ΤΟ HENRY WELLS CLAPP. As by your suggestion and liberal patronage, this imperfect History of a Town whose interests your means and enterprise have promoted, was undertaken, to you it is respectfully dedicated. D. W. THE Town of GREENFIELD, Franklin County, Massachusetts, is one of those pleasant and beautiful towns with which the Connecticut river valley abounds. It is about ninety miles west from Boston, 75 East from Albany, and nearly in a line between the two: is 40 north of Springfield-20 from Northampton, 20 S. from Brattleboro, Vermont. Bounded north by Bernardston, S. by Deerfield, E. by Connecticut and Fall rivers—is about one mile from the confluence of Green and Deerfield rivers-two from that of the Deerfield and Connecticut. The character of the scenery around is picturesque and inviting:-of its buildings, that of neatness and comfort-some partake of elegance without and within. Here are men with hearts and without hearts ; the poor are not forgotten: and hospitality and good neighborhood abound. Population in 1837-1840. Increase since 1830, 290. Polls 440. CONTENTS. CHAP. I. Period prior to Incorporation. Notice of the Indians. CHAP. II. Green river stream granted.-Titles to land-how ob- tained. Green river people's petition. Indian warfare. Anecdote of O. Atherton. Forts-petition renewed, Record of first meeting, &c. Minister. Wages. Roads. Revolutionary Times and Incidents. Anecdotes of Benja, Hastings. Agrippa Wells. Samuel Hinsdale. Act against monopoly and oppression-prices of articles Insurrection under Daniel Shays. Anecdotes.-75. Great sickness of 1802. Political Parties. Difficulties HISTORY OF GREENFIELD. CHAPTER I. Period prior to incorporation. Indians. First Occupants. Deerfield. Sundry particulars. Schools. Grain. Taxes. Or so recent occurrence, in the history of the human race, is every event or circumstance, connected with that of our own country, particularly so, those of any individual town, that although the historian of the whole country finds much to record of a most instructive and interesting character, it is not to be expected that much can be embraced in the annals of a small district not five miles square, and not deemed of sufficient consequence to be incorporated at an earlier date than 1753. Eighty-five years; nay not so much: that term is not fully complete and ended: not so long a term as is allotted to many an individual of our short lived race. Here is surely little scope for indulging the excursions of fancy to the lover of romance or novelty, the repast to be furnished is dry and uninviting; too much like the apple of Sodom, which though presenting an agreeable exterior to the eye, contains nothing better within than dust and ashes. The settlers at Plymouth and the neighboring country, became acquainted with the region bordering the Con- . necticut, by means of adventurers who sailed up the stream and from the reports of the Indians. The Gover |