sometime prevailed in Connecticut, respecting baptism, were the principal inducement to the emigration of these adventurers. They separated from their churches, but as Hubbard says "orderly and peaceably." Like most of the original towns, Hadley spread over a large tract of country on each side of Connecticut river, embracing the present towns of Hatfield, Sunderland, Whately and South Hadley. A large tract of rich interval was included within the grant, situated principally on three peninsulas, formed by sharp turns of the river; across the isthmus of the centre peninsula, which is the largest, and forms a semi-ellipsis, the village of Hadley was laid out on a perfect plane, about a mile in length, resting its extremities on the river, and forming the only artificial enclosure of between two and three thousand acres, A place so favorably situated for agriculture, was inviting to farmers, and soon became considerably populous. Convenient buildings and a house for public worship were early erected, and Mr. John Russel from Weathersfield, was settled in the ministry. A plantation soon began on the west side of the river, and that part of Hadley was made a town by the name of Hatfield, covering a fine tract of interval land.

The three towns of Springfield, Northampton and Hadley, including Hatfield, on Connecticut river, soon contained a considerable population; and lying without the limits of the counties which had been formed in Massachusetts, they were made a new county, by the name of Hampshire, in 1662, extending from the eastern limits of New York, to the present county of Worcester; and courts were soon after held at Springfield and NorthampIn 1667, settlements were made at Waranoke, now Westfield; a trading house had previously been established at that place, by Connecticut people, who claimed the lands by purchase from the natives, as early as 1640.

ton.

The present county of Worcester, at this period, had no settlements, excepting at Lancaster, and Quaboag, now Brookfield, which last place had received a few plantations from Ipswich in 1660. This tract, six miles square, was granted by the general court, on the condition that twenty families should be resident in the place, within three years, and an able minister settled within

the same term. A deed of the tract was obtained in 1665, from Shattookquis, the Indian proprietor, or sachem of the place. The township of Worcester was granted to Daniel Gookin and others, in 1668; but owing to a hostile disposition, which at that time, began to show itself among the natives in the vicinity, settlements did not. commence until 1685.

In 1669, a tract of eight thousand acres of land was granted by the general court of Massachusetts, at Pocumtuck, now Deerfield, to a company of people at Dedham, embracing the principal part of the interval lying on Pocumtuck, or Deerfield river, and the plain southerly as far as Hatfield north bounds. The first meeting of the proprietors was held at Dedham early in 1670; at which it was agreed to lay out the lots at Pocumtuck. An addi'tional grant was not long after made to the company, by which the boundaries were enlarged to an area equal to seven miles square; and by a subsequent grant, the limits were extended to the west, nine miles, to coincide with the west line of Hatfield and Northampton; and bounded north on the south line of the present town of Bernardston. Besides the present town of Deerfield, the tract comprehended the lands now embraced by Conway, Shelburn, Greenfield and Gill. Whether the whole was purchased of the natives, does not appear. A deed, however, of a part of the early grant, is still extant; it was made to John Pynchon, Esq. of Springfield, "for the use and behoof of major Eleazer Lusher, ensign Daniel Fisher, and other English at Dedham, their associates and successors," by Chauk, alias Chaque, the sachem of Pocumtuck, and his brother Wapahoale, and is dated February 24th 1665, prior to the grant by government. The deed is witnessed by Wequonock, who "helped the sachem, in making the bargain," and reserves to the Indians "the right of fishing in the rivers or waters; hunting deer, or other wild animals; the gathering of walnuts, chesnuts and other nuts, and things on the commons. As the additional grants by government, were made after the war with Philip, when the Indians had abandoned this part of the country, it is probable, that no further titles were obtained from them; and they did not afterwards claim the lands.

22

The first settlement at Deerfield, commenced in 1670, and within four years a considerable number of buildings were erected. In 1686, the Rev. John Williams was settled as minister of the place, on a salary of sixty pounds, to be paid in wheat at three shillings and three pence the bushel, peas at two shillings and sixpence, Indian corn at two shillings, and salted pork at two pence half penny the pound. The same year a tract of land was "granted" by the proprietors to Mr. Brooks, on the Green river, within the present town of Greenfield.

The affairs of the plantation, for a few of the first years were managed by a committee appointed for the purpose; John Pynchon, of Springfield, was empowered to act with the committee, and to give them such advice in laying out the lands, as he should judge conducive to the good of the plantation; and he was authorised to vote with the committee when he should be present.*

In 1672, a township was grated to John Pynchon, Mr. Pearson and other associates, at Squakheag now Northfield, on Connecticut river; and the following year a few people from Northampton, Hadley and Hatfield, began a plantation at that place. The township was laid out on both sides of the river, and included an area of six miles by twelve, extending several miles into the present states of New Hampshire and Vermont, including a valuable tract of interval land. The northern boundary of Massachusetts was at this time unknown, but the grant was supposed to be within the limits of the province.†

A deed to William Clark and John King, of North* Extracts from the Early Records of Deerfield.

+ No part of the Connecticut presents more extensive intervals than those included in the towns of Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield, and Deerfield. They are composed of deep alluvion, intermixed with decayed vegetables, and generally repose on rolled masses of stones or gravel, and much of the adjacent country partakes of that character. Evidence is not wanting to prove, and the opinion is now common among Geologists, that the whole basin, bounded on the highlands east and west of the Connecticut, in Massachusetts, extending from the hills in Bernardston and Leyden, to mounts Holyoke and Tom, below Hadley and Northampton, and the chain of hills stretching through Westfield, was, at some remote period, covered by a lake, or expansion of Connecticut river; and that the water has gradually drained off through the southern barrier at South Hadley falls, and the passage of Westfield river, at Feeding-hills. Other similar lakes probably existed below this bason, at Springfield and Long Meadow, and at Windsor, Hartford, Weathersfield, and Middletown, in Connecticut. Similar lakes, though of less extent, once covered the intervals on the Connecticut above Greenfield.

ampton, agents for the proprietors of Northfield, covering the grant, was made August 13, 1687, by Nawelet, Gongegua, Aspiambelet, Addarawanset, and Meganichcha, Indians of the place, in consideration of "two hundred fathoms of wampum, and fifty seven pounds in trading goods." It was signed with the marks of the grantors, and witnessed by Jonathan Hunt, Preserved Clap, William Clark, Jr. Peter Jethro, Joseph Atherton, and Israel Chauncey.*

For five or six years previous to this time, the Indians in Massachusetts had maintained a war with the Mohawks, a powerful nation inhabiting the river of that name, in the province of New York, and they had suffered much from their predatory incursions. In one of these, traditional accounts say, the Mohawks attacked a fort of the Pocomtucks, situated on the point of an abrupt hill, about half a mile northeast of the meeting house in Deerfield, and carried it after a severe contest, in which great numbers were slain on both sides. The eminence where the attack is said to have been made, now retains the name of fort hill; and a great variety of rude Indian implements, as well as bones, have there been found, evincing beyond a doubt, that it had long been occupied by the natives, prior to their intercourse with civilized people.

Roused by the repeated incursions of the Mohawks, the Indians of Massachusetts, in the summer of 1669, collected a force consisting of six or seven hundred of their warriors. Chickatawbut, by the English named Joseph, the principal sachem of Massachusetts, who resided at Neponsit, near Boston, was commander, having under him several petty sachems of approved valor. Penetrating the design of the Indians, and knowing the strength of the Mohawks, the English used every means in their power, to dissuade them from the hazardous attempt; but they could not be restrained. The Indians marched with determined resolution; the distance to the nearest fort of the enemy was at least two hundred miles from Boston, and as they were compelled to procure provisions by hunting on the route, the march was tardy,

*Old copy taken from Northfield Town Book, attested by Eleazar Holton, Town Clerk.

and the Mohawks, receiving intelligence of their approach, prepared to receive them. Chickatawbut at length reached one of the Mohawk forts, and immediately invested it with his whole force. But instead of an immediate assault, by which alone there was a probability of carrying the place, he opened a scattering fire of musketry, with which it appears a part of his men were armed, and thus continued the seige several days; during which the Mohawks made a sortie, and after a severe conflict were beaten back. The ammunition and provisions of the besiegers being nearly expended, and the Mohawks continuing their defence with great resolution, Chickatawbut drew off his forces, and commenced his retreat towards New England. The Mohawks observing his movements, left their fort, and by a detour, gained the front of their enemy, and planted an ambuscade at a defile formed by a thick set swamp, where they made a sudden and unexpected attack on their retreating foes. The battle was furious and bloody; the New England Indians, rushing into the thickets, fought desperately, but were finally beaten with the loss of about fifty, including many of their chiefs, among whom was Chickatawbut, the commander. Night coming on, the Mohawks returned to their fort, and left their enemy to continue their route home, where they at length arrived, much depressed at their ill suc

cess.

The disastrous termination of this expedition, proved an effectual check to further attempts of the New England Indians, to disturb the powerful confederation, since styled the six nations. In the course of two years from the disaster, a peace was concluded between the hostile Indians, through the mediation of some of the principal men in Massachusetts, and captain Salisbury, commander of the New York forces at Albany, then under the government of England, by whom the province had been conquered from the Dutch.

A brief history of an interesting event, connected with the early settlements in New England, and particularly those on the Connecticut river, in Massachusetts, will not, it is believed, be misplaced at the close of this chapter.

Immediately after the restoration of king Charles the