceed with him as if he had owned y e covenant, and when 
 he makes fatiffaction, he (hall explicitely own y e covenant. 
 
 There is no certain evidence that Stephen Williams adopted Solomon 
 Stoddard's extreme view of the Lord's Supper as a means of regeneration ; 
 but evidence enough that the half-way covenant was unhappy, as time went 
 on, in its devitalizing and unspiritual effect. Happy for all concerned when 
 the " Great Awakening " of 1740 rooted it out. 
 
 Previous to that remarkable event there were no " revivals," in the mod- 
 ern sense of that term, but there were "reformations." They were revivals 
 in the very genuine and strenuous purpose and endeavor to renew covenant 
 obligations, and translate them from the letter into spirit and life.
 
 239 
 
 " A Covenant for Reformation," which is subjoined, well illustrates the 
 spiritual condition and necessities of the time. Stephen Williams had long 
 been mourning with great heaviness of spirit over the decay of vital reli- 
 gion. He had been prominent among his ministerial brethren in urging a 
 " reformation." At a conference of the churches in Chicopee he had ex- 
 horted as follows. The question before them was : " What methods are 
 proper for us to take in order to y suppression of vice and revivall of Reli- 
 gion ?" First, he opens the " Facts." Vices abound visible and manifest 
 evills among us decay of y power of godliness divine institutions neg- 
 lected by many some unbaptized great multitudes never join themselves 
 the churches of Christ low esteem of ordinances strifes and contentions 
 extravagant dress beyond our estates and degree family gov' and instruc- 
 tion neglected how many children ignorant of the first rudiments of reli- 
 gion and without civility yea, and without instruction in reading and writ- 
 ingintemperance, much drunkenesse, tavern haunting and cheating one 
 another ; breaches of the 7''' command' and not to insist on the abounding 
 of adultery, how amazing does y c sin of fornication abound, sinful company 
 keeping, and wanton managements which possibly may be meant by the 
 apostle when he speaks in Romans 13, 13 of chambering and wantonness. 
 
 The faithful pastor dep'ores the general unconcern concerning a reforma- 
 tion " Nay, don't many oppose it, and have not sinners many advocates ? " 
 He then exhorts to combined action " That we bear our testimony 
 against y e Sins we are sensible do prevail among us. I mean a particular 
 testimony by particular and set discourses, y' we be frequent, full, and plain 
 in our cautions, warnings and reproofs. See Ezek. 3, 17, 18, &c, Isa. 68, I. 
 The direction is to shew them their sins. And here I would ask whether it 
 may not be expedient and proper for us as ministers to endeavour to engage 
 some of our civil rulers to endeavor to promote a reformation by putting y e 
 laws in execution and to directly encourage it." See Ezra 10. 2. 34. 
 
 He then urges an explicit renewal of covenant in which " y e sins of y 
 times should be engaged with, and reformation of ourselves (in the name 
 and help of Christ) be promised before y e Lord." Ezra 10. Nehemiah 5. 10. 
 
 The more frequent and instructive catechising of youth is also urged. " I 
 am persuaded that there is a want of knowledge among us even such knowl- 
 edge without which the heart can't be good many are destroyed for lack of 
 knowledge." He suggests a good and popular exposition of the Assembly's 
 Catechism. He urges more systematic and thorough pastoral visitation, the 
 stirring up the people to more earnest and united prayer, greater minis- 
 terial industry and diligence, and especially in " inculcating upon our people 
 those things especially wherein vital piety doth consist, earnestly endeavor- 
 ing to further y saving conversion to God, y e growth and flourishing in holi- 
 ness, and that y e people may be well principled against y e vices of the age. 
 And let us my brethren, be carefull that we be examples to our flocks, let 
 us by our own walk hold forth and represent y e graces of our Lord, and that 
 the holiness of His doctrine be without reproach." 
 3 1
 
 240 
 
 As the appointed day for owning the Covenant of Reformation that he 
 proposes for his own people draws nigh, we perceive the travail of his soul. 
 " August 19. 1728. I pray God to give me prudence and wisdom to man- 
 age myself in this affair on foot about renewing y e Covenant. 18. Sabbath. 
 This day I urged with all y e solemnity I could y e duty of appearing on y e 
 Lord's side as called thereto ; y" Lord grant y' (what is agreable to his will) 
 has been offered may be well accepted and well improved ; that it may not 
 be despised and rejected to y e hurt and damage of this people. 19. I per- 
 ceive y' some are pretty much ruffled at y e notion for a reformation, and ob- 
 ject and reproach me particularly as accounting me a forward instrument in 
 y c cause. What an honour is done me y' I should be counted worthy to 
 suffer shame for Christ's name. I am more fully convinced y 1 y' thing is 
 agreeable to y e mind and will of God, because of y' opposition y' it meets 
 withall from some men as oppose it. There are caballings and confederat- 
 ings ag l it. God grant y 1 we may rather be animated to promote'it. I pray 
 God to give me zeal and prudence. Ye Lord be pleased to forgive those 
 y' reproach and vituperate it. 21. I find many objections against y" method 
 proposed to bring about a reformation. I pray God to give me wisdom and 
 prudence, as well as a becoming zeal to manage as I ought in this affair. 
 
 22. This day was observed as a day of fasting and prayer in this place, 
 and the covenant for reformation was publicly consented to by y e greater 
 part of y e communicants and those y' had recognized y r Baptismall Bonds. 
 Y e Lord graciously be pleased to own and accept of his people, and keep it 
 allways in y" thefts of y c hearts. 23. I am tired and spent with yesterday's 
 Service, but it was in my Lord's Service and it matters not, if I had been 
 much more tired and spent, for I desire to spend and be spent for Him." 
 
 As appears by the Church Records, the covenant was assented to " by 
 standing up when it was read and by lifting up the right hand thereunto as 
 a token of it both males and females." Those of the communicants that 
 did not consent were Capt. George Colton, John Cooley, Samuel Miers, and 
 Matthew Cooley. Of those that had recognized their baptism and did not 
 consent were Samuel Stebbins, Sr., William Colton, William Cooley, and 
 
 John Hodge. 
 
 A COVENANT for REFORMATION. 
 AiTented to in Long-Meadow, in Springfield, Auguil 22"'' 1728. 
 
 fHE LORD our GOD, who is Holy in all His Ways, and Righteous in all His 
 Works, has lately by many Rebukes of His Providence, fhown His clifpleaf- 
 ure againft us in this Land; Particularly by a diftreffing War ; and by very 
 great and fore ficknefs, efpecially in fome Places; and by awful and diftreffing Storms 
 and Tempefts ; and by an amazing EARTHQUAKE in the Year part; whereby 
 the Inhabitants of the Land have been greatly terrifyed; and very lately by a very 
 fore and diftreffing Drought, whereby the Fruits of the Earth with us, have withered 
 and languifhed, and were in danger of being wholly loft ; whereby GOD is calling 
 upon us, to acknowledge and confefs our Sins ; which are the procuring Caufes of 
 His Judgments. 'Tis true, and ought with all thankfulnefs to be acknowledged, 
 that GOD has not proceeded to Extremity with us, but in Wrath has remembered
 
 241 
 
 Mercy, has beftowed very many Favours upon us ; gives us Health in a confidera- 
 ble meafure ; and favours us with Peace at prefent, and considerable Plenty ; gives 
 us a fpace to repent, and calls upon us, to amend our ways and doings, and obey his 
 voice. Jer 26 : 13. We defire to be in the ufe of all proper Means to promote a Refor- 
 mation ; and particularly we defire to promife carefully to endeavour to reform thofe 
 GOD provoking Evils, that prevail among us ; and confciencioufly to difcharge thofe 
 Duties, that are wickedly neglecled. We would therefore (relying upon GOD's Grace 
 to affift us) folemnlygive ourfelves to GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and 
 GOD the HOLY GHOST; Looking for Help, and Acceptance through CHRIST 
 alone; who is the Mediator, between GOD and Man; Efpecially, for Grace to do 
 the Duties, we now particularly promife to Endeavour confciencioufly to difcharge, 
 Which are as followeth, viz. We promife, 
 
 I. THAT we will carefully, and religioufly keep up the Worfhip of GOD in our 
 Families. 
 
 II. THAT we will Endeavour to carry it becomingly, and obediently to thofe 
 the LORD has fet over us in Civil and Sacred Authority; and becomingly to Equals 
 and Inferiors. 
 
 III. THAT we will carefully Endeavour to behave Our felves Soberly, will not 
 unneceffarily frequent Taverns, or Drinking Houfes, or tarry long in them ; we will 
 endeavour to avoid the very appearance of the Evil of exceffive Drinking. 
 
 IV. WE will deal juftly with all Men, abftain from Violence, Fraud, and Op- 
 preffion, carefully pay our honeft Debts ; or if difenabled by the Providence of 
 GOD, we will take due care, to inform our creditors of it, and defire their allowance 
 and forbearance awhile. 
 
 V. WE will endeavour to behave our felves Chaitly, and Modeftly, avoid im- 
 modeft Carriage, forbearing Wanton Songs, lafcivious Difcourfes &c ; and will en- 
 deavour to poflefs our Bodies in fanclification and Honour. And particularly do we 
 declare our Abhorrance of that notion advanc d by fome of late, viz. that it is no 
 breach of the Seventh Commandment for Perfons that have made private Promifes, 
 to one another, to have carnal knowledge of one another, altho' not joined in 
 marriage. 
 
 VI. WE will watch againft unpeaceable Behaviour, avoid ungoverned Paflion, 
 and Speaches, profane Murmurings &c. 
 
 VII. WE will not forget to Communicate to the Needy, as our Duty is. Heb. 
 13 : 16; Deut 15: 7-12. 
 
 VIII. WE will be faithful to our Promifes, and careful of one another's good 
 Name. 
 
 IX. WE will take particular Care of our Families, to give Children good Edu- 
 cation, and keep our Families under Government ; will take Care that our Children, 
 and Servents, and thofe under our Care, do duly attend the Worfhip of GOD, in 
 the Family, and in Publick ; and particularly that they attend on the Publick Cate- 
 chifing, and we will take Special Care that they be not out unfeafonably at Night. 
 
 X. WE will not allow, nor wittingly entertain, Company in our Houfes unfea- 
 fonably, nor any fuch debauch' 1 Company in our Houfes at any time; leaft we bring 
 guilt on Our felves. 
 
 XI. WE will carefully endeavour to keep holy GOD's holy Sabbaths. * 
 
 XII. WE promife faithfully to watch over one another and chearfully, and wil- 
 lingly to give and receive Chriftian reproof as there may be occafion.
 
 242 
 
 This covenant was printed as an old-fashioned Broadside, with the fol- 
 lowing address of the pastor appended, and distributed through the parish : 
 DEARLY BELOVED 
 
 HAT you have (on the Day of Humiliation appointed for that purpofe, and 
 to numD l e our felves before the LORD, for our Breaches of Covenant) 
 Publickly and Solemnly affented to, is now by the way of the Prefs put 
 into your Hands ; and that to help your Memories, and to affift you in the great 
 Duty of Self- Examination ; and 'tis hoped that by a particular Survey of the feveral 
 Heads of Duty, a due Humiliation for defects may be promoted ; and that by fre- 
 quently perufing thefe articles, Covenant faithfulnefs may be furthered. The good 
 LORD be pleafed to keep thefe things forever, in the imagination of the thoughts 
 of your hearts ; and prepare all our hearts unto him ; and give to every one of us a 
 perfect heart, to keep his Commandments, his teftimonies, and his ftatutes, and to 
 do all thefe things. 
 
 THE GREAT AWAKENING. 
 
 While the moral and spiritual condition of things which existed as the 
 background of this Covenant of Reformation belongs to the record of hon- 
 est history, it should be said in extenuation that it pertained to a period 
 which Jonathan Edwards in his narrative of the " Great Awakening " that 
 soon followed 1734-1744 describes as "a time of extraordinary dulness 
 in religion." It should also be said that the conflict of the churches and 
 ministers of that day with flagrant immorality was open and manly ; church 
 discipline was not neglected ; there were no intentional and final betrayals 
 under promises of marriage ; confessions, both explicit and public, were de- 
 manded and secured ; and not only confessions, but such amendments as 
 were meet for repentance. The sacred obligations of marriage were main- 
 tained by a public sentiment that held its own, and was greatly strengthened 
 and purified when the " Great Awakening" came. 
 
 Drs. Isaac Watts and John Guyse in their preface to Jonathan Edwards' 
 " Narrative " of this " Surprizing Work of God," published in London in 
 !737i signalize it as one of the most remarkable spiritual events since the 
 first ages of Christianity. " There is a spot of Ground, wherein there are 
 twelve or fourteen Towns and Villages near the banks of the River of Con- 
 necticut within the compass of 30 miles, wherein it pleased God two years 
 ago to display his free and sovereign grace in the Conversion of a great 
 multitude of souls in a short space of time, turning them from a formal, cold 
 and Careless Profession of Christianity to the lively exercise of every 
 Christian Grace and the powerful Practice of our holy Religion." 
 
 Longmeadow is specially mentioned by Jonathan Edwards in this narra- 
 tive as among these towns and villages, and Stephen Williams throws fur- 
 ther light upon this remarkable revival. " Jan. 15, 1740. I hear there is an 
 hopefull revivall of religion at Deerfield and at Northampton, especially 
 among young ones. I rejoyce to hear of this, and I pray God, Grant this 
 may be y e case in all our Towns and parishes."
 
 243 
 
 He speaks often in these days of his " being warm and affectionate " 
 in his preaching. " Feb. 2. I hope there is some thotfull concern in some 
 in y e place. To God all the praise belongs. Oh blessed Spirit be pleased 
 to follow thine own work." The next Sabbath " some of y e auditory seem 
 to be affected." "March 30. Dear Brother Raynolds was here we took 
 sweet counsell and prayed together. Oh Lord keep us in thy fear direct 
 me by Thy spirit, and make me thankfull and humble, holy, and courageous 
 and prudent. April 2. I perceive some religiously disposed women in y" 
 place meet together to pray. Oh y l God w d pour out a spirit of prayer upon 
 y e place in Generall." 
 
 On the I4th he attends a lecture preached in the West Parish of Suffield 
 by Jonathan Edwards. The ministers of that day are continually helping 
 each other. About these times he has increasing " calls and opportunities 
 to advise and direct souls" and his prayers are very earnest for " wisdom 
 to deal with souls." He laments some religious extravagances that are rife 
 and is especially filled with "Great Concern that his dear brother Daven- 
 port is like to hurt y e Kingdom of our Great Lord and Master. May 8. 
 Y e acc ts y' we have from abroad of y e revivall of religion are very various. 
 Some represent matters as very encouraging, others as discouraging. June 
 6. I hear of strange and unusual things at Suffield and elsewhere. I don't 
 condemn them but suspend my sentiments, and pray God to carry on his 
 own work prosperously." The people come to him in increasing numbers 
 for spiritual counsel. " 10. There is evidently a concern among y e people 
 of this place." He hears of "strange things extasies &c, y' people fall 
 into," and is full of fears. 
 
 The signs of religious concern multiply. He preaches here and there in 
 private houses, which are full of hearers. Goes to Enfield on July 7th. 
 Mr. M preaches "a close sermon to a grave and Attentive congrega- 
 tion ; " thence the same afternoon to Suffield, where on the previous Sab- 
 bath ninety-five had been added to the church, and where a " remarkable 
 outpouring of the Spirit of God" is in progress. " About sun an hour high 
 
 we had an exercise on y e Meeting-House Hill. M r M began with prayer 
 
 and B r Williams preached.. Congregation remarkably attentive and grave, 
 and some after y e exercise seemed to take on for. others. In y 6 evening M r 
 M. preached in y meeting house from Heb. 3, 12, and there was considera- 
 ble crying out among y e people, in one part of y e House and another yea 
 and a Screeching -in y e street. One woman came to y e House where I 
 lodged, y' was Greatly distressed, but she Gave a very imperfect ace* of 
 things. July 8. This forenoon M r M. preached from 2 Cor. 5. 20 and M r 
 W. from Acts 7. 51. Y e discourses solemn and y e Congregation considera- 
 bly affected and many cryed out. We returned to M r R's and dined, and 
 then went over to Enfield, where we met dear M 1 Edwards of Northamp- 
 ton who preached a mostt awakening sermon from Deut. 32. 35 " (a sermon 
 and an occasion historically famous) " and before sermon was done there 
 was a great moaning and crying out throout y e whole House ' What shall
 
 244 
 
 I do' to be saved ? Oh ! I am going to Hell. Oh ! what shall I do for a 
 Christ &c &c : ' So y l y c minister was obliged to desist y e shrieks and 
 crys were piercing and Amazing. After some time of waiting the congre- 
 gation were still, so y' a prayer was made by M r W. and after that we de- 
 scended from the pulpitt, and discoursed with the people some in one 
 place and some in another and, Amazing and Astonishing y e power of 
 God was seen and several souls were hopefully wrought upon y* night. 
 And oh ! y e cheerfullness and pleasantness of their countenances y f received 
 comfort oh, that God would strengthen and confirm. We sung an hymn 
 and prayed, and dismissed y e assembly." 
 
 "July 9. In y e morning, when I awoke, I had a great desire in my soul, 
 y l God would give me to see at Longmeadow, what I had seen at Enfield. 
 I was affected and ready to dissolve into Tears but can't well tell why." 
 
 He comes home and finds his family and flock in what " seemed to be a 
 different posture from what was usuall. A great assembly were got together 
 and I wept at looking upon some of y e congregation. M' M. preached 
 from Matt 25. 41, and M r W. from Job 29. 8. There was considerable 
 shrieking and trembling, before y e discourse was finished. When they were 
 dismissed, those concerned and wounded were directed to go to my House, 
 whither y ministers repaired. I myself was called to Serg* N. B's where 
 J. B. had been carried in great distress. I prayed at y e House and Some 
 Seemed Smitten and struck down in y e time of prayer. After prayer, and 
 giving some counsell and advice, I returned home, and found the concern 
 had increased, and many were crying out in distress, and among them my 
 son Warham with his classmates and Phyllis. Severall received some 
 comfort and joy at my house and so did J. B. at her uncle's house when I 
 returned. Her distress was great and her comfort remarkable. From the 
 greatest anguish, she became calm and composed, and cry d out ' Thanks be 
 to God for Christ, his loveliness ! Oh, I could dye to be with Christ.' She 
 had (I believe) such a discovery of Christ, y' was almost too much for y 
 humane frame to Bear. After dinner we went to Town where M r W. 
 preached from John 9. 38. He was enlarged and solemn. Some children 
 cryed and took on y 1 sat in y c Allay before the pulpitt and y' was all. Twas 
 dark when we came out .of y House we went to D' B's. But presently 
 heard a crying out in y yard when lo ! I found my own son John (who 
 conducted the home farm) speaking freely, Boldly and earnestly to ye peo- 
 ple, and warning them against damnation, and inviting them to come to 
 Christ. I spake to him, but he seemed beyond himself, and had great dis- 
 coveries of y love of Christ, and great concern for souls. He said he won- 
 dered at himself. He spoke what was reasonable and just ; expressed great 
 concern for those y 1 frequent taverns &c." (His conscience as a farmer had 
 been perplexed as we perceive by a conversation with his father, recorded 
 elsewhere, about the propriety of selling cider to tavern keepers.) " We 
 persuaded him into y e House where he expressed a great love to his uncle 
 W. and would say ' O, y Dear Lambs y' have this day been brot to Love
 
 245 
 
 Christ, &c &c.' Y e concern in y e yard increased, and we went out and dis- 
 coursed with y e people. M r M. prayed with them and so did I and dismissed 
 them. John seemed weak and faint but he came home with us and we had 
 a comfortable night. 
 
 " 10. In y e morning about 9 o'clock we had another lecture. M r W. 
 preached from Isa. 50. 10. Y e word came with mighty power and N. H. 
 and J. Steel were made to tremble as with an Ague, and others were much 
 affected. My dear Brethren then took leave. Y e Lord reward them for 
 
 their Labour of love My son John seems to have a great sense of 
 
 God's Sovereignty and Justice. The Lord graciously strengthen him." 
 
 The diary goes on with daily accounts of experiences of spiritual distress 
 or recovery that are singularly fraught with powerful emotion, a contagious 
 movement of the sensibilities which sometimes impairs the bodily strength. 
 It is no wonder that being in continual contact with such excitements the 
 record for July nth is, "This day I feel weak and spent. N. H. was here 
 and seems overborne almost. I fear whether his nature will bear it. Oh 
 Lord, keep him from distraction and give him relief." 
 
 On the Sabbath, July I2th, he improves and applies the vision of the dry 
 bones, Ezk. 39, and is " somewhat enlarged and earnest." " 13. PoorZick 
 (one of his negro servants) comes to me this morning, giveing me an ac- 
 count of the distress he is in. Y* word touched him yesterday. Will God 
 in very deed, own and bless and succeed me, a poor worthless worm ? 
 N. B. Last night, my wife seemed to have a great sense of y e great things 
 God had clone for her, and was doing among us was much affected with 
 Gods Sovereignty &c. She spake in an unusuall and (to me) surprising 
 manner of divine things kept herself awake a Great part of y e night, and 
 me very considerably. Toward night several came in to seek advice and 
 direction. 14. My wife is still full. Oh what is there in y e fountain." In 
 evident despondency, the worn-out pastor cries, " Oh, Lord be pleased to 
 bless me even me also, and graciously manifest thy love to me. In y 
 evening there came in a great number of young people from Serg' Cooley's 
 meeting crying and taking on greatly distressed." The next day Rev. Mr. 
 H. came to join his services and the pastor remarks : " He seems dissatis- 
 fied as to y' work of God here y e Lord be pleased to remove his doubts." 
 
 Whatever doubts the reader, who belongs to these different days, 
 may have concerning some of the features of this remarkable revival, 
 there can be little question of its great efficiency in correcting moral 
 defects and in lifting the churches of this region, and the whole com- 
 munity as well, to a higher level of life and conduct. Afterwards, in- 
 deed, from 1745 to 1792, including the Revolutionary period, there 
 prevailed another spiritual declension, but never falling back to the 
 level of religious apathy which preceded the "Great Awakening."
 
 246 
 
 N. CHURCHES AND MINISTERS OF THE PRESENT 
 
 CENTURY. 
 
 Until the 3d day of October, 1819, which closed the pastorate of 
 Richard Salter Storrs, by an attack of epidemic fever at the age of 
 57, the inhabitants of the town had been generally united in the orig- 
 inal church under what had been for a century essentially the same 
 ministry, Williams having laid strong foundations, and Storrs build- 
 ing thereupon with uninterrupted success. From an early period, 
 however about 1727 there had been occasional dissentients whose 
 sympathies went with the "irregular" ministrations, as they were 
 deemed by the " standing order," of lay exhorters and private meet- 
 ings. They were the " Separates " of that day, and their sympathies 
 went with the revivalists like Gilbert Tennant and James Davenport. 
 The term Separates, perhaps originated in the provocation of a Con- 
 necticut law which forbade any person, under any pretense whatsoever, 
 to assemble in any meeting-house provided for public worship without 
 leave of the minister and congregation for whose use it was provided, 
 under penalty of ten shillings for every person so offending. " Nor 
 shall any persons neglect the public worship of God in some lawful 
 congregation, and form themselves into separate companies in private 
 houses, under penalty of ten shillings for every such offense." 
 
 The practice had been to compel every town to support by tax as- 
 sessments the regular ministers, or such as were called " Orthodox." 
 As the contention waxed hot, however, over compulsory support of the 
 " standing order," the General Court passed a law in May, 1728, that no 
 Anabaptists or Quakers duly enrolled in their several societies, who 
 allege a scruple of conscience against the support of ministers of the 
 churches established by law in the town where they dwell, shall have 
 their polls taxed, nor their bodies taken in execution to satisfy any 
 such ministerial rate or tax assessed upon their estates, provided that 
 such persons do usually attend the meetings of their respective socie- 
 ties, and that they live within five miles of the place of such meeting. 
 
 By degrees the " Separate " movement, more rife in Connecticut 
 than in Massachusetts, and productive at one period of heated eccle- 
 siastical strifes, though fortunately never so in Longmeadow, 
 became merged into the denomination of Baptists. Stephen Williams 
 alludes to them sometimes as " Sectaries " and again as Baptists, but 
 always mentions them with kindness and respect. "Sept. 14. 1727. 
 I hear M r Callender is in town among y* Baptists. I hope he teaches
 
 247 
 
 y people he visits piety and vertue, and if they grow in vertue and 
 piety, I shall rejoyce." In the following little passage at arms, how- 
 ever, which did occur at the outset of the movement, the honors do 
 not perhaps appear to have rested, exclusively at least, upon the side 
 of the " standing order." 
 
 In 1727, Jonathan Worthington and fifteen other persons of Spring- 
 field, which then included Longmeadow, sent a letter to the Baptist 
 church in Boston, desiring that their pastor, Elder Elisha Callender, 
 might be sent for further instruction, to understand the true institution 
 of baptism according to the Word of God." 
 
 To the Church of Chrift in Bofton, under the care of Elder Elifha Callender, the 
 
 fubfcribers hereunto fend greeting : 
 
 Beloved : Although we are no church nor members of any church, yet we have 
 formerly looked upon ourfelves, at leaft fome of us, to have been members of fuch 
 church or churches whofe faith and practice is to baptize, or rather fprinkle, infants ; 
 but through God's goodnefs, by fearching the Scriptures, and fuch other helps as 
 we have received from fome of your church, we have been made fenfible that our 
 former practice with relation to .baptifm, has been grounded too much upon the tra- 
 ditions of men. And as, through grace, we hope we have in fome meafure been 
 made fenfible of the error that the churches in this land in general are in with re- 
 fpect to baptifm, both as to manner and fubject, the which, in times paft, we have 
 too fondly imbibed and embraced, fo we defire to renounce and forfake the fame, as 
 not the leaft correfponding with the Word of God. And underftanding that the 
 church at Bofton practices and allows of no other but believers' baptifm ; we do 
 therefore fpread our cafe before the church, humbly entreating your advice under 
 our prefent circumftances ; and if it agree with the pleafure and advice of the 
 church (in order for the attaining further knowledge in the ways of God), to grant 
 that Elder Elifha Callender may give us a vifit and preach fome fermons among us, 
 who as yet, the moft of us, never heard a fermon preached by a Baptift. And now, 
 leaving our concern with God, defiring the prayers of the church that God would 
 carry on the work which we hope through grace He has begun, we defire to fub- 
 scribe, though unworthy, your brethren in the bonds of the gofpel. 
 
 JONATHAN WORTHINGTON (and fifteen others). 
 
 Elder Callender accordingly came, and on July 23, 1727, baptized 
 eleven persons, not, however, without a " remonstration " sent to him 
 three days before by pastors Stephen Williams, Daniel Brewer, and 
 Samuel Hopkins of Springfield, Ebenezer Devotion of Suffield, and 
 Nehemiah Bull of Westfield. Their letter is worthy of being read in 
 full as illustrating their spirit and the temper of the times : 
 
 Reverend Sir : We had a defire to have feen you and difcourfed with ydu in a 
 Chriftian, moderate, and calm manner, reflecting your vifiting the people of our 
 parts and charge, and to have known from you whether it can be that the Kingdom 
 and intereft of our glorious Lord Jefus is likely to. be advanced, and the welfare of 
 precious fouls furthered by the meafures you are now purfuing. We are not fond 
 of men's being called the followers of Paul or Apollos, but, if the good of men's 
 32
 
 248 
 
 fouls be furthered, we fhall rejoice. But, Sir, if heats, debates, and divifions do 
 follow, (as we fear they will,) to the wounding of religion, and the danger of vital 
 piety, we afk whether blame mud not be at your door ? If you efteem of us as 
 minifters of Jefus Chrift, and would have been pleafed to have conferred with us, 
 (Elder Callender appears to have feduously avoided an interview), we would, any of 
 us, have endeavored to have given you as true account as we were capable of the 
 circumftances of thefe people ; and would have been glad to join with, you, or any 
 good man, in doing anything for the revival of decayed piety, &c. But we cannot 
 think preaching to or treating with particular perfons, in a private manner, to 
 inftil into them doctrines which, we think, are not according to truth and godlinefs, 
 to be fo Chriftian-like, and we aflure you, is not what we expected from M r Cal- 
 lender, whatever we might have feared from others ; and we fhould have thought it 
 more fair if you had defired to have preached in one of our pulpits where we might 
 have heard you, and have an opportunity to have made our remarks and replies if 
 we thought it not according to truth. See Matthew 10. 26. 27. 
 
 EBENEZER DEVOTION, 
 Springfield. July 19. 1727. STEPHEN WILLIAMS, ETC. 
 
 When Elder Callender came the next year he received the follow- 
 ing letter from the Springfield ministers of the standing order : 
 
 Reverend Sir : Our laboring to wait upon you together on laft year not being 
 well received by fome, we fhall not now take pains after any fuch thing, but take 
 this method to afk you whether you came prepared for and expecting of a public 
 difpute concerning the subjects and modes of baptifm. Pleafe, Sir, by a line or 
 two, to favor us with a reply to this as foon as poffible, directing it immediately to 
 me, D. B., or (if an opportunity offers convenient) immediately to M r Williams at 
 the Meadows. DAN 1 BREWER, 
 
 STEPHEN WILLIAMS, 
 
 Springfield. Sept. 16. 1728. SAM' HOPKINS. 
 
 To this Elder Callender replied : 
 
 Reverend Sir : It is not my cuftom and manner to go about the country to dif- 
 pute and debate and wrangle with thofe who differ from me in opinion. It is well 
 known that I am for peace with all men, and for Chriftians to live in love and char- 
 ity, and for every man to a6l as he is fully perfuaded in his own mind. But if you 
 will not be quiet and eafy, and will insift upon it that your people muft hear what 
 is to be faid in oppofition to what I think contrary to truth and godlinefs, you may 
 inform, Sir, your humble Servant, ELISHA CALLENDER. 
 
 To the Reverend M r DANIEL BREWER. 
 Springfield. Sept. 17. 1728. 
 
 With which parting shaft of the Elder the exchange of letters seems 
 to have ceased, and, as no public discussion ensued, it is inferable the 
 pastors of the standing order in this vicinity made up their minds to 
 interpose no further hindrance to the movement. 
 
 From the repeated visits of Elder Callender, Elder John Comer of 
 Newport, and others, there resulted the organization of a Baptist 
 church in Springfield, October 14, 1740, with Edward Upham of Mai- 
 den pastor, a graduate of Harvard in 1734. In Stephen Williams'
 
 249 
 
 Longmeadow diocese, however, although Baptist ministers frequently 
 held meetings in private houses, no church was organized, until, on 
 the igth of September, 1807, a branch of the Baptist church in En- 
 field, Conn., was constituted in the extreme eastern district of the town 
 comprising twenty-three members. The next year they engaged Elder 
 George Atwell of Enfield, who had been greatly efficient in frequent 
 visits, to " qfficiate as their Teacher of Divinity one-fourth of the time 
 for the ensuing year," while Elder Alvin Bennet was engaged for the 
 other three-fourths ; the former to be paid $55, and the latter $75. 
 The year after 1809 Elder Atwell was secured for half the time 
 with $100 salary, having to keep a horse and support a wife and nine 
 children, while Elder Bennet, being a young man without family, re- 
 ceived for his half of the time $50. But many gifts for the larder, 
 the wood-pile, and the spinning-wheel, eked out the scanty pay. On 
 one occasion Elder Atwell received from his people forty-seven runs 
 of yarn. 
 
 From time to time the church deplores its remissness with respect 
 to discipline ; it chooses committees to go and talk with delinquent 
 members, and votes that no members be allowed to go to any dancing 
 assembly. May 16, 1810, the church voted " to petition Enfield church 
 to be set off by ourselves," and also " heard the report of E. Terry's 
 conduct and accepted the same, and we got rid of him as easy as we 
 could." 
 
 June 23 a council of neighboring churches was convened who gave 
 the branch church fellowship as a separate church. In 1821 the ques- 
 tion whether it was legally constituted gave occasion for another coun- 
 cil, and the result is recorded that "the Brethren and Sisters in 
 Longmeadow were legally constituted." February 10, 1820, it was 
 voted that " the tax made out against Deacon Abial Pease be paid 
 back to him with interest when he shall make, a gift of $100 to the 
 Society." January 4, 1821, it was voted to raise $150 to pay for 
 preaching the ensuing year, and also to choose a collector and that 
 the collecting business be put up at vendue. Daniel Billings bid it 
 off for $4.50 and gave bonds to the satisfaction of the Society. The 
 records show an interesting variety of changes in the methods of rais- 
 ing money ; one year by voluntary assessment on polls and estates ; 
 the next by subscription, and the next by " a tax of equality upon the 
 polls and estates and to collect the same by a legal process of law." 
 In 1824 the Society voted that their prudential committee serve with 
 the church committee in hiring preaching for the year to come, and 
 also that " the Committee report the precise sum annexed to each in-
 
 250 
 
 dividual name which he has paid, and expose the names of those who 
 do not pay in our next annual meeting." The same year the church 
 acknowledges the gift of two pewter tankards and five cups from the 
 First Church in the western part of the town by the hands of Dea. 
 Ebenezer Burt. 
 
 After long and hard wrestling with the problem of how best to raise 
 money, the church voted to pursue the method which the gospel points 
 out, viz., " an equality among brethren of each his temporal substance 
 as God hath prospered them." In 1831 the church voted to have 
 nothing to do with speculative Free Masonry." In 1832 a warrant 
 was issued by Seth Taylor, Justice of the Peace, warning the members 
 to meet and see if the Society will build a Meeting-House, and adopt 
 measures to carry the same into effect. The new Meeting-House was 
 finished and occupied for the first time in February, 1833, and the 
 "old, long School-house," low, weather-beaten, and uncomfortable, 
 was sold at auction for $22. In 1855 the Meeting-House was remod- 
 eled and furnished with vestry, tower, and bell. In 1873 the "Soci- 
 ety " was dissolved, and its records passed into the hands of the clerk 
 of the church. 
 
 The church has been favored with several special seasons of revival 
 and ingathering, and with a succession of faithful pastors in the fol- 
 lowing order : George Atwell, Alvin Bennet, Buckley Waters, Henry 
 Barrett, Elder Sawyer, Geo. B. Atwell, Elder Gage, Nicholas Branch, 
 Henry Tonkin, John M. Hunt, Moses J. Kelley, James Squires, N. 
 W. Miner, F. Bestor, A. S. Lovell, M. Kennie, L. H. Wakeman, T. O. 
 Judd, H. G. Gay, W. S. Phillips, O. R. Hunt, and the present minis- 
 ter, Rev. L. H. Copeland. 
 
 The " Second Congregational Church of Christ in Longmeadow," 
 in the eastern part of the town, was organized April 22, 1829, at the 
 house of Ezra Taylor, with a membership of forty-five persons, forty 
 of whom were dismissed from the First Church. Ebenezer Burt was 
 at the same time chosen a deacon. Five months afterwards, Septem- 
 ber 29, a society connected with the church was organized with the 
 title of " The Third Religious Society of Longmeadow." In 1828 a 
 Meeting-House was built at a cost 'of $3,500, and in 1859 removed 
 from its location on the hill, located in the center of the village, and 
 remodeled. 
 
 The first pastor, Rev. Calvin Foote, was installed April 13, 1831, 
 on a salary of $450. The installing council held a prayer meeting at
 
 251 
 
 the house of William Lathrop at g o'clock in the morning, with special 
 reference to the success of the ministry about to be established. An 
 unusual solemnity pervaded the installation service. It was the be- 
 ginning of a revival which continued through several months, and was 
 fruitful in the addition of sixty-three converts to the church during that 
 year. During Mr. Foote's successful ministry of four years and three 
 months, ninety-nine were received into the church. He was a native 
 of Colchester, Conn., a graduate of Middlebury College, Vt., and 
 died in 1867. He was succeeded by Rev. Martyn Tupper, who was 
 installed October 7, 1835, anc ^ during a ministry of fourteen years 
 proved himself worthy of the tribute given in the commemorative dis- 
 course by Rev. E. P. Blodgett : " An instructive, discriminating, and 
 practical preacher ; a sympathizing, affectionate, and helpful pastor ; 
 characterized by honesty, sincerity, and fidelity in all his conduct." 
 He was a native of West Stafford, Conn., a graduate of Princeton 
 College, and for two years in Yale Divinity School, and died in 1872 
 at the age of 72. During his ministry in East Longmeadow ninety- 
 five were added to the church. Rev. William E. Dixon, a native of 
 Enfield, Conn., and a graduate of Williams College, was installed 
 October 14, 1852, and dismissed May 30, 1854. He was succeeded 
 by Rev. Joshua R. Brown, December 13, 1854, who after a faithful 
 service of four years died September 7, 1858, of a fatal epidemic, to 
 which several in the parish fell victims. Rev. A. B. Peabody, a native 
 of Boxford, and a graduate of Andover Theological Seminary, was 
 installed May 24, 1860, and after a useful ministry of six years and 
 ten months was dismissed March 26, 1867. Rev. A. J. Dutton, the 
 present pastor, a native of Stowe, Vt., and a graduate of Middlebury 
 College and Andover Theological Seminary, was installed December 
 8, 1869. His ministry of nearly fifteen years the longest of any 
 has been eminently successful. The church is active, benevolent, and 
 progressive ; has been blessed both recently and throughout it history 
 with several revival seasons, and has received during the fifty-five 
 years of its continuance about 290 by profession of their faith. 
 
 The Methodist Episcopal Church in East Longmeadow wr.s organ- 
 ized in June, 1853, Rev. David K. Merrill being the preacher in 
 charge. A board of nine trustees was elected, Oliver Wolcott being 
 Secretary, which office he has held to the present time. During the 
 same year a church edifice was built and dedicated. In 1880 'it was 
 thoroughly renovated. In 1860 a commodious parsonage was erected, 
 and the church property is free of all indebtedness. The pulpit has
 
 252 
 
 been favored from time to time with the continuous ministrations of 
 such distinguished clergymen as Rev. Miner Raymond, D.D., and the 
 professors of Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Rev. William Rice, 
 D.D., and other resident clergymen of Springfield. The regular con- 
 ference ministers have been : 1856-7, J. M. Clark; 1860-2, R. Mitch- 
 ell ; 1862-4, 1- C. Pratt; 1866, A. T. Eddy, a young man of fine 
 character and great promise who died after a few months of faithful 
 labor; 1867-9, G. D. Brown; 1869-71, J. Candlin : 1871-2, J. W. 
 Lee ; 1872-4, W. Wignall ; 1874-5, N. F. Stevens; 1875, J. Cadwell, 
 who died suddenly after a long ministry of much usefulness ; 1876-8, 
 Joseph Scott; 1878-9, J. W. Price; 1879-82, J. Marcy ; 1882, J. H. 
 Gaylord. The church, although not large in membership, is prosper- 
 ous and hopeful. 
 
 The Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary, in the western part of 
 the town, had its beginning in a committee of citizens constituted 
 August n, 1868, and consisting of Michael Quinn, Martin Hartigan, 
 John S. Waters, Patrick Connors, and Peter Ward Martin Hartigan 
 being chosen Clerk and John S. Waters Treasurer. An appropriate 
 building, formerly known as the Lawton School-house, was purchased 
 and removed to a site on Williams Street, north of the Village Ceme- 
 tery, on the basis of a subscription made by the Catholic citizens of 
 $245, to which was added a donation of $77 by the congregation of 
 St. Michael's Church, Springfield, and generous donations from inhab- 
 itants of Longmeadow, including many from those of the Protestant 
 faith. The Catholic citizens contributed also largely of their labor in 
 preparing the site and remodeling the building, which was completed 
 at a total expense of $1,119.25, and dedicated free from any debt 
 October 2, 1870, by Rt. Rev. Joseph O'Reilly. The parish priests 
 have been Rev. P. Healey, Vicar-General of the diocese, who gave 
 much valuable counsel and oversight in the earlier stages of the 
 church's history, Rev. J. J. McDermott, Charles E. Bourke, William 
 H. Goggin, and Rev. E. Pelletier at present in charge. The parish- 
 ioners of St. Mary's are good attendants on public worship as well as 
 good supporters of it, and the church is in a prosperous condition. 
 
 In East Longmeadow a considerable congregation of Roman Cath.- 
 olics meet statedly for public worship in the Town Hall under the 
 curacy of Rev. E. Pelletier, and contemplate the speedy organization 
 of a church and the erection of a church edifice.
 
 253 
 
 After the death of Pastor Storrs in 1819, the First Church called 
 Mr. Baxter Dickinson, who was ordained March 5, 1825, and dismissed 
 October 20, 1829. He was a native of Amherst and graduated from 
 Yale College in 1817, and from Andover Theological Seminary in 
 1821, with high honors. His pastorate of six years in Longmeadow 
 has been already characterized as one of singular ability and fidelity. 
 Another highly useful ministry of six years as pastor of the Third 
 Presbyterian Church at Newark was terminated by an appointment in 
 1835 t the Chair of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology in Lane 
 Theological Seminary, Ohio. After four years' service there, he was 
 called to the same department of instruction in Auburn Theological 
 Seminary, New York. In 1839 he was honored with the moderator- 
 ship of the Presbyterian General Assembly. After eight years of 
 service at Auburn, he gave instruction for a time in Sacred Rhetoric 
 at Andover in the chair made vacant by the transfer of Professor 
 Park to the department of theology, and then labored for ten years in 
 the service of the American and Foreign Christian Union. The last 
 eight years of his active life was devoted to a family school for young 
 ladies at Lake Forest, Illinois. His declining years were spent at 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., in the beautiful home repose of a serene old age, -well 
 concluding a long life of laborious usefulness. That usefulness was 
 perpetuated in the distinguished usefulness of his sons. The elder, 
 Rev. Richard Salter Storrs Dickinson, became pastor of the Houston 
 Street Presbyterian Church in New York City in 1848, and in 1852 
 associate pastor with Rev. Albert Barnes of Philadelphia, and was cut 
 off in the midst of the highest promise by sudden death at Edinburgh, 
 Scotland, while on a journey abroad. The younger son, Rev. William 
 C. Dickinson, late of Lafayette, Ind., and now of College Hall, Cincin- 
 nati, is still in honorable and active service as a minister of the Pres- 
 byterian Church. 
 
 The successor of Baxter Dickinson was Jonathan Bailey Condit, 
 ordained July 14, 1831, and dismissed October 4, 1835. He was a 
 native of Hanover, N. J., a graduate of Princeton College and Theo- 
 logical Seminary, and after his Longmeadow pastorate, character- 
 ized not only by eminent usefulness but by the peculiar fasci- 
 nation of his rare eloquence and personal attractions, he occupied the 
 rhetorical chair of Amherst College for about three years, and a.fter- 
 wards became the successor of those distinguished preachers, Edward 
 Payson at Portland, Me., and Edward Dorr Griffin at Newark, N. J. 
 He was afterwards Professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theol-
 
 254 
 
 ogy at Lane and Auburn Seminaries, and died at Auburn, N. Y., Jan- 
 uary i, 1876. He was honored with the moderatorship of the Pres- 
 byterian General Assembly in 1861. . 
 
 Dr. Condit was succeeded by Hubbard Beebe, a native of Rich- 
 mond, and a graduate of Williams College and Andover Theological 
 Seminary; ordained October 18, 1837; dismissed March 21,1843. 
 He afterwards became the Principal of Westfield Academy and act- 
 ing pastor at Chester Factories till 1848. He subsequently occupied 
 successive pastorates at South Wilbraham, Sturbridge, and West 
 Haven, Conn. For the last twenty-four years of his active life 1855- 
 79 he has been in the service of the American Sunday School Union, 
 the American Bible Society, and the American Seaman's Friend Soci- 
 ety, and now, laid aside by failing health, resides in New York City. 
 
 The successor of Rev. Hubbard Beebe was Samuel Wolcott, a 
 native of South Windsor, Conn., and graduate of Yale College and 
 Andover Theological Seminary. He was installed August 30, 1843, 
 and dismissed December 27, 1847. After graduating at Andover he 
 became for two years an assistant of the secretaries of .the A. B. C. 
 F. M. at Boston, and was ordained in 1839 as a missionary for Syria, 
 where he remained till 1843. His labors in the Mount Lebanon re- 
 gion, though assiduous, were much interrupted by the civil wars that 
 then prevailed, producing an unsettled condition of affairs. His 
 archaeological researches, published in various journals, for which his 
 travels in Syria and Palestine gave opportunity, have placed his repu- 
 tation high among oriental scholars, and his poetic skill has enriched 
 our American hymnology. Since his Longmeadow ministry, he has 
 occupied the pastorate of Belchertown, the High Street Church 
 in Providence, R. I., the New England Church in Chicago, 111., and 
 the Plymouth Church in Cleveland, O. His recent years since 1874 
 have been devoted to the service of the American Home Missionary 
 Society, as District Secretary for Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and 
 West Virginia. Having resigned that work he is about to remove 
 from Cleveland, and take up his residence in Longmeadow amid the 
 familiar scenes and still surviving friendships of his former pastorate. 
 
 The ministries of both Dr. Wolcott and Mr. Beebe were signalized 
 by several seasons of revival and numerous accessions to the church. 
 
 The successor of Dr. Wolcott is John Wheeler Harding, the pres- 
 ent pastor, a native of Waltham, and a graduate of Yale College and 
 Andover Theological Seminary, who was ordained January i, 1850.
 
 RBV. J. B. CONDIT, D.D. 
 18811835 
 
 REV. BAXTER DICKINSON. D.D. 
 
 18231829. 
 
 Rav. J. W. HARDING. 
 1850. 
 
 RBV. SAMUEL WOLOOTT, D.D. 
 18431847. 
 
 RKV. HTTBBARD BEEBB. 
 18371843.
 
 255 
 
 O. LONGMEADOW WOMEN. 
 
 The history of the town cannot be fairly written without special 
 mention of the true-hearted and noble women, who have, in every 
 best sense, been always helpmeets to its men. And not alone as 
 wives and mothers. The single women the Eunices, the Hannahs, 
 the Lucys, the Rhodas, and many more whom these familiar names 
 represent, deserve their full measure of grateful and enduring 
 praise. The portrait of Mary Raynolds Schauffler adorns these pages 
 not only as a beautiful personality, but as a pictorial type of the great 
 .company among the living and the dead who shall be hailed as 
 " blessed among women." tfot, indeed, so tangible and evident their 
 traces as those of masculine endeavor, nor recorded in town or pre- 
 cinct books, in buildings and highways ; but theirs the gentler and 
 moulding forces of the hidden kingdom of the heart, that builded the 
 New England home without which the republic had never been. They 
 were, too, every whit as strenuous workers as the men. Without for- 
 mal suffrage their personality of character and influence was entwined 
 with every important movement. At farthest remove from the play- 
 things of the oriental harem, or the butterflies of luxurious society, or 
 the rude peasantry of rural districts in other lands, they have been 
 from the earliest times intelligent, self poised, well-bred women of 
 affairs, the competent mistresses of well-ordered households, distin- 
 guished not less for their solid virtues, than for that refinement which 
 adds ladyhood to womanhood. 
 
 While every Longmeadow family might contribute its illustrations, 
 a few must stand for all the rest. In the first American genealogy 
 extant, so rare that only two copies exist, viz., of the family of Mr. 
 Samuel Stebbins, and Mrs. Hannah Stebbins, from 1707 to 1771, and 
 printed in the latter year at Hartford by Ebenezer Watson, Luke Steb- 
 bins the compiler thus writes concerning his mother : 
 
 " Nor can I forget the mentioning our dear and honor d Mother, by whofe mild, 
 tender, and pious care we were fo gently nurfed up ; the Labour and Travail of 
 which, none but Mothers can tell. Her Piety, Faithfulnefs, Meeknefs and Patience 
 make her memory precious to us all. True it is, that through a feeble Conftitution, 
 together with the Concern and Burden that naturally lay upon her, me was brought 
 into a low State of Health till by Degrees it terminated in almoft a confirmed State 
 of Melancholly ; yet it never prevented her devout Attendance on all the outward 
 Means of Grace, both public, private, and fecret. She daily read much in the 'Holy 
 Scriptures, efpecially the New Teftament, the Pfalms, and thofe Prophets that wrote 
 moft of Chrift. She never neglected any opportunity in partaking of the Holy Com- 
 munion, for which me had a great affeftion and Reverence. But yet the gloom that 
 33
 
 256 
 
 fat upon her mind might very naturally prevent thofe clear views of the Virtue and 
 Excellency of that all fufficient Sacrifice, which JESUS paid once for all, which fhe 
 had in a better State of Health (as fhe expreffed it to me). One thing may not be 
 improper to mention, which fhe told me, viz: When the Rev d M r Whitefield (of 
 precious memory) firft came to New England, who was fo famous, and whofe preach- 
 ing had fo much fuccefs attending it, fhe was in great Diftrefs, knowing her bodily 
 Health was fo impaired fhe could not attend on his preaching when he fhould come 
 to Springfield. He preached at the old Parifh about four miles from Longmeadow, 
 where fhe lived. Thus it continued for feveral Days before he came ; fhe fearing 
 being left while others were taken, or Denied that Comfort which others enjoyed. 
 She fought unto the LORD, and fpread her Caufe before him, who was pleafed to 
 give an Anfwer of Peace ; for when the Day came, and all were gone to hear him ; 
 (Stephen Williams led his flock in welcoming Whitefield) fhe had Views of the 
 Glory of JESUS CHRIST, and a comfortable Hope of her faving Intereft in him ;' 
 and thofe bleffed Words came to her with animating and reviving Power, ' Daugh- 
 ter, be of good Cheer, your Sins are forgiven you.' " It is a finifhing touch to this 
 fketch of his mother when he continues thus : " It was this weak State of her's that 
 gave Occafion for that peculiar Tendernefs, Wifdom and Prudence exercifed by our 
 honor d Father towards her. What Coft did he fpare ? What Pains did he not take 
 to comfort and relieve, to counfel and advife ? A great Deal of Time he fpent in 
 reading to her fome of the beft Authors, on fubjects moft adapted to her prefent 
 Cafe ; among which was a Book of the Rev d and famous M r Baxter's, one of the 
 moftfuitable in Cafes of Melancholy perhaps of any now extant." 
 
 It must be said that, so far as their letters and diaries testify the 
 only literature they have . handed down these excellent women were 
 considerably given to somber views. And yet this impression may be 
 owing in part to a fashion that prevailed in those days of interlarding 
 all epistolary and even business documents with more or less of pious 
 phraseology. 
 
 The following extracts are from a letter of twenty pages of closely- 
 written manuscript, carefully covered and stitched in pamphlet form, 
 and inscribed upon the title page in ornamented letters, 
 
 "NATHAN WILLIAMS, HIS PAPER & LETTER," 1746. 
 
 Various juvenile pictorial devices upon the same page show the 
 tender age of the child, then only n years old, to whom these plead- 
 ings of a mother's heart were addressed. Preserved, however, and 
 pondered by him with filial reverence, they bore fruit in riper years, 
 when the boy had become, as did several of his brothers, the reverend 
 minister and Doctor of Divinity. The letter is a sample of many 
 similar maternal wrestlings of New England foremothers with a cove- 
 nant God in behalf of beloved children. 
 
 It is quoted at what might otherwise seem a disproportionate length 
 because it also forcibly illustrates the burdens and heart-struggles laid 
 on such a true mother heart by the unscriptural dogmas of the then
 
 257 
 
 current theology ; especially that terrible tenet that one should be con- 
 sciously willing to be forever lost, and even to see one's dearest friends 
 forever lost for the glory of God. 
 MY DEAR SON: 
 
 In what frame thefe lines may find you I Know not but I can affure you they are 
 the overflowings of a heart full of motherly affections to you, and of tender con- 
 cern for your beft Intereft of Soul and Body for Time and Eternity. I truft it is 
 from God that I am Inclined to Get this Letter Writ and that his Bleffed Spirit will 
 direcl: in the inditing of it and accompany the fame in his good Time to your Heart, 
 if it mould not make fo deep an Impreffion at prefent, yet the time may come when 
 fome of the laft Counfels of your dying Mother will feem quite otherwife to you than 
 they have hitherto done. 
 
 After admonishing her son of the danger of his own early death, 
 and assuring him of her unspeakable joy if he should become early 
 converted, and narrating to him some of her own experiences of God's 
 supporting grace under severest trials, and of her sense of His good- 
 ness to her in many family mercies, including His giving to her this 
 latest son, she continues : 
 
 O, My dear Child. Can I Bear the thoughts that the Son that was given me in 
 anfwer to my Prayers, that I bore with fo much pain, that I have nurfed and brought 
 up with So much care and tendernefs night and day, The Son that I have fo many 
 Thoufand Times prayed and wept over and counfelled and warned, That this beloved 
 Son, I fay Should be the poffeflion and property of the devil, Should ferve him all 
 his Days and be miferable as he is and be with him in hell fire forever, how can I 
 bear to think of y e dreadful day when I mail See my poor undone Child if he turn 
 not Speedily and thoroughly, Stand trembling before the Judgment Seat of Chrift 
 his face gathering blackness horror and anguifh, and defpair Staring through his 
 Eyelids to hear y e Amazing Sentence pronounced on him depart y e curfed hence- 
 forth to See him Seized by mighty Angels, bound hand and foot in everlafting Chains 
 and caft Into y e dreadful lake of Fire, and the adamant Gates (hut and barred by 
 him that Shuts and no man opens. Such thoughts as thefe are ready to tear my 
 
 heart in pieces I know if I be fo happy as to find mercy of the Lord in 
 
 that day I fhall have no painful Sympathy with you but Shall rather rejoice that 
 God's Juftice and power will be forever glorified in your Condemnation ; but how will 
 your heart Endure how can your hands be flrong. I know you have often heard these 
 things and had Them Set Forth before you in a far more affeclionable manner 
 than it is poffible for me to reprefent them. I know too if I had been in y e other 
 world and feen the terrors and Glories of heaven and hell with my Bodily Eyes and 
 were Come Back again with the tongue of an angel to fpeak of them to you it would 
 have no Saving effect. If you hear not Mofes and the prophets neither will you be per- 
 fuaded though one arofe from the dead. But I know, y* if the good Spirit of God 
 is pleafed to accompany my words to your heart they will do you more good than all 
 you have heard in your Life before. You know by Sad and Long experience how 
 little all the beft of means Signify without the Powerful Co-operation of y e Spirit 
 and you know too by Some Experiences how means work, how a perfon feels when 
 y e word is Set home upon the Soul by the Spirit in a way of conviction and Terror ; 
 oh that you knew alfo what this work of Regeneration is that I am aiming at fo as to 
 make you fenfible how much your dependence Is on y e Sovereign and free Spirit of
 
 258 
 
 God. Y e Life and death of your Precious Soul is in his hand, and he A6ls with Ab- 
 folute Liberty Like the wind which bloweth where and whither it Lifteth. and fee- 
 ing it thus I would fain have you think Solemnly how much it concerns you to take 
 heed you don't provoke the Spirit finally to Forfake you for then your cafe is as bad 
 you know as if you were already in hell. This I hope and truft is not yet ; Alfo 
 if I knew it were I fhould have nothing to fay to you About your Soul only to cau- 
 tion you not to fill up a greater meafure of Sin and to Increafe your treafure of 
 wrath Againft the day of wrath, but I hope better things Concerning you, and things 
 that Accompany A Poffibility of Salvation. I truft your day of Grace is not over and 
 that the Spirit of Grace has not yet finally left you and oh for your Soul's Sake do 
 nothing to grieve him away. Lay afide every wait, and y e -S5n that moft Eafily befets 
 you. I need not tell you what it is. Confcience poipts it out while you are reading 
 thefe lines, if it be not afleep. Do my dear Child, Stir up yourfelf, Shake off Sloth 
 and difcouragement, and get up, and be doing, you don't know how foon A merciful 
 God who delights not in the death of a Sinner but had rather he fhould turn and 
 live, may appear to you and work Effectually on your Soul. 
 
 After cautioning her son against certain suggestions of discourage- 
 ment from Satan, and setting before him all the encouragements he 
 should have to resolve on God's service, and suggesting to him some 
 sentences of high and holy resolution, she continues : 
 
 Some fuch Language I would fain imagine I hear you breathing out in your Solic- 
 itous hours. And may the Father of Mercies hear your Meditations. May he come 
 by his Bleffed Spirit, Awaken you, convince, humble, convert, and Sanclify you. 
 Amen. Lord grant this for thy dear Son's Sake Amen Amen. 
 
 Assuming him now to have resolved thus, she goes on to give him 
 the most tender and earnest counsel as to his future Christian life, in 
 words of richest and ripest Christian experience, a part of which, in 
 justice to her, we cannot forbear to quote : 
 
 If then you fhould be fo inexpreffibly happy as to receive the Lord Jefus into your 
 heart by faith Oh be Careful to walk in him. You muft be continually coming to 
 him Every Day and hour of your life. You muft live upon him every moment he 
 muft be your Life, your Light, your Joy, your truft, your wifdom, your righteoufnefs, 
 sanclification and everything. You muft never reft without Daily Communion with 
 him and communication from him. If he withdraws from you at any time and hides 
 his face you muft mourn after him and Seek him Sorrowing and let Nothing Elfe 
 Content or Satiffy you. 
 
 If ever you truly believe in Chrift you will give up all you are and have and can 
 do unto him and you will only wait to know how he will have you difpofe of all for 
 him. You will confider yourfelf a Steward of what God gives you and you will be 
 bountiful and liberal to fuch as you know the Lord has made his receivers. You 
 muft live in Love. This is the fulfilling of the Law 
 
 You will have many better Counfellors than your poor Mother, but I prefume you 
 will take particular notice of what comes from her. I beg you to take thefe as the 
 laft words of your dying Mother and which are the copy of her very heart and foul 
 as it works toward her dear Son. I break off My dear Child leaving you with a God 
 infinitely able and willing to do for you above what I can afk or think. I fubfcribe 
 myfelf your moft Affectionate and Solicitous Mother, 
 
 A. D. W., [ABIGAIL DAVENPORT WILLIAMS.]
 
 259 
 
 The womanly piety of the former days was specially characterized 
 by a certain awe-compelling view of the divine sovereignty. It was 
 the great Jehovah veiled by clouds and darkness, rather than Jesus sit- 
 ting by the well. One of the sweetest and most saintly of the Long- 
 meadow women was Sarah Williston Storrs. Loving, gentle, full of 
 tenderness and sympathy, the grace that she seemed to be grasping 
 after most was submission, rather than hope. And yet through that 
 gate of submission hope entered unawares. At the age of 30, on a 
 Communion Sabbath, she wrote, 
 
 " I have this day been allowed a feat in God's houie and a place at his table. He 
 has fhined in fuch a manner upon my foul as perfectly tranfported me efpecially in 
 receiving the fame. I have long been pleading for a fealed pardon, a clean, white 
 robe, and white raiment ; and if he had been there in perfon, and told me with his own 
 mouth, and confirmed it by an oath, that thefe my defires were granted, I could not 
 have been more fure. The ordinance, fomehow, was enough, a sufficient tefti- 
 mony or pledge. I cannot exprefs the gratitude, the joy, the amazement, the afton- 
 ifhment of my foul on a view of his grace, condefcenfion, and mercy in this bleffed 
 inftitution, this plan of atonement ! I longed to fulfil my part of the covenant. I 
 longed to live holinefs, to feel it and ac~l it out, in every breath and thought. Oh 
 that love ! let it ever and forever conftrain me to love ; let thy grace, O bleffed God, 
 be fufficient ! Subdue, captivate, regulate, mortify, and break in pieces as Thou 
 pleafeft; only effect the work! I cannot be denied; and Thou wilt not deny me. I 
 am fure Thy Word has gone forth ; ' He that believeth mail be faved.' I can appeal 
 to Thine omnifcience, and believe Thy promife. I know that ' ftrait is the gate and 
 narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it.' But, glory to God ! 
 I hope I am one of that number. This ardent love, this longing of the foul after 
 perfect enjoyment, is a full teftimony to tnyfelf that he will enlighten the dark valley, 
 and bid me a joyful welcome into his prefence on high ! Oh that ftate, that world ! 
 I cannot but now join your Chorus ! How fweet are your employments 1 Eternity ! 
 Eternity ! Oh delightful thought ! always wrapped up and growing in the knowl- 
 edge of the great Jehovah. Oh bleffed, bleffed work ! This is my God ; and He 
 will be my portion forever." 
 
 The long and useful life of Sarah Williams Storrs, the second wife 
 of Pastor Storrs and the granddaughter of Pastor Williams, perhaps 
 as well illustrates those womanly and Christian virtues which were 
 most truly characteristic of our Longmeadow foremothers as do the 
 intensities of Christian fervor already quoted ; while her continuous 
 residence in Longmeadow, from her birth to her burial, makes her 
 somewhat more truly their real representative. The following tribute 
 to her character is from the pen of one to whom she became and for 
 many years remained a tenderly loved and honored second mother 
 Rev. R. S. Storrs, D.D., of Braintree :
 
 26o 
 
 To all who knew her, her gentleness, purity of sentiment, strength of affection, 
 and ynwearied assiduity in promoting the happiness of others, were at once appar- 
 ent. As a wife, mother, sister, friend, and follower of Jesus, she aimed, habitually 
 and successfully, to keep a conscience void of offence by responding promptly to 
 every call of duty, whatever personal sacrifice or self-denial it involved. During 
 the almost twenty-seven years of her widowhood, trusting in her own and her 
 father's God, she sustained the trials of her condition with fortitude, discharged her 
 duties with cheerfulness, and diffused around her the sweet influences of a matured 
 and unostentatious piety. 
 
 Nor is it more true that she loved, than that she was beloved. From her birth 
 she had dwelt among her own people the people of her husband's charge. All 
 knew her well, and all testified their high esteem, through the whole period of her 
 widowed loneliness, by many and substantial tokens ; it was beyond all her expec- 
 tations, even as it was far beyond the experience of most who are placed in similar 
 circumstances of bereavement. Gratitude and affection prompted her to ascribe it 
 to the uncommon veneration and love cherished for her husband's memory but a 
 cordial esteem for human excellence of character had far more to do with it than 
 her humility permitted her to acknowledge. A case like this, it is to be feared, is of 
 rare occurrence where for so many years, and amid so many changes of the minis- 
 try, so tender and unremitting regard has been shown to the widow of a deceased 
 pastor. Among the four pastors who have successively occupied the pulpit of 
 her husband, each has cordially united with the people in their efforts to comfort the 
 widow's heart by kind words, and by the charity that never faileth. For such a 
 people and such pastors, heaven has rich rewards in store, in which coming genera- 
 tions shall share. 
 
 Beyond their home influence, the women of Longmeadow have 
 been represented on three continents by their missionary zeal. The 
 Schaufflers, Calhouns, Temples, Raynoldses, Blisses, all eminent mis- 
 sionary names are interwoven in descent through various lines with 
 pastors Williams and Storrs, and deacons Nathaniel Ely, Samuel 
 Raynolds, and Ebenezer Bliss. There was nothing singular that 
 these particular individuals went abroad. It was only significant of 
 the missionary spirit and training of their home life. 
 
 Mrs. William Gottlieb Schauffler, who may well stand in these pages 
 as a missionary representative, was the great grand-daughter of Stephen 
 Williams, and the daughter of deacon Samuel Raynolds. She was 
 born in 1802, in the house of deacon Nathaniel Ely. For a while a 
 teacher in New Haven,, her cousin, Martha Temple, having departed 
 as the bride of Rev. Daniel Temple, missionary to Greece, she caught 
 the missionary impulse, and went to Constantinople with the family 
 of Rev. Josiah Brewer, the first unmarried missionary who entered 
 the foreign field. She was the pioneer of that system of female 
 education which has proved one of the most benign fruits of gospel influ-
 
 26 1 
 
 ence in the Orient. In 1834 she became the wife of Dr. W. G. 
 Schauffler and has been identified through her long and useful life 
 with his distinguished missionary career in the Turkish and Austrian 
 Empires. 
 
 As a representative woman among the unmarried sisterhood, the 
 name of Miss Hannah Ely will readily occur to every Longmeadow 
 resident of the past century. Like most others of that honorable 
 sisterhood she was a " spinster " in the happiest sense of the word ; 
 receiving her investiture as such at the old time spinning wheel, to 
 whose homely accompaniment the maidens of old sang as cheerily as 
 do those of the present day to piano or guitar. None the less, how- 
 ever, could she boast her accomplishments of painting and embroidery, 
 and move with all the old time dignity and grace through the mazes 
 of the minuet and quadrille. 
 
 Her mother's failing health devolved on this eldest daughter a mat- 
 ron's full share of housewifery, and her taste and skill found congenial 
 development in making home really " sweet home." For a while her 
 accomplishments in the higher education found appropriate scope as 
 the popular preceptress of Monson Academy. Returning to her shin- 
 ing vocation as mistress of the mansion of her widowed father, she 
 became and remained to him the chief stay and support of his declining 
 years. When age had withdrawn him from active service in church and 
 parish and town, the filial and devoted ministrations of his " Hannah " 
 made the secluded evening of his life pass serene and contented to its 
 close. 
 
 For many years after her father's death which occurred in 1848 she 
 continued, as sole mistress of the old Ely mansion, to dispense the 
 most generous and graceful hospitalities. Her competent means, the 
 ample accommodations of the old mansion, and her own executive 
 tact as its accomplished mistress made it a chosen center of hospita- 
 ble attraction, and a favorite resort for ministerial candidates and 
 numerous other guests, and for the large family circle of brothers, sisters, 
 nephews, and neices to whom she was ever the beloved and loving 
 " Auntie ; " the single word that is placed upon her headstone as most 
 fitting to summon up a host of memories almost as precious as if 
 " Mother " stood in its place. The church, the benevolent and social 
 institutions, everything wise and good in the village stood identified 
 with the large heart, judicious counsel, and helping hand of Hannah 
 Ely.
 
 262 
 
 P. INSTITUTIONS AND CUSTOMS. 
 
 The germinal institution of this, as of other New England 
 Towns, was the family the intelligent, independent, and reverent 
 household. The families were large, numbering from eight to fifteen 
 children ; second and even third marriages were not uncommon, and 
 divorces were unknown. The next institution, in order of time, was 
 the civil compact of the town or precinct meeting ; and that was for 
 the prudential ordering and maintenance of the common welfare a 
 little republic in itself. The Meeting-House, not an ecclesiastical 
 edifice alone, but a civil one as well, is first erected, and without un- 
 necessary delay a " learned and orthodox minister " is chosen as the 
 indispensable spiritual leader the spiritual interests leading all the 
 rest. The schoolmaster is his right-hand man ; perhaps " Master 
 Jabe," Yale graduate, classical teacher, and theological expert, capa- 
 ble of training divinity students, as Jabez Colton sometimes did ; or 
 perhaps some collegian who occupies his long winter vacation or his 
 post-graduate year in conducting the public school. Another valua- 
 ble coadjutor is the village doctor; it maybe Dr. Charles Pynchon. 
 " This day " a rate day writes Stephen Williams, " I have been 
 reckoning with Dr. Pynchon, who is very ingenious and handsome. 
 The Lord be pleased to reward his kindness. I am exceedingly well 
 pleased with this gentleman's being in the neighborhood." He some- 
 times assists his pastor in the public services, delivering his own med- 
 itations. 
 
 A community thus manned and equipped must have, besides the 
 family, church, and school, corresponding institutions of various kinds. 
 We find in the handwriting of Master Jabe, " Rules and Regulations 
 of the Longmeadow Library Society." This is the preamble : 
 
 " The Improvement of the Mind in Knowledge and Virtue is the most important 
 Object of Humane Pursuit and most easily obtained by the Perusal of instructive 
 Books. And as the expense of a valuable Collection of these is too great for most 
 persons in their individual Capacity ; We the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town 
 of Longmeadow, having heretofore formed ourselves in Some sort into a Society by 
 contributing a Sum of Money and purchasing a Considerable Collection of Valua- 
 ble Books, and being sensible of the Deficiency of our former Rules and Regula- 
 tions ; We therefore Do unite Ourselves into a New and Voluntary Association for 
 the purpose of better Regulating, Maintaining, and increasing our Library for the 
 Benefit of ourselves and those who may hereafter become Proprietors in the Same." 
 Then follow sixteen articles about as elaborate as the Constitution of the United 
 States in Master Jabe's best legal style. One provides that the librarian, who is 
 entitled to such compensation on library days as the Standing Committee shall 
 judge reasonable, "shall give notice of the Time to receive the Books" (from 9 A.M.
 
 263 
 
 to 2 P.M. with two hours' grace for those who live more than two miles away) " and 
 of the Time of drawing Books" (from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M.) "by causing the Meeting 
 House Bell to be rung at said times." It is also provided that " No Book shall be 
 delivered to any Proprietor but by an audible mentioning of the Title ; and the Pro- 
 prietor who shall first signify his desire of the Book so mentioned shall receive it 
 unless some other Proprietor desire the same. And if two or more Proprietors are 
 desirous of receiving the same Book, it shall be set up at Auction, and the Highest 
 Bidder shall have the same upon paying the Money so Bid to the Treasurer ; pro- 
 vided however that the desire or Bid of any Proprietor shall be considered of none 
 effect if the Price of the Book desired or Bid for together with the price or prices of 
 the Book or Books already received by the Proprietor desiring or Bidding shall ex- 
 ceed such Proprietor's share or shares in the Library." . ..." If any Proprietor 
 shall neglect to return his Books by the times limited he shall pay at the following 
 rates viz : For a Folio, eight pence ; a Quarto, six pence ; an Octavo, four pence ; 
 a Duodecimo, two pence; and the like sum or sums for his neglect at each succeed- 
 ing Return day till the same are returned." 
 
 If the proprietors became too dilatory a wagon was sent around to gather in the 
 books. Ponderous books they were in general, bound in heavy calf, and having no 
 remotest resemblance to the dime novel of the present day, such as " The Specta- 
 tor," " Flavel's Fountain of Life," " Memoirs and Writings of Dr. Robert South," 
 " England's Reformation : A Poem," " Child's Friend." 
 
 This association died in the process of time of folios, dry rot and 
 an auction. Its successor, the " Young Men's Library Association," 
 formed December 16, 1839, with Simeon Newell librarian, and Dia- 
 mond Chandler, the next year assistant librarian, James Bliss, Wil- 
 liam Burt, Alford Cooley, Samuel C. Stebbins, committee, was dis- 
 couraged by the fire that consumed the library with the old brick 
 school-house in 1852. It however revived October 9, 1854, through a 
 union that was then consummated with the Longmeadow Lyceum, Dr. 
 T. L. Chapman President, D. E. Burbank Vice-President, W. E. Boies 
 Secretary, S. C. Newell Treasurer, J. W. Lawton Librarian. The 
 Lyceum has become extinct, but the library still exists in a state of 
 suspended animation. 
 
 The town meeting, with which the previous precinct meeting was 
 to most intents identical, was an invaluable training school for the 
 rights, duties, and privileges of American citizenship ; the votes re- 
 corded in another section of the Appendix are a sufficient illustration. 
 Dr. Williams, or some other clergyman of Springfield, was invited not 
 only to open the town meeting with prayer, but to preach a sermon. 
 The opening prayer is still retained as a Longmeadow custom. At 
 the request of the moderator, with uncovered heads, the citizejis rev- 
 erently acknowledge their need of the divine wisdom. 
 
 Dr. Williams writes, March 20, 1759, " ! went to town and preached y 
 sermon to y* inhabitants ; y e Lord be pleased to help his people aright to 
 34
 
 264 
 
 improve y e privileges, and graciously help those y 1 have y e conduct of y* 
 publick affairs of the Town." His text on this occasion was Ps. xxix : 9 
 " The meek will He guide in judgment and the meek will He teach His 
 way." It was a practical and searching homily on pride and its concomi- 
 tant vices, extravagance, self-seeking and idleness ; an excellent civil ser- 
 vice reform tract for the times. " Pride," said the good parson, "is a most 
 impatient vice and can bear nothing Accustom yourselves to can- 
 dour and take everything in the best sense. Why should you suppose your 
 neighbor desirous to affront you, when really, he had not the least thought 
 of it ? " 
 
 The " Charity Meeting " was the vigorous tree early planted and 
 assiduously nurtured, from which have branched out the various benev- 
 olent organizations that for the last half century have been combined 
 in the " Longmeadow Benevolent Association," connected with the old 
 parish, and in similar institutions that have sprung from the same good 
 seed in other parts of the town. More than $40,000 have been dis- 
 bursed in various forms of charity by this society alone. The Thanks- 
 giving collection for the poor is of ancient origin. " Women's Boards " 
 are nothing new, as the following document will testify : 
 To Mrs. Rev. R. S. STORRS, Longmeadow DEAR MADAM : 
 
 The Committee of the Trustees of the Hampshire Missionary Society, take the 
 liberty of transmitting to you, a plan of a FEMALE ASSOCIATION for the purpose of 
 raising a fund, for the purchase and charitable distribution of the Holy Bible and 
 other pious Christian writings among the needy inhabitants of the new settlements 
 
 of the United States Benevolent and devout women, liberally ministered to 
 
 our Lord's necessities when he was here on Earth. Many such, now, minister to 
 the spiritual and temporal necessities of his disciples and friends while he is in 
 heaven. This he receives and rewards as a kindness done to himself. 
 
 Various Associations of this or a similar nature are, already, instituted by the vir- 
 tues of your sex in New England and have done and continue to do eminent service 
 to our blessed religion. 
 
 We solicit you, dear Madam, to be an active instrument of our divine Redeemer 
 by sending the truths of his life-giving word among the poor and suffering inhabit- 
 ants of our New Settlements. 
 
 The Committee flatter themselves, that the cause of Jesus will obtain material aid 
 by the benevolent exertions of the liberal and pious women ip our town ; and believe 
 that the approbation of your own consciences and the. tender mercies of our blessed 
 Redeemer will be your rich and abundant reward. With sentiments of esteem, we 
 are, Dear Madam, your humble servants, 
 
 JOSEPH LYMAN, SOLOMON WILLIAMS, WILLIAM BILLINGS, CHARLES PHELPS, 
 
 Westhampton, Aug. 9, 1803. ENOCH HALE, Committee. 
 
 This appeal resulted in a Female Association "of women, either 
 married or single, who shall subscribe our Articles " the most impor- 
 tant of which was the pledge of each subscriber to pay one cent a 
 week, or fifty cents by the year for the charitable purposes above men-
 
 265 
 
 tioned. Sally Storrs is the leading subscriber, followed by Flavia 
 Field, Anna Hale, Abigail Corkins, Lydia Field, Lydia Field, Jr., 
 Jemima Woolworth, Sebria Cooley, Kezia Steele, Mercy Cooley, Anne 
 Hale, Eunice Cooley, Freelove Chandler, Betsy Williams, Polly Avery, 
 Hannah Perkins, Urania Stebbins, Lydia Field, Eunice Cooley, Jr., 
 Polly Marble, and others, the vanguard of over 200 members, who 
 during the twenty-two years that elapsed before the association became 
 merged into the present " Ladies Benevolent Association," raised and 
 expended for their charitable work $884.03. 
 
 The Washington Benevolent Society of Hampden County, institu- 
 ted April 27, 1812, John Hooker President, Edmund Bliss Secretary, 
 had a considerable and highly respectable membership in Long- 
 meadow. Its badge a portrait of Washington being crowned with a 
 laurel wreath by a female angel blowing a trumpet with the motto, 
 " Pro Patria," was accompanied by a little volume containing each 
 member's certificate and Washington's Farewell Address, handsomely 
 printed by Thomas Dickman of Springfield, editor of the Federal Spy. 
 It confined its "benevolence," so far as appears, to promoting the 
 interests of the Hamilton-Ames or Federal party of that day, as wrest- 
 ling hard with the Jeffersonian or Republican party. 
 
 The first Temperance Society in Longmeadow was organized in 
 August, 1828 ; Elisha Burnham President, Captain Elijah Colton Vice- 
 President, Dr. Hiram Bliss Secretary ; Rev. Baxter Dickinson, Ethan 
 Ely, Esq., Dea. Samuel Raynolds, Major William Burt Directors. It 
 started with large membership and much enthusiasm on the following 
 basis. " No member shall except as medicine in cases of sickness 
 use any distilled spirits in ordinary cases, or furnish any for laborers 
 in his employ." It continued with occasional revivals of interest, but 
 on the whole in diminishing ratio, till April 8, 1841, when it expired. 
 
 In 1842 a new Temperance Society was formed, Chauncey Baker 
 President ; Carlos Nichols, Adolphus D. Kent, James Bennet, and 
 John Burt Vice- Presidents ; Samuel C. Stebbins Secretary. It was 
 called " The Longrheadow Washingtonian Society," and organized on 
 the total abstinence pledge : " We will not drink any spirituous or malt 
 liquors, wine or cider as a beverage ; " signed by 130 males and 145 
 females, of whom there are living at present nineteen males and eigh- 
 teen females. A review of these names leads to the conclusion that a 
 pledge is not apt to remain in permanent force, unless sustained by 
 religious obligations. The final record of this society is dated Novem- 
 ber 19, 1845.
 
 266 
 
 A " Thief Detecting Society " became necessary at one period, and 
 particularly because of the propensity not yet altogether extinguished 
 to steal watermelons, which were extensively raised and of choice 
 quality. The watermelon thieves were so alert that it required con- 
 siderable adroitness to catch them. One moonlit night a marauding 
 party from Enfield had tied their horses to the highway fence not far 
 from an attractive watermelon patch. The Longmeadow detectives 
 found the horses, and having fastened one of the fore legs of each to 
 one of his hind legs with twine small enough to be invisible, but strong 
 enough to hold, the leader, Matthew Keep, divided his forces ; a part 
 creeping round to the further side of the watermelon lot, and the rest 
 hiding near the horses. When the onset was made, the thieves hav- 
 ing been allowed time to throw their sacks across their horses' backs 
 and mount, the ambushed men rushed forth to enjoy the easy cap- 
 ture of the frantic riders and their stumbling nags. 
 
 A Cemetery Association was formed in 1872 in the western part of 
 the town, with the object of extending the area of the old bury- 
 ing-ground by the purchase and improvement of adjoining territory. 
 Its first,- continuous, and present officers David Booth President, R. S. 
 Storrs Secretary and Treasurer. See Section G, page 209. 
 
 Kindred to the above-mentioned association there was formed, Octo- 
 ber 9, 1876, the " Longmeadow Street Improvement Association," 
 also belonging to the western part of the town, whose general object, 
 as stated in Article i of its Constitution, " shall be to improve the 
 outward appearance of the village, particularly in respect of road- 
 ways, sidewalks, and the planting and proper care of trees." The 
 association was organized October 21, 1876, by the election of Dr. T. 
 L. Chapman President, E. K. Colton Vice-President, T. F. Cordis 
 Secretary, D. E. Burbank Treasurer. 
 
 The " May Breakfast Association " was organized in 1869 at the 
 suggestion of Captain and Mrs. William H. Seamans, its first officers 
 being William H. Seamans President, Thomas F. Condis Treasurer, 
 and William F. Winter Secretary. 
 
 It is a social festival and fair, enlisting the united and best efforts 
 of the inhabitants, and especially of the younger portion, with the 
 object of lending a helping hand in any parish or public exigency 
 demanding pecuniary assistance. For several years it accumulated a 
 provisionary fund for furnishing the new church edifice, including the 
 organ, and afterwards was efficient in canceling the debt left at the 
 completion of the new church. It has raised clear of all expenses by 
 its annual celebrations $5,922.35, and proved itself not only a remark- 
 ably attractive social occasion but a well managed business enterprise.
 
 267 
 
 Going back to the former days, there was another institution of 
 which Longmeadow is not inclined to boast. Domestic slavery pre- 
 vailed to a considerable extent. Frequent mention is made in old 
 documents of negro servants. In the old church they had their pew 
 in the gallery, and in the burying-ground their appointed place was the 
 southeast corner. But as no monuments commemorated them, and 
 their descendants have passed away, their history is but ill preserved. 
 In "Marchant" Colton's day-book for 1769, May 20, is this entry : 
 "George Cooley, Somers, Cr. By a negrow man named Jack, S d 
 Cooley Gave me a bil of Sale of s d negrow for 60 " ($200). After 
 the merchant's death, Jack became somewhat uppish, and in his grum- 
 blings one day muttered in the hearing of his mistress, the Widow 
 Colton, " Isn't me as free as anybody ? " " To be sure," replied she, 
 " Go about your business." " Me will," says Jack, " if you turns me 
 out." She accordingly led him to the door and manumitted him, in 
 the ancient legal fashion, by a literal shove of the hand out of her 
 door into the wide world of freedom. Jack used to come back and 
 plead for restoration, but unavailingly. He became an impecunious 
 citizen of Springfield, and occupied a cabin on the east side of the 
 town brook, about where the Second National Bank now stands. His 
 motto of freedom was " The State 'bliged to 'stain me." 
 
 Tradition says that Merchant Colton, who became the richest man 
 of the precinct, being orphaned at the age of 17, complained of his 
 uncle Ephraim as being hard with him, and set up for himself ; being 
 allowed his own cows for a support, and his negro servant Tony for a 
 helpmate. March 26, 1719, Stephen Williams, then in the third year 
 of his ministry, writes : " This day I bought me a servant man. Some 
 of my neighbors think it may be for the better ; others think not." 
 The negative opinion may have resulted from his having got so little 
 profit from Nicholas, a body servant who attended him and his. wife 
 on their horseback journeys. Oct. 21, 1718. " I went to Deerfield 
 and sold my boy Nicholas. He seemed to be very concerned what 
 he was sold about ; and surely I was grieved for him ; but yet I thot 
 it w d be for his benefit to be sold to a master y* w d keep him to busi- 
 ness, as well as for my profit." Mention is also made at various times 
 of Tom, Peter, Cato, Phyllis, Scipio, and Stanford. April n, 1754. 
 " This morning poor Tom behaved saucily and unbecomingly, so that 
 we were forced to tye him up. He appeared penitent and I forgave 
 him." In his prayers frequent and tender supplications are Offered 
 for "the servants of the family." Oct. 17,1731. " I baptized our
 
 268 
 
 negro boy Scipio, I and my wife publickly promising that we -would 
 endeavor (God assisting us) that he should have a Christian educa- 
 tion." The church records mentions such instances. July 13. Caesar, 
 negro servant to Capt. Geo. Colton and Zick, negro servant of Thos. 
 Field, were " baptized and subjected themselves to y e covenant of 
 Christ on his church." Feb. 17, 1733, Peter, negro servant of Ser- 
 geant John Cooley. and Phyllis, servant of Stephen Williams, were 
 baptized and made a public profession of their reformation. 
 
 It appears from Dr. Williams' diary that his intimate friend, Presi- 
 dent Wheelock of Dartmouth College, owned at least four negroes. 
 
 Of the old-time customs, there were both good and bad. The peo- 
 ple were shut in upon themselves both for their enjoyments and their 
 strifes. Their own community was their little world ; they knew each 
 others' affairs pretty thoroughly, and there was abundant opportunity 
 for the meddlesome. Hospitality was a virtue and a solace. The 
 pastor set a large example. He speaks of having one day twelve 
 chance guests at his table, and during another seven arrivals to spend 
 the night. The blazing fire of logs on the ample hearth sizzled and 
 snapped and roared a cheery evening welcome. The tobacco-box, 
 with its long and short pipes, hung in a handy place. The straight- 
 backed, rush-bottomed chairs tipped back against the wall, and the 
 high-backed settles that beat back the draughts and reflected the 
 ruddy glow invited to free and easy talk. For the convenience of the 
 young lovers, there was no next room, but courting sticks prophe- 
 cies of the telephone long wooden tubes that could convey from lip 
 to lip sweet and secret whispers. The merry blast of the stage horn 
 was a more stimulating sound than is to us the distant shriek of the 
 locomotive. The flip irons were always ready on the tavern hearth, 
 and " tavern haunting " was one of the bad customs. Carousings, 
 excessive drinking, "company keeping," "frolicks " among the young 
 people, " all night " sometimes, if Pastor Williams is correctly in- 
 formed, must have been known or else some of his faithful sermons 
 were works of supererogation. 
 
 The wood sleddings, when the woodpile at the parsonage began to 
 vanish away, were joyful occasions for the parson, with just a little 
 tinge of apprehension. Never does Stephen Williams forget to make 
 a note of them. Jan. 25, 1757. "Neighbors sledded wood for me 
 and shewed a Good Humour. I rejoice at it. The Lord bless them 
 that are out of humour, and brot no wood." A selected load of hick- 
 ory, expressly for his study fire, rejoiced the good man's heart still 
 more.
 
 269 
 
 The " rate days," too, were tests of character and feeling. In the 
 great scarcity of money, the rates were paid in grain which the minis- 
 ter made into beef and pork to pay his debts. " I declined taking 
 some corn that Capt. C. sent here this day. I think I acted upon a 
 principle of justice. I desire that the Captain may be kept calm and 
 composed." 
 
 And the spinners came to help the parson's family, and the quilt- 
 ers, and there were " repasts of cake and pies " and merry times. 
 The reapers and mowers also lent a hand when the grass and grain of 
 the " ministry land " were ripe ; but the rum provided by the parson 
 must be of good quality, or there might be " uneasiness." 
 
 The customs of that day looked towards mutual help. At every 
 raising the community gathered, and with plenty of drink and great 
 good cheer, sometimes " too merry," the parson thought. For a long 
 time there was no appointed sexton, the neighbors dug and filled the 
 grave, and carried the bier. 
 
 The ojd-time minister had no stipulated vacation, but he indulged 
 in long journeys, election weeks, and commencements, and when the 
 Sabbath found him absent, Dea. Aaron, or Master Jabe would read a 
 sermon. 
 
 The Sabbath day was strictly kept, although considerably infringed 
 upon in the war times, from sunset on Saturday to sunset on Sunday ; 
 and yet there was more or less of worldly conversation about the 
 church doors before service, and in the horse-sheds and neighbors' 
 houses at noon. The tithing men also had to watch with considerable 
 vigilance the boys and girls in the galleries. 
 
 The church creed was brief, but the real creed was the Westminster 
 Shorter Catechism, recited at the home fireside in connection with the 
 family worship, and on Saturday forenoons, instead of spelling, in the 
 common schools. Dr. Williams held frequent " catechisms " for the 
 children ; he met the young men in the school-house for familiar ques- 
 tionings and instruction, the young women also by themselves ; he 
 held household meetings for prayer in cases of special need ; he re- 
 peated sermons in private houses for the benefit of invalids and aged 
 people. A weekly lecture, set up by the ministers of six adjacent 
 parishes, was for a long time largely attended, and on one of these 
 
 occasions " after Mr. Brewers Lecture, Goodman B was set in the 
 
 pillory before the Congregation." That there were tramps in the for- 
 mer days we have this testimony from Dr. Williams: "Jan. 31, 
 1766. "We have many persons, passing along, y* appear to be mere 
 cheats, y* impose upon people and get money from them."
 
 270 
 
 Q INDUSTRIES AND MANUFACTURES. 
 
 In the early days of Longmeadow, the men and women, boys and 
 girls, were all workers if they would maintain the best repute. Idlers 
 and drunkards were the rare exceptions. There was very little cash : 
 trade was mostly by barter, the exchange being either of labor or pro- 
 duce. Agriculture was the fundamental resource and the manufac- 
 tures were generally home-made or carried on within the limits of the 
 community. There were the great and the small spinning-wheels, 
 and the clacking looms and the darting shuttles, all making house- 
 hold music. There were the spinning and the quilting bees, the 
 candle-dippings, the fulling-mills, the cloth dressers, and the dye- 
 tubs. The shoemakers, like Azariah Woolworth and Jonathan 
 Stebbins, wrought in their little shops with their apprentices, or 
 shouldered their packs and went from house to house to shoe 
 the family by the day or the week, when the tanners, like Oliver 
 Dwight and Gaius Bliss, had prepared the hides ; the tailors and tai- 
 loresses, like Isaiah Morgan and Betsy Colton, peregrinated in like 
 fashion, when the home-made cloth was ready. The boys shook the 
 trees and picked up the apples ; the cider-mills crushed them, and the 
 stills produced the brandy. The cabinet-makers, like David and Wal- 
 ter White, made the furniture, and made it well ; the millers, like 
 Abner Chandler and Joseph Morrison, ground the corn and sawed the 
 timber; the coopers, like Elijah Colton, provided the barrels and tubs ; 
 the blacksmiths, like Chandler Colton and Daniel and Israel Gates, 
 shod the horses ; the wood-workers and wheelwrights, like Eli Taylor 
 and Sabin Colton, made the carts ; the carpenters, like George Ray- 
 nolds, framed the houses ; surveyors, like David Booth, measured the 
 lands ; and there were masons, hatters, powder manufacturers, ink 
 makers, printers, brick-makers, net-weavers, rope-makers, broom- 
 makers, and, indeed, all the handicrafts that were needed for the uses 
 or comforts of those days. Seven brick-yards, and as many shoe- 
 shops, 17 cider-mills, and 6 distilleries can be enumerated as belonging 
 to the western part of the town alone, and at least 17 other manufactur- 
 ing industries, besides those carried on in the private houses. " My 
 children," writes Stephen Williams in his diary for Sept. 16, 1762, 
 "have been trying the new machine for the winding of silk from the 
 balls, and have been so far successful that I apprehend that there may 
 be some profit in raising silk even in this country." While the women 
 of his household spun and wove, every farmer was something of a 
 mechanic ; or he could exchange his day's work or his farm products
 
 2/1 
 
 for the skilled labor of the village artisan. There were no middle- 
 men. Every householder, even the minister, killed his own beef and 
 pork, and loaned or borrowed, as convenience suited. Longmeadow 
 had less need of Boston or New Haven merchants than they had of 
 her fanners to do their winter teaming, although in quiet times of 
 peace large quantities of goods went round by water. The teamsters 
 carried eight barrels of flour to a two-horse load, and their charge for 
 freight to Boston was about $i per hundred pounds. 
 
 Nor should the Longmeadow flat-boatmen, like Capt. John Cooley 
 and William Hixon, be forgotten, as belonging to the old days when 
 the Connecticut River was whitened with the great white sails of the 
 flat-boats, and merry during the summer season with the shouts and 
 songs of the jovial watermen. As for her own merchants, Samuel Col- 
 ton, Jonathan and Hezekiah Hale, the first built his own vessels, 
 and they all exported staves, hoop-timber, tobacco, or some other 
 home product for their rum, sugar, salt, or drygoods. A bill of lading 
 for Merchant Colton's brig Friendship has been cited in the histori- 
 cal discourse. Here follows an invoice of Jonathan Hale & Son, con- 
 signing 425 pounds of tobacco to Jonathan Smith, "shiped By and on 
 the Resque of Ebenezer Smith, Esq., on Bord the Briganteen Cotton 
 Burgh, Wm. Claghorn, Commander, Bound for gotten Bourgh in Swe- 
 den," and procuring in exchange " 23 Ibs. of white lead, 14 Ibs. of 
 pepper, one silk handkerchief, one set of Cheney, and 3 Snuff Boxes." 
 
 In those ante-railroad days the Longmeadow merchants rivaled those 
 of Springfield or Hartford, and dealt with a large extent of country. 
 It was a frequent sight to behold on some fair day the west side of the 
 highway above and below " Merchant Colton's " lined for nearly a 
 quarter of a mile with the horse.5 of his customers, who had come with 
 their saddlebags from Somers, Monson, Stafford, and all the region 
 round about. When the Revolution broke out they were put to 
 severe straits by the emission of the Continental currency. While 
 " Marchant Colton " refused it at par value, Jonathan and Hezekiah 
 Hale, with a wiser foresight, submitted, and no doubt under stress of 
 the following document, in the handwriting of " Master Jabe " : 
 
 To M r Jonathan Hail and his fon Hezekiah Hail 
 
 SIRS : it is matter of great grief that you Should give us caufe to call upon you 
 in this uncomon way. Every man whofe actions are unfriendly to the comon Caufe 
 of our country ought to be convinced of his wrong behaviour & made to reform, or 
 treated as an open enemy. We find you guilty of very wrong behaviour in- felling 
 things at extravagant prices, particularly Weft India Goods. This conduct plainly 
 tends to undervalue paper Currency which is very detrimental to the Liberties of 
 36
 
 2/2 
 
 America. We therefore as your offended Brethren demand fatiffaction of you the 
 offenders by a confefiion for your paft conduct & a Thorough reformation for time to 
 Come. We warn you to be careful not to endevour to fell anything at Such an 
 extravagant Price as you have done before ; that you Sell Weft India Goods at no 
 more than the following Prices : Weft India Rum at Six Shillings by the Single 
 Gallon; Molafes at Three Shillings, D ; Sugar at Nine pence p r Pound ; Salt at 
 Six Shilling by y e Single Bumel ; and if you Sell thole articles by the large Quan- 
 tity you are to Sell proportionably Cheaper. We expect an anfwer to this whether 
 you Comply or not ; as if you do not Comply you muft be Treated with as obftinate 
 enemies to your Country. The fpace of an hour is granted for an anfwer for which 
 we mall wait on you. 
 
 By whom signed, if it was signed at all, does not appear. In Mer- 
 chant Colton's case the " Committee of Safety " were disguised. When 
 soon after Col. Gideon Burt joined the Hail firm, we find them doing a 
 good business in gunpowder for the Continental army. An invoice of 
 nine barrels of powder, dated Boston, April 17, 1782, and signed by 
 their consignee, Thos. Foster, records the sale of tfao barrels to 
 Samuel Bradstreet, and one each to John Fairservice, Capt. Cordis, 
 Wm. and Josiah Brown, Capt. Amasa Davis, Dawes & Coolidge, Sam'l 
 Salisbury and Thos. Newell, Jr., footing up a total of ^i34,~3,-6. 
 
 The farmers as well as merchants of those days were good book- 
 keepers. "Thomas Colton, his Count Booke Bought Feb. 4, 17012, 
 of Mr. John Pynchon 3d and price oo 06 08," contains accounts 
 with 156 different persons, paged, indexed, and the credit and debit 
 sides properly balanced. Several such account-books remain to testify 
 to the business accuracy of the ancient Longmeadow farmers. 
 
 The following list, taken at random, of Capt. Thomas Colton's 
 charges and payments, will throw light upon the prices of various arti- 
 cles in his day, reckoning six shillings to a dollar : 
 
 By 8 pare of moos (made by Ebenezer Blifs at my houfe) 2. 4. Seting a pach 
 on my moo 6d. Side of upper leather i. 12. Making a Barrill 33. 6. Meat bar- 
 rill 43. Hay Knife 173. Coming 12 pounds of Wool I2S. To my jurny to Chick- 
 ebe 2s. Mans work one day 2s. do, mowing 2s. 3d. 1000 tenpenny nails 133. Cow- 
 hide 59 Ibs 4,. 8. 6. Horfe 2 days to ride to town 2s. Oxen one day is. 2d. Oxen 
 and Cart one day 33. 6d. 8 bufhels Indian corn, cam, i6s. Weefinge 54 yards Lin. 
 enge cloth .1. n. 8. Brafs Kittell i. Quart of Brandy 2s. Quart of melafes is. 
 id. Peck of molte 75. 6d. 3 Hog yoaks 8s. Ox Yoak i. o. o. 17 Ibs butter 
 173. 4 bufhells tornups 53. 15 Ibs tobacco 73. 6d. In the year 1719 my rate for 
 M r Williams was ^4. i. 8. My rate to the meeting houfe, 1714, ^5. 12. 8. To a 
 fword and Belt i. 8. 3 doz pigens is. 19 fliahs 2s. gd. i doz of pigens gd. 
 broom i os, 3 doz Coat buttons 6s. 8. A pare of leder Breches 173. Anna Col. 
 ton's board 2 weeks 53. Geo. Colton's board 2 weeks 8s. Boy one day is. 4000 
 good marchantabel bords .5. Horfe one day and Halfe to plow is. id. Schooling 
 my boys 7 weeks i. IDS. Setting 32 copies 45.
 
 273 
 
 To encourage business enterprise, the town, at various dates toward 
 the close of the last century (see pp. 166-7), leased a strip of land 
 in the middle of the village green, a little north of the church, 
 for shops of various kinds, which made a very slovenly appearance. 
 Little attention was paid anywhere to tidiness of grounds or dwellings. 
 The woodpiles and chipyards before the unpainted houses, the rail 
 fences and steaming barnyards that came to the front, the roaming 
 swine and geese (seep. 175), the blowing sand that threatened the 
 underpinning of the old church (see p. 152), gave no predictions of 
 street-improvement societies. 
 
 During the present century the Longmeadow merchants have been. 
 John Woolworth, Calvin Burt & Sons, Dimond and Simeon Colton, 
 William White, Horace Newell, Lester Noble, and Edwin K. Colton ; 
 and in the eastern part of the town, Andrew Mclntosh, Seth Taylor, 
 Willis Phelps, William Lathrop, Crooks Bros., G. W. Callender, 
 Henry Crooks, C. F. Russell, Prescott Billings, Edward Lathrop, W. 
 H. Dickinson, James L. Pratt, and Henry Hall. 
 
 The tavern-keepers have been Simon Colton, Nathaniel Ely, 
 Nathaniel Burt, Demas Colton, Alpheus Colton, Stephen Chandler, 
 Seth Steel, William White, Dimond Colton and Sons, Captain 33urn- 
 ham ; and in the eastern part of the town, Daniel Porter, George Hunt, 
 Willis Phelps, Joseph Morrison, Lyman Lathrop, John Ives, and 
 Henry Crooks. 
 
 In 1848 Dimond Chandler began the manufacture of buttons in the 
 western part of the town, which was largely expanded by the Newell 
 Bros. The manufacture of spectacles and thimbles was also carried 
 on by Dimond Chandler, Jacob Colton, Gilson D. Hollister, Sumner 
 W. Gates, George Terry and E.-K. Colton, John Miller, Samuel Bur- 
 bank, and Wm. W. Coomes, the last named only remaining in that 
 trade. 
 
 The physicians, besides those already mentioned as connected with 
 East Longmeadow, have been Dr. Charles Pynchon, William Sheldon, 
 Joshua Frost, Lewis White, Daniel Stebbins, Oliver Bliss, Hiram 
 Bliss, George Hooker, William Vaille, D. A. Dorman, T. L. Chapman, 
 and John A. McKinstry. 
 
 Longmeadow has had but one resident professional lawyer, Asa 
 Olmstead, and his residence was brief. But there have been always 
 unprofessional village lawyers, such as Jabez and Elihu Colton, 
 Nathaniel Ely, Gad O. Bliss, and Erskine D. Burbank, whose techni- 
 cal knowledge and trusted judgment have been relied upon for the 
 drawing of wills, the settlement of estates, and all similar business.
 
 2/4 
 
 Stephen Williams, whose eminent sagacity and judicial common 
 sense, combined with the gentleness of wisdom, were held in the 
 highest esteem, was not infrequently consulted in the making of wills, 
 and often acted as a mutual counsellor or referee in cases of dissen- 
 sion and perplexity. 
 
 The Longmeadow fisheries were formerly a source of considerable 
 profit. Salmon were so plenty before, the dams impeded them and 
 the factories defiled the water, that a proportionate quantity of salmon 
 was stipulated to go with the shad. The shad, however, were always 
 the most of a drug ; the salmon sold the shad rather than the shad the 
 salmon. Almost every family in those days salted down their shad, 
 and it was the stipulation of hired men that they should not have a 
 disproportionate amount of this article of food. Sturgeon, sometimes 
 to the size of 300 pounds, were often seen leaping high out of the 
 water. The Longmeadow fishing rights were in more recent days 
 divided between six proprietors : Oliver Bliss, Nathaniel Ely, Judah 
 Cooley, Isaac Calkins, Dirhond Colton, and John Coomes. These 
 proprietors either manned the boat themselves or let out their rights 
 on shares. The April suns called out the nets for shad or sturgeon, 
 whichwere spread at length on the village green and put in order. A 
 haul would sometimes bring in 400 shad. When the boatmen, who 
 worked on shares, massed their portion at evening on the beach, the 
 fish were distributed in piles as equally as possible. Then one man 
 would turn his back, and as another pointed to each pile with the cry, 
 " Who shall ? " he would call out a name, and to the owner of the name 
 would the pile belong. A big sturgeon made a great commotion in a 
 shad net, but by playing fast and loose was now and then secured. 
 
 One of the most remarkable hauls of the Longmeadow fishers was 
 the steamer Massachusetts, commanded by Capt. Burnham, Chester 
 Chapin, proprietor. She had her prescribed right to the channel and 
 so had the shad-net. But on this voyage she undertook unnecessarily, 
 having room enough besides, to ride over the net. This roused the 
 ire of the shad-fishers. Their floating rope was new and strong, and 
 they had just begun their haul. While the steamer's whistle shrieked 
 and the engineer crowded on steam, they put every man his full 
 strength to the windlass. The Massachusetts' paddle-wheels got en- 
 tangled and gave out, and she had to come in with the shad high and 
 dry. With the swearing of the officers and the laughter of her passen- 
 gers, there was a scene worthy of Charles Dickens' notes of Connecti- 
 cut River travel on one of these same steamers.
 
 275 
 
 R. TOWN AND PAROCHIAL FUNDS. 
 
 Reference has been made in various places in the foregoing pages 
 to ministerial, school, and other funds, respecting which a condensed 
 statement may be desirable. 
 
 THE MINISTERIAL FUND, of about fifteen hundred dollars, has been 
 derived from the sale, at various times, of the parochial ministry lands. 
 
 The first reference to ministry lands appears in the following very 
 old agreement of Nathaniel Burt, Sr., Samuel Bliss, 2d, Samuel Steb- 
 bins, and Thomas Hale, who owned lands on the Hill previous to the 
 laying out of the house lots, viz. : 
 
 "To incourage to collect on the Hill, and that the land there may be laid out 
 orderly to make a vilage there, We do agree as followeth . 
 
 I st As to Nath 1 Burt Sen r concerning my land on the North Side of Long- 
 meadow Brook, I will give f d land to publick ufe to the Miniftry or Minifter, or that 
 f" Lands fhall be given to private men provided that there be land provided for that 
 ufe, that may be more convenient." 
 
 By Grant No. 15 (see page 181) it appears that this Nathaniel Burt 
 received an allotment of forty rods frontage on the east side of the 
 main street, north of Meeting-House Lane, which he by deed (referred 
 to in the deed of Pastor Storrs's homestead, given on page 198) con- 
 veyed to the Parish of Longmeadow, "the same to be and remain 
 to the use and improvement of the orthodox Nonconformist minis- 
 ters of said Parish successively forever." 
 
 By vote of the parish, March 7, 1715, Pastor Williams was permit- 
 ted to "chuse a horn Lott" (see page 168), and appears to have 
 chosen the south half of this grant, and to have erected thereupon his 
 own house ; receiving also the use and improvement of the other half 
 of the same grant, under the name of the five-acre ministry lot, by 
 further vote of May 4, 1715 (see page 168). 
 
 Upon the settlement of Pastor Storrs, by vote of the Town, Aug. 
 29, 1785 (see page 171), the use and improvement of this five-acre 
 ministry lot was also granted to him ; but no home lot in fee simple, 
 as had been to Pastor Williams. The town being desirous of selling 
 its ministry (and also school) lands, as appears by many votes at dif- 
 ferent times, and Pastor Storrs being willing to purchase, he proceeded, 
 upon this general understanding, to erect, in 1786, a house for himself 
 upon the north half of this ministry lot, depending upon a subsequent 
 transfer of title ; and April 4, 1791, five years after, we find a vote of 
 the town, " To insert in the next warrant issued by the selectmen a
 
 276 
 
 clause to obtain the minds of the inhabitants respecting giving the 
 Rev. Mr. Storrs an indisputable title to the land on which his house 
 stands, and also to determine upon what terms, or in what method, 
 the town chooses that he shall pay for the said land ; " which was fol- 
 lowed by a further vote, May 3, 1791, " To give the Rev. Mr. Storrs a 
 deed of the land which was sold him by the town, if he will pay ^40 
 lawful money for the same, with interest from the 3d of May, 1791." 
 The method of transfer which was adopted has already been 
 described (see pp. 197, 198). 
 
 The south half of this five-acre ministiy lot remained under the use 
 and improvement of Pastor Storrs during his life, and soon after his 
 death was sold by the parish, through its agents, the Trustees of the 
 Ministerial Fund, an organization incorporated by act of the Legis- 
 lature in 1823, for the purpose of holding and managing the parochial 
 property, in whose care the fund itself now remains. 
 
 A SABBATH-SCHOOL FUND of five hundred dollars was given in 
 1873, by Ethan C. Ely in memory of his only son, Mason Warren 
 Ely, who died Nov. 7, 1871, aged 13 years. The fund is known as 
 the Mason Warren Ely Fund; and its annual interest is applicable to 
 the purchase of books for the Sabbath-school use. 
 
 THE BURYING GROUND FUND has already been fully explained 
 upon page 201. Its claim upon every loving and reverent son or 
 daughter of Longmeadow is strong and tender. It should come 
 ultimately to represent the sacred ancestral instincts and interests of 
 hundreds of such, turning lovingly thitherward from every part of our 
 land. 
 
 Although, as appears by the foregoing statements, none of the for- 
 mer school or ministry lands remain now, as such, in the possession 
 of either the town or parish, yet by a favoring concurrence of circum- 
 stances, the First Parish has become the present owner of the corner 
 building lot of the original Pastor Williams home lot. The burning 
 of the old Williams parsonage in 1846, already referred to on page 234, 
 and the subsequent death of the grandson there mentioned, opened 
 the opportunity to a few citizens to unite, in the year 1857, in the pur- 
 chase of this lot, and in the subsequent erection upon it of a conven- 
 ient and tasteful brick parsonage, which was then transferred to the 
 First Parish as its perpetual parsonage property. Thus it happens 
 that the present century finds the pastor of the old Longmeadow 
 Church dwelling upon the same spot, drawing water from the same 
 well, and cultivating the same garden as good old Pastor Williams of 
 nearly two centuries ago.
 
 2/7 
 
 S. THE RECENT MILITARY RECORD. 
 
 The record of Longmeadow in the late civil war was a noteworthy 
 one, not only in the number of her representatives upon the battle 
 field, but more especially in the alacrity of her pecuniary response to 
 the call of the hour. Before the passage of any law by the State 
 Legislature authorizing towns to tax themselves for bounties to volun- 
 teers, papers were circulated at three different times, and received 
 the signatures of nearly every voter, pledging themselves to the pay- 
 ment of their personal proportion of liberal bounties ($100, $100, 
 $200,) to each volunteer under the respective calls of the President, 
 whether the Legislature should ultimately pass any enabling act or 
 not. These subscription papers, still preserved in the town archives, 
 constitute a Roll of Honor for those who thus promptly pledged their 
 property, hardly less a source of just pride to the town than the 
 muster roll of its volunteers. 
 
 When the Legislature did pass the desired enabling act, the town 
 itself promptly authorized a temporary war debt of several thousand 
 dollars, which it then promptly extinguished by taxation. Indeed, it 
 may be mentioned here, as one of the happy distinctions of Long- 
 meadow, that with an unusually low rate of taxation, it has never been 
 willing to rest long under a town debt for any purpose. 
 
 The following is a very nearly complete list of Longmeadow's 
 contribution in men to the Union force in the late civil war : 
 
 LONGMEADOW VOLUNTEERS, SUBSTITUTES, AND DRAFTED MEN. 
 
 [EXPLANATION. M'd in, mustered in; m'd out, mustered out; transf'd transferred; re-en, 
 re-enlisted; pro, promoted; disch'd, discharged; rec'd, received.] 
 
 RISDON A. BREWER, 8th Infy , Co. A, m'd in July 13, 1864, m'd out Nov. 10, 1864. 
 J. MILTON GRISWOLD, 8th Infy., Co. A, m'd in July 13, 1864, m'd out Nov. 10, 1864. 
 ALBERT M. PEASE, 8th Infy., Co. A, m'd in July 13, 1864, m'd out Nov. 10, 1864. 
 GEORGE M. TAYLOR, 8th Infy., Co. A, m'd in July 13, 1864, m'd out Nov. 10, 1864. 
 EDWARD L. GAGE, 8th Infy., Co. H, m'd in July 10, 1864, m'd out Nov. 10, 1864. 
 WILLIAM COLLINS, gth Infy., Co. G, m'd in July 16, 1863, deserted Sept. 19, 1863. 
 JAMES BARTEL, loth Infy., Co. G, deserted, no date of his desertion. 
 GEORGE COOK, loth Infy., Co. A, m'd in June 21, 1861 ; transf'd to Battery G, 2d 
 
 U. S. Art., Nov. 21, 1862; pro. to ist Sergt.; killed at Cold Harbor, Va., 
 
 May 31, 1864. 
 JAMES W. BLOSSOM, loth Infy., Co. B, m'd in Dec. 22, 1863; transf'd to Co. H, 
 
 37th Regt, June 21, 1864; transf'd to Co. K, 2Oth Regt., June 21^ 1865; 
 
 dropped from rolls July 7, 1865; no record of muster out. 
 MERRITT E. SANFORD, loth Infy., Co. B, m'd in Dec. 22, 1863; transf'd to Co. H, 
 
 37th Regt., June 21, 1864; transf'd to Co. K, 2oth Regt., June 21, 1865; 
 
 pro. Corpl. July i, 1865, Sergt. July 20, 1865; m'd out July 16, 1865.
 
 278 
 
 FRANCIS WALKER, toth Infy., Co. B, m'd in Dec. 22, 1863; transf'd to Co. H, 37th 
 
 Regt, June 21, 1864; transf'd to Co. K, 2oth Regt, June 21, 1865. Severely 
 
 wounded in hand at Salem Heights, Va., May 3, 1863. M'd out July 16, 1865. 
 JOHN N. WALKER, loth Infy., Co. B, m'd in Dec. 22, 1863 ; transf'd to Co. H, 37th 
 
 Regt., June 21,1 864 ; transf'd to 2Oth Regt., June 21,1 865. Severely wounded 
 
 in groin at Spottsylvania May 12, 1864. No record of muster out. 
 SAMUEL IRWIN, loth Infy., Co. C, m'd in Dec. 21, 1863; died May 29, 1864, of 
 
 wounds received at Spottsylvania May 12, 1864. 
 CHARLES E. SPELLMAN, loth Infy., Co. E, m'd in Dec. 22, 1863 '> transf'd to Co. K, 
 
 37th Regt., June 19, 1863 ; transf'd to 2Oth Regt, Co. K, June 21, 1865 ; m'd 
 
 out July 1 6, 1865. 
 WILLIAM WARRILLOW, loth Infy., Co. E, .m'd in Dec. 22, 1863 ; transf'd to Co. K, 
 
 37th Regt., June 19, 1864 ; transf'd to Co. K, 2oth Regt., June 21, 1865. 
 
 Slightly wounded in hand at Spottsylvania May 12, 1864 ; m'd out July 16, 1865. 
 ORRIN B. COOLEY, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861 ; pro. to Corpl. and 
 
 Sergt. ; disch'd Feb. 20, 1864, to re-en. ; transf'd to Co. I, 37th Regt., June 
 
 19, 1864 ; P r o. to 2d Lieut, in I7th Regt. Feb. 7, 1865 ; pro. to ist Lieut. June 
 
 I, 1865 ; m'd out July n, 1865. 
 EDWARD P. COOMES, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861. Wounded in hand 
 
 at Spottsylvania May 12, 1864; m'd out July I, 1864; re-en, in Hancock's 
 
 Vet. Corps ; pro. to Sergt. 
 ELIAS COOMES, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861. Killed at Fair Oaks May 
 
 31, 1862, shot through the head. 
 EMORY B. GATES, xoth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861 ; transf'd to Vet. Res. 
 
 Corps Nov. 23, 1863; m'd out July i, 1864. 
 ORRIN A. HENDRICK, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861 ; pro. to Corpl. and 
 
 Sergt. in Sept. 1863 ; disch'd in Oct. 1863, to accept a commission in Gen. 
 
 Wild's colored brigade ; pro. to rank of Major. 
 JOSIAH C. HUNT, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861; disch'd Sept. 19, 1862, 
 
 for disability; re-en. Feb. i8th, in Co. A, 3d Cav. ; m'd out Sept. 28, 1865. 
 
 Died at home Jan. 12, 1868. 
 EDWARD W. LATHROP, loth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861, disch'd Oct. 27, 
 
 1862, for disability, typhoid fever. 
 WILLIAM F. WINTER, roth Infy., Co. F, m'd in June 21, 1861, pro. to Corpl. Nov. 
 
 13, 1862, Sergt. Jan. i, 1864. Was not absent from his regiment a single day, 
 
 nor in hospital; m'd out July i, 1864. 
 
 JAMES MCLAUGHLIN, nth Infy., Co. C, m'd in July 15, 1863, m'd out July 14, 1865. 
 EDMUND A. COLTON, nth Infy., Co. G, m'd in June 13, 1861, m'd out June 24, 1864, 
 
 pro. to Corpl. 
 THOMAS BURKE, 2oth Infy., Co. K, m'd in Aug. 26, 1861, transf'd to 4th U. S. Art. 
 
 Oct. 20, 1862. 
 DANIEL GALLAGHER, 2ist Infy., Co. B, m'd in Aug. 23, 1861, transf'd to U. S. Cav. 
 
 Oct. 25, 1862. 
 HENRY A. KNOX, 2ist Infy., Co. B, m'd in Aug. 23, 1861, disch'd Jan. i, 1864, to 
 
 re-en. ; transf'd to Co. I, 36th Regt. ; transf'd to Co. A, 56th Regt., June 8, 
 
 1865 ; m'd out July 12, 1865. 
 NATHANIEL F. KNOX, 2ist Infy., Co. B, m'd in Feb. 23, 1864. Taken prisoner 
 
 before Petersburg, Va., Sept. 30, 1864. Died at Andersonville Feb. 21, 1865.
 
 2/9 
 
 JOSEPH FRIZZELL, 22d Infy., m'd in June 29, 1864. Substitute for Edward Cordis ; 
 
 cost, $750.00. 
 CARLO F. BROWN, 24th Infy., Co. F, m'd in Sept. 12, 1861. Killed. at Newbern, 
 
 N. C., Mar. 14, 1862. 
 GEORGE DINKS, 25th Infy., Co. G, m'd in Jan. 12, 1864. Died at New Haven, 
 
 Conn., Oct. 15, 1864. 
 FREDERICK H. BLACKMER, 27th Infy., Co. E, m'd in June 19, 1862; disch'd Aug. 
 
 12, 1863 ; re-en. Feb. 10, 1864, in Co. I, 3d Regt., Heavy Art. ; m'd out Sept. 
 
 26, 1865. 
 DEXTER AINSWORTH, 27th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Sept. 25, 1861 ; disch'd to re-en. 
 
 Dec. 23, 1863 ; m'd out June 26, 1865. 
 DORR R. BRUCE, 27th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Feb. 27, 1864. Died May 7, 1864, of 
 
 wounds rec'd at Walthall Junction, Va. 
 EBENEZER P. MCGREGORY, 27th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Sept. 26, 1861 ; transf'd to 
 
 Vet. Res. Corps Aug. 14, 1863; m'd out April i, 1865. 
 CHARLES H. RUST, 27th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Oct. 12, 1861 ; pro. to Corpl. April i, 
 
 1862 ; m'd out Nov. i, 1864. 
 EDWARD PENDLETON, 27th Infy., Co. G, m'd in July 31, 1862 ; disch'd to re-en, in 
 
 Co. G, 27th Regt., Jan. I, 1864; disch'd Nov. 23, 1865, for disability. 
 REUBEN WICKS, 27th Infy., Co. E, m'd in July 7, 1864. Never joined his Company. 
 CHARLES STONE, 28th Infy., m'd in July 19, 1864. Substitute for Edwin K. Colton ; 
 
 cost, $700.00. 
 EDWARD WALTERS, 28th Infy., m'd in July 19, 1864. Substitute for Arthur D. 
 
 Medlicott ; cost, $700.00. 
 PATRICK CARNES, 3ist Infy., Co. A, m'd in Nov. 20, 1861 ; disch'd to re-en. Feb. 
 
 12, 1864, in Co. A, 3ist Regt.; m'd out Sept. 5, 1865. 
 
 JOHN DELACY, 32d Infy., Co. I, m'd in July 16, 1863. Died, no date given. 
 CHARLES S. RANSOM, 37th Infy., Co. A, m'd in Sept. 2, 1862. Deserted Oct. i, 1863. 
 CHARLES H. ELY, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1863, m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 EDWARD BURT, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. Died 
 
 June 2, 1864, of wounds rec'd at Spottsylvania. 
 DWIGHT M. CHAPMAN, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. ; 
 
 m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 GEORGE C. DAGGETT, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862; transf'd to Vet. Res. 
 
 Corps Sept. 16, 1863 ; m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 
 DANIEL GREEN, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862, m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 HENRY HALL, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862, m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 CHESTER D. HOLBROOK, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. 
 
 Shot through the arm in the Wilderness May 6, 1864; disch'd for disability 
 
 Nov. 22, 1864. 
 BARNABAS C. KNOX, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; disch'd for disability 
 
 May 6, 1863. 
 ALFRED HITCHCOCK, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Died at Frederick 
 
 City, Md., Aug. 7, 1864. 
 FREDERICK A. MOODY, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. Jan. 
 
 12, 1864, Sergt. April 9, 1865; m'd out Jan. 21, 1865. 
 
 JOHN ORR, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Deserted June 18, 1863. 
 SAMUEL ORR, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. Corpl. Disch'd for 
 
 disability May 20, 1864. 
 37
 
 280 
 
 DWIGHT H. PARSONS, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Commissary 
 
 Sergt. Nov. 27, 1862 ; pro. 2d Lieut. Mar. 4, 1865 ; m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 WILLJAM E, PARSONS, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. 
 
 April 6, 1865; m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 BENNETT H. PEPPER, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862; pro. to Sergt. ; m'd 
 
 out June 21, 1865. 
 
 HILAND PORTER, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862, m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 JOHN C. ROCKWOOD, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. ; m'd 
 
 out June 21, 1865. 
 JAMES F. Ross, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Shot in shoulder at 
 
 Wilderness, May 6, 1864 ; transf'd to Vet. Res. Corps ; m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 JOHN SHEA, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Died of wounds April 7, 
 
 1865, received at Sailor's Creek. 
 MYRON D. TAYLOR, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Died Mar. 18, 1864, 
 
 at Brandy Station, Va. 
 NATHANIEL P. TAYLOR, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in June 4, 1864 ; taken prisoner 
 
 May 27, 1864. Died at Andersonville Aug. 5, 1864. 
 
 WILLIAM THOMPSON, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862, m'd out June 21, 1865. 
 SPENCER H. WOOD, 37th Infy., Co. D, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862 ; transf'd to Vet. Res. 
 
 Corps Oct. 4, 1864. 
 TIMOTHY MULLEN, 3/th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Jan. 4, 1864. Killed at Sailor's Creek 
 
 April 6, 1865; was wounded and bayoneted. 
 JAMES ELLIOT BLISS, 37th Infy., Co. K, m'd in Aug. 30, 1862. Murdered at White 
 
 Oak Swamp, Va., Dec. 8, 1862. 
 THOMAS F. CORDIS, 46th Infy., Co. A, m'd in Sept. 25, 1862 ; pro. to Sergt.; m'd 
 
 out July 29, 1863. 
 ARTHUR D. MEDLICOTT, 46th Infy., Co. A, m'd in Sept. 25, 1862; disch'd Jan. 5, 
 
 1863. Furnished substitute, R. Ryan. 
 JAMES E. Coo LEY, 46th Infy., Co. E, m'd in Oct. 15, 1862; pro. to Corpl. ; m'd out 
 
 July 29, 1863. 
 
 STEPHEN R. ASHLEY, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 JOEL B. CALHOUN, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 
 Substitute for J. C. Pease. 
 WILLIAM A. CARPENTER, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 
 
 1863. 
 
 PATRICK CASEY, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 JOHN COME, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. Dead. 
 ALBERT E. CONVERSE, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Disch'd to re-en. 
 
 in Co. A, 2d Regt., Heavy Art., June 3, 1863; m'd out Sept. 3, 1865. 
 N. SAXTON COOLEY, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Was chosen 2d 
 
 Lieut. Detailed on Signal Corps. Stationed in front of Charleston, S. C., 
 
 from Feb. 1863 ; m'd out in Oct. 1863. 
 
 GILBERT H. COOMES, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29. 1863. 
 RICHARD H. COOMES, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 PATRICK DAVIS, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 WILLIAM C. EATON, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24. 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 ARTHUR F. EGGLESTON, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 JAMES P. GRISWOLD, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out Sept. 29, 1863,
 
 28l 
 
 ETHAN C. MC!NTOSH, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Disch'd June 25, 
 
 1863. Civil appointment. 
 DANIEL F. MURRAY, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out Jnly 29, 1863. 
 
 Dead. 
 DALLAS M. PEASE, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Disch'd June 3, 1863, 
 
 to re-en, in Co. A, 2d Heavy Art. ; m'd out Sept. 3, 1865. 
 
 GEORGE M. ROBBINS, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 GEORGE W. SCOTT, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862, m'd out July 29, 1863. 
 FRANK R. STEBBINS, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Disch'd Mar. 17, 
 
 1863, for disability. Died Mar. 26, 1863. 
 
 EDMUND W. WARNER, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862 ; pro. to Corpl. ; 
 
 m'd out July 29, 1863. Died Aug. 4, 1863. 
 
 JOEL E. WHITTEMORE, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862. Disch'd for disa- 
 bility Mar. 21, 1863. 
 EDWARD F. MOODY, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Oct. 16, 1862. Disch'd in Nov. 1862. 
 
 Furnished a substitute. 
 EUGENE C. PORTER, 46th Infy., Co. I, m'd in Sept. 24, 1862; pro. to Corpl. ; m'd 
 
 out July 29, 1863. 
 
 EDWARD HINES, 54th Infy., Co. A, m'd in Mar. 30, 1863, m'd out Aug. 20, 1865. 
 JOHN CORNISH, 54th Infy., Co. C, m'd in Mar. 30, 1863, m'd out Aug. 20, 1865. 
 PETER WARD, 20^ 57th Infy., Co. B, m'd in Jan. 4, 1864, m'd out July 30, 1865. 
 
 Absent, wounded. 
 MICHAEL HARRIS, 57th Infy., Co. F, m'd. in Feb. 18, 1864. Died of wounds May 
 
 12, 1864, rec'd at Wilderness. 
 JAMES P. Twiss, 57th Infy., Co. F, m'd in Feb. 18, 1864. Died at City Point, Va., 
 
 July 22, 1864. 
 
 HUGH PATRICK, ist Cav., Co. A, m'd in Dec. 30, 1863, m'd out June 26, 1865. 
 THOMAS BENTLEY, ist Cav., Co. D, m'd in Feb. 20, 1864, m'd out June 29, 1865. 
 CORNELIUS T. CHANDLER, ist Cav., Co. E, m'd in Sept. 14, 1861, m'd out Nov. 7, 
 
 1864. Died Sept. 15, 1867. 
 
 JAMES M. COOMES, ist Cav., Co. E, m'd in Sept. 18, 1861. Died May 4, 1864, in 
 
 Andersonville. 
 ELISHA Goss, ist Cav., Co. F, m'd in Sept. 25, 1861. Disch'd for disability Feb. 5, 
 
 1863. Died April 8, 1863. 
 CHAUNCEY E. PECK, ist Cav., Co. F, m'd in Sept. 25, 1861. Disch'd for disability 
 
 Sept. 12, 1864. 
 
 GEORGE SLADE, ist Cav., Co. H, m'd in Nov. 15, 1864, m'd out June 26, 1865. 
 JOHN E. PERKINS, ist Cav., Co. H. No record. Enlisted Jan. n, 1864. 
 JAMES ANDERSON, 2d Cav., unassigned recruit, m'd in July 15, 1864. 
 JOHN GREY, 2d Cav., unassigned recruit, m'd in July 15, 1864. 
 JOHN HARVEY, 2d Cav., unassigned recruit, m'd in July 8, 1864. Discharged for 
 
 disability July 22, 1864. 
 
 FRANCIS LYNCH, 2d Cav., unassigned recruit, m'd in July 15, 1864. 
 HENRY C. HUNT, 3d Cav., Co. A, m'd in Feb. 16, 1864; pro. to Corpl. ; m'd out 
 
 Sept. 28, 1865. 
 JAMES DONAHUE, 3d Cav., Co. G, m'd in Jan. 5, 1864. Died Aug. 10, 1864, at 
 
 Soldiers' Rest, Springfield, Mass. 
 CHARLES D. MACKEY, 4th Cav., Co. A, m'd in Mar. i, 1864. Disch'd for disability 
 
 May 24, 1865.
 
 282 
 
 FARNAM E. SAWIN, 4th Cav., Co. A, m'd in Mar. i, 1864 ; pro. to Sergt. ; m'd out 
 
 Nov. 14, 1865. 
 WILLIAM A. SMITH, 4th Cav., Co. A, m'd in Mar. i, 1864 ; pro. to Corpl. Killed 
 
 Oct. 24, 1864, at Gum Creek, Fla. 
 
 BENJAMIN F. COOK, 4th Cav., Co. C, m'd in Jan. 6, 1864, m'd out Nov. 14, 1865. 
 JOHN F. BANNON, 4th Cav., Co. G, m'd in Jan. 27, 1864 ; P ro - to Ist Sergt. Deserted 
 
 April 7, 1865. 
 HERBERT E. EGGLESTON, 2d Heavy Art., Co. F, m'd in Aug. 26, 1864, m'd out 
 
 June 26, 1865. 
 HIRAM C. BLACKMER, 3d Heavy Art., Co. I, m'd in Feb. 10, 1864, m'd out May 
 
 28, 1865. 
 
 HARVEY H. COOMES, 5th Infy., Conn., disch'd in 1865. Enlisted in June 1861. 
 JAMES GAGE, 7th Infy., Co. B, Conn., m'd out in Sept. 1864. Enlisted Sept. 2, 1861. 
 WILLIAM A. ALLEN, 8th Infy., Co. B, Conn., m'd in Sept. 12, 1861, m'd out Dec. 
 
 12, 1865. 
 
 GEORGE MILLER, i6th Infy., Co. D, Conn. Died Mch. 18, 1865, at Annapolis, Md. 
 ERASTUS B. KEENEY, i6th Infy., Conn. Disch'd June 10, 1865. 
 ETHAN W. LATHROP, i6th Infy., Conn. Died Oct. 21, 1863, in hospital at New 
 
 Haven, of typhoid fever produced by sun stroke. Enlisted Aug. 14, 1862. 
 CHARLES E. MINER, i6th Infy., Conn. No record. 
 WILLIAM H. CROOKS, ist Infy., Co. D, N. Y., m'd in June 21, 1861. Wounded in 
 
 shoulder at Williamsburg, Va. ; pro. 2d Lieut. Jan. 23, 1864 ; pro. to Capt. ; 
 
 m'd out July 26, 1864. 
 
 JOHN CARVER, 88th Infy., N. Y. No record. 
 PATRICK PIERCE, 88th Infy., N. Y. No record. 
 JOHN RANDALL, 88th Infy., N. Y. No record. 
 ASAHEL GAGE, JR., 2d Wis., Co. D. Killed by a shell at South Mountain Sept. 14, 
 
 1862. Enlisted April 19, 1861. 
 OTTO NEWPORT, 5th Cav., U. S. No record. 
 STEPHEN H. GREELEY, 5th Cav., Co. D, N. Y. No record. 
 GEORGE F. SESSIONS, 3d Art., Co. E, U. S., m'd in Oct. 14, 1861 ; pro. to Corpl., 
 
 Sergt., and ist Sergt.; m'd out Oct. 14, 1864. 
 HOWARD M. BURNHAM, 5th Art., Co. H, U. S. Rec'd appointment of 2d Lieut. 
 
 in 5th U. S. Art. May 14, 1861 ; pro. to ist Lieut. April 27, 1863. In Aug. 
 
 1863 was in command of Battery H, 5th U. S. Art. Appointed Chief of Art., 
 
 ist Div., i4th Army Corps, on Staff of Gen. Baird. Killed at Chicamauga, 
 
 Ga., Sept. 19, 1863. 
 EDWARD F. PHELPS, ist Bat'y, Conn., m'd in Nov. 13, 1861 ; pro. to Corpl. and 
 
 Sergt. ; m'd out in Va. in 1864. 
 MOSES PHELPS, JR., ist Bat'y, Conn., m'd in Nov. 13, 1861. Disch'd for disability 
 
 in 1864. 
 LEVI H. WARNER, ist Bat'y, Conn., m'd in Nov. 13, 1861. Died of typhoid fever 
 
 Aug. 8, 1862, at Hartford, Conn. 
 EUGENE MCGREGORY, i5th Bat'y, m'd in Dec. 1862. 
 GEORGE EVANS. No record. 
 GIDEON D. TOWNE. No record. 
 JOHN F. WHITCOMB. No record. 
 MICHAEL LEONARD, U. S. Navy. No Record.
 
 283 
 
 PETER CAVANAGH, Vet. Res. Corps, m'd in Dec. 6, 1864. Disch'd Nov. 15, 1865. 
 
 Order War Department. 
 
 JAMES HOTEY, Vet. Res. Corps, m'd in Nov. 21, 1864. 
 JOHN HURLEY, Vet. Res. Corps, m'd in Dec. 7, 1864. Disch'~Nov. 17, 1865. 
 
 Order War Department. 
 
 JOHN JACKEL, Vet. Res. Corps, m'd in Dec. 7, 1864. 
 JAMES M. CLARK, substitute for William E. Bliss; cost, $808. 
 MICHAEL DALTON, substitute for Thomas F. Cordis ; cost, $733. 
 CHARLES L. DAVIS, substitute for C. F. Hunn ; cost, $808. 
 WILLIAM DILLON, substitute for John N. Colton; cost, $733. 
 JOSEPH HARGREAVES, substitute for David Booth, 2d ; cost, $808. 
 DAVID JOHNSON, substitute for Homer Dwight ; cost, $908. 
 EDWARD JOHNSON, substitute for William E. Boies ; cost, #733. 
 CHARLES LAURENS, substitute for D. Erskine Burbank ; cost, $715.50. 
 ANDREW MCNAUGHTON, substitute for Stephen R. Ashley ; cost, $808. 
 JAMES SMITH, substitute for Sylvester Bliss ; cost, $700. 
 FRANK WILLIAMS, -substitute for N. Saxton Cooley; cost, $710. 
 DANIEL C. BLISS, drafted in 1864 ; procured a substitute. 
 DAVID W. DONE, drafted in 1864; procured a substitute. 
 MYRON HILL, drafted in 1864; paid commutation, $300. 
 RALPH B. HOPKINS, drafted in 1864; procured a substitute. 
 HENRY J. ROBERT, drafted in 1864; paid commutation, $300. 
 SIMEON B. SIMONS, drafted in 1864 ; paid commutation, $300. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Whole number, . . . . . . . . 166 
 
 Served whole term of enlistment, . . -79 
 
 Killed, .' . .8 
 
 Died of wounds, .... .5 
 
 Died of disease, .... ... .10 
 
 Died in prison, .... .3 
 
 Discharged for disability, .. ' . . .12 
 
 Deserted, .... . .5 
 
 No record, ...... . . 18 
 
 Substitutes, . .14 
 
 Transferred to regular army, ... .2 
 
 Discharged by order of War Department, . . .2 
 
 Drafted, .....' .6 
 
 U. S. Navy, ..... ' I 
 
 Never joined his company, . . I 
 
 166 
 
 Died since the war, . S 
 
 Average age, .... 25 years 4 months. 
 
 Total loss by death, ...... 26
 
 284 
 
 PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 The formal details of tabular statements might be to any extent 
 relieved and enlivened by personal sketches of army experience. The 
 two which follow are taken as representative of gallant behavior and 
 personal incident on the field in different departments of the service. 
 
 THE UURNHAM PLACE, LONGMEAI 
 
 LIEUT. HOWARD MATHER BURNHAM, BATTERY H, FIFTH U. S. ARTILLERY, 
 
 Son of Roderick H. and Katharine Livingston Burnham, grandson of Elisha and 
 Emily Burt Burnham, and in the eighth generation from the Burnhams of Hatfield 
 in Herefordshire, England, was connected through his grandmother, Emily Burt 
 Burnham, with the Burts of Longmeadow Capt. Calvin, Capt. David, and others 
 of the line, who served in the Indian and Revolutionary wars, going back through 
 nine generations, to Henry Burt of Springfield in 1638. Rev. Mr. Harding, in the 
 address at his funeral, said : "As chief of artillery and on the staff of Gen. Baird, 
 Lieut. Burnham had been assisting in the difficult task of conducting the artillery 
 over Lookout Mountain", when he fell on the battle-field of Chickamauga, while in 
 command of his battery. To one of the Sixteenth Regulars, who hurried to him as he 
 fell with the question, ' Lieutenant, are you hurt ? ' his answer was, ' Not much ; but 
 save the guns ! ' He then asked for water. One of his lieutenants was soon after at 
 his side, and said, ' Burnham, do you know me ? ' Opening his eyes faintly, he mur- 
 murmured, ' On with the Eighteenth ! ' and never spoke again. He died at his post, 
 serving his guns, surrounded by his brave men, in the very heat and ardor of the 
 battle, shot through the breast. There for us and his country he poured out his 
 noble blood. It was a willing sacrifice. What pleasant memories have we all of 
 that manly, open, handsome face, that laughing eye, that beamed so keen with honor 
 and with friendship. We knew him as one who scorned from his deepest soul all
 
 285 
 
 meanness and untruth and deceit. We think of him as the type of gentlemanly 
 bearing and the model of courtesy. He all along was unconsciously fitting himself 
 for the career that was to distinguish his opening manhood. Full six feet high and 
 finely proportioned, he became a proficient in manly sports and feats of strength; 
 was a great walker, and perfectly at home in the saddle." 
 
 A letter published in the New York Herald, from its army correspondent, says : 
 " Among the batteries lost was the famous Battery H of the Fifth Artillery. At 
 Shiloh it figured as TerrilFs, that officer then commanding, christening it on that 
 memorable day when it and others saved the day. At Stone River it again came to 
 the rescue, this time of McCook ; and under Lieut. Guenther it was now baptized 
 with his name. Recently Lieut. Howard M. Burnham came into command ; and 
 again for a third time, under a third gallant commander, Battery H came to the res- 
 cue. I knew. Burnham and Fessenden and Ludlow well. Their quarters lay on my 
 route to headquarters, and I never passed them without a pleasant greeting and a 
 cheerful word. They were each men of unusual worth. Burnham is killed and the 
 others wounded and captured. All have fallen nobly, and though the battery ceases 
 to exist, the story of their worth and heroism will not perish. ' Though the field be 
 lost, all is not lost,' when the smoke of battle dissolves to reveal the tableau of these 
 
 young men perishing over their guns At one time the regulars, hard pressed, 
 
 had the misfortune to be separated. A battalion of the Sixteenth Infantry was cut 
 off and nearly all captured. Major Coolidge was killed, Dawson and Miller, Clark, 
 Mills, Crofton, Adair, and Meridith wounded ; Burnham dead, and the men and 
 horses of his battery lying in heaps around him, with his lieutenants too badly 
 wounded to command, the brigade broken, badly repulsed, leaving the now immova- 
 ble battery in the hands of the rebels." The same correspondent adds : " The 
 charge of that corps should go down to posterity in language that would insure the 
 immortality of the story. Moving with admirable precision, yet with great rapidity, 
 the line never wavered, as the enemy, attempting to make a stand, would for a mo- 
 ment halt, and turn upon the terrible line of leaping flame which pursued him. The 
 incidents of that charge cannot be told. A thousand are crowding the note book of 
 my memory ; but I dare not stop now to tell how noble Burnham and Ludlow and 
 Fessenden, with thirty men and fifty horses killed, fell, over their captured guns, nor 
 how the battery was retaken, nor how the Sixteenth Infantry threw itself away 
 against the wall of flame that licked it up till only one wounded 'captain and twenty 
 men remained. I cannot now detail how volunteers and regulars vied with each 
 other for the honor of the day. God knows they won glory enough to cover all." 
 
 FROM THE JOURNAL OF CORPORAL ISAAC COOMES. 
 
 COMPANY I, THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT, MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 YELLOW TAVERN, NEAR FORT WARREN, IN CAMP ) 
 
 ABOUT THREE MILES SOUTH OF PETERSBURG, 
 
 ON THE WELDON RAILROAD. ) 
 
 Sunday morning about 3 o'clock, April 2, 1865, the last week of the war, my regi- 
 ment was put in position with a part of the Sixth Army Corps behind the breast- 
 works of the Vermont brigade's picket-line at Petersburg, to charge the rebel 
 works. Our picket-line kept firing to prevent the rebels from hearing the npise we 
 made in being massed. The rebel picket-line vigorously returned the fire, killing 
 and wounding several of our men. As we lay behind the breastworks the pickets 
 stopped firing. The stillness became oppressive, when suddenly a Vermont picket
 
 286 
 
 sang out, " Johnny ! anybody hurt over there ? " Answer from a rebel picket : " No- 
 body hurt," and at the same time crying out " Yank, Yank, any one hurt over 
 there ? " " No," was the reply, " your bullets all went over us." The Thirty-seventh 
 was in the front line. I was the left man of the regiment. I asked my captain, 
 Edward Gray, where we were going in. He said, " between the two forts." There 
 were some thirty-six miles of forts about a quarter of a mile apart in our front. It 
 was very dark as the order came down the line to advance. I went over our breast- 
 work with the rest at double-quick. The rebels heard us, and as far as I could see 
 to the right and to the left, long streams of fire were flashed from their guns. We 
 had orders not to fire. I had got ahead of my company. Coming back in the dark 
 to find them, I got mixed up with another regiment. The men were in broken 
 ranks and not advancing. I turned and ran towards the rebel works, hoping to join 
 my regiment, which I supposed was in front. Many soldiers were hurrying the same 
 way, but not in line. The rebel pickets fell back. Both forts to the right and the 
 left were firing shells at us. I reached the rebel abattis, and stopping, found myself 
 alone. The forts had ceased firing. What to make of it I did not know. Turning 
 back, on a run, I found Union soldiers lying down in battle line. I had not heard 
 the order to lie down ; still thought myself left behind by the Thirty-seventh, and 
 turned again for trie rebel works. After running a few rods, a blaze of fire burst 
 from a long battle-line. " The Thirty-Seventh must be going in here," thought I. 
 " This is why they fire so fast." So I ran the faster. The bullets flew like hailstones. 
 I was alone and directly in the range of the fire. " If I get killed here no one will 
 know where I fell," thought I. I felt afraid, although I had been in twenty battles 
 before and not afraid. But somehow the fear left me, for it seemed as if I was sur- 
 rounded and borne along by unseen spirits. I felt a strange sense of safety and 
 deliverance, almost exhilaration. I flew along across the field of death till I came 
 within ten feet of a battle-line before I knew it. The flash of the guns showed them 
 to be the enemy. My bayonet was fixed and my seven-shooter Spencer rifle ready 
 to fire. The thought that came into my mind was " If they don't touch me I will 
 let them alone." They had just delivered their fire and brought their guns to the 
 ground. Standing in long double line they were drawing the rammers to load. I 
 darted through their ranks. The men to the right and left turned their faces toward 
 me in a kind of dazed way, but I went through so quick that they did not have time to 
 gather up their senses to stop me. Running a few rods directly for their works in 
 the rear, I thought : " Now, if I fire my gun pointing towards the rebel works, our 
 men will see the flash and will hurry up." So I fired six bullets in quick succession. 
 Then throwing the last one into my gun I dropped upon the ground to load. As I 
 pushed the magazine over six more bullets I heard some one running behind me. I 
 turned and it was a man in blue. " Where did you come from ? " said I. " I came 
 through them," said he. We were near the rebel abattis. As we looked up through 
 the dim light to the rebel breastworks, he shouted, " There goes a battle-flag ; if we 
 can only capture it ! " But the man who carried the flag quickly disappeared. I 
 took a path through the abattis, closely followed by my companion, who was a ser- 
 geant of the Fifth Wisconsin regiment of my brigade. We ran up and over the 
 main breastworks and, strange to say, not a soldier, Confederate or Union, was in 
 sight. I took one of the company streets and went through the Confederate camp. 
 At the end of this street there was an officer seated on the ground and wrapped in 
 a military cloak. " What ails you ? " said I, and as I spoke, flash ! flash ! and a 
 dozen bullets came whizzing by my head. I raised my gun and fired four bullets
 
 287 
 
 back, saying to the sergeant, " We had better get out of this." We turned for the 
 breastworks and as we neared them were cheered by the appearance of Union sol- 
 diers scrambling over. They had no officers. It seemed to be a free rush, but I 
 never in my life felt so happy, for I knew then that their main line must be broken 
 and the war must soon be ended. I said to the first one I met, a tall, strong soldier 
 from the Fifth Wisconsin, " There goes a reb into that log-house." Rushing to 
 the door he kicked it in, at the same time shouting, " Where is he ? Where is he ? " 
 The soldier came out and surrendered. At the end of the street we found the same 
 officer crouched on the ground, who then said he was wounded, and we lifted him up. 
 The force that had fired at me at this place had fallen back. As daylight broke in 
 the east the Union regiments came pouring over the main breastworks in battle-line. 
 The first regiment to the right was from New York. They rushed ahead with the 
 Stars and Stripes flying in their front, when an officer shouted " Halt ! you will get 
 flanked ! " but it was a false alarm. About fifty rods in advance of this regiment 
 led out a good road down which a Confederate supply train was making its best time. 
 The drivers were running their teams as fast as they could. I exchanged a number 
 of shots with their guards and helped capture a part of the train. When at last I 
 found my company I learned that the Thirty-seventh had captured the fort at our 
 right with its cannon and battle-flag. We then moved on towards Petersburg. My 
 company was detailed as skirmishers to go in advance of the regiment. After mov- 
 ing in the rear of the rebel works for about two miles we halted. The rebels were 
 firing shells from one of their forts in the rear upon our backs. But the Union 
 troops soon took this fort. A good-looking house stood about twenty rods in ad- 
 vance of us. Captain Gray said : " Ike, can't you get up there and see what's in 
 it ? " I went alone, but found nothing but the furniture in it. Guns were lying on 
 the ground, which its occupants had left in their haste to get away. A large barn 
 stood on the opposite side of the road These buildings bordered on a ravine where 
 the first brook to the south of Petersburg crosses the main highway. To the north 
 of this ravine and not twenty rods away stood two rebel forts well manned with can- 
 non and men. I shouted to my captain, " Here is a good place for cover." He 
 quickly ordered our men up, and here we stayed till the next morning. The rebel 
 sharpshooters tried their best to pick us off, but the building protected us. For 
 more than an hour we held the place alone. Then other skirmishers were connected 
 with us to the right and to the left. A number of these unprotected men were killed. 
 The land in front was all cleared, except a little piece of timber about one hundred 
 rods ahead. Suddenly out of this piece of woods deployed into the open field a long 
 line of rebel troops. An officer riding a white horse began to form them in battle- 
 line about fifty rods in advance of us. With others of my comrades I fired at him 
 time after time as he rode so bravely up and down forming his battle-line. But he 
 seemed to bear a charmed life. His men lay down and then the horse and rider dis- 
 appeared. Some Ohio sharpshooters came into the barn to help us. After that it 
 was not safe for the rebels in the forts to show themselves. I went into the house 
 and found beans and flour that the Johnnies had left. Live coals still glowed in the 
 fireplace, on which I soo.n had the beans cooking, and up stairs I found a good 
 feather-bed, which made me think of home. I was so tired, not having slept for two 
 nights, that I tried for a few minutes to sleep on that bed ; but it was too soft for a 
 soldier. Meanwhile, too many guns were cracking for a good sleep. That night the 
 firing stopped. Next morning we moved on through Petersburg to the final battle 
 of the war at Sailor's Creek. 
 38
 
 288 
 
 T. CIVIL LIST. 
 
 This list includes those who have represented the Precinct and Town 
 as Clerks, Representatives, Senators, Members of Constitutional Con- 
 ventions, and Selectmen. 
 
 TOWN CLERKS. 
 
 1716. Jonathan Ely. 
 
 1812-20. 
 
 Chester Woolworth. 
 
 1717. Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 1820-51. 
 
 William White. 
 
 1718-51. Jonathan Ely. 
 
 ^si-sa- 
 
 David Booth. 
 
 1751-75. Jonathan Stebbins. 
 
 1853- 
 
 Dimond Chandler. 
 
 1775-83. Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1854-56. 
 
 Henry J. Crooks. 
 
 1783-91. Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1856. 
 
 James L. Pratt. 
 
 1791-93. Daniel Stebbins. 
 
 1857. 
 
 Oliver Wolcott. 
 
 1793-1813. Jabez Colton. 
 
 
 
 REPRESENTATIVES. 
 
 1784. Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 1837- 
 
 Elijah Colton. 
 
 1785-86. Gideon Burt. 
 
 1838. 
 
 Calvin Burt. 
 
 1787. Elihu Colton. 
 
 1839-40. 
 
 Gad O. Bliss. 
 
 1788-89. William Stebbins. 
 
 1841-42. 
 
 Ethan Taylor. 
 
 1791-92. Jabez Colton. 
 
 1843. 
 
 Calvin Burt. 
 
 1794-95. Gideon Burt. 
 
 1844. 
 
 Jacob Colton, Jr. 
 
 1800. Hezekiah Hale. 
 
 1845-46. 
 
 Lorin Burt. 
 
 1801. Gideon Burt. 
 
 1847-48. 
 
 Alford Cooley. 
 
 1802-03. Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 1849-50. 
 
 Burgess Salsbury. 
 
 1804. Hezekiah Hale. 
 
 1851-52. 
 
 Dimond Colton. 
 
 1805-13. Ethan Ely. 
 
 1853- 
 
 Oliver Dwight. 
 
 1813-14. Calvin Burt. 
 
 i8 54 . 
 
 Rial Strickland. 
 
 1815-16. Alexander Field. 
 
 1855-56- 
 
 Stephen T. Colton. 
 
 1818-19. Joseph W. Cooley. 
 
 1860. 
 
 Roderick H. Burnham. 
 
 1821. Oliver Bliss. 
 
 1862. 
 
 Luther Markham. 
 
 1826. Elijah Colton. 
 
 1864. 
 
 D. Erskine Burbank. 
 
 1827-30. Seth Taylor. 
 
 1866. 
 
 Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1830. Elisha Burn ham. 
 
 1869. 
 
 Larone Hills. 
 
 ( Elisha Burnham. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Oliver Wolcott. 
 
 3I< | Seth Taylor. 
 
 1875- 
 
 Thomas F. Cordis. 
 
 1832-33. Seth Taylor. 
 
 1878. 
 
 Eleazer S. Beebe. 
 
 1834. Oliver Bliss. 
 
 1882. 
 
 Charles S. Newell. 
 
 1835-37. Burgess Salsbury. 
 
 
 
 1856. Gad O. Bliss. 
 
 SENATORS. 
 
 1863. Thomas L. Chapman. 
 
 MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. 
 1820. Calvin Burt. 1853. Gad O. Bliss.
 
 289 
 
 SELECTMEN. 
 
 CALLED COMMITTEE OF THE PRECINCT DOWN TO 1783. 
 
 1714. Col. Pynchon, Capt. Coltqn, Joseph Cooley, Nathaniel Burt, George 
 
 Colton. 
 
 1715. Col. Pynchon, Capt. Colton, Nathaniel Burt, Jr., Samuel Keep, George 
 
 Colton. 
 
 1716. Col. Pynchon, Sergt. Cooley, Corp. Burt, Samuel Keep, Thomas Bliss, 2d. 
 
 1717. Col. Pynchon, Thomas Colton, Nathaniel Bliss, Ephraim Colton, Joseph 
 
 Cooley. 
 
 1718-19. Ephraim Colton, Joseph Cooley, Thomas Bliss, 2d.' 
 
 1720. Joseph Cooley, Samuel Keep, Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 1721. Ephraim Colton, Thomas Hale, Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 1722. Lieut. Colton, Ensign Keep, Samuel Stebbins. 
 
 1723. Thomas Bliss, 2d, Samuel Stebbins, Samuel Cooley. 
 
 1724. Samuel Keep, Samuel Stebbins, Thomas Bliss, 3d. 
 
 1725. Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Ely. 
 
 1726. Eliakim Ely, Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Thomas Hale. 
 1727-28. Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Nash, George Colton. 
 
 1729. Thomas Colton, Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Ely. 
 
 1730. Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., William Stebbins, Samuel Cooley. 
 
 1731. Thomas Bliss, 2d, Thomas Bliss, 3d, Ebenezer Colton. 
 
 1732. Samuel Cooley, Thomas Bliss, 3d, Timothy Nash. 
 
 1733. Thomas Bliss, 2d, Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Thomas Colton. 
 
 1734. Samuel Colton, Samuel Cooley, Timothy Nash. 
 
 1735. Ebenezer Bliss, ist, John Cclton, John Cooley. 
 
 1736. Ephraim Colton, Thomas Colton, Ensign Stebbins. 
 
 1737. Timothy Nash, Samuel Cooley, John Burt, 2d. 
 
 1738. Thomas Field, Thomas Colton, Simon Colton. 
 
 1739. John Cooley, Thomas Bliss, David Burt, 2d. 
 
 1740. Jonathan Stebbins, Ephraim Colton, John Colton. 
 
 1741. Isaac Colton, Nathaniel Bliss, John Cooley. 
 
 1742. Henry Wolcott, Nathan Burt, Jr., John Colton. 
 
 1743. Samuel Cooley, Joshua Field, Isaac Colton. 
 
 1744. William Stebbins, Ephraim Colton, Jr., Samuel Keep, Jr. 
 
 1745. Ephraim Colton, John Colton, Jonathan Stebbins. 
 
 1746. Nathaniel Burt, Jr., Simon Colton, David Burt, 2d. 
 1747-49. Simon Colton, David Burt, 2d, Nathaniel Burt, Jr. 
 
 1750. Simon Colton, David Burt, 2d, Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 1751. Nathaniel Burt, Simon Colton, Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 1752. Nathaniel Ely, 2d, Josiah Cooley, David Burt, 2d. 
 
 1753. Nathaniel Ely, 2d, Josiah Cooley, David Burt, 2d. 
 
 1754. Josiah Cooley, Nathaniel Ely, 2d, Aaron Colton. 
 
 1755. Moses Field, Nathaniel Ely, Aaron Colton. 
 
 1756. George Colton, Simon Colton, David Burt. 
 
 1757. Josiah Cooley, Jonathan Hale, David Burt. 
 
 1758. Moses Field, Matthew Keep, Josiah Cooley. 
 
 1759. Richard Woolworth, Eleazer Smith, Nathaniel Ely.
 
 290 
 
 1760. Josiah Cooley, Jonathan Hale, Eleazer Smith. 
 
 1761. Nehemiah Stebbins, David Burt, Noah Hale. 
 
 1762. Ebenezer Bliss, 3d, Josiah Cooley, Abner Bliss. 
 
 1763. Aaron Colton, Jonathan Hale, Moses Field. 
 
 1764. Nehemiah Stebbins, Simon Colton, Eleazer Smith. 
 
 1765. Moses Field, Ebenezer Bliss, ad, David Burt, 3d. 
 
 1766. Samuel Williams, Eleazer Smith, Nehemiah Stebbins. 
 
 1767. Simeon Colton, Nathaniel Ely, Moses Field. 
 
 1768. Nehemiah Stebbins, Aaron Colton, David Burt, 3d. 
 
 1769. Ebenezer Bliss, 3d, David Burt, 3d, Nehemiah Stebbins. 
 
 1770. Samuel Williams, Ebenezer Bliss, 3d, Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1771. Samuel Williams, Ebenezer Bliss, 3d, Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1772. Samuel Williams, Aaron Colton, Nathaniel Burt. 
 X 773- Jonathan Hale, Jr., Samuel Williams, David Burt, 3d. 
 1774. Richard Woolworth, Samuel Colton, Aaron Colton. 
 X 775- Jonathan Hale, Jr., Ebenezer Bliss, 3d, Aaron Bliss. 
 
 1776. Nathaniel Burt, Caleb Cooley, Elijah Burt, Silas Hale, Stephen Keep. 
 
 1777. Samuel Colton, Nathaniel Burt, Richard Woolworth, Ephraim Brown, 
 
 Jonathan Burt, 2d. 
 
 1778. Nathaniel Burt, David Burt, Elijah Burt. 
 
 1779. Samuel Williams, Henry Colton, Silas Hale, Nathaniel Ely, Ebenezer 
 
 Colton. 
 
 1780. Samuel Keep, Nathaniel Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr., Jonathan Burt, 2d, 
 
 Josiah Cooley. 
 
 1781. Nathaniel Burt, Elijah Burt, Israel Colton, Josiah Cooley, Jonathan 
 
 Hale, Jr. 
 
 1782. Jonathan Hale, Jr., Josiah Cooley, Silas Hale, Azariah Woolworth, Abner 
 
 Colton. 
 
 1783. Festus Colton, Josiah Cooley, Samuel Keep, Elijah Burt, Abner Hale. 
 1783-84. David Burt, Moses Field, Jonathan Burt. 
 
 1785-86. Moses Field, Jonathan Burt, Samuel Keep. 
 
 1787-88. Moses Field, William Stebbins, Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1789. Jonathan Burt, Jabez Colton, Jonathan Hale, Jr. 
 
 1790. Jabez Colton, Jonathan Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr. 
 1791-93. Hezekiah Hale, Jonathan Burt, Nathaniel Ely, 2d. 
 
 1794-96. Jonathan Burt, 2d, Hezekiah Hale, Gideon Burt, vice Jonathan Burt, 
 
 deceased. 
 
 1797-99. Hezekiah Hale, Elijah Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr. 
 
 1800-01. Hezekiah Hale, Joseph W. Cooley, Gideon Burt. 
 
 1802-03. Hezekiah Hale, Joseph W. Cooley, Nathaniel Ely. 
 
 1804-06. Joseph W. Cooley, Calvin Burt, Ethan Ely. 
 
 1807-12. Alexander Field, Ethan Ely, Stephen Taylor. 
 
 1813-14. Alexander Field, Ethan Ely, Stephen Taylor. 
 
 1815. Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Joseph W. Cooley. 
 
 1816. Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Seth Taylor. 
 
 1817. Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Joseph W. Cooley. 
 
 1818. Joseph W. Cooley, Ethan Ely, David Booth. 
 
 1819. Joseph W. Cooley, Oliver Dwight, Ethan Ely.
 
 29 1 
 
 1820. Ethan Ely, Oliver Dwight, Elijah Colton. 
 
 1821. Oliver Dwight, Oliver Bliss, Elijah Colton. 
 1822-23. Oliver Dwight, Oliver Bliss, Alexander Field. 
 
 1824. Seth Taylor, Elijah Colton, Joseph W. Cooley. 
 
 1825. Seth Taylor, Elijah Colton, William White. 
 1826-29. Herman Newell, Burgess Salsbury, Joseph Ashley. 
 
 1830. Elijah Colton, Ethan Taylor, Stephen Ashley. 
 
 1831. Stephen Ashley, Burgess Salsbury, Elijah Colton. 
 
 1832. Elijah Colton, Burgess Salsbury, William White. 
 1833-34. Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Oliver Dwight. 
 1835-36. Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Lorin Burt. 
 
 1837. Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Elijah Colton. 
 
 1838. Gad O. Bliss, Elijah Colton, Ethan Taylor. 
 
 1839. Oliver Dwight, Gad O. Bliss, Willis Phelps. 
 
 1840. Gad O. Bliss, Simeon Newell, Stephen Ashley. 
 
 1841. Gad O. Bliss, Simeon Newell, Willis Phelps. 
 
 1842. Simeon Newell, Willis Phelps, Joseph McGregory. 
 
 1843. Lorin Burt, Dimond Colton, Joseph McGregory. 
 
 1844. Lorin Burt, Joseph McGregory, Simeon Newell. 
 1845-46. Simeon Newell, Lorin Burt, Daniel Burbank. 
 
 '1847-48. Alford Cooley, Warren Billings, Simeon Newell. 
 
 1849-50. Alford Cooley, Warren Billings, Oliver Dwight. 
 
 1851. Alford Cooley, Elias Coomes, Randolph Stebbins. 
 
 1852-53. Alford Cooley, Stephen T. Colton, Randolph Stebbins. 
 
 1854. Randolph Stebbins, Stephen T. Colton, William Higley. 
 
 1855. Stephen T. Colton, Alfred Taylor, Sumner W. Gates. 
 1856-57. Stephen T. Colton, Alfred Taylor, Lucius C. Burt. 
 1858-59. Stephen T. Colton, William Burt, Lucius C. Burt. 
 1860-62. Stephen T. Colton, David Lathrop, Abel H. Calkins. 
 1863-65. Stephen T. Colton, David Lathrop, Horace Hills. 
 
 1866. Stephen T. Colton, Charles S. Newell, George W. Gould. 
 
 1867. Stephen T. Colton, Charles S. Newell, Randolph Stebbins. 
 
 1868. George W. Gould, Charles S. Newell, Abel H. Calkins. 
 1869-70. Charles S. Newell, George W. Gould, Ralph P. Markham. 
 !87i-73- Charles S. Newell, John C. Porter, Edwin Endicott. 
 
 1874. Charles S. Newell, Edwin Endicott, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1875. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1876. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Edwin Endicott. 
 
 1877. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1878. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, David Lathrop. 
 
 1879. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, David Lathrop. 
 
 1880. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1881. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1882. Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins. 
 
 1883. John C. Porter, J. A. McKinstry, Henry Hall. 
 
 1884. J. A. McKinstry, 3 years ; H. Hall, 2 years ; J. C. Porter, I year.
 
 292 
 
 U. MISCELLANIES. 
 
 The few following unclassified papers are taken from a portfolio 
 still rich in similar memoranda, which must be reluctantly omitted : 
 
 The Sacramental meditations and prayers scattered all through the diary 
 of Dr. Williams are very touching in- their simplicity and humility, as well 
 as striking in their variety and fitness. The following, from the Revolu- 
 tionary period (see p. 209), is inserted in this connection : 
 
 July 6, 1776. The times are to me very dark and I know not what to do. And I 
 fear that there is a great ftupidity among people in general, from not feeing and re- 
 garding the hand of God gone out againft us. I would bewail my own ftupidity and 
 infenfibility, and pray to God to awaken and aroufe me, and caufe me to humble 
 myfelf before God for my fins, my defecls, my leannefs. I would upon this occa- 
 fion call to mind God's great goodnefs to me, in that I was born in a land of light, 
 that my parents feared God and were concerned for my welfare, taught me, coun- 
 felled me and inftrudled me in the good knowledge of the Lord. I was awakened 
 by the Spirit of the Lord when I was young, (even before I was taken captive), and 
 was put upon the practice of fecret prayer. I was remarkably preferved when a 
 captive, and reflored to my native country, and I have been remarkably preferved 
 when abroad ; I may fay that God has borne me from my birth, nurfed, protected 
 and upheld me, and has brought me to old age, and I need, under the decays and 
 infirmities of age, His help as much as I needed it in infancy. Bleffed be God (who 
 is the fame to-day, yefterday and forever), that he encourages me to look to Him by 
 prayer and fupplication ; I pray that He would fupport and comfort me even in my 
 old age, when I am unfit for bufmefs under fenfible decays and infirmities. Oh 
 Lord, when my flefh and my heart fhall fail do thou be pleafed to be the ftrength of 
 my heart and my portion forever. Oh, make me meet for the enjoyment of thyfelf. 
 And O Lord, be pleafed to blefs my confort, her and my children and defcendants ; 
 this flock, and town ; this land, and the Englifh nation. Forgive our fins, reftrain 
 and help us, and prevent the deftruclion we are threatened wiih. -Oh that God 
 would give me fome token for good at this table, and prepare me for my great and 
 laft change which is near. Oh for the manifeftations of God's love to my poor foul ; 
 that His rod and ftaff might comfort me when I pafs through the valley of the 
 (hadow of death. Oh for a fight of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift. 
 The Lord be pleafed to blefs Zion, and grant peace to the Ifrael of God. Prepare 
 us in this land for what is before us. Oh Lord don't leave u>, I befeech thee, but 
 heal our backflidings and love us freely for Chrift's fake. Amen. 
 
 [After Sabbath and Sacrament] : I have been ftrengthened to the fervices of the 
 day, and though I don't pretend to any rapturous difcoveries, yet I hope I have fome 
 fenfe of the goodnefs and majefty of God, of His holinefs and of the obligations I 
 am laid under to Him ; that His vows are upon me ; the Lord help me to fulfill my 
 vows. We had a quiet Sabbath, no fright, nor flight thereon ; for this I praife God, 
 and I beg of God to pour out upon us, of this family and of this place, a fpirit of 
 repentance, that we may be kept from dishonoring God. The Lord grant that the 
 ways of the Lord may not be evil fpoken of, by reafon of unjuft converfation, and 
 loofe and carelefs lives and behaviour. The Lord be pleafed to help me to remem- 
 ber and bear upon my mind where I have been and what I have been doing this day.
 
 293 
 
 The following CHAPLAIN'S PRAYER OF PASTOR STORKS is introduced 
 here as illustrating the statements made respecting him upon page 48 : 
 
 It is with fentiments of pleafure, Gentlemen, Officers and Fellow Soldiers, that I 
 once more meet you on the peaceful parade. Whilfl thoufands and ten thoufands 
 of our fellow men are compelled to hearken to the clarions of war, and to witnefs . 
 garments rolled in blood, we are permitted to enjoy all the felicities of domeftic life 
 and are compelled to meet with none but friends. With propriety we are invited 
 this morning to addrefs our united acknowledgements of gratitude to Him who gov- 
 erns among the nations for thefe diftingulhing bleflings, and with fincere hearts implore 
 his fmiles upon us in the interefting tranfactions of this day. 
 
 ALMIGHTY AND INFINITE GOD We adore thee as the only God the Creator of 
 all worlds the Director of all events, and the difpofer of all creatures. Thou doft 
 according to thy will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. 
 Thou who meeteft out the bounds of the nations haft appointed unto us a pleafant 
 place, and given us a goodly heritage. This land our Fathers gained not by their 
 own fword or bow, but in thy name they fet up their banners. Thou didft fight their 
 battles for them and they were bleft with Vidory, Freedom, and Independence. 
 
 Glory and Honor, Dominion and Praife to the Lord God of our Fathers for this 
 profperity which we their children witnefs as the reward of their valor and piety, 
 and which we enjoy as the precious fruit of thofe civil, military and religious inftitu- 
 tions, which their wifdom led them to adopt, and their patriotifm prompted them to 
 defend. 
 
 Thanks be unto Him who on all this glory has created a defence, by infpiring our 
 citizens at large with a fpirit of heroifm and independence, and leading them to 
 devife and eftablifh fuch military arrangements as are calculated to render both offi- 
 cers and foldiers the vigilant guardians and refolute defenders of our country's 
 rights. 
 
 Actuated by principles of sincere!! patriotifm and by ardent wilhes for national 
 fecurity and peace, may the Officers and Soldiers of this honorable Regiment addrefs 
 themfelves to the faithful and affiduous difcharge of the Cervices devolved upon 
 them. May they prove themfelves to be experts in the exercife of arms and in the 
 art of war, and whenever the welfare of their country (hall be put in hazard by 
 invading foes, may they quit themfelves like men and be ftrong, wax valiant in fight, 
 and put to flight the armies of their enemies. 
 
 Smile upon the exercifes and maneuverings of this day, and may thefe thy fervants 
 exhibit on this occafion an example which their brethren in arms fhall be emulous to 
 imitate. May their conduct be luch as fhall do honor to themfelves and reflect 
 glory upon their country. 
 
 O thou Preferver of Men, may their health, their limbs, and their lives be pre- 
 cious in thy fight. Eminently expofed as they are to mifchief and harm, guard them 
 againft every difaftrous accident, and preferve them from wounding their precious 
 fouls by finning againft their God. 
 
 May this, and ever}' department of our foldiery, be found ready to unite with their 
 fellow citizens at large in repelling everything which threatens to difturb the tran- 
 quility, tarnifh the glory, and impair the happinefs of our highly favored nation. 
 
 May Officers and Soldiers, Spectators, and all prefent on this interefting occafion, 
 imbibe the Spirit of genuine freedom, exprefs the fentiments of real Patriotifm, and 
 enjoy the pleafures of pure and undefiled religion. And when in our feveral con-
 
 294 
 
 neclions and purfuits in life we (hall have acted our part well in the world (hall 
 have fought the good fight of faith, and through grace have rimmed the Chriftian 
 Warfare may we be difmiffed in peace and receive at the hands of the Great Cap- 
 tain of Salvation thofe laurels of victory, win that crown of righteoufnefs, which is 
 unfading and immortal in the Heavens. 
 
 While we this day felicitate ourfelves and our fellow citizens in view of the rich 
 bleffings, both of civil and Chriftian liberty, we would with the moft benevolent and 
 philanthropic emotions, remember thofe nations which are groaning under the mif- 
 fortunes of defpotifm, or are nobly contending for the rights of man. 
 
 Almighty Father pity thy fuffering offfpring ! Break, O break in pieces the iron 
 rod of the oppreffor, and caufe the oppreffed everywhere to go out free reftrain the 
 awful influence of human pride and unhallowed ambition, and may the power of 
 iniquity deftroyed give place to the univerfal and unbounded reign of righteoufnefs 
 and peace, liberty and happinefs. 
 
 May He whofe right it is Come, and to Him O God, give the Kingdom and the 
 Dominion and the Greatnefs of the Kingdom under the whole heaven ; for of Him, 
 and to Him and through Him are all things and to Him with united hearts help us 
 to aftribe all glory and honor, might and dominion, forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 The following is a copy of a remonstrance addressed by Pastor Storrs 
 and several of the citizens to a teacher who was disposed to dispense with 
 public prayer as one of the regular school exercises : 
 
 To Mr. Henry Fifh, Inftruclor of the Grammar School in Longmeadow : 
 RESPECTED SIR 
 
 We the Parents and Guardians of the Children and youth under your Care, beg 
 leave to ftate to you an Objection we have againft your Proceedings in the School ; 
 viz., that you do not pray morning and evening with your Icholars. This is a Duty 
 commonly expected, and is generally attended to by gentlemen of your Advantages 
 and Ability. As profeffing Chriftians we are under great Obligations to the Chil- 
 dren and youth God has Committed to our Care, and therefore we Cannot Difcharge 
 our duty to our Children, or Juftify ourfelves before God, to whom we are Account- 
 able for our Conduct to them, unlefs we place them under the Care of thole In- 
 ftructors who will fo far fet before them Examples of Morality and Religion as to 
 pray with them morning and evening in the School. This our Requeft, which we 
 think to be a Reafonable one, we hope you wil not fail to comply with Immedi- 
 ately. We heartily wifh to render you and your School Refpectable, and fhall engage 
 to do whatever is in our power to make it fo. We Subfcribe our Selves your friends 
 and wellwishers. DAVID BURT, STEPHEN COOLEY, RICHARD S. STORRS, 
 
 Jan. 1807. CALVJN COOLEY, GIDEON COLTON, NATH' ELY. 
 
 The following old document shows the effective manner in which neigh- 
 borly cooperation was invoked and organized for the opening of a new road 
 when needed : 
 
 Whereas 'Tis Neceffary there Should be an open Town Road from the Town 
 Road that Goes out Eaftward by the Meeting Houfe in the Precincl of Longmead", 
 Southward to the Mills on Longmeadow Brook, Thro' Nath 1 Burt's land, f d Road
 
 295 
 
 is not only Neceffary for the Owners of f Mills and the Inhabitants of f d PrecincT: 
 But alfo for Travelers fromSomers, the Eaft Part of Enfield, Ellington, Stafford &c. 
 And Whereas it will Occafion a Line of Fences each Side the Road Through t" (1 
 Burt's Land, Which will be a Great Hardfhip for him to Make and Maintain There- 
 fore all Perfons who are willing to Help to Make f d Fences in order to open f d Road, 
 Either By Ditching, Providing Fencing Stuff, or any Other Way to Effect f d Bufi- 
 nefs are Defired to Set their Names With the Sums of Money or Labour or fencing 
 Materials for f d Bufmefs they are Willing Refpeclively to Give for the Help of f 
 Burt, and for their own and the Public Benefit. 
 
 Simon Colton, 4 Days work ; Jon a Hale, 5 Days ; John Hale, 4 Days ; David 
 Burt, 3 rd , 5 D" ; Dea n Nath 1 Ely, 4 D 8 ; Aaron Colton, 3 D B ; Eben r Blifs, 2 nd , 3 D s ; 
 Mathew Keep, 2 D 8 ; EbeiV Colton, 2 D 3 ; David Burt, 2 nd , 4 D" ; Noah Hale, 2 
 D s ; Aaron Blifs, 2 D s ; Abner Colton, 2 D 8 ; Henry Colton, 2 D 8 ; Sam 1 Keep, 2 
 D 8 ; Tho 3 Colton, 2 D 8 ; Gid n Colton, 2 D 8 . 
 
 .The following are copies of documents indicating the source of the 
 authority vested in the Commissioners on the " Drowned Lands " and the 
 manner of its exercise : 
 
 Nov. ii"' 1802. A Tax made by the fubfcribers agreeable to the power vefted in 
 us by a commimon from his Excellency the Governor of the Commonwealth of Mafs. 
 dated the Fourth day of June 1783 for the purpofe of flowing and draining wet lands 
 in the town of Longmeadow and for paying Commiffioners for their fervices and 
 collectors. (Then follow the proprietors' names with the number of acres assessed 
 and amount per acre.] Signed by GIDEON BURT, ) Com. 
 
 JOSIAH COOLEY, > for 
 
 SAM 1 KEEP, ) Draining. 
 
 To M r Noah Blifs, Collector : You will fettle the above Tax and make returns 
 to the Commissioners. 
 
 To M r Noah Blifs Sir: In confequence of the authority and Power in us vefted 
 We repofing confidence in your economy in employing laborers We do appoint 
 you to employ laborers in draining the Pond land so called, and to employ the labor 
 from the owners of land at the proportion of three hours per Rod if they can be 
 employed if not fuch other laborers as can be obtained. GIDEON BURT, 
 
 JOSIAH COOLEY, 
 
 Longmeadow, Nov. ii th , 1802. SAM' KEEP. 
 
 The following are copies of old-time bills, receipts, war certificates, etc.: 
 To the Selectmen of the Town of Longmeadow 
 
 Gentlemen this is to Certify that there is due to Abiel Hancock for one day going 
 to Elington with my hourfe after A School dame one doller and to bording the dame 
 fix weakes at five Shillings and fix Peince by weake. 
 
 ABIEL HANCOCK, School Commette. 
 in the Nor Eaft deftricl Longmeadow September the 7 1797. 
 
 LONGMEADOW, Feb> 7 th 1784. 
 
 this is to Sertifie that I give orders unto Hezekiah Hale upon the paymafter, 
 Whoever it May Be, to Receive twelve Months Wages for Which I Served as A 
 39
 
 296 
 
 Soldier in the Continental Army in Co 1 patmans Regiment and in Cap' Trotters 
 Company partly in the year 1781 and partly in the year 1782. and alfo What is Due 
 unto me for Defitiance of Cloathing and Rations for the fame time. 
 
 WILLIAM HANCOCK. 
 
 Stephen Afhleys bill, Dec. 1766. To making Thos Hancock, a coat, waiftcoatand 
 overalls ; i doz buttons and thread and pockets $2.00. 
 
 D r Lewis Whites bill. Town of Longmeadow D r for doctoring Molly Blifs Feb>' 
 16 to June 23, 1796. To a Cathartic 17 cents to a Vifit 20 cents to a Puke 13 
 cents to an Opiate 17 cents. 
 
 Bill of David White joiner and cabinet maker, May 1772. To one Cafe of Draw- 
 ers 4 : o : o to one 4-foot Table ,1:2: o to one Square Table .0 : 12 : o 
 to one Cheft of 3 Draws ^1:4: o to a Stand table o : 13 : o to a naff 
 Dozen Chairs .1:0: o to a Round Chair o : 6 : o to a Great Common 
 Chair 0:4: o to i Day & of a Days Work ^0:4:0. 
 
 The following is among Mr. Williams' college receipts : 
 
 CAM* 6 ffeb u > 170^,,- 
 
 Received of M' Stephen Williams four pounds in Bills of Credit in part for his 
 Expence at Colledge to 23 rd Dec r 1709. AND' BORDMAN, 
 
 .4-00-00. . Col. Har rU . 
 
 The following letter, written to Mr. Williams when a student at Harvard 
 College, gives an interesting glimpse, not only of his personal qualities at 
 that time, but of college ways and atmosphere in those early days : 
 M r WILLIAMS 
 
 When I faw you laft att y c Colledge I was fo Tranfported with y e fight of Ib many* 
 of my old Acquaintance y' I put all bufmefs together with good part of my Brains in 
 my Pocket, and by y' means forgot to mention fomething w ch upon more fober thought 
 I can't Choofe but concern myfelf about. Sir, my bufmefs is to enquire of you (tho* 
 
 not iny e name of Elder ) whether you are unprovided of A Chamber mate. 
 
 If fo I mull tell you y' Cap 1 Moody's fon my Pupil takes as great a fancy to you as 
 Brown did to you know what. His father alfo is very defirous to get him fettled 
 with fome fenior fchollar who will fpeak kindly to him and encourage him in his 
 ftudies, and he has heard A Great Character of yourfelf. He'll maintain him like A 
 Gentleman and fuffer him to want for nothing and nc- doubt will make particular 
 acknowledgments to any Gentleman y' fhows his fon any favour. The Lad is good 
 humored and for good words will do anything, but is apt to be difcouraged with 
 harm language w (h makes me y e more concerned who he lives with. If you'l pleafe 
 to do him y e favour of taking him into your Chamber and take fome Peculiar care 
 of him and encourage him in his Learning you will exceedingly oblige me who hav- 
 ing heretofore had y e care of him cannot but intereft myfelf in his welfare. 
 
 Sir, I mould be glad of A Correfpondence with you to Barter Eaft Countrey for Well 
 Countrey News. If you'l Pleafe to favour me with a line att any time Leave it att 
 Cap' Edward Winflows in Bofton and it will come fafe to me. 
 
 I am your Honeft Neighbor and Humble Servant, E. W. 
 
 Newcaftle on Pifcataqua, July y e 30"", 1712. 
 
 To M r STEPHEN WILLIAMS att Harvard College in Cambridge.
 
 The following is the full text of the ingenuous letter of Abigail Daven- 
 port to her affianced future husband, an extract of which is given in the 
 Historical Address : 
 REV d AND WORTHY SIR May 9, 1718. 
 
 Miffing the opportunity of our Deputies of Sending a few Lines which I thought 
 not to have done, but being willing to Gratify you in that which you was pleafed 
 when you was here to fay would be a particular Gratification to you in doing of 
 which, Good Sir, I would defire might not be for my being expofed, altho' there may 
 be juftly faults found by your criticall eye, yet I would if I did but know how Mod- 
 eftly crave your favorable thought hoping thefe may find you in good health, as at 
 pretent I am throw y e goodnefs of God for which I defire to be thankful, and alfo y l 
 our family is fo well as now it is, particularly my father and mother have been much 
 otherwife than well fince yourfelf was here. Sir I fliould be Glad if w n you come 
 again you d order matters in y e journey fo y' friends be not too much burdened, how 
 you Defign I know not, but certainly 'tis not beft to Depend upon Relations with a 
 Company Unlefs there has been by them firft invitation. Sir if it be not Contrary 
 to your mind y 4 I have & wee together have Uncle and Aunt Mather's good Com- 
 pany here att our houfe if they can and will be pleafed to alow it, you will be under 
 advantage to Let them know your mind. I am thoughtful my brother and Sister 
 will go with us Defiring to return together but not otherwife defiring y* Sarah Shal 
 Stay a fhort time if with your good Likeing, Elfe not at all. Pleafe Good Sir to alow 
 alfo to pardon my boldnefs and freedom one of w ch you yourfelf urged. One thing 
 w ch mi" have been fpoken to but was not w" you was here. Cuftomary by Some to 
 have Gloves alike for color, if you pleafe to have y r * like mine, Sir you may get white. 
 
 Valuable Sir be not angry if one who would defire to be made a comfort rather 
 y n a trouble to you mould defire a remembrance by you in your petions at y* throne 
 of grace for all y 1 Guidance Direction and bleffing w cl ' I need ; and Sir I truft you 
 w od not be troubled att a kind entertainment of Lines from your hand, but Suffer 
 me to beg your pardon once again for my fo burdening you with fuch fcrols. I 
 would not be too tedious but Subfcribe myself, Sir, Your Very Obfervant and hope- 
 fully well affected ABIGAIL DAVENPORT. 
 
 The following are copies of letters written to Lieut. Nathaniel Burt, who 
 fell at Lake George, by his wife, who afterwards became the second wife of 
 Dr. Williams, and by his daughter, during his army absence. The battle in 
 which Lieut. Burt fell occurred September 8, 1855. By an endorsement 
 upon the letters it appears that they were " Rec d and perused by Edw d Cha- 
 pin Sept. 11, 1755, In y e Camp at Lake George," three days after the death 
 of the husband and father, to whom they were addressed. The letters 
 are superscribed 
 
 " To Lef Nath 1 Burt. In the Army Marching Againft Crown Point." 
 HONORED FATHER 
 
 Sir : Hoping for an opportunity I take the fredom in writing to you knowing that 
 your paternal affection will Excufe all Defects, through a fovarene and kind^prov- 
 erdence wee are in a comfortable ftate of health at prefent as I hope you are. We 
 have receved fome Letters from you and rejoife to hear of your health but wee are 
 not without concern for you. honered Sir I wifh a kind heaven would protect and
 
 2 9 8 
 
 gard and profper you and Return you home in his own time. Wee have nothing 
 remarkebel to inform you of. att prefent it is a time of helth hear. Old M r Keep 
 died hear this week. So I remain your moft obedient and dutifull daughter. 
 
 SARAH BURT. 
 
 We hope and wait and truft In god to keep and preferve and return you In safety. 
 So I remain your afecconate Wife, SARAH BURT. 
 
 Auguft 28, 1755. This day is a general faft to be kept in this province. 
 
 The following is a letter of condolence from Dr. Williams to his daugh- 
 ter Martha, the grandmother of Mrs. Schauffler, upon the occasion of the 
 death of her husband, Dea. Samuel Reynolds of Somers : 
 MY DEAR DAUGHTER L. M., Feb>' 17, 1774. 
 
 I underftand that our holy and Righteous Sovereign has removed out of this fin- 
 ful world your defirable confort, the partner of your joys, forrows, and cares. God's 
 ways are truth and judgment, he is holy in all his ways, and righteous in all his 
 works he is the God of the widow, and the Father of the fatherlefs to his care 
 and protection I refer you and your dear offfpring. 
 
 I got home laft night in fafety but the cold was uncomfortable and I was con- 
 fiderably chilled and before I went to bed, as I went out at the door I fell down, 
 and as I ftretched my hand, to fave myfelf one of y e nails of my fingers was fplit 
 which occafions me fome trouble. if I fhould not be able to attend the funeral it 
 will not be for want of refpect to the dear deceafed or of affection to you, your 
 children, and friends that are mourning with you. but let us all remember, that we 
 don't mourn as tho'fe that have no hope, pleafe to inform dear M r Backus, that M r 
 Breck is fick, M r Lothrop is gone down the country, and there is no minifter here 
 that can be obtained to preach. I am pleafed to have fermons preached at funerals, 
 peoples minds upon fuch occafions are folemnized but I am utterly averfe to flat- 
 tering y* living, or paying compliments to the memory of the dead It can't be 
 expected that M r B. has had fuch acquaintance with D r Raynolds as to know him 
 fully and I apprehend the circumftances of Somers are fuch that no prudent man 
 would greatly commend or difcommend. I hope therefore M r Backus will be fo good 
 as to prepare fome practical difcourfe for this mournful occafion. I am, dear daugh- 
 ter, your affectionate Father, STEPHE" WILLIAMS. 
 
 WILLIAM SHELDON [A Character Sketch.] 
 
 One of the most interesting characters of Longmeadow during the last 
 half century, was a dignified and courtly gentleman of the old school of 
 manners an unmarried great-grandson of Dr. Williams, by the name of 
 William Sheldon only son of the well-known Springfield physician of the 
 same name early in the present century. The erect form, silvery hair, and 
 antique costume of Mr. Sheldon will be long remembered by the present 
 generation, as he was daily seen taking his " constitutional " walk in broad- 
 brimmed, bell-crowned beaver, blue coat resplendent with metal buttons, 
 snowy lace and linen of the olden amplitude and fashion, and imposing gold- 
 headed cane.
 
 299 
 
 Full of racy reminiscences of the olden time, widely read in the best of 
 ancient and modern literature, and gifted with rare conversational powers, 
 he was a singularly instructive and interesting companion. An intense 
 aristocrat and loyalist Jn convictions and sympathies, he held himself wholly 
 aloof from the political life and interests of the community around him, and 
 devoted himself to occult researches into the mysteries of Scripture, Spirit- 
 ualism, and more recently of Magnetism and the Od force. 
 
 Some of his experiments in this last were singular illustrations of the 
 power of long-indulged fancies finally to rule the reason. It was one of his 
 fancies that he could detect the presence of any particular "odic" in any 
 given substance by peculiarities in the vibration of a ring held suspended by 
 a silken thread, the vibration being wholly due to the influence of the odic 
 in the substance over which the ring was suspended ; he himself seeming 
 perfectly unconscious of what was meantime plainly evident to observers, 
 viz., that the impulse of vibration was wholly communicated from his own 
 hand. 
 
 It was another of his fancies that he could detect the presence of evil 
 spirits in his fellow-men, by holding the ring suspended over their open hands. 
 "Ah ! it is just as I feared," was his sad remark to a clerical son of Long- 
 meadow on a visit of the latter to his old home ; " You are possessed, I can 
 see by the movement of the ring.'' " Well," was the somewhat disconcert- 
 ing reply of the accused party, " I have often suspected as much myself" 
 
 Squarely-pointed wands were a part of the apparatus by which he con- 
 ducted his odic experiments charging them by his own will with mystic 
 force or withdrawing by their means any quality or influence from foreigji 
 and distant places and substances. It was his firm belief that he could and 
 did thus arrest the ravages of the cholera at the South, and of the Russian 
 plague in Europe, as the following memoranda from among his papers will 
 show : 
 
 Mem. To Prevent Cholera and R" Plague in England. Aug. 2 and 5, '65. 
 
 At midnight last night I commenced two processes, the one to withdraw the infec- 
 tion proper of the Cholera from Great Britain, Ireland and the British Isles, and the 
 other to withdraw the accompanying Odical Omnis. The first measured on the 
 scale which I employed 186'" and the other 4,436'". The omnis being a spiritual 
 substance, excessively attenuated, was withdrawn in 6 h 40. The other being mate- 
 rial and more dense required I2 h and 14'". I believe that these processes will check 
 the Cholera in those regions and prevent it in future. 
 
 At 6J P. M., Aug. 3. Commenced processes to withdraw the infection and odical 
 omnis from Great Britain Island and the British Isles of the Russian Plague. The 
 infection withdrawn at 2 h 36'" Aug. 4, A. M., or in 8 h 2i m ; the odical omnis at 8 h i6 m 
 Aug. 3, or in 2 h i m . It appears that Aug. 2, 5 p. M. there was no omnis of the dis- 
 ease in England, but that at that time on the 3 rd it existed with a force of 847'" and 
 that there had been 344 cases. Signed, 
 
 Witnessed, E. D. C. and C. L. C. WILLIAM SHELDON.
 
 300 
 
 It was the confident belief of Mr. Sheldon that by these mysterious pro- 
 cesses he could impregnate one substance with the peculiar quality or odic 
 of another, so that cotton goods, e. g., might thus be endowed with all the 
 excellencies of silk without any visible change in either also that growing 
 plants might be so accelerated and influenced as to cause cotton or any 
 other tropical plant to mature in our New England climate to the demon- 
 stration of which fact he himself experimented most perseveringly, and with 
 much fertility of plausible explanation to account for his invariable failures. 
 He carried on an extensive correspondence with European sovereigns and 
 savants, Arago, Carlisle, etc. if that may be called a correspondence 
 which was nearly all upon one side and also a more evenly-balanced one 
 with not a few American celebrities, whose ingenuity must have been often 
 severely taxed to respond to his high-bred courtesy, and yet evade assent to 
 his ideas. The following autograph letters from Mrs. Sigourney, and from 
 N. P. Willis, are introduced as instances of distinguished success in this 
 
 direction : 
 
 HARTFORD, CONN*, March 7 th , 1860. 
 Mv DEAR SIR : 
 
 Your letter was duly received and I should attempt an apology for the long delay 
 in acknowledging it, but from my being unfortunately too much addicted to such hab- 
 its, and in a measure from necessity, my exchange of epistles yearly surpassing 2,000 
 and the time at my command scarcely sufficing even for my unpunctual responses. 
 
 I could not but admire the symmetrical chirography of your letter, though its sub- 
 jects were to me wrapped in mystery, having little capacity to comprehend the com- 
 mon forms of mechanical science. Of course, aught so occult as your course of 
 experiments is entirely beyond my depth 
 
 Wishing you a continuance of health and happiness, I remain very respectfully 
 yours, L. H. SIGOURNEY. 
 
 IDLEWILD, Dec. i, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SIR : 
 
 You very much over-rate the level at which the Home Journal is obliged to grade 
 its reading in supposing that your able scientific article is suited to our columns. I 
 sigh to tell you that our subscription depends almost wholly on those to whom the 
 originality and interest of your views would be a dead letter. But so it is. I re- 
 enclose your manuscript to you with the money for the extra copies (which would 
 have been abundantly at your service without it) and trust you will forgive my thus 
 having an eye to business and catering for the many rather than for the few. 
 
 It was among my most treasured intentions to look in upon your seclusion during 
 the last summer ; the correspondence with which you so kindly indulged me having 
 left a very grateful remembrance in my heart. With my present renewed health I 
 trust it is a pleasure still in store for me, and meantime, my dear sir, pray believe 
 me very gratefully and sincerely yours, N. P. WILLIS. 
 
 WM. SHELDON, Esq. 
 
 Mr. Sheldon published a number of works himself upon his favorite top- 
 ics which were never offered in market, but were distributed by him accord- 
 ing to his fancy. Besides these visionary ideas, Mr. Sheldon was a real 
 inventor of much ingenuity, and had he been under any pecuniary necessity
 
 30i 
 
 for thus exerting himself, could doubtless have realized a large fortune by 
 some of his mechanical devices. He left voluminous manuscripts, and a 
 faithful record of the various eccentricities of his character would prove 
 more surprising, if not more interesting, than most romances. 
 
 In character, Mr. Sheldon was singularly sincere, simple and just, 
 although subject to strong prejudices. He was also deeply religious by 
 nature. The following invocation, taken almost at random from among 
 many similar ones among his papers, is given as evidence, not only of his 
 unbalanced mind, but equally of the depth of his religious convictions and 
 of the natural kindliness of his heart : 
 
 PETITION SPECIFYING THE GIFT (to be conferred on asking) Lord the Father, 
 graciously be pleased to look down upon thy poor unworthy servant (if thou wilt 
 permit him to be called thy servant) in mercy and forgiveness, if it may be. 
 
 Lord, thine unworthy servant would at this time humbly approach the Divine maj- 
 esty to ask of thee the GIFT which thou hast peradventure permitted him to choose 
 and to ask at thy hands. And if it be well pleasing in thy sight, thy servant would 
 humbly ask that not one of thy servants not one of thy creatiires may be finally 
 lost by reason of the influence of thy servant, or on account of any neglect or omis- 
 sion of duty by him. But graciously be pleased to grant that he may be found 
 faithful by help obtained of thee, and that so far as he may exercise any influence 
 upon the future condition of any one it may be for good ; and that within the sphere 
 of this influence as many may be saved as may be possible. 
 
 Lord, thy servant would in an especial manner ask this in behalf of his enemies, 
 and those who may have done or designed him evil, if such there be, and of those 
 who may become such hereafter. Our Father who art in Heaven Amen. 
 
 Lord graciously be pleased to forgive the sins of this prayer, and to grant the peti- 
 tion of thy unworthy servant, if it may be, for Christ's sake. Amen. 
 
 March 22, 1837. 
 
 Mr. Sheldon died in 1872, the last of his family line, at the advanced age 
 of 84. 
 
 The following acrostic upon the name of his mother, Eunice Williams, 
 the granddaughter of Dr. Williams, and a woman of great beauty of person 
 and of character, .is a favorable specimen of the poetry of those early days : 
 
 Acrostic. 
 
 Ev'ry charm, & every grace Wit penetrating, Mirth refined, 
 
 Unfolds their fplendor in thy face : Illum'd by Judgment, Reafon's friend 
 Nature and Art, if they'd unite Learning's thy care, Virtue's thy Guide, 
 
 In all that's innocently bright, Love's thy Soul, Modefly's thy Pride. 
 
 Can't form another, if they would, Innocence ! Charmer of the mind, 
 E'en half fo gay, or half fo good. Allurement of the tend'reft kind 
 
 Magnifies thy Heaven-born Soul 
 Aug. 3 rd , 1783. So Sweetly, it does all controul.
 
 3O2 
 
 It may not be generally known, outside of literary circles, that for several 
 years of the past century Longmeadow enjoyed the distinction of possess- 
 ing one of the choicest special libraries in the United States. This was 
 the private library of the late William G. Medlicott, whose residence is 
 shown in the illustration which fronts page 97 of this volume. This library, 
 easily surpassed by many others in size, about 20,000 volumes, was prob- 
 ably richer in rare books pertaining to the Anglo-Saxon and early English 
 periods of our literature, than any other in this country. Its linguistic 
 treasures were well known and often sought by the professors of Harvard, 
 Yale, Cornell, and other universities, being freely loaned by Mr. Medlicott 
 in the interest of literary research. Its sumptuous catalogue, printed for 
 the use of buyers when, a few years ago, business reverses made it neces- 
 sary to dispose of a part of it, is a remarkable literary curiosity. The 
 opportunity was seized, at once, by intelligent collectors in London, Boston, 
 New York, and other widely scattered places, and the sale of many of its 
 choicest treasures, at advanced prices, demonstrated that even judicious 
 book collecting is not always unprofitable. Meanwhile the library itself 
 remains, apparently undiminished, in the family possession, and still also a 
 mine of profitable literary research. The following characterization of Mr. 
 Medlicott himself is condensed from the Spring field Republican: 
 
 " Mr. Medlicott combined with his large business capacity a remarkable 
 literary culture. Far from being a bibliophilist in the passion for costly rar- 
 ities for a market value, Mr. Medlicott loved his books for their own sake. 
 He counted every moment he could snatch from business cares as golden 
 for reading. It was his restful pastime and domestic recreation. Without 
 affectation or pedantry, he was always imparting in the table-talk and the 
 fireside reading, and by conversation, from the unfailing treasures of his 
 favorite books. During the latter days of his long and gradually wasting 
 illness, his indomitable will and cheerful disposition banished every gloomy 
 association, and with his beloved books, old and new, around him, he would 
 solace his mind and delight his friends with quotations from the poets he 
 loved the best. The literary department of his mind was just as method- 
 ically arranged and accurately grasped in every detail, as was the business 
 department which controlled and systemized a large and intricate manufac- 
 ture. Equally at home in each, neither seemed inconsistent with or harm- 
 ful to the other. 
 
 " He was exceedingly fond of his home and attached himself with public- 
 spirited generosity to all the interests of the village. Although by his early 
 training a member of the Church of England, and still retaining a personal 
 preference for the Episcopal communion, his religious catholicity made him 
 a staunch supporter of the Congregational Church as fairly maintaining its 
 ancient prestige, and the only one needed by a homogeneous and united 
 people. Indeed, in his warm attachment to the village of his adoption, and 
 his generous support of all its public interests, Mr. Medlicott was emphati- 
 cally a model citizen.
 
 303 
 
 Among the eccentric characters of Longmeadow, some now living remem- 
 ber its hermit, Aaron Burt. He dwelt in a forest clearing in East Long- 
 meadow, romantic in its solitude and surroundings of ancient trees and 
 running water. His own vineyard and orchard supplied abundance of lus- 
 cious fruits, which he gave to his curious visitors with generous hospitality. 
 He surrounded his hut with bees, so familiar that they would not sting 
 him, and which gave him honey of the richest quality. He had a family of 
 domestic animals whom he petted, and bathed, and talked to as if they were 
 human friends. He had trained them to follow him, and when he went to 
 Springfield, or visited the village street, they, the bullock, the heifer, the 
 sheep, the calf, and the pig, fantastically adorned with ribbons, fell into line, 
 while he, clad in sheepskins, like some prophet of old, strode in front with 
 serious dignity and a presence indicating much natural refinement and a 
 large intelligence that had somehow got awry disappointed in love, the 
 story ran looking like some old prophet. He attended public worship, 
 usually with decorum, but sometimes, by his odd behavior, would provoke 
 the tithing-men to put him out. Suddenly, in the midst of the service, he 
 might rise up in the gallery and break out in the solemn strains of "The 
 Indian Philosopher," or some other uncouth song. Feeling that he was 
 called to preach, he would make stentorian harangues, denouncing the sins 
 of the times, and sometimes with considerable pertinency. Captain Calvin 
 Burt once interrupted one of his sermons, in process of delivery opposite 
 his house, by rushing out with a horsewhip and chasing the noisy prophet 
 into a hatter's shop that then stood in the middle of the green, where he 
 administered a sound thrashing. When Pastor Dickinson, in gentler method 
 on another occasion, attempted to dissuade him from his preaching, the 
 reply was, " You and I, Mr. Dickinson, are engaged in the same business. 
 We both preach the same gospel ; only I go ahead with the breaking-up 
 drag, and you follow with a fine-tooth harrow to cover the seed." 
 
 The military trainings, so long as they lasted, were conducted on the 
 village green with the most exemplary precision, dignity, and decorum. The 
 last captain, chosen May 5, 1835, was Aaron C. Stebbins ; the last lieuten- 
 ant, Samuel C. Booth ; the last sergeant, Geo. H. White ; and the last cor- 
 poral, Isaac Calkins. 
 
 On that eventful Sabbath after Fort Sumter was fired upon, and the first 
 Massachusetts troops had met their rebuff at Baltimore, and the swift trains 
 were whistling through the long meadow loaded from the arsenal, there 
 appeared in his full uniform, marching up and down the street, quivering 
 with martial ire, and every inch a soldier, Captain Aaron Stebbins, present- 
 ing himself in all the solemnity of his kindling patriotism as an object les- 
 son and prophetic sign of what the times demanded. 
 
 On one of the Sabbath days during the Revolutionary period, while the 
 service was in progress, a man entered and whispered to some of the lead- 
 ing people, whereupon the congregation repaired at once to the work of run- 
 ning bullets, which continued all night, while the women mended the 
 clothes of the minute men who were to start at early dawn. 
 40
 
 304 
 
 'Squire Ely had a dry, sarcastic wit, conveyed in deliberate tones and 
 punctuated by a peculiar sniff which turned his Roman nose not up, but 
 downward and aside. Meeting his brother-in-law, Elihu Colton, one of the 
 unprofessional village lawyers, who spent his time in little else than sitting 
 at the tavern fire, or walking about at his leisure, he said, " Brother Elihu, 
 hadn't you better sometimes take a basket on your arm ? People 
 might think you was going after something." At another time, meeting his 
 deputy miller, S H , who was fond of going a-fishing, " Good morn- 
 ing, Mr. H . What's the news from the mill ? or haven't you been 
 
 there lately?" "Father," said his son Jonathan, who had returned from 
 some cattle-show, "don't you think we had better have some of this nice 
 graded stock ? " " Well," replied the 'Squire, "may be we had : but Jona- 
 than after we've had 'em awhile, you'll find they will be Ely cattle." Adol- 
 phus Kent, an impecunious hired man, who was noted for his sharp sayings, 
 having driven the 'Squire's heifers from their winter quarters to the pasture, 
 described them as so light that when they kicked up there wasn't " heft " 
 enough to bring their heels down till he got out as far as " Grassy Gutter." 
 " Did you ever know -your cattle to act in that way, Mr. Kent ? " 
 
 A member of the church who was disciplined for stealing, and had 
 acknowledged his guilt, asked permission to read the confession demanded 
 before the congregation himself. He got it drawn up by a lawyer, and 
 when the time came for the confession, stood up and humbly made his 
 acknowledgments, asking forgiveness ; "but most of all I ask the forgive- 
 ness more especially and above all of God and my brethren for 
 blacking my face and going in the night time with most other members 
 of the church and robbing the house of Samuel Colton." (See Colton 
 documents, p. 213.) 
 
 Rev. Dr. Wolcott kindly contributes the following reminiscence of his 
 former Longmeadow pastorate : 
 
 " A day or two before the destruction of his house by fire, Col. Williams 
 had granted me free access to his attic, and I was introduced to the manu- 
 script treasures with which it abounded. I made a preliminary exploration, 
 preparatory to a systematic examination of the papers. Among the docu- 
 ments which attracted my attention, was a legal paper signed by the surviv- 
 ing children of the Rev. John Williams of Deerfield, including the daughter 
 who had been taken captive by the Indians and had adopted the Indian life, 
 then on a visit to the homestead. The Indian name was given in full and 
 appended to it was ' her / mark.' I looked upon that ' mark ' the only 
 trace which this Christian-born daughter of the forest had left upon the 
 records of civilization, and it seemed to me one of the most pathetic inci- 
 dents with which I had ever met. I noted that document as one which I 
 should eventually solicit from the proprietor. But before I could repeat the 
 visit, those papers were all consumed in the flames."
 
 305 
 
 V. FAMILY MEMORANDA. 
 
 The following items of family history, supplied mainly by members 
 of the respective families, may perhaps usefully supplement the statis- 
 tics of the Genealogical Record, the publication of which has super- 
 seded a wider range of similar research : 
 
 THE BURT FAMILY. 
 
 The Burts, from the outset prominent and influential in Longmeadow 
 affairs, descended from Henry and Ulalia Burt. There is a tradition that 
 Ulalia was laid out for dead in England, and put into her coffin, but signs, of 
 life appearing, she recovered and became the mother of nineteen children, 
 only twelve of whom, however, are traced as coming to this country or as 
 having been born here. 
 
 Henry settled first in Roxbury, where in 1639 his house was burned, and 
 a grant of ^8 made to him by the Provincial Court in consideration of the 
 misfortune. About that time he removed to Springfield, and was then ap- 
 pointed " Clerk of y e band and clerk of y e writs ; " evidently a man of affairs 
 and well educated, being the lay exhorter on the Sabbath when there was 
 no minister, chosen in successive years one of the five "select men byy e 
 general vote and consent of y e Plantation for y e ordering y c prudential 
 affairs," and one of six with " full power to lay out y e lands both of upland 
 and meddowe." 
 
 His eldest son, Dea. Jonathan Burt, was also born in England, married 
 Elizabeth Lobdel at Boston, and like his father continually appears in posi- 
 tions of trust; "a man of note and deacon," writes Savage, also town clerk 
 of Springfield, making the only public record of the destruction of the town 
 by the Indians in 1675. In 1662 he was " allowed to be attorney of this 
 county's court." Dea. Jonathan lived in the house formerly owned by Hugh 
 Parsons of witchcraft notoriety. In 1694 Col. John Pynchon, Esq., and 
 Dea. Jonathan Burt were appointed to declare to Mr. Samuel Brewer, can- 
 didate for the Springfield pastorate, " The towne's good resentment of M r 
 Daniel Brewer his answer to the towne invitation, and to give him thanks 
 for y e same." 
 
 His third son, Nathaniel, settled in Longmeadow, " a respected and wor- 
 thy Father of the Town of Longmeadow," as testifies the inscription on his 
 monumental tablet, gratefully erected hy the inhabitants in remembrance of 
 his benefactions "for the support of the gospel and public schools." (See 
 epitaphs, p. 204.) He may well be styled " Nathaniel the liberal," according 
 to the Scripture graved upon his tombstone. Josiah xxxii, 8 " The liberal 
 deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand." 
 
 The next Longmeadow Burt was Jonathan, son of Dea. Jonathan and 
 grandson of Henry, who married Lydia Dumbleton, and whose daughter 
 Lydia married Dea. Jonathan Ely. Cotemporary with him in the third gen- 
 eration was Dea. Nathaniel Burt, son of Nathaniel of Springfield and grand- 
 son of Henry.
 
 306 
 
 In the fourth generation was Lieut. Nathaniel of the Third Massachusetts 
 regiment, and also deacon, son of Deacon Nathaniel and great-grandson of 
 Henry, who was killed at the battle of Lake George, September 8, 1755. 
 (See epitaphs, p. 204.) He was the father of Col. Gideon Burt,who commanded 
 the government troops in Shay's rebellion, September 26, 1782, during the 
 temporary absence of Gen. Shephard, and was grandfather of the late Maj. 
 William Bifrt. 
 
 The Burts are all along conspicuous for military titles and honorable ser- 
 vice in the successive wars. 
 
 David, great-grandson of Henry the emigrant, served against the French 
 and Indians, and was mustered in at Northfield in 1722. His son, Capt. 
 David Burt, led the Longmeadow minute men, who marched April 21, 1775, 
 at Lexington alarm. He was an extensive manufacturer of powder, fur- 
 nishing supplies for the Revolutionary army. His oldest son Solomon was 
 killed by the explosion of his powder-mill, supposed to have been caused 
 by an emissary of the enemy. It is recorded in the newspapers of the time 
 of an old horse owned by Capt. David, that one Sunday, when his master 
 was seriously ill and the attention of the family engaged in attendance on 
 him, the horse, through force of habit, at the ringing of the second bell, 
 took his place at the house-porch without chaise or harness ; after waiting 
 the usual time, trotted off to the meeting-house, paused at the door ; then 
 took his accustomed place under the shed ; after service drew up again at 
 the meeting-house door, and then trotted soberly home. 
 
 Capt. David's son, Capt. Calvin Burt, well remembered in Longmeadow 
 as a stalwart, upright, ardent, and outspoken man, fond of leadership and 
 intense in his likes and dislikes, entered the Revolutionary army at the age 
 of 14, was an officer under Gen. Shephard in suppressing Shay's rebellion, 
 and the great-grandfather of Lieut. Howard Burnham, slain at the battle of 
 Chickamauga, in the recent civil war. (See Military Record, p. 284.) 
 
 Edward Burt, son of Hezekiah of East Longmeadow, another brave sol- 
 dier and promising youth in the eighth generation from Henry the emigrant, 
 died of a wound received in the battle of the Wilderness. Of the same 
 lineage were those gallant officers, Gen. William Burt, ex-Postmaster of 
 Boston, and Major Edmund Charles Burt, of the Third Rhode Island 
 Cavalry. 
 
 The Burts have also given to the church militant a goodly number of 
 ministers. Those connected with the Longmeadow line belong to the East 
 Longmeadow family of the Davids and Elijah. Rev. Enoch Burt of Lam- 
 ington, N. J., son of Elijah, born in South Wilbraham, graduated at Prince- 
 ton, N. J., in 1805. Rev. Moses Burt of Clavarack, N. Y., and the son of 
 Elijah, admitted to priesthood of the Episcopal church by the Bishop of 
 New Jersey, ^October 24, 1823. Rev. Seth Burt of Norway, N. Y.. another 
 son of Elijah, born in East Longmeadow, graduated at Union College, 
 Schenectady, N. Y., July, 1810. Rev. Edmund Burt, son of Horace, grand- 
 son of Elijah of East Longmeadow, settled at Chittonongo, N. Y.
 
 307 
 
 The East Longmeadow Burts come in the line of Henry in the first gen- 
 eration, Nathaniel in the second, David in the third, who first settled in the 
 " Inward Commons," since called East Longmeadow, David in the fourth, 
 and Elijah in the fifth, through whose prolific family of fourteen they get an 
 accelerated movement. Of these, Luther Burt married Mary White, and 
 their children were Mary, Anne, Rhoda, Hezekiah, Lucius, Augustine, 
 Luther White, John, Richard Storrs, and Delia Bliss. Another son of 
 Elijah, Dea. Ebenezer Burt, married Amanda Colton, and their children 
 were Amanda, Lucretia, and Ebenezer. Another son of Elijah, bearing his 
 father's name, married for his first wife Nancy Abby, and their only child 
 was Loring Burt. Marrying for his second wife Polly McKinney, their 
 children were William, Anson, and Nancy Abby. Another son of Elijah, 
 Horace Burt, married Patty Bliss, and their children were Edmund, Jona- 
 than, and Horace. 
 
 THE COOLEY FAMILY. 
 
 Benjamin, or " Ensign Cooley," the head of the Longmeadow family, 
 received his first allotment of land in 1642. A portion of this land upon 
 which he first settled, and which he gave to his eldest son Obadiah, remains 
 in possession of his descendants at the present time. In a further adjust- 
 ment of the meadow grants, January 1651, "and how they are to lye by lot 
 on Pecowsick beginning at y e lower end," Benjamin Cooley stands as the 
 first proprietor. At a town meeting January 7, 1655, it was agreed and con- 
 cluded y l y e land at Woronoco (being laid to this Town by y' Court) should 
 be disposed of, to which end John Pynchon, Benj" Cooley, etc., were 
 appointed and designed by y e Town to y e work." Ensign Benjamin Cooley 
 stands all along in the early history of Springfield associated with Ensign 
 Cooper, Capt. Pynchon, Miles Morgan, Rowland Thomas, Quartermaster 
 Colton, and Eleazer Holyoke on real estate committees to dispose of " y' 
 Lands of the Plantation." In 1670 the General Court appointed him with 
 John Pynchon and four others to lay out a new township on the west side 
 of the Connecticut river " towards Windsor." Benjamin Cooley had eight 
 children. His two sons, Obadiah and Eliakim, settled in Longmeadow. In 
 1665 grants of land were made to Obadiah Cooley, eldest son of Benjamin 
 Cooley, of thirty-five acres, his father " agreeing to satisfy charges that shall 
 come upon the Land before it is Improved," Obadiah Cooley being at this 
 time but 19 years of age. From this time on for several years records 
 appear of deeds of land from Benjamin Cooley to his five sons. 
 
 A deed dated January 21, 1673, conveys " two parcells of land in y* Long 
 meaddow " from Thomas Stebbins to Ensign Cooley. Another deed con- 
 veys to him from Samuel Marshfield 
 
 " Certayne Parcells of land, viz. f oure Parcells of Land lying and being in Spring- 
 field aforefaid that is to fay, Imprimis, a Parcell of Land conteyning foureteene 
 acres more or lefs lying in the Long meaddow a little below the gate w ch Openeth 
 into the field a little below his the faid Enfign Cooley's houfe." " The fourth Par-
 
 308 
 
 cell of Land hereby fold is twelve acres more or lefs lying on the North Side of that 
 Land of Enfign Cooleys w ch lyes between the two dingles w ch are on y e back Side 
 of the Swampe w ch is Eaft from his houfe at Long meaddow. This twelve acres 
 extends to another dingle northward from the Said Enfign Cooleys own land above 
 mentioned, and is in breadth thirty rods and in length Sixty foure rods." 
 
 Obadiah Cooley had two sons, who remained in Longmeadow, Joseph and 
 Jonathan. Joseph had a son, Caleb, and his grandson was Seth, who was 
 the father of Mrs. Ethan Ely. Jonathan's descendants are his son Stephen, 
 grandson Calvin, and great-grandson, Alford. 
 
 James Cooley, eldest son of Calvin Cooley, after graduating at Yale Col- 
 lege and studying law, went to Ohio to practice law in 1815. Irt 1826 he 
 was sent under the administration of John Quincy Adams as charge 
 d'affaires to Lima. Peru, and died within a year after reaching there. 
 
 THE ELY FAMILY. 
 
 The following more extended account of the Ely family of Long- 
 meadow has been prepared by Mr. Ethan C. Ely, and is inserted by 
 him with its accompanying illustrations : 
 
 THE ELY FAMILY IN LONGMEADOW, though not as large as some of the 
 others, seems to have been of good worthy stock, beginning with Dea. 
 Jonathan, son of Samuel of Springfield, who was the son of Nathaniel, also 
 of Springfield, and one of its early settlers, coming there about the year 
 1660, and with his son Samuel keeping a tavern or public house in what is 
 now the old Laundry at the corner of Dwight and Sanford streets, when it 
 stood at or near the corner of Main and Bliss streets, on the site of the 
 present " Belmont House." It appears that Nathaniel took the freeman's 
 oath in Cambridge, Mass., May 6, 1635, at which time he was a land-holder 
 there, and was probably of Puritan origin, having come to this country from 
 England prior to the above date. There is some evidence that he may have 
 been of Rev. Thomas Hooker's party to Connecticut in 1636, whence he 
 removed to Springfield, where he died Dec. 25, 1675, leaving, it appears, 
 two children, Samuel and Ruth. His supposed widow, Martha Ely, died 
 Oct. 23, 1683. 
 
 The record shows that Samuel married Mary Day the 28th of the 8th 
 month, 1659, and that they had fifteen children, more than half of whom 
 died in infancy, or when quite young. Samuel, the father, died March 17, 
 1692, after which his widow was twice married ; first April 12, 1694, to 
 Thomas Stebbins ; he dying Dec. 7, 1695, she next married John Coleman 
 Dec- 16, 1696. 
 
 Joseph, Samuel, and John, three of the sons of Samuel, had families and 
 settled in West Springfield, and Jonathan settled in Longmeadow in 1694. 
 Dea. Jonathan seems to have been a plain God-fearing man, respected and 
 trusted by the community in which he lived, and when he died, in 1753, in 
 his 7 ist year, an elegy was printed, a fac simile of which is given herewith :
 
 An ELEGY on the gratfe of 
 
 M r - Iomitl)an <lij, 
 
 Deacon of the Church of CHRIST in Springfield, at Long-Meadow, who 
 Departed this Life, July 27. Annoque Domini, 1753. In the 71"- 
 Year of his Age. 
 
 Prov. x. 7. The Mimtrj, of the Just h hli/ed. Rev. xiv. 13. Sle/,d art the Dead which die in th. Lord: 
 
 "IT THAT Cloud is this o'erfpreads the Sk 
 
 * Or gloomy Exhalations rife, J 
 In Sable Curtains hide the Sun, 
 JufT. as he had his Race begun. 
 The Morn was bright, ferene, and clear, 
 No Storm, nor Tempeft, did appear 
 Then fuddenly, the Newt was fpread, 
 The mournful News ! ELY is |ptab. 
 Well might the Sun be hid a While, 
 Under a dark and difmal Vail ; 
 Well might the Heav'ns, be overfpreaJ, 
 To mourn this precious Saint of GOD. 
 And ye furviving Mortals too, 
 Which did his Grace and Vertue know, 
 Come drop a Fun'ral Tear and Sigh, 
 Perpetuate his Memory. 
 Speak Mufi unerring, you have known, 
 How in the Church's Orb he (hone: 
 And well adorn'd his Office State, 
 Have feen his Tears when he did wait, 
 Upon the Table of the Lord, 
 A humble Saint around his Board. 
 Difperfing Wifdom's rich Provision, 
 The Bread and Wine, the Lord has given 
 Thofe dear Memorials of his |Bfat^, 
 To purchafe Life, and free from W rath, 
 Let Age declare how from his Youth, 
 He walked in the Ways of Truth ; 
 And by his bright Example fet, 
 A ftiining Pattern for their Feet. 
 Early he turn'd to Wifdom's Ways, 
 And ne'er forlbok them all his Days ; 
 A blamelefs Walk and Converfation, 
 Adorn'd his Life in ev'ry Station. 
 How Holy, Juft, and Temp'rate too, 
 How free from Vanity and Shew ; 
 Yet condefending, cheerful, free, 
 Unftain'd, without Hypocrify. 
 A tender Father, Huiband kind, 
 A courteous Neighbour, loving Friend ; 
 Made up of Peace and Charity, 
 Unaflc'd forgave an Injury. 
 When juft Occasion did prefent, 
 Tender of the true Penitent; 
 His holy Soul would melt and flow, 
 In Tears of Love and facred Joy. 
 
 His Principles were found and good, 
 He fought Salvation thro' Chrift's Blood. 
 
 J'Tis remarkable, the Morning he Died, the 
 Heavens were fuddenly overfpread with Smoak, 
 which continued feveral days. 
 
 The Doctrine of GOD's Sovereignty, 
 And abfolute Supremacy; 
 The wretched State of fall'n Man, 
 His Need to be renew'd again ; 
 Throughout the Soul, in ev'ry Part, 
 Were Doctrines much upon his Heart. 
 For he no Doubt had felt their Pow'r, 
 In feme divine refreshing Hour; 
 And perfeveringly he grew, 
 In Vertue, Grace, and Knowledge too; 
 While viewing here from Pifgah's Top, \ 
 The Lord at laft has call'd him up, 
 To take Poffeflion of his Hope. 
 
 Mourn and lament this Church of GOD, 
 A Father taken from your Head ; 
 His Services with Thanks record, 
 Unto our great and gracious Lord : 
 Who crown'd his Servant with fuch Grace, 
 So long preferv'd him in the Place; 
 A Blefling to the Church of GOD, 
 Where to his dying Day he ftood : 
 A Mirror bright before our Eyes ; 
 Now reigns and (bines above the Skies. 
 Nor was his Service here confin'd ; 
 The publick Truft he long fuftain'd ; 
 Difcharg'd with great Fidelity, 
 Your Records kept moft faithfully, j- 
 
 Mufe, fpeak a Word of Sympathy, 
 Unto the mournfuj Family : 
 Your Lofs, tho' Great, to him is Gain, 
 Which may AlTwage your Grief and Pain. 
 Ceafe then your Tears, dry up your Eyes, 
 Let no tumultuous Paffion rife ; 
 Mourn for your Friend, you may, 'tis juit, 
 But moderate your Grief you mult. 
 Reftrain Excefs, bound Sorrow up ; 
 For you don't mourn without a Hope. 
 Now Huftiand, Father, Friend, is gone, 
 Let GOD be all to you in one. 
 Well may you all rejoice in this, 
 Your Friend is gone to endlefs Blifs : 
 Has chang'd a mortal State below, 
 A State of Sorrow, Sin and Woe, 
 For Realms of Joy, Delight and Love, 
 In the clear View of GOD above ; 
 To fpend a long Eternity, J 
 
 In Saints, and Angels, Company ; > 
 In praifing GOD, unitedly. 
 
 (He ferved in the Office of Precincit Clerk, 
 more than Thirty Years. And many Years Treas- 
 urer.
 
 3io 
 
 and also the inscription taken from his monument in the cemetery, which 
 reads thus : 
 
 " He was one that feared God above many, of great ufefulnefs in this place, a 
 plain and upright man. 
 
 Jonathan, the gift of God, pleafant in life, lamented over at death by diilreffed and 
 bereaved friends." 
 
 Dea. Jonathan Ely had two sons, Jonathan and Nathaniel; the latter 
 remaining on his father's homestead, located on the east side of the street 
 next north of the "Ministry land," so-called, until the year 1758, when he 
 purchased of Henry Bliss the property on the west side, which has 
 remained in the family ever since, having descended from one generation to 
 another until the present, while his brother Jonathan located on the moun- 
 tain in Wilbraham, on land known then as the " outward Commons " of 
 Springfield, and lived to see succeeding Jonathans to the third or fourth 
 generation growing up around him, dying Dec. 29, 1812, at the great age of 
 98 years and 5 months. 
 
 Dea. Nathaniel Ely, son of Jonathan, may have inherited, to some extent, 
 a taste for inn-keeping from his grandsires of Springfield, for he is said to 
 have kept tavern for a time in the house now owned by Dr. Lester Noble, 
 which stood then where the residence of Ethan C. Ely now stands. Some 
 years later, in connection with his son, Dea. Nathaniel, Jr., he built the 
 brick structure standing next south, which was considered in those days the 
 most pretentious dwelling between Springfield and Hartford, and has been 
 a notable landmark for more than a century. He was four times married, 
 his first wife being Mary Estabrook, daughter of Rev. Samuel Estabrook 
 'of Canterbury, Conn., who died Jan. 13, 1759, aged 41. His second wife 
 was Abigail Colton, daughter of William and Mary Colton, who died Dec. 
 2(2, 1770, in her 46th year. His third wife was Beulah, daughter of Capt. 
 Isaac Colton, who died April 24, 1786. His fourth and last, who survived 
 him, was Mrs. Martha Williams Reynolds, widow of Dr. Samuel Reynolds 
 of Somers, Conn., and daughter of Rev. Stephen Williams, and grand- 
 mother of Mrs. Mary Reynolds Schauffler, the long-time missionary to 
 Turkey. She died Feb. 18, 1825, aged 92. 
 
 Only two of these wives had children, Nathaniel and Samuel being of the 
 first, Ethan and William of the second, most of the others dying in infancy 
 or early life. He was a man of firm purpose and sterling integrity, lived 84 
 years, and died just at the close of the century. From his tablet in the cem- 
 etery we take the following inscription : 
 
 Dea. Nathaniel Ely, Ion of Jonathan. 
 
 Died December 26, 1799. 
 
 " He was a mining example of the focial and Chriftian virtues, eminently ulefuj 
 both in civil and religious fociety, and closed life in joyful hope of a glorious 
 immortality. His great-grandfather was Nath 1 Ely from England, one of the firft 
 fettlers of Connecticut, and removed to Springfield, Mafs., where he died." " The 
 righteous fhall be had in everlafting remembrance."
 
 Dea. Nathaniel Ely, Jr., Samuel, Ethan, and William, were worthy sons 
 of a worthy sire. The former married Elizabeth Reynolds, daughter of Dr. 
 Samuel Reynolds of Somers, Conn., and granddaughter of Rev. Stephen 
 Williams, and had several children, among whom was Martha, who married 
 Rev. Daniel Temple, one of the first missionaries to Turkey, an only son, 
 Samuel, dying at the age of 8 years with symptoms of hydrophobia. The 
 father, although a large, robust man, suffered from pulmonary troubles, and 
 at one time visited the West Indies for his health, and on his return brought 
 back, among other things, the first umbrella known in Longmeadow. 
 Through his connection by marriage with the Williams family he seems to 
 have taken a special interest in the education of the Indian boy " Lazau," 
 who afterwards became the Rev. Eleazer Williams, and the supposed Dau- 
 phin, or Louis XVII of France (see p. 230). 
 
 Dea. Nathaniel Ely, Jr., died June 18, 1808, aged 57 years. Rev. Mr. 
 Storrs, in his funeral sermon, said of him that his ancestors were distin- 
 guished for piety and good sense, for usefulness and respectability, and that 
 for more than twenty years he had sustained the office of deacon in the 
 church, and so discharged its appropriate functions as to purchase to him- 
 self a good report and promote the spiritual welfare of his Christian brethren. 
 On his monument we find this tribute to his memory : 
 
 " Poffeffed of a liberal, patriotic mind, and hopefully fanctified by the fpirit of 
 God, he became eminently ufeful both in church and fociety. He was a tender huf- 
 band, an affectionate father, a generous friend." 
 
 Samuel Ely, A.B., second son of Dea. Nathaniel and Mary Ely, graduated 
 at Yale College in 1772, and died in Nov., 1774, at the age of 21. William, 
 second son of Dea. Nathaniel and Abigail Ely, graduated at Yale and 
 practiced law in Springfield, where he resided in the old Ely house on the 
 site of the present " Belmont," having married Abigail Bliss, daughter of 
 Moses Bliss of that town. He represented his district several years in 
 Congress, and died Oct. 9, 1817, at the age of 52, leaving no children, and 
 was buried in Springfield. The writer has been informed that he was a 
 man of noble physique, being powerfully built, and weighing nearly or quite 
 300 Ibs. 
 
 Capt. Ethan Ely, eldest son of Dea. Nathaniel and Abigail, his second 
 wife, was born Feb. 13, 1764, married Hannah, daughter of Jonathan Burt, 
 Jan. 6, 1791, and lived on the old homestead, where his father, Dea. Nath- 
 aniel, resided before going into the brick house next south. Here he 
 remained until about the time of his father's death, or some time after the 
 death of his brother, Dea. Nathaniel, Jr., when, with his family of five chil- 
 dren, two sons and three daughters, he moved into the brick house where he 
 remained until the time of his death, May 13, 1848, at the age of 84. He was an 
 industrious, thrifty farmer and land-holder, familiarly known in affairs as 
 " Squire " Ely, and in the church as " Deacon " Ely, and was for many .years 
 one of the leading spirits in the community, though modest and unobtrusive 
 in his intercourse with men, having a gentle, sensitive nature, combined with
 
 312 
 
 firmness and courage. He was fond of music, as were all his family, and 
 somewhat noted in his day as a singer and teacher of singing, and the writer 
 has several times met people years ago in the neighboring towns, who 
 would say, on finding him out, " Your grandfather taught me to sing." His 
 sons were Ethan and Jonathan ; the latter graduated at Union College, and, 
 after teaching several years and farming in Ohio, died in Cincinnati, June 8, 
 1847, at the age of 49. He was a genial, capable man, though always suffering 
 more or less from poor health, twice married, and left one daughter by his 
 first wife, who has since died, leaving three children, one son and two 
 daughters in Ohio. 
 
 Capt. Ethan Ely, Jr., the oldest son, born Nov. 24, 1791, remained with 
 his father, and was always from early boyhood his " right-hand man," being 
 very industrious and hard-working, of great energy and perseverance, sim- 
 ple in his habits and unassuming in manners. He devoted himself with 
 singular fidelity to the interests of his father, laboring untiringly to advance 
 their mutual welfare, and had the satisfaction of seeing his work prosper in 
 his hands. As an instance of his early pluck and resolution, he has related 
 to the writer that in his i5th year he walked to Northampton and back to 
 witness the public execution of Daley and Halligan, in June, 1806, for the 
 murder of Marcus Lyon in Wilbraham Nov., 1805. He married Oct. 13, 
 1831, when about middle life, and returned to the "old red-house " (which 
 about this time became white), where he was born, and, as we suppose, his 
 father before him, and where a few years later his only son, the writer, first 
 saw the light, three generations of the family thus having been cradled 
 under that venerable roof-tree. His only wife was Ann Cooley, daughter of 
 Seth and Ann Cooley, with whom he lived less than four years, and who 
 died in May, 1835, leaving a babe nine days old, after which he returned to 
 live with his father and sister until this babe had grown to manhood, when, 
 in 1855, twenty years later, the old house was moved to the opposite side of 
 the street, and in 1856 the present structure was erected, being finished the 
 following spring, and occupied in Sept., 1857, by the son, who was then mar- 
 ried, and with whom the father lived until his death, Aug. 28, 1875, at the 
 age of 83 years and nine. months. When near the end, and feeling the bur- 
 den "of his weakness and infirmities bearing him down, he remarked that he 
 had lived long enough, and did n't wish to live any longer ; but, with charac- 
 teristic energy serving him to the last, he died sitting in his chair. " With 
 long life will I satisfy thee." 
 
 As has been already shown, his grandfather on his mother's side was 
 Jonathan Burt, upon whose monument it is inscribed that he died April 18, 
 1794, in his 56th year, "in a sudden and surprising manner," without farther 
 explanation ; and perhaps it may be well to add here that he was found dead 
 on the plains by the roadside, having fallen from his horse while riding from 
 the "street" in the evening to his home in the eastern part of the town. 
 His horse arriving without him, search was made, and he was found, as 
 above, on the road leading east from the house of Sylvester Bliss, just
 
 313 
 
 before it intersects the road from the center. A monument was erected to 
 mark the spot, but was for some reason afterward removed. It was sup- 
 posed at the time that he died in a " fit," but whether he did, or whether he 
 simply fell asleep as he "jogged " homeward, and was killed by falling from 
 his horse, is a mystery hidden in the depths of the "forest-gloom" where 
 he died unattended. Adjutant Jonathan Burt, and Hannah Cooley, his wife, 
 had nine children ; an only son, Jonathan, a promising young man, who died 
 June 8, 1803, at the age of 22, and eight daughters, all but one of whom 
 were married, and all of these save one are supposed to have left 
 children. 
 
 As the writer was once engaged in trimming the old elm still standing in 
 front of his premises, his father called his attention to the mark of a 'large 
 low arm that had been removed many years before, and related this incident 
 in connection with it, which may be of interest here : 
 
 When peace was declared at the close of the war of 1812, the old bell 
 was rung so vigorously that it was cracked, and on being recast and 
 returned, before being hoisted to its original perch in the old tower it was 
 swung up under this low lateral branch and tested, to see if the work of re- 
 casting was well done ; and it not only stood that test, but it has stood all 
 the tests of all the years that have since intervened, and still sends forth its 
 silvery tones, though the good old familiar custom of ringing it at 12 
 o'clock noon, and 9 o'clock evening, has been discontinued, as also much of 
 the tolling. 
 
 It may be observed that the worthy title of "Deacon" seems to adhere 
 in the Ely family, which may be partly due to frequent intermarriages with 
 the Coltons, in whose behalf it is claimed that they had a "perpetual 
 grant " of this time-honored prefix. Be this as it may, it has come to be a 
 chronic habit with certain publishers to assume that our Elys are " Deacons," 
 even to the sixth and seventh generation. 
 
 In the brief sketch thus given, and for the sake of brevity and direct- 
 ness, we have confined ourselves to the "male line" of the family, though 
 there have been worthy daughters as well as sons, of whom mention might 
 be made : and it may be well to add concerning the more recent, that Dea. 
 Nathaniel, Jr., had four, the youngest of whom, Martha, we have already 
 mentioned. Mary, the eldest, married Capt. David Mack, Jr., and died in 
 Amherst, Dec. 15, 1842, where she and her mother are buried. Elizabeth 
 married Elisha Taylor of Cleveland, Ohio, where she died, and Beulah mar- 
 ried Timothy Goodwin of Simsbury, Conn., all except Mrs. Taylor having 
 children. 
 
 Of the three daughters of his brother Ethan, Hannah, the eldest, 
 remained with her father unmarried, speeding her days in the old home- 
 stead, where she devoted herself to every good work with rare fidelity, and 
 died Dec. 30, 1872, in her 8oth year. In her earlier life she was the first 
 Preceptress of Monson Academy, and helped to organize the first Sabbath- 
 school in that town.
 
 3*4 
 
 Abigail married Rev. Artemas Boies, and died at South Hadley, April 26, 
 1826, in her 32d year, leaving two children, a son and daughter, the son 
 being William Ely Boies, now resident on the old homestead of his grand- 
 father Ely. The daughter, Jane, married Rev. J. L. Dickinson, and died at 
 Plainville, Conn., in 1858, where she and her husband are buried, leaving 
 three children, two daughters and an infant son, the latter dying soon after 
 the mother. 
 
 Sarah, the youngest, married Justus Boies, Esq., a brother of Artemas, 
 they being sons of David Boies of Blandford, where she resided more than 
 twenty years on the family homestead out at the " Gore," and had six chil- 
 dren, three sons and three daughters, only two of whom survive at this date, 
 though all lived to reach adult life, and all except the youngest, who died in 
 the army, have left children. Later they removed to Northampton, where 
 the father died in 1859, and where both are buried, the mother dying Dec. 
 7, 1880, in her 85th year. 
 
 As we recount the list of our female -worthies who have lived and served 
 their generations and passed away, we go back to Mary Day, the fruitful 
 wife of our ancestor, Samuel Ely of Springfield, who was the mother of fif- 
 teen children, and twice married afterwards, and we say " Many daughters 
 have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." 
 
 THE FIELD FAMILY. 
 
 Jabez Colton's genealogy may be supplemented from other family records, 
 as follows : Zachariah Field, grandson of John Field, a noted astronomer, 
 came to New England about 1630 and settled in Dorchester. He removed 
 in 1636 to Hartford, Conn., and in 1658 joined a company of sixty who pur- 
 chased of the Nonotuck Indians a tract of land on the east side of the Con- 
 necticut river, extending twelve miles from Mt. Holyoke to the bank oppo- 
 site Mt Nequamp (now Sugar Loaf), and nine miles back from the river. 
 His grandson, Thomas, removed from Hatfield to Longmeadow about 1728. 
 Moses Field, son of Thomas, was a soldier in the French and Indian war 
 at the siege of Louisburg, and a captain in the army of the Revolution. 
 Another son of Thomas, a graduate of Yale College in 1745, was a physi- 
 cian in Saybrook and a prominent revolutionary patriot. Simeon, his 
 brother, was also a graduate of Yale, a physician in Enfiekl, Conn., and also 
 a tavern-keeper there, and son-in-law of Rev. Peter Raynolds, the Enfield 
 pastor. He raised a company of 100 men for the Revolutionary army, for 
 which the town voted him ,25. Oliver Field, son of Moses and Rebecca 
 Cooley Field, served five years in the army of the Revolution. His brother, 
 Col. Alexander Field, was a man of large estate and prominent influence, 
 of commanding appearance and courteous address, who dressed in the cos- 
 tume of a gentleman of the old style, and rode to church in his carriage. 
 His nephew, Moses Field, who remained unmarried, was very highly 
 respected for his piety, intelligence, industry, and integrity, and pursued the 
 vocation of the village tailor.
 
 315 
 
 THE GOLDTHWAIT FAMILY. 
 
 The Goldthwait family was a group of "peculiar people," every member 
 strongly marked by individual traits. The father, Lieut. Erastus, grave, 
 simple, genuinely good, with dashes of a quaint and quiet humor ; the 
 mother, Hannah, daughter of Dea. William and granddaughter of Dea. 
 Aaron Colton, a bright, cheery woman, brimful of the true Colton humor 
 and piety beautifully blended. 
 
 Flavel, the eldest son of Erastus and the only surviving child of his first 
 wife, Rhoda Burt, by his strong native powers of mind and diligent use of 
 opportunities comparatively meager rising through various positions of use- 
 fulness and trust, became finally, at Charleston, S. C, and later at Hartford, 
 Conn., an enthusiastic and successful teacher. Teaching, indeed, seems 
 almost a special Goldthwait vocation inherited, perhaps, from one of their 
 early New England ancestors, Ezekiel Cheever, for seventy years the 
 famous Latin-school teacher of Boston. It is certainly a noteworthy fact 
 that Erastus the father, and all his descendants, with but two exceptions, 
 have been, at some period of their lives, teachers. Flavel died at the early 
 age of 37, in the prime of manhood, but having already made his mark as a 
 highly-beloved and respected member of society. 
 
 Jonathan, the next son, was a born genius, with his full share of the pecu- 
 liarities which mark such delicate organizations. He distinguished himself 
 as an engraver. 
 
 Most distinguished of all, however, both in the endowments and the 
 " peculiarities " of natural genius, was William, the youngest son, widely 
 known as an enthusiastic and successful teacher. Both as Principal of the 
 Westfield Academy and as a select and family school teacher in his native 
 village, his enduring monument is in the memories of hundreds of his pupils, 
 whose testimony to the impulse received from him is emphatic. He died 
 November 18, 1882. The following characterization of him is from the 
 Springfield Republican of that date : 
 
 Mr. Goldthwait was a thoroughly original character, of marked peculiarities both 
 in person and address ; an alert and stimulating teacher ; as a writer and speaker, 
 bright, witty, quaint, and striking, both in thought and expression ; a lover of nature 
 and poetry ; greatly fond of good books and good people ; extending his research 
 beyond his vocation into various sciences, and particularly that of agriculture. He 
 wielded a prolific and useful pen, being for a considerable period editor of the 
 Massachusetts Teacher, and the author of a treatise on English Grammar. He was 
 in large demand for educational and agricultural addresses. The degree of A.M. 
 was conferred on him by Williams College. Of a fine mental fiber, warm and true 
 in his affections, and with the native instincts of a gentleman, he won many hearty 
 friends, and was widely and highly respected. Beyond all other qualities he was 
 marked by a devout, tender, and ever-ripening piety, embodying in all his daily walks 
 and conversation the hymn of Dwight " I love thy Church, O God."
 
 THE HALE FAMILY. 
 
 Jabez Colton leaves a preliminary gap in his records which may be in part 
 supplied by the following data. The family has been traced back to Thomas 
 Hale of Codicote, Hertfordshire, England, who lived in the beginning of the 
 Sixteenth century. Thomas Hale, the glover, probably the son of Thomas 
 above mentioned, came from England to Newburg about 1630. The Hales 
 were prominent among the settlers of Charlestown and Old Newburg. One 
 of the sons of Thomas Hale of Newburg removed to Coventry, Conn., from 
 whom descended Nathan, the Revolutionary spy, and David, the New York 
 editor of the Journal of Commerce, while another son, Thomas, ancestor of 
 the Longmeadow Hales, removed to Enfield, Conn., and married Pricella 
 Markham. His son Thomas married Experience Burt, daughter of Nathan- 
 iel and Rebecca Burt of East Longmeadow. The Hales were an influential 
 family and settled largely in the eastern part of the town, where they were 
 the largest land-owners. The first marble grave-stones in the old cemetery 
 bear the name of Hale. 
 
 THE STEBBINS FAMILY. 
 
 The following additional memoranda respecting the Stebbins family have 
 been kindly furnished by one of the descendants whose authority will not 
 be questioned Oliver Bliss Stebbins, of the New England Historical and 
 Genealogical Society : 
 
 Concerning the Stebbins family, Master Jabez writes : " Rowland Steb- 
 bins, as far as known, is supposed to have been the ancestor of all of his 
 name in New England." If he means ancestor of all then living in New 
 England he is probably correct, but if he means ancestor of all of the name 
 who were ever born in New England he is decidedly wrong. 
 
 There were five (and possibly six) emigrants by the name of Stebbing or 
 Stebbins who came to Massachusetts during the first ten years of its settle- 
 ment; ist. Rowland Stebbing, as he was called in England, born in 1594, 
 sailed from the port of Ipswich, County of Suffolk, Eng., in the ship Fran- 
 cis, with his wife Sarah and his children Thomas, John, Sarah, and Eliza- 
 beth. He arrived at Boston in July, 1634, and is supposed to have settled 
 at Roxbury, though after a diligent search I can find no record of his con- 
 nection with the church of that town, nor any evidence of his having been a 
 settler there. His removal to Springfield after 1636, and to Northampton 
 after 1664, are more authentic facts. Rowland's son, Lieutenant Thomas, 
 the ancestor of the Longmeadow line, born in England in 1620, married in 
 November, 1645, Hannah Wright, who is said to have been daughter of 
 Deacon Samuel Wright, but in the Wright genealogy I find no daughter 
 Hannah mentioned. 
 
 2d. Deacon Edward Stebbins of Hartford, Conn., was probably the first 
 Stebbins who came over, as he was of Cambridge, Mass., in 1632-3. He 
 went with the great Hooker emigration to Hartford in 1636. He was for 
 several years a member of the Connecticut Legislature, and one of the most 
 respected citizens of Hartford. He died in 1663, leaving three daughters.
 
 3d. John Stebbins, born (probably in England) in 1611, settled at Rox- 
 bury, married Ann Munke in 1644 for his first wife. He died, probably at 
 Roxbury, December 4, 1681, aged 70, and was buried in the cemetery at the 
 corner of Washington and Eustis streets, now in Boston, where his grave- 
 stone is still to be seen. I have never found any record of children. 
 
 4th. John Stebbins, born (probably in England) in 1601 or 1605, settled 
 at Watertown, Mass., previous to 1640. He married Margaret , and 
 had a son John, born at Watertown in 1640. He is probably the John Steb- 
 bins who became one of the first settlers of New London, Conn., in 1645, 
 as he is known to have sold his property in Watertown before that date and 
 is never afterwards heard of in that town. John Stebbins was chosen con- 
 stable of New London February 25, 1649-50, and held other public offices. 
 He died at New London about 1685, aged 80 or 84, (he gives his age differ- 
 ently on two deeds,) leaving two sons, John who died 1707, Daniel, and one 
 daughter. The sons both married, but I have found no record of descendants. 
 
 5th. Martin Stebbins, born (probably in England) about 1589, located at 
 Roxbury, Mass., before 1640. He kept a brew-house and tavern in Boston 
 many years. His wife Jane died July 24, 1659. He was living in 1658, aged 
 about 69, but the time of his death is not ascertained. He had two daugh- 
 ters, Hannah, born October 3, 1640, and Mary, born February i, 1642, but 
 there is no record of any son. 
 
 6th. Hinman, in his " Puritan Settlers of Connecticut," mentions a Fran- 
 cis Stebbins of Connecticut (town not mentioned) who died in 1673, leaving 
 five daughters and one son, Joseph, who was born in 1668. His eldest child, 
 Sarah, was born in 1653. This Francis may have been a son of Deacon 
 Edward of Hartford, though it is not probable. Hinman also mentions 
 Samuel Stebin, son of George, who married in 1652 Bethia Loomis. 
 
 7th. Farmer's Genealogical Register mentions an Increase Stebbins of 
 Springfield in 1650, but I have been unable to find any other account of him, 
 and am disposed to think it an error. OLIVER B. STEBBINS. 
 
 The " Clark Stebbins " referred to on page 40 as a local poet of some 
 reputation, is the Jonathan Stebbins of Mr. Colton's genealogy see page 
 84. He derived his popular title from the office of Precinct Clerk, which 
 he held for an unusually long term of years. A manuscript volume of his 
 poems, of considerable size, is in the possession of one of his descend- 
 ants, Mrs. E. W. Parsons of Hartford, Conn. The Elegy upon the death 
 of Mr. Jonathan Ely, given in fac simile upon page 309, is a favorable 
 specimen of his poetry ; as is also the following spirited quatrain from the 
 manuscript volume referred to : 
 
 " I value not tho' Earth and Hell, 
 
 Yea, Men and Devils too, 
 Spit Venom at the truths I tell, 
 If Conscience Says they're true"
 
 THE STORRS FAMILY. 
 
 The only two sons of the large family of Pastor Storrs, whose adult life 
 was in any considerable measure identified with Longmeadow, were Jona- 
 than and Eleazer Williams. Of these the former, though giving unusual 
 mental promise in his earliest years, sustained such severe injury by illness 
 in childhood as to restrict his subsequent activities and influence within the 
 narrow limits of great physical endurance, and a memory of. extraordinary 
 range and retentiveness. He was a diligent and conscientious Bible reader 
 during all his long life, and could give at once the chapter and verse loca- 
 tion of almost any passage when repeated to him. Many of his quaint 
 aphorisms are still preserved in tradition, both by their own Attic salt, and 
 by a certain peculiarity of his hesitating rapid utterance, e. g., " If-you-want- 
 to-be-rich you-must-save-half-you-earn and-live-a-long-time ; " the un- 
 surpassed condensation of volumes of political economy, and of the truth of 
 which his own life was a good illustration. 
 
 Of Eleazer Williams, the youngest son. who died at the old homestead of 
 his birth April 6. 1880, at the advanced age of 80 years, the following char- 
 acterization is condensed from an extended sketch by his pastor in the 
 Congregationalist of June 20, 1880 : 
 
 The life of this beloved parishioner well illustrated the usefulness and joy of a 
 consecrated secular activity, and the power of the faith which had dwelt in the fam- 
 ily traditions and covenant blessings of many generations. It illustrated, too, the 
 private ministry of the Word as coincident with, and complementing, in the same 
 family the more public and illustrious calling of the ordained pastor. Lineally 
 descended from Rev. John Williams of Deerfield and Dr. Stephen Williams of 
 Longmeadow, he was the youngest son of Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, the successor 
 of Dr. Williams in the Longmeadow pastorate, and the brother of Rev. Dr. R. S. 
 Storrs of Braintree and Rev. Pres. Charles Storrs of Western Reserve College. 
 
 He entered in early life the mercantile profession, and continued it at Hartford, 
 Conn., at Richmond, Va., at Kalamazoo, Mich., at Amherst, Mass., and for the 
 longer period of his maturer years at Springfield, Mass., in connection with the firm 
 of George and Charles Merriam. His bright face, speaking eye, and genial wel- 
 come are yet living remembrances of many who used to frequent the " Old Corner 
 Book-store." Seconded by the warm and abundant generosity of intimate and 
 deeply attached Christian brethren in Springfield, Mr. Storrs' business life gradu- 
 ally merged into a missionary life. This consisted in visiting the poor and sick and 
 aged, in comforting afflicted and distressed ones, in befriending and reclaiming 
 inebriates, in persuading the sellers of intoxicating drink to abandon their traffic, in 
 visiting prisoners and the inmates of the almshouse, in aiding the colored people of 
 Springfield to establish a Sabbath School and other religious institutions, in convers- 
 ing with young men, towards whom he had a peculiar drawing of affection, and with 
 all to whom his genial nature gave him access, on their personal religious interests. 
 His diaries, which it has been my great and sacred privilege to peruse, contain 
 transparent, touching and unaffected evidences on every page of his genuine, simple, 
 burning zeal for human welfare wherever he could lend his hand, or voice, or win- 
 ning sympathies. They contain evidences, too, of a wonderful strength and sim- 
 plicity of faith, and a constant reliance on the power of prayer
 
 319 
 
 Worn out by incessant zeal and the unbroken activities of his loving ministry, he 
 was compelled at length to seek comparative rest in the retirement of his native vil- 
 lage, and in the sweet solace of the old homestead and the friends of his youth. 
 
 He carried into these later years the same earnest fidelity and warm affections and 
 loving activities, although with the limitations of a broken constitution and precarious 
 health. In the Sabbath School, the prayer meeting, the public worship and every 
 other service of the church, as a collector for benevolent causes from house to house, 
 giving generously himself and persuading and inspiring others to give, full of neigh- 
 borly kindness, visiting the sick, comforting the sorrowing, supporting the weak, 
 lifting up the fallen, a fellow-helper everywhere ; always ready, firm and sure. . . . 
 
 And yet there were intervals when, like William Cowper, whom he much resem- 
 bled in native temperament, his soul was unstrung, and he sank down into morbid 
 depths of mental depression. 
 
 When the civil war broke out, however, his patriotic ardor completely lifted him 
 out of his despondency and thrilled his whole being with fresh impulses and a larger 
 life. That grand impulse carried him forward with only slight returns of his old 
 malady, and his autumnal days, as the infirmities of old age crept on, were singu- 
 larly serene, sweet and happy His life went out as the sun goes down in the 
 
 glow that floods the western sky. 
 
 THE WILLIAMS FAMILY. 
 
 The following brief autobiographical sketch from among Dr. Williams' 
 manuscripts may perhaps usefully supplement the Williams genealogical 
 statistics, and fitly close this portion of the volume. 
 
 Stephen Williams was born at Deerf d May 14, 1693. His Great Grandfathers 
 who came out of England were, on his Fathers fide, M r Robert Williams and Dea n 
 William Park of Roxbury. On His mother's Side the Rev" Richard Mather of Dor- 
 chefter and the Rev d John Warham of Windfor. His Grandfathers were Dea n 
 Sam 1 Williams of Roxbury and The Rev d Eleaz r Mather of Northampton. His 
 Father was y e Rev d John Williams and his mother m rs Eunice Mather. S. W. 
 
 I was taken captive by the Indians Feb 1 ? 29, lyof ; Continued with the Indians 
 till April 30, 1705 ; was then brought out of their Hands, and Sent to live with my 
 Father, at Chatauriche. I came from Quebeck with Colon 1 Dudly in the beginning 
 of Octob r 1705, and ariv d at Bofton on y e 21 of Novemb r 1705; but left my Hon rd 
 Father and my Brethren Sam 1 and Warham and my Sifter Eunice behind. My 
 Father and my two Brothers came to Bofton the next year on Novemb r 21, 1706, but 
 poor Eunice is yet in that Country, if living. 
 
 My Relations and others were kind to me, and I was kept at School at Roxbury, 
 till my Father's return ; yea for a year after, and then went home to Deerfield (my 
 Father then being married again.) I ftudi d fome time at Deerfield but y e Town being 
 but as a Garrifon full of foldiers, and two families in my Father's Houfe, I could 
 not profecute my ftudies ; fo that I was Sent to live with my uncle Williams of 
 Hatfield, and from thence I went to Cambridge College in July 1709, and was ad- 
 mitt 11 a member of the College.. After I took my degree, I Kept School at Hadly ; 
 I was Examin" for preaching y latter end of y e year 1714; and came to Long- 
 meadow Novemb r 26, 1714. I was not ordain j till Octob r 1716. 
 
 I was marr" to M r " Abigail Davenport of Stamford on the 3'" of July 1718, by 
 whom I had Six Sons and two Daughters, who are all liveing, except Davenport (my 
 fifth Son) who Dy d in the Army in 1758 ; my Grand children (now, January 31, 
 1769) are thirty three, my wife dy d Aug" 26, 1766. 
 42
 
 320 
 
 I was weakly when I First Set out in the world ; but have been remarkably Fav- 
 oured ; fo that when, I have- been at Home, (for I was dangeroufly Sick when at 
 Louisbourg in y e year 1745), I have not been Kept from the publick worfhip but 
 one day and a half in 52 years, and the people in the place have not Loft one time 
 for y e Sacrem* all y e time I have been their Minifter. when I was abroad in my 
 Country's fervice, the Sacrem 1 was adminiftred by y e neighbouring Miniflers. 
 
 I was Employ* 1 by Governour Belcher and the Comiffioners to treat with the 
 Houfatunnick Indians about receiving the Gofpel ; attempts were fo far fucceed d 
 that the Rev d M r Sergeant was fettled among them, and a ch h Gather" in y e year 
 
 1735- 
 
 I was Chaplin to a Regim' y* went to Louisbourg in 1745; was taken Sick at 
 Louisbourg, was carr d on Ship Board, very Sick, and was very ill on the paffage ; 
 came to Bofton on y e Lat r End of Novemb r 1745 ; was kindly receiv d and taken 
 care of by my worthy Friend Abiel Walker Efq r ; was reftored to Health after con- 
 fiderable time ; but did not get to my Own Home, till Febr>' i, 1746. In y e year 
 1746 I was engaged again as Chaplin to a regiment Defigned to join y e Army y l was 
 to go agf Canada, but the Expedition fell thro'. In y e year 1755 I was again Em- 
 ploy 11 as a Chaplin in y e Expedition againft Crown Point; was at Lake George when 
 
 our camp was attack d by the French and Indians under Gen 1 De on Sept r 
 
 8 th 1755- In y'year 1756 I was again Engaged as a Chaplin ; went to Lake George 
 but was taken ill ; had the Diarrhea, Diffentery, Jaundice fo that I left the Army 
 before the campaign Broke up ; I return* Home, and in the Fall and winter had two 
 diftreffing fitts of y e vertigo &c ; upon this I altered my way of liveing ; have lived 
 more abftemioufly ; Eat no Salt provifion, and but little Butcher's meat, Except mut- 
 ton ; have refrain" from all Spirituous liquor &c. This I believe has Greatly ferv d 
 my Health fo that I have been able to attend my publick work with Comfort in my 
 Latter days. 
 
 In the courfe of my miniftry I have been call" to attend at councils in Cafes of 
 
 Difficulty in .... thefe fervices are fatiguing and really worrying In this 
 
 place we have had our Difficulties but in the Generall have had peace and quiet. 
 
 I have feen abundance of the Goodnefs, mercy and Kindnefs of God in the courfe 
 of my life, For which I defire to render praife to allmighty God, the Giver of 
 Every Good Gift and to God I would look, and upon the Lord I would wait for y e 
 pardon of my Sin. The Lord be pleaf to humble me for my Defects and failures 
 and miferable fhortcomings as to duty. Oh Lord be pleafed to forgive me for y e 
 Sake of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Great propiatory Sacrifice. 
 
 Thefe things I committ to writing, efpecially what relates to my anceftors for the 
 information of my children ; and defire they may all be concern" to Exalt the God 
 of their forefathers. As to what you have feen amifs in me your Father, carefully 
 avoid it. What you have feen agreable to Chrifts will Endeavor to imitate, and mind 
 the charge that David gave to his fon Solomon as contain" Chron 28 th 9 lh . 
 
 From your affectionate Father, STEPHEN WILLIAMS. 
 
 P. S. I entered into the marriage flate on Septemb r 17, 1767, with M r " Sarah 
 Burt, the relicl widow of my dear Friend Dea n Nath 1 Burt, who was with me in the 
 Army in 1755, and fell in the memorable Battle at Lake George Septemb r 8, 1755.
 
 321 
 
 Note. It may interest some former residents of Longmeadow into whose hands 
 this volume may come, to know that the landscape and street views here given are 
 sections and reductions of larger wall pictures taken by Mr. Lazelle with his unique 
 revolving camera, in a size and style suitable for framing, and which can be 
 obtained by correspondence with him at his studio, 358 Main Street, Springfield. 
 With a generosity as rare as it was helpful, Mr. Lazelle placed his entire stock of 
 photographic negatives at the disposal of the undersigned, thus making possible 
 for the volume a series of illustrations which could not otherwise have been secured 
 at the season of the year when the book was projected and mainly prepared. 
 
 Perhaps, in justice to the autoglyphist, W. P. Allen of Gardner, Mass., to whose 
 skill the book is indebted for the printed pictures, it should be stated that the neg- 
 atives, thus taken without special reference to his transferring process, were una- 
 vailable for it except through a second transfer a process necessarily somewhat 
 impairing the sharpness and brilliancy of the final result. The meadow picture 
 fronting page 9 is especially disappointing ; and is reluctantly admitted as being the 
 only picture possibility (without undue delay) of a landscape of surpassing beauty 
 under favorable conditions. The portrait of Mrs. SchaufHer p. 74 and the picture 
 of the old elm p. 108 are, however, favorable specimens of the autoglyphic pro- 
 cess as applied to negatives taken specially for it. 
 
 R. S. STORKS, Sefy.
 
 GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX. 
 
 The Genealogical Record Book of Longmeadow families now in the 
 archives of the town owes its origin to the diligence and devotion of 
 a former Town Clerk, Mr. Jabez Colton, traditionally known as " Mas- 
 ter Jabe," who employed a large part of his time in the early years of 
 the present century in collecting from the records of Springfield and 
 adjacent towns and from every other accessible source genealogical 
 information respecting the early Longmeadow families. Carrying 
 with him, wherever he went, his pocket ink-horn and memorandum 
 book, he was always on the alert for such information and ready to 
 record it ; and the result of his enthusiasm and industry extending 
 over a period of eight years is this unique and almost invaluable 
 Book of Town Genealogy. 
 
 The following are the town votes which preceded the preparation of 
 the manuscript volume and its transfer into the possession of the 
 town. 
 
 November 5, 1804. Voted that the town are desirous to be at some expense to 
 have the record of births, marriages and deaths of former and present inhabitants 
 of the town collected as far as may be and arranged by families into a proper book 
 shewing their relations and connections to one another with an alphabet for the same, 
 and that the selectmen be their committee to direct both as to the manner and 
 expense of doing the business. 
 
 " Master Jabe," being at that time and for twenty years before and 
 after the Town Clerk, and by taste and education specially fitted for 
 such a work, seems to have been the agent employed by the select- 
 men for carrying out this vote, though no record exists of any agree- 
 ment between them. 
 
 Nov. 2, 1812, however, the town voted that Capt. Gideon Colton, Deacon William 
 Colton, Capt. Ethan Ely, Seth Taylor, and Dr. Oliver Bliss be a committee to con- 
 sider what sum it would be proper for the town to grant to the Town Clerk for his 
 service in collecting records of the marriages, births, and deaths of the ancient 'and 
 present inhabitants, and collecting them into families.
 
 Nov. 12, 1812. Voted to grant to Jabez Colton, Town Clerk, the sum of twenty 
 dollars for this service, and that the book containing these records of families be 
 the property of the town and lodged with the present and succeeding Town Clerks, 
 and that the inhabitants of the town may have free access to them as to other pub- 
 lick town records. 
 
 The sum granted was evidently only a nominal one, being ludicrously 
 inadequate as a compensation for the time and effort involved in the 
 work. Doubtless it was largely interwoven by Mr. Colton with his 
 legitimate duties as Town Clerk, though still mainly with him a labor 
 of love. His real reward was within himself and in the grateful 
 remembrance of his townsmen. 
 
 Additions to the data originally collected have from time to time been 
 made by subsequent Town Clerks or individuals, but no systematic 
 care has been exercised to carry on the record continuously. 
 
 It is greatly to be desired that the work so worthily commenced 
 should be continued with equal thoroughness, and to this end contri- 
 butions of memoranda of family history are solicited from all readers 
 who may note omissions which their own authentic information enables 
 them to supply. Such contributions may be addressed to the Town 
 Clerk, and will be by him incorporated in the present manuscript 
 record with a view to future printed editions. The earlier and more 
 difficult portion of the record being fortunately thus secured, it ought 
 not to be difficult for succeeding generations to build worthily upon 
 that foundation. 
 
 Special acknowledgments are due to Mr. Willard S. Allen, of East 
 Boston, for the loan of a manuscript copy of this record, which he 
 procured to be made some years since by the daughter of the then 
 Town Clerk, Mr. Oliver Wolcott, and from which a portion of the 
 Record has since been published in the " New England Historical and 
 Genealogical Magazine." Without this timely loan it would have been 
 hardly possible to have incorporated the record in the present volume. 
 It is hoped that all errors of either compiler or copyist in a work of 
 such confessed difficulty will be leniently regarded in the larger grati- 
 tude which is due to both. 
 
 The following brief biographical notice of " Master Jabe " is sub- 
 joined from information furnished by his grandson, Mr. Stephen T. 
 Colton, now a resident of Longmeadow, and the possessor of a dupli-
 
 cate copy of the Genealogical Record, also in the handwriting of his 
 grandfather. 
 
 Mr. Jabez Colton was born March 20, 1747, and graduated at Yale 
 College in 1775. Married Mary Baldwin, of Bozrah, Conn., March 27, 
 1784, and resided for a few years at Somers, Conn., where he kept 
 a private school, fitting young men for college. About the year 1790 
 he removed to Longmeadow, where he also received students under 
 his care, giving special attention to their theological instruction. He 
 was himself an acceptable lay preacher, well grounded in doctrinal 
 theology, and somewhat rigid in his views the village lawyer, also 
 possessed of a large and valuable library, and for twenty years from 
 1793 to 1813 the Town Clerk ; a man of the most inflexible integrity, 
 and implicitly deferred to by his fellow-townsmen as local antiquarian, 
 and indeed as sound authority upon almost any subject. A good 
 illustration of the deep and permanent influence exerted by many a 
 liberally educated man in those days in our rural New England com- 
 munities. The inscription upon his tombstone in the village church- 
 yard reads as follows : 
 
 Jabez Colton, Esq. | Born March 20, 1747 | United with the church 
 | in 1765 | Was graduated at Yale | College in 1775 | Died April 2, 
 1819, Et. 72 | A man of inflexible j integrity, of rigid and | correct 
 habits, an useful | citizen, respected in | society and lamented in | 
 death. | Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. |
 
 GENEALOGICAL RECORD BOOK OF LONGMEADOW 
 FAMILIES. 
 
 Principally of such as belonged to Longmeadow or were some way 
 connected with those families ; containing dates of the time of mar- 
 riages, births, and deaths, and some account of what became of the 
 children of the several families so far as these several things are known. 
 
 This collection is taken from public records in towns in which the 
 several persons were born or resided, and from credible information 
 received from individuals. From the public records in Springfield 
 the greater part of the ancient information was taken. Jabez Colton 
 was the compiler of this volume. 
 
 MAJOR WALTER AINSWORTH, of Longmeadow, son of Nathan Ains- 
 worth, of Woodstock, was married July 22, 1794, to Loice Wood, 
 daughter of Harbous Howard Wood, and Esther, his wife, of Somers. 
 Their children Ranslow, born June 30, 1795. Loice, born May 12, 
 1797. Walter, born July 24, 1799. Alran, born March 16, 1794. 
 Sophia, born April 21, 1806. Nathan, born Sept. 29, 1808. 
 
 STEPHEN ASHLEY, of Longmeadow, son of Joseph and Hannah 
 Ashley, of Springfield, was born April 28, 1745, and was married Feb. 
 14, 1771, to Hannah Cooley, daughter of George Cooley, of Somers. 
 Their children Stephen, born Dec. 25, 1772, died Aug. 8, 1775. Noah, 
 born June 17, 1774, died April 2, 1860. Hannah, born Dec. 21, 1776. 
 Hannah, born April 24, 1779. Stephen, born Oct. 16, 1781. Mary, 
 born June 28, 1784. Hannah, the daughter, was married Sept. 17, 
 1799, to Capt. Samuel King. [See page 164.*] Hannah, the mother, 
 died Oct. 26, 1802. The families of Noah and Stephen see hereafter. 
 Stephen, the father, died March 21, 1820. Age 75. 
 
 JUSTIN ASHLEY, of Longmeadow, son of David and Hannah Ashley, 
 of Springfield, was born , and was married to Love Davis, of Staf- 
 ford, daughter of Moses Davis. Their children Joseph, born Dec. 14, 
 1788, died Oct. 26, 1830, age 42. Moses, born Sept. 10, 1790, died 
 Feb. 16, 1791. Sophia, born June 2, 1792, died March 7, 1795. 
 Allethea, born Sept. 13, 1793, died April 26, 1812. Amasa, born 
 
 * The page references throughout this record are to corresponding pages of the 
 manuscript Record Book in the Longmeadow archives. They are retained in this 
 reprint simply to facilitate corrections or additions to that manuscript when 
 suggested by readers in correspondence with the Town Clerk.
 
 5 
 
 March 25, 1796, died April 6, 1797. Sophy, born March 27, 1798. 
 Hannah, born April 27, 1800. William, born June 20, 1802, died 
 March 16, 1826. Mira, born June 5, 1804. Justin Ashley died 
 March 19, 1829. Age 68. 
 
 CAPT. NOAH ASHLEY, son of Stephen and Hanna Ashley [page 2], 
 was married Aug. 31, 1798, to Noamy Field, daughter of Oliver and 
 Ann Field [page 130]. Children Emelia, born May 27, 1799. Alex- 
 ander, born June 30, 1803. Noah, born May 12, 1806. Naomy, the 
 mother, died Oct. 21, 1807. Her death was occasioned by a sudden 
 fall from a wagon. Capt. Noah Ashley was married again 1810 to 
 Sarah Dougles. 
 
 STEPHEN ASHLEY, of Longmeadow, son of Stephen and Hannah 
 Ashley, was married Sept. 12, 1805, to Polly Field, daugher of Oliver 
 and Ann Field. Their children Mary, born Sept. 18, 1806. Simeon, 
 born May 21, 1808. Catharine, born Feb. u, 1820. Harriet, born 
 July 15, 1813. Catharine, born Sept. i, 1824, died July 29, 1825, age 
 i. Hannah Cooley, Jan. 27, 1821. 
 
 JOHN ATCHINSON, of Longmeadow, was married Feb. 25, 1703,10 
 Dorcas Burt, daughter of Nathaniel and Rebecca Burt [page 24]. 
 Their children John, born October 12, 1704. Benoni, born Nov. 16, 
 1706. Nathaniel, born Oct. 18, 1709. Dorcas, born Aug. 22, 1711. 
 Mercy, born Sept. 28, 1713. Joshua, born Feb. 24, 1716. Expe- 
 rience, born May 16, 1720. Deliverance, born Feb. 6, 1723. John, 
 the son, settled in Somers. Benoni, in Wilbraham. Nathaniel, in 
 West Springfield. Dorcas was married July 4, 1754, to Joseph Pom- 
 eroy, of Suffield. Deliverance was married July 20, 1758. Mercy 
 Warriner, of Wilbraham, had children in Longmeadow, removed to 
 Monson and died in that town. John, the father, died in Brimfield. 
 Dorcas, his widow, died in Longmeadow, Oct. 21, 1770. She was 
 born Feb. 10, 1680, and died above 90 years of age. 
 
 STEPHEN AVERY, of Longmeadow, son of Gardner and Amy Avery, 
 formerly of Monson, removed to Paria, N. Y., was married April 4, 
 1803, to Mary Stebbins, daughter of Medad and Sarah Stebbins 
 [page 202]. Their children Sarah, born Dec. 13, 1803. Stephen 
 Stebbins, born Dec. 2, 1806. Fidelia, born Jan. 27, 1810. Lucinda, 
 born June 18, 1813. Stephen Avery died Oct. 7, 1813, aged 37 years. 
 
 BENJAMIN BAXTER, son of Francis Baxter of Enfield; was married 
 Dec. 28, 17*80, to Mabel Brown. Their children Benjamin, born 
 
 Aug. 23, 1781. Alexander, . Hervy, born May 16, 1785. 
 
 Ruth, born Sept. 23, 1787. Simeon, born Nov. 21, 1789. Mabel, 
 born Aug. 21, 1791, died April 14, 1814. Patty, born July 22, 1793. 
 Mabel, the mother, died Aug. 6, 1793. Benjamin Baxter was married 
 again Jan. 22, 1794, to Hannah Hale, daughter of Silas and Hannah 
 Hale [page 140]. Their children Seth, born Sept. 29, 1794. 
 Ruth was married May 8, 1808, to Levi Hancock. 
 
 [Page 5 ] LIEUT. THADDEUS BILLINGS, of Longmeadow, son of 
 Thaddeus Billings of Somers, was married Nov. 14, 1778, to Rhoda 
 Terry, daughter of Samuel Terry of Enfield. He died April 17, 1826.
 
 Thaddeus, born . Rhoda, born . Rhoda, the mother, died 
 
 . Lieut. Thaddeus Billings was married again to Ruth Brown, 
 
 daughter of David Brown, of Douglass, State of Massachusetts. She 
 was born Aug. 1765. Their children Ruth, born Oct. n, 1787. 
 Reuben, born Feb. 13, 1789. Levi, born Dec. 25, 1790, died Aug. 3, 
 1827. Sally, born Nov. 12, 1792. Orsemus, born Oct. 10, 1794. 
 Daniel, born Nov. 12, 1796. Cynthia, born Feb. 6, 1799. Harry, 
 born March 2, 1801. Lyman, born May 4, 1805. Rhoda, the daugh- 
 ter, was married Jan. 16, 1803, to Abner Pratt. Ruth, the daughter, 
 was married Jan. 27, 1807, to Joseph McGregory \_page 168]. 
 
 THADDEUS BILLINGS of Longmeadow, son of Lieut. Thaddeus 
 Billings above, was married, 1803, to Mercy Waters of Somers, 
 daughter of . Their children Mercy, born Dec. 4, 1804. War- 
 ren, born Feb. 12, 1807. 
 
 [Page 8.] THOMAS BLISS died at Hartford. One of his sons went 
 to Norwich, Conn., who was the ancestor of Col. Bliss, the son-in-law 
 of President Taylor. The widow of Thomas Bliss was Margaret, 
 who came to Springfield with her four sons, Nathaniel, Lawrence, 
 Samuel, and John. Tho. Bliss was married to Elizabeth at the latter 
 end of Oct. 1644. Elizabeth, born Nov. 20, 1645. Sara, born Aug. 26, 
 1647. Mary, born Feb. 7, 1649. Tho., born March 3, 1652. Deliv- 
 erance, born the beginning of Aug. 1655. Samuel, born Dec. 9, 
 1657 (see Gen. Reg., vol. iv, p. 20). Thomas Bliss, Norwich, 1660 
 (see Gen. Reg., vol. i, p. 315). 
 
 [Page 9.] BLISSES. First generation in Springfield. Amongst the 
 early inhabitants of Springfield is a family of Blisses. The name of 
 the father of this family is not mentioned in the public records, and 
 it is probable that he died before they came to this town. Two 
 of the sons first married called their eldest sons by the name of 
 Samuel, hence it is probable that was the name of their father. The 
 mother's name was Margaret. The children, some known to be of 
 the same family by the records and all supposed to belong thereto, 
 were as follows: Nathaniel, who died Nov. 8, 1654. Laurence, who 
 died 1676. Samuel, who died March 23, 1720. John, who died Sept. 
 10, 1702. Mary was married to Joseph Parsons, Nov. 2, 1646. 
 Sarah was married to John Foot July 20, 1659. Hester was married 
 to Edward Foster Dec. 26, 1661. Elizabeth was married to Sery 
 Morgan Feb. 15, 1670. Hannah died Jan. 25, 1661. The widow, 
 Margaret Bliss, the mother, died Aug. 28, 1684. The families of the 
 sons were as follows : 
 
 2d Generation. NATHANIEL BLISS, of Springfield, son of the before 
 mentioned family, was married Nov. 20, 1646, to Catharine Chapin, 
 daughter of Deacon Samuel Chapin. Their children were Samuel, 
 born Nov. 7, 1647, died June 19, 1749, age 102. Margaret, born Nov. 
 12, 1649, died April, 1745. Mary, born Sept. 23, 1651. Nathaniel, 
 born March 27, 1653, died Dec. 23, 1736. Nathaniel, the father, died 
 Nov. 8, 1654. Catharine, his widow, was married July 31, 1655, to 
 Thomas Gilbert, and had by him four children, Thomas Gilbert
 
 dying June 5, 1662. She was again married, Dec. 28, 1664, to 
 Samuel Marshfield, and by him she had three children, and she died 
 Feb. 4, 1712. (The families of the sons, see pages 10 and 11.) Mar- 
 garet was married to Nathaniel Foot of Colchester. Mary was 
 married Feb. 27, 1670, to Nathaniel Holcomb. 
 
 2d Generation. LAURENCE BLISS, of Springfield, son of Margaret 
 Bliss, was married Oct. 25, 1654, to Lydia Wright. Their children 
 Lydia, born Nov. 29, 1655, died March 27, 1656. Sarah, born May 
 n, 1657, died June 8, 1657. Sarah, born April 4, 1658, died Sept. 
 25, 1659. Samuel, born June 7, 1660, died June 22, 1660. Samuel, 
 born Aug. 16, 1662, died March 15, 1733. Hannah, born May 26, 
 1665, died Nov. 6, 1737. Sarah, born Nov. 27, 1667. William, born 
 April 28, 1670. Pelatiah, born Aug. 19, 1674, died June 2, 1747. 
 The sons had families in Springfield. Hannah was married, Dec. 17, 
 1691, to Captain Thomas Colton of Longmeadow [page 50]. Sarah 
 was married to George Webster Dec. 13, 1695. Laurence Bliss, the 
 father, died 1676. Lydia. his widow, was married, Oct. 31, 1678, to 
 John Norton, who died Aug. 24, 1687, and Jan. 7, 1688, Lydia Norton 
 was married to John Lamb, who also died Sept. 28, 1690, and March 
 i, 1692, the widow Lydia Lamb was married to George Colton, called 
 Quartermaster Colton, the father of Capt. Thomas Colton, who 
 married the daughter Hannah. Quartermaster Colton died Feb. 13, 
 1699, and Lydia, his widow died Dec. 17, 1699. 
 
 2d Generation. SAMUEL BLISS [page 10], of Longmeadow, son of 
 Margaret Bliss \_page 9], was married November 10, 1664, to Mary 
 Leonard, daughter of John and Sarah Leonard. Their children 
 Hannah, born Dec. 20, 1666. Thomas, born Feb. 8, 1668. Mary, 
 born Aug. 4, 1670. Jonathan, born Jan. 5, 1672. Martha, born June 
 i, 1674. Experience, born April i, 1679, died April 7, 1697. Mercy, 
 born July 18, 1680. Ebenezer, born July 29, 1683, died Sept. 7, 1717. 
 Margaret, born Sept. n, 1684, died Jan. 19, 1736. Esther, born 
 April 2, 1688. The sons Thomas and Ebenezer had families in 
 Springfield. By Enfield records Jonathan Bliss was married March 
 7, 1702, to Sarah Eggleston, and it is supposed that he settled in East 
 Windsor. Mary was married Feb. i, 1687, to Philip Smith. Martha 
 was married Nov. 10, 1697, to Samuel Ely. Mercy was married Dec. 
 30, 1703, to John Ely. Margaret was married Jan. 16, 1707, to 
 Samuel Colton {page 53]. Esther was married May 10, 1716, to 
 Henry Chapin, of Chicopee. Samuel Bliss, the father, died March 
 23, 1720. Mary, his widow, died Jan. i, 1724.* 
 
 2d Generation. JOHN BLISS, of Longmeadow, supposed to have been 
 the son of Margaret Bliss, of the family page gth, was married Oct. 
 7, 1667, to Patience Burt, daughter of Henry Burt \_page 24]. Their 
 children John, born- Sept. 7, 1669. Nathaniel, born Jan. 26, 1671. 
 Thomas, born Oct. 29, 1673, died Aug. 12, 1758. Joseph, born 1676, 
 died March i, 1754. Hannah, born Nov. 16, 1678. Henry, born 
 Aug. 15, 1681, died Nov. 30, 1684. Ebenezer, born 1683, died' Nov. 
 4, 1761. John and Nathaniel married in Longmeadow, removed to
 
 8 
 
 Enfield, and from thence to Lebanon, Conn., and died in that town. 
 (The families of Thomas and Ebenezer, page n). Hannah, the 
 daughter, was married to Henry Wright, of Chicopee, May 24, 1705. 
 John Bliss, the father, died Sept. 10, 1702. Patience Bliss, his widow, 
 died Oct. 25, 1732, in her 87th year. 
 
 3d Generation. SAMUEL BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel 
 and Catharine Bliss, was married Jan. 2, 1672, to Sarah Stebbins, 
 daughter of Thomas and Hannah Stebbins [page 196]. Their 
 children Samuel, born Aug. 10, 1677, died Aug. 31, 1692. Nathaniel, 
 born Sept. 8, 1679, died March 12, 1751. Sarah, born Oct., 1681. 
 Margaret, born Nov. 23, 1683. Thomas, born Jan. 22, 1685, died 
 Sept. 4, 1767. Hannah, born Aug., 1687, died April 15, 1711. John, 
 born Nov. 4, 1690, died Oct. 8, 1784. Samuel, born April 25, 1694, 
 died Dec. 21, 1724. Ebenezer, born March 4, 1696, died Aug. 29, 
 1784. Sarah the daughter was married to Nathaniel Mighel, of West- 
 field, Jan. 15, 1702, and after his death to William Nichols April 23, 
 1712. Margeret was married to Benjamin Cooley, Jan. 31, 1701. 
 Hannah was married to Ebenezer Warner, of Springfield, Jan. 9, 1707, 
 and had one son, Samuel, born Oct. 3, 1708, and died April 15, 1711. 
 This son settled in Wilbraham and was called Clerk Warner. Sarah, 
 the mother, died Nov. 6, 1721. Samuel Bliss, the father, died June 19, 
 1739, in his io2d year. (The families of the four sons on pages n, 12, 
 and 13.) 
 
 3d Generation. NATHANIEL BLISS [page 11], of Longmeadow, son 
 of Nathaniel and Catharine Bliss [page 9], was married Dec. 28, 1676, 
 to Deborah Colton, daughter of George and Deborah Colton [page 48]. 
 They having no children took Joshua Field, son of Samuel and Sarah 
 Field, and made him his principal heir. This Joshua Field was the 
 son of his half sister, his mother, Samuel Field's wife, being the daugh- 
 ter of Thomas Gilbert and Catharine, who was the mother of this 
 Nathaniel Bliss. Nathaniel Bliss died Dec. 23, 1736, and Deborah 
 died Nov. 26, 1733, and he is said to have been buried on the east 
 side of Capt. Thomas Colton, his wife's brother, and she on the west 
 side, in Longmeadow burying-ground. 
 
 3d Generation. THOMAS BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of John and 
 Patience Bliss [page 10], was married May 27, 1714, to Mary 
 Macronny, daughter of William and Margaret Macronny. She was 
 born Nov. 2, 1690. Their children Mary, born Dec. 4, 1715. 
 Thomas, born May 30, 1719, died May 24, 1747. Henry, born Dec. 
 5, 1722. Henry, borft Aug. 21, 1726, died Feb. 8, 1761. Mary the 
 daughter was married Feb. 3, 1736, to Nicholas Holbrook. Thomas 
 was married to Rachel Parsons, of Northampton, and died without 
 issue, and his widow returned to her native town. Thomas Bliss, the 
 father, died Aug. 12, 1758. Margaret, his widow, died March 30, 1761. 
 
 3d Generation. EBENEZER BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of John and 
 Patience [page 10], was married July 23, 1723, to Joanna Lamb, 
 daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Lamb. She was born June, 1695. 
 Their children Joanna, born Dec. 10, 1723. Ebenezer, born Dec. 7,
 
 1725. Noah, born Jan. 12, 1728. Rebecca, born Oct. 15, 1729. 
 Stephen, born Feb. 26, 1732. Joel, born June 18, 1734. John, born 
 June 6, 1736. Eunice, born June 25, 1739. (The families of the sons, 
 see in pages 13 and 14). Joanna was married Sept. 23, 1773, to 
 Deacon Nehemiah Estabrook, of Lebanon, N. H. Rebecca was 
 married May 12, 1774, to Eli Cooley \J>age 104]. Eunice was mar- 
 ried Feb. 22, 1775, to Aaron Day, of West Springfield. Ebenezer 
 Bliss, the father, died Nov. 4, 1761. Joanna, his widow, died May 18, 
 1768. 
 
 4th Generation. NATHANIEL BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel 
 and Sarah Bliss \J>age 10], was married Jan. 20, 1704, to Mary 
 Morgan, daughter of David and Mary Morgan. She was born Dec. 
 24, 1686. Their children Nathaniel, born Oct. 26, 1704, died Nov. 
 23, 1771. Mary, born Sept. n, 1706, died Jan. 17, 1725. Mercy, 
 born April 24, 1709. Hannah, born May 26, 1711, died July 19, 1712. 
 Hannah, born Oct. i, 1713, died July 3, 1800. Pelatiah, born March 
 4, 1717, died Oct. 24, 1789. Bathsheba, born Aug. 30, 1722, died 
 Feb. 15, 1794. Mary, born July 31, 1725, died Aug. 2, 1725. Abner, 
 born Aug. 19, 1726, died April 20, 1782 [page 12]. (The families 
 of the sons, seepage 15). Hannah was married to Jonathan Day, Jan. 
 8, 1733. Bathsheba was married April 23, 1742, to Samuel Nichols, 
 of Brimfield. Mary, the mother, died Nov. 22, 1739. Nathaniel Bliss, 
 the father, was married again Dec. 6, 1742, to Mary Cooley, the widow 
 of Joseph Cooley, of Somers [page 94], and died March 12, 1751. 
 Mary, his last wife, died April 2, 1773. She was born Sept. 3, 1694. 
 
 4th Generation. THOMAS BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and 
 Sarah Bliss [page 10], was married Nov. 2, 1710, to Sarah Dorchester, 
 daughter of James and Sarah Dorchester. Their children Sarah, 
 born Dec. 10, 1711. Margaret, born Aug. 3, 1715, died June 16, 1744. 
 Miriam, born Sept. 27, 1717, died Nov.. 26, 1789. Jemima, born May 
 15, 1720. Ann, born April 24, 1722, died May 2, 1772. Mary, born 
 Sept. 30, 1728, died April 6, 1804. Sarah the daughter was married 
 to Stephen Stebbins, Oct. 9, 1733 \_page 200]. Miriam was married 
 Feb. i, 1737, to Noah Hale [page 139]. Margaret was married to 
 Jonathan Stebbins, Dec. n, 1735. Jemima was married to William 
 King, of Wilbraham. Ann and Mary died unmarried. Sarah the 
 mother, died Sept. 16, 1745. Thomas Bliss, the father, was married 
 again Nov. 6, 1746, to Mehitable Lumbard, the widow of David 
 Lumbard, of Brimfield, and he died Sept. 4, 1767, and his widow died 
 July 28, 1780. 
 
 4th Generation. JOHN BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and 
 Sarah Bliss [page 10], was married to Lydia Field, of Sunderland. 
 Their children John, born Feb. i, 1727, died Nov. 3, 1809. Aaron, 
 born May 3, 1730, died Feb. i, 1810. Lydia, the mother, died Feb. 
 29, 1760, aged 65. John Bliss, the father, died Oct. 8, 1784, aged 94 
 years nearly. (The families of the sons, seepage 16). 
 
 4th Generation. SAMUEL BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and 
 Sarah Bliss, was married Dec. 4, 1713, to Elisabeth Warriner, sup-
 
 IO 
 
 posed to have been daughter of Joseph Warriner, who was the son of 
 William Warriner, of Springfield. Their children Abigail, born 1714. 
 Josiah, born Oct. 8, 1716, died Oct. 27, 1716. Esthej:, born Nov. 22, 
 1717, died April 30, 1718. Esther, born June 8, 1719. Elisabeth. 
 Abigail, the daughter, was married to John Charles, of Brimfield. 
 Elisabeth was married Nov. 22, 1739, to Seth Chapin, of Somers. 
 Samuel Bliss, the father, was in a state of distraction some years before 
 his death and died in that state Dec. 21, 1724. Elisabeth, the widow, 
 was married Nov. 12, 1729, to John Pease, of Enfield. Joshua Field 
 \.P a S e TI ] was t ne son f Samuel Field, and his wife was the 
 daughter of Thomas and Catharine Gilbert. 
 
 4th Generation. EBENEZER BLISS [page 13], of Longmeadow, 
 son of Samuel and Sarah Bliss [page 10], was married Jan. 29, 1719, 
 to Sarah Colton, daughter of Ephraim arid Esther Colton [page 49]. 
 Their children Catharine, born Jan. 24, 1720, died May 10, 1805. 
 Esther, born June 26, 1721, died Jan. 1793. Ebenezer, born Nov. 25, 
 1722, died Jan. 24, 1723. Ebenezer, born April 7, 1724, died Oct. 20, 
 1787. Josiah, born Aug. 17, 1725, died Feb. 1805. Isaac, born Jan. 
 28, 1727, died Oct. 1809. Sarah, born March u, 1730, died April 7, 
 1733. Ruth, born Jan. 16, 1732. Samuel, born April 2, 1734. 
 Sarah, born March i, 1736. Catharine, died unmarried. Esther was 
 married July 26, 1759, to Daniel Chandler, of Enfield, and left no 
 issue. Josiah was married to Sarah Frost and settled in Monson and 
 left children. Isaac married Hannah Hubbard and settled in Wes- 
 tern and left children. Ruth was married Nov. 6, 1733, to Samuel 
 Warriner, of Wilbraham. Sarah was married Nov. 18, 1762, to John 
 Rumrill [page 190]. Samuel was married to Abigail Rumrill, alias 
 Weld; they had a family in Longmeadow, and removed to Vershire, she 
 dying on the road. (The family of Ebenezer, seepage 16.) Ebenezer, 
 the father, died Aug. 29, 1784, and Sarah, his wife, died Jan. 14, 1780, 
 both being 88 years old, he a little more and she somewhat less. 
 
 4th Generation. HENRY BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Thomas 
 and Mary Bliss [page 1 1], was married to Rubie Brewster, of Lebanon 
 in Connecticut, date of their publishment Dec. 22, 1749. Their 
 children Thomas, born Dec. 7, 1750, died Jan. 3, 1751. Solomon, 
 born Nov. 8, 1751. Calvin, born May 14, 1754. Henry, born June 7, 
 1757. Hulda, born July 2, 1759. Henry Bliss, the father, died Feb. 
 7, 1761. After the death of the father his widow, with her children, 
 removed to the Town of Banardston in the County of Hampshire. 
 
 4th Generation. EBENEZER BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer 
 and Joanna Bliss [page n], was married 1752, to Mary Booth, daugh- 
 ter of John and Lydia Booth, of Enfield. Their children Mary, born 
 Feb. 26, 1753. Lucy, born Jan. 29, 1755. Noah, born March 9, 
 1757. Mary, the mother, died Aug. i, 1757. Ebenezer Bliss, the 
 father, was married again Aug. 27, 1760, to Abigail Cooley, daughter 
 of Joseph and Mary Cooley, of Somers [page 98]. Their children 
 Gains, born May 17, 1761, died Dec. 24, 1843, age 82. Gad, born 
 July 29, 1762, died Nov. 21, 1845, a S e ^3- Naomy, born Feb. i, 1764.
 
 II 
 
 Enos, born Nov. 25, 1765. Abigail, born May 27, 1769, died Aug. 
 13, 1842, age 73. Anne, born July 14, 1771, died June 2, 1834, age 
 63. Deborah, bornjuly 14, 1771. Abigail, the mother, died Oct. 6, 
 1787. Ebenezer Bliss, the father, was married again 1790, to Hannah 
 Alvord, of Wilbraham, daughter of Noah and Hannah Alvord. She 
 was born March 5, 1728. Mary, the daughter, was married Dec. 6, 
 1786, to John Ashley, of Springfield. Lucy was married to Doctor 
 Joseph Clark, Aug. 1776. Abigail was married [page 14] June 13, 
 1793, to Asa Colton, son of Asa and Sarah Colton [pages 70 and 'j'jL 
 Anne was married Jan. 30, 1800, to Samuel Keep [page 160], Naomy 
 was married Feb. 5, 1789, to John Robinson, of Granville. Deborah 
 was married June 9, 1802, to Benjamin Cook, of East Windsor. 
 Ebenezer Bliss, the father, died March 2, 1808, in his 83d year. 
 Hannah Bliss died May 8, 1810. (The families of the sons, seepages 
 17 and 18.) 
 
 4th Generation. STEPHEN BLISS, of Wilbraham, son of Ebenezer 
 and Joanna Bliss, was married June 10, 1756, to Catharine Burt. 
 Their children Catharine, born Aug. 15, 1757. Mercy, born June 
 24, 1759. Stephen, born July 2, 1761. Susannah, born March 21, 
 
 1764. Gideon, born May 12, 1766. Cloe, born , died Oct. 2, 
 
 1776. Stephen Bliss, the father, died Feb. 13, 1806. 
 
 4th Generation. JOEL BLISS, of Wilbraham, son of Joanna and 
 Ebenezer Bliss, was married to Sarah Kilborn, daughter of Samuel 
 and Sarah Kilborn, published Aug. 12, 1761. Their children Sarah, 
 born May 13, 1762. Daniel, born Oct. 4, 1763. Obed, born Jan. 3, 
 
 1765. Jesse, born Feb. 21, 1768. Betsey, born July n, 1770. 
 Lorice, born Oct. 9, 1772. Violet, born April, 1774. Joel, born Oct. 
 i, 1776. Daniel, born May 12, 1779. Patty, born Nov. 2, 1780. 
 Jeremy. Sarah, the mother, died . Joel Bliss, the father, died . 
 
 4th Generation. REV. JOHN BLISS, of Ellington, son of Ebenezer 
 and Joanna Bliss, was graduated at New Haven 1761, was ordained 
 
 Nov. 9, 1765, and was married to White, daughter of Capt. Joel 
 
 White of Bolton. Their children John, lived and died at Tolland, 
 Ct. Betsey. Achsa. Joel White. Hosea. Daniel. Rev. John Bliss 
 died 1790. (See catalogue of Yale College.) 
 
 5th Generation. NATHANIEL BLISS \page 15], of Wilbraham, son 
 of Nathaniel and Mary Bliss, was married Sept. 25, 1733, to Priscilla 
 Burt, daughter of David and Martha Burt. Their children Mary, 
 born Nov. 21, 1734. Martha, born May 10, 1739. Nathaniel, born 
 Nov. 26, 1741, died Nov. 5, 1782. David, born April 4, 1745. 
 Jonathan, born April 4, 1745. Thomas, born Nov. 25, 1747. Mary 
 was married to Comfort Chaffee, Jan. 19, 1758. Nathaniel Bliss, the 
 father, died Nov. 23, 1771. His wife died April 12, 1769. 
 
 5th Generation. PELATIAH BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel 
 and Mary Bliss, was married to Sarah Comfort, of Brimfield, the date 
 of their publishment Sept. 24, 1743. Their children Sarah^ born 
 July 22, 1744, died Dec. 23, 1745. Mercy, born Nov. 15, 1745', died 
 Dec. 17, 1745. Sarah, the mother, died Dec. 17, 1745. Pelatiah Bliss
 
 12 
 
 was married again Dec. i, 1748, to Jemima Hitchcock, daughter of 
 David and Mary Hitchcock, of Monson. She was born May 14, 1729. 
 Their children Jemima, born Sept. 24, 1749, died May 15, 1787. 
 Sarah, born Oct. 23, 1751, died Sept. 26, 1754. Lucy, born Oct. 13, 
 1753, died Aug. 19, 1754. Zadock, born July 3, 1755, died Dec. 7, 
 1813, age 58. Mercy, born March 22, 1757, died June 28, 1787. 
 Jonathan, born March 22, 1757, died April 5, 1759. Lucy, born June 
 30, 1760. David, born July i, 1762, died May 7, 1815. Simeon, 
 born Dec. 8, 1764. Tabitha, born April n, 1767, died Oct. 1794. 
 Submit, born Feb. 22, 1770. Jemima, the daughter, was married Jan. 
 27, 1774, to Joseph Bumstead, of Wilbraham. Lucy was married 
 Nov. 30, 1788, to Asa Baldwin, of Vershire. Pelatiah Bliss the father 
 died Oct. 24, 1789. Jemima, his widow, was married May 19, 1794, to 
 Capt. Samuel Nichols, of Brimfield, who died Aug. 10, 1806, and she 
 died Feb., 1811. (The family of Zadock, seepage 19.) 
 
 5th Generation. ABNER BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel 
 and Mary Bliss, was married June 28, 1749, to Sarah Cooley, daugh- 
 ter of Joseph and Mary Cooley. Their children Abner, born Feb. 
 i, 1750, died March 31, 1750. Cloe, born May 10, 1751. Nathaniel, 
 born Jan. 6, 1753. Mary, born April 18, 1754, died Aug. 4, 1777. 
 Sarah, born Jan. 6, 1756, died Sept. 5, 1757. Sarah, born Nov. 13, 
 1757. Bathsheba, born Jan. 13, 1760, died Feb. 24, 1832, age 72. 
 Mamre, born May 26, 1765. Cloe was married to Capt. Asahel 
 Cooley, of Wallingford. Sarah was married to Tuttle, of Wal- 
 lingford. Mamre was married to Abel Cook, of Wallingford. Abner 
 Bliss, the father, died April 20, 1782. Sarah, his widow, died Aug. 9, 
 1794. (The family of Nathaniel, see page 18.) 
 
 5th Generation. COLONEL JOHN BLISS [page 16], of Wilbraham, son 
 of John and Lydia Bliss, was married Nov. 8, 1749, to Abiel Colton, 
 daughter of Josiah and Margaret Colton. Their children Oliver, 
 born Sept. 15, 1750, died Jan. 13, 1757. Lydia, born March 10, 1752, 
 died March 29, 1755. Lydia, born Jan. 19, 1756. Abiel, born June 
 i, 1758. Lucy, born Marph 4, 1761, died March 31, 1761. Lucy, 
 born March 28, 1762. Abiel, the daughter, was married March 13, 
 1777, to Josiah Cooley [page io8j. Lydia was married to the Rev. 
 Moses Warrin, of Wilbraham. Lucy was married to Edward Morris, 
 
 of Wilbraham. Abiel, the mother, died . Colonel John Bliss, the 
 
 father, was married to Sarah Morris, widow of Isaac Morris, and he 
 died Nov. 3, 1809, in his 830! year. 
 
 5th Generation. AARON BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of John and 
 Lydia Bliss, was married April 23, 1754, to Miram Colton, daughter 
 of William and Mary Colton. Their children Aaron, born Sept. i, 
 1754, died June 25, 1776. Moses, born June 14, 1757, died June 17, 
 1757. Miriam, born June 20, 1758, died July 8, 1831. Hannah, born 
 Feb. 21, 1761, died April 6, 1822. Margaret, born May 10, 1764, 
 died Oct. 15, 1831. John, born Nov. 22, 1766. Eunice, born Jan. 
 6, 1770, died July 30, 1830. Oliver, born Feb. 22, 1773, died Aug. 13, 
 1840. Miriam was married July 10, 1799, to Lieut. Hezekiah Hale.
 
 13 
 
 Hannah was married July 24, 1788, to Thomas Colton [page 71]. 
 Margaret was married March 28, 1799, to Ezra Stebbins [page 203]! 
 Miriam, the mother, died May 22, 1805. Aaron Bliss, the father, died 
 Feb. i, 1810. 
 
 5th Generation. EBENEZER BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer 
 and Sarah Bliss [page 13], was married Oct. 18, 1749, to Sarah Cooley, 
 daughter of Daniel and Jemima Cooley [see page 96]. Their chil- 
 dren Asahal, born Feb. 5, 1750, died May n, 1777. Nathan, born 
 Sept. 27, 1752! Eli, born Oct. 15, 1754. Ebenezer, born 1756. Gad, 
 born Dec. 3, 1758. Esther. Phebe. Elisabeth. Abijah, born June 
 14, 1766. Daniel, born Dec. 27, 1769. Phebe was married Feb. 10. 
 
 1789, to Josiah Moulton, of Hatfield. Elisabeth was married April 
 12, 1792, to Levi Rumrill [page 191]. See the family of Asahel [page 
 19]. The most of the children being settled in remote parts of the 
 country, their families are unknown. Ebenezer Bliss, the father, died 
 Oct. 20, 1787. Sarah, his widow, died March 3, 1795. 
 
 5th Generation. NOAH BLISS [page 17], of Longmeadow, son of 
 Ebenezer and Mary Bliss, was married Feb. n, 1784, to Abigail 
 Cooley, daughter of Stephen and Mary Cooley [see page ioi]. Their 
 children Calvin, born Dec. n, 1784. Walter, born May 21, 1-791, 
 died Sept. 15, 1793. Walter, born July 4, 1796. James, born June 4, 
 1797. Noah Bliss, the father, died Dec. 6, 1816, born March 9, 1757, 
 age 57 years. Abigail, the mother, died April 9, 1826, age 67 years. 
 
 5th Generation. GAINS BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer 
 and Abigail Bliss, was married Oct. 2, 1787, to Eunice Robinson, 
 daughter of Noah and Hannah Robinson, of Granville. Their chil- 
 dren were Chauncy, born Feb. 16, 1789. Orpha, born Oct. 19, 
 
 1790. Naomy, born July 26, 1792. Eunice, born Dec. 27, 1793. 
 Ebenezer, born June 5, 1795. Died March 21, 1868. Hannah, born 
 June 10, 1797. Gains, born April 9, 1800, died Nov. 16, 1814, killed 
 by a bull. Eunice, the mother, died March 26, 1803. Gains Bliss 
 was married again Jan. 19, 1804, to Flavia Keep, daughter of Samuel 
 and Sabina Keep. Their children Flavia, born Dec. 10, 1804, died 
 March 6, 1818, age 14. Emily, born May 15, 1807. Cloe Lewis, born 
 Oct. 17, 1809. Simeon Cooley, born March 12, 1812, died May 5, 
 1838. Flavia, the mother, died Sept. 19, 1829, age 61. Gains Bliss 
 died Dec. 24, 1843, age 82 years. 
 
 5th Generation. GAD BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer and 
 Abigail Bliss [page 13], was married Nov. 20, 1800, to Deborah 
 Olcott, daughter of Deacon Benoni Olcott, of East Windsor. Their 
 children Hannah A., born Dec. 21, 1801. Gad Olcott, born March 
 i, 1807. Deborah, the mother, died Nov. n, 1816. Gad, the father, 
 died Nov. 21, 1845, age 83. Hannah A., married Rev. Dorus Clark. 
 Gad Olcott, married Harriet Cooley, May 21, 1828. Their children 
 Ellen Elisa, born Jan. 4, 1832, died June n, 1833. Ellen Elis?, 
 born May 20, 1834. Harriet Olcott, born Sept. 8, 1838, died Nov. 
 26, 1844. Ellen Elisa, married John Hooker, Oct. 2, 1855. 
 
 5th Generation. REV. ENOS BLISS [page 18], son of Ebenezer and
 
 14 
 
 Abigail Bliss, was married Feb. 10, 1793, to Nabby Newton, daughter 
 of Christopher and Mary Newton, of Newport, State of New Hamp- 
 shire. Their children Nabby, born March 17, 1794. Florella, 
 born Jan. 15, 1796. Alarson, born April 17, 1798. Nabby, the 
 mother, died March 22, 1800. The Rev. Enos Bliss, was married 
 again March n, 1801, to Betsey Bread, daughter of David and Betsey 
 Bread, of Norwich, Conn. Their children Sally, born Oct. 3, 1802. 
 Betsey Clement, born Aug. '18, 1804. Sally Cleveland, born June 12, 
 1806. The Rev. Enos Bliss, was graduated at New Haven, 1787, was 
 ordained at Brandon, in Vermont, Oct. 1792, and was dismissed Oct. 
 1794; he preached in Cornwall in that State more than one year, and 
 in New Haven, in said State, more than two years ; he was installed 
 over a church in Orange, Oct. 1799, and dismissed from that church 
 July 1803. He removed to Piermont, New Hampshire, and continued 
 in the ministry in that place more than two years. In the beginning 
 of the year 1806, he left Piermont. His first child was born in Bran- 
 don, his second in Cornwall, his third in New Haven, his fourth in 
 Orange, his fifth in Piermont, and his sixth in East Windsor, Conn. 
 In the beginning of the year 1807, he removed with his family to 
 Black River, in the State of New York. 
 
 6th Generation. NATHANIEL BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Abner 
 and Sarah Bliss [page 15], was married Nov. 25, 1779, to Martha 
 Collins, daughter of Deacon Edward and Rebecca Collins, of Enfield. 
 He died June 29, 1835. Their children Patty, born July 20, 1780. 
 Mary, born May 14, 1782, died Aug. 26, 1783. Mary, born Sept. 18, 
 1784, died June 26, 1794. Mamre, born Aug. 25, 1789, died Oct. 24, 
 1791. Mamre, born Feb. 21, 1792, died July 4, 1794. Rebecca, born 
 Nov. 29, 1786, died June 24, 1794. Nathaniel, born Nov. 5, 1794, 
 died July 14, 1845, age 51. Abner, born Sept. 16, 1796, died July 
 17, 1798. Rebecca, born April 29, 1799, died Sept. 15, 1800. Sam- 
 uel Warriner, born Nov. 26, 1801. Patty, the daughter, was married 
 Dec. 19, 1802, to Horris Burt [see page 32]. 
 
 6th Generation. ZADOCK BLISS [page 19], of Longmeadow, son of 
 Pelatiah and Jemima Bliss, was married May 14, 1786, to Sarah Cush- 
 man, daughter of Isaac and Thankful Cushman, of Stafford. Their 
 children Zadock, born Feb. 26, 1788. Artemus, born Oct. 13, 1790. 
 Asahel, born Jan. 3, 1793. Sarah, born Oct. 8, 1795, died July 7, 
 1800. Sarah, the mother, died July 14, 1800. Zadock Bliss, the 
 father, died Dec. 17, 1813. 
 
 6th Generation. ASAHEL BLISS, son of Ebenezer and Sarah Bliss 
 \ page 1 6], was married June 10, 1773, to Mary Chandler, daughter of 
 Stephen and Mary Chandler [see page 45]. Their children Still 
 born, March, 1774. M#ry, born April 14, 1775. Anne, born April 
 T 5> T 777- Asahel Bliss, the father, was blown up in a powder-mill at 
 Springfield, May 7, 1777, and died May n, 1777. Mary, the mother, 
 was married again Sept. 3, 1781, to Ebenezer Rumrill [see page 191], 
 and she died Aug. 16, 1810. Mary, the daughter, was married April 
 25, 1796, to Abraham Besse, of Bridgewater. Anne, was married to 
 Peter Pease, Aug. 28, 1794 \_page 179].
 
 15 
 
 6th Generation. CALVIN BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Noah and 
 Abigail Bliss, was married Jan. n, 1809, to Lucy Colton, daughter of 
 Thomas and Hannah Colton. He died Feb. 24, 1862. She died 
 May 14, 1862. Their children Aaron, born Jan. 6, 1810. Abigail 
 Cooley, born Sept. 2, 1811. 
 
 6th Generation. JAMES BLISS, of Longmeadow, son of Noah and 
 Abigail Bliss [page 17], was married May 14, 1819, to Eunice Chand- 
 ler, daughter of Abner and Eunice Chandler [see page 47]. Their 
 children Sylvester, born Sept. 7, 1820. Louisa, born Dec. 2, 1823. 
 Jerucha, born Dec. 23, 1825. Cordelia, born June 14, 1829. Maria 
 Robinson, born July 12, 1831, died Dec. i, 1861. Harriet Sophia, 
 born Sept. 2, 1833. Eunice Eliza, born Dec. 9, 1840. James, the 
 father, died Jan. 15, 1864. 
 
 7th Generation. SYLVESTER BLISS \_page 20], of Longmeadow, son of 
 James and Eunice Bliss, was married Sept. 27, 1848, to Nancy Catha- 
 rine, daughter of Daniel and Nancy Warner, of East Haddam, Conn. 
 Their children Hannah Brainard, born July 17, 1849. Manila 
 Chandler, born May 6, 1853. James, born May 29, 1857. Hattie 
 Maria, born March 22, 1862. Nancy Catharine, the wife, was born 
 Jan. 24, 1819. 
 
 JOSEPH BOOTH [page 21], of Enfield, son of Zachery Booth, was 
 married to Sarah Chandler, daughter of Henry and Lydia Chandler, 
 Jan. 29, 1736 [see page ^2], Their children Joseph, born Oct. 17, 
 1736, died Feb. 4, 1810. Sarah, born May 14, 1738, died May 14, 
 1738. Isaac, born March 9, 1739, died Jan. 13, 1798. Samuel, born 
 Aug. 28, 1740, died Jan. 14, 1778, age 38. Zacheriah, born March 
 29, 1742, died Jan. 18, 1819, age 77. Sarah, born Dec. i, 1743, died 
 July 27, 1800, age 57. Henry, born Nov. 17, 1745, died March i, 
 1792. David, born July 22, 1747, died young. Mehittable, born March 
 6, 1749, died Sept. 21, 1823, age 74. Joseph Booth, the father, died 
 Nov. 9, 1784. Sarah, the mother, died Aug. 16, 1777. 
 
 CAPT. JOSEPH BOOTH, of Enfield, son of Joseph and Sarah Booth 
 above, was married Oct. 21, 1762, to Mary Hale, daughter of Wil- 
 liam Hale, of Enfield. Their children Mary, born Sept. 10, 1763, 
 died July 26, 1841. David, born March 2, 1765, died April 12, 1827. 
 Annis, born Oct. i, 1766, died Jan. 8, 1847. Lydia, born Aug. 12, 
 1768, died July 25, 1838. Joseph, born Aug. 30, 1770, died Sept. 9, 
 1849. Peter, born July 27, 1772, died March 5, 1805. Eliphael, 
 born April 26, 1774, died Oct. 29, 1845. Independence, born July 
 14, 1776, died Nov. 14, 1828. Hannah, born Dec. 7, 1778, died Oct. 
 14, 1802. Mary was married to Capt. Israel Chapin, of Springfield, 
 March 14, 1800. He died April 25, 1810, and Mary, his widow, was 
 married to Dea. Stephen Jones, of Ludlow, Sept. 25, 1812. Annis 
 was married to Edmund Evarts, Oct. 9, 1796 [see page 128]. Lydia 
 was married Oct. 4, 1797, to Lieut. Henry Colton [seepage 73]. Inde- 
 pendence was married to Danforth Charter, Aug. 28, 1802. (The 
 families of the sons, see pages 21 and 22). Capt. Joseph Booth, the 
 father, died Feb. 4, 1810. Mary, the mother, died March n, 1809.
 
 i6 
 
 HENRY BOOTH, of Enfield, son of Joseph and Sarah Booth in the 
 family above, was married to Dorothy Fish, of East Windsor, Nov. 2, 
 1768. Their children Sharon, born Dec. 28, 1771. Dorothy, born 
 Jan. 12, 1774. Abi, born Dec. 6, 1778. Sarah, born Dec. 5, 1780. 
 Eneas, born Nov. 15, 1783. Henry Booth, the father, died March i, 
 
 1792. Dorothy, the mother, was married to Elijah Burt, Oct. 31, 
 
 1793. Sarah was married Dec. 19, 1799, to Hanon Cooley [see page 
 107]. 
 
 DAVID BOOTH, of Longmeadow, son of Capt. Joseph and Mary Booth 
 above, was married Sept. n, 1794, to Margaret Colton, daughter of 
 Samuel and Lucy Colton. Their children David, born Dec. 10, 1796. 
 Lucy, born Dec. n, 1798. Peggy, born Oct. 3, 1800. Joseph, born Oct. 
 19, 1802, died Sept., 1867, at Warsaw, Iowa. Flavia, born, Dec. 23, 1804. 
 Mary, born Sept. 8, 1807. Sarah, born Dec. 17, 1809. Samuel Colton, 
 born May 6, 1812 \_page 22]. Margaret, the mother, died Jan. 7, 
 1817. David, the father, married Peggy Burt, May 27, 1817. Joseph 
 Booth was married Jan. 22, 1829, to Sophronia Colton. Flavia Booth 
 was married Dec. 16, 1828, to Amasa Converse. Margaret Booth was 
 married April 19, 1830, to Francis Bartlett. Samuel C. Booth mar- 
 ried Nov. 20, 1833, to Maryann Allard. Sarah Booth married Sept. 
 23, 1834, to Jonathan Coble. Mary Booth married Oct. 21, 1849, to 
 Paul A. Haralson, Stone Mountain, Ga. Margaret Booth, the 
 mother, died Jan. 7, 1817. David Booth, the father, was married to 
 Peggy Burt, daughter of .Elijah Burt. David Booth died April 12, 
 1827, aged 62. Peggy Booth died Feb. 23, 1837, aged 69. 
 
 PETER BOOTH, son of Capt. Joseph and Mary Booth [page 21], was 
 married Oct. 10, 1797, to Patty Eyre, daughter of Thomas Eyre, of 
 Enfield. Their children were William, born June 9, 1798. Henry, 
 born Aug. 26, 1800. Hannah, born Nov. n, 1803. Danforth 
 Charles, born Jan. 15, 1807. Edmund, born Aug. 24, 1810. Peter, 
 the father, died March 5, 1815. Martha, born June 23, 1815. 
 
 ELIPHAEL BOOTH, of Enfield, son of Capt. Joseph and Mary Booth, 
 was married March 3, 1802, to Loice Colton, daughter of Henry and 
 Mary Colton \_page 63]. Their children were Harmon, born Feb. 
 13, 1803, died Feb. 27, 1845. Hannah, born April 15, 1805. Calvin, 
 born July 8, 1807. Loice, born 'Sept. 19, 1809, died Oct. 20, 1848. 
 George, born Jan. u, 1812. Edwin, born May 12, 1814. [Vacant to 
 page 24.] 
 
 ist Generation. HENRY BURT, of Springfield, is supposed to have 
 been the ancestor of all his name who originated in that town. His 
 wife's name was Ulalia. The greater part of his children were born 
 before his coming hither. Jonathan and Nathaniel were the names 
 of his'sons. The names of his daughters recorded as born in Spring- 
 field were Hannah, born April 28, 1641. One daughter, name 
 defaced on record, born 1643. Patience, born Aug. 18, 1645. Mercy, 
 born Sept. 27, 1647. Hannah was married Dec. 24, 1757, to John 
 Bag. Patience was married Oct. 7, 1667, to John Bliss. There were 
 other women by the name of Burt who probably were the daughters
 
 17 
 
 of Henry Burt. Sarah Burt, married to Juda Gregory, June 20, 1643. 
 Elisabeth, married to Samuel Wright, Nov. 24, 1653. Mary, married 
 to William Brooks, Oct. 8, 1654. Dorcas, married to John Stiles, 
 Oct. 28, 1657. Henry Burt, called clerk of the writs, died April 30, 
 1662. Ulalia, his widow, died Aug. 19, 1690. By the records of 
 deeds it appears in the settlement of the estate of Henry Burt, after 
 his decease, that Jonathan and Nathaniel were his sons. By North- 
 ampton records, David Burt had a family among the first families in 
 that town. His- relation to Springfield Burts is not known. 
 
 ad Generation. DEA. JONATHAN BURT, of Springfield, son of 
 Henry Burt above, was married Oct. 20, 1651, to Elisabeth Lobdel. 
 His children as recorded were Elisabeth, born Dec. 29, 1652. 
 Jonathan, born Sept. 12, 1654. Sarah, born Sept. 4, 1656. John, 
 born Dec. n, 1663. Elisabeth, the mother, died Nov. n, 1684. 
 Dea. Jonathan Burt was married Dec. 14, 1686, to Deliverance Han- 
 chet. He was deacon of the first church in Springfield, and town 
 clerk for the years 1697, 1698, 1699, and 1700. He left on public 
 record some account of the destruction of Springfield by fire, 1675. 
 He died Oct. 19, 1715. Elisabeth, his daughter, was married to Vic- 
 tory Sikes, Jan. 29, 1673. Sarah was married to Benjamin Dorches- 
 ter, April 22, 1675. By him she had one child. Benjamin, her hus- 
 band, died May 29, 1676. She was married again, Feb. 14, 1677, 
 to Luke Hitchcock, Esq., and had by him eleven children. 
 
 2d Generation. NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Henry 
 and Ulalia Burt above, was married Jan. 15, 1662, to Rebecca Sikes, 
 probably the daughter of Richard Sikes. Their children Nathaniel, 
 born Jan. 18, 1663, died July 19, 1749. Rebecca, born Dec. 10, 1665, 
 died Feb. 12, 1692. David, born , 1668, died July 5, 1735. 
 John, born Aug. 23, 1670, died Feb. 24, 1704. Sarah, born July 17, 
 1673, died July 31, 1673. Sarah, born April, 1675. Experience, 
 born Jan. 23, 1677, died Sept. 12, 1719. Dorcas, born Feb. TO, 1680, 
 died Oct. 21, 1770 [page 25]. Sarah was married Feb. 8, 1693, to Nath- 
 aniel Horton. They settled in Somers. Experience was married Feb. 
 15, 1705. Dorcas was married to John Atchinson. Rebecca, the daugh- 
 ter, was married to Charles Ferry, Jan. 29, 1690, and died Feb. 12, 
 1692. Rebecca, the mother, died Jan. 28, 1712. Nathaniel Burt, 
 the father, died Sept. 29, 1720. 
 
 3d Generation. JONATHAN BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Dea. 
 Jonathan and Elisabeth Burt \page 24], was married Dec. 8, 1682, to 
 Lydia Dumbleton. Their children Jonathan, born March 25, 1683, 
 died Jan. n, 1684. Mercy, born Aug. 2, 1685. Lydia, born March 
 9, 1687, died Dec. 14, 1767. Elisabeth, born Feb. 23, 1689, died 
 Jan. 31, 1769. Jonathan, born March 15, 1692, died Jan. 24, 1712. 
 Nathaniel, born Nov. 8, 1694, died July 14, 1735. Rebecca, born 
 Nov. 12, 1696. David, born Jan. 20, 1698, died June 29, 1786. 
 Sarah, born Oct. 31, 1701, died July 14, 1739. Hannah, born Dec. 
 6, 1705. Jonathan Burt, the father, died June 19, 1707. Lydia, the 
 mother, was married again, June 17, 1709, to David Cooley, of Long-
 
 18 
 
 meadow [see page 95], and she died Jan. 31, 1739. (The families of 
 Nathaniel and David, see page 26). Mercy was married Dec. 2, 
 1709, to Jonathan Day, of Springfield. Lydia was married March 16, 
 1709, to Jonathan Ely. Elisabeth was married April 20, 1710, to 
 Jonathan Chapin, of Chicopee. Rebecca was married Nov. 15, 1723, 
 to Hezekiah Parsons, of Enfield. Sarah was married to Ephraim 
 Colton, of Longmeadow, Nov. 16, 1732. Hannah was married April 
 19, 1750, to Dea. John Pierce, of New Castle, State of New Hamp- 
 shire. 
 
 3d Generation. DEA. NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of 
 Nathaniel and Rebecca Burt, was married Jan. 21, 1791, to Elisabeth 
 Dumbleton. By her he had one child, Elisabeth, born Oct. 16, 1692. 
 Elisabeth, the mother, died Nov. 3, 1692. Dea. Nathaniel Burt was 
 married again, Jan. 18, 1699, to Mary Ferry, daughter of Charles and 
 Sarah Ferry. Their children Mary, born Oct. 20, 1700, died Aug. 
 3, 1773. Rebecca, born June 27, 1702, died March 23, 1704 
 (scalded). Experience, born Oct. 21, 1703, died Sept. 22, 1772. 
 Mercy, born Oct. 6, 1707, died Feb. 3, 1713. Rebecca, born June 6, 
 1709, died Feb. 9, 1713. Nathaniel, born May 4, 1711, died Sept. 8, 
 1755 (killed in battle). Mary, the second wife, died June 2, 1739. 
 Dea. Nathaniel Burt, the father, was married again, March 8, 1740, 
 to the widow Mary Crawford, who had been the wife of John Scovil, 
 of Middletown, and he died July 19, 1749, and she died May 23, 
 1753. Elisabeth, the daughter, was married to Abel Curtis. They first 
 settled in Longmeadow, and removed to Mansfield, Conn. Mary was 
 married to Isaac Colton, June i, 1722. Experience was married to 
 George Colton, May 21, 1731. 
 
 3d Generation. DAVID BURT \_page 26], of Longmeadow, son of Na- 
 thaniel and Rebecca Burt, was married June 27, 1706. to Martha Hale, 
 daughter of Dea. Thomas and Prissilla Hale, of Enfield. Their 
 children were David, born Aug. 20, 1709, died April 13, 1777. 
 Abigal, born Aug. 20, 1709, died March 28, 1773. Martha, born 
 July 8, 1707. Prissilla, born March 18, 1711, died April 12, 1769. 
 Rebecca, born Oct. 13, 1714. Martha was married to Azariah Allin, 
 of Enfield, Jan. n, 1723. Prissilla was married to Nathaniel Bliss, 
 Sept. 25, 1733. Abigal was married Jan. 10, 1734, to Thomas Hale 
 [see page 139]. Martha, the mother, died 1714. David Burt, the 
 father, was married again to the widow Joanna Allin, of Suffield. 
 Date of their publishment, July 2, 1715. David Burt, the father, died 
 July 5, 1735. Joanna, his widow, died May 4, 1741. 
 
 3d Generation. JOHN BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel 
 and Rebecca Burt, was married Dec. 23, 1697, to Mary Lumbard, 
 daughter of David and Margaret Lumbard. John, born Sept. 
 19, 1699, died April 22, 1756. David, born June 30, 1701, 
 died Nov. 14, 1701. Daniel, born June 5, 1703, died Feb. 22, 1771. 
 John Burt, the father, was killed by his horse in a sleigh, Feb. 25, 
 1704. Mary, his widow, was married to Deliverance Brooks. They 
 removed to Brimfield.
 
 19 
 
 4th Generation. NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Jona- 
 than and Lyclia Burt, was married to Hannah Church. They had one 
 son, Jonathan, born Nov. 4, 1730, died May 24, 1806. Nathaniel, the 
 father, cut his throat, July i3th, and died on the i4th, 1735. Hannah, 
 his widow, died Dec. 27, 1741. Jonathan, the son, lived and died 
 unmarried. 
 
 4th Generation. DAVID BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Jonathan 
 and Lydia Burt [page2$~\, was married Feb. 23, 1732, to Jerusha Col- 
 ton, daughter of Lieut. Ephraim and Mary Colton \_page 53]. Their 
 children David, born June i, 1733, died Nov. 14, 1822, age 90. 
 Solomon, born March 4, 1740, died Jan. 6, 1741. Jerusha, the 
 mother, died Nov. 14, 1740. David Burt, the father, was married 
 again, 1743, to Sarah Ely, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Ely [page 
 123]. They had no children, and he died June 29, 1786, and Sarah, 
 his widow, died June 5, 1789. She was born Aug. 30, 1705. (The 
 family of David, 28th page.} 
 
 4th Generation. DEA. NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of 
 Dea. Nathaniel and Mary Burt, was married Jan. u, 1739, to Sarah 
 Chapin, daughter of David and Sarah Chapin, of Chicopee. She was 
 born Oct. 26, 1706. Children Nathaniel, born Nov. 15, 1739, died 
 Oct. 22. 1819, aged 80. Sarah, bom Nov. 15, 1739, died July 9, 1768. 
 Lucy, born June 22, 1741, died March 16, 1816, age 75. Gideon, 
 born July 30, 1743, died June 12, 1825, age 82. Simeon, born Nov. 
 13, 1745, died Sept. 12, 1746. Eunice, born Feb. 4, 1747, died March 
 29, 1749. Sarah, the daughter, was married Sept. 13, 1764 [page 27], 
 to John Allis, of Somers, and died and was buried at Longmeadow, 
 July 9, 1768. Lucy was married Feb. 14, 1760, to Ensign Samuel 
 Williams. Dea. Nathaniel Burt, the father, was slain in battle near 
 Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755. Sarah, his widow, was married Sept. 
 17, 1767, to the Rev. Dr. Stephen Williams, and she died Nov. 18, 
 1790, age 84 years. 
 
 4th Generation. DAVID BURT, of Longmeadow, son of David and 
 Martha Burt, was married Sept. 5, 1732, to Sarah Colton, daughter of 
 Capt. George Colton [see page 5 1]. Their children were Charles, 
 born Dec. 26, 1732, died Aug. 8, 1755. Sarah, born Nov. 12, 1734, 
 died March 28, 1759. David, born Nov. 5, 1736, died July 6, 1809. 
 Jonathan, born Feb. 9, 1739, died April 18, 1794. Martha, born- Oct. 
 19, 1740, died Dec. 16, 1834, age 94 years, Enoch, born Oct. 3, 1742, 
 died March 29, 1809. Elijah, born Oct. 3, 1742, died April 5, 1820, 
 age 78 years. Mary, born March 27, 1745, died July 17, 1783. 
 Elisabeth, born Dec. 19, 1747, died August, 1827, age 80. Oliver, born 
 April 9, 1750. Frederick, born June 4, 1752, died Feb. 21, 1813. 
 Loice, born Aug. 9, 1755, died June 26, 1776. Sarah, the mother, 
 died August 17, 1763. David Burt, the father, married again, October, 
 1774, to Rebecca Alvard, of Wilbraham, and he died April 13, 1777, and 
 she died Oct. 17, 1793. Sarah, the daughter, was married Feb. 21, 
 1753, to Gideon Colton. Martha was married May 7, 1767, to Abner 
 Hale [see page 140]. Mary was married Jan. 7, 1768, to Henry Col- 
 ton. (The families of the sons, seepages 29, 30 and 31.)
 
 20 
 
 4th Generation. JOHN BURT, son of John and Mary Burt, was 
 married Sept. 7, 1727, to Mary Wright. Their children were Mary, 
 born June 29, 1728. John, born Feb. u, 1731. Benjamin, born 
 Nov. i, 1734. Rebecca, born Nov. 3, 1732. Eunice, born March 12, 
 1737. Reuben, born Sept. 7, 1739. Hannah. John Burt, with his 
 family, removed from Longineadow to Brimfield, and he died in that 
 town April 22, 1756. 
 
 4th Generation. MAJOR DANIEL BURT, son of John and Mary 
 Burt, was married Feb. 2, 1727, to Margaret Colton, daughter of 
 Ephraim and Esther Colton \_page 49]. Their children Margaret, 
 born Jan. 12, 1728, died Sept. 2, 1807. Daniel, born Sept. 1729, 
 died Sept. 22, 1812. Lucy, born January, 1737, died February 3, 1756. 
 Mary, born Sept. 1738. Major Daniel Burt settled in Brimfield, 
 where his children were born, and he died in that town Feb. 2, 1771. 
 Margaret, his widow died . Margaret, the daughter, was mar- 
 ried Nov. 12, 1751, to Abner Colton, of Longmeadow. 
 
 5th Generation. CAPT. DAVID BURT \_page 28], of Longmeadow, 
 son of David and Jerusha Burt, was married March i, 1758, to Mary 
 Colton, daughter of Capt. Simon and Abigail Colton. Children 
 Solomon, born Feb. i, 1759, died May 7, 1777; blown up in a powder- 
 mill. Calvin, born Sept. 14, 1761. Flavia, born March 12, 1764, 
 died Aug. 20, 1787. Ariel, born Feb. n, 1766, died March i, 1766. 
 Abigail, born April 27, 1767. Mary, born June 18, 1769, died Jan. 
 2 3> I 793 > Jerusha, born Nov. n, 1771, died Jan. 20, 1775. Sarah, 
 born June 27, 1774. David, bom July 27, 1776, died Aug. 15, 1777. 
 Jerusha, born Jan. 20, 1782. Flavia was married Feb. 10, 1784, to 
 Aaron Field [see page 131]. Abigail was married Jan. 31, 1788, to 
 Zebulon Betts, of Richmond. Mary was married Jan. 8, 1792, to 
 Eliakim Williams \_page 223]. Sarah was married Sept. 4, 1793, to 
 William Williams \_page 224]. Jerusha was married Dec. 24, 1805, to 
 the Rev. Hubbel Loomis, of Willington. Mary, the mother, died 
 July 29, 1800. Capt. David Burt, the father, was married again, 1802, 
 to Eunice Hall, the widow of Dea. John Hall, of Ellington. David, 
 the father, died Nov. 14, 1822. 
 
 5th Generation. NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Dea. 
 Nathaniel and Sarah Burt, was married Jan. 22, 1767, to Experience 
 Chapin, daughter of Lieut. Noah and Mary Chapin, of Somers. He 
 died Oct. 22, 1819, age 80. She died Sept. 2, 1834, age 92. Child- 
 ren Sarah, born July 31, 1768. Sylva, born Feb. 4, 1770. Milcha, 
 born Dec. 16, 1771. Lycy, born Sept. 30, 1773, died Dec. 15, 1833. 
 Experience, born August 8, 1776, died July 28, 1833. Eunice, born 
 Nov. 22, 1778. Jerusha, born Aug. 30, 1780, married to Alex. Field. 
 Sarah was married Feb. 22, 1792, to Nathaniel Patten, of Hartford, 
 Conn. Sylva was married Nov. 29, 1787, to Daniel Lumbard, of 
 Springfield. Milcha was married Feb. 8, 1795, to J- Moseley Dun- 
 ham. Experience was married Sept. 22, 1796, to Dr. Constant Mer- 
 rick. They removed into the State of New York. Eunice was mar- 
 ried Jan. 22, 1802, to Quartus Stebbins, of Springfield.
 
 21 
 
 5th Generation. COL. GIDEON BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Dea. 
 Nathaniel and Sarah Burt, was married Dec. 10, 1772, to Lydia Hale, 
 daughter of Jonathan and Lydia Hale. He died June 12, 1825, aged 82. 
 Their children Gideon, born Oct. 21, 1773, died Aug. 13, 1845, a g e 72. 
 Simeon, born March 3, 1775, died Aug. 17, 1777. Lydia, born Feb. 
 10, 1777, died Nov. 19, 1779. Lovice, born March 25, 1779. Lydia, 
 the mother, died Oct. 15, 1780. Col. Gideon Burt was married again 
 Oct. 23, 1783, to Celia Sabin, daughter of Capt. Simon Colton [pag?. 
 57], and the widow of the Rev. Abishai Savin, of Pomphret, but for- 
 merly of Monson. Their children Simon, born Aug. 7, 1784. 
 Nathaniel, born April 16, 1786. Sabin, born Feb. 22, 1788 [page 
 29], died Feb. n, 1862. William, born Sept. i, 1789. John, born 
 April 28, 1791. Celia, the mother, died April 6, 1807. Col. Gideon 
 Burt was married again Oct. 20, 1808, to Elisabeth Newel, of Boston. 
 She died May i, 1813, aged 55. Lovice, the daughter, was married 
 Jan. 10, 1811, to Henry Brewer, of Wilbraham. 
 
 DAVID BURT, of Wilbraham, son of David and Sarah Burt, was 
 married "Nov. 30, 1759, to Sarah Pasco. They had one child, Sarah, 
 born Sept. n, 1760, and died March 3, 1761. Sarah, the mother, 
 died Oct. n, 1760. David Burt was married again May 5, 1763, to 
 Martha Marshfield, daughter of Samuel and Elisabeth Marshfield, of 
 Springfield. Their children Sarah, born March 28, 1764. Charles, 
 born Sept. 15, 1766. Samuel Marshfield, born July 7, 1768. Stod- 
 
 dard, born . David, born . Martha, the mother, died 
 
 . David Burt, the father, was married again Sept. 1789^ to 
 
 Esther Skinner, of Woodstock. They had one child, Martha, born 
 . Esther, the mother, died . David Burt, the father, 
 died July 6, 1809, in his 75th year. 
 
 JONATHAN BURT, of Longmeadow, son of David and Sarah Burt, 
 was married Aug. 20, 1761, to Hannah Cooley, daughter of Josiah 
 and Experience Cooley \_page 102], Their children Urania, born 
 May i, 1762. Hannah, born March 18, 1764, died Dec. 24, 1829, 
 aged 66. Beulah, born July 14, 1766. Flora, born Oct. 3, 1768. 
 Nancy, born Sept. 16, 1770. Clarissa, born Oct. 24, 1772, died March 
 18, 1789. Rebecca, born Dec. 18, 1774. Lovice, born Aug. 22, 1778. 
 Jonathan, born March 26, 1781, died Jan. 8, 1803. Jonathan Burt, 
 the father, died April 18, 1794, being found dead on the road between 
 his house and Longmeadow street. Hannah, the mother, was mar- 
 ried again Sept. 15, 1796, to Capt.' Daniel Perkins, of En field, he dying 
 1803. She returned to Longmeadow and died Sept. 23, 1820. Ura- 
 nia was married Jan. 30, 1783, to Zadock Stebbins [seepage 203], he 
 dying Dec. 17, 1803. She was married again March 5, 1806, to 
 Simeon White, of South Hadley. Hannah was married Jan. 6, 1791, 
 to Capt. Ethan Ely {seepage 126]. Beulah was married July 12, 1792, 
 to Martin Colton. Flora was married Jan. i, 1794, to Moses Burt, 
 of Springfield. Nancy was married Nov. 25, 1790, to Abijah Newell, 
 of Monson. Rebecca was married Dec. 7, 1803, to Nathaniel Prior, 
 of Enfield. Loice was married Nov. 18, 1801, to Herrnon Newel 
 {page 174].
 
 22 
 
 5th Generation. ENOCH BURT [page 30], of Wilbraham, son of 
 David and Sarah Burt, was married Nov. 28, 1766, to Eunice Steb- 
 bins, daughter of Jonathan and Margaret Stebbins {page 199]. Their 
 children Walter, born Oct. 30, 1767. Eunice, born July 18, 1770. 
 
 Enoch, born . Eunice, the mother, died May 2, 1786. Enoch 
 
 Burt, the father, was married again to Mary Stacy. She died in child- 
 bed with her first child. Enoch Burt was married a third time to 
 Thankful Skinner, of Woodstock. Their children Calvin, born Nov. 
 10, 1790. Lathrop, born April n, 1792. William, bom May 26, 
 
 1794. Enoch Burt, the father, died May 29, 1809. 
 
 5th Generation. ELIJAH BURT, of Longmeadow, son of David and 
 Sarah Burt, was married Dec. 3, 1767, to Deborah Colton, daughter 
 of Ebenezer and Deborah Colton \_page 56]. Their children Peggy, 
 born Sept. 14, 1768, died Feb. 23, 1837, age 69. Deborah, born 
 Dec. 31, 1769, died April 26, 1827, age 57. Elijah, born Nov. 10, 
 1771, died Jan. 28, 1841, age 69. Luther, born March n, 1773. 
 Horrace, born Nov. 25, 1774, died Feb. 7, 1810. Rhoda, born May 
 3, 1776, died April 24, 1804. David, born Nov. 7, 1777. Moses, 
 born Feb. 2, 1779. Aaron, born June 25, 1781. Ebenezer, born 
 Sept. 19, 1782. Mary, born Aug. 18, 1784. Seth, born Feb. 8, 1786. 
 Lucy, born March 25, 1788. Daniel, born Sept. 22, 1790. Deborah, 
 the mother, died April 28, 1792. Elijah Burt, the father, was mar- 
 ried again Oct. 31, 1793, to Dorothy Booth, widow of Henry Booth, 
 of Enfield. Rhoda was married April 25, 1798, to Lieut. Erastus 
 Goldthwait [page 133]. Elijah, the father, died April 5, 1820. Doro- 
 thy Burt died Oct. 17, 1833. 
 
 5th Generation. OLIVER BURT, son of David and Sarah Burt {page 
 27], was married Sept. i, 1786, to Jerusha Cooley, daughter of 
 Aaron and Ruth Cooley [page 99]. Their children Justin, born 
 
 Aug. 20, 1787. Ralph, . James, . Oliver Burt, with 
 
 his family, removed to the State of New York [page 31]. 
 
 5th Generation. FREDERICK BURT, son of David and Sarah Burt, 
 was married March 19, 1778, to Mary Jones, formerly of Somers. 
 Their children Mary, born June 27, 1779. Elisabeth, born Dec. 20, 
 1781, died Feb. 28, 1782. Mary, the mother, Hied Jan. 20, 1786. 
 Frederick Burt was married again, Aug., 1786, to Mehittable Lane- 
 ton, of West Springfield. By her he had no child. She died . 
 
 Frederick Burt was married again Nov. 20, 1794, to Sabrea Bush, of 
 Springfield, the widow of Oliver Bush, and daughter of Jacob and 
 Abigail Cooley, and he went to live with her. She died 1812. He 
 died Feb. 21, 1813, in the poor-house in Springfield. 
 
 6th Generation. CAPT. CALVIN BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Capt. 
 David and Mary Burt, was married Nov. 23, 1784, to Experience 
 Sexton, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Sexton, of Wilbraham. Their 
 children Solomon, born Jan. 25, 1785, died June n, 1817. Roderick, 
 born March 22, 1787, died May 19, 1850. Calvin, born Jan. 18, 
 
 1795, died Feb. 15, 1795. Flavia, born Nov. 19, 1788, died Oct. 27, 
 1819. Emelia, born Sept. 26, 1790, married Elisha Burnham ; he died
 
 23 
 
 Sept. 14, 1832. Maria, born Nov. 26, 1792, married Stephen Cooley, 
 Nov. 12. 1820. Calvin, born May 3, 1796, died Jan. 19, 1819. David, 
 born March 9, 1799, died July 17, 1819. Francis, born June 25, 1801. 
 Experience, the mother, died Dec. 22, 1833. Calvin Burt, the father, 
 died Feb. 14, 1848, aged 86 years. 
 
 NATHANIEL BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Col. Gideon and Celia 
 Burt, was married Dec. 29, 1808, to Lovice Meacham, daughter of Asa 
 Meacham, of Enfield. Their children Nathaniel Sabin, born August 
 23, 1809. Celia Colton, born April 26, 1812 \_page 32]. 
 
 ELIJAH BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Elijah and Deborah, was 
 married June 13, 1801, to Nancy Abbe, daughter of John and Charity 
 Abbe of Enfield. Their children Lorin, born May 22, 1802. 
 Nancy, the mother, died March 24, 1804. Elijah Burt, the father, 
 was married again Jan. 6, 1805, to Polly McKinny, daughter of Wil- 
 liam and Mehittable McKinny, of Ellington. Their children 
 William, born Jan. 4, 1806. Anson, born July 22, 1808. Nancy 
 Abbe, born Dec. 21, 1810. 
 
 LUTHER BURT, of Longmeadow, son of Elijah and Deborah Burt, 
 was married October, 1799, to Mary White, daughter of Preserved and 
 and Mary White, of Springfield. Their children Mary, born August 
 31, 1800. Anne, born June 21, 1802. Rhoda, born June 6, 1804. 
 Hezekiah, born April n, 1806. Lucius, born March 5, 1808. Agus- 
 tin, born July 4, 1810. Luther White, born July 4, 1812. John, born 
 Jan. 30, 1815. Richard Storrs, born Oct. 26, 1817. Delia Bliss, born 
 July 7, 1820. 
 
 HORRACE BURT, son of Elijah and Deborah Burt, was married Dec. 
 19, 1802, to Patty Bliss, daughter of Nathaniel and Martha Bliss. 
 Their children Edmund, born Nov. n, 1803. Jonathan, born May 
 2, 1806. Horrace, born Dec. 31, 1808. Horrace, the father, died 
 Feb. 7, 1810. (Vacant to page 42.) 
 
 ist Generation. HENRY CHANDLER, a native of Andover, State of 
 Massachusetts, was born about the year 1666 ; was married to Lydia 
 Abbot, in Jan. 1723. He purchased a tract of land in the northwest 
 corner of Enfield, supposed to contain seven hundred acres, for seven 
 hundred pounds. He, with the greatest part of his children, removed 
 to Enfield, probably in the spring of the year after his purchase. His 
 children who did not come with him came afterwards. He and^his 
 sons settled on the land of his abovesaid purchase, except Nehemiah, 
 who purchased a house-lot adjoining of Benoni Ganes. The children 
 of Henry Chandler, and Lydia his wife, were : Henry, died April 4, 
 1735. Samuel, born Oct. 1699, died April 22, 1761. Daniel, born 
 May 25, 1701, died July 21, 1785. Nehemiah, died Sept. 9, 1756, aged 
 54. Lydia, died Feb. 4, 1780. Abigail, died Jan. 21, 1772, aged 67. 
 Sarah, born 1707, died Aug. 16, 1777. Deborah, born July 9, 1709, 
 died Aug. 23, 1769. Hannah, died May 23, 1756, age 45. Mary, died 
 Nov. 13, 1789, age 76. Isaac, died June 5, 1787, age 70. Mehittable, 
 died June 14 (12, Dr. Williams), age 24. The sons, with their families, 
 are to be seen in the following pages in this book, as also the daughters.
 
 24 
 
 Lydia was married to John Booth, of Enfield, Dec. 26, 1727. Abigail 
 was married to John Rumrill, Feb. 14, 1728. Deborah was married to 
 Ebenezer Colton, Oct. 25, 172-. Sarah was married to Joseph Booth, 
 Jan. 29, 1736. Hannah was married to Ezekiel Pease, Feb. 10, 1732. 
 Mary was married to Timothy Pease, Dec. 22, 1736. Mehittable was 
 published to Jonathan Chapin, of Chicopee, Dec. 8, 1743, but died 
 unmarried. Henry Chandler, the father, died Aug. 27, 1737, aged 71. 
 Lydia, the mother, died March n, 1739, aged 74. The whole number 
 of grandchildren of Henry and Lydia Chandler, the father and mother 
 of the above family, were ninety-nine. Henry had 5 ; Samuel 2 ; 
 Daniel 6 ; Nehemiah 10 ; Lydia 10 ; Abigail n ; Sarah 9 ; Deborah n ; 
 Hannah u ; Mary 14 ; and Isaac 10 ; making 99 in the whole. 
 
 2d Generation. DEACON HENRY CHANDLER, the son of Henry and 
 Lydia, was married to Hannah Foster, before they came to Enfield. 
 Their children were: Hannah, born June 10, 1724, died March 12, 
 1751. Henry, born April 2, 1726. John, born Dec. 26, 1727. 
 Stephen, born Feb. 2, 1731, died Sept. 10, 1804. Solomon, born Jan. 
 27, 1733, died 1755. Hannah, the daughter, was \_page 43] married 
 Sept. 1750, to Nehemiah Stebbins, of Longmeadow, and died without 
 issue March 12, 1751. Henry's and Stephen's families may be seen 
 in this book. John married, and had children in South Hadleigh, and 
 
 removed from thence to . Solomon was killed in a battle with 
 
 the French and Indians, in the year 1755. Henry, the father, died 
 April 4, 1735. Hannah, the mother, was married again, Nov. 9, 1736, 
 to John Ganes of Enfield, and had two children, John and Abigail. 
 
 2d Generation. CAPT. SAMUEL CHANDLER, second son of Lydia 
 and Henry, was married to Hepsibah Colton, the daughter of Capt. 
 Thomas Colton, Dec. 22, 1726. Their children Hepsibah, born 
 Oct. 6, 1729, died Oct. n, 1803. Lydia, born April 20, 1735, died 
 March n, 1736. The father died April 22, 1761. The mother died 
 March 7, 1760. Hepsibah, the daughter, was married to Stephen 
 Warriner, 1754, and had by him one child. After his death, married 
 again to Stephen Chandler. 
 
 2d Generation. DEA. DANIEL CHANDLER, son of Henry and Lydia, 
 was married to Sarah Keep, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Keep, of 
 Longmeadow, Jan. 4, 1728. Their children Sarah, died Aug. 6, 
 1729. Daniel, born Jan. 20, 1732, died Jan 22, 1805. Thomas, born 
 June 16, 1735, died Nov. 2, 1760. Joseph, born April 28, 1738. 
 Sarah, born Aug. 12, 1741. Mehittable, born Dec. 17, 1744, died 
 Sept. 8, 1759. Daniel, the son, was married to Esther Bliss, the 
 daughter of Ebenezer and Sarah Bliss, of Longmeadow, July 26, 1759. 
 He settled in Enfield, from thence removed to Hartland, and died 
 without issue. Sarah was married to Jabez Keep, the son of John 
 and Abigail Keep, of Monson. They removed into the State of New 
 York, to a town called Homer. Thomas died unmarried. Dea. Chan- 
 dler, the father, died July 21, 1785, aged 84. Sarah, the mother, died 
 Nov. 24, 1767, aged 64. 
 
 2d Generation. NEHEMIAH CHANDLER, son of Henry and Lydia,
 
 25 
 
 was married Aug. 23, 1733, to Mary Burough, of Ellington. Their 
 children were: Nehemiah, born Feb. 21, 1734, died Oct. 23, 1738. 
 Elisabeth, born July 26, 1735. Samuel, born Oct. n, 1737. Nehe- 
 miah, born Sept. 15, 1739, died Aug. 20, 1742. Jonathan, born May 
 10, 1742. Nehemiah, born Aug. 4, 1744. John, born Sept. 14, 1746. 
 Joel, born Oct. 24 [fage 44], 1748. Benjamin, born Jan. 8, 1750. 
 Zeebulon, born Nov. 23, 1754. Nehemiah, the father, died Sept. 9, 
 1756, age 54. Mary, the mother, died Dec. 13, 1807, aged 95 years, 
 5 months, and 9 days. 
 
 2d Generation. ISAAC CHANDLER, son of Henry and Lydia,"was 
 
 married to Abigail Hale, the daughter of . Their children 
 
 Abigail, born Sept. n, 1741. Isaac, June 24, 1743. Mehittable, 
 born Dec. 17, 1744, died Feb. 22, 1795. David, born Sept. 24, 1747. 
 Lydia, Oct. 23, 1749. John, Feb. 13, 1752. Susannah, Feb. 3, 1754. 
 Henry, Feb. 20, 1756. Lois, Aug. 14, 1758. Nathaniel, June, 1760. 
 Abigail, the daughter, married Israel Smith, of South Hadleigh ; he 
 removed to Brattleborough, from thence to Susquehannah river, State 
 of New York. Isaac married and settled at Windsor, and died in 
 that town. Mehittable was married to Mathew Keep, of Long- 
 meadow, Nov. 29, 1764. Lydia married Isaac Macune, Feb. 14, 
 1781. 
 
 3d Generation. HENRY CHANDLER, the son of Dea. Henry and 
 Hannah Chandler, was married June 6, 1751, to Mercy Colton, daugh- 
 ter of Isaac and Mary Colton, of Wilbraham. Their children 
 Hannah, born Oct. 28, 1751, died Dec. 21, 1778. Simeon, born Nov. 
 
 2 5> r 753- Solomon, born Jan. 17, 1756. Henry . Reuben, 
 
 born Jan. 7, 1761, died May 4, 1761. Reuben, born March 19, 1762, 
 died July 17, 1762. Reuben, born Nov. 2, 1763. Mercy, born Feb. 
 7, 1 766 [page 45]. 
 
 3d Generation. STEPHEN CHANDLER, son of Dea. Henry and 
 Hannah Chandler, was married to Mary Steel, daughter of John and 
 Abigail Steel [page 206], the date of their publishment, May 9, 1752. 
 Their children were: Mary, born Dec. 7, 1752, died Aug. 16, 1810. 
 Stephen, born Oct. 15, 1754, died Feb. 28, 1817, age 62. Triphene, 
 Aug. 6, 1759, died May n, 1784. Mary, the mother, died with the 
 small-pox, Dec. 8, 1760. Stephen, the father, was married again to. 
 Hepsibah Warriner, the widow of Stephen Warriner, of Springfield, 
 and the only surviving child of Samuel and Hepsibah Chandler, of 
 Enfield. Their children were : Samuel, born March 8, 1762. Ahiel, 
 born Aug. 9, 1763. Hepsibah, born May, 25, 1765. Ama, born Feb. 
 21, 1767. Abner, born March 14, 1769, died March 31, 1828, age 59. 
 Hepsibah, born Feb. i, 1771. Stephen Chandler, with his family, 
 resided in Enfield, until about the year 1786, or 1787, he removed to 
 Longmeadow, and died in that town, Sept. 10, 1804. Hepsibah, the 
 mother, died Oct. i, 1803. Mary, the daughter, was married to 
 Asahel Bliss, the son of Ebenezer and Sarah Bliss, and by him had 
 two daughters, Anna and Mary; Asahel Bliss dying May n, 777, 
 four days after he was blown up in a powder-mill. Mary, his widow,
 
 26 
 
 was married again to Ebenezer Rumrill, Sept. 3, 1781. Triphene 
 was married to William Hancock, Jan. 21, 1778. Stephen and Abner 
 settled in Longmeadow. Anna married John Herskill, of Westfield, 
 Vermont, Feb. 2, 1790, and died in that town. Hepsibah was mar- 
 ried to Chauncy Hitchcock, of Montgomery, March n, 1801. Sam- 
 uel was married to Dorcas Terry, the daughter of Selah Terry, of 
 Enfield. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH CHANDLER, son of Dea. Daniel and 
 Sarah Chandler, was married to Mary Chapin, daughter of David and 
 Thankful Chapin, of Enfield. Their children Mary, born Aug. 18, 
 1766. Sarah, born April 6, 1769. Joseph, born July 27, 1772. 
 Thomas, born July 29, 1775. Mehittable, born Nov. 18, 1777. 
 Daniel, born Dec. 17, 1780. George, born Nov. 10, 1784. Sarah 
 married to Noah Cooley, June 28, 1787 [page 46]. 
 
 3d Generation. DAVID CHANDLER, son of Isaac and Abigail 
 Chandler, was married to Miriam Simons, the daughter of John and 
 Miriam Simons, March 5, 1772. Their children Miriam, born 
 May 24, 1772. Lucinda, born Feb. 24, 1774. David, born April 29, 
 1776, and died the same day. David, born June 20, 1778. Ethan, 
 born March 14, 1780. Isaac, born Jan. 14, 1783. Agnes, born Nov. 
 6, 1785, died March 19, 1803. Relief, born Nov. 3, 1788, djed Sept. 
 17, 1791. Jonathan, born June 20, 1794. John, born Oct. 16, 1796. 
 
 4th Generation. STEPHEN CHANDLER, son of Stephen and Mary 
 Chandler, was married July 9, 1778, to Freelove Hancock, daughter 
 of Jabez and Rachel Hancock [page 148]. Their children Cynthia, 
 born Sept. 24, 1779. Freelove, born July 24, 1781. Stephen, born 
 Sept. 4, 1783. Fanny, born June 27, 1787. Calvin Steel, born Nov. 
 8, 1788. John, born Sept. 20, 1795. Dimon, born March 7, 1799. 
 Cynthia, the daughter, was married to Jacob Colton, son of Henry 
 Colton, Nov. 15, 1798. Freelove married Levi Colton, March 25, 
 1798. Fanny married Joseph Stuart, and after his death, to Elias 
 Russel. The father died Feb. 28, 1817. 
 
 4th Generation. ABNER CHANDLER [page 47], son of Stephen and 
 Hepsibah Chandler, was married Oct. 20, 1792, to Eunice Colton, 
 daughter of Ebenezer and Myriam Colton. Their children Abner, 
 'born March 29, 1793. William, born Oct. 15, 1795, died Jan. 3, 1830, 
 age 34. Eunice, born Aug. 30, 1797. Mirville, born March 31, 1799. 
 Ebenezer Colton, born July u, 1802, died Oct. 15, 1802. Ebenezer 
 Colton, born Aug. 27, 1805, died in Georgia. Ama Herskill, born 
 Dec. 31, 1809, died April 15, 1845, aged 35. 
 
 NATHANIEL CHAPMAN married July 24, 1780, to Lucy Cooley, the 
 daughter of George and Mabel Cooley, of Longmeadow. Their chil- 
 dren Nathaniel, born Dec., 1781. Abner, born July 16, 1783. 
 Pierly, born March 6, 1785. Lucy, born July 21, 1787. Patty, born 
 Feb. 26, 1790. Persis, born Nov. 15, 1793. Mary, born Jan. 19, 
 1796. Jonathan Cooley, born Feb. 2, 1798. Davis, born April 25, 
 1800. Sally, born April 23, 1803. Nathaniel Chapman with his 
 family, removed from Longmeadow to the western country in winter,
 
 27 
 
 in the year 1805. He died at a place called Salem, State of Ohio, 
 Feb. 18, 1807. 
 
 i st Generation. GEORGE COLTON \_page 48], known in the record 
 by the title of Quartermaster, TroTh whom descended all of the 
 Coltons in this country so far as known, is said to have come from a 
 town in England, called Suttancofield. Came first to Windsor, mar- 
 ried Deborah Gardner, of Hartford, and was one of the first settlers 
 in that part of Springfield called Longmeadow. His children, as 
 recorded in Springfield book, are the following : Isaac, born Nov. 
 21, 1646, died Sept. 3, 1700, age 54. Ephraim, born April 9, 1648, 
 died May 14, 1713, age 65. Mary, born Sept. 22, 1649. Thomas, 
 born May i, 1651, died Sept. 30, 1728, age 77. Sarah, born Feb. 24, 
 1652. Deborah, born Jan. 25, 1654, died Nov. 26, 1733. Hepzibah, 
 .born Jan. 7, 1656. john^ born April 8, 1659, died Feb. 3, 1727. 
 Benjamin, born May 26, 1 66 1. Isaac, Ephraim, Thomas, and John, 
 settled in Longmeadow. Benjamin is supposed to have died young. 
 Mary married Samuel Barnard, of Hadleigh, Oct. 30, 1678. Sarah 
 married Samuel Graves, of Hatfield, Oct. 30, 1678. Deborah married 
 Nathaniel Bliss, of Longmeadow, Dec. 28, 1676. Hepzibah married 
 Jonathan Wells, of Deerfield. Deborah, the mother, died Sept. 5, 
 1689. George, the father, married again March i, 1692, to the widow, 
 Lydia Lamb, who had been the wife of Lawrence Bliss, John Norton, 
 and John Lamb. She died Dec. 17, 1699. He died Feb. 13, 1699. 
 
 2d Generation. ISAAC COLTON, son of George and Deborah Col- 
 ton, was married June 30, 1670, to Mary Cooper, daughter of Thomas 
 Cooper; she was born Nov. 15, 1651. Their children Mary, born 
 March 30, 1671. Sarah, born June n, 1673, died July 9, 1689. 
 George, born June 16, 1677, died Aug. 6, 1760. Rebecca, born June 
 20, 1681. Deborah, born July 26, 1684. A child born and died Aug. 
 i, 1687. Hannah, born Aug. 8, 1688 Joseph, born April 20, 1693. 
 Benjamin, born June 18, 1695, died May 6, 1770. George settled in 
 Longmeadow [see page 51]. Rebecca married Joseph Stebbins, Feb. 
 29, 1700. Deborah married David Morgan, Jan. 21, 1703. Hannah 
 married Benjamin Chapin, Nov. 9, 1704. Joseph and Benjamin had 
 families hereafter entered [page 52], Isaac, the father, died Sept. 3, 
 
 1700, age 54. Mary, the mother, married Edward Stebbins, Oct. 18, 
 
 1701, after his return to Longmeadow, and died there Aug. 29, 1742, 
 age 91. 
 
 2d Generation. EPHRAIM COLTON [page 49], second son of 
 George and Deborah, was married Nov. 17, 1670, to Mary Drake. 
 Their children Ephraim, born Feb. 8, 1672, died Sept. 22, 1753. 
 Josiah, born Oct. 7, 1674. Job, born May 14, 1677. Samuel, born 
 Jan. 17, 1679, died March 13, 1744, aged 65. Mary, the mother, died 
 Oct. 19. 1681. Ephraim, the father, married again March 26, 1785, 
 to Esther Marshfield, daughter of Samuel and Catharine Marshfield ; 
 she was born Sept. 6, 1667. Their children Josiah, born Dec. 30, 
 
 1685. Esther, born Oct. 23, 1687. Benjamin, born . Skrah, 
 
 born March 12, 1692, died Jan. 14, 1780. Daniel, born July 27, 1694.
 
 28 
 
 Deborah, born April 22, 1697, died June 12, 1697. Isaac, born July 
 30, 1698, died March 6, 1773. Margaret, born May 9, 1701. Nathan- 
 iel, born Aug. 22, 1703. Thomas, born Aug. 3, 1705, killed by Indians 
 June 27, 1724. Noah, born Dec. 19, 1707. Mary, born Aug. u, 
 1710. Abiel, born Jan. 13, 1714, died May 9, 1714. The sons 
 Ephraim, Samuel, Josiah, and Isaac, had families which are entered 
 in this book \_pages 53 and 54], Job went off and never returned 
 again. Esther married Phillip Smith, of Hadleigh. Benjamin gradu- 
 ated at Yale College, A.D. 1710, settled in the ministry at West Hart- 
 ford. Sarah married Ebenezer Bliss of Longmeadow, Jan. 29, 1719. 
 Daniel settled at Gilford, in Conn. Margaret married Daniel Burt, 
 Feb. 2, 1727, settled in Brimfield. Nathaniel, settled at Killingly, in 
 Conn., and died at Cape Britain. Noah married - Scott, after 
 removing from place to place several times, died at Greenwich, Mass. 
 Mary married Philip Parsons, of Enfield, Dec. 4, 1729. Ephraim, the 
 father, settled in Longmeadow, and probably about the year 1696, 
 removed to Enfield. His first children are recorded in Springfield ; 
 Deborah, and the following, are recorded in Enfield. The father 
 died May 14, 1713, eight months before his last child was born, 
 and Esther, his wife, died Jan. 20, 1714, seven days after the birth of 
 said child. 
 
 2d Generation. CAPT. THOMAS COLTON \_page 50], son of George 
 and Deborah Colton, was married Sept. n, 1677, to Sarah Griswold, 
 of Lyme, Conn. Their children Sarah, born Sept. 25, 1678, died 
 June 20, 1754. Anna, born Dec. 27, 1680. Thomas, born March 27, 
 1683, died Aug. 4, 1760. Benjamin, born Feb. 19, 1684, died April 7, 
 1685. Elisabeth, born April 5, 1686. Mathew, Feb. 13, 1688, died 
 June 6, 1690. Stillborn child, Sept. n. 1690. Sarah, the mother, 
 died Sept. 12, 1690. Capt. Thomas Colton married again Dec. 17, 
 1691, to Hannah Bliss, daughter of Lawrence Bliss, of Springfield. 
 Their children Hepzibah, born Oct. 26, 1692, died March 7, 1760. 
 William, born July 7, 1694, died Dec. 4, 1770. Ebenezer, born July 
 23, 1696, died Aug. 19, 1765. Joseph, born Aug. 27, 1698, died Sept. 
 10, 1698. Isaac, born Oct. 10, 1700, died Jan. 1757. Hannah, born 
 July n, 1703. Dinah, born Jan. 31, 1706, died May 5, 1706. Abner, 
 born June 17, 1709, died Feb. 24, 1710. The sons who had families 
 may be seen in this book \_pages 55 and 56]. Sarah was married to 
 Samuel Keep, Feb. 27, 1695. Anna married Samuel Porter, of Had- 
 leigh, Oct. 13, 1708. Elisabeth married Joseph Kellogg, of Hadleigh, 
 July 5, 1710, and after his death married Billing, of Hatfield, and died 
 without issue. Hepsibah married Capt. Samuel Chandler, of Enfield, 
 Dec. 22, 1726. Hannah married Nathaniel Mun, of Springfield, Dec. 
 28, 1721. They removed to Munson, and died in that town. Hannah, 
 the last wife of Capt. Thomas Colton, died Nov. 6, 1737 ; he died 
 Sept. 30, 1728. On the 6th of Oct. following, the Rev. Dr. Williams 
 preached a sermon in which he gave Capt. Colton a very extraordinary 
 character, as having been a man eminently useful in his day, especially 
 in the Indian wars, and as a man of eminent piety.
 
 2 9 
 
 2d Generation. JOHN COLTON T the 4th son of George and Deborah, 
 was married Feb. 19, 1684, to Abigail .Parsons, daughter of Dea. Ben- 
 jamin Parsons of Springfield, born Jan. 6, 1663. Their children were : 
 Abigail, born Jan. 4, 1685. Mary, born May i, 1689, died J an - 16, 
 1690. Abigail, the mother, died June 27, 1689. John, the father, 
 married again Sept. 2, 1690, to Joanna Wolcot, daughter oLSjmpn 
 Wolcot, oi_Wmdj5or J _and sister toJTloger Wolcot, GovTol Conn, from 
 1754 to 1759^ SaraKTBorn Sept. 6, 1692. Martna7~born JaTT^T 
 
 1694. Joanna . John, born May 9, 1697, died Jan. 5, 1766, 
 
 age 68. Mary died Feb. 15, 1737. George, born May 27, 1702, died 
 [page 51] Feb. 15, 1725. Eunice, born Feb. 22, 1705, died March 30, 
 1778. Simon, and Roger, born Oct. 26, 1707. Simon, born 1700. 
 difed May_29, 1796. John, the father, died Feb.*^ 1727. Joanna"' 
 the mother, died Jan. 10, 1755. Abigail was married to Francis 
 Griswold, of Poquonnock, in Windsor, Dec. 8, 1708. Martha married 
 Luke Hitchcock, Jan. 26, 1721. Joanna married Jonathan Cooley, 
 the son of Obediah and Rebecca, date of publishment Dec. 19, 1713. 
 Mary was married to Samuel Keep, Jan. 15, 1736. Eunice was mar- 
 ried to John Ely, Nov. 5, 1733 ; he dying, she married Roger Wolcott, 
 of Windsor, June 19, 1759 ; he dying, she married Capt. Joel White, 
 of Bolton, April 8, 1761. 
 
 3d Generation. CAPT. GEORGE COLTON, son of Isaac and Mary, 
 was married to Mary Hitchcock, Feb. 3, 1704, daughter of Luke and 
 Sarah Hitchcock, of Springfield. Their children Timothy, born 
 Feb. 10, 1706, died May 27, 1787. George, born Jan. 27, 1708, died 
 March 9, 1784. Mary, born Nov. 1710. Sarah, Feb. 22, 1713, died 
 Aug. 17, 1763. Rebecca, born Oct. 26. Elisabeth, born April 5, 
 1718. Isaac, born Aug. 9, 1720, died Aug. 20, 1800. Miriam, born 
 Feb. 28, 1723. Jonathan, born March u, 1726, died May 7, 1752. 
 Timothy, George, and Isaac, had families hereafter recorded. Mary 
 married David Merrick, Jan. 28, 1735. Sarah married David Burt, 
 Sept. 5, 1732. Rebecca married Ebenezer Bliss, of Lebanon, Conn., 
 May 7, 1737. Ezekiel Lom'is, of Lebanon, married Elisabeth, March 
 i, 1743. Myriam married Nathan Hoar, of Munson, May 21, 1751. 
 Jonathan graduated at Yale College 1745, went to London, and after 
 he had received Episcopal ordination over a church in the town of 
 Hebron, Conn., and was returning home, he died at sea of the small- 
 pox, May 7, 1752, age 28 years. Capt George Colton, the father, 
 died Aug. 5, 1760, age 84 years. Mary, the mother, died Sept. 18, 
 1774, age 86 [page 52]. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH COLTON, son of Isaac and Mary, was mar- 
 ried May 5, 1715, to Abilene Chapin, daughter of Samuel and Hannah 
 Chapin ; he settled in West Springfield. Their children Mary, born 
 Tune 3, 1716, died Sept. 18, 1736. Hannah, born Oct. 13, 1720. 
 Joseph, born Sept. 18, 1723, died June 14, 1741. Gideon, born May 
 8, 1727. Abigail, born Oct. 22, 1729, died Jan. 29, 1747. Dinah, 
 born June 12, 1732. Mary, born Jan. n, 1738. Dinah was ma-rried 
 Nov. 16, 1749, to Seth Miller.
 
 30 
 
 3d Generation. BENJAMIN COLTON, son of Isaac and Mary Colton, 
 was married to Elisabeth Pyncheon, daughter of Col. John Pyncheon, 
 and Bathshua his wife, Feb. 6, 1721. Their children Benjamin, born 
 Feb. i, 1722, died June 20, 1808. Charles, born March 8, 1724, died 
 March 9, 1809. Moses, born Feb. 9, 1726, died Sept. 23, 1771. 
 Gideon, born Feb. n, 1728, died June 16, 1823, age 95. Elisabeth, 
 born April 18, 1730. Bathshua, born Sept. 6, 1732. Isaac, born Aug. 
 22, 1734, died March 3, 1812. William, born Nov. 6, 1736. Mar- 
 garet, born Oct. 24, 1738. Hannah, born Oct. 27, 1740. Mary, 
 born Jan. 26, 1742. Aaron, born March 21, 1744. Rhocla, born 
 June 9, 1748. Edward, born April 10, 1750. Reuben, born Jan. i, 
 1752, died Sept. 26, 1757. Benjamin, Charles, Gideon, and William, 
 their families are hereafter recorded in this book [pages 59 and 60]. 
 Elisabeth married Gideon Merrick. Bathshua married Abner Towsley, 
 of Brimfield, Feb. 2, 1749. Margaret married Benjamin Chapin, Mar. 
 4, 1760. Hannah married Joseph Jones, published July 9, 1766. 
 Rhoda married David Bliss, son of Nathaniel and Priscilla. Benja- 
 min Colton, the father, first settled in Springfield, afterwards removed 
 to Ludlow; he was born June, 1695, died May 6, 1770, age 75. Elisa- 
 beth, the mother, was born Dec. 27, 1702, and died Sept. 26, 1776, 
 age 74 \jage 53]. 
 
 3d Generation. LIEUT. EPHRAIM COLTON, son of Ephraim and 
 Mary Colton, was married Dec. 29, 1699, to Mary Noble. Their 
 children Mary, born Dec. 25, 1700, died Oct. 16, 1776. Ephraim, 
 born May 9, 1705, died Aug. 31, 1750. Deborah, born Feb. 25, 1708. 
 Jerusha, born Feb. 22, 1711, died Dec. 14, 1740. Two sons unnamed, 
 were born Nov. 7, one died the 7th, and the other the i3th, of Nov. 
 1712. Dammerus, born Aug. 18, 1714, died Aug, 2, 1777. Job, 
 born July 20, 1717. Samuel, born Dec. n, 1718. Hannah, born 
 Feb. 21, 1724, died Oct. 20, 1805. Ephraim and Samuel had fami- 
 lies [see page 61]. Deborah married Joseph Hoar, May 19, 1736, 
 of Brimfield. Jerusha married David Burt, son of Jonathan and 
 Lydia, Feb. 28, 1732. Mary and Damerus died unmarried. Hannah 
 married Stephen Keep, June 12, 1754. Lieut. Ephraim Colton died 
 Sept. 22, 1753, age 82 years. Mary, the mother, died . 
 
 3d Generation. SAMUEL COLTON, son of Ephraim Colton, and 
 Mary, his wife, was married Jan. 16, 1707, to Margaret Bliss, daughter 
 of Samuel Bliss, and Mary his wife, of Springfield, ist Parish. Their 
 children Margaret, born April 19, 1724. Samuel, born Sept. 7, 
 1727, died Nov. 5, 1784. Margaret married Capt. Joseph Frost, Oct. 
 29, 1744. They settled at New Castle, State of New Hampshire. 
 Samuel, the father, died March 13, 1744. Margaret, the mother, 
 died Jan. 19, 1736. (The family of Samuel, see page 61.) 
 
 3d Generation. JOSIAH COLTON, son of Ephraim and Esther, his 
 second wife, settled in Enfield, and was married Jan. 6, 1709, to 
 Margaret Pease, daughter of Robert Pease. Their children Josiah, 
 born Oct. 7, 1709. Job, born Nov. 3, 1711, died March n, 1719. 
 Esther, born Mar. 31, 1714. Margaret . Abiel, born Jan. 27,
 
 31 
 
 1718. Anne, born July 26, 1720. Hannah . Esther married 
 
 Obediah Hulbard, June u, 1745. Margaret married David Phelps, 
 Mar. 29, 1737. Abiel married Col. John Bliss, Nov. 8, 1749. Han- 
 nah married Joseph Gleason. Anne married John Parsons, Sept. 25, 
 1740 [page 54]. 
 
 3d Generation. REV. BENJAMIN COLTON, son of Ephraim the first, 
 and Esther, his wife, was married Dec. 3, 1713, to Ruth Taylor. He 
 died 1759. 
 
 3d Generation. ISAAC COLTON, son of Ephraim Colton the first, 
 and Esther his wife, was married to Mary Burt, the daughter of Deacon 
 Nathaniel Burt, and Mary, his wife, June i, 1722. Their children 
 Mary, born July 13, 1722. Moses, born May 22, 1724. Mercy, born 
 Feb. 9, 1726. Esther, born May 30, 1728. Isaac, born April 29, 
 
 1730. Sarah . Abigail, born Feb. 25, 1733. Stephen, born 
 
 Aug. 24, 1736. Isaac Colton, the father, settled in Longmeadow, 
 where all his children were born ; he with his family removed to Wil- 
 braham, about the year 1750 ; he died March 6, 1773. Mary, his wife, 
 died Aug. 3, 1773. Mary married Timothy Jones, of Brimfield, Dec. 
 2 7 T 753- Moses married Hannah Hitchcock, Dec. 27, 1753. Mercy 
 married Henry Chandler, of Enfield, June 6, 1751. Esther married 
 James Merrick, Oct. i, 1754. Isaac married Hannah Burt, Aug. 23, 
 1753. Abigail married Samuel Kilborn, Aug. u, 1757. Stephen 
 married Abigail Stebbins, Dec. 22, 1755. 
 
 3d Generation. THOMAS COLTON, [page 55], son of Capt. Thomas 
 Colton, and Sarah, his wife, was married to Johannah Warriner, daugh- 
 terof Joseph Warriner, April 14, 1708. Their children Thankful, 
 born Sept. 13, 1709, died Jan. 4, 1735. Mathew, born May 22, died July 
 17, 1711. Dinah, born Sept. 19, 1712, died Feb. 4, 1759. Anna, 
 born Sept. 13, 1714. Elisabeth, born Dec. 23, 1716. Thomas, born 
 Oct. 6, 1719, died in Longmeadow, March 17, 1808. Joseph, born 
 Nov. 16, 1721, died in Munson Nov. 5, 1787. Son, still-born, Jan. i, 
 1727. Thomas Colton, the father, died Jan. 29, 1755. Dinah was 
 married to Francis Stebbins, Sept. 20, 1744, and died leaving no issue. 
 Anna married Joseph Bewel, April 10, 1733 ; they settled in Somers. 
 Elisabeth married Luke Cooley, son of Eliakim, Jan. 8, 1739; they 
 lived and finished their days in Somers. Thomas settled in Long- 
 meadow. Joseph married Ruth Colton, daughter of William and 
 Mary Colton, Nov. 23, 1744. They settled in Monson, and had 
 daughters. 
 
 /3d Generation. WILLIAM COLTON, son of Capt. Thomas Colton, 
 and Hannah, his second wife, was married Jan. 24, 1717, to Mary 
 Merrick, daughter of Capt. John Merrick. Their children Aaron, 
 born June 13, 1718, died June 28, 1778. Ann, born Feb. 2, 1720, 
 died Nov. 23, 1771. Mary, born Sept. 17, 1721. Ruth, born Dec. n, 
 1722, died Dec. n, 1804. Abigail, born June 27, 1724, died Dec. 22, 
 1770. Loice, born April 8, 1726, died Nov. 26, 1800. Eunice, born 
 July 19, 1728, died April 8, 1806; burnt to death by falling into the 
 fire, no person being with her. Miriam, born July 7, 1734, died May
 
 32 
 
 22, 1805. Israel, born July 3, 1736, died Sept. 5, 1741. Aaron mar- 
 ried Mary Ely, Nov. 27, 1746. Ann married John Williams, Jan. 22, 
 
 1747. Mary married Chauncey, son of Rev. Chauncey, of 
 
 Hadleigh. Ruth married Joseph Colton, Nov. 23, 1744. Abigail 
 married Dea. Nathaniel Ely, April 9, 1761. Loice was married to 
 Richard Woolworth, Oct. 21, 1762. Eunice married Edward Chapin, 
 July 6, 1752. Mariam married Aaron Bliss, April 23, 1754. Mary, 
 the mother, died June 5, 1767, age 73. William, the father, married 
 again June 7, 1768, to Mercy Colton, widow of Lieut. John Colton. 
 The father died Dec. 4, 1770, in his 77th year. His last wife died 
 Aug. 4, 1780, in her 75th year \_page 56], 
 
 3d Generation. EBENEZER COLTON, son of Capt. Thomas and 
 Hannah, his second wife, was married Oct. 25, 1733, to Deborah 
 Chandler, daughter of Henry and Lydia Chandler, of Enfield. Their 
 children Deborah, born July 9, 1734, died Aug. 27, 1741. Rhoda, 
 born Mar. i, 1736, died June 19, 1739. Henry, born Jan. 8, 1738, 
 died Nov. n, 1787. Ebenezer, born Nov. 19, 1740, died Aug. 25, 
 1741. Ebe"nezer, born April 8, 1742, died June 6, 1742. Ebenezer, 
 born Mar. 20, 1743, died Sept. 2, 1793. Deborah, born May 20, 1745, 
 died April 28, 1792. Jabez, born Mar. 20, 1747, died April 2, 1819, 
 age 72. Rhoda, born Mar. 4, 1749, died July 13, 1806. Hannah, 
 born June 18, 1751, died Oct. 9, 1808. Elihu, born Sept. 5, 1753. 
 (The families of Henry, Ebenezer, Jabez, and Elihu, are hereafter 
 entered in this book pages 63 and 64). Deborah married Elijah 
 Burt, Dec. 3, 1767. Hannah was married to William Colton, son of 
 Aaron and Mary, Oct. 7, 1777. Ebenezer, the father, died Aug. 19, 
 1765. Deborah, the mother, died Aug. 23, 1769. 
 
 3d Generation. CAPT. ISAAC COLTON, son of Capt. Thomas Colton, 
 was married to Esther Marshfield, daughter of Josiah and Rachel 
 Marshfield; the date of their publishment is July 6, 1722 ; it is supposed 
 they were married in Hartford. Their children Rachel, born Sept. 
 
 9, 1723, died April, 1775. Hepzibah, born April 13, 1726, died June 
 
 10, 1726. Abner, born Sept. 6, 1727, died July 6, 1797. Jacob, born 
 Sept. 30, 1733, died Jan. 21, 1734. Hannah, born Dec. 28, 1729, 
 died Feb. n, 1742. Beulah, born June 13, 1735, died April 24, 1786. 
 Jacob, born Feb. 8, 1739, died Mar. 2, 1769. Andrew, born Nov. i, 
 I743J died Oct. 1808. Othniel, born July 24, 1747, died Mar. 24, 
 1823. Rachel, was married to Moses Bliss, son of Pelatiah and Elisa- 
 beth, Dec. 10, 1747. Abner, Jacob, and Andrew, had families [see 
 page 65]. Beulah married Dea. Nathaniel Ely, April 3, 1777". Capt. 
 Isaac Colton, the father, died Jan. 23, 1757. Esther, the mother, 
 died April 27, 1784 ; she was born May 16, 1699 ; she died in her 85th 
 year [page 57]. 
 
 3d Generation. LIEUT. JOHN COLTON, son of John and Joanna 
 Colton, was married Dec. 22, 1726, to Mercy Stebbins, daughter of 
 Samuel and Abigail Stebbins. Their children Mercy, born Feb. 13, 
 1728, died March 4, 1728. John, born Feb. 21, 1729. Mercy, born 
 Sept. 22, 1730, died Oct, 4, 1760. Solomon, born Jan. 8, 1733.
 
 33 
 
 George, born Jan. 7, 1736, died May 18, 1737, drowned in a tub of 
 water at the well. (Dr. Williams' journal.) Joanna, born _ , 
 died Sept. 10, 1788, aged 49. Lucy, born June 24, 1742, died Dec. 7, 
 1799. Mercy was married to Isaac Colton, son of George and Mary, 
 Nov. 19, 1745. Joanna was married to Gideon Colton, son of Benja- 
 min and Elisabeth, June 18, 1761. Lucy was married to Samuel Col- 
 ton Oct. 16, 1765. John and Solomon had families [see pages 65 
 and 66]. Lieut. John Colton, the father, died Jan. 5, 1766. Mercy, 
 the mother, was married again June 7, 1768, to William Colton and 
 died Aug. 4, 1780. 
 
 3d Generation. CAPT. SIMON COLTQN,, son of John and Toanna 
 Colton, was^ married Feb. ;, 1 736 ; ^ Abi^aiLJBurt J . < aTu^hter of CaptT 
 John Burt: and Abigail his wife. Their children were, Abigail, born 
 Jan. 15, 1737, diedjan. 26, 1737. Mary, born Dec. 18, 1737, died 
 July 29, 1800. Abigail, born Dec. 2, 1739, died June 30, 1743. 
 Flavia, born Aug. 31, 1741, died April 6, 1763. Festus, born March 
 31, 1743, died Jan. 4, 1788. Celia, born May 25, 1745, died Oct. 13, 
 1746. George, born June 23, 1747, died at Munson. Celia, born 
 Nov. 22, 1749, died April 6, 1807. Stillborn, Aug. 28, 1752. Gad. 
 born_ March 12, 1754, died_JQc^ 28, 1831. Luther, born Nov. 15, 
 ^7567dieoTOcfTi4, 1803! Calvin, born Nov. 16, 1758, died Dec. 22, 
 
 1758. Mary married Capt. David Burt, March i, 1758. Flavia mar- 
 ried Samuel Colton, Dec. 26, 1759. Celia married Rev. Abishai Sabin 
 of Monson, June 13, 1770, and after his death she married Col. Gid- 
 eon Burt, Dec. 23, 1783. Festus, George, Gad, and Luther had fam- 
 ilies [pages 66 and 67]. Abigail, the mother, died May 3, 1760. 
 Capt. Simon Colton was married again Jan. 15, 1761, to Rebecca 
 Hale, daughter of Thomas and Experience Hale. [See page 138.] 
 Capt. Simon Colton died May 29, 1796. Rebecca, the last wife, died 
 July, 21, 1803. 
 
 4th Generation. TIMOTHY COLTON, son of Capt. George Colton 
 and Mary his wife \_page 58]. was married March 27, 1729, to Maty 
 Ferry. Their children were, Timothy, born Feb. 27, 1730. Charles, 
 born August 2, 1736. Caleb, Stephen, Oliver. Timothy Colton, the 
 father, removed from Longmeadow to Brimfield, in which/ town his 
 children were born. He removed again to Longmeadow, and, after 
 his father's death some years, he went with his sons Caleb and 
 Stephen, removed to New Grantham, State of New Hampshire, and 
 died in that town May 27, 1787. Mary, the mother, died in Brimfield. 
 
 4th Generation. GEORGE COLTON, son of Capt. George and Mary 
 Colton, was married to Experience Burt, daughter of Dea. Nathaniel 
 and Mary Burt. The date of their publishment is April 29, 1731. 
 Their children Experience. Eunice. George. Mary. Miriam. Experi- 
 ence married Daniel Burt, of Brimfield, Oct. 12, 1757. Miriam, born 
 about 1746, married Capt. Ebenezer Colton, July 2, 1767, died Nov. 13, 
 1831, age 85. George Colton, the father, removed to Brimfield, where 
 his children were born. He returned to Longmeadow and died March
 
 34 
 
 io, 178^ in his 76th year. Experience, the mother, died *Sept. 22, 
 1772, in her 6gth year. 
 
 4th Generation. ISAAC COLTON, son of Capt. George Colton, was 
 married to Elisabeth Cooley, daughter of Daniel and Jemima Cooley, 
 published Sept. 5, 1741. Their children Elijah, born Aug. 23, 1746, 
 died Sept. 7, 1746. Mercy, born June 9, 1748. Elisabeth, born July 
 8, 1750, died Nov. n, 1760. Nancy, born May 26, 1752. Temper- 
 ance, Feb. n, 1754. Mary, Jan., 1757. Jonathan, born Feb. 28, 
 1758. Ama, born May 2, 1760 \page 59). Mercy, the second wife 
 of Isaac Colton, died Oct. 4. 1760. Isaac Colton was married a third 
 time to Elisabeth Sears, of Middletown, Ct. Their children Elisa- 
 beth, born April 2, 1763. James, born Jan. 25, 1765. Elijah. Isaac 
 Colton, the father, after he had parted with his estate and lived a wan- 
 dering life more than twenty years, died at Longmeadow, supported by 
 the town of Springfield as a pauper, Aug. 20, 1800, the day on which 
 he was born, being that day 80 years old. Nancy was married to 
 Capt. Gad Colton, Oct. 21, 1773. 
 
 4th Generation. BENJAMIN COLTON, son of Benjamin and Elisabeth 
 Colton, was married to Abiah Cooley, daughter of John and Mercy 
 Cooley, March 24, 1742. Their children Abiah, born Jan. 26, 1743, 
 died Oct. 27, 1749. Joseph, born Jan. 25, 1744. John, born Oct. 22, 
 1747. Eli, born July 24, 1750. Abiah, born Dec. 30, 1752, died Feb. 
 
 13, 1811, wife of Gad Bliss. Daniel . Benjamin . 
 
 Mary . Abiah, the mother, died . Benjamin, the father, 
 
 married again to Bond (widow). Their children were : Edward, 
 
 born June 15, 1779. Moses, Nov. 23, 1781. Bathshuah. Benjamin 
 Colton, the father, died June 20, 1808. 
 
 4th Generation. CAPT. CHARLES COLTON, son of Benjamin and 
 Elisabeth, was married to Mary Sikes, Oct. 20, 1748. Their children 
 Frederick, born July 31, 1749. Nancy, born June 20, 1750. Rox- 
 alane, born Oct. io, 1752. Charles, born Aug. 8, 1756, died Aug. 8, 
 1756. Alexander, born June 21, 1757, died June 21, 1757. Margaret, 
 born May 26, 1758. Diamond, born June 18, 1761, died June n, 
 1808. Loice, born Feb. 9, 1763. Nancy was married Feb. 28, 1781, 
 to Bela Nichols \_page 60], Margaret was married Nov. 27, 1781, to 
 Joel Marbel. Roxalane was married to Aaron Morgan, Chicopee. 
 Loice was married April, 1788, to Calvin Stebbins, son of Capt. 
 Thomas Stebbins. Capt. Charles Colton, the father, died March 9, 
 1809. 
 
 4th Generation. GIDEON COLTON, son of Benjamin and Elisabeth, 
 was married to Sarah Burt, daughter of David and Sarah Burt, Feb. 
 21, 1753. Their children Simon, born May 17, 1753, died May 24, 
 1754. Simeon, born Jan. 21, 1755. Sarah, born Feb. 26, 1757. Sarah, 
 the mother, died March 28, 1759. Gideon Colton, the father, married 
 again June 18, 1761, to Joanna Colton, daughter of Lieut. John Col- 
 ton. Their children Gideon, born May io, 1763. Hanon, born 
 Oct. 4, 1764, died Aug. 28, 1828. Zadock, born Feb. 18, 1766, died 
 1836. Chauncy, born Nov. 4, 1768, died Jan. 6, 1775. Sabra, born
 
 35 
 
 Nov. 30, 1770. Elisabeth, born Dec. 30, 1774, died July 16, 1851. 
 Chauncy, born Jan. u. 1779, died Feb. 15, 1789. Joanna, the mother, 
 died Sept. 10, 1788. Sabra was married Jan. 25, 1790,10 Harrison 
 Elwell. Sarah was married to Reuben Warriner Feb. 15, 1783. They 
 settled in Vershire, State of Vermont. Gideon, the father, died Tune 
 !5> l82 3> a g e 95- ( Tne families of the sons see \npages 68 and' 69.) 
 
 4th Generation. WILLIAM COLTON, son of Benjamin and Elisabeth 
 Colton, was married Aug. 13, 1761, to Dorothy Ashley. Their chil- 
 dren Dorothy, born March 24, 1762. Zealous, born Oct. 18, 1764, 
 died May 14, 1802. Joseph Pyncheon, born Feb. 21, 1767. Noah 
 Ashley, born Feb. n, 1771. Cephas, born Aug. 15, 1774, died Sept. 
 i, 1775. Elisabeth, born Jan. 12, 1777. 
 
 4th Generation. EPHRAIM COLTON, son of Lieut. Ephraim and 
 Mary Colton [page 61], was married Nov. 16, 1732, to Sarah Burt, 
 daughter of Jonathan and Lydia Burt. Their children Asa, born Aug. 
 28, 1733, died March 18, 1778 [see page 70]. Sarah, born May 23, 
 1735. Eli, born June 17, 1736. Ephraim, born 1738, died Sept. 30, 
 1777. Sarah, the mother, died July 14, 1739. Ephraim, the father, 
 was married again July 6, 1742, to the widow Elisabeth Mighills. The 
 father died Sept. 31, 1750, aged 45. 
 
 4th Generation. SAMUEL COLTON, son of Lieut. Ephraim and 
 Mary, was married to Mary Hoar, of Brimfield, date of their publish- 
 ment Sept. 12, 1750. Their children Job, born Jan. 19, 1755. 
 David, born June 3, 1756. Esther, born Oct. 14, 1757. Mary, born 
 Sept. 7, 1759. Jerusha, born Feb. 13, 1761. Reuben, born Nov. 26, 
 1762. Ephraim, born March 22, 1765. Samuel Colton, the father, 
 with his family, removed to Greenwich, Mass. 
 
 4th Generation. SAMUEL COLTON, son of Samuel and Margaret, 
 was married to Flavia Colton, the daughter of Capt. Simon and Abigail 
 Colton, Dec. 26, 1759. They had one child, born Feb. ist and died 
 the 3d, 1760. She died April 6, 1763. Samuel Colton was married 
 again Oct. 16, 1765, to Lucy Colton, daughter of Lieut. John Colton 
 and Mercy, his wife. Their children Adna, born Aug. 31, 1767, 
 died Sept. 9, 1767. Stillborn, Nov. 20, 1768. Flavia, born Oct. i, 
 1769, died Aug. 4, 1815. Margaret, born Nov. 18, 1770, died Dec. 
 28, 1770. Margaret, born Oct. 19, 1771, died Jan. 7, 1817. Lucy, 
 born June 8, 1773, died Oct. 18, 1804. Samuel, born Sept. 8, 1775, 
 died Aug. 25, 1777. Samuel, born Feb. 4, 1778, died June 17, 1811. 
 Samuel Colton, the father, died Nov. 5, 1784. Lucy, the mother, died 
 Dec. 7, 1799. Flavia was married to Col. Alexander Field Oct. n, 
 1787 [see page 131]. Lucy married Benjamin Stebbins, of Belcher, 
 Jan. 29, 1794. Margaret married David Booth, Sept. IT, 1794. 
 
 4th Generation. JOSIAH COLTON, son of Josiah and Margaret Col- 
 ton [page 62], was married Jan. 13, 1743, to Ruth Allen. Their 
 children Mary, born Dec. 29, 1743. Sarah, born Dec. 26, 1745. 
 Ruth, born Feb. 26, 1748. Elenor, born Oct. 28, 1750. Job, born 
 
 Oct. 1 8, 1752. Lemuel . Margaret . Zibea, 'born 
 
 April 5, 1760. Rachel, born March 29, 1762. Josiah, born Aug. 12,
 
 36 
 
 1764. Josiah Colton, with the greater part of his family, removed 
 from Enfield, where he was, to Plainfield, in the State of Newhamp- 
 shire, in June, 1765 or 1766, in which town he and his wife died. 
 Mary married Henry Colton, son of Ebenezer and Deborah, March 
 31, 1785, of Longmeadow [see page 63]. Sarah married James 
 Pease. They settled in Somers.. 
 
 4th Generation. THOMAS COLTON, son of Thomas and Joanna, 
 was married Oct. 18, 1748, to Deborah Dudley, daughter of Daniel 
 and Deborah Dudley, of Seabrook, Conn. She was born March 27, 
 1724. Their children Deborah, born July 17, 1749, died March 19, 
 1751. Mathew, born Jan. 15, 1750, died June i, 1751. Deborah, 
 born June 2, 1752, died Dec. 20, 1768. Dinah, born Sept. 25, 1754, 
 died March 8, 1784. Daniel, born Sept. 16, 1756, died Sept 29, 1756. 
 Thomas, born Sept. 16, 1757, died Dec. 24, 1824. Thankful, born, 
 Jan. i, 1762. Joanna, born April 8, 1764. Joanna married John 
 Coomes, son of John and Mindwell Coomes, of Enfield, Feb. 23, 
 1784 [see page 117]. Thankful had two children Jeremiah Colton, 
 born Sept. 12, 1791, and Lanson, born Sept. 5, 1798, both born out of 
 wedlock. Thomas, the father, died March 17, 1808. Deborah, the 
 mother, died July 12, 1822, aged 98. 
 
 4th Generation. JOSEPH COLTON, son of Thomas and Joanna 
 [page 63], was married Nov. 23, 1744, to Ruth Colton, daughter of 
 William and Mary Colton. Their children Ruth, born Sept. 24, 
 1745. Thankful, born Aug. 16, 1747. Editha, born Aug. 14, 1749. 
 Joseph, born Aug. 4, 1751. Joanna, born Aug. 12, 1753. Joanna, 
 born Aug 14, 1755. Mary, born Sept. 8, 1757. Joseph, born Jan. n, 
 1759. Lucy, born Nov. 21, 1761. Rachel, born Jan. 20, 1764. Anne, 
 born Feb. i, 1766, died March 17, 1811. N. B. The date of the 
 births of the children from Rachel, the daughter, are from her mem- 
 ory, and so may not be entirely correct. Dea. Joseph Colton, the 
 father, died Nov. 5, 1787. Ruth, the mother, died Dec. n, 1804. 
 
 4th Generation. DEA. AARON COLTON, son of William and Mary, 
 was married Nov. 27, 1746, to Mary Ely, the daughter of Dea. Jona- 
 than and Lydia Ely. Their children Israel, born Sept. 12, 1747, 
 died May 6, 1818, aged 71. Lovice, born Nov. 26, 1749. Mary, born 
 Nov. 10, 1751, drowned May 20, 1753. William, born Jan. 6, 1754, 
 died May 6, 1825. Mary, born Dec. 27, 1755, died Oct. i, 1757. Aaron, 
 born Dec. 5, 1758. Mary, born Feb. 28, 1761. Walter, born Aug. 25, 
 1764, died April 28, 1862, aged 98. Lovice married Tilly Merrick, of 
 West Springfield, Dec. 19, 1777. Mary married Simeon Smith, of 
 West Springfield, Jan. 13, 1782. Walter settled in Vermont in a town 
 called Georgia. The sons all had families [see pages 71 and 72], 
 Dea. Aaron Colton died of the small-pox June 28, 1778, aged 60. 
 Mary, the mother, died of a cancer Nov. 24, 1797. The first Mary 
 was drowned in a tub of water Nov. 20, 1753. 
 
 4th Generation. HENRY COLTON, son of Ebenezer and Deborah, 
 was married Jan. 7, 1768, to Mary Burt, daughter of David and Sarah 
 Burt. Their children Sarah, born April 19, 1769. Henry, born
 
 37 
 
 Feb. 8, 1771, died Oct. 16, 1831. Mary, born Oct. 5, 1773. Jacob, 
 born Feb. 5, 1776, died Feb. 6, 1845, aged 69. Loice, born June 26, 
 1778. Ethan, Nov. 18, 1780, died April 9, 1827, aged 47. Mary, the 
 mother died July 17, 1783. Henry, the father, married again March 
 31, 1785, to Mary Colton, the daughter of Josiah and Ruth Colton, 
 formerly of Enfield, but of Plainfield, New Hampshire, at the time of 
 the marriage [see page 62]. She died Jan. 25, 1821. Henry, the 
 father, died Nov. n, 1787. Sarah married Mathew Keep, Feb. 20, 
 1794. Mary married Noah Coomes, Jan. 13, 1799 [see page 117]. 
 Loice married Eliphael Booth, of Enfield, March 3, 1802 [see the fam- 
 ilies of the sons page 73]. 
 
 4th Generation. CAPT. EBENEZER COLTON, son of Ebenezer and 
 Deborah Colton [page 64], was married July 2, 1767, to Miriam Colton, 
 daughter of George and Experience Colton. Their children Eunice, 
 born April 14, 1768, died April 24 or 26, 1768. Eunice, born April 27, 
 1769. Ebenezer Chandler, born May 10, 1771, died Oct. 29, 1846, 
 aged 75. Erastus, born May i, 1773. Mary, born Jan. ir, 1775. An 
 infant, born and died Nov. 21, 1777. Melzal, born May i, 1780. 
 Capt. Ebenezer Colton died Sept. 2, 1793, aged 50. Miriam, his 
 widow, was married to Mathew Keep, June 9, 1797. Eunice was mar- 
 ried Oct. 20, 1792, to Abner Chandler [page 47]. Mary was married 
 Nov. 2, 1800, to Benjamin Newell ; they removed to Pittsfield. Mir- 
 iam, the widow, was married June 9, 1797, to Mathew Keep [seepage 
 159], and died Nov. 13, 1831. 
 
 4th Generation. JABEZ COLTON, son of Ebenezer and Deborah, 
 was married Jan. 27, 1784, to Mary Baldwin, daughter of Capt. Eben- 
 ezer and Beltiah Baldwin, of Bozra, Conn. She was born at Norwich, 
 April i, 1753. Their children Simeon, born Jan. 8, 1785, died Dec. 
 27, 1868, at Ashboro, N. C. Elijah, born Nov. 21, 1786. Mary, born 
 Nov. 18, 1794. Simeon and Elijah were born in Somers, Mary 
 in Longmeadow. (The families of the sons, see page 78.) Jabez, the 
 father, died April 2, 1819, aged 72. Jabez Colton was graduated at' 
 Yale College, 1774, and was the compiler of this volume. 
 
 4th Generation. ELIHU COLTON, son of Ebenezer and Deborah, 
 was married Dec. 6, 1787, to Abigail Ely, daughter of Dea. Nathaniel 
 Ely and Abigail, his second wife. Their children William, born Aug. 
 29, 1789, died April 16, 1836. Ebenezer, born Sept. 24, 1793. Elihu, 
 born July 8, 1797, died at Enfield. Abigail, born April 25, 1799, died 
 Oct. 10, 1802. Lydia, born April i, 1801. Abigail, born April 15, 
 1804. Elihu, the father, died May, 26, 1825, age 72. 
 
 4th Generation. ABNER COLTON, son of Capt. Isaac and Esther 
 Colton [/#? 65], was married Nov. 12, 1751, to Margaret Burt, daugh- 
 ter of Major Daniel Burt, of Brimfield. She was born Jan. 12, 1728. 
 Their children Abner, born Feb. 12, 1753, died Sept. i, 1758. 
 Isaac, born Dec. 13, 1754, died Sept. u, 1758. Esther, born Dec. 
 24, 1756, died Feb. 17, 1757. Abner Colton, the father, died July 6, 
 1797, in his 7oth year. Margaret, his widow, died Sept. 2, 1807. 
 
 4th Generation. JACOB COLTON, son of Capt. Isaac and Esther
 
 38 
 
 Colton, was married Nov. 22, 1764, to Rachel Marshfield, daughter of 
 Samuel and Elisabeth Marshfield. Their children Esther, born 
 Sept. 9, 1765. Elisabeth, born Jan. 8, 1769. Jacob, the father, died 
 March 2, 1769. Rachel, the mother, married again Jan. 10, 1771, to 
 James Ganes, of Enfield. They had five children in Enfield, and 
 removed to the State of Vermont with their children. 
 
 4th Generation. CAPT. ANDREW COLTON, son of Capt. Isaac and 
 Esther Colton, was married Jan. i, 1767, to Hannah Bliss, daughter 
 of Capt. Timothy Bliss. Their children Clarinda, born June 22, 
 1767. Hannah, born Nov. 21, 1769, died Jan. 20, 1805. Andrew, 
 born May 24, 1772. Isaac, born July 12, 1773, died July 13, 1773. 
 Vespasian, born Jan. 9, 1776, died Oct. 9, 1776. Hannah, the 
 mother, died Aug. 5, 1787. Capt. Andrew, the father, married again 
 to the widow Lydia White, and he died Oct., 1808. Lydia, his last 
 wife, died Aug. 8, 1800. 
 
 4th Generation. JOHN COLTON, son of Lieut. John and Mercy 
 Colton, was married Nov. 22, 1749, to Pelelope Woolcut, daughter 
 of Henry and Abigail Woolcut. Their children- George, born Aug. 
 25, 1752. John, born Jan. 9, 1755. Mercy, born April n, 1764. 
 Oliver, born March 23, 1766. Eleanor. John Colton, with his fam- 
 ily, removed to Vermont to a town called Fairlee. 
 
 4th Generation. SOLOMON COLTON, son of Lieut. John and Mercy 
 Colton \_page 66], was married April 10, 1755, to Lucy Cooley, daugh- 
 ter of John and Mercy Cooley. Their children Asahel, born Jan. 
 14, 1756. Lucy, born April 16, 1758. Elisabeth, born May 10,1761, 
 died May 27, 1838, aged 77. Sally and Roxey, born Feb. 27, 1766. 
 Martha, born July 28, 1770, died June 29, 1819, aged 49. Lucy ma-f- 
 ried Solomon Lomis Feb. 22, 1784 [page 166]. Elisabeth marrieti 
 Simeon Colton Dec. n, 1783 [page 68 J. Roxey was married to 
 Chauncy Cooley Jan. 28, 1790. Sally married Enoch Colton, son of 
 Asa and Sarah. They settled in Vershire, State of Vermont. Mar- 
 tha married Stephen Keep Nov. 27, 1791 [page 159]- Lucy, the 
 mother, died May 13, 1802, aged 72 years. 
 
 4th Generation. LIEUT. FESTUS COLTON, son of Capt. Simon and 
 Abigail Colton, was married Dec. 22, 1768, to Eunice Keep, daughter 
 of Samuel and Sarah Keep. Their children Martin, born Feb. 22, 
 1770, died Aug. 24, 1828. Flavia, born Oct. n, 1771, died Aug. 16, 
 1799. Lucinda, born Oct. 18, 1774, died Oct. 18, 1776. Submit, 
 born Feb. 22, 1777, died Oct. 22, 1777. Lucinda, born Jan. 3, 1779. 
 Abigail, born Sept. 18, 1780. Festus, born Aug. 17, 1783. Festus 
 Colton, the father, died Jan. 14, 1788. Flavia married Walter Coomes 
 Jan. 6, 1790. Lucinda married John Sabin April 28, 1805. Eunice, 
 the mother, died Oct. 4, 1807. 
 
 4th Generation. GEORGE COLTON, son of Capt. Simon and Abigail, 
 was married Sept. 22, 1769, to Caroline Willard. Their children 
 Abigail, stillborn. Caroline, the mother, died. George Colton, the 
 father, was married again to Tabitha Cooley, daughter of David 
 Cooley, of Palmer. Their children Caroline, born April 9, 1772,
 
 39 
 
 died Oct. i, 1797. Simon, born April 6, 1774. Celia, born March 
 18, 1776, died Jan. 29, 1778. David and Jonathan, born March 30 
 1778. Jonathan died Feb. 26, 1803. George Col ton, the father died 
 July, 1812. 
 
 4th Generation. CAPT. GAD CoLTON,sonof Capt. Simon and Abi- 
 gail [page 67], was married Oct. 21, 1 773710' Nancy ColtonT daughter 
 of Isaac and Mercy Colton. Their children Justin^ born Jan. 31 
 1 71^ lived in Monson, Maine. Stoddard, born May 12, 1775, lived ' 
 m Monson, Maine. Elisabeth^ born Sept. 15, 1776, died Dec. 14 
 1777. Chauncy, born July 8, 1778, died Aug. 18, 1799. Elis- 
 abeth, born Feb. 3, 1779, died Sept. 14, 1779. Nancy, born May 8, 
 1780, died Oct. 1781. Betsey and Nancy, born Feb/27, 1783. Bet- 
 sey died Feb. 25, 1801. Cynthia, born Oct. 2, 1784. Celia, born 
 Oct. 12, 1786, died at Wilbraham. Calvin, born March 14, 1788, went 
 to Monson, Maine. Persis, born Sept. 20, 1789, married Mr. Shaw. 
 Polly, born March 15, 1791, married Francis Fellowes, died March 29, 
 1861. Pamelia, born Oct. 5, 1792, married Rowland Taylor, Dec. 19, 
 1826. Sophrona, born Nov. i, 1795, married Joseph Booth Jan. 22. 
 1829. Chauncy, born Aug. 31, 1800, graduated at Amherst College 
 and lived in Cincinnati. Gad Colton was married to Miriam Hale, 
 April 3, 1816, widow of Hezekiah Hale, and died Dec. 28, 1831. She 
 died July 8, 1831, aged 73. 
 
 4th Generation. MAJOR LUTHER COLTON, Son of Capt. Simon and 
 Abigail, was married Nov. 30, 1780, to Thankful \Yoolworth, daugh- 
 ter of Richard and Naomy Woolworth. Their children Sabin, born 
 Aug. 1 8, 1783. Amanda, born Feb. 22, 1786, died Feb. 4, 1843, aged 
 57. Luther, born Oct. 20, 1787. Calvin, Sept. 14, 1789. Oren, born 
 Oct. 23, 1791. Simon, born Sept. 14, 1793. Naomy, Jan. 21, 1795. 
 Amelia. June 17. 1796. Thankful, the mother, died Oct. 25, 1797. 
 Major Luther Colton was married again April 2, 1799, to Mehittable 
 Deming, of Wethersfield. Their children Chauncy, born Jan. 5, 
 1800, died April 29, 1820. Laurinda, born Oct. 4, 1801. Major 
 Colton, the father, died Oct. 14, 1803. Amanda was married April 
 30, 1811, to Dea. Ebenezer Burt. (The families of the sons, see page 
 
 5th Generation. CHARLES COLTON, son of Timothy and Mary 
 [page 68], was married June, 1757, to Lucy Parsons, daughter of 
 Moses and Hannah Parsons, of Enfield. Their children Timothy, 
 born Jan. 18, 1759, died Oct. 6, 1800. Charles, born Oct. 22, 1760. 
 Levi, born Oct. 13, 1762, died July 12, 1828, aged 66. Mary, born 
 July 29, 1764, married Elias Goodwel, of Athens, Vermont. Jonathan, 
 born March 2, 1767. Lucy, born Sept. 20, 1769. Solomon, born 
 March 8, 1772. died Dec. 31, 1838. Abigail, born Dec. 22, 1773, mar- 
 ried Stephen Moltrop, of Westminster. Chauncy. born Dec. 2, 1775, 
 lived in Stafford. Seth, born Sept. 26, 1777. Removed to the Town 
 Gate, New York. Lucy, the mother, died April 29, 1811, in her 751!! 
 year. 
 
 5th Generation. GEORGE COLTON, son of George and Experience,
 
 40 
 
 was married Nov, 2, 1757, to Sarah Colton, daughter of Ephraim and 
 Sarah Colton. Their children Nathan, born Oct. 26, 1758, died Oct. 
 9, 1797. Abishai, born May 4, 1761, died 1823. Julius, born March 
 4, 1763, died Jan. 3, 1830. Alpheus, born Dec. 1765. Demas, born 
 Nov. 26, 1767. Sarah, born June 14, 1770, died June 23, 1823. Ex- 
 perience, born Nov. 30, 1773. Sarah, the mother, died in Vershire. 
 George, the father, married again March 9, 1796, to Elenor Cane, 
 daughter of Eli and Mar}' Cooley [page 104]. Elenor Colton died 
 Dec. 20, 1844, age 83. (Sons,#ages 81 and 82.) 
 
 5th Generation. SIMEON COLTON, son of Gideon and Sarah, was 
 married Dec. n, 1783, to Elizabeth Colton, daughter of Solomon and 
 Lucy Colton. Their children Dimon, born Oct. n, 1784. Betsey, 
 born March 6, 1786, died April i, 1860. Patty, born Jan. 30, 1790, 
 died about 1835. Almira, born Aug. 18, 1796, died Dec. i, 1797. 
 Almira, born Oct. 12, 1798. Patty, was married May 3, 1810, to 
 David C. King, son of Thomas and Eunice King. Simeon Colton died 
 Jan. 5, 1834, aged 75 years. 
 
 5th Generation. GIDEON COLTON, son of Gideon and Joanna 
 [page 69], was married July 23, 1788, to Lucretia Woodworth, daugh- 
 ter of Richard and Loice. Their children Lucretia, born Dec. 29, 
 1788. Gideon, born Jan. 10, 1794, died March 9, 1795. Delia, born 
 Nov. 23, 1796. Lucretia was married Sept. 3, 1812, to the Rev. 
 Simeon Colton, of Palmer. 
 
 5th Generation. HAN AN COLTON, son of Gideon and Joanna, was 
 married to Eunice Cooley, daughter of George and Mabel, June, 
 1788. He died Aug. 28, 1828, aged 64. Their children Chauncy, 
 born March 3, 1789. James, born April 19, 1791. Jerry, born Jan. 
 5,1794. Julia, born Feb. n, 1797. Eliza,' born Sept. 30, 1804. 
 Eunice, the mother, died 1806, and Hanan Colton was married to 
 
 Esther . Gideon, born April 6, 1809. Esther, born Nov. 20, 
 
 1810. William, born Sept. 2, 1812. Calvin Murray, born Oct. 1814. 
 Harriet Angeline Colton, born Aug. 8, 1814. Samuel H. Chauncy, 
 born Dec. 28, 1815. 
 
 5th Generation. ZADOCK COLTON, son of Gideon and Joanna, was 
 married Nov. 5, 1794, to Hulda Lancton, daughter of John, born Aug. 
 7, 1797. Hulda, born Sept. 28, 1801. Chauncy, born Jan. 29, 1800. 
 
 DIMON COLTON, of Springfield, son of Capt. Charles and Mercy, 
 was married, 1790,10 Thankful. Bliss, daughter of Timothy and Thank- 
 ful. Their children Lucinda, born July 7, 1791. Roderick Merrick, 
 born Oct. 12, 1793. Nancy, born Aug. 29, 1795. Lucy Bliss, born 
 Nov. 17, 1797. George Agustus, born June 23, 1800. Almira, born 
 April 24, 1803. Francis, born Jan. 3, 1805. Charles and William, 
 born Jan. 19, 1808. Dimon Colton, the father, died June n, 1818. 
 
 5th Generation. ASA COLTON, son of Ephraim and Sarah [page 
 
 70], was married to Margaret Stiles, daughter of , born Nov. i, 
 
 1757. Their children Margaret, born June 18, 1758, died Nov. 
 13, 1806. Margaret, the mother, died June 18, 1758. Asa 
 Colton, the father, married again April 20, 1761, to Sarah Warri-
 
 ner, widow of Reuben Warriner. Their children Enoch, born 
 Nov. 30, 1761. Asa, born Sept 5, 1763, died May 7, 1847. Daniel, 
 born April 13, 1765. Lucius, born April 5, 1767. Lucina, born Jan. 
 31, 1769. Willard, born Sept. 27, 1770. Electa, born July 22, 1772. 
 Chloe, born Nov. 24, 1774, died Jan. n, 1775. Simeon, born March 
 31, 1776, died July 16, 1777. Simeon, born Jan. 7, 1778, died Aug. 
 23, 1778. Margaret, the daughter, was married March 27, 1780, to 
 Lemuel Parsons. Asa Colton, the father, died March 18, 1778. 
 Lucina was married to Elijah Walker, of Vershire. Electa was mar- 
 ried to Oliver Eno, of Wintonburg, Conn., Sept. 15, 1791. Sarah, the 
 mother, died April 3, 1816. She was the daughter of Simon Willard. 
 5th Generation. SAMUEL COLTON, son of Samuel and Lucy, was 
 married to Anne Gregory Warriner, daughter of Dea. Noah and Grace 
 Warriner, of Wilbraham, March 6, 1799. Their children Lucy, born 
 Dec. 16, 1799, died April 20, 1883. Samuel, born April 20, 1801, 
 died Oct. 31, 1881. Mary Anne, born Dec. n, 1802, died Jan. 5, 
 1880. Emeline, born June 30, 1804, died March 6, 1863. Flavia, 
 born Aug. 18, 1805. Samuel Colton, the father, died June 17, 1811. 
 Anne, the mother, married Rev. Gideon Burt, March 12, 1816, died 
 Nov. 9, 1853. Lucy married E. W. Storrs, then of Amherst, June 
 19, 1828. Mary Anne married Sandford Lawton, of Dudley, Dec. 4, 
 1828. Flavia married John Hall Brockway, of Ellington, Conn., Jan. 
 
 22, 1829. Emeline married Luthert Wright, of Easthampton, Mass., 
 Oct. 8, 1829. Anne, the mother, was marrried to Rev. Gideon Burt, 
 Nov. 12, 1816. 
 
 5th Generation. THOMAS COLTON, son of Thomas and Deborah 
 \_page 71], was married July 24, 1788, to Hannah Bliss, daughter of 
 Aaron and Miriam. Their children Lucy, born June 8, 1789, died 
 May 14, 1862. Belinda, born April 26, 1791. Deborah, born March 
 
 23, 1793. Thomas Dudley, born Nov. 30, 1794. Alvah, born Oct. 
 13, 1796. Hannah, born May 24, 1802. Lucy was married Jan. n, 
 1809, to Calvin Bliss, son of Noah and Abigail Bliss. Hannah, the 
 mother, died April 6, 1822. Thomas, the father, was found dead in 
 Wethersfield, Ct., Dec. 24, 1824. 
 
 5th Generation. ISRAEL COLTON, son of Dea. Aaron and Mary 
 Colton, was married Nov. 29, 1775, to Martha Wright, daughter of 
 Elnathan and Mary Wright, of Northampton. He died May 6, 1818. 
 She died April 4, 1829. Their children Martha, born Sept. 24, 1776, 
 died Dec. 13, 1821. Miranda, born July 29, 1778, died Oct. 18, 1799. 
 Israel, born June 10, 1780, died Dec. 21, 1838. Aaron, born Oct. 9, 
 1782. Horrace, born Sept. 30, 1784. Nancy, born Sept. 2, 1786. 
 Warham, born Sept. i, 1788. Sylvia, born Oct. 27, 1790. Nancy was 
 married Oct. u, 1810, to Oliver Bridgman, of Belchertown. Sylvia 
 was married Jan. 7, 1812, to Capt. George Gilbert, of Belchertown, 
 Mass. 
 
 5th Generation. DEA. WILLIAM COLTON, son of Dea. Aaron and 
 Mary Colton, was married Oct. 7, 1777, to Hannah Colton [page 72], 
 daughter of Ebenezer and Deborah. He died May 6, 1825. Their 
 6
 
 42 
 
 children William Merrick, born Aug. 22, 1778, died Feb. 17, 1823, 
 age 44. Adolphus, born Feb. 22, 1780, died July 13, 1782. Han- 
 nah, born Feb. 7,, 1782. Rhodolphus, born Dec. 3, 1784. Sophrone, 
 born Oct. 14, 1786. Jecluthan, born July 29, 1791. Hannah Colton, 
 the mother, died Oct. 9, 1808. Dea. William Colton was married again, 
 1809, to Eleanor Pomeroy, widow of William Pomeroy, of Northamp- 
 ton. Hannah, the daughter, was married Jan. 14, 1808, to Erastus 
 Goldthwait. Sophrone was married Sept. 29, 1808, to Calvin Pierce. 
 (The sons, see page 83). 
 
 5th Generation. AARON COLTON, son of Dea. Aaron and Mary 
 Colton, settled in Hartford April 5, 1787, married Elizabeth Olmsted, 
 of East Hartford. Their children Laura, born May 2, 1788. Betsey, 
 born March 18, 1794. An son, born Dec. 23, 1797. Nathan, born 
 May 27, 1799. 
 
 5th Generation. WALTER COLTON, son of Dea. Aaron and Mary 
 Colton, was married 1793, to Thankful Cobb, daughter of John Cobb, 
 of Hardwick, State of Massachusetts. Their children Harvy, born 
 Oct. 26, 1793. Susannah, born July 26, 1795. Walter, born May 9, 
 
 1797. Quintus C., born May 22, 1799. William, born March 22, 
 1801. Addison Ely, born April 2, 1803. Hannah, born April 4, 1805. 
 
 5th Generation. LIEUT. HENRY COLTON, son of Henry and Mary 
 Colton \_page 73], was married Oct. 4, 1797, to Lydia Booth, daughter 
 of Joseph and Mary Booth. Their children Lydia, born Oct. 29, 
 
 1798. died Sept. 21, 1802. Henry, born Oct. 8, 1800. David, born 
 Oct. 3, 1803. Lydia, born May 28, 1805. . Sophrona, born Jan. 10, 
 1809. Sarah, born March 10, 1811, died about the year 1821. 
 
 5th Generation. JACOB COLTON, son of Henry and Mary Colton, 
 was married Nov. 15, 1798, to Cynthia Chandler, daughter of Stephen 
 and Free Love Chandler. Their children Jacob, born Sept. 10, 
 
 1799. Cynthia, born Sept. 14, 1802. Daniel, born July 16, 1805. 
 Naomy, born Feb. 8, 1812, died Nov. 20, 1815. David Burt, born 
 Jan. 20, 1821. Jacob Colton, the father, died Feb. 6, 1845, age 69. 
 
 5th Generation. ETHAN COLTON, son of Henry and Mary Colton, 
 was married March 25, 1804, to Ruth Sfebbins, daughter Zadock and 
 Urania Stebbins. Their children Theodore, born Jan. 15, 1805. 
 Margaret Chapin-, born April 10, 1808. Sophia Stebbins, born Aug. 
 5, 1810. Ruth Colton, the mother, died June 25, 1814. Ethan 
 Colton, the father, died April 9, 1828. 
 
 5th Generation. EBENEZER CHANDLER COLTON, son of C'apt. 
 Ebenezer and Miriam Colton [page 74], was married Nov. 19, 1795, 
 to Phebe Barton. She was born Aug. n, 1774, daughter of John and 
 Abigail Barton. She died Aug. 26, 1842, age 68. He died Oct. 29, 
 1846, age 75. Their children Rufus, born Aug. 24, 1796, lived near 
 Amsterdam, N. Y. Phebe, born Nov. 15, 1797, died Nov. 21, 1827. 
 Lyman, born May 13, 1799, married Jerusha Williams. Hannah 
 Warren, born Feb. 8, 1801, married Julius Edwards May i, 1851. 
 Jeinda, born March 24, 1803. Ebenezer, born Feb. 17, 1805, lived 
 at West Springfield. John, born May 2, 1807, lived at Philadelphia.
 
 43 
 
 Rhocla, born Dec. 31, 1809, married Samuel C. Booth. Caroline, 
 born Sept. 3, 1811, married James S. H. Hamelton. David, born Aug.' 
 10, 1813, lived at Philadelphia. Chauncy, born Aug. 27, 1821, mar- 
 ried Betsey M. Havens, of Somers, 1845. Nancy, born March 7, 
 1816, died April i, 1852. 
 
 5th Generation. ERASTUS COLTON, son of Capt. Ebenezer and 
 Mirian Colton, was married Nov. 29, 1798, to Cynthia Brewer, 
 daughter of George and Naomy Brewer. Their children Erastus, 
 born Sept. 30, 1799. Richard, born Nov. 6, 1803. Cynthia, born 
 Dec. 2, 1805. Bela, born Jan. 23, 1808. Chester Woodworth, born 
 Aug. i, 1810. 
 
 5th Generation. MELZAR COLTON {page 75], son of Capt. Ebenezer 
 and Miriam Colton [page 64], was married . 
 
 5th Generation. ASAHEL COLTON, son of Solomon and Lucy 
 Colton, was married June 5, 1787, to Sarah Lancton, daughter of 
 John and Sarah, of West Springfield. Their children William, born 
 Nov. 25, 1789, died Jan. 16, 1871, at Chicopee. Solomon, born June 
 
 9, 1791, lived at , Vermont. Sally, born March 17, 1793, died 
 
 Nov. 3, 1868. Asahel, born Feb. 26, 1795. Sarah, the mother, died 
 March 29, 1797. Asahel Colton, the father, was married again, Feb. 
 21, 1798, to Susannah Cheney, daughter of Benjamin and Deborah 
 Cheney, of East Hartford. Their children Anna, born Sept. 14, 
 1799. Susannah, the mother, died Feb. n, 1810. Asahel Colton 
 was married again, Aug. 6, 1811, to Flavia Hale, daughter of Silas 
 and Hannah Hale [page 140], she died Oct. 13, 1840, age 74 years. 
 He died, Jan. 6, 1831, age 75 years. 
 
 5th Generation. MARTIN COLTON, son of Lieut. Festus and Eunice 
 Colton [page 76], was married July 12, 1792, to Beula Burt, daughter 
 of Jonathan and Hannah Burt. Their children Rebecca, born Oct. 
 21, 1793, married Silas Hale Charissa, born Nov. i, 1795, married 
 Silas Hale, died Dec., 1840. Lucius, born Feb. 9, 1798, died Sept. 3, 
 1822, age 24. Justin, born May 19, 1800. Flavia, born Aug. 21, 
 1802. Jonathan Burt, born Aug. 18, 1804; lived at Windsor. Albert, 
 born Nov. i, 1806, died July 31, 1813, age 6. The father died Aug. 
 24, 1828. 
 
 5th Generation. FESTUS COLTON, son of Lieut. Festus, was married 
 Aug. 1806, to Lois Richardson, daughter of Jesse and Anne Richard- 
 son, of Somers. Their children Lucinda, born Jan. 14, 1809. 
 Lorenzo, born Dec. 14, 1810. 
 
 6th Generation. ASA COLTON, son of Asa and Sarah [page 77], 
 was married June 13, 1793, to Abigail Bliss, daughter of Ebenezer 
 and Abigail Bliss. Their children Justin, born March 24, 1794, 
 died March 12, 1798. Newton, born Sept. 17, 1795, married Naomi 
 Robinson, of Granville, died Aug. 20, 1858. Abigail, born Feb. 25, 
 1797, died May 9, 1854. Sarah, born June 23, 1798, married - , 
 Dec. 14, 1824, died April 8, 1872. Clarinda and Miranda, born Feb. 
 15, 1800. Clarinda died Oct. n, 1800. Miranda died July 31, 1851. 
 Justin, born Jan 5, 1802, married Emeline Phelps, of Torrington ; died
 
 44 
 
 Sept. 12, 1852. Simeon, born Sept. 10, 1803, died Sept. 29, 1805. 
 Moses, born Aug, 3, 1805, died July 17, 1828. Justin married Sophia 
 F. Colton ; published June 6, 1833. Emeline, his wife, died Aug. 30, 
 1832, age 25. Abigail, the mother, died Aug. 13, 1842, age 73. 
 Asa, the father, died May 7, 1847. 
 
 4th Generation. MOSES COLTON, of Wilbraham, son of Isaac and 
 Mary Colton, was married Dec. 27, 1753, to Hannah Hitchcock, 
 daughter of Nathaniel and Hannah Hitchcock. Their children 
 Moses, born Oct. 7, 1754, died Oct. 20, 1774. Hannah, born Dec. 
 26, 1756. Thankful, born Dec. 21, 1759, died May i, 1775. Nathan, 
 born July 29, 1761. , Reuben, born Dec. 7, 1764. Aaron, born Oct. 
 15, 1768. Eunice, born Nov. 28, 1771. Moses Colton, the father, 
 died of the small pox Feb. 24, 1777. Hannah, his widow, died Dec. 
 3, 1789. Eunice was married Nov. 15, 1792, to John Hale [see page 
 142.] 
 
 4th Generation. STEPHEN COLTON, of Wilbraham, son of Isaac 
 and Mary, was married Dec. 22, 1755, to Abigail Stebbins. Their 
 children Nameless, born March 21, 1756, and died the same day. 
 Abigail, born Jan. 24, 1757. Sarah, born June 19, 1758. Isaac, bom 
 April 13, 1760. Sabara, born March 27, 1762. Lina, born Sept. 10, 
 1764. Cloe, born Jan. i, 1766. Reuba, born Nov. 27, 1767. 
 Stephen, born June 18, 1770. Plinny, born March, 1772. Elam, 
 born Aug. 28, 1774. Mercy, born Oct. 1776. Hannah, born Feb. 
 12, 1779. Betsey, born Sept. 4, 1781. Stephen Colton, the father, 
 died July 30, 1812. 
 
 5th Generation. REV. SIMEON COLTON, son of Jabez and Mary 
 \_page 78], was married, Sept. 2, 1812, to Lucretia Colton, daughter of 
 Capt. Gideon and Lucretia Colton [page 69]. 
 
 5th Generation. ELIJAH COLTON, of Longmeadow, son of Jabez 
 and Mary, was married, May 19, 1811, to Oliver Taylor, daughter of 
 Stephen and Anna Taylor [page 211]. He died, Jan. 17, 1844, age 
 57. Their children Anna, born June 15, 1812, married Timothy 
 Warren Pease, of Enfield, 1836. Stephen Taylor, born Aug. 21, 1815, 
 married Cynthia Terry, of Enfield. 1842. Francis, born Jan. 8, 1820, 
 died Sept. 30, 1822. 
 
 5th Generation. SABIN COLTON, of Longmeadow, son of Major 
 Luther and Thankful Colton, was married Jan. 2, 1811, to Rhoda 
 Boardman. Their children Delia Thankful, born Oct. 30, 1811. 
 Sabin Woolworth, born Feb. 20, 1813. Grocer. Philadelphia. Rhoda 
 B., born Oct. 30, 1814. Julia Ann, born April 20, 1825. 
 
 CAPT. LUTHER COLTON, of Longmeadow, son of Major Luther and 
 Thankful [page 79], was married Dec. 17, 1809, to Lucy Cooley, 
 daughter of Josiah and Abie! Cooley. Their children Luther 
 Woolworth, born April 3, 1812. Francis, born March 16, 1815, died 
 April 19, 1815. Lucy Ann, born June i, 1817. Josiah Cooley Colton, 
 born Dec. 9, 1825. 
 
 6th Generation. LEVI COLTON, son of Charles and Lucy, was 
 married March 25, 1798, to Freelove Chandler, daughter of Stephen
 
 45 
 
 and Freelove Chandler. Their children Love, born Dec. 31, 1798, 
 died Jan. 12, 1820, age 22. Lovice, born April 5, 1800, married 
 Roswell Terry, of Enfield, 1830. Levi, born May 23, 1802, lived in 
 New York. Chauncy, born Jan. 26, 1804, married Lavinia H. Ware, 
 of Oakham, 1830. Eliza, born Feb. 19, 1806. Julia, born March 
 25, 1808., married Andrew King, of Suffield, 1830. Francis, born Sept. 
 9, 1810. Nancy Amanda, born Oct. 4, 1814. Hannah, born Nov. 2, 
 
 1817. Levi, the father, died July 12, 1828. His widow married John 
 Warner, 1831. Lovice married S. Allen, of Springfield, March 26, 
 1823. 
 
 6th Generation. SOLOMON COLTON, son of Charles and Lucy, was 
 married Oct. 12, 1796, to Elisabeth Hancock, daughter of William 
 and Hannah Hancock. Their children Jonathan, born July 21, 
 1797. Ransiey, born April 29, 1799. Solomon, born Nov. 3, 1800, 
 died May 21, 1802. Elisabeth, born Nov. 12, 1802. Lucy, born July 
 8, 1804. Solomon, born June 15, 1807. Aaron, born April 26, 1809, 
 died April 27, 1833. Stephen, born March 4, 1811. Solomon, the 
 father, died Dec. 31, 1838, aged 66. 
 
 6th Generation. ALPHEUS COLTON, son of George and Sarah 
 Colton [page 81], was married, Aug. 31, 1786, to Loice Spencer, 
 daughter of Ebenezer Spencer, of Somers. Their children Alpheus 
 Spencer, born May 2, 1788, went to New London. Loice, born Feb. 
 23, 1791, married William C. Silcox, Aug. 31, 1812, died April 18, 
 1838. Nathan Titus Salter, born March 10, 1794, went to Rochester. 
 Experience, born April 6, 1797, married Josiah Hunt, pub. Sept. 6, 
 
 1818. Harriet, born July 6. 1799, married Walter Bliss, Dec. 19, 
 1820. James, born Aug. 7, 1801, lived in New York, married Lovice 
 Calkins. Levi Snow, born Sept. 30, 1804, lived in Iowa. Daniel L., 
 born Nov. 25, 1806, died Dec. 19, 1821, age 15. Noah, born Feb. 
 22, 1811, died Sept. 29, 1811. Alpheus, the father, died Oct. 22, 
 1823, age 58. Lois, the mother, died May 15, 1830. James was 
 married Nov. 13, 1823. 
 
 6th Generation. DEMAS COLTON, son of George and Sarah Colton, 
 was married Feb. 5 or 6, 1789, to Mary Woolworth, daughter of 
 Richard and Loice Woolworth. Their children Laura, born Sept. 
 15, 1789, married Daniel Burbank, died March 19, 1853. Philanda, 
 born Sept. 4, 1791, died Nov. 27, 1813, age 22. George, born Sept. 29, 
 1793, died at Springfield, about 1836. Loice, born March 14, 1796, 
 married Mr. Comstock, of Hartford. Demas, born March 24, 1798, 
 lived at Newark, New Jersey. Joseph Hutchins, born July 5, 1800, 
 lived at New York. Polly Woolworth, born Nov. 30, 1802, married 
 Lathrop Olmsted; died in Iowa. Lester, born April 4, 1805, died at 
 Hartford. Angeline, born May 31, 1809, married Mr. Wentworth, 
 her second husband. Chauncy Goodrich, born July 3, 181 1, died April 
 c, 1812. Mary, the mother of this familv, died Oct. 10, 1834, age 
 
 *j> J ~ 
 
 65. 
 
 6th Generation. ABISHAI COLTON, son of George and Sarah Colton 
 [page 82], was married May 20, 1792, to Abigail Denison, daughter
 
 4 6 
 
 of William and Susannah Denison, of Strafford, State of Vermont; 
 they were formerly of Stoningtqn, State of Connecticut. Their 
 children Lyman, born March, 1793, died July, 1793. Alanzo, born 
 Oct. 1794. William Denison, born Jan. 21, 1797. Calvin Swan, 
 born Sept. 18, 1799. Rufus, born Oct. 24, 1802. Amanda, born 
 Nov. 29, 1804, died aged 2 years and 6 months. Adolphus, born 
 March 12, 1808, died the i3th of April following. 
 
 6th Generation. JULIUS COLTON, son of George and Sarah Colton, 
 was married to Sibyl Port, Nov. 1789. Their children Calvin, born 
 Aug. 26, 1790, died April 20, 1799. Asenath, born Feb. u, 1792. 
 A son, born Sept. 7, 1793, died 2gth of Dec. Flavia, born April 3, 
 1797. Lucy, born Dec. 2, 1794. Julius, Jan. 24, 1801, died Dec. 28, 
 1824, age 24. Isaac W., born Nov. 10, 1803, died Aug. 28, 1828. 
 Thiam, born April u, 1806. Sibyl, born Dec. i, 1808, died 1816. 
 Pamelia, born April 27, 1812. Sybil, the mother, died Dec. 15, 1840, 
 age 72. 
 
 6th Generation. DIMON COLTON, of Longmeadow, son of Ensign 
 Simeon and Elisabeth Colton, was married Jan. 19, 1809, to Lydia 
 Rogers, she died Aug. 30, 1829, age 44. Their children Lydia, born 
 Jan. 26, 1810, married Ezekiel Adams, of Springfield. Sophia Field, 
 born Sept. 20, 1811, married Justin Colton. Amelia Griswold, born 
 Dec. 22, 1813, married Otis Chapman, of Springfield. Dimon, born 
 Feb. 26, 1816, married Elisabeth D. Parker, 1851. Simeon, born 
 Aug. 18, 1818. Moses Field, born Feb. 17, 1-822. Elisabeth Almira, 
 born Oct. 25, 1827. Lydia Champion, born Jan. 26, 1810. 
 
 . 6th Generation. WILLIAM MERRICK COLTON, of Longmeadow 
 [/#<? 83], son of Dea. William and Hannah Colton, was married Jan. 
 13, 1808, to Esther Ely, daughter of Judah and Anne Ely, of Wilbra- 
 ham, he died Feb. 17, 1823, age 44. Their children Hannah, born 
 Oct. 17, 1808. William Ely, born Jan. 18, 1810. Chauncy, born 
 Nov. 21, 1811, and died aged eight hours. Eleanor Pomeroy, born 
 May 4, 1814, died July 16, 1814. Jonathan, born Dec. i, 1812, died 
 Dec. 2, 1812. Eleanor Pomeroy, born June 26, 1815. Mercy Ely, 
 sister of Ethan Colton, died Aug. 23, 1842. [Vacant to page 92.] 
 
 ist Generation. BENJAMIN COOLEY appears to have been one of 
 the first settlers in that part of Springfield called Longmeadow, and 
 from whom descended all of that name in the country, as far as is known. 
 His wife's name was Sarah. The time and place of their marriage is 
 not known. Their children as recorded were : Bethiah, born Sept. 
 16, 1643, died Dec. 9, 1711. Obecliah, born Sept. 27, 1646, died Sept. 
 3, 1690. Elakin, born Jan. 8, 1648, died Dec. i, 1711. Daniel, born 
 May 2, 1651, died Feb. 9, 1727. Sarah, born Feb. 27, 1653. Benja- 
 min, born Sept. i, 1656, died Nov. 29, 1731. Mary, born June 22, 
 1659. Joseph, born March 6, 1661, died May 20, 1740. (The families 
 of the sons are hereafter in this book recorded.) Bethiah was married 
 to Henry Chapin Dec. 5, 1664. Sarah married Jonathan Morgan, 
 Jan. 5, 1679. Mary married Thomas Terry, April 21, 1687. Benja- 
 min Cooley, the father, died Aug. 17., 1684. Sarah, his wife, died 
 Aug. 23, 1684.
 
 47 
 
 2d Generation. OBADIAH COOLEY, son of Benjamin and Sarah 
 Cooley, was married, Nov. 9, 1670, to Rebecca Williams. Their chil- 
 dren Rebecca, born Aug. 23, 1671. Sarah, born Aug. 3, 1673. 
 Mary, born Dec. 9, 1675. Obadiah, born Aug. i, 1678, died Oct. 6, 
 1764. Anna, born March 5, 1681. Joseph, born Nov. 12, 1683, died 
 Sept. 20, 1767. Jonathan, born June 28, 1686, died Aug. 2, 1752. 
 Maty married John Ferry, May 28, 1696. Obadiah, the father, died 
 Sept. 3, 1690. Rebecca, the mother, married again to John Warner, 
 Nov. 26, 1691. Anna married Nathan Collens, published Jan. 21, 
 1711 ; they settled in Brimfield. Rebecca, wife of John Warner, died 
 Oct. 18, 1715. (The families of the sons, see pages 94 and 95.) 
 
 2cl Generation. ELIAKIN COOLEY, son of Benjamin and Sarah 
 Cooley \_page 93], was married Mar. 12, 1679, to Hannah Tibbals. 
 Their children Hannah, born Dec. 24, 1679. Eliakin, born Mar. 19, 
 1 68 1, died Feb. 6, 1755. Mercy, born April 26, 1689. Hannah mar- 
 ried Hezekiah Parsons, Feb. 20, 1701. Mercy married John Morgan, 
 Jan. 14, 1714. Eliakin, the father, died Dec. i, 1711, in his 64th 
 year. Hannah, the mother, died Dec. 16, 1711. 
 
 2d Generation. DANIEL COOLEY, son of Benjamin and Sarah, was 
 married Dec. 8, 1680, to Elisabeth Wolcott. Their children Benja- 
 min, born Oct. 28, 1681. Daniel, born Mar. 23, 1683. Simon, born 
 Mar. 6, 1687. John, born Feb. 23, 1689, died May 10, 1761. Thomas, 
 born Jan 23, 1693, died Nov. 13, 1719, of the king's boil. Elisabeth, 
 born July 23, 1696. William, born Aug. 12, 1698. (The families of 
 the sons may be seen hereafter, 96, 97, 98.) Elisabeth married Joshua 
 Field, Dec. 15, 1719. Elisabeth, the mother, died Jan. 31, 1708. 
 Daniel Cooley was married again June 17, 1709, to Lyclia Burt, widow 
 of Jonathan Burt. Daniel, the father, died Feb. 9, 1727, in his 76th 
 year. Lydia died Jan. 31. 1739. 
 
 2d Generation. BENJAMIN COOI.EY, son of Benjamin and Sarah 
 Cooley, was married to Abigail Bag. Their children Abigail, born 
 Oct. 28, 1695. Lydia, born Sept. 6, 1706. Abigail married Henry 
 Woolcott, Dec. 27, 1716 \page 228]. Lydia married Amos Stiles, Jan. 
 i, 1730. Benjamin, the father, died Nov. 1731, 2gih day. Abigail, 
 the mother, died Jan. 2 7,. 1739. 
 
 2d Generation. LIEUT. JOSEPH COOLEY, 5th son of Benjamin and 
 Sarah Cooley \__page 94], was married Jan. 22, 1684, to Mary Griswold. 
 Their children Man-, born Oct. i, 1685. Joseph, born Jan. 31, 1687, 
 died Oct. 19, 1741. Deborah and Abigail, born Feb. 22, 1690. 
 George, born Jan. 27, 1698. Mary married Joseph Loomis, of Wind- 
 sor, June 3, 1710. Deborah married Joshua Loomis, of Windsor, Oct. 
 1715. Abigail married Daniel Parsons, June 2, 1709. Lieut. Joseph 
 Cooley, the father, with his son Joseph, removed to Somers about the 
 year 1730. and after his death (May 20, 174). Mary, his wife, died 
 July 13, 1739. 
 
 3*d Generation. OBADIAH COOLEY, son of Obadiah and Rebecca, 
 was married to Dorcas Hale, Jan. 22, 1702. Their children Obadiah, 
 born Jan. 9, 1705. Noah, born Aug. 10, 1706. Moses, born Mar. 13,
 
 4 8 
 
 1710. David, born June 27, 1712. Abel, born April 12, 1717. 
 Jacob, born Nov. 18, 1720. Obadiah Cooley, the father, lived in 
 Springfield, and died Oct. 6, 1764. Obadiah, the son, settled in 
 Brookfield. Noah settled in Brimfield. David in Palmer, Moses and 
 Jacob in Springfield, and Abel in West Springfield. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH COOLEY, son of Obadiah and Rebecca, 
 was married to Margaret Macranny, published Nov. 28, 1713. She 
 was born Sept. 16, 1689. Their children Aaron, born Aug. 16, 1716, 
 died Dec. 19, 1793. Caleb, born June 4, 1722, died May 16, 1793. 
 Margaret, born Nov. 5, 1726, died Dec. 3, 1807. Margaret was mar- 
 ried to 'Daniel Burt, Dec. 20, 1753. Joseph Cooley, the father, died 
 Sept. 20, 1767, age 82. Margaret, the mother, died May 29, 1777. 
 (See the families of the sons, page 99.) 
 
 3d Generation. JONATHAN COOLEY, son of Obadiah and Rebecca, 
 \_page 95], was married to Joanna Colton, daughter of John and Joanna 
 Colton, date of their publishment Dec. 1713. Their children Dinah, 
 born May 31, 1715, died Oct. 5, 1757. Jonathan, born May 17, 1717, 
 died Aug. 7, 1741. Roger, born Sept. 21, 1719. Rebecca, born Sept. 
 14, 1724, died Feb. 24, 1783. George Colton, born April 26, 1727, 
 died June 6, 1778. Jabez, born July 17, 1729. Stephen, born Aug. 
 20, 1732, died Jan. 7, 1787. Joanna, born Nov. 10, 1735, died Nov. 
 26, 1735. Ezekiel, born May 31, 1737, died July 3, 1737. Dinah 
 was married to Samuel Ely, Jan. 26, 1744. Rebecca was married to 
 Capt. Moses Field, Sept. 15, 1748. Jonathan, the father, died Aug. 2, 
 1752, age 66. Joanna, the mother, died May 21, 1765. (The sons, 
 page i oo. ) 
 
 3d Generation. ELIAKIM COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Hannah, 
 was married to Griswold Beckwith, of Lyme, Connecticut; Sept. 14, 
 
 1706, they were published. Their children Eliakim, born Sept. 27, 
 
 1707. Griswold, born Dec. 3, 1709, died Jan. 26, 1764. Mathew, 
 born Jan. 27, 1712. Josiah, born May 10, 1714, died May 26, 
 1715. Josiah, born Nov. 18, 1716, died Sept. 7, 1778. Luke, born 
 Nov. 7, 1718, died Jan", i, 1777. Hezekiah, born Aug. 7, 1720, 
 died Mar. 27, 1796. Hannah, born Nov. 26, 1722, died Aug. 
 20, 1725. Gideon, born Nov. 21, 1724, died Dec. 12, 1726. Elisa- 
 beth, born Mar. 19, 1727. Esther, born Oct. 15, 1729. Eliakim 
 married Mary Ashley, Nov. 7, 1734; settled in West Springfield, May 
 19, 1728. The house of Eliakim Cooley was struck with lightning, 
 and so injured his daughter Griswold, that she never recovered from 
 the hurt wholly, and died in a single state. Mathew settled at Sea- 
 brook, Connecticut. Luke married Elisabeth Colton, daughter of 
 Thomas and Joanna Colton, Jan. 8, 1739; they settled in Somers. 
 Josiah and Hezekiah had families in Longmeadow \_page 102]. Elisa- 
 beth married Daniel Burchand. Esther had one child named Mary, 
 Dec. 13, 1751, and May 12, 1757, Esther was married to Abihel Pease, 
 son of Robert Pease, of Somers. Eliakim, the father, died Feb. 25, 
 1758, age 77 years. Griswold, the mother, died Nov. 26, 1754. 
 
 3d Generation. SAMUEL COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Hannah
 
 49 
 
 [page 96], was married Oct. 24, 1711, to Mary Clark, of Windsor. 
 Their children Hannah, born Sept. 3, 1712, died Feb. 14, 1714. 
 Samuel, born Oct. 27, 1714, died April n, 1746. Israel, born Feb. 
 19, 1717, died Dec. 22, 1775. Mary, born April 5, 1724. (See the 
 families of Samuel and Israel in this book, page 103.) Mary was mar- 
 ried to Dyrick Venhorn, Aug. 2, 1744, and after his death she was 
 married to Jesse Warner, Aug. 29, 1753. Samuel Cooley, the father, 
 died Mar. 6, 1755. Mar}', the mother, married Lieut. John Anderson, 
 of Windsor, Jan. 8, 1759. After his death she returned to Longmeadow, 
 and died July 3, 1781. 
 
 30! Generation. BENJAMIN COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth, 
 was married Jan. 31, 1701, to Margaret Bliss, daughter of Samuel 
 Bliss, Jr., and Sarah, his wife. Their children Benjamin, born Nov. 
 5, 1701. Keziah, born Oct. 29, 1702. Azariah, born Aug. 21, 1704. 
 Nathaniel, born June 24, 1706. Zerniah, born Feb. 29, 1709. Mar- 
 garet, born Jan. 30, 1710. Ebenezer, born July 5, 1716. Benjamin 
 Cooley, with his family, removed to Brimfield, and he and his wife 
 probably died in that town. 
 
 30! Generation. DANIEL COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth, was 
 married Nov. 7, 1710, to Jemima Clark. Their children Daniel, 
 born Sept. n, 1711. Jemima, born Jan. 5, 1713. Elisabeth, born 
 July 28, 1714, died July 30, 1742. Ann, born April 20, 1716. Noah, 
 born Oct. 12, 1718. Mary, born Sept. 30, 1720. Thomas, born Feb. 
 13, 1723. Sarah, born May 25, 1725, died March 3, 1795. Azuba, 
 born Oct. 7, 1728. Noah, and the preceding children, are recorded 
 in Enfield, the others in Springfield. Elizabeth was married to Isaac 
 Colton, son of Capt. George Colton, 1741. Sarah was married to 
 Ebenezer Bliss, son of Ebenezer and Sarah, Oct. 18, 1749. Jemima, 
 the mother, died Oct. 29, 1732. Daniel, the father, first settled in 
 Enfield, and afterwards removed to West Springfield. 
 
 3d Generation. SIMON COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth \_page 
 97], was married to Elisabeth Gun, of Hatfield, Feb. 26, 1709. 
 Their children Elisabeth, born Jan. 4, 1711. Abner, born Jan. 22, 
 1713. Simon, the father, with his family removed to Sunderland. 
 
 3d Generation. JOHN COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth, was 
 married May 28, 1713, to Mercy Gun, of Westfielcl. Their children- 
 John, born July 29, 1715, died Sept. 4, 1715. John, born Sept. 28, 
 1716, died Oct. 24, 1718. Mercy, born Dec. 29, 1718. Abiah, born 
 Feb. n, 1721. Elisabeth, born Feb. n, 1724. Eli, born Oct. 15, 
 1726, died Jan. 29, 1806. Lucy, born June 13, 1730, died May 13, 
 1802. Mercy was married to Abel Cooley, son of Obediah and Dor- 
 cas, date of their publishment, Mar. 21, 1741. Abiah was married to 
 Benjamin Colton, son of Benjamin and Elisabeth Colton, Mar. 24, 
 1742. Elisabeth was married Oct. 6, 1742,10 Samuel Breek. Lucy 
 was married to Solomon Colton, son of Lieut. John Colton, April 10, 
 !755- J hn Cooley, the father, died May 10, 1761, age 72. Mercy, 
 the mother, died Dec. 27, 1758. 
 
 3d Generation. THOMAS COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth, was
 
 50 
 
 married to Rebecca Elmer ; date of their publishment, Dec. 3, 1715. 
 They had one child Reuben, born Feb. 13, 1717. Thomas, the 
 father, died Nov. 13, 1719. Rebecca, the widow, was married to 
 Edward Kibbe, son of Edward Kibbe, of Somers, Oct. 4, 1722. Reu- 
 ben, the son, settled in Somers ; had a family. 
 
 3d Generation. WILLIAM COOLEY, son of Daniel and Elisabeth 
 [page 98], was married to Elisabeth Clark April n, 1727. Their 
 children William, born Feb. 28, 1730. Elisabeth, born March 23, 
 1734. William Cooley first lived in Longmeadow, where his first child 
 was born. He removed to Enfield, where his second child was born. 
 He afterwards removed to Bolton, and died in that town and left no 
 male issue. He had two daughters ; one of them had a son, known 
 by the title of Dr. Cooley. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH COOLEY, son of Lieut. Joseph Cooley and 
 Mary, was married May 28, 1713, to Mary Dorchester, daughter of 
 James and Sarah Dorchester. He was born Jan. 31, 1687. Their 
 children George, born Aug. n, 1714, died Sept. 14, 1714. Mary, 
 born Nov. 9, 1715. George, born Oct. 17, 1717. Asahel, born Oct. 
 24, 1719. Joseph, born Dec. 2, 1721. Sarah, born Jan. i, 1724, died 
 Aug. 9, 1794. Job, born June 2, 1726, died Nov. 22, 1728. James, 
 born July 26, 1728. Deborah and Abigail, born Nov. 29, 1730. 
 Abigail died Oct. 6, 1787. Eunice, born April 28, 1736. George and 
 James had families in Somers. Asahel settled in Wallingford, Conn. 
 Joseph Cooley removed from Longmeadow to Somers about the year 
 1731. All his children, except Eunice, are recorded in Springfield. 
 Sarah was married to Abner Bliss, of Longmeadow, June 28, 1749. 
 Abigail married Ebenezer Bliss, son of Ebenezer and Joanna, Aug. 
 27, 1760. Joseph, the father, died Oct. 19, 1741. Mary, his widow, 
 married Nathaniel Bliss, son of Samuel and Sarah, of Longmeadow. 
 Date of their publishment, Oct. 30, 1742. She was born Sept. 30, 
 1694, and died April 2, 1773, in her 79th year. 
 
 4th Generation. AARON COOLEY, son of Joseph and Margaret 
 \J>age 99], was married July 15, 1756, to Ruth Mears. Their chil- 
 dren Ruth, born July 18, 1757. Margaret, born Feb. 3, 1759. 
 Jerusha, born April ti, 1761. Lucinda, born Sept. 7, 1763, died Sept. 
 24, 1763. Lucinda, born Oct. 27, 1765. Tirza, born July 21, 1767. 
 Aaron, born June 18, 1770. Lois, born June 8, 1774, died Aug. n, 
 1777. Lewis, born Oct. 18, 1776. Ruth was married to Oliver King 
 of Wilbraham, Jan. 27, 1777. Margaret was married to William Han- 
 cock, of Enfield, May 26, 1785. Jerusha had a son named Samuel 
 Church, and was married to Oliver Burt, son of David, Sept. i, 1786. 
 Lucinda was married to Oliver Collins, of Springfield, Aug. 17, 1794. 
 Tirza was married to Peter Terry, of Enfield, Oct. 26, 1791. Aaron 
 Cooley, the father, died Dec. 19, 1793. Ruth, the mother, married 
 again, May, 1797, to Daniel Fowler, of Westfield. Aaron and Lewis 
 removed to the State of New York. 
 
 4th Generation. CALEB COOLEY, son of Joseph and Margaret, was 
 married to Ann Clark Feb. 7, 1745. She died. Caleb Cooley
 
 married again Jan. 2, 1752, to Mary Burt, the daughter of Capt. John 
 and Mary Burt, of Springfield. Their children Ann, born Oct. 22, 
 1752, died Aug. 23, 1831. Caleb, born Aug. 6, 1754, died Feb. n, 
 1785. Seth, born June 14, 1757, died Nov. 2, 1763. John, born Oct. 
 
 31, 1761, died Oct. 3, 1827. born Jan. 27, 1765, lived at 
 
 Salem, N. Y. Clarinda, born July i, 1771, died May 2, 1841. Ann 
 
 was married to Oliver Field Nov 4, 1773. Caleb married 
 
 Phelps, of Hadleigh. Clarinda was married to Oliver Blanchard (who 
 was born March 23, 1769) March 23, 1794. Caleb, the father, died 
 May 1 6, 1793. Oliver Blanchard died Oct. 31, 1808, and his widow, 
 Clarinda, was married Sept. 24, 1809, to Dr. Oliver Bliss, son of Aaron 
 and Miriam Bliss. John [seepage 104]. 
 
 4th Generation. ROGER COOLEY, son of Jonathan and Joanna 
 \page 100], was married Aug. 4, 1748, to Mary Stebbins. Their chil- 
 dren Mary, born May 16, 1749, died Aug. 18, 1758. Jonathan, born 
 Jan. 25, 1750. Joanna, born April 20, 1753. Persis, born Nov. 10, 
 1755, died Aug. 5, 1758. Hulda, born March 24, 1758. Roger, born 
 Sept. 3, 1760. Alexander, born Jan. 4, 1763. Festus, born Oct. 4, 
 1765. Mary, born Aug. 30, 1767. Persis, born June 8, 1769. Roger 
 Cooley, with his family, removed to that part of West Springfield 
 called Paugatuck. 
 
 4th Generation. GEORGE COLTON COOLEY, son of Jonathan and 
 Joanna Cooley, was married to Mabel Hancock, daughter of John and 
 Anna Hancock, Jan. 12, 1749. Their children Mabel, born May 
 16, 1749, died Oct. 27, 1781. Abner, born Aug. 20, 1751, died Jan. 
 21, 1752. Abner, born Jan. 22, 1753, died March 7, 1776. Dinah 
 and Lucy, born March 22, 1755. Lucy died Nov. 7, 1756. George, 
 born Oct. 15, 1756. Dinah, born Aug. 26, 1759, died July 20, 1760. 
 
 Submit, born' 8, 1761, died May 9, 1761. Lucy, born June 9, 
 
 1762. Jonathan, born June 10, 1764, drowned in the river Feb. 10, 
 1798. Noah, born June 27, 1766. Eunice, born Dec. 15, 1769. 
 Ezekiel, born Nov. 28, 1772. Mabel was married Feb. 13, 1772, to 
 John Burt, of Springfield. Lucy was married to Nathaniel Chapman, 
 July 24, 1780. George was married to Penelope Rumrill, June 24, 
 X 779- Jonathan married Stebbins, daughter of Ebenezer Steb- 
 bins, of Springfield, and died without issue, being drowned in Connec- 
 ticut River. George, the father, died by the smallpox, which he had 
 by inoculation, June 6, 1778. Mabel, the mother, was married again, 
 Nov. 29, 1797, to Capt. Joseph Ferry, of Springfield, and died Dec. 
 28, 1806. Eunice was married to Hanan Colton, son of Gideon and 
 Joanna Colton, June, 1788. 
 
 4th Generation. JABEZ COOLEY, son of Jonathan and JoannaJ/^ 
 95], was married to Abigail Hancock Oct. 19, 1752. Their children 
 Asahel, born April 5, 1753. Reuben, born Sept. 24, 1754. Uriel, 
 born Aug. 25, 1756. Dinah, born Aug. 29, 17^8. Bathshua, born 
 March IT, 1761. Abigail, born Nov. 4, 1762. Reuben, born Jan. 6, 
 1765. Bathsheba, born Jan. 23, 1767. Heman, born Nov. i, 1,768. 
 Beulah, born April 3, 1772. Asenath, born June 21, 1773. Jabez,
 
 52 
 
 born March 10, 1775. Jabez Cooley, the father, settled in that part 
 of Springfield called Skipmuck, where his children were born. 
 
 4th Generation. STEPHEN COOLEY, son of Jonathan and Joanna, 
 was married to Mary Field ; date of their publishment Sept. 26, 1753. 
 Their children Stephen, born Feb. 14, 1754, died Aug. 18, 1754- 
 Stephen, born March 27, 1755, died June 9, 1830, age 75. Abigail, 
 born April 19, 1757, died April 9, 1826, age 67. Joanna, born 
 July 20, 1759. Luther, born March 16, 1761. Gideon, born Jan. 
 31, 1763, died Nov. 21, 1838, age 76. Calvin, born Feb. 16, 
 
 1765, died Feb. 19, 1846. Jthamar, born , died Feb. 15, 
 
 1767. Jthamar, born Aug. 10, 1768. Mary, born July 18, 1770, died 
 June 24, 1814. Hanan, born July 18, 1773. Mary, the mother, died 
 April 3, 1782. Eunice Jennings died March 5, 1823. Stephen, the 
 father, married again April 26, 1785, to the widow Eunice Jennings, 
 of Ludlow. He died Jan. 7, 1787, age 55. Abigail was married to 
 Noah Bliss Feb. n, 1784. Joanna was married to Er Taylor April 
 13, 1784. Mary was married to Moses Taylor. (The sons, see 106 
 and 107.) 
 
 4th Generation. ELIAKIM COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Griswold 
 [page 102], was married Nov. 7, 1734, to Mary Ashley. He settled in 
 West Springfield. Their children Elakim. Gideon, born March 15, 
 1739. Justin, born Jan. 25, 1741, died Dec. 12, 1760. Martha, born 
 May 12, 1743. Solomon, born June 22, 1745, died Sept. 2, 1746. 
 Keziah, born May 5, 1750. Solomon, born Jan. 24, 1753. Charles, 
 born Sept. 15, 1755. Thankful, born Feb. 17, 1760. 
 
 4th Generation. JOSIAH COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Griswold, was 
 married to Experience Hale, daughter of Thomas and Experience 
 Hale, Jan. 3, 1739. Their children Experience, born June 8, 1739, 
 died June 18, 1771. Hannah, born Oct. i, 1742, died Sept. 23, 1820, 
 Eleanor, born July 10, 1745, died Oct. 21, 1777. Sabinah, born Feb. 
 26, 1747, died Dec. 12, 1823. Josiah, born Nov. 30, 1749, died Feb. 
 13, 1824, age 74. Rebecca, born July 31, 1752, died Jan. 21, 1775. 
 Simeon, born May 18, 1755, died Nov. 12, 1757. Experience was 
 married to Ebenezer Spencer, of Somers, March 27, 1766. Hannah 
 was married to Jonathan Burt Aug. 20, 1761. Eleanor was married 
 to Ebenezer Rumrill Dec. i, 1767. Sabina was married to Samuel 
 Keep June 4, 1767. Josiah, the father, died Sept. 7, 1778, in his 62d 
 year. Experience, the mother, died Oct. 31, 1798, age 84. (The 
 family of Josiah, see page 198.) 
 
 4th Generation. HEZEKIAH COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Griswold, 
 was married to Charity Clark, of Lebanon, Conn. ; date of their publish- 
 ment Jan. ir, 1752. Their children Charity, born June 15, 1753, 
 died Aug. 26, 1763. Clark, born Sept. 6, 1754, died Nov. 2, 1757. 
 Rubie, born Aug. 19. Charity, born Oct. 6, 1759, died Feb. 3, 1775. 
 Esther, born Dec. 19, 1760, died April 9, 1777. Flavia, born Jan. 26, 
 1763. Hezekiah, born March n, 1765. Clark, born Oct. i, 1769. 
 Rubie was married to Robert Pease, of Somers, March 6, 1776. 
 Flavia was married to Joseph W. Cooley April, 1787. Clark was mar-
 
 53 
 
 ried to Lovina Billings July 6, 1791. He/ekiah, the father, died March 
 27, 1796, age 76. Charity, the mother, drowned herself in a well 
 Sept. 23, 1808. 
 
 4th Generation. CAPT. LUKE COOLEY, son of Eliakim and Gris- 
 wold Cooley {page 103], was married Jan. 8, 1739, to Elisabeth Colton, 
 daughter of Thomas and Joanna Colton. They settled in Somers, 
 
 and died in that town. Their children Solomon, born , died 
 
 Oct. 3, 1741. Lois, born . Eunice, born Nov. 6, 1742. Jo- 
 anna, . Nathan, . Elisabeth, . Lovice, . 
 
 Lacy, . Luke, . Dinah, . Capt. Luke Cooley, 
 
 the father, died Jan. i, 1777. Elisabeth, the mother, died Aug. 8, 
 1777. Lois was married to Nathaniel Sikes, of Monson. Eunice was 
 married to John Billings. Joanna was married to Levi Brace. Lovice 
 was married to John Russell. Lucy was married to Stephen Jones. 
 Dinah was married to Aaron Howard. 
 
 4th Generation. ISRAEL COOLEY, son of Samuel and Mary Cooley, 
 was married April 9, 1735, to Deborah Leonard. Their children 
 Joel, born July n, 1735. Deborah, born Aug. 19, 1738, died Sept. 4, 
 1746. Jonah, born Nov. 5, 1741. Israel, the father, died Dec. 22, 
 1775. Deborah, the mother, died Jan. 3, 1781. The families of 
 Jonah and Joel may be seen hereafter {page 108]. 
 
 4th Generation. SAMUEL COOLEY, son of Samuel and Mary Cooley, 
 was married to Patience Macranny ; date of their publishment June 
 19, 1741. Their children Samuel, born Aug. 28, 1742. Isaac, born 
 May 30, 1745. Samuel, the father, died April 10, 1746. Patience, 
 the mother, was married again to Thomas Killom, of West Springfield, 
 Aug. 24, 1749. (Samuel's family, seepage 109.) Isaac was married 
 to Eunice Bedortha July 2, 1767. They settled in West Springfield. 
 4th Generation. ELI COOLEY, son of John and Mercy Cooley [page 
 104], was married Oct. 20, 1757, to Mary Phips, of Cambridge, Mass. 
 Their children Thomas and Elenor, born June 28, 1758. Mercy, 
 born Nov. 13, 1760. Elenor, born May 20, 1762, died Dec. 20, 1844. 
 John, born Feb. 18, 1764, died Jan. 29, 1835. Thomas, born July 15, 
 1767. Mary, the mother, died Aug. 14, 1767. Eli Cooley, the father, 
 was married again May 12, 1774, to Rebecca Bliss, daughter of Eben- 
 ezer and Joanna Bliss. She died without issue Oct. 3, 1787. Eli 
 Cooley was married again, 1796, to Polly Cross, of Ellington. He 
 died Jan. 29, 1806, aged in his 8oth year. Mercy was married to 
 Richard Woolworth May 24, 1780. Elenor was married to Dennis 
 Crane. He being absent some years, she was married to George 
 Colton March 9, 1796. (The family of John, seepage 109.) 
 
 5th Generation. JOHN COOLEY, son of Caleb and Mary, was mar- 
 ried to Sabrea Hitchcock, the daughter of Stephen Hitchcock, of 
 Springfield, March 2, 1797. He died Oct. 3, 1827, aged 66. She died 
 Dec. 19, 1841, aged 71. Their children John, born Dec. 9, 1800. 
 Clarinda, born Jan. i. 1805, married Joseph Evarts Jan. i, 1829. 
 Oliver Blanchard, born Oct. 4, 1808. Mary Burt, born Oct. 10, 1814. 
 A nameless child born Oct. 6, 1810. Sabrea, the mother, died Dec. 
 19, 1841, aged 71. [Vacant to page 106.]
 
 54 
 
 5th Generation. STEPHEN COOLEY, son of Stephen and Mary 
 Cooley, was married to Mercy Stebbins, daughter of Ezra and Mar- 
 garet Stebbins, Jan. 28, 1788. Their children Stephen, born March 
 7, 1789, died June 28, 1826, at Rossville, Ohio. Judah, born April 9, 
 1792. Noadiah, born Oct. 5, 1795, went away about 1836. Norman, 
 born Jan. 3, 1800, lived in Philadelphia. Mercy, the mother, died 
 Nov. 4, 1807. Stephen Cooley died June 9, 1830, aged 75. Stephen 
 Cooley was married to Margaret Stebbins, widow of Ezra Stebbins. 
 She died Oct. 15, 1831, aged 67. 
 
 5th Generation. GIDEON COOLEY, son of Stephen and Mary Cooley, 
 was married to Dinah Sikes, the daughter of James and Mary Sikes, 
 She was born Nov. 13, 1765. They were married Nov. 29, 1798. He 
 died Nov. 21, 1838, aged 76. She died Jan. i, 1851, aged 86. Electa, 
 born Sept. 9, 1799, married Joseph Hixon. Quartus, born Sept. 9, 
 1801, married Abigail Bliss. Gideon, born Sept. 27, 1804. Mary 
 Ely, born Sept. 7, 1806. 
 
 5th Generation. CALVIN COOLEY, son of Stephen and Mary Cooley, 
 was married June 17, 1790, to Eunice Warriner, of West Springfield. 
 He died Feb. 19, 1846, age 81. She died Oct. 30, 1842, age 77. 
 James, born April 7, 1791. Eunice, born March 21, 1794. Loice, 
 born Feb. 18, 1798. Calvin, born July 14, 1799, died March 13, 1867, 
 age 67. Mary, born Nov. u, 1804, died Sept. 4, 1808. Lewis, born 
 Jan. 28, 1806, died Sept. 4, 1808. Alfred, born Sept. i, 1807. Lewis, 
 born Dec. 23, 1810, and died Jan. 25, 1811. Dinah Warriner, sister 
 of Calvin Cooley's wife, died June 26, 1833, aged 72. Eunice married 
 Diamond Colton. Loice married Wm. White. 
 
 5th Generation. HANAN COOLEY, son of Stephen and Mary Cooley 
 \page 107], was married Dec. 19, 1799, to Sarah Booth, daughter of 
 Henry and Dorothy Booth, of Enfield. She was born Dec. 5, 1780. 
 Their children Henry Booth, born Dec. 5, 1801. Lucina, born Dec. 
 18, 1803. Ethan, born March 2, '1806. Emeline, born Feb. 12, 
 1808. 
 
 6th Generation. ALFORD COOLEY, son of Calvin and Eunice Cooley, 
 was married Nov. 14, 1833, to Caroline Bliss Saxton, daughter of Noah 
 and Martha Bliss Saxton, of Wilbraham. Their children Caroline 
 Louisa, born April 21, 1835. Martha Bliss, born Sept. 2, 1836. James 
 Calvin, born Nov. 5, 1838. Noah Saxton, born Feb. 9, 1842. Mary 
 Ella, born April i, 1847. 
 
 5th Generation. JOSIAH COOLEY, son of Josiah and Experience 
 Cooley \_page 108], was married March 13, 1777, to Abiel Bliss, daugh- 
 ter of Col. John Bliss and Abiel, his wife, of Wilbraham. He died 
 Feb. 13, 1824, aged 74. She died July 8, 1830, aged 72. Their chil- 
 dren Rebecca, born Jan. 7, 1778, died at Granville. John Bliss, born 
 April 17, 1781, died Sept. 7, 1786. Sylva, born March 14, 1785, died 
 at Pittsfield. Lydia, born Aug. 2, 1787, died July 31, 1823, age 36. 
 Lucy, born Dec. 12, 1789. John Bliss, born Nov. 3, 1793, died Nov. 
 4, 1858, at Wilbraham. Eliza, born June 2, 1799, died Oct. 3, 1851, 
 at Brookfield. Harriet, born Dec. 19, 1802. Rebecca was married
 
 55 
 
 June 22, 1800, to Hezekiah Robinson, of Granville. Sylva was mar- 
 ried, Jan. 22, 1806, to Ambros Collins. Lucy married Luther Colton 
 Dec. 17, 1809. Harriet married G. Olcott Bliss May 21, 1828. Eliza 
 married Aaron Kimball, of Brookfield, April, 1829. 
 
 5th Generation. JOEL COOLEY, son of Israel and Deborah Cooley, 
 was married to Sarah Olcott, date of their publishment July 4, 1755! 
 Their children Levi, born Feb. 12, 1756. Lucy, born fan. 8, 1759. 
 Levi, born Nov. 1761. Deborah, born June 21,1764. Gad, born 
 
 Jan. 25, 1767. Walter, born . Sally, born . )oel Cooley, 
 
 with his family, removed to Charlestown, State of New Hampshire. 
 
 5th Generation. JONAH COOLEY, son of Israel and Deborah, was 
 married to Experience Hale, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Hale. 
 They had one child Experience, born Nov. 9, 1780. Experience, 
 the mother, died May 8, 1782. Jonah Cooley married again to Abi- 
 gail Keep, daughter of Mathew and Abigail Keep, published Feb. 8, 
 1783. Their children Nabby, born Dec. 18, 1783. Jonah, born 
 March 31, 1785. Leonard, born Oct. 10, 1786. Ethan, born Sept. 
 16, 1788. Deborah, born Oct. 1790. Israel, born Dec. 1792. Jonah 
 Cooley, with his family, removed to Vershire, State of Vermont. 
 
 5th Generation. SAMUEL COOLEY, son of Samuel and Patience 
 Cooley [page 109], was married to Experience Tubbs, of Middletown, 
 published Nov. 2, 1765. Their children Samuel, born July 12, 1766. 
 Theodocia, born March 28, 1768, died May 21, 1807. Simeon, born 
 May 31, 1770. William, born Nov. 19, 1775. Theodocia married 
 Samuel Coomes, son of Samuel, July 20, 1792. Samuel, the father, 
 died in the American War with Great Britain, Sept. 4, 1777, at Albany. 
 Experience, the mother died Sept. 26, 1778. (The family of Simeon 
 see below on this page.) Lydia and Stillborn, Dec. 30. Lydia bap- 
 tized Jan. 3, 1773, died March 20, 1776. 
 
 5th Generation. JOHN COOLEY, son of Eli and Mary Cooley, was 
 married Tan. 9, 1788, to Martha Lancton, daughter of John and Sarah 
 Lancton, of West Springfield. Their children Hervy, born June 26, 
 1792. Mercy, born Jan. 16, 1794, died May 23. 1812. Polly, born 
 July i, 1796. Betsey, born Aug. 31, 1798. Walter, born Feb. i, 
 1804, died June 13, 1811. Jerusha, born Oct. 8, 1809. Martha, the 
 mother, died March 9, 1813, age 45. John Cooley died Jan. 29, 
 J 835, a g e 7 1 years. 
 
 6th Generation. SIMEON COOLEY, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel 
 and Experience Cooley, was married, 1805, to Sirviah, who had been 
 the wife of Luther Lyman, and was the daughter of Samuel Williams 
 Corkins, of Stafford, and Elisabeth, his wife. She died July 21, 1862, 
 aged 82. Their children Samuel, born Jan. 26, 1806. Theodocia, 
 born Dec. 2, 1807. William, born Jan. 22, 1810. Simeon, born Oct. 
 8, 1815, died Jan. 15, 1816. A child born March 19, 1820, no name 
 given it, died March 31, 1820. Emily, born Oct. 20, 1816. Harriet, 
 born June 22, 1822. [Vacant to page LII.] 
 
 6th Generation. JOSEPH WHITING COOLEY, son of Joseph Cooley 
 and Jerusha, his wife, of Somers, the grandson of George Cooley, and
 
 56 
 
 great-grandson of Joseph and Mary Cooley [page 98], who removed 
 from Longmeadow to Somers. He was married April, 1787, to Flavia 
 Cooley, the daughter of Hezekiah and Charity Cooley. He was born 
 Sept. 12, 1767. Their children Jerusha, born Dec. 3, 1787. Jerusha, 
 born March 24, 1790. Whiting, born May 20, 1792. Flavia, born 
 June fj, 1794, died Jan. 18. 1820. Cyrus and Venus, born Aug. n, 
 1796. Venus died June n, 1829. Joseph Cooley, the father, died 
 May 31, 1841, aged 74. Flavia, the mother, died Feb. 16, 1844, aged 
 82. [Vacant to page 1 1 6.] 
 
 SAMUEL COOMES, son of Richard and Hepsibah Coomes, was born 
 Jan. 26, 1730, was married May 18, 1761, to Miriam Hale, daughter 
 of Noah and Miriam Hale. Their children Samuel, born Aug. 30, 
 1761, died June 9, 1816. Silence, born Jan. 22, 1765, died Jan. 27 of 
 the same year, 1765. Walter, bom April 23, 1766, died Dec. 25, 1842, 
 aged 77. Silence, born April 17, 1768, died Nov. 7, 1845, age 77. 
 Noah, born Aug. 3, 1770, died May 13, 1805. Achsa, born March 10, 
 1773, died Oct. 3. 1807. Moses Newel, born July 16, 1775, died July 
 10, 1777. Moses Newel, born Dec. 9, 1777, died May 28, 1840, age 62. 
 Miriam, born Nov. 6, 1782, died April 25, 1796. Samuel, the father, died 
 Dec. 17, 1795, in his 66th year. The mother died April 25, 1796, in 
 her 56th year. 
 
 SAMUEL COOMES, son of Samuel and Miriam Coomes, was married 
 July 20, 1792, to Theodocia Cooley, daughter of Samuel and Experi- 
 ence Cooley. Their children Maria, born Nov. 20, 1793, died Aug. 
 26, 1794. Maria, born July 8, 1796. Experience Cooley, born June 
 24, 1801. Theodocia, the mother, died May 21, 1807. June 10, 1807, 
 the father wished his second Maria to have an addition of Theodocia 
 Cooley to her name, to bear the name of her mother. Samuel Cooley 
 died June 9, 1816. 
 
 WALTER COOMES, son of Samuel and Miriam Coomes, was married 
 Jan. 6, 1790, to Flavia Colton, daughter of Festus and Eunice Colton. 
 Their children Sally, born Oct. 6, 1790, died Nov. 15, 1794. Mir- 
 iam, born Feb. i, 1793. Sally, borti Feb. 18, 1796. Walter, born 
 Jan. 2, 1798, died June 5, 1843, aged 45. Flavia, their mother, died 
 Aug. 16, 1799. Walter, the father, was married again Dec. 4, 1799, to 
 Abigail Skinner of East Windsor. Their children Chauncy Bliss, 
 born Jan. i, 1801. Flavia Colton, born April 25, 1803. Samuel Skin- 
 ner, born Jan. 12, 1805, died Dec. 16, 1866. Achsa, born Aug. 16, 
 1807. Lucinda, born May 12, 1809. Aurelia B., born Dec. 2, 1815, 
 died Nov. i, 1835. The father died Dec. 25, 1842. 
 
 NOAH COOMES, son of Samuel and Miriam Coomes [page 117], was 
 married Jan. 13, 1799, to Mary Colton, daughter of Henry and Mary 
 Colton. Their children Samuel Hale, born Oct. 25, 1799. Henry 
 Burt, born Dec. 4, 1800. William, born Oct. 29, 1803. Walter, born 
 Oct. 19, 1804. Mary, born Jan. 12, 1806. Noah Coomes, the father, 
 with his wife, removed to a place called Aurelius, in the county of 
 Cayuga, State of New York, where all his children were born, except 
 the youngest, and where he died May 13, 1805.
 
 57 
 
 JOHN COOMES, son of John and Midwell Coomes, of Enfield, and 
 grandson of Richard and Hepsibah Coomes, was born Dec. 22, 1762, 
 was married Feb. 23, 1784, to Joanna Colton, daughter of Thomas 
 and Deborah Colton. Their children Horrace, born April 5, 1784. 
 Dolly, born Aug. 9, 1786. Fannie, born Feb. 17, 1789. John, born 
 April 10, 1792, died Sept. 23, 1820, age 28. James, born June 26, 
 1794, died April 4, 1867, age 73. Alexander, born June 18, 1796. 
 Dinah, born April 21, 1799. Bela, born March 14, 1802. Elias, born 
 April 26, 1806. Lucy D., born April 18, 1811. Fannie was married 
 May 1 8, 1809, to Carlos Nichols, of West Springfield. 
 
 HORATIO COOMES, of Longmeadow, son of John and Joanna Coomes 
 [page 118], was married Aug. 20, 1807, to Ansa B. Amadon of Wil- 
 braham. Their children Horatio, born Oct. 31, 1807. Edmund, 
 born Oct. 12, 1809. Hannah Coomes, born Jan. 19, 1812, died 
 Oct. 6, 1814. Alanzo Coomes, born May 28, 1814. Hannah, born 
 Aug. i, 1816, died Sept. 19, 1839. Nathaniel, born April i, 1819. 
 Delia, born May i, 1821. John Dickenson Dudley, born Aug. 24, 1823. 
 Elisabeth, born Dec. 1825, died March 10, 1832. Charlott and 
 George, born Aug. 5, 1828. Adeline, born Oct. 28, 1830. 
 
 ISAAC CORKINS, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel Williams Corkins 
 and Elisabeth, his wife, of Stafford, was married Oct. 18, 1801, to 
 Abigail Hale, daughter of Thomas and Ann Hale. Their children 
 Lovice, born Sept. 10, 1803, married James Colton. Abigail, born 
 Nov. 22, 1806. Isaac, born Oct. 30, 1809. Reuben, born Feb. 21, 
 1813. Henry Sexton, born Feb. 13, 1816. Emeline Calkins, born 
 Sept. 10, 1818. Eliza Ann Calkins, born Jan. 15, 1821. William, 
 born Sept. 9, 1824. 
 
 AARON CRANE, of Longmeadow, son of Hezekiah and Rachel 
 Crane, of East Windsor, was born May 8, 1756; was married June 
 1 6, 1778, to Mary Barber, daughter of Thomas and Jane Barber. 
 She was born Aug. 14, 1754. Their children Polly, born May 16, 
 1779. Aaron, born March 24, 1781. Timothy, born Jan. 28, 1783. 
 Ziba, born March 16, 1785. Eli, born Aug. 3, 1787. Jane, born 
 Dec. 24, 1789. Lucina, born Aug. 19, 1792. Elihu, born Nov. 17, 
 1794. Hezekiah, born Feb. i, 1797. Almira, born July 18, 1799, 
 died Sept. 6, 1808. Aaron, the father, died July 3, 1826, age 70. 
 
 EDWARD CRANDOL, son of Peter and - , of Enfield [page 
 1 19], was married April 7, 1757, to Dorcas Bement, daughter of Jonathan 
 
 and , of Enfield. Their children Edward, baptised May 15, 
 
 1757, died July 2, 1757. Lucy, born May 21, 1758, died April 12, 
 1759. Levi, born Feb. i, 1760. Lucy, born April 10, 1762, died 
 Jan. 22, 1831, age 69. Stillborn child, May 4, 1765. Simeon, bom 
 May 20, 1766. Mary, born Nov. 20, 1768. Sarah, born March 5. 
 177^1. Asenah, born Aug. 17, 1773. Dorcas, the mother, died Dec. 
 29, 1779. Edward, the father, married again to Sarah Brown, of 
 Coventry; he removed to that town; they had one child named 
 Ethan, born Aug. 1786. Edward, the father, died May, 1788. 
 
 LEVI CRANDOL, son of Edward and Dorcas Crandol, was married 
 8
 
 58 
 
 Jan. 27, 1791, to Aphia Lad, of Franklin, Connecticut. He died 
 Nov. 22, 1840. She died Feb. i, 1835. Their children Oliva, born 
 Nov. 27, 1791, died Feb. 10, 1838, age 46. Edward, born July 4, 
 1794, drowned June 26, 1821. Simeon and Levi, born Sept. 23, 1796. 
 Simeon died May 14, 1798. Levi died April 27, 1788. Levi. born 
 June 3, 1799. Sally, May 30, 1801. 
 
 ELIHU DWIGHT, son of Capt. Samuel Dwight [fage 120], was born 
 March 22, 1730, and was married to Eunice Horton, daughter of 
 John and Mary Horton, of Springfield. Their children Oliver, born 
 April 14, 1769, died Aug. 17, 1825. John, born July 12, 1767, died 
 May 23, 1812. Eunice, born April 15, 1761. Mary, born Jan. 31, 
 1763. Lucy, born Sept. 10, 1764. Eunice, the mother, died May 16, 
 1801. Polly was married to Benjamin Powel, July 9, 1788. Elihu 
 Dwight, the father, died Dec. 19, 1810, aged 80 years. 
 
 OLIVER DWIGHT, son of Elihu and Eunice, was married July 2, 
 1797, to Mehittable Keep, daughter of Mathew and Mehittable Keep. 
 Their children Mehittable, born Jan. 5, 1798. Oliver, born Aug. 
 
 28, 1799. Daniel, born April 22, 1802. John, born Sept. 10, 1803. 
 Eunice, born April 6, 1807, died Sept. 29, 1813. Henry, born Feb. 
 27, 1810. Norman Dwight, born Jan. 30, 1815. Oliver, the father, 
 died Aug. 17, 1825. [Vacant to page 122.] 
 
 ist Generation. NATHANIEL ELY appears to have been one of the 
 early settlers of the town of Springfield ; he is said to have come from 
 England, and first to have settled in the town of , in the south- 
 western part of Connecticut, and from thence to have removed to 
 Springfield. The time of his death, as recorded, is Dec. 25, 1675. 
 The widow, Martha Ely, died Oct. 23, 1683, supposed to have been 
 his widow. The only child of Nathaniel at present known of, was 
 Samuel, probably born before they came to Springfield. It further 
 appears from records, that Ruth Ely, probably daughter of Nathaniel, 
 was married to Jeremy Horton, Oct. 3, 1661, and had one son, 
 Nathaniel Horton, who settled in Enfield or Somers ; he was born 
 June 29, 1662. Ruth, the mother, died Oct. 12, 1662. 
 
 2d Generation. SAMUEL ELY, son of Nathaniel and Martha, as 
 is supposed, was married to Mary Day, the 28th day of the 8th 
 month, 1659. Their children, as recorded, were Samuel, born i 
 day, i month, 1662, died 22 day, i month, 1662. Joseph, born Aug. 
 2, 1663. Samuel, born Nov. 4, 1664, died Feb. 18, 1665. Mary, 
 born March 29, 1667, died April 19, 1667. Samuel, born May 9, 
 1668. Nathaniel, born Jan. 18, 1670, died March 16, 1671. Jona- 
 than, born July i, 1672, died July 10, 1672. Nathaniel, born Aug. 
 25, 1674, died May, 1689. Jonathan, born Jan. 24, 1676, died Feb. 
 27, 1676. Martha, born Oct. 28, 1677, died Nov. 25, 1677. John, 
 born Jan. 28, 1679. Mary, born June 20, 1681, died Dec. 21, 1681. 
 Jonathan, born Jan. 21, 1683, died July 27, 1753. Mary, born Feb. 
 
 29, 1685. Ruth, born 1688. Samuel FAy, the father, died March 17, 
 1692. Joseph, Samuel, and John, had families, and settled in West 
 Springfield. Jonathan settled in Longmeadow. Mary, the widow,
 
 59 
 
 was married April 12, 1694, to Thomas Stebbins, son of Thomas and 
 Hannah Stebbins; he dying Dec. 7, 1695, she, the widow, Mary Steb- 
 bins, was married Dec. 16, 1696, to John Coleman. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH ELY, son of Samuel and Mary, married 
 
 Mary . Their children Joseph, born April 9, 1686. Mary, 
 
 born July 25, 1689. Martha, born July 16, 1691. Nathaniel, born 
 Oct. 21, 1694. Ruth, born Oct. 20, 1697. John, born March 17, 1701. 
 Sarah, born Jan. 8, 1704. John, born June 19, 1706. 
 
 3d Generation. SAMUEL ELY, son of Samuel and Mary {page 
 123], was married to Martha Bliss, daughter of Samuel Bliss', senior, 
 and Mary his wife (they were married Nov. 10, 1697). Their 
 children Martha, born Dec. 21, 1698. Mary, born Feb. 14, 1700. 
 Samuel, born Sept. 21, 1701. Martha, the mother, died July 6, 1702. 
 Samuel, the father, was married again Dec. 7, 1704, Sarah Bodortha. 
 Their children Sarah, born Aug. 30, 1705, died Jan. 5, 1789. 
 Nathaniel, born Sept. 22, 1706. Joseph, born Oct. 4, 1709. Try- 
 phene, born April 7, 1712. Levi, born Feb. 12, 1715. Mary, April 
 
 5. r 7i7- 
 
 3d Generation. JOHN ELY, son of Samuel and Mary Ely, was 
 married Dec. 30, 1703, to Mercy Bliss, daughter of Samuel, senior, 
 and Mary Bliss. Their children Abel, born Nov. 18, 1706. John, 
 born Dec. 3, 1707, died May 22, 1754. Reuben, born Jan. 12, 1710. 
 Abner, born Sept. 26, 1711. Mercy, born Jan. 22, 1713. Caleb, 
 born Nov. 25, 1714. Rachel, born Nov. n, 1716. Noah, born July 
 4, 1721. 
 
 3d Generation. DEA. JONATHAN ELY, son of Samuel and Mary 
 {page 124], was married to Lydia Burt, daughter of Jonathan and 
 Lydia Burt, March 16, 1709. Their children Lydia, born May 25, 
 1710, died Jan. 2, 1745. Elisabeth, born Nov. 30, 1711, died Oct. 
 10, 1808. Jonathan, born July 24, 1714, died Dec. 29, 1812. 
 Nathaniel, born Sept. i, 1716, died Dec. 26, 1799. Mary, born 
 Sept. 14, 1719, died Nov. 24, 1797. Lydia was married to Jonathan 
 Hale, Dec, 29, 1736. Elisabeth was married to Jonathan Ferry, 
 published April 7, 1739. Mary married Dea. Aaron Colton, Nov. 27, 
 1746. Dea. Jonathan Ely, the father, died July 27, 1753. Lydia, the 
 mother, Dec. 14, 1767. 
 
 4th Generation. JOHN ELY, son of John and Mercy Ely, was mar- 
 ried Nov. 15, 1733, to Eunice Colton, daughter of John and Joanna 
 Colton. Their children John, born April 6, 1735. Eunice, born 
 Jan. 19, 1737, died Aug. 27, 1738. Justin, born Aug. 10, 1739. 
 Eunice, born Aug. 31, 1741. Heman, born Jan. 8, 1744, died May 
 9, 1754. Rhoda, born May 12, 1746, lied March 5, 1786. Amelia, 
 born Dec. 26, 1750, died April 28, ij&6. Eunice married the Hon. 
 Roger Newberry, of Windsor. Rhoda married the Rev. George 
 Colton, of Bolton, Oct. 7, 1766. Amelia married Doctor Jeremiah 
 West, of Tolland, Feb. 8, 1781. John, the father, died May 22, 1754. 
 Eunice, the mother, was married again June 19, 1759, to Roger AVol- 
 cott, Esq., of East Windsor; after his death; she was married again
 
 6o 
 
 
 
 April 8, 1761, to Joel White, Esq., of Bolton, and died March 30, 
 1778. This family lived in W. Springfield. 
 
 4th Generation. JONATHAN ELY, of Wilbraham, son of Dea. 
 Jonathan and Lydia, of Longmeadow, was married to Esther Chapin, 
 daughter of Henry and Esther Chapin ; date of their publishment, 
 Oct. 18, 1740. Their children Jonathan, born Sept. 14, 1741. 
 
 Lydia, born March 22, 1744. Esther, born : . Jonathan, born 
 
 Oct. i, 1746. Mercy, born Sept. 7, 1748. Lydia, born April n, 
 1751. Judah, born June 24, 1753. Henry, born May 15, 1755. 
 Elisabeth, born - . Jonathan Ely, the father, died Dec. 29, 1812. 
 
 4th Generation. DEA. NATHANIEL ELY, son of Dea. Jonathan Ely 
 and Lydia, his wife [page 125], was married Dec. 7, 1745, to Mary 
 Estabrook, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Estabrook, of Canterbury, 
 Conn., and Rebecca his wife. Their children Sarah, born Oct. 31, 
 1746, died Aug. 4, 1750. Lydia, born June 2, 1748, died Feb. 19, 
 1781. Mary, born April 7, 1750, died Aug. 19, 1750. Nathaniel, 
 born May 31, 1751, died June 18, 1808. Samuel, born June 28, 1753, 
 died Nov. 22, 1774. Sarah, born Aug. 12, 1755, died Dec. 12, 1777. 
 Ethan, born Oct. 15, 1757, died May 30, 1758. Mary, the mother, 
 died Jan. 13, 1759, age 1 41 years. Deacon Ely, the father, was mar- 
 ried again April 9, 1761, to Abigail Colton, daughter of William and 
 Mary Colton. Their children Abigail, born Jan. 7, 1762. Ethan, 
 born Feb. 13, 1764, died May 13, 1848, age 84. William, born Aug. 
 14, 1765. Abigail, the mother, died Dec. 22, 1770, in her 46th year. 
 Dea. Ely was married again April 3, 1777, to Beulah Colton, daughter 
 of Capt. Isaac Colton. She died April 24, 1786. Dea. Ely was mar- 
 ried again Nov. 15, 1787, to Martha Raynolds, the widow of Dr. Samuel 
 Raynolds, Esq., and daughter of the Rev. Stephen Williams, D.D., 
 and Abigail, his wife. She died Feb. 18, 1825, age 92. Dea. Ely, 
 the father, died Dec. 26, 1799, in his 84th year. Lydia married David 
 White, of Longmeadow, Jan. 30, 1777. Samuel was educated at Yale 
 College, graduated A.D. 1772, and died in a single state. Abigail 
 married Elihu Colton, Dec. 6, 1787. William was educated at Yale 
 College, graduated A.D. 1787, settled at Springfield, in practice of 
 law. 
 
 5th Generation. DEA. NATHANIEL ELY, son of Dea. Nathaniel Ely 
 and Mary his wife [page 126], was married Feb. 16, 1786, to Elisabeth 
 Raynolds, daughter of Dr. Samuel Raynolds, Esq., of Somers, and 
 Martha his wife. Their children Mary, born Feb. 4, 1787, died 
 Dec. 15, 1842. Samuel, born Aug. 5, 1789, died May 14, 1797. 
 Elisabeth, born Nov. 7, 1790. Beulah, born April 24, 1792, died 
 Dec. 1838. Martha, born Dec. 15, 1795. ^ ea - Nathaniel Ely, the 
 father, died June 18, 1808. Mary, the daughter, was married Jan. 14, 
 1812, to Capt. David Mack. Beulah was married Dec. 10, 1811, to 
 Timothy Goodwin of Symsbury. 
 
 5th Generation. CAPT. ETHAN ELY, son of Dea. Nathaniel Ely and 
 Abigail, his second wife, was married Jan. 6, 1791, to Hannah Burt, 
 the daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Burt. She died Dec. 24, 1829,
 
 6i 
 
 age 66. Their children Ethan, born Nov. 24, 1791. Hannah, born 
 Feb. 8, 1793. Abigail, born Dec. 20, 1794, died April 26, 1826. 
 Sarah, born Sept. 8, 1796. Jonathan, born June 10, 1798, died June 
 8, 1847. Hannah, the mother, died Dec. 24, 1829. Ethan Ely died 
 May 13, 1848, age 84 years. 
 
 ETHAN ELY, son of Ethan and Hannah Ely, was married October 
 13, 1831, to Ann Cooley, daughter of Seth and Ann Cooley his wife. 
 Ann, the wife of Ethan Ely, was born May 14, 1806, died May 26, 
 1835. Ethan Cooley, son of Ethan and Ann Ely, was born May 17, 
 
 ETHAN C. ELY, son of Ethan and Ann Ely his wife, was married 
 Sept. i, 1857, to Charity Bush, daughter of Levi Bush, of Westfield, 
 born Aug. 14, 1836. Their children Mason Warren, born Sept. 26, 
 1858. Ethan Cooley, born Oct. 3, 1861, died Aug. 6, 1862. [Vacant 
 to page 128.] 
 
 HERYY ELLIS, son of Lieut. - Ellis, formerly of Stafford, but 
 last of Monson, was married Jan. 8, 1802, to Jerusha Spencer, daugh- 
 ter of Israel and Ruth Spencer [see page 195]. Their children 
 Hervy, born Aug. 4, 1802. Jerusha, born Aug. 4, 1805. Jerusha 
 Ellis died Oct. 5, 1834, aged 55. Hervy, the father, died Nov. 3, 
 1810. 
 
 EDMUND EVARTS, of Longmeadow, son of Benjamin and Abigail 
 Evarts, of Gilford, Conn., was born Aug. 22, 1771, was married Oct. 
 9, 1796, to Annis Booth, daughter of Joseph and Mary Booth, of 
 Knfield. Their children Mary, born Nov. 4, 1799, died Feb. 17, 
 1875. Nancy, born July 31, 1801, died April 4, 1825. Joseph, born 
 June 18, 1804, died Nov. i, 1874. Nancy was married Dec. 30, 1823, 
 to Jacob Colton, born Sept. 10, 1799. Edmund Evarts died April 22, 
 1849, aged 77- Annis Evarts died Jan. 1847, age 80. 
 
 THOMAS FIELD, son of Samuel and Sarah Field, of Hatfield [page 
 129], was married Oct. 21, 1713, to Abigail Dickinson, of Springfield, 
 daughter of Hezekiah and Abigail B. Dickinson, born Dec. 8, 1692, 
 died June 20, 1775, a g e ^3- Their children Abigail, born Oct. 5, 
 1714, died Aug. 8, 1777, age 63 years. Samuel, born May 10, 1718, 
 died Aug. 10, 1721. Moses, born Feb. 16, 1722, died March 7, 1815. 
 Samuel, born Oct. 10, 1725. Sarah, born Nov. 28, 1728, died April 
 J 9 X 773- Simeon, born April 25, 1731, died Jan. 7, 1801. Thomas 
 Field, the father, at first settled in Hatfield, where his children were 
 born, except Simeon, who was born in Longmeadow. He died Feb. 
 i, 1747, age 66 years. Abigail was married Nov. 14, i754> to Abiel 
 Abbot, of Windsor, and died, without issue, in Longmeadow. Samuel 
 was educated at Yale College, graduated 1745, and settled in Sea- 
 brook, Conn., in the practice of physic. Simeon settled at Enfield, 
 in the practice of physic. 
 
 CAPT. MOSES FIELD, son of Thomas and Abigail Field, was married 
 Sept. 15, 1748, to Rebecca Cooley, the daughter of Jonathan and 
 Joanna Cooley. Their children Rebecca, born Nov. 29, 1748, 'died 
 Dec. 26, 1836. Elijah, born Dec. 23, 1750, died Dec. 31, 1767.
 
 62 
 
 Oliver, born Nov. 15, 1752, died Jan. 15, 1801. Moses, born Feb. 9, 
 1755, died Jan. 14, 1831. Diademia, born Oct. 9, 1756. Aaron, born 
 June 24, 1759, died Aug. 30, 1760. Aaron, born June 24, 1761. 
 Alexander, born Feb. 5, 1764, died June 8, 1831. Sarah, born Feb. 
 
 24, 1766, died July 12, 1777. Naomy, born May 22, died July 31, 
 1777. Rebecca was married to Azariah Woolworth, Nov. 25, 1773. 
 Oliver was married to Ann Cooley, daughter of Caleb and Mary 
 Cooley, Nov. 4, 1773. Moses married Lydia Champion, daughter 
 of Dr. Reuben Champion and Lydia his wife, of West Springfield, 
 Nov. 23, 1780. Diademia married Stephen Williams, March 4, 1778. 
 He leaving her, she married again to Jacob Kibbe, of Monson, June 
 
 25, 1793, and died in that town. Aaron studied physic, married Flavia 
 Burt, daughter of Capt. David Burt, Feb. 10, 1784. They settled at 
 Richmond, and had one child, Sophia, born Dec. 24, 1784. He went 
 to the Southern States, and died. She died at Longmeadow. Alex- 
 ander married Flavia Colton, daughter of Samuel and Lucy Colton, 
 Oct. n, 1787. Rebecca, the mother, died Feb. 24, 1783. Capt. 
 Moses Field married again Nov. i, 1783, to Lydia Champion, widow 
 of Dr. Reuben Champion, of West Springfield, and she died May i, 
 1809. He died March 7, 1815. Alexander died July 8, 1831. 
 
 DR. SIMEON FIELD, son of Thomas and Abigail Field [page 130], 
 was married Dec. 29, 1763, to Margaret Raynolds, daughter of the 
 Rev. Peter Raynolds and Elisabeth his wife. Their children- 
 Simeon, born June 3, 1765. Margaret, born Feb. 27, 1768. Mary, 
 born Feb. 22, 1771. Peter Raynolds, born Feb. 28, 1774. Edward, 
 
 born . Margaret, the mother, died Feb. 9, 1796, age 64. 
 
 Dr. Field, the father, died Jan. 7, 1801, age 70. Simeon, the son, 
 was educated at Yale College. Graduated 1785, studied physic, set- 
 tled for a term in Somers. Upon his father's decline, removed to 
 
 Enfield. Margaret married the Rev. Leonard, of Ellington. 
 
 He being dismissed from that place, they removed to , in the 
 
 State of New York. Mary Dixon. 
 
 OLIVER FIELD, son of Capt. Moses Field and Rebecca, his wife, 
 was married Nov. 4, 1773, to Ann Cooley, daughter of Caleb and 
 Mary Cooley. Their children Ann, born Dec. 3, 1774. Naomy, 
 born Feb. 27, 1779, died Oct. 21, 1807. Elijah, born Dec. 29, 1780. 
 Polly, born June 20, 1784. Caleb Cooley, born March 29, 1787. 
 John, born April 6, 1790; afterward took the name of Moses. Oliver. 
 the father, died Jan. 15, 1801. Ann, the mother, died Aug. 23, 1831. 
 Ann, the daughter, married Justin Smith, of Hadleigh, Jan. 18, 1797. 
 Moses Field died Sept. 4, 1861. Naomy married Noah Ashley. Aug. 
 31, 1798. Polly married Stephen Ashley, Sept. 12, 1805. (&z& page $.) 
 
 ELIJAH FIELD, of Longmeadow, son of Oliver and Ann Field above, 
 was married May 8, 1806, to Cynthia Terry, daughter of Colonel 
 Asaph Terry and Penelope his wife, of Enfield. She was born June 
 2, 1787. Their children Naomy, born May 29, 1808. Elijah, born 
 Sept. 13, 1810. Cynthia, born Feb. 24, 1813. Anna, born June 15, 
 1815. Mary Terry, born April i, 1817. Cynthia, the mother, died 
 1823. Aaron, born July 25, 1819, died Aug. 21, 1834.
 
 63 
 
 MOSES FIELD, of Longmeadow, son of Capt. Moses and Rebecca 
 Field [page 131], was married Dec. 23, 1780, to Lydia Champion, 
 daughter of Dr. Reuben Champion and Lydia his wife, of West 
 Springfield, but formerly of Seabrook, Conn. Moses Field died 
 Jan. 14, 1831. Lydia Field died Jan. 19, 1831, without issue. 
 
 AARON FIELD, son of Capt. Moses Field and Rebecca his wife, 
 was married Feb. 10, 1784, to Flavia Burt, daughter of Capt. David 
 Burt and Mary his wife. They had one child, Sophia, born Dec. 24, 
 1784. Flavia, the mother, died at Longmeadow, Aug. 20, 1787. 
 Aaron Field, the father, studied physic, and took his station for prac- 
 tice at Richmond, but failing in business, went to the Southern States 
 and died. 
 
 ALEXANDER FIELD, born Feb. 5, 1764, son of Moses and Rebecca 
 Field, was married Oct. n, 1787, to Flavia Colton (born Oct. i, 
 1769), daughter of Samuel and Lucy Colton. She died Aug. 4, 1815. 
 He was married March n, 1816, to Jerusha Burt, daughter of 
 Nathaniel Burt \_page 28]. He died July 8, 1831, aged 67 years. 
 [Vacant to page 133.] 
 
 JOHN JENISON GAYLORD, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and 
 Azubeth Gaylord, of Middletown, was born Oct. 10, 1780; was 
 married May 2, 1805, to Fanny Woolworth, daughter of Azriah and 
 Rebecca Woolworth ; removed to Stois, Ohio, 1814. Their children 
 Samuel, born May 2, 1806. John Jenison, born March i, 1808. 
 Fanny, born Dec. 17, 1810. Robert, born Feb. 8, 1813. A nameless 
 child, born Dec. 27, 1809. 
 
 ERASTUS GOLDTHWAIT, of Longmeadow, son of Thomas and Loice 
 Goldthwait, of Springfield, was born June 6, 1772, and was married 
 April 25, 1798, to Rhoda Burt, daughter of Elijah and Deborah Burt. 
 Their children Flavel, born June 12, 1799; died at Hartford. 
 Rhoda, born Aug. 15, 1801, and died May 8, 1804. Jonathan Hale, 
 born March 28, 1804, died Feb. 21, 1805. Rhoda, the mother, died 
 April 24, 1804, and Lieut. Erastus Goldthwait, the father, was married 
 again, Jan. 14, 1808, to Hannah Colton, daughter of Dea. William 
 and Hannah Colton. Their children Rhoda, born Jan. 23, 1809. 
 Jonathan Hale, born May 21, 1811. William Colton, born May i, 
 1814. Erastus Goldthwait, died May 18, 1848. 
 
 DANIEL GREEN, of Longmeadow, son of Linesford and Elisabeth 
 Green, of Wremtham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was married 
 June 5, 1803, to Sarah Woolworth, daughter of Azariah and Rebecca 
 Woolworth; she died June 8, 1813, age 35. Their children Aaron 
 Field, born Nov. 30, 1806. Pownel, born Oct. 25. 1808. William, 
 born Nov. 20, 1810. Daniel Woolworth, born Nov. 25, 1812. Sarah, 
 the mother, died Jan. 8, 1813. Daniel Green, born March 16, 1827. 
 
 WILLIAM GOUDY, of Longmeadow, son of -, of Enfielcl [page 
 
 134], was married to Fanny Jugram, of Suffield. Their children- 
 Fanny, born April 14, 1783. "William, born June 19, 1785. Porter, 
 born Aug. 5, 1789, died July n, 1824. Clarissa, born Sept. 4, 1792. 
 George, born May 31, 1795. Fanny, the daughter, was married Oct.
 
 6 4 
 
 14, 1807, to Abel Chaffe. Fanny, the mother, died Dec. 17, 1811. 
 William, the father, died Dec. 31, 1811. [Vacant to page 138.] 
 
 HALES. 
 
 THOMAS HALE, was an early settler in Enfield; he married Priscilla 
 Markham, and died 1725. His sons John, William, Joseph, Samuel, 
 Thomas. Some one says that Thomas Hale was married to Priscilla 
 Markham, in (quaere, 1675?) 1695, if so neither Thomas (below) nor 
 Martha \_page 26] could have been a child of that marriage. The 
 vacant space on this page at the head of the Hale family, would seem 
 to indicate that Mr. Colton found some stumbling block which he 
 hoped would be afterwards removed. 
 
 THOMAS HALE, the son of Thomas and Priscilla Hale, of Enfield, 
 was married Feb. 15, 1705, to Experience Burt, daughter of Nathaniel 
 and Rebecca Burt. Their children Thomas, born Oct. 26, 1705, 
 died Jan. 8, 1797. John, born Feb. 17, 1708, died Jan. 13, 1788. 
 Noah, born Feb. 24, 1710, died Dec. 19, 1793. Jonathan, born Feb. 
 3, 1712, died Dec. n, 1793. Experience, born June 27, 1714, died 
 Oct. 31, 1798. Rebecca, born Feb. 21, 1717, died July 21, 1803. 
 Hezekiah, born Sept. 4, 1719, died Jan. 8, 1720. Experience, the 
 mother, died Sept. 12, 1719. Thomas Hale, the father, was married 
 again, June 3, 1724, to Abigail Ferry, the widow of Charles Ferry. 
 Abigail, the mother, died Oct. 14, 1748. Thomas, the father, died 
 May 9, 1750. Experience, the daughter, married Josiah Cooley, Jan. 
 3, 1739. Rebecca was married to Capt. Simon Colton, Jan. 15, 1761. 
 Might not Thomas Hale be the brother of Martha Hale, who married 
 into the same family the next year, June 27, 1706 ? 
 
 THOMAS HALE, son of Thomas and Experience Hale [page 139], 
 was married Jan. 10, 1734, to Abigail Burt, daughter of David and 
 Martha Burt. Their children Abigail, born Feb. 9, 1735, died June 
 26, 1812. Silas, born July 27, 1737, died Oct. 14, 1802. Abner and 
 Martha, born April 26, 1740. Abner died March 30, 1803. Martha 
 died March 26, 1809. Thomas, born July 27, 1744, died March 29, 
 1819. Experience, born Nov. 15, 1747, died May 8, 1782. Abigail, 
 the mother, died March 28, 1773. Thomas, the father, died Jan. 8, 
 1797. Abigail, the daughter, was married March 9, 1774, to Eleazer 
 Smith, of Amherst. Martha was married March 21, 1764, to Ebenezer 
 Wood, of Monson. Experience was married Feb. 3, 1774, to Jonah 
 Cooley. 
 
 JOHN HALE, son of Thomas and Experience, was married to Sarah 
 Keep, the widow of Samuel Keep, Dec. 2, 1762. He died without 
 issue, Jan. 13, 1788, and his estate descended to his brothers and 
 sisters and heirs. The dwelling-house of John Hale was consumed 
 by fire on the 8th day of Nov., 1751, being the next day after the 
 annual Thanksgiving. A house was raised for him again on the 25th 
 of the same month. Sarah, his widow, died May n, 1810, aged 92. 
 
 NOAH HALE, son of Thomas and Experience Hale, was married 
 Feb. i, 1737, to Miriam Bliss, the daughter of Thomas and Sarah
 
 65 
 
 Bliss. Their children Noah, born March 14, 1738, died Jan. 3, 
 
 1742. Miriam, born July 24, 1740, died April 25, 1796. Noah, born 
 May 5, 1743, died June n, 1744. Moses, born May, 1745, died Dec. 
 15, 1746. Sarah, born Nov. 5, 1747, died Dec. 9, 1821. Eunice, born 
 Aug. 17, 1752. Lucy, born Aug. 13, 1755. 'Noah Hale, the father, 
 died Dec. 19, 1793. Miriam, the mother, died Nov. 26, 1789. 
 Miriam, the daughter, was married May 18, 1761, to Samuel Coomes. 
 Eunice was married to Timothy Day, Jan. 29, 1778. Lucy was 
 married to Calvin Bliss, March 28, 1781. 
 
 JONATHAN HALE, son of Thomas and Experience Hale {page 140], 
 was married Dec. 29, 1736, to Lydia Ely, daughter of Dea. Jonathan 
 and Lydia Ely. Their children Jonathan, born Jan. 24, 1738, died 
 March 9, 1806. Hezekiah, born May 5, 1740, died July 26, 1813. 
 Nathan, born April 18, 1742 ; lived at Goshen, Ct. Lydia, born Oct. 
 
 1743, died Dec. 15, 1780. Experience, born July 8, 1745, died Oct. 
 5, 1745. Lydia, the mother, died Jan. 2, 1746. Jonathan Hale, the 
 father, died Dec. n, 1793. Lydia, the daughter, was married to 
 Colonel Gideon Burt, Dec. 10, 1772 [see page 28]. 
 
 SILAS HALE, son of Thomas and Abigail Hale, was married Jan. 
 29, 1761, to Hannah Parsons, daughter of Moses and Hannah 
 Parsons, of Enfield. Their children John, born May 12, 1763. 
 Hannah, born Jan. 22, 1766. Flavia, born Dec. 23, 1767, died Oct. 
 
 13, 1840, married Asahel Colton. Celia, born Dec. 13, 1768. Lucina, 
 'born Aug. 20, 1770. Ruby, born Jan. 12, 1773. Abigail, born Aug. 
 20, 1774, died Oct. 8, 1776. Experience, born June 29, 1776, died 
 Nov. i, 1776. Silas, born May 10, 1778. Silas, the father, died Oct. 
 
 14, 1802. Hannah, the daughter, was married Jan. 22, 1794, to 
 
 Benjamin Baxter. Celia was married . Ruby was married 
 
 Feb. 26, 1801, to John Webber. 
 
 ABNER HALE, son of Thomas and Abigail Hale, was married May 
 7, 1767, to Martha Burt, daughter of David and Sarah Burt. Their 
 children Elam, born July 30, 1769. Amy, born Aug. 4, 1772, died 
 Nov. 2, 1838. Abner, born May 7, 1776, died Sept. 19, 1777. 
 Abner, born May 10, 1778. David, born Oct. 21, 1780. Martha, 
 born April n, 1782. Chauncy, born Dec. 26, 1785. Abner, the 
 father, died March 30, 1803. Martha, the mother, died Dec. 16, 
 1834, age 94. 
 
 THOMAS HALE, son of Thomas and Abigail Hale [page 141], was 
 married Feb. 3, 1774, to Ann Stebbins, daughter of Jonathan and 
 Margaret Stebbins; he died March 29, 1819. Their children Anne, 
 born Nov. 22, 1777. Abigail, born April 29, 1781. Lydia, born Aug. 
 1785. Ann, the mother, died April 17, 1787. Thomas Hale was 
 married again, Feb. 7, 1788, to Annas Parsons, daughter of Moses 
 and Hannah Parsons, of Enfield. She died Nov. 16, 1823. Anne, 
 the daughter of Thomas, was married to Amos Parker, Oct. 2, 1805 ; 
 they removed to the town of Sharon, State of Vermont [see page 
 177]. Abigail married Oct. 1 8, 1 80 1, to Isaac Corkins. Lydia *was 
 married Jan. 31, 1811, to Henry Avery, of Stafford.
 
 66 
 
 COL, JONATHAN HALE, son of Jonathan and Lydia Hale, was 
 married June 13, 1765, to Mary Keep, daughter of Samuel and Mary 
 Keep. They had no children. Col. Jonathan Hale having served 
 his country and town in^the several capacities of a military officer, 
 a Justice of the Peace, a Selectman, Town Clerk, and Treasurer. He 
 died March 9, 1806, and left his estate to his brothers' and sisters' 
 children. 
 
 LIEUT. HEZEKIAH HALE, son of Jonathan and Lydia Hale, was 
 married July 10, 1799, to Miriam Bliss, daughter of Aaron and Miriam 
 Bliss. He died July 26, 1813, aged 73. His widow, Miriam Hale, 
 married Gad Colton, Esq., April 3, 1816, and died July 8, 1831, age 
 
 73- 
 
 NATHAN HALE, son of Jonathan and Lydia Hale [page 142], was 
 married April 26, 1778, to Mrs. Salome Robbins, widow of Samuel 
 Robbins, of Canaan, and daughter of the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Lee, of 
 Salsbury, Conn. Their children Eliza, born Feb. 18, 1779, died Jan. 
 n, 1803. Lydia, born April 4, 1781. Nathan Metcalf, born Feb. 12, 
 1783; went to South America about 1810. Clarissa, born Jan. 8, 
 1786. Harriet, born Feb. 22, 1788. Jonathan Lee, born May 31, 
 1790. Caroline, born Oct. 10, 1795. Lydia was married to the Rev. 
 John Keep, of Blanford, June 2, 1806. 
 
 JOHN HALE, son of Silas and Hannah Hale, was married Nov. 15, 
 1792, to Eunice Colton, daughter of Moses and Hannah Colton, of 
 Wilbraham. Their children Silas, born Dec. n, 1793. Philida, 
 born Feb. 2, 1796. Hannah, born Aug. 10, 1798, died March 15, 
 1843. John, the father, died Sept. 14, 1837, age 74. 
 
 ELAM HALE, son of Abner and Martha Hale, was married to 
 Elisabeth Pease, 1798, daughter of Emery Pease, Esq., of Somers, 
 Their children Elam, born Aug. 2, 1801. Eliza, born March 15, 
 1807, died Jan. 19, 1808. Elisabeth, the mother, died March 10. 
 1827, age 60. Elam Hale, died Feb. 15, 1830, age 61 years. 
 
 DAVID HALE, of Longmeadow [page 143], son of Abner and 
 Martha Hale \_page 140], was married May 5, 1808, to Rebecca Wool- 
 worth, daughter of Azariah and Rebecca Woolworth. Their children 
 Eliza, born Feb. 14, 1809. David Burt, born Sept. i, 1811. 
 Rebecca Cooley, born June 3, 1813, died Sept. 26, 1814. Rebecca 
 Field, born Sept 4, 1815. Solomon, born Aug. 29, 1817. Henry, 
 born Aug. 1819. Fanny, born July 2, 1825. Franklin, July 15, 1822. 
 
 CHAUNCY HALE of Longmeadow, son of Abner and Martha Hale, 
 was married Nov. 27, 1810, to Lois Lomis. Their children Charles 
 Backus, born Feb. 21, 1812. William, born March 29, 1815. Lois 
 
 . [Vacant to page 146.] 
 
 JOHN HANCOCK, of Springfield, was married Nov. 19, 1713,10 Anna 
 Webb. Their children Mary, born Feb. 22, 1716. John, born May 
 20, 1717, died Feb. 6, 1770. Anna, born July 14, 1719, died June 24, 
 1740. Abel, born Jan. 19, 1721, died Nov. 29, 1807. Abner, born 
 Aug. 9, 1722. Jonathan, born Aug. 4, 1724. Mabel, born Feb. 2, 
 1726, died Nov. 10, 1806. Thomas, born May 10, 1727, died March
 
 6; 
 
 4, 1804. Jabez, born July 29, 1728. William, born Oct. 26, 1729. 
 
 Experience, born Nov. 2, 1730, died Sept. 7, 1780. Daniel, born , 
 
 died July 18, 1784. Abigail, born Jan. 12, 1734. Mercy, born Aug. 
 25, 1735. (The families of the sons, see in pages succeeding this). 
 Mabel was married Jan. 12, 1749, to George Cooley, and after his 
 death to Capt. Joseph Ferry, Nov. 29, 1797, and died in Springfield 
 Nov. 10, 1806. Abigail was married Oct. 19, 1752, to Jabez Cooley. 
 Mercy was married Sept. 18, 1755, to David Bonner. Anna, the 
 mother, died July 6, 1771. 
 
 JOHN HANCOCK, son of John and Anna, was married Nov. 22, 1744, 
 to Mary Kilborn. Their children John, born Oct. 4, 1745, died Nov. 
 14, 1745. John, born Feb. 14, 1747. Mary, the mother, died. John 
 Hancock, the father, was married again July n, 1754, to Abigail 
 Terr}-. Their children Mary, born Sept. i, 1755. John, born Aug. 
 16, 1756, died June 14, 1759. Moses, born Dec. 20, 1759. Hulda, 
 born Aug. 27, 1760. John, born Oct. 28, 1761. Caroline, born May 
 
 30, 1763. Lucy, born Aug. 2, 17.64. Freegrace, born . John 
 
 Hancock, the father, died Feb. 6, 1770. 
 
 ABEL HANCOCK, of Springfield \_page 147], son of John and Anna 
 Hancock [page 146], was married March 13, 1748, to Eunice Parsons. 
 Their children Eunice, born Oct. 21, 1749. Abel, born Sept. n, 
 1751. Sabra, born July 23, 1755, married to Martin Warriner, Oct. 5, 
 1780. Piercy, born May 3, 1760. Naomy, born Oct. 10, 1764. Abel, 
 the father, died Nov. 29, 1807. 
 
 JOTHAM HANCOCK, of Springfield, son of John and Anna Hancock, 
 was married to Susanna Thompson, published March i, 1755. Their 
 children Roxylana, born March 22, 1757. Ruth, born April 24, 1759. 
 Naomy, born Oct. 14, 1764. Lewis, born May 9, 1767. Jonathan, 
 born July 27, 1769. 
 
 THOMAS HANCOCK, of Longmeadow, son of John and Anna Man- 
 cock, was married Nov. 16, 1749, to Jemima Wright, daughter of 
 Benjamin and Mary Wright, of Chicopee. Their children Jemima, 
 born May 24, 1750. Diademia, born March 2, 1753. Anne, born 
 Jan. 14, 1756. Elijah, born June 24, 1758, died of the small-pox. 
 Jonathan, born Feb. 19, 1761, died June 21, 1780. Thomas, born 
 Nov. 21, 1763. Sarah, born June 4, 1768. Eunice, born March 26, 
 
 1772. Jemima was married to Wright. Diademia was married 
 
 to Nathaniel Warriner, of Wilbraham. Anne was married to Mayor 
 foseph Parsons, of Enfield, April 19, 1779. Elijah died in the Revo- 
 lutionary war. Thomas, the father, being reduced, was a pauper 
 of the town of Longmeadow several years, and died March 4, 1804. 
 Thomas, the son, with his mother and his family, removed into the 
 State of New York. 
 
 WILLIAM HANCOCK, of Springfield, son of John and Anna Hanc 
 \page 148], was married to Hannah Long, of Windsor, published 
 March 14, 1752. Their children William, born May 14, 1753- 
 Oliver, born May 7, 1755, died June 9, 1759. Cloe, born Sepfc 22, 
 1757. Oliver, born Dec. 8, 1759. Zacheriah, born Nov. 30, 1761.
 
 68 
 
 Maribah, born Sept. ig, 1763. Alpheus, born Nov. 15, 1765. Han- 
 nah, born Dec. 24, 1768. Elisabeth, born August 20, 1774. 
 
 JABEZ HANCOCK, son of John and Anna Hancock, was married 
 Nov. 29, 1750, to Rachel Wright, daughter of Benjamin and Mary 
 Wright, of Chicopee. Their children Abner, born April 24, 1751. 
 Jabez, born Nov. 20, 1753. Freelove, born June 7, 1756. Rachel, 
 born Oct. 30, 1758. Lovina, born March 18, 1761. Rosanna, born 
 Aug. 4, 1763. Loranda, born April 12, 1766. Phebe, born May 31, 
 1768. Uriah, born April 18, 1772. Gad, born Sept. 4, 1774. Bath- 
 sheba, born July 25, 1777. Freelove was married July 9, 1778, to 
 Stephen Chandler, of Longmeadow, son of Stephen and Mary Chand- 
 ler. Rachel was married April n, 1778, to Samuel Kibbe. Jabez 
 Hancock, the father, with the greater part of his children, removed to 
 the town of Parris, State of New York. 
 
 DANIEL HANCOCK, of Longmeadow, son of John and Anna Han- 
 cock, was married to Lucy Long, of Windsor, published Oct. 12, 1754. 
 Their children Abiel, born Dec/ 5, 1755. Lucy, born Oct, 26, 1757. 
 
 Abiel, born Sept. 27, 1761, died June 24, 1829. Lucy, born . 
 
 Lucretia, born Feb. 12, 1764. Sybel, born Sept. 7, 1766. Lovisa, 
 born Sept. 28, 1768. Daniel, born Dec. 24, 1770. Azariah, born 
 
 1773. Ariel, born 1779. Jonathan, born . Daniel Hancock, the 
 
 father, died July 18, 1784. 
 
 WILLIAM HANCOCK, of Enfield, son of William and Hannah Han- 
 cock [page 149], was married to Triphene Chandler, daughter of 
 Stephen and Mary Chandler. They were published Jan. 3, 1778, 
 and married Jan. 21, 1778. Their children were A stillborn child, 
 Nov. 16, 1778. Triphene, born Feb. 14, 1780. Mary, born Feb. 22, 
 1782. Triphene, the mother, died May 10, 1784. William Hancock, 
 the father, was married again May 26, 1785, to Margaret Cooley, 
 daughter of Aaron and Ruth Cooley. Their children Roswel, born 
 March 28, 1786. Orra, born March 16, 1788. Tirza, born Jan. 7, 
 1790. William, born July 10, 1792. Moses, born July n, 1795. 
 Margaret, born Jan. 16, 1798, died Jan. 8, 1816. William Hancock 
 died by cutting his own throat with a razor, May 27, 1803. 
 
 ALPHEUS HANCOCK, son of William and Hannah Hancock, was 
 married June i, 1785, to Abigail Steel, daughter of Sarah and Aaron 
 Steel. Their children Aaron, born July 22, 1785. Abigail, born 
 Nov. 15, 1787. Ascenath, born March 3, 1790. Harris, born June 
 23, 1792. Hervy, born Aug. 24, 1794. Hervy, born April n, 1797. 
 Amanda, born Feb. 24, 1800. Hermon, born Jan. 29, 1802. Herskil, 
 born March n, 1804. Hart, born Oct. 8, 1806. 
 
 AZARIAH HANCOCK, son of Daniel and Lucy, was married Dec. 23, 
 1792, to Ruth Burkit. She was born Oct. 14, 1769. Their children 
 Michael, born May 8, 1793. Lucy, born July 13, 1795, died Aug. 20, 
 1796. Lucy, born June 17, 1797, died Oct. 18, 1798. George, born 
 Jan. 10, 1800. Lovice, born Aug, 17, 1802. Daniel, born April 14, 
 1805. Esther, born Feb. 7, 1809. [Vacant to page 152.] 
 
 JOHN HILLS. The first of the name in Longmeadow. He was
 
 6 9 
 
 married to Deliverance Craw. They lived in North Bolton, where it 
 is supposed their children were born. They removed to Longmeadow 
 about the year 1760, and settled on a farm purchased of Israel Phelps. 
 Their children Margaret, who was married to Joseph Stephens. 
 John, who married Cloe Millington. Jacob, who -married Love Pease, 
 daughter of Cummins Pease. Deliverance, who was married to 
 Joseph Pierce, Aug. 27, 1760. Isaac, who married Abigail King, 
 daughter of Benjamin King. Joseph, who married Eunice Kibbe. 
 Stephen died. Hulda, who was married to Benjamin King. Anne, 
 who was married to William Brooks. Rebecca, who was married to 
 Ebenezer Pease, son of Cummins. Mary, who was married to Isaac 
 Kibbe, of Enfield, son of James. Moses, who was married to Mary 
 White. (The families of Jacob and Moses, see hereafter. The fami- 
 lies of the other sons are not here known, as they settled in remote 
 parts.) John Hills, the father, died Dec. 4, 1782. Deliverance, the 
 mother, died Sept. 3, 1786. 
 
 JACOB HILLS, of Enfield, son of John and Deliverance Hills above, 
 was married April 7, 1763, to Love Pease, daughter of Cummins and 
 Elizabeth Pease, of Enfield. She died March 10, 1830. Their child- 
 ren Jacob, born Dec. 23, 1763. Sarah, born Oct. 14, 1765. Love, 
 born Dec. 17, 1767. Stephen, born May 29, 1770. Elisabeth, born 
 May 26, 1772. Hannah, born Nov. 27, 1774. Jedadia, born Jan. n, 
 1777. Solomon, born March 7, 1799. William. Deliverence. 
 
 MOSES HILLS, son of John and Deliverence Hills above, was mar- 
 ried Dec. 26, 1772, to Mary White, of East Windsor. Their children 
 Mary, born Aug. 12, 1773, married to Oliver Hills, Jan. 14, 1790. 
 Moses, born March 9, 1775. Theadocia, born Sept. i, 1776, married 
 to Daniel Green Aug. 15, 1793. Aaron, born July 23, 1778. Miriam, 
 born March 18, 1780. David, born July 14, 1782. Esther and Solo- 
 mon, born Oct. i, 1784. Solomon died Feb. 20, 1785. Calvin, born 
 Feb. 8, 1788. Sarah, born Jan. 2, 1790, died Nov. 5, 1792. Ichabod, 
 born May 7, 1792. Solomon, born July n, 1796. Moses Hills, the 
 father, with his family, removed [page 153] from Longmeadow Sept. 
 27, 1804, to the State of New York, and he died at the town of 
 Somers, Nov. 20, 1804. She died March 10, 1838, age 89. 
 
 JACOB HILLS, of Longmeadow, son of Jacob and Love Hills, was 
 married to Naomy Bishop, daughter of Samuel and Mary Bishop, of 
 Wilbraham. Their children Jacob, born July 14, 1790. Naomy, 
 born Sept. 3, 1792. Samuel Bishop, born April 4, 1795, died June 4, 
 1828. Mary, born July 24, 1797. Roxelane, born Nov. 27, 1800. 
 Solomon, born April 27, 1803. Luther, born Nov. 22, 1805. Naomy, 
 the daughter, was married July 24, 1808, to Jonathan Marsh Cooley, of 
 Somers, son of Luke Cooley. 
 
 OLIVER HILLS, the son of Joseph and Eunice Hills, and grandson 
 of John and Deliverence, was married Jan. 14, 1790, to Mary Hills, 
 daughter of Moses and Mary Hills. Their children Polly, born 
 June 3, 1792, died Jan. 16, 1814. Sally, born Aug. 27, 1794. Patience, 
 born April 7, 1797. Lucina, born April 5, 1799. N. B. The first
 
 70 
 
 was born in Enfield, the second and third in Blanford, Mass., the 
 fourth in Dorset, Vermont. Oliver Hills and his wife parting, she 
 brought her children to Longmeadow. 
 
 EPHRAIM HUN, of Longmeadow, son of [page 154], was 
 
 married Nov. 25, 1788, to Mitty Lathrop, daughter of Thatcher and 
 Mehittable Lathrop. She was born Dec. 20, 1765. Their children 
 David Lathrop, born Nov. '5, 1789. Ephraim, born July 31, 1791. 
 Submit, born Jan. 19, 1794. Roxe, born June 8, .1796. Cyndona, 
 born Feb. 10, 1799. Cyndona, born Sept. 21, 1801. Sophrona, born 
 April 2, 1804. Erastus, born Nov. n, 1806. 
 
 JOHN KEEP, of Longmeadow [page 155 ], one of the ancient inhabit- 
 ants of the town of Springfield, in the part thereof called Long- 
 meadow, and was the ancestor of all the Keeps in this part of the 
 county. The record and traditional accounts of him and his family 
 are as follows: John Keep was married Dec. 31, 1663, to Sarah 
 Leonard. She is supposed to have been the daughter of John Leonard 
 and born Dec. 13, 1645. Their children Sarah, born Dec. 5, 1666. 
 Elisabeth, born Nov. 15, 1668, died Sept. 1675. Samuel, born Aug. 
 22, 1670, died Aug. 23, 1755. Hannah, born June 8, 1673. Jabez, 
 born Dec. n, 1675. John Keep, the father, his wife and their child, 
 Jabez, were slain by the Indians, March 26, 1676. As they, with other 
 neighbors and a guard of men, were passing from Longmeadow to 
 Springfield town, to meeting on the Lord's day, they were fired upon 
 a little northward of Pacousick Brook. The man was mortally 
 wounded, but it is said he kept his horse until he arrived at the town of 
 Springfield. The woman, his wife, it is said, sprang from the horse upon 
 the firing of the Indians, and was carried away by them to Hadleigh and 
 killed. From tradition the guard are faulted as cowardly by the follow- 
 ing sentence : " Seven Indians, and one without a gun, caused Captain 
 Nixon and forty men to run." Sarah, the eldest daughter, was married 
 Jan. 17, 1683, to Benjamin Parsons, supposed to be the son of Dea. 
 Benjamin Parsons, of Springfield. They settled and had a family in 
 Enfield. Hannah, the youngest daughter, was married Oct. 16, 1690, 
 to Ebenezer Miller, son of Thomas and Sarah Miller. They had a 
 family in Springfield. (The family of Samuel, the son, follows this.) 
 
 2d Generation. ENSIGN SAMUEL KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of 
 John and Sarah Keep above, was married Feb. 27, 1695, to Sarah 
 Colton, daughter of Capt. Thomas Colton and Sarah, his wife. Their 
 children were a nameless infant, born Feb. 17, 1697. John, born June 
 22, 1698, died July 28, 1757. Samuel, born Nov. 12, 1700, died Nov. 
 9, 1761. Sarah, born Aug. 23, 1703, died Nov. 4, 1767. Jabez, born 
 March 10, 1706. Elisabeth, born May 22, 1709, died July 29, 1720; 
 Jemima, born July 17, 1711. Josiah, born Nov. 30, 1713. Abiah, born 
 Dec. 17, 1715. Stephen, born Oct. 26, 1717, died Jan. 15, 1790; 
 Eunice, born March n, 1720, died Dec. 23, 1739. Mathew, born Oct. 
 3, 1722, died June 29, 1758. (The families of the sons, see pages 156 
 and 157). Sarah, the daughter, was married Jan. 4, 1728, to Dea. 
 Daniel Chandler, of Enfield. Abiah was married June 9, 1737, to-
 
 Jonathan Wright, of Windsor. Jemima [page 156], was married Sept. 
 i3> i73 J to Isaac Griswold, of Killingworth. Jabez was married to 
 Sarah Leonard and settled at a place called Westford. He is said to 
 have had sixteen children. Sarah, the mother, died June 20, 1754. 
 Ensign Samuel Keep, the father, died Aug. 23, 1755. 
 
 JOHN KEEP, of Monson, son of Ensign Samuel Keep and Sarah 
 his wife, was married to Abigail Mun, of Colchester. Their chil- 
 dren John, born . Elisabeth, born - . Jabez, born 
 
 . Elisabeth, born . Abigail, born . Sarah, 
 
 born Sept. 27, 1733, died Dec. 3, 1814. Eunice, born. Simeon, 
 
 born . Mary, born . Caleb, born . Seth 
 
 born . John Keep, the father, died July 28, 1757, and was 
 
 buried in the burying-yard at Brimfield. Abigail, his widow, died Oct. 
 5, 1787, and was buried by her husband. Her age, 87. Sarah mar- 
 ried Stephen Collins. Stephen Collins died Feb. n, 1819. 
 
 SAMUEL KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Ensign Samuel Keep, was 
 married Jan. 15, 1736, to Mary Colton, daughter of John and Joanna 
 Colton. Their children Mary, born Nov. 6, 1736, died July 22, 1816. 
 Mary, the mother, died Feb. 15, 1737. Samuel Keep, the father, was 
 married again March 8, 1738, to Sarah Bemen, daughter of William 
 and Hannah Bemen, of Enfield. She was born March 6, 1718. 
 Their children Samuel, born May 26, 1739, died Oct. 20, 1823. 
 Sarah, born Feb. 1741, died Oct. 23, 1746. Eunice, born Sept. 17, 
 1743, died Oct. 4, 1807. John, born March 10, 1749, died Sept. 3, 1784. 
 Sarah, born March 17, 1753, died Nov. 3, 1838. Mary, the daughter, 
 was married June 13, 1765, to Colonel Jonth. Hale, and died July 22, 
 1816. Eunice was married Dec. 22, 1768, to Festus Colton. Sarah 
 was married April 25, 1776. to Medad Stebbins, after his death to 
 Lieut. Noah Stebbins, of Wilbraham, Oct. 13, 1808. (The family of 
 Samuel, the son, see page 158). John had a public education, grad- 
 uated at New Haven College A.D. 1769, was settled in the ministry 
 at Sheffield June 10, 1772. He was married to Hannah Rebecca 
 Robins, daughter of Rev. Mr. Robins, of Branford, and died without 
 issue. Samuel Keep, the father, died Nov. 9, 1761. Sarah, the 
 mother, was married to John Hale, son of Thomas and Experience 
 Hale, Dec. 2, 1762 [page 138], and died May n, 1810. 
 
 JOSIAH KEEP, of Monson, son of Ensign Samuel Keep and Sarah 
 his wife [page 157], was married May, 1737, to Loice Noble, of West- 
 field. Their children Loice, born April, 1738. Jemima, born 1740. 
 Ruth, born Jan. 1743. Josiah, born July, 1745. Moses, born Sept. 25, 
 1747, died Nov. 12, 1825. Hannah, born Aug. 21, 1750. (Thefamily 
 of Moses, see in page 158). 
 
 STEPHEN KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Ensign Samuel Keep and 
 Sarah his wife, was married June 12, 1754, to Hannah Colton, daugh- 
 ter of Lieut. Ephraim Colton and Mary his wife. Their children- 
 Silence, born March 10, 1755, died March 14^ 1755. Heman, born 
 Feb. 27, 1756, died Sept. 20, 1756. Marah, born Sept. 15, 1757. 
 Hannah, born Sept. 14, 1758; Marah, born Aug. n, 1761, died Aug.
 
 72 
 
 4, 1825; Stephen, born Jan. 25, 1765. Hannah, the daughter, was 
 married Oct. 12, 1796, to Silvanus Walker, of Palmer. Marah was 
 married May i, 1800, to Moses Keep. (The family of Stephen, see 
 page 159.) Stephen Keep, the father, died Jan. 15, 1790. Hannah 
 Keep, his widow, died Oct. 20, 1805. 
 
 MATHEW KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Ensign Samuel Keep and 
 Sarah his wife, was married Dec. i, 1743, to Abigail Woolcot, daugh- 
 ter of Henry and Abigail Wolcott. Their children Abigail, born 
 
 . Mathew, born March 24, 1745. Abigail, born Oct. u, 
 
 1748. Silvanus, born Jan. i, 1752. Silence, born Oct. 31, 1755. 
 Silence, born Oct. 13, 1757. Mathew Keep, the father, died June 29, 
 1758. Abigail, the mother, was married again Oct. 17, 1771, to David 
 Bowen, of Wellington, and died Feb. 4, 1809. She was born Aug. 15, 
 1721. Abigail was married Feb., 1783, to Jonah Cooley. Silence was 
 married to Nathaniel Newel, of' Union. (The family of Mathew, the 
 son, see page 159.) 
 
 SAMUEL KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and Sarah Keep [page 
 158], was married June 4, 1767, to Sabina Cooley, daughter of Josiah 
 and Experience Cooley. Their children Flavia, born Feb. 17, 1768, 
 died Sept. 19, 1829. Sabina, born Nov. 20, 1769. Experience, born Jan. 
 13, 1772, died Dec. 25, 1785. Samuel, born Feb. 10, 1774. Heber, 
 born Jan. 20, 1776. Elenor, born May 31, 1778, died July 8, 1810. 
 John, born April 20, 1781. Hannah, born Oct. 18, 1784. Experience, 
 born Dec. 19, 1787. Flavia was married Jan. 19, 1804, to Gains Bliss. 
 Sabina was married March 20, 1792, to Dea. Walter White \_page 217]. 
 Elenor was married March 5, 1801, to Solomon Warriner. (The fami- 
 lies of the sons, page 160.) 
 
 MOSES KEEP, son of Josiah and Loice Keep, was married Dec. 2, 
 1773, to Hannah Woodbury, of Brookfield. Their children Cheller, 
 born Oct. 31, 1774. Thomas, born Oct. 26, 1776. Hannah, born Oct. 
 13, 1780. Almeyda, born Aug. 26, 1782 . Noble, born Sept. 4, 1786. 
 Hannah, the mother, died Dec. 18, 1796. Moses Keep was married 
 again May i, 1800, to Marah Keep, daughter of Stephen Keep. She 
 died Aug. 4, 1825, age 64. He died Nov. 12, 1825, age 74. Their 
 children Salome, born March 25, 1801, died March 25, 1862, at Bos- 
 ton. Flavia, born Dec. 17, 1803, died Nov. 26, 1804. Mary, born 
 Jan. 8, 1808, died Oct. 14, 1808. 
 
 STEPHEN KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Stephen and Hannah Keep 
 [page 159], was married Nov. 27, 1791, to Martha Colton, daughter of 
 Solomon and Lucy Colton. Their children James, born Jan. 26, 
 1793, died Nov. 3, 1793. James, born Feb. 3, 1794. Stephen Wil- 
 liams, born Sept. 30, 1797. Martha, born April 29, 1800. Francis 
 Brick, born July n, 1807, died near New Orleans. Stephen Keep, 
 the father, died Oct. 18, 1840, age 76. His wife died June 29, 1819, 
 age 49. 
 
 MATHEW KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Mathew and Abigail Keep, 
 was married Nov. 29, 1764, to Mehittable Chandler, daughter of Isaac 
 and Abigail Chandler, of Enfield. He died Feb. 6, 1827, age 82.
 
 73 
 
 Their children Silvanus, born March, 1765. Mathew, born Dec i? 
 1767. Mercene, born March 25, 1769. Editha, born April 4 1772 
 Mehittable, born Feb, 18, 1778. Abigail, born March 5, 1780 He- 
 man, born Aug. 22, 1782. Luther, born April ii, 1786. Mehittable, 
 the mother, died Feb. 22, 1795. Mathew Keep, the father, married 
 again June 9, 1797, to Miriam Colton, widow of Capt. Ebenezer Col- 
 ton. Mehittable, the daughter, was married July 2, 1797, to Oliver 
 Dwight. Miriam Keep died Nov. 13, 1831, age 85. Abigail was mar- 
 ried Sept. 3, 1802, to Bunce. Editha was married Sept. 20 
 
 1811, to Walter Burdick, of Ellington. 
 
 SAMUEL KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and Sabina Keep 
 {page 160], was married Jan. 30, 1800, to Anne Bliss, daughter of 
 Ebenezer and Abigail Bliss. She died June 2, 1834, age 63. He died 
 May 17, 1849, age 75. Their children Nathan, born Dec. 3, 1800, 
 married and lived at Boston. Samuel, born March 6, 1803, died at 
 Baltimore Aug. 10, 1830. Lucy, born May 23, 1805, married to Rev. 
 Kphraim Taylor, died Oct. 20, 1841. Eunice, born Oct. 27, 1807. 
 John Robinson, born May 22, 1810, married to Rebecca, the daugh- 
 ter of Rev. Noah Porter. Solomon, born May 25, 1812, died Dec 
 13, 1848. 
 
 HEBER KEEP, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and Sabina Keep, 
 
 was married Feb. 15, 1810, to Elisabeth Benton, daughter of . 
 
 She died April 19, 1843. Their children Henry Agustus, born Feb. 
 10, 1811. E Benton, born July 24, 1816. Edward, born March 
 24, 1818. Elisabeth Francis, born Oct. 29, 1819. Caroline, born 
 Feb. 20, 1821. 
 
 REV. JOHN KEEP, of Blanford, son of Samuel and Sabina Keep, was 
 married June 2, 1806, to Lydia Hale, daughter of Nathan and Salome 
 Hale. Their child John Theadore, born July 31, 1809. [Vacant to 
 page 164.] 
 
 JOHN KENT, a native of Suffield, was born Jan. 7, 1772 (his mother's 
 
 name Archer), was married Nov. 20, 1794, to Sarah Steel, 
 
 daughter of Aaron and Sarah Steel, of Longmeadow. He died March 
 4, 1821. She died Jan. 23, 1858. Their children Aaron Steel, born 
 Sept. 3, 1795. Adolphus Dudley, born April 26, 1797. Sally, born 
 May 5, 1799. Amanda, born Aug. 20, 1801. Bera, born Jan. 3, 1804, 
 died Aug. 18, 1804. Bera, born Dec. 28, 1805. Pamelia, born Feb. 
 3, 1808. Lucy, born Aug. 2, 1812, died Sept. 26, 1812. 
 
 SAMUEL KING, of Longmeadow, son of Benjamin and Hulda King, 
 of Enfield, was born Dec. 29, 1767, was married May i, 1794, to 
 Nancy Parker, daughter of Samuel and Peggy Parker. Their chil- 
 dren Nancy, born May 26, 1795. Lovice, born Aug. 14, 1796. Per- 
 cis, born April 25, 1798. Samuel, born Feb. 28, 1800. Dolly, born 
 March 27, 1802. Austin, born March 18, 1804. Peggy, born Feb. 
 27, 1806. Parmel, born Feb. n, 1808, died April 29, 1810. 
 
 LIEUT. SAMUEL KING, of Longmeadow, son of Samuel and Zubah 
 
 King, of Ellington, was born , and was married Sept. 17, 1799, 
 
 to Hannah Ashley, daughter of Stephen and Hannah Ashley. Their
 
 74 
 
 children Hannah, born Sept. 27, 1802. Warren, born Dec. 14, 1806. 
 John, born April 7, 1808. Jabez, born Jan. 23, 1811. Capt. Samuel 
 King, with his family, removed to the State of New York 1802. [Va- 
 cant to page 1 66.] 
 
 DAVID LATHROP, of Longmeadow, son of Thatcher and Submit 
 Lathrop, was born April 26, 1758, and was married Jan. 28, 1789, to 
 Anne Chipman, daughter of Ebenezer and Mehittable Chipman. 
 Their children Halsey, born Feb. 23, 1790. Joseph, born Sept. 8, 
 
 1791, died June 29, 1842, age 50. Almira, born Jan. 14, 1793. Anne, 
 born Dec. 24, 1794. Nancy, born March 13, 1796. Fanny, born. 
 Nov. 19, '1798. Sally, born April 19, 1801. Lucy, born May 28, 
 1805. 
 
 ENSIGN LARIN LATHROP, of Longmeadow, son of Thatcher and Sub- 
 mit Lathrop, was married to Miriam Foster , daughter of Pela- 
 
 tiah and Phebe Foster, of East Windsor. Their children William, 
 
 born . Miriam, born , died March 5, 1829. Lyman, 
 
 born . Lorin, born March 27, 1817. 
 
 SOLOMON LOMIS, son of Ezekiel and Elisabeth, of Lebanon, and 
 and grandson of Capt. George and Mary Colton, was married Feb. 22, 
 1784, to Lucy Colton, daughter of Solomon and- Lucy Colton {page 
 66]. Their children Lucy, born Aug. 9, 1784. William, born Oct. 
 8, 1786. Lucretia, born . 
 
 ISRAEL MARKHAM, of Longmeadow, son of Darius Markham, of 
 Enfield \_page 167], was born June 6, 1775, was married Sept. 3, 1794, 
 to Lucina Kibbe, daughter of Capt. Gideon Kibbe and Bridget his 
 wife. Their children Lucina, born Feb. 20, 1795. Jerusha, born 
 Aug. 7, 1796. Israel, born Oct. 7, 1797. Nathan, born Aug. 27, 
 1800, died Sept. 2, 1808. Irena, born Oct. 16, 1802. Harriet, born 
 July 31, 1804. Gideon, born March 4, 1806. Samuel, born Feb. 29, 
 1808. 
 
 EBENEZER MCGREGORY, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer and 
 
 McGregory, of Enfield [page 168], was born , and was 
 
 married Nov. 20, 1777, to Susanna Bradley, of Tolland, Conn. He 
 died July 16, 1822. Their children Ebenezer, born Jan. n, 1779, 
 died Oct. 12, 1826. Jabez, born Aug. 24, 1780, died Sept. 6, 1780. 
 [oseph, born Feb. 12, 1782, died Sept. 17, 1828. Susanna, born June 
 15, 1785. Hannah, born Nov. 13, 1789. Thankful, born March 12, 
 
 1792. Sinah, born Oct. 18, 1794. (The families of the sons see 
 below.) Susanna, the daughter, was married to Josiah Blodget. Han- 
 nah was married Nov. 22, 1808, to Abel Pease. 
 
 EBENEZER MCGREGORY, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer and Su- 
 sanna McGregory above, was married , 1801, to Polly Crane, 
 
 daughter of Aaron and Mary Crane. He died Oct. 12, 1826, age 48. 
 Their children Polly, born Oct. 3, 1802. Ebenezer, born July 13, 
 1804. Jabez, born Oct. 17, 1806. Emeline, born Nov. 17, 1808. 
 
 JOSEPH McGREGORY, of Longmeadow, son of Ebenezer and Susanna 
 McGregory above, was married Jan. 27, 1807, to Ruth Billings, daugh- 
 ter of Lieut. Thaddeus Billings. Their children Joseph, born July 
 27,^1808. Norman, born June 19, 1809.
 
 75 
 
 JOSEPH MILLS, of Longmeadow [page 169], a foreigner by birth, was 
 married Dec. 19, 1769, to Sarah Dodge, of Colchester, in Connecti- 
 cut. He purchased a tract of land of William Stebbins in the eastern 
 part of Longmeadow. Their children John, born June r, 1770. 
 Joseph, born May 24, 1772. Anne, born Aug. 18, 1774. William, 
 born Jan. 24, 1777. Thomas, born May 2, 1779. Samuel, born May 
 4, 1781. Stephen, born Aug. 22, 1782. Martha, born Dec. 10, 1785. 
 Betsey, born Sept. 30, 1788. Israel, born Sept. 25, 1791. Joseph 
 Mills, the father, died July 19, 1800. After his death the whole fam- 
 ily, at different times, left the town. 
 
 TILLY MERRICK, of West Springfield, son of Dea. Joseph Merrick 
 and Mary his wife, was married (a second marriage of his) to Lovice 
 Colton, daughter of Dea. Aaron Colton and Mary his wife. Their 
 
 children Parnel, born Feb. 7, 1779, died . Lucinda, born 
 
 Dec. 27, 1780, died Nov, 21, 1807. Aaron, born Dec. 14, 1782. Dan- 
 iel, born March 20, 1785. Tilly, born Nov. 12, 1789. Lovice, born 
 Jan. 30, 1792. 
 
 NATHANIEL MUN, of Springfield, son of Dea. Nathaniel and Sarah 
 Munn, as supposed \J>age 170], was married Dec. 28, 1721, to Hannah 
 Colton, daughter of Capt. Thomas and Hannah Colton. Their chil- 
 dren found in record were Hepsibah, born July 21, 1725, died Aug. 
 30, 1725. Nathaniel, born July 12, 1727. Isaiah, born Sept. 16, 
 1730. Ebenezer, born March 25, 1733. Hannah, born March 2, 
 1735. Lydia, born Feb. 25, 1739. Nathaniel Mun, the father, with 
 his family, removed to Monson, in which town he and his wife died. 
 [Vacant to page 174.] 
 
 TIMOTHY NASH, a native of Hadleigh, was married to Prudence 
 Smith, of Hadleigh, date of their publishment Jan 13, 1722. Their 
 children found on record were Elisabeth, born Dec. 31, 1722. 
 Phineas, born Oct. 17, 1724. Prudence, born Dec. 31, 1726. Judah, 
 born Dec. 31, 1728. Joel, born June 19, 1731. Abigail, born Oct. i, 
 1733, died April 23, 1738. Timothy, born Mar. 20, 1736, died Jan. 9, 
 1737. Ebenezer, baptized Jan. 30, 1744. Timothy Nash removed 
 with his family to Ellington, not far from the year 1750, and it is sup- 
 posed died in that town.. Judah, his son, graduated at New Haven 
 College, 1748, and settled in the ministry in the town of Montague. 
 
 HERMON NEWEL, of Longmeadow, son of Dea. Abijah Newel, of 
 Monson, and Hepsibah his wife, was married Nov. 18, 1801, to Loice 
 Burt, daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Burt [page 30]. 
 children Edwin, born Nov. 10, 1802, died Aug. 16, 1826. 
 born July i, 1804, died at South Hadley. Simeon, born Sept 8 
 1807, died Aug. 28, 1808. Simeon, born Feb. 15, 1810. Nathaniel 
 Prior, born Feb. 25, 1817. Harriet, born Sept. 28, 1820. Hermon 
 Newell, died Sept. 19, 1833, age 59. Lois Newell, die 
 
 1 BENJAMIN NEWEL, of Pittsfield, was married Nov 2, 1800, to Mary 
 Colton, daughter of Capt. Ebenezer and Miriam Colton.
 
 7 6 
 
 dren Mary Col ton, born Mar. 29, 1803. Hiram, born July 28, 
 1805. [Vacant to page 177.] 
 
 AMOS PARKER, of Longmeadow, son of Amos and Mary Parker, of 
 Sharon, State of Vermont, was married Oct. 2, 1805, to Anne Hale, 
 daughter of Thomas and Ann Hale. Their children Lydia, born 
 April 6, 1806. Thomas Hale, born Dec. 24, 1807. Cynthia, born 
 Aug. 9, 1811. David, born June 25, 1813, died Dec. 14, 1831. Chloe, 
 born April 26, 1815. Amos Parker, the grandfather, died May i, 
 1836, age 79. 
 
 LEMUEL PARSONS, of Springfield \_fage 178], was married Mar. 27, 
 1780, to Margaret Colton, daughter of Asa and Margaret Colton. 
 Their children Amos, born Sept. 10, 1780. Cloe, born April 18, 
 1782, died Aug. 1783. Mary, born Feb. 21, 1784, died Aug. 1794. 
 Lemuel, born Dec. 2, 1785, died Sept. 2, 1786. Asa, born Sept. 2, 
 1787. Austin, born June 6, 1789. Simeon, born May 20, 1792. 
 Polly, born June 8, 1797. Margaret, the mother, died Nov. 13, 1806. 
 
 AMOS PARSONS, of Longmeadow, son of Lemuel and Margaret Par- 
 sons above, was married Oct. 1802, to Mehittable Prince, of Spring- 
 field. Their children Seth, born Feb. 2, 1803. Oliver, born Mar. 
 13, 1805. Margaret, born Mar. n, 1807. Lucius, born Feb. 28, 
 1809. Elvira, born Sept. 30, 1811. Charles, born Sept. 6, 1816. 
 Mehittable, born Jan. 14, 1814. Amos, born May 3, 1820. 
 
 ISAAC PEASE, of Enfield, son of Ezekiel and Hannah Pease, was 
 married Dec. 19, 1776, to Submit Spencer, daughter of Capt. Heze- 
 kiah and Mary Spencer. Their children Oliver, born Sept. 5, 1777. 
 Isaac, born Mar. 22, 1779. Daniel, born Oct. 3, 1780. Reuben, born 
 Dec. 28, 1781. Submit, born Oct. 3, 1783. Calvin, born April 13, 
 1784. Abel, born May 6, 1787. Submit, the mother, died Jan. 30, 
 1813. 
 
 ISAAC PEASE, of Longmeadow, son of Isaac and Submit Pease, of 
 
 Enfield \_page 179], was married to Betsey Terry, daughter of Col. 
 
 Terry, of Enfield. Their children Betsey, born June 17, 1804. 
 Solomon, born Sept. 9, 1806. Isaac Terry, born April u, 1809. 
 
 PETER PEASE, a native of Glastonbury, Conn., was married Aug. 28, 
 1794, to Anne Bliss, daughter of Asahel and Mary Bliss. Their chil- 
 dren Sally, born June 13, 1795. Polly, born April 5, 1797. Sophia, 
 born Mar. 9, 1805. Emelia, born July n, 1807. 
 
 ENSIGN DANIEL PORTER, of Longmeadow, a native of Ellington, 
 
 was married Mar. 5, 1793, to Amy Blodget, daughter of . Their 
 
 children Daniel, born June 27, 1793. Amy, born April 28, 1795. 
 David Taylor, born Feb. 25, 1797, died Mar. 25, 1802. Wadsworth, 
 born Dec. 8, 1799. Cynthia, born Feb. 14, 1802, died Mar. 14, 1802. 
 Emelia, born Mar. 29, 1803. Polly, born July 3, 1805. David Taylor, 
 born April 15, 1807, died Mar. 23, 1811. 
 
 JACOB PRATT, of Longmeadow, son of Jacob and Elisabeth Pratt, 
 of Somers [page 180], was married to Mary Cooley, daughter of 
 George. Their children Jacob, born Mar. 24, 1773. Polly, born
 
 77 
 
 Dec. 16, 1774, died Dec. 1776. Polly, born June 4, 1777. Parmela, 
 born Dec. 14, 1779. Abner, born Feb. 24, 1782. Noah, born Feb. 
 16, 1787. Sahanus,born June 4, 1789. Philence, born July 16, 1791. 
 Jacob Pratt, the father, died June 2, 1811. Mary, the mother, died 
 May 6. 1824. [Vacant to page 184]. 
 
 ist Generation. The HON. COL. WILLIAM PYNCHEON, one of the 
 first patentees of the Colony of Massachusetts, and Treasurer of the 
 same, came to New England in the* year 1629, with Governor Winthrop 
 and others ; in the year 1636, he, as principal leader of the first settlers, 
 came from Roxbury to Springfield. By the public records it appears 
 that his children which were with him in Springfield were Colonel 
 John Pyncheon, his successor, the wife of Mr. Henry Smith, Mary the 
 wife of Captain Elizur Holyoke, and Margaret, who was married Dec. 
 6, 1644, to Mr. William Davis. By the records of the general court 
 of Massachusetts, it appears that Colonel William Pyncheon published 
 something which the court considered to be heretical, and which gave 
 offense. The court proposed to write to England, signifying their dis- 
 approbation of the doctrines advanced by Col. Pyncheon, and they 
 also appointed Mr. Norton, of Ipswich, to write an answer to the 
 sentiment advanced by Col. Pyncheon. They also suspended him 
 from his office at Springfield, appointing Mr. Henry Smith to succeed 
 him. These transactions of the general court, with some other difficul- 
 ties with people of Connecticut river, are supposed to have been the 
 cause of Col. William Pyncheon's leaving Springfield and Massachu- 
 setts, as it it is said he did Sept. 1652, with his son-in-law, Mr. 
 Henry Smith, and returned to England. He died in a place called 
 Wraisbury, Oct. 1662, age 72. 
 
 2d Generation. COLONEL JOHN PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son of 
 Col. William Pyncheon, was married Oct. 30, 1644, to Ame Willis. 
 Their children Joseph, born July 26, 1646. John, born Oct. 15, 
 1647, died April 25, 1721. Mary, born Oct. 28, 1650. William, born 
 Oct. n, 1653, died June 15, 1654. Mehittable, born Nov. 22, 1661, 
 died July 24, 1663. Joseph, educated at Harvard College, was gradu- 
 ated A.D. 1664, was in England 1675, at the time Springfield was 
 burnt by the Indians ; he settled in Boston, and died unmarried. (The 
 family of John follows this.) Maty was married Oct. 5, 1669, to 
 Joseph Whiting. Mrs. Ame Pyncheon, the mother, died Jan. 9, 1699. 
 Col. John Pyncheon, the father, died Jan. 17, 1703. 
 
 3d Generation. COLONEL JOHN PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son of 
 Colonel John and Ame Pyncheon above, was married to Margaret 
 Hubbard, daughter of the Rev. William Hubbard, of Ipswich. His 
 wife remained at Ipswich during the Indian war, where his chil- 
 dren were born, and after the war they settled at Springfield. Their 
 
 children were John, born , died July 12, 1742. Margaret, 
 
 born . William, born , died Jan. i, 1741. Margaret, 
 
 the daughter, was married to Nathaniel Downing, of Ipswich, and had 
 six children, viz. : Nathaniel, John, Margaret, Jane, Lucy, and Anna. 
 (The families of the sons, John and William, see below.) Colonel
 
 78 
 
 John Pyncheon, the father, and his father, were men of great improve- 
 ment in their day, both in the county and town wherein they lived, as 
 appears from records. The 2d Col. John Pyncheon was one of the 
 commissioners of the United Colonies. He died April 25, 1721. 
 Margaret, his wife, died Nov. n, 1716. 
 
 4th Generation. COLONEL JOHN PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son of 
 Col. John and Margaret Pyncheon, was married Feb. 18, 1702, to 
 Bashua Taylor, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Westfield. She 
 was born Jan. n, 1683. Their children were Elisabeth, born Dec. 
 27, 1702, died Sept. 26, 1776. William, born Nov. n, 1703, died 
 Jan. n, 1783. John, born Feb. 7, 1705, died April 6, 1754. Joseph, 
 born Feb. 8, 1705, died in Boston. Mary, born Oct. 10, 1706. Bath- 
 shua, born Jan. i, 1708, died Jan. 5, 1760. A son, born June 19, 
 1710, and died within an hour. Bathshua, the mother, died June 20, 
 1710, age 27. Col. John Pyncheon, the father, was married again 
 Nov. 3, 1711, to Phebe Sexton, of Enfield. She was born Jan. 7, 
 
 1686. Their children Martha, born , died Dec. 8, 1712. 
 
 Edward, born April 6, 1713, died Nov. 3, 1777. Nathaniel, born 
 March 3, 1715, died Oct. 10, 1722. George, born April 20, 1717, 
 died June 26, 1797. Charles, born Jan. 31, 1719, died Aug. 19, 
 
 1783. Margaret, born , died Oct. 27, 1722. Elisabeth was 
 
 married Feb. 6, 1721, to Benjamin Colton, son of Isaac and Mary 
 Colton. Mary was married Aug. 12, 1726, to Joseph Dwight, who 
 was known by the title of Brigadier Dwight. Bashua was married 
 Feb. 18, 1730, to Robert Harris. Phebe, the second wife of this 
 Col. John Pyncheon, died Oct. 17, 1722. He died July 12, 1742, age 
 68. This Col. John Pyncheon. was two years in Harvard College ; his 
 grandfather took him away, and procured for him the clerk's office at 
 Springfield, and he was chosen County Register. He lived some 
 years with his grandfather, who was the first justice of the court. 
 
 4th Generation. COLONEL WILLIAM PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son 
 of Col. John and Margaret Pyncheon, served an apprenticeship with a 
 brazier, in Boston. At 21 years of age he came to Springfield. He 
 was a justice of the court, May 15, 1721. He was married to 
 Catharine Brewer, daughter of the Rev. Daniel Brewer and Catha- 
 rine his wife. Their children Sarah, born Aug. 17, 1721, died 
 Aug. 4, 1755. William, born Dec. 12, 1723. Margaret, born Nov. 
 24, 1727, died April 1772. Daniel John, born Oct. 7, 1733, died 
 April 22, 1754. Joseph, born Oct. 30, 1737. Sarah was married to 
 Col. Josiah Dwight, of Springfield, and had no children. William was 
 educated at Harvard College; graduated 1743; he settled at Salem, 
 in the practice of law, and died in that town. Margaret was married 
 Jan. i, 1750, to Major Elijah Williams of Deerfield. Daniel J. died 
 a student in New Haven College, April 22, 1754. Joseph was 
 educated at New Haven College; graduated 1757. He was married 
 to Sarah Ruggles, daughter of Rev. Mr. Ruggles, of Gilford, and 
 settled in that town. Col. William Pyncheon, the father, died Jan. i, 
 1741. Catherine, his widow, died April 10, 1747.
 
 79 
 
 5th Generation. WILLIAM PYNCHEON, Esq., of Springfield, son of Col. 
 John and Bathshua Pyncheon [page 186], was married Dec. 14, 1738. to 
 Sarah -Bliss, daughter of Lieut. Palatiah and Elisabeth Bliss. Their 
 children William, born Nov. 21, 1739, died March 24, 1808. John, 
 born Sept. 20, 1742. Sarah, born Oct. 5, 1751, died luly 26, 1826. 
 (The family of William, see page 187). Sarah was married Dec. 5, 
 1780,10 David White. William Pyncheon, the father, died Jan. n, 
 1783. Sarah, his widow, died Feb. 21, 1796. 
 
 5th Generation. The Honorable JOSEPH PYNCHEON,' son of Col. 
 John and Bathshua Pynchdon, was educated at Harvard College; 
 graduated 1726 ; preached at times, and studied and practiced physic; 
 settled first, at Longmeadow ; was married Oct. 13, 1748, to Mrs. 
 Maiy Cheney, widow of_ the Rev. Mr. Cheney, of Brookfield, and 
 daughter of the Rev. John Colton, of Newton. Their children were 
 Mary, Rebecca, Martha, Margaret. Joseph Pyncheon, the father, 
 soon after his marriage, removed to Boston. 
 
 5th Generation. EDWARD PYNCHEON, Esq., of Springfield, son of 
 Colonel John Pyncheon and Phebe his wife, was for many years 
 County Treasurer and Register. He was married Dec. 15, 1763, to 
 Mrs. Rebecca Bliss, widow of Capt. Luke Bliss ; her maiden name 
 was Stoughton ; they died without issue. He died Nov. 3, 1777, leav- 
 ing his estate to his kindred. She died Nov. 5, 1810. She was born 
 March, 1721. 
 
 5th Generation. CAPT. GEORGE PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son of 
 Col. John and Phebe Pyncheon, was married Dec. 21, 1738, to 
 Hannah Bartlett. Their children, found on record George, born 
 April 27, 1739. Lovice, born Aug. 9, 1740. Nathaniel, born Jan. i, 
 1743. Walter, born Sept. 5, 1744. Peter, born Aug. 30, 1746. 
 Margaret, born March 19, 1747. Hannah, the mother, died Aug. 10, 
 1751. Capt. George Pyncheon was married again to Abigail Pease, 
 daughter of Ebenezer and Midwell Pease, of Enfield. Their children 
 Peter, born March 6, 1756. Henry [page 187], born Feb. 24, 1758. 
 Henry, born Dec. 31, 1759. Abigail, born Jan. i, 1762. Peter, born 
 Dec. 22, 1763. Capt. George Pyncheon, the father, died June 26, 
 1797. Abigail, the mother, died Sept. 9, 1810. Abigail, the daughter, 
 was married June 19, 1780, to Jeremiah Platt of New Haven, Con- 
 necticut. 
 
 5th Generation. COLONEL CHARLES PYNCHEON, of Springfield, com- 
 monly in his day known by the title of Doctor Pyncheon, being an 
 approved physician, was son of Col. John and Phebe Pyncheon, and 
 was married July 30, 1749, to Anne Dwight, daughter of Henry 
 Dwight, of Hatfield. Their children Mary, born Feb. i, 1753, died 
 Oct. 23, 1802. Anna, born Dec. i, 1754, died Dec. 26, 1797. Mary 
 was married May 9, 1782, to the Hon. Samuel Lyman, who died June 
 6, 1802. Anna was married May, 1786, to Colonel Joseph Williams, 
 and died without issue. Col. Charles Pyncheon, the father, died Aug. 
 19. 1783. Anna, the mother, died Dec. 22, 1802. 
 
 6th Generation. MAJOR WILLIAM PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son
 
 8o 
 
 of William and Sarah Pyncheon, was married Nov. 13, 1766, to Lucy 
 Harris, daughter of Lieut. Robert Harris, and Bathshua, his wife. 
 Their children Erastus, born Oct. 19, 1767. Stephen, born Jan. 
 31, 1769. Loice, born Oct. 6, 1770, died June 8, 1781. Bathshua, 
 born July 27, 1772. Edward, born Nov. 14. 1774, died March 17, 
 1830. William, born Dec. n, 1776. Joseph, born Aug. 23, 1779. 
 Loice, born Jan. i, 1782, died Jan. 3, 1782. Major William' 
 Pyncheon, the father, died March 24, 1808. Bathshua, the daughter, 
 was married May, 1799, to the Rev. Ebenezer Gay, of Suffield. 
 
 5th Generation. JOHN PYNCHEON, of Springfield, son of William 
 and Sarah Pyncheon [page 188], was married Dec. 8, 1768, to Lucy 
 Horton, daughter of Capt. John Horton and Mary his wife, of 
 Springfield. Their children John, born Nov. 12, 1769. Lucy, born 
 March i, 1771. Lucy, Dec. -16, 1772. Daniel, born March 3, 1775. 
 Daniel born Feb. 12, 1781. [Vacant to page 190.] 
 
 JOHN RUMRILL, of Enfield, son of Simon and Sarah Rumrill, was 
 married Feb. 14, 1728, to Abigail Chandler, daughter of Henry and 
 Lydia Chandler, of Enfield. Their children John, born Aug. 16, 
 1728, died Jan. 19, 1809. Abigail, born March i, 1730, died Feb. 
 1787. Martha, born Oct. 14, 1731. Nehemiah, born Sept. 5, 1733, 
 died Jan. 14, 1805. Sarah, born June 6, 1735, died Dec. n, 1805. 
 Lydia, born Feb. 18, 1737. Mehittable, born April 6, 1739, died 
 Nov. n, 1809. Hannah, born March 19, 1741, died 1809. Simeon 
 and Henry, born July 3, 1743. Ebenezer, born July 16, 1745, died 
 Dec. 17, 1801. John Rumrill, the father, died Nov. 28, 1770, age 66. 
 Abigail, his widow, died Jan. 21, 1772. 
 
 JOHN RUMRILL, of Enfield, son of John and Abigail Rumrill above, 
 was married Nov. 18, 1762, to Sarah Bliss, daughter of Ebenezer and 
 Sarah Bliss, of Longmeadow. Their children John, born April 27, 
 1763, drowned Oct. n, 1789. Sarah, born Sept. 5, 1764. Elijah, 
 born June 14, 1766. Silence, born Feb. 3, 1768. Amasa, born 
 March 14, 1770. Abigail, born March 22, 1772. Catharine, born 
 March 17, 1774. Martha, born June 14, 1777, died June 10, 1809. 
 Asahel, born Aug. 20, 1781. John Rumrill, the father, died Jan. 19, 
 1809 
 
 NEHEMIAH RUMRILL, of Longmeadow, son of John and Abigail 
 Rumrill above, was married March 9, 1758, to Alice Parsons, daugh- 
 ter of Nathaniel and Alice Parsons, of Enfield. Their children Pene- 
 lope, born Aug. 2, 1758, died Aug. 20, 1758. Penelope, born Aug. 
 X 3> J 759- Alice, born Nov. 27, 1761. Asa, born May 8, 1764. 
 Susannah, born Nov. 28, 1766, died July 28, 1767. Levi, born June 
 29, 1768. Susannah, born Jan. 14, 1771, died Feb. 27, 1786. Alex- 
 ander, born Aug. 18, 1773. Lucy, born Feb. 13, 1776. Ruth, born 
 Dec. 21, 1778. Margaret, born April u, 1781. Alice Rumrill, the 
 mother, died Nov. 18, 1804. Nehemiah Rumrill, the father, died Jan. 
 14, 1805. 
 
 EBENEZER RUMRILL, of Longmeadow, son of John and Abigail 
 Rumrill [page 191], was married Dec. i, 1767, to Eleanor Cooley,
 
 8i 
 
 daughter of Josiah and Experience Cooley. Their children Simeon, 
 born March 14, 1768. Elam, born Nov. 8, 1770. Eleanor, born July 
 6, 1772. Ebenezer, born Sept. n, 1774, died April i, 1775. Eben- 
 ezer, born Dec. 7, 1775, died Sept. 12, 1777. Ebenezer, born Sept. 
 19, 1777, died Nov. 8, 1777. Eleanor, the mother, died Oct. 21, 1777. 
 Ebenezer Rumrill, the father, was married again Sept. 3, 1780, to 
 Mary Bliss, widow of Asahel Bliss and daughter of Stephen and Mary 
 Chandler. Their children Triphene, born Sept. 24, 1784. Betsey, 
 born Nov. 15, 1787. Ebenezer Rumrill, the father, died Dec. 17, 
 1801. Mary, his widow, died Aug. 17, 1810. 
 
 LEVI RUMRILL, of Longmeadow, son of Nehemiah and Alice Rum- 
 rill, was married April 12, 1792, to Elisabeth Bliss, daughter of Eben- 
 ezer and Sarah Bliss. Their children Lorin, born May 29, 1793. 
 Asa, born Feb. 22, 1795. Betsey, born Jan. 16, 1797. Chauncy, 
 born Nov. 27, 1798. Miranda, born July 2, 1801. Sophia, born 
 June 13, 1803. Elisabeth, the mother, died April 22, 1816. [Vacant 
 to page 193.] 
 
 EMERY RUSSEL, of Longmeadow, son of William and Sarah Russel, 
 of Somers, was born March 19, 1750, and was married to Eleanor 
 Smith of Ashford. Their children Emory, born April 6, 1784. 
 Eleanor, born Feb. 2, 1786. Emery, born March 15, 1789. Emery 
 Russel, the father, died Sept. 14, 1807. Eleanor, the daughter, was 
 married Oct. 27, 1803, to Jehiel Spencer, of Somers, son of Jonathan 
 Spencer. 
 
 JOSEPH SCOTT, of Longmeadow, son of Moses and Mary Scott, of 
 Rowley, State of Massachusetts, was born March 7, 1768, and was 
 married Dec. 16, 1798, to Eunice Merrit, daughter of Thomas and 
 Zilpha Merrit, of Brooklyn, State of Connecticut. Their children- 
 Joseph, born April 30, 1801. George, born Nov. 4, 1802, died April 
 12, 1827. Harriet and Emily, born April n, 1805. William, born 
 April 26, 1807. Mary, born June 27, 1809. Moses, born May 30, 
 1812. The five first of the above children were born in Brooklyn, 
 Connecticut. Eunice, born April 26, 1818. 
 
 ROBERT SILCOCK, of Longmeadow [page 194].' He came from the 
 city of Worcester, in England. He came a soldier in the British 
 service in the Revolutionary war. Being a weaver, he followed that 
 occupation, and was married May i, 1781, to Sarah Stebbins, daugh- 
 ter of Jonathan and Abigail Stebbins. She died March 19, 1825, 
 age 71. Their children John, born Feb. 15, 1782. Sarah, born 
 Nov. 19, 1783, died Sept. 4, 1819, age 36. Mary, born July 10, 1785, 
 died Oct. 20, 1840, married Seth Taylor. William Collin, born Feb. 
 16, 1787. Nancy, born June 30, 1789. Clarissa, born Feb. i, 1792. 
 Robert, born Feb. 2, 1794, died Feb. 24, 1818. Phebe, born Nov. 28, 
 1795, died Nov. 4, 1819. Lyman, born Feb. 21, 1798. Robert Sil- 
 cock, the father, died March 21, 1806, age 49; born May 1757. Clar- 
 issa married Ethan -Taylor. Mary, the daughter, was married Sept. 
 21, 1806, to Seth Taylor. Nancy married . 
 
 ISRAEL SPENCER, of Longmeadow, son of Jonathan Spencer of
 
 82 
 
 Somers \_page 195], was married Jan. 19, 1775, to Ruth Wright, daugh- 
 ter of Samuel Wright, of Somers. He died Jan. 22, 1825, aged 77. 
 Their children Ruth and Jerusha, born Aug. 5, 1779. Jerusha died 
 Oct. 5, 1834, aged 55. Ruth, the daughter, was married Feb. 26, 
 1796, to Micah King. Jerusha was married Jan. 8, 1802, to Hervy 
 Ellis, who died Nov. 3, 1810 [see page 128]. 
 
 ist Generation. ROWLAND STEBBINS \_page 196], as far as is 
 known, is supposed to have been the ancestor of all of his name in 
 New England. He came to Roxbury, and from thence to Springfield ; 
 probably he removed to Northampton, as his death is recorded in that 
 town. He died Dec. 14, 1671. By the records it appears that Law- 
 rence Bliss came into possession of his home-lot in Springfield. 
 Thomas and John were his sons. Thomas settled in Springfield, and 
 his and some of his descendants' families are hereafter entered. John 
 Stebbins married and had children there. He removed to Northamp- 
 ton, and died March 7, 1678. Elisabeth Stebbins, probable daughter 
 of Rowland, was married March 2, 1647, to John Clark. Sarah Steb- 
 bins, probably another daughter, was married to Thomas Merrick, 
 Nov. 14, 1639. Sarah, the wife of Rowland Stebbins, died Oct. 4, 
 1649. 
 
 2d Generation. LIEUT. THOMAS STEBBINS, of Springfield, son of 
 Rowland Stebbins, was married Nov. 1645, to Hannah Wright. 
 Their children Samuel, born Sept. 19, 1646, died July 13, 1708. 
 Thomas, b'orn July 31, 1648, died Dec. 29, 1605. Joseph, born Oct. 
 24, 1652, died Oct. 15, 1728. Sarah, born Aug. 18, 1654, died Nov. 
 6, 1721. Edward, born April 14, 1656, died Oct. 31, 1712. Benja- 
 min, born April n, 1658. Rowland, born Oct. 2, 1660, died Oct. 
 24, 1661. Hannah, born Oct. i, 1660. Hannah, the mother, died 
 Oct. 16, 1660. Lieut. Thomas Stebbins was married to Abigail Mun, 
 Dec. 14, 1676, and died Sept. 5, 1683. (The families of the sons see 
 hereafter.) Sarah, the daughter, was married Jan. 2, 1672, to Samuel 
 Bliss, of Longmeadow. 
 
 3d Generation. SAMUEL STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Thomas 
 and Hannah Stebbins above, was married July 22, 1679, to Joanna 
 Lamb, daughter of John and Joanna Lamb. Their children Thomas, 
 born Dec. 26, 1681, died Jan. 3, 1682. Samuel, born May 13, 1683, 
 and died June 17, 1767. Joanna, the mother, died Aug. 8, 1683. 
 Samuel Stebbins, the father, was married again Dec. 10, 1685, to 
 Abigail Brooks, daughter of William and Mary Brooks. Their chil- 
 dren John, born Feb. 13, 1686. Ebenezer, born Nov. 30, 1688. 
 William, born July 27, 1693, died Oct. 30, 1776. Abigail, born Nov. 
 30, 1695. Joanna, born March 4, 1697. Thomas, born Aug. 10, 
 1698. Benjamin, born Dec. 10, 1700. Mercy, born Jan. 19, 1705, 
 died Aug. 4, 1780. (The families of Samuel and William, see page 
 198.) John and Thomas settled in Brimfield. Samuel, the father, 
 died July 13, 1708. Abigail, the mother, died March 13, 1764. She 
 was born Jan. 25, 1666. Abigail, the daughter, was married Aug. i,
 
 83 
 
 1717, to John Hitchcock, son of John and Mary Hitchcock. Joanna 
 was married May 31, 1720, to Mathew Noble, of Westfield Mary 
 was married Dec. 22, 1726, to Lieut. John Colton, of Longmeadow ' 
 3d Generation. THOMAS STEBBINS, of Springfield, son of Lieut. 
 Thomas and Hannah Stebbins, was married Dec. 21, 1672, to Abigail 
 Mun. Their children Thomas, born Jan. 28, 1673, died 'March 20 
 
 1675. Abigail, born May 27, 1675, di ed March 15, 1692. Hannah' 
 born Dec. 29, 1677, died Jan. 10, 1698. Hannah, born Dec. 22, 1680! 
 Thomas, born Nov. 30, 1682, died Sept. 9, 1684. Sarah, born April 
 17, 1686. Mary, born Dec. i, 1688. Abigail, the mother, died Feb. 
 6, 1692. Thomas, the father, died Dec. 7, 1695. 
 
 3d Generation. JOSEPH STEBBINS, of Springfield, son of Lieut. 
 Thomas and Hannah Stebbins, was married Nov. 27, 1673, to Sarah 
 Dorchester, daughter of Anthony Dorchester. Their children Joseph, 
 born Oct. 7, 1674, drowned Sept. 29, 1722. Benjamin, born Jan. 23' 
 
 1676. Thomas, born July 13, 1679, died June 29, 1713. John, born 
 Sept. 22, 1681, died Nov. n, 1686. Mehittable, born Nov. 27, 1683, 
 married Jonathan Strong. Ebenezer, born June 8, 1686. Sarah, born 
 June 8, 1688, married David Chapin. John, born Nov. 8, 1690. Han- 
 nah, born Nov. 9, 1692. Martha, born June 28, 1697. Mehittable 
 was married Nov. 21, 1705 to Jonathan Strong, of Northampton. 
 Sarah was married Nov. 21, 1705, to David Chapin, of Springfield. 
 Joseph Stebbins, the father, died Oct. 15, 1728. 
 
 3d t Generation. EDWARD STEBBINS, of Springfield, son of 
 Thomas and Hannah Stebbins, was married April 1679, to Sarah 
 Graves. Their children Sarah, born Feb. 20, 1681. Thomas, born 
 Oct.- 1685, died Jan. 31, 1686. Thomas, born March 7, 1687. Mary, 
 born Sept. n, 1689. John, born Jan. 10, 1692. Mary, born 
 June 2, 1695, died April 1698. Sarah, the mother, died June 12, 
 1700. Edward Stebbins was married again Oct. 18, 1701, to Mary 
 Colton, widow of Isaac Colton, and he died Oct. 31, 1712. She died 
 at her son's, George Colton, in Longmeadow, Aug. 30, 1743, age 91. 
 Edward Stebbins, early in the spring 1676, was taken by the Indians 
 at Longmeadow, while he was with Samuel Bliss, his brother-in-law, 
 and he was carried to the falls above Deerfield, and, with a youth 
 named Gilbert, made his escape from the Indians and gave informa- 
 tion of their place of residence, whereupon the English went and de- 
 stroyed three hundred or more of them \_page 198]. 
 
 3d Generation. BENJAMIN STEBBINS, of West Springfield, -son of 
 Lieut. Thomas aud Hannah Stebbins, was married Oct. 9, 1682, to 
 Abigail Denton. Their child Abigail, born Oct. 29, 1685. Abigail, 
 the mother, died Aug. 24, 1689. Benjamin Stebbins was married 
 May 8, 1701, to widow Martha Ball. Their children Benjamin, born 
 March 8, 1702. Francis, born Nov. 19, 1703. Martha, born Nov. 14, 
 1705. Miriam, born Oct. 8, 1707. Mary, born June 25, 1713. Mercy, 
 born July 24, 171.5. 
 
 4th Generation. SAMUEL STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Sam-
 
 uel and Joanna Stebbins, was married Jan. 30, 1707, to Hannah 
 Hitchcock, daughter of Luke Hitchcock, Esq., and Sarah his wife. 
 Their children Samuel, born June 19, 1708, died Feb. 10, 1754. 
 Jonathan, born Oct. 24, 1709, died July n, 1788. Stephen, born 
 Oct. 16, 1711, died Feb. 26, 1768. Hannah, born June 10, 1713. 
 Aaron, born Feb. 20, 1715, died May 15, 1808. Joanna, born 
 Nov. i, 1716, died Sept. 23, 1800. Moses, born Dec. 4, 1718. 
 Luke, born Jan. 28, 1722. Sarah, born Nov. 8, 1725, died Nov. 
 25, 1725. Nehemiah, born April 14, 1727. Thankful, born March 4, 
 1730, died Oct. 23, 1733. (The families of the sons, see in pages 199, 
 200 and 201.) Hannah, the daughter, was married Jan. 13, 1736, to 
 Moses Parsons, of Enfield. Joanna was married Jan. 31, 1740, to 
 James Firman, of Enfield. Hannah Stebbins, the mother, died May 
 
 24, 1756. Samuel Stebbins, the father, was married again Jan. 3, 
 1758, to Sarah Allin. She died Feb. 26, 1763, and he died June 17, 
 1767, and was buried at the time of raising the meeting-house. 
 
 4th Generation. LIEUT. WILLIAM STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son 
 of Samuel and Abigail Stebbins, was married March 15, 1716, to 
 Mercy Knowlton, of Springfield. Their children, as found on record, 
 were Benjamin, died Dec. 4, 1718. Mercy, died June n, 1720. Wil- 
 liam, born , died March 29, 1725. William, born April 22, 
 
 1726, died April 20, 1797. Ruth, born July 26, 1728, died Aug. 16, 
 1728. Ezra, born Aug. 16, 1731, died Feb. 5, 1796. Zadoch, born 
 Nov. 10, 1732, died Nov. 10,1732. Mercy died Jan. 15, 1743. Mercy, 
 the mother, died March 3, 1751. Lieut. William Stebbins was married 
 again in 1754 to the widow Thankful Pond, of Northford, a parish in 
 the town of Branford. He died Oct. 30, 1776, and she returned to 
 her children in Connecticut. (The families of William and Ezra, the 
 sons, seeinflages 201 and 202.) [Page 199.] 
 
 5th Generation. SAMUEL STEBBINS, of Wilbraham, son of Samuel 
 and Hannah Stebbins, was married March 22, 1734, to Mary Knowl- 
 ton, of Springfield. Their children Mary, born Aug. 23, 1735, died 
 Aug. 27, 1742. Seth, born Jan. 8, 1739, died Sept. i, 1742. Thank- 
 ful, born Feb. 14, 1737. Noah, born Oct. 13, 1741. Mary, born March 
 
 25, 1744. Mercy, born Feb. 12, 1747. Mary, the mother, died Aug. 
 22, 1750, at Longmeadow. Samuel Stebbins, the father, was married 
 again Nov. 18, 1750, to the widow Sarah Jones, daughter of Deacon 
 James Wood, of Somers. Their children Samuel, born Sept. 8, 1751. 
 Seth, born July 17, 1753, died July 27, 1753. Samuel Stebbins, the 
 father, died at Somers Feb. 10, 1754. Thankful was married May 5, 
 1757, to Paul Langdon, of Wilbraham. Mary was married April 21, 
 1763, to Enos Stebbins, son of Jonathan Stebbins, of Longmeadow. 
 They settled in Wilbraham. 
 
 5th Generation. JONATHAN STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of 
 Samuel and Hannah Stebbins, was married Dec. n, 1735, to Margaret 
 Bliss, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Bliss. Their children Jon- 
 athan, born Sept. 28, 1736, died Dec. 7, 1762. Bliss, born May 30, 
 1738. Enos, born July 26, 1740. Margaret, born Aug. 28, 1741, died
 
 85 
 
 Oct. 6, 1807. Eunice, born Nov. 25, 1742, died May 2, 1786. Ann, 
 born Feb. 8, 1744, died April 17, 1787. Margaret, the mother, died 
 June 1 6, 1744. Jonathan Stebbins was married again Oct. 18, 1745, 
 to Sarah Mosley, of Westfield. She had one child still-born, Nov. 14, 
 1746, and died Nov. 29, 1746. Jonathan Stebbins was married again 
 Nov. 5, 1747, to Abigail Hale, daughter of John and Thankful Hale, 
 of West Springfield. She was born Jan. 18, 1721. Their children 
 Abigail, born Oct. 29, 1748, died June 4, 1811. Medad, born Feb. 4, 
 1751, died Sept. 9, 1804. Sarah, born March 22, 1752, died June 2, 
 1754. Sarah, born Sept. 16, 1754. Rhoda, born July 15, 1756, died 
 Oct. 9, 1756. Lewis, born Jan. 10, 1758, died Oct. 9, 1758. Rhoda, 
 born July 16, 1759. Lewis, born March 22, 1761, died June 15, 1778. 
 The sons Enos and Medad had families. Margaret was married May 
 12, 1765, to Noah Stebbins. Eunice was married Nov. 27, 1766, to 
 Enoch Burt. Ann was married Feb. 3, 1774, to Thomas Hale. Abigail 
 was married Feb. 15, 1770, to Moses Bartlett, of Wilbraham. Sarah 
 was married May i, 1781, to Robert Silcock. Rhoda was married 
 Oct. 6, 1784, to John Robinson, of Granville. Jonathan died in New 
 York on his return from Havana, Dec. 7, 1762. Bliss received part 
 of a college education, and died a common stroller. Jonathan Steb- 
 bins, the father, died July n, 1788. Abigail, the mother, died May i, 
 1812, age 91 years, Jan. 29 past [page 200]. 
 
 5th Generation. STEPHEN STEBBINS, of Wilbraham, son of Samuel and 
 Hannah Stebbins, was married Oct. 9, 1733, to Sarah Bliss, 
 daughter of Thomas and Sarah Bliss. Their children Sarah, born 
 May 15, 1734, died July 23, 1755. Eunice, born Dec. 15, 1735, died 
 Jan. 21, 1737. Eldad, born Aug. 13, 1737. Phinehas, born May 19, 1739, 
 died April i, 1807. Zadock, born Aug. 12, 1741. Eunice, born Nov. 
 15, 1743. Ruth, born Feb. 10, 1746. Hannah, born Aug. 10, 1748. 
 Stephen, born April 28, 1752. Gad, born Feb. 12, 1756. Sarah was 
 married to John Langdon, Feb. 1755. Eunice was married to. David 
 Lion, May 17, 1764. Stephen Stebbins, the father, died Feb. 26, 1768. 
 
 5th Generation. AARON STEBBINS, of Wilbraham, son of Samuel 
 and Hannah Stebbins, was married Oct. 18, 1744, to Mary Wood, 
 daughter of Dea. James Wood, of Somers. Their children Mary, 
 born June 19, 1748. Aaron, born March 20, 1750. James, born Dec. 
 31. 1751, did Sept 14, 1759. Seth, born Sept. 6, 1754. Martha, born 
 Feb. 15, 1757, died Sept. 9, 1759. James, born Oct. 6, 1760. Mary, 
 the daughter, was married to John Sexton, of Somers, Aug. 31, 1768. 
 Aaron Stebbins, the father, removed to Vershire, Vermont, and died 
 May 15, 1808, age 93. 
 
 5th Generation. MOSES STEBBINS, of Wilbraham, son of Samuel 
 and Hannah Stebbins, was married June 27, 1749, to Dorcas Hale, of 
 Enfield, daughter of John and Thankful Hale. Their children- 
 Moses, born May 3, 1750. Calvin, born July 30, 1751. Esther born 
 Jan. 26, 1755. Ambrose, born Oct. 17, 1756. Dorcas, born Peb 17, 
 1759, died April 1759. David, born Feb. 29, 1760. Timothy, born 
 April 17, 1762. Gains, born Oct. 5, 1763. Dorcas, born Aug. 2,1765. 
 Chester, born Jan. 23, 1769.
 
 86 
 
 5th Generation. LUKE STEBBINS, son of Samuel and Hannah 
 Stebbins [/#v?2oi], was married May i, 1755, to Sarah Norton, of 
 Kensington, Conn. Their children Eleanor, born Aug. 3, 1756, died 
 May 4, 1771. Samuel, born Aug. 9, 1758. Parsis, born Nov. 27, 
 1760. Sarah, the mother, died at Kensington, Feb. 18, 1764, aged 26 
 years and eight months. Parsis was married to the Rev. Nathaniel 
 Gaylord, of Hartland, Conn. Luke Stebbins, in the former part of 
 his life, lived in Boston as a store-keeper; from thence he removed to 
 Kensington, Conn., and set up a store, and from thence to Middle- 
 town, where he kept a tavern, and failing in business, he became a 
 schoolmaster. He collected and published an account of the descend- 
 ants of his father to Sept. 19, 1771 : the number of births, 138. He 
 died in the State of New Jersey, not far from the year 1775. 
 
 5th Generation. DEA. NEHEMIAH STEBBINS, son of Samuel and 
 Hannah Stebbins, was married Sept. 1750, to Hannah Chandler, 
 daughter of Dea. Henry Chandler and Hannah his wife, of P^nfield. 
 She died March 12, 1751. Dea. Nehemiah Stebbins was married 
 again Oct. 3, 1753, to Elizabeth Morgan, of Springfield. Their chil- 
 dren Hannah, born Jan. 17, 1755. Selah, born April 15, 1756. 
 Lucy, born Aug. 17, 1757, died Aug. 25, 1757. Lucy, born April 9, 
 1759, died April 20, 1759. Elizabeth, born March 30, 1760, died Nov. 
 19, 1762. Loice, born Aug. 21, 1762. Samuel, born April 8, 1766. 
 Elizabeth, born Sept. n, 1768. Achsah, born Aug. n, 1770. Dea- 
 con Nehemiah Stebbins, with his family, removed from Longmeadow 
 to Greenwich, Mass., and was a deacon of a church in that town, and 
 
 had the commission of a justice of the peace. His wife dying 
 
 and he being subject to hypochondriacal gloominess, drowned himself 
 in a well. 
 
 5th Generation. WILLIAM STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Wil- 
 liam and Mercy Stebbins, was married May 8, 1753, to Eunice Wil- 
 liams,. daughter of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Williams, of Longmeadow. 
 Their children William, born June 26, 1756, died Feb. 27, 1762. 
 Stephen Williams, born June 26, 1758. Eunice, born Nov. 16, 1760. 
 Stephen Williams, the son, graduated at New Haven, 1781, and settled 
 in the ministry at Stratford. Eunice, the daughter, was married Sept. 
 1785, to Rev. Joseph Barker, of Middleborough. William Stebbins, 
 the father, died April 20, 1797. Eunice Stebbins, his widow, died 
 Oct. 31, 1805, in Middleborough, at the house of Rev. Barker. 
 
 5th Generation. EZRA STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Lieut. 
 William and Mercy Stebbins \_page 202], was married Feb. 24, 1757, 
 to Margaret Chapin, daughter of Samuel and Anna Chapin of Lucl- 
 low. Their children Zadock, born Feb. 13, 1758, died Dec. 17, 1803. 
 Ezra, born Aug. 19, 1760, died July 25, 1819. Mercy, born March 16, 
 1763, died Nov. 4, 1807. Anna, born March 27, 1766, died Dec. 8, 
 1824. William, born June 12, 1768. Ruth, born Jan. 17, 1771, died 
 Sept. 18, 1776. Eber, born March 2, 1773. Knowlton, born Oct. 
 1774, died Nov. 18, 1774. Knowlton, born May 15, 1776. Ezra 
 Stebbins, the father, died Feb. 5, 1796. Margaret, the mother, died
 
 87 
 
 April 26, 1808. Mercy was married April 26, 1785, to Stephen 
 Cooley. Anna was married March i, 1787, to Stephen Taylor. 
 
 6th Generation. MEDAD STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Jona- 
 than and Abigail Stebbins, was married April 25, 1776, to Sarah Keep, 
 daughter of Samuel and Sarah Keep. She died Nov. 3, 1838, age 
 86. Their children Chester, born Sept i, 1776. Mary, born Nov. 
 22, 1779, died May 9, 1834. Lewis, born June 6, 1782. Jonathan 
 Chauncy, born Feb. 14, 1787. Samuel, born April 10, 1791. Henry, 
 born Sept. 22, 1793. Medad Stebbins, the father,- died Sept. 9, 1804. 
 Sarah, the mother, was married again to Lieut. Noah Stebbins, of 
 Wilbraham, Oct. 13, 1808. Mary, the daughter, was married April 4, 
 1803, to Stephen Avery. 
 
 6th Generation. ZADOCK STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Ezra 
 and Margaret Stebbins \_page 203], was married Jan. 30, 1783, to 
 Urania Burt, daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Burt. Their children 
 Ruth, born June 7, 1784, died June 25. 1814. Urania, born March 
 22, 1786. Parcas, born Dec. 30, 1787. Rowland, born Aug. 3, 1789. 
 Francis, born Sept. 8, 1791, died April 12, 1809. Peggy, born June 
 8, 1794, died Oct. 16, 1795. Pamelia, born Sept 4, 1801. Zadock 
 Stebbins, the father, died Dec. 17, 1803. Urania, the mother, was 
 married again March 5, 1806, to Simeon White, of South Hadleigh. 
 Ruth, the daughter, was married March 25, 1804, to Ethan Colton. 
 Urania was married Dec. i, 1808, to Ebenezer Smith, of Granby. 
 Parcas was married to Quartus White, of South Hadleigh. 
 
 6th Generation. EZRA STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Ezra and 
 Margaret Stebbins, was married March 26, 1799, to Margaret Bliss, 
 daughter of Aaron and Miriam Bliss. Their children John, born 
 May 22, 1802, died at Boston. Aaron, born Dec. 29, 1804. Ezra 
 Stebbins, the father, died July 25, 1819; his widow was married to 
 Stephen Cooley, and died Oct. 15, 1831. 
 
 6th Generation. WILLIAM STEBBINS, of Longmeadow, son of Ezra 
 and Margaret Stebbins, was married Oct. 23, 1788, to Margaret Newel, 
 daughter of Dea. Abijah Newel, of Monson, and Hepsibah his wife. She 
 died Aug. 5, 1825. William, born May i, 1789. Removed to Roches- 
 ter. N.Y. Cynthia, born Nov. 14, 1791. Jared Newel, born July 10, 
 1794. Ezra and Peggy, born June 21, 1796. Eber, born Nov. 14. 
 1798. Anne, born April 25, 1801. Harrison, born April 18, 1803. 
 Eunice, born Aug. 8, 1805. Albert, born June 4, 1808. Cynthia was 
 married Nov. 21, 1811, to Jonathan Bowker. [Vacant to page 206.] 
 
 BARRET STEEL of Longmeadow, was married Dec. 30, 1697, to 
 Mary Brooks, daughter of William and Mary Brooks, of Springfield. 
 Their children, Mary, born Oct. 27, 1698. Hannah, born Feb. 1700, 
 died March 17, 1700. Hannah, born March 14, 1701. Mercy, born 
 March 6, 1703. John, born March 9, 1707, died Feb. 21, 1793. 
 Thankful, born Sept., 1708. Abigail, born Nov. 3, 1710, died Nov. 3, 
 1713. Samuel, born Oct. 21, 1713. Barret Steel, the father, died 
 
 Dec. 4, 1713. 
 JOHN STEEL, of Longmeadow, son of Barret and Mary Steel above,
 
 88 
 
 was married March 7, 1728, to Abigail Brooks, daughter of Benjamin 
 and Mary Brooks; she was born Dec. 3, 1706. Their children John, 
 
 born . Abigail, born Dec. 4, 1731. Rhoda, born . 
 
 Mary, born . Aaron, born July 13, 1739, died Nov. 28, 1777. 
 
 Seth, born Dec. 20, 1741. Solomon, born . Ann, born . 
 
 Reuben, born Sept. 14, 1746. Justin, born Aug. 13, 1749. Squire, 
 born Aug. 26, 1752. Abigail, the daughter, was married June 26, 
 1751, to Amaziah Sanderson. Rhoda was married March 8, 1754, to 
 Robert Sanderson. Mary was married to Stephen Chandler : pub- 
 lished May 9, 1752. Ann was married April 10, 1758, to Samuel 
 Warner of Wilbraham. N. B. John Steel, the father, being much 
 abroad in the wars, and his family living in different places, his chil- 
 dren were not recorded regularly. He was maintained for several 
 years as a pauper by the town of Springfield, and died in Longmeadovv 
 at the house of Ezra Stebbins, Feb. 21, 1793. 
 
 AARON STEEL of Longmeadow, son of John and Abigail Steel 
 above, was married Nov. 15, 1763, to Sarah Rumrill, daughter of John 
 and Abigail Rumrill. Their children Seth, born Jan. 28, 1765. Abi- 
 gail, born Aug. 22, 1766. Sarah, born July 23, 1768, died Jan. 23. 
 1858. Aaron, born March 7, 1771. Mary, born, Feb. 17, 1773. (The 
 families of the sons, see in page 207.) Abigail was married June i. 
 1785, to Alpheus Hancock. Sarah was married Nov. 20, 1794, to 
 John Kent, of Suffield. Mary was married to Thomas Chandler, of 
 Enfield. Aaron Steel, the father, had a commission of a lieutenant 
 in the army of the United States, and died at Albany Nov. 28, 1777. 
 Sarah, the mother, died at East Hartford, Dec. n, 1805. 
 
 SETH STEEL of Longmeadow, son of Lieut. Aaron Steel and Sarah 
 his wife {page 207], was married Nov. 26, 1787, to Keziah Lewis, 
 daughter of Eleazer and Mary Lewis. Their children Agustus, born 
 June 4, 1792. Austin Lewis, born Jan. 2, 1795. Clarissa Eddy, born 
 Jan. i, 1797. Solomon, born Sept. 24, 1799. George, born Jan. 29, 
 '1805. 
 
 AARON STEEL, son Lieut. Aaron and Sarah Steel, was married Oct. 
 19, 1797, to Phebe Bebee. Their children Reuben, born Nov. 29, 
 1799. Sarah, born Sept. 22, 1803. Aaron, born Nov. 22, 1805. 
 Phebe, the mother, died Aug. i, 1806. Aaron Steel, the father, was 
 married again, March 7, 1807, to Ruth Stedman. Their children 
 Phebe, born Dec. i, 1807. Mary Jane, born Dec. 20, 1809. 
 
 Rev. RICHARD S ALTER STORRS, of Longmeado\v, son of Rev. John 
 Storrs and Eunice, his wife {page 208], was born Aug. 30, 1763; was 
 graduated at Yale College, 1783 ; was married Oct. 12, 1785, to Sarah 
 Williston, daughter of Rev. Noah Williston, of West Haven, and 
 Hannah his wife. She was born June 14, 1765, and he was ordained 
 over the church in Longmeadow Dec. 7, 1785 ; he died Oct. 3, 1819, 
 age 56. Children Richard Salter, born Feb. 6, 1787, died Aug. n, 
 1873. Sally, born Nov. 28, 1788, died Jan. 4, 1864. David and Jona- 
 than, born March 27, 1792. David died May 25, 1848. Jonathan 
 died Jan. 4, 1855. Charles Backus, born May 15, 1794, died in Ohio
 
 8 9 
 
 Sept. 15, 1833 ; was President of West. Res. Coll. John Newton, born 
 Feb. 1 6, 1796, died April 10, 1798. Eleazer Williams, born Dec. 8, 
 1797, died Jan. 10, 1798. Sarah, the mother, died Jan. 27, 1798. The 
 Rev. Richard S. Storrs was married again Oct. 8, 1798, to Sarah 
 Williams, daughter of Ensign Samuel Williams, who was born May 
 7, 1765, and died Feb. 7, 1846. Their children Eleazer Williams, 
 born July 7, 1799, married Lucy Colton June 19, 1828, died April 6, 
 1880. Eunice Conant, born Aug. 22, 1801. Lucy Burt, born Sept. 
 10, 1804, died Jan. 4, 1833, in Illinois; married Butler Denham. Sally, 
 the daughter, was married Nov. 9, 1808, to Charles Billings, of Con- 
 way. Richard Salter Storrs studied at Williams College and at An- 
 dover, and was settled in the ministry at Braintree. [Vacant to page 
 210]. 
 
 THEOPHILUS SWETLAND of Longmeadow, son of Israel and Dor- 
 cas Swetland, was married May 8, 1779, to Zilpha Sprague of Coven- 
 try. He w.as born Jan. 17, 1757, died May 17, 1822. Their children 
 Ira, born Nov. 20, 1780. Israel, born March 23, 1783, died May, 
 1785. Alma, born March 5, 1785. Sally, born July 23, 1787. Clarissa, 
 born Jan. 5, 1790. Silas, born June i, 1792. Polly, born Sept. 21, 
 1794, died May 27, 1795. Sprague, born May 8, 1796, died March 
 17, 1801. Polly, born May 7, 1798. Zilpha, the mother, died Aug. 
 17, 1799. Theophilus Swetland, the father, was married again Jan. 
 1800, to Anne Brown, daughter of Ephraim and Aphia Brown, of Long- 
 meadow. Their children Eleazer, Tx>rn Feb. 22, 1801. Joseph, born 
 Nov. 25, 1802. Eli, born Feb. 7, 1805. Anne, born Jan. 14, 1807. 
 Irena, born March 2, 1809, died Oct. 2, 1813, age 4. Asenath, born 
 April 5, 1811, died Oct. 5, 1813, age 2. Almira was married July 12, 
 1804, to Samuel Wright. Sally was married July 12, 1808, to Anthony 
 Wright. 
 
 NATHANIEL TAYLOR, of West Springfield, son of Samuel and Sarah 
 Taylor [page 211], was married May i, 1760,10 Cloe Brooks, daughter 
 of Joseph and Mary Brooks. She was born Aug. 6, 1740. Their 
 children Er, born Oct. 17, 1760. Stephen, born Jan. 29, 1762. 
 
 Jerusha, born . Lovice, born . Moses, born . 
 
 Nathaniel, born March 27, 1769. Solomon, born . Anne, born 
 
 . Jonathan, born . David, born . Cloe, born 
 
 . Jerusha was married to Daniel Babcock. Anne was 
 
 married to Edward Stebbins, Jr. He dying, she was married Aug. 
 9, 1810, to Jonathan Sikes, of Ludlow. Lovice was married to 
 Darius Wright, son of George Wright, of Springfield. Cloe was 
 married to Seth Otis. (The families of the sons, see hereafter in this 
 and the following page}. Nathaniel, the father, died Oct. 1801, in his 
 66th year. Cloe Taylor died Nov. 5, 1835. 
 
 ER TAYLOR, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel and Cloe Taylor 
 above, was married April 13, 1784, to Joanna Cooley, daughter of 
 Stephen and Mary Cooley. Their children Seth, born April 21, 
 1785, died May 28, 1835. Ethan, born June 10, 1790. Eunice,-born
 
 90 
 
 June 7, 1792. Ithamar, born Oct. n, 1797, died Oct. 15, 1802. 
 Joanna, the mother, died June 14, 1823, aged 64. 
 
 STEPHEN TAYLOR, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel and Cloe 
 Taylor above, was married March i, 1787, to Anna Stebbins, daughter 
 of Ezra and Margaret Stebbins. Their children John, born Nov. 
 24, 1787, died April 22, 1828. Olive, born Sept. 21, 1790. Orin, 
 born April 20, 1793. Eunicia, born April 20, 1705, died Sept. 1800. 
 Anne, born Sept. 6, 1797, died Sept. 13, 1800. Eunicia, born Sept. 
 22, 1801. Olive was married to Elijah Colton May 19, 1811. Anna, 
 the mother, died Dec. 8, 1824. age 59. The father died Dec. 27, 1843. 
 
 MOSES TAYLOR, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel and Cloe Taylor 
 \_P a S e 2I2 ]> was married to Mary Cooley, daughter of Stephen and 
 Mary Cooley. Their children Loran, born March n, 1788. Mary, 
 born May 30, 1789. Abigail, born July 3, 1793. Mary, the daughter, 
 was married Nov. 1811, to Elijah Green, of West Springfield. Abigail 
 was married Feb., 1811, to David Wellman. 
 
 NATHANIEL TAYLOR, of Longmeadow, son* of Nathaniel and Cloe 
 Taylor, was married to Jerusha Ely, daughter of Capt. Levi Ely, of 
 West Springfield. Their children Levi Ely, born Nov. 17, 1795. 
 Amelia, born June 4, 1798, died Oct. 24, 1801. Newton, born Aug. 
 n, 1800, died Oct. 29, 1801. Nathaniel Taylor, the father, died Oct. 
 24, 1802. Jerusha, the mother, was married again to Oliver Bagg, of 
 West Springfield. 
 
 SETH TAYLOR, of Longmeadow, was married Sept. 21, 1806, to 
 Mary Silcock, daughter of Robert Silcock. He was the son of Er 
 and Joanna Taylor. Their children Loisa, born Aug. 21, 1811. 
 Alford, born June 30, 1817. [Vacant to page 215.] 
 
 NATHANIEL WATERHOUS, of Longmeadow, son of Nathaniel and 
 Mercy Waterhous, was born June 24, 1766, was married to Olive 
 Cleveland. He died March 27, 1841, age 77. She died June 23, 
 1840, age 70. Their children Olive, born Nov. 2, 1784. Sarah, 
 born Jan. 29, 1794. Nathaniel, born July 29, 1795, died Dec. 20, 
 1834. Jeramiah, born Sept. 17, 1797. Isaac, born Aug. 17, 1801. 
 
 PRESERVED WHITE, of Springfield, son of Daniel and Hannah 
 White [page 216], was married to Rachel Kilborn ; published Nov. 29, 
 1740. Their children Rachel, born April 18, 1742. Preserved, born 
 Nov. 23, 1743. David, born Jan. 30, 1747, died Oct. 2, 1823, age 77. 
 Hannah, born Aug. 20, 1750. Lewis, born Feb. 25, 1753. Persia, 
 born Aug. 29, 1755. Zervia, born March 19, 1758. Lewis, born 
 June 20, 1760. Walter, born June 13, 1765, died July 14, 1819. 
 Rachel, the daughter, was married Jan. i, 1767, to Ambrose Collins. 
 (The families of the sons, see hereafter.) Hannah was married July 
 9, 1780, to William Stephenson. They removed to Thetford, Vermont. 
 Zervia was married to Stoughton Bliss, son of Reuben Bliss. They 
 lived in East Windsor, Dec. 7, 1780. Rachel, the mother, died June, 
 1777. Preserved, the father, died July 16, 1802. 
 
 PRESERVED WHITE, of Springfield, son of Preserved and Rachel
 
 White above, was married Aug. 20, 1767, to Mary Terry. Their 
 children Martin, born June 4, 1770. Luther, born April 7, 1772. 
 
 DAVID WHITE, of Longmeadow, son of Preserved and Rachel 
 White [page 217], was married Jan. 30, 1777, to Lydia Ely, daughter 
 of Dea. Nathaniel Ely and Mary his wife. He died Oct. 2, 1823, 
 age 77. Their children Sarah, born Nov. 23, 1778, died Jan. 28, 
 1850. David, born^Oct. 2, 1780, died Jan. 30, 1781. Lydia, the 
 mother, died Feb. 9/1781. David White was married again, Dec. 5, 
 1782, to Sarah Pyncheon, daughter of William and Sarah Pyncheon. 
 She died July 26, 1826, age 75. Their children David, born Jan. 
 30, 1786. William, born June 25, 1789. Lydia, born Sept. 15, 1791. 
 
 LEWIS WHITE, of Longmeadow, son of Preserved and Rachel 
 White, was married Sept. 20, 1787, to Susannah King, daughter of 
 Parmenas and Hannah King, of Wilbraham. She was born Nov. 7, 
 1756. Their children Lewis, born Aug. 21, 1788, died June 4, 1818, 
 at Sacket's .Harbor. Susannah, born Aug. 3, 1790. Harry, born Jan. 
 4, 1792. Persis, born June 21, 1795. Sylvia, born Feb. 13, 1797, 
 died Oct. 9, 1803. Lewis White, the father, died Jan. 24, 1844. 
 
 DEA. WALTER WHITE, of Longmeadow, son of Preserved and 
 Rachel White, was married March 22, 1792, to Sabina Keep, daugh- 
 ter of Samuel and Sabina Keep. He died July 14, 1819. Their 
 children Franklin, born Jan. 14, 1793, died April 13, 1813. Walter, 
 born March 31, 1795. Cynthia, born March 13, 1797. Sabina, born 
 Nov. 19, 1800. John, born Sept. 22, 1804. Eliza, born Nov. i, 1807. 
 Samuel, born Sept. 8, 1810. 
 
 WILLIAM WHITE, of Longmeadow, son of David and Sarah White 
 [/0gv?2i8], was married Nov. 12, 1820, to Lois Cooley, daughter of 
 Calvin and Eunice Cooley. Their children Mary Cooley, born Sept. 
 23. 1821. William Pyncheon, born Feb. 24, 1824. Jeannette Chit- 
 tenden, born Dec. 27, 4827. James Cooley, born Feb. 9, 1838. 
 [Vacant to page 220.] 
 
 ist Generation. ROBERT WILLIAMS [page 220], great-grandfather 
 of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Williams, of Longmeadow, came from Nor- 
 wich in England, and settled in Roxbury near Boston. His sons 
 were Samuel, Isaac, and Stephen. 
 
 2d Generation. SAMUEL WILLIAMS, of Roxbury, son of Robert 
 Williams, was married to a woman whose maiden name was Park. 
 His sons were Samuel, John, Ebenezer, and Park. His daughters 
 were Mary, Deborah, Martha, and Abigail. 
 
 3d Generation. REV. JOHN WILLIAMS, of Deerfield, son of Samuel 
 Williams, of Roxbury, was born Dec. 10, 1664. He is said to have 
 received a public education by the assistance of his grandfather Park. 
 He was graduated at Harvard College in the year 1683 ; was ordained 
 the first Pastor of the church in Deerfield, May 1686, and was marned 
 to Miss Eunice Mather, daughter of the Rev. Eleazer Mather, 
 first Pastor of the church in Northampton, and Esther his wife. 
 Their children were Eleazer, died Sept. 21, 1742. Samuel. Esther,
 
 9 2 
 
 died March 12, 1751. Stephen, born May 14, 1693, died June 10, 
 1782. Eliakim. jerusha. Eunice. Jemima. Warham, died June 
 22, 1751. John, and Jerusha. Eleazer, Stephen, and Warham 
 had public educations, at Harvard College. Eleazer graduated 
 1708, and was settled at Mansfield, in Conn., in the ministry. 
 Steven graduated 1713 [seethe following page]. Wareham gradu- 
 ated 1719, and was ordained at Waltham, June u, 1723. The 
 Rev. John Williams, with his family, excepting Eleazer, was cap- 
 tured by the French and Indians Feb. 29, 1704; his two youngest 
 children were killed on the day in which they were taken ; his 
 wife was killed the day following ; he was carried to Canada 
 with his children Samuel, Esther, Stephen, Eunice, and War- 
 ham. He returned from Canada Nov. 21, 1706; his children all 
 returned excepting Eunice, who remained in Canada and was married 
 to an Indian, had children, and died an aged woman. The Rev. John 
 Williams was married again to Mrs. Abigail Allen, of Windsor, grand- 
 daughter of the Rev. Mr. .Warham, of Windsor, and a cousin of his 
 former wife. Their children John. Eliakim. Elijah, died July 
 10, 1771. Abigail. Sarah, died Jan. 1737. Elijah and Abigail 
 [page 221] only of the last children have families. Elijah gradu- 
 ated at Harvard College 1732, was married to Dwight. 
 Removed to Enfield in time of the war, and his wife died in that town 
 Jan. 25, 1749. He was married again Jan. i, 1750, to Margaret 
 Pyncheon, daughter of Col. William Pyncheon. He died July 10, 1771, 
 and she died April 1772. Abigail was married to Col. Hinsdell, who 
 died Jan. 1763. She was married again Oct. 1764, to Col. Benja- 
 min Hall, of Cheshire, who died Jan. 1773. She was married again, 
 July, 1773, to Col. E. Silliman, who dying Oct. 17, 1775, she removed 
 to Deerfield, and died in that town. The Rev. John Williams, the 
 father of the foregoing families, was seized with a fit of apoplexy on 
 the night of the 8th of June and 'died on the morning of the i2th, 
 1729. Abigail, his last wife, died July, 1754. Esther, the daughter, 
 was married to the Rev. Joseph Meacham, of Coventry, and she died 
 March 12, 1751, and he died Sept. 24, 1752. 
 
 4th Generation. REV. STEPHEN WILLIAMS, D.D., of Longmeadow, 
 son of the Rev. John and Eunice Williams, was born May 14, 1693, 
 was taken captive Feb. 29, 1704, was carried to Canada and being re- 
 deemed returned to Boston Nov. 21, 1705. He was educated at Har- 
 vard College, graduated 1713, kept a school at Hadleigh one year, 
 came to Longmeadow Nov. 4, 1714, and preached. Oct. 17, 1716, he 
 was ordained. July 3, 1718, he was married to Miss Abigail Daven- 
 port, daughter of Rev. John Davenport, of Stamford in Connecticut. 
 Their children John, born March 8, 1720, died April 1791. Stephen, 
 born Jan. 26, 1722, died April 20, 1795. Eunice, born Sept. i, 
 1723, died Oct. 31, 1805. Warham, born Jan. 7, 1726, died April 
 1788. Samuel, born May 31, 1729, died July 21, 1807. Davenport, 
 born May 11, 1731, died Oct. 18, 1758. Martha, born May 7, 1733, 
 died Feb. 18, 1825. Nathan, born Oct. 28, 1735. (The families of
 
 93 
 
 the sons see in the following pages.) Eunice was married May 8, 
 1753, to William Stebbins. Davenport died at Sheffield Oct. 18, 
 1758, as he was returning from the army, in which he had a lieuten- 
 ant's commission. Martha was married Jan. 4, 1759, to Dr. Samuel 
 Raynolds, he dying Feb. 6, 1774, she was married again Nov. 15, 
 1787, to Dea. Nathaniel Ely. Abigail, the mother, was born July 14, 
 1696, and died Aug. 26, 1766. The Rev. Dr. Williams was^married 
 again Sept. 17, 1767, to Mrs. Sarah Burt, the widow of Dea. Nathan- 
 iel Burt and (laughter of David Chapin, of Chicopee. The Rev. Dr. 
 Williams died June 10, 1782, in the goth year of his age and the 66th 
 of his ministry. Mrs. Sarah Williams, his widow, died Nov. 18, 1790, 
 age 84. The Rev. Dr. Williams served as chaplain in three cam- 
 paigns, viz., at Cape Britain, in the year 1745, from which place he re- 
 turned to Boston sick in the beginning of December, and recovered so 
 as to return to his own house on the first of February 1746 ; at Lake 
 George in the year 1755 and 1^56, in the last of which years he came 
 home before the army broke up the campaign. In the year 1773 he 
 received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Dartmouth College. 
 
 5th Generation. JOHN WILLIAMS, of Wilbraham, son of the Rev. 
 Dr. Williams, of Longmeadow \_page 222], was married Jan. 22, 1747, 
 to Ann Colton, daughter of William and Mary Colton. Their chil- 
 dren Stephen, born Nov. 8, 1747, died Aug. 5, 1750. Ann, born Sept. 
 8, 1749, died Sept. 22, 1764. Abigail, born May 18, 1751, died Sept. 
 3, 1779. Mar)', born March 28, 1753. Stephen, born July 28, 1755. 
 Sarah, born Oct, 19, 1757, died Dec. 16, 1758. John, born April 22, 
 1761. Eleazer, born April 15, 1764. Ann, the mother, died of a 
 cancer in the breast Nov. 23, 1771. John Williams, the father, was 
 married again March 1772. John Williams, the father, was married 
 again the third time. He died April 1791. The sons, Stephen, John, 
 and Ebenezer, had families. Mary was married Jan. 22, 1778, to 
 Cornet Nash Chapin, of Somers. 
 
 5th Generation. REV. STEPHEN WILLIAMS, of Woodstock, son of 
 the Rev. Dr. Williams, was graduated at New Haven, 1742, was or- 
 dained at Woodstock, 2d Society, Nov. 1747, and was married Oct. 
 18, 1748, to Martha Hunt, daughter of Capt. Jonathan Hunt, of 
 Northampton, and grand-daughter of Martha Hunt, sister of the John 
 Williams of Deerfield. Their children Martha, born Nov. 5, 1749, 
 died May 23, 1754. Eunice, born Feb. 1752, died Aug. 8, 1776. An- 
 drew, born June 1755, scalded July igth and died 2oth, 1758. 
 Andrew, born June 21, 1760. Stephen, born Aug. 8, 1762. Timothy, 
 born April 16, 1764. Patty, born Aug. 10, 1766, died Oct. 1766. 
 Martha, the mother, died Dec. 10, 1786. Rev. Stephen Williams, the 
 father, died April 20, 1795. 
 
 5th Generation. REV. WARHAM WILLIAMS, of Northford in Bran- 
 ford, son of the Rev. Dr. Williams, was graduated at New Haven 
 1745, was ordained at Northford June 13, 1750, and was married Nov. 
 13, 1752, to Ann Hall, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Hall, of Chic<spee. 
 Their children were Warham. Stephen. Samuel Hall. Jonathan
 
 94 
 
 Law. Davenport. Anne. William Augustus. Lucy. Abigail. 
 Abigail. Eunice. Samuel. Sarah. Ann, the mother, died March 
 1776. The Rev. Warham Williams was married again to Miss Whit- 
 ing, the widow of Col. Nathan Whiting, of New Haven, and died 
 April 1788. 
 
 5th Generation. ENSIGN SAMUEL WILLIAMS, of Longmeadow, son 
 of the Rev. Dr. Williams [page 223], was married Feb. 14, 1760, to 
 Lucy Burt, daughter of Dea. Nathaniel Burt and Sarah his wife. 
 Their children Lucy, born May 9, 1761, died June 28, 1815. Abi- 
 gail, born Feb. 6, 1763. Sarah, born May 7, 1765. Eunice, born Oct. 
 9, 1767. Martha, born Dec. 30, 1769, died Nov. 29, 1819, age 50. 
 Ann, born March 22, 1772, died Dec. 31, 1831. Samuel, born Sept. 
 
 23, 1774. Jerusha Mather, born June 6, 1783, died Dec. 20, 1844. 
 Abigail was married Jan. 24, 1793, to Mr. Levi Hackley. They re- 
 moved to the State of New York ; he dying, she, with her children, 
 returned to Longmeadow. Ensign Samuel Williams, the father, died 
 July 21, 1807. The mother, Lucy Williams, died March 26, 1816. 
 
 5th Generation. REV. NATHAN WILLIAMS, D.D., of Tdlland, Ct., 
 son of the Rev. Dr. Williams, of Longmeadow, was graduated at New 
 Haven, 1755, ordained at Tolland April 30, 1760, and was married 
 Oct. 20, 1760, to Miss Mary Hall, daughter of Capt. Eliakim Hall, of 
 Wallingford. She was born Nov. 6, 1737. Their children Nathan, 
 born Nov. 1761, died Dec. 16, 1784. Eliakim Hall, born Jan. 16, 
 1764. William, born April 23. 1766. Mary, born April 19, 1768. 
 Ruth, born Nov. u, 1770, died Oct. 2, 1788. Abigail, born Aug. 14, 
 1773, died Feb. 2, 1774. Isaac, born Sept. 24, 1776, died April 18, 
 1781. (The families of the sons, see in pages 223 and 224). Nathan, 
 the eldest son, graduated at New Haven, 1782. He went to Savan- 
 nah in the State of Georgia and died there Dec. 16, 1784. Mary, the 
 daughter, was married Oct. 14, 1787, to Dr. William Grosvenor. 
 (Their family, seepage 224.) 
 
 6th Generation. ELIAKIM HALL WILLIAMS, of Tolland, son of Dr. 
 Nathan Williams above, was married again Jan. 8, 1792, to Mary 
 Burt, daughter of Capt. David Burt and Mary his wife. She died in 
 child-birth with her first child Jan. 23, 1793. Eliakim H. Williams 
 was married again Jan. 1797, to Damaris Cary. By her he had a child 
 stillborn, Feb. 1798, and she died Sept. 20, 1801. Eliakim H. 
 Williams was married again Jan. 9, 1803, to Ducelia Howard. Their 
 children Emeline, born Oct. 10, 1803. Eliakim Hall, born Aug. 18, 
 1805. Isaac, born Feb. 20, 1808. 
 
 6th Generation. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of Tolland, son of the Rev. 
 Dr. Nathan Williams [page 224], was married Sept. 4, 1793, to Sarah 
 Burt, daughter of Capt. David Burt and Mary his wife. Their chil- 
 dren Nathan, born April 6, 1795. Polly, born Nov. 18, 1797. 
 William, born Nov. 13, 1799. Sophy Maria, born Aug. 16, 1801. 
 David Burt, born Sept. 29, 1803. Agustus Davenport, born Dec. 
 
 24, 1805. Theadorius Dickerman, born March 3, 1808. 
 
 DR. WILLIAM GROSVENOR, of Tolland, was married Oct. 14, 1787,
 
 95 
 
 to Mary Williams, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Nathan Williams. Their 
 children Mary W., born Sept. 14, 1788. Nathan born and died May 
 
 10, 1790. Ruth, born April 4. 1791. Nathan, born and died Apri'l 
 
 11, 1792. Jacob, born Nov. 23, 1793. Ruth, born March, 1796. 
 Isaac and Nathan, born April 6 and died April 6 and 7, 1798. Dr. 
 Grosvenor, the father, died Oct. 14, 1798, age 34 years. 
 
 6th Generation. STEPHEN WILLIAMS, son of jqhn and Ann Wil- 
 liams, was married March 4, 1778, to Diademia Field, daughter of 
 Capt. Moses Field and Rebecca his wife. Their children Henry, 
 born Jan. 2, 1779. Betsey, born Nov. i, 1784, died March 22, 1835! 
 Stephen Williams, the father, absconded. Diademia, his wife, was 
 married again June 25, 1793, to Jacob Kibbe, of Monson, and died 
 in that town. Henry, the son, was married Sept. 23, 1801, to Mehit- 
 table Lancton. They removed to Conway and lived together some 
 time, and he absconded. Betsey, the daughter, being educated by 
 her uncle, Col. A. Field, was married April i, 1805, to Henry Wol- 
 cott, of Longmeadow. 
 
 6th Generation. ELEAZER WILLIAMS, son of John and Ann Wil- 
 liams, was married Nov. 18, 1788, to Sally Collins, daughter of 
 Stephen and Sarah Collins. Their children William Williams, born 
 June i, 1789. Fanny, born Dec. u, 1790. [Vacant to page 228.] 
 
 HENRY WOLCOTT, a native of Windsor, was married Dec. 27, 1716, 
 to Abigail Cooley, daughter of Benjamin and Abigail Cooley, of 
 Longmeadow. Their children Benjamin, born Sept. 14, 1717, died 
 Feb. 25, 1801. Jane Allin, born Aug. 5, 1719. Abigail, born Aug. 
 15, 1721, died Feb. 4, 1809. Penelope, born Dec. 15, 1724. Trip- 
 hene, born Dec. 20, 1726. Henry, born May 15, 1729. Simon, born 
 Aug. 7, 1733. Peter, born Aug. 21, 1736, died Dec. 7, 1758. Henry 
 Wolcott, the father, with some of his children, removed to Windsor 
 and died. Benjamin settled in Longmeadow and died without issue. 
 Jane Allin was married about the year 1745, to Joseph Chapin. 
 Abigail was married Dec. i, 1743, to Mathew Keep. Penelope was 
 married Nov. 22, 1749, to John Colton. Henry and Simon settled in 
 Windsor. Henry Wolcott, from Windsor, was married to Betsey 
 Williams, daughter of Stephen Williams [page 224], April i, 1805. 
 Their children Alexander Field, bom Jan. 17, 1806, died in Florida. 
 Flavia Colton, born June 2, 1809. Jeanette, born June 17, 1816. 
 
 Elisabeth, born Jan. 7, 1814. Henry, born July 23, . Albert, 
 
 born Aug. 31, 1823. Elisabeth, the mother, died March 22, 1835. 
 Henry Wolcott died May 5, 1838. [Vacant to page 230.] 
 
 RICHARD WOOLWORTH, of Suffield, son of Richard and Hannah 
 Wool worth, was married Sept. 15, 1714. He was born Dec. 6 (1687). 
 His wife was Elisabeth Hall. Their children Elisabeth, born Aug. 
 9, 1715. Richard, born March i, 1717, died May u, 1802. Azariah, 
 born Oct. 9, 1718. Hannah, born Sept. 13, 1720. Timothy, born 
 May 17, 1722. Ebenezer, born March 17, 1724, died Dec. 27, 1725. 
 Reuben, born Dec. 30, 1725. Mary, born Oct. 31, 1727. Diqah, 
 born July i, 1729. Richard Woolworth, the father, died Oct. 29, 
 1732.
 
 96 
 
 RICHARD WOOLWQRTH, of Longmeadow, son of Richard and 
 Elisabeth above, was married to Naomy Wright, of Northampton. 
 She was born 1721. Their children Azariah, born Aug. 31, 1747, 
 died Dec. 20, 1814. Ruth, born Aug. 25, 1749, died Feb 15, 1799. 
 Naomy, born Nov. 10, 1751. Richard, born Jan. 18, 1754. Sarah, 
 born July 9, 1756, died Aug. 29, 1756. Thankful, born Jan. n, 1759, 
 died Oct. 25, 1797. Joseph, born Aug. 16, 1760, died Aug. 22, 1760. 
 Naomy, the mother, died Aug. 22, 1760. Richard Woolworth, the 
 father, was married again Oct. 21, 1762, to Lois Colton, daughter of 
 William and Mary Colton. Their children Aaron, born Oct. 25, 
 1763. Lucretia, born April 9, 1765. Chester, born April 5, 1767. 
 Mary, born May 2, 1769. William, born June 2, 1771, died Nov. 3, 
 1771. Stillborn, June 2, 1771. Lois, the mother, died Nov. 26, 1800, 
 by falling into the fire [see/ag? 55]. Richard Woolworth, the father, 
 died May n, 1802. (The families of the sons, see after this.) Ruth 
 was married June 10, 1773, to Col. Pelatiah Bliss, of West Springfield. 
 Naomy was married Feb. 16, 1775, to George Brewer, of Springfield. 
 Lucretia was married July 23, 1788, to Capt. Gideon Colton. Mary 
 was married Feb. 5, 1789, to Dennis Colton. 
 
 AZARIAH WOOLWORTH. of Longmeadow, son of Richard and Naomy 
 Woolworth above [/#<? 81], was married Nov. 25, 1773, to Rebecca 
 Field, daughter of Capt. Moses and Rebecca Field. He died Dec. 
 20, 1814, age 67. She died Dec. 26, 1836, age 88. Their children 
 Rebecca, born Dec. 2, 1774, died Aug. 16, 1777. Sarah, born Aug. 
 8, 1777, died Jan. 8, 1813. Azariah, born Sept. 25, 1779. Rebecca, 
 born Feb. 21, 1783. Fanny, born Feb. 29, 1785, died in Ohio. 
 William, born April 10, 1788, died at Ware. Sarah was married June 
 5, 1803, to Daniel Green. Rebecca was married May 5, 1808, to 
 David Hale. Fanny was married May 2, 1805, to John Gaylord [page 
 
 RICHARD WOOLWORTH, of Longmeadow, son of Richard and 
 Naomy Woolworth \_page 231], was married May 24, 1780, to Mercy 
 Cooley, daughter of Eli and Mary Cooley. Their children Mary, 
 born Feb. 5, 1781, died March 2, 1783. Samuel Phips, born Jan. 4, 
 1783. Danforth, born June 24, 1785. Mercy, the mother, died April 
 26, 1786. Richard Woolworth was married again May 31, 1787, to 
 Jemima Champion, daughter of Dr. Reuben, of West Springfield, and 
 Lydia his wife. She was born Aug. 6, 1762. Their children Rich- 
 ard Champion, born April 9, 1789. John, born Nov. 19, 1792, went 
 west and died. Moses, born Jan. 26, 1801, died Feb. 23, 1801. 
 Aaron, born Jan. 26, 1801. Richard, the father, died Sept. 9, 1824, 
 age 70. Jemima, the mother, died May 7, 1841, age 79. 
 
 REV. AARON WOOLWORTH, of Bridgehampton, of Long Island, State 
 of New York, was graduated at New Haven, 1784, was ordained at 
 Bridgehampton Aug. 30, 1787, and was married Aug. 27, 1788, to 
 Mary Buel, daughter of Rev. Dr. Samuel Buel of East Hampton. 
 The Rev. Aaron Woolworth was son of Richard and Loice Woolworth. 
 Their children Mary Mulford, born Sept. 14, 1789. Samuel Buel,
 
 97 
 
 born Nov. i, 1791, died Sept. 13, 1794. Louisa. Colton, born July 
 2i, 1793. Sophia, born Feb. 8, 1796. Hannah, born Jan. 13, 1798, 
 died. Jan. 15, 1798. Samuel Buel, born Dec. 15, 1800. Richard 
 born Oct. 17, 1803. 
 
 CHESTER WOOLWORTH, of Longmeadow, son of Richard and Loise 
 Woolworth, was married Nov. 26, 1807, to Cloe Lewis, daughter of 
 Eleazer and Mary Lewis. Cloe Woolworth, the wife of Chester 
 Woolworth, died in child-bed with her first child, Dec. 9, 1809 [Va- 
 cant to page 234.] 
 
 DANIEL WEBSTER, of Longmeadow, son of Amos Andros and 
 Mabel Webster, of Weathersfield, society of Newington, was born 
 . June 28, 1783, and was married April 13, 1805, to Anne Andros, 
 daughter of Ehzur and Anne Andros of the aforesaid town and 
 society. She was born Nov. 28, 1776. Their children Frances, 
 born July 21, 1806. Nathan, born April 10, 1808. Caroline, born 
 June 2, 1810, died Feb. 26, 1813. Daniel, born July 27, 1812. Car- 
 oline, born Feb. 12, 1815. Calvin, born Oct. 1819. Walter, born 
 Feb. 10, 1821, died Feb. 14, 1822. 
 
 AMOS ANDROS WEBSTER, of Longmeadow, son of Amos Andros, 
 and Mable Webster, of the town of Wethersfield, in the Society of 
 Newington, was born July 10, 1781, and was married to Mary Rice, 
 daughter of Fphraim and Abigail Rice, of Meriden. She was born 
 May 25, 1789. Their child Abigail Smith, born Sept. 16, 1810. 
 
 JACOB WEBBER, of Longmeadow [page 235], was married to Elisa- 
 beth Nelson. Their children Dorcas, born . Charlevil, born 
 
 , died April 3, 1811. John, born Dec. 8, 1771. Alpheus, born 
 
 . Eunice, born . Charlotte, born - . Eunice, 
 
 born . Eleanor, born . Polly, born April 13, 1783, 
 
 and died July 1783. Ephraim, born May 9, 1785. Polly, born July 
 5, 1787. Jacob Webber, the father, died Feb. 19, 1812. Dorcas was 
 married to John Burgis, Jan. 24, 1793. Eunice was married Nov. 29, 
 1798, to John M. Caswell. 
 
 JOHN W'EBBER, of Longmeadow, son of Jacob and Elizabeth above, 
 was married Feb. 26, 1801, to Rubie Hale, daughter of Silas and 
 Hannah Hale. Their children Sylvia, born May 24, 1802. Sabin, 
 born May 22, 1804. Alfred, born June 8, 1808. John Webber, the 
 father, died March 21, 1829, age 57. 
 
 [END.] 
 
 NOTE. It should be distinctly understood that no responsibility rests upon the 
 compilers of this volume, either for the accuracy of the facts of the foregoing Gene- 
 alogical Record, or for its typographical correctness. 
 
 The two indispensable conditions of its insertion at all in the present volume, at 
 the late date when this was decided upon, were, that its accuracy should be implicitly 
 assumed without any present attempt at verification, and secondly that its typograph- 
 ical conformity to the manuscript should be absolutely guaranteed by the publishing 
 house which accepted the sole responsibility of all the proof-reading. 
 
 However many mistakes may appear under the microscopic inspection of the fam- 
 ilies interested (and doubtless there will be many), there remains no doubt that the 
 record as here given will sufficiently serve the purpose for which it is chiefly inteiided, 
 viz.: as a stock upon which to engraft the corrections and additions necessary to a 
 more perfect future edition. To this end the cooperation of all interested readers 
 is again earnestly invited. 
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