We have also fixed the place for erecting a meeting house at a place called Trap plain,* where we have fixed a white oak stake. We further judge it reasonable that the same proposition of the county tax laid on the town of Deerfield, hereafter be paid by the said district when set off as was levied upon the inhabitants and rateable estates in the limits of said district for the last tax, and that the said district have the improvement of one half of the sequestered lands in said town of Deerfield lying north of Deerfield river.

Deerfield, April 12, 1753.

OLIVER PARtridge,

SAMUEL MAther,
EBEN'R HUNT.

At a town meeting held at Deerfield in December following, a committee was appointed to divide the sequestered land or the income of it, north of Deerfield river, with the minister and people of Greenfield, or to do what shall be necessary in order to accomplish and settle the improvement of the said sequestered land.

In Feb. 1754, at a town meeting, the town of Deerfield" voted that the town do give and grant to the inhabitants of Greenfield the same proportionable part of the rents of the town land on the north side of Deerfield river, as they of the said district pay to the Province tax in consideration of the charge they are at for preaching, provided the said district will accept of the same, and that they do by their vote, at a meeting called for the purpose, give the town of Deerfield a discharge from all demands that they have in, and to the said rents for the year past, which the town votes as a free gift and not any thing they are by law enjoined to."

* Where

Flagg, Esq. and L, H. Long reside,

CHAPTER III.

Record of first Meeting.-Annals of the Town.-Sequestered Lands.-Difficulties with the Mother Town.

1753. The act incorporating the Green river people into a town is not found upon the records of this year.The first record is that of a warrant for a meeting of the inhabitants and the proceedings under it, which are inserted to show who were the prominent men of that day, and as a curiosity, in one respect at least. This town then included the present town of Gill. We have no means of determining the population accurately, but as at a period some years subsequent, it was only three hundred and sixty-eight, we may presume it not to have much exceeded three hundred and twenty-five, if so much.

"Hampshire ss. To Ensign Ebenezer Smead, of the district of Greenfield in the County of Hampshire, Greeting. You are hereby required in his Majesties name, to warn all the freeholders and other inhabitants of said district qualified by law to vote the choice of district officers to meet to gather att the house of James Corse in said district, on Tuesday the third day of July next, at one of the clock in the afternoon, then and there, after a moderator is chosen, to choose all such officers as by law are to be chosen for the managing the affairs of sd district, also, to doo what shall be thoat Nessessary to be done in order to provide preaching in sd district. Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant att the time and place aforesd. Given under my hand and seal att Deerfield this twenty six day of June 1753 Elijah Williams who am by law authorisd to Grant this warrant." "Att a Legal Town or District meeting held Greenfield July third 1753

GREENFIELD.

37

1. Benjamin Hastings was chosen Moderator, voted

that

2. Benjamin Hasting should be Town Clark.

3. Voted Missrs Ebenezer Smead Samuel Hinsdell and Daniel Nash to be Selectmen and Assessors.

4. Voted that Eben. Arms should be Town Treas

urer.

5. Benjamin Hastings should be Cunstable.

6. Missrs Nathanill Brooks and Shubael Atherton to be tithing men.

7. Missrs James Corse Jona. Smead and Ebenezer Wells to be Fence viewers.

8. Voted Messrs Amos Allen and Ebenezer Wells to be Surveyors of the Highways.

9. Mr. Aaron Denio should be dearreaf.*

10. James Corse and Amos Allin should be hogreafs. 11. Joshua Wells should be sealer of weights and

measures.

12. Benjamin Hastings should be sealer of Leather. 13. Messrs Thomas Nims† and Gad Corse should be Field Drivers.

14. Daniel Graves Daniel Nash and Aaron Denio be

NOTE, The people were notified of the hours of meeting on the Sabbath, and other days, by the beating of the drum, for which one year £4. 10s was paid, (old tenor) -in 1756, 4s only. James Corss, lived first where C. J. J. Ingersoll lives, in a log house or fort-after where Maj. J. Smead lives.

* Deer-reeve. The hunting of Deer is still regulated by a law passed in 1807. Penalty for killing between 1st Jan and 1st Aug. $14. Same for killing deer at any time in Barnstable County.

† Ancestor of Lt. Hull Nims of this town, of the family of Godfrey Nims, one of the first settlers of Deerfield. The place he first, occupied is still owned by his descendants-the heirs of late Dea. Seth Nims.

4*

a committee to supply us with preaching for the present year." Such is the record of the first meeting.

MINISTER. At a subsequent meeting, the 16th day of August was set apart as a day of prayer and fasting. Mr. Ashley of Deerfield, Mr. Ashley of Sunderland, Mr. Abercrombie of Pelham, clergymen, were "invited to assist in the work of the day and give their advice for some meet person to settle in the work of the ministry." At another meeting, the same month, a commtttee was chosen to "take the advice or approbation" of a number of ministers-viz. Mr. Edwards of Stockbridge, Hopkins of Sheffield, Williams of Long Meadow, Hall of Sutton, Ashley of D., Ashley of S., Abercrombie of Pelham, "with respect to the Quallifications or fitness of Mr. Edward Billings for the work of the ministry in Greenfield."

CALL.-Sept. 24, following, the town voted to give him a call. Daniel Nash and Timothy Childs* were "the committee to acquaint him of it." Call accepted.

WAGES. SCHOOLS.-The wages "of persons that

have done service for this district" were fixed at two shillings for summer, per day, and one shilling and four pence for the fall. A committee was chosen to provide the district with a school and school house. As in nearly all the towns of N. England, so in this, immediately after a settlement commenced, the inhabitants turned their thoughts and care to the providing for the preaching of the Gospel and the establishment of schools.Their particular and anxious attention and care on these subjects formed a distinguishing trait in their character.

1754. Three houses were picquetted at the expense of the town, viz. Joshua Wells,' James Corss,' and Shubael Atherton's, for a protection against the incursions of the Indians.

*Capt. Childs lived where Dea. T. Stoughton now lives in Gill, just above the Falls.

1755. ROADS. They voted to repair the King's highways and none else; also to petition the General Court for some relief, and a meeting was ordered to be warned to choose a Representative. Benj. Hastings* and Ebenezer Smead were a committee to carry on the petition. It does not appear that a Representative was chosen.

1756. Rev. Mr. Billings leased to the district one half of the sequestered land in Deerfield, lying in town swamp west meddow and point Judah, " during the time of his ministry for £13. 6s 8d."

INDIANS.-1756. In the early part of this year war was formally declared between France and England, though hostilities had existed in the previous year by which the colonies suffered considerably. The war botween them and the natives in New England, at this period, and most of those, with the exception of King Phillips, were occasioned by the quarrels between France and England. On the occurrence of these, the French incited the Indians to commit cruelties and depredations upon the colonists. In the early part of this year the Indians hovered about these frontier settlements, and the people petitioned Government for aid. Small forces were stationed at the forts at Northfield, Deerfield, in this town, and other places, as well as on the line of forts. A party of Indians had posted themselves on the hill near the Asher Corss farm, now owned by Mr. Hart Larabee. The people from other parts of the town improved lands there, and at this time a stack of flax was piled and stood on the ground near a field of grain. They placed their guns against the flax, which was undoubted

* Mr. Hastings owned a tract of land running nearly through the town from the north to the south. His house stood on the rising ground a little west of Mr. Abner Wells' at Stocking Fort, on land now of Mr. E. W. Kingsley. A giant elm lately stood near the spot.