Robert Boltwood Notes

The History of Hadley,
Massachusetts
Sylvester Judd
New Hampshire Publishing Company
Somersworth
1976

This 1905 edition of The History of Hadley
is reproduced by photo offset to assure
accurate preservation of the original text.

The New Hampshire Publishing Company
15 Interstate Drive
Somersworth, NH 03878
All rights reserved
Standard Book Number: 0-912274-57-3
Library of Congress card catalog number: 75-29635
Manufactured in the United States of America

History of Hadley
INCLUDING THE
Early History of Hatfield, South Hadley
Amherst and Granby
MASSACHUSETTS

By SYLVESTER JUDD
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
GEORGE SHELDON
ALSO
Family Genealogies
By LUCIUS M. BOLTWOOD

Published by H. R. HUNTTING & COMPANY
Springfield, Massachusetts 1905

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

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

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

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

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

Connecticut and Hampshire county.--Connecticut, having no enemies from Canada to encounter within her own borders, was (*)By the new charter, the governor and some other officers were appointed by the king. The royal governor could negative any of the 28 councilors who were chosen by the representatives and council jointly, and he appointed all judges and other officers of the law, with consent of the council. It was the intention of the king and his advisers to form a royal party, a party favorable to England, and they partially succeeded to furnish occasional aid to Massachusetts and New York. As she did not comply with all their requests, complaints were made to the government in England, especially by the governor of New York. To counteract these, particular accounts of what Connecticut had done were sent to England, and the following letter of acknowledgment was obtained from Hampshire.(*) The ready assistance this county of Hampshire, in their majesties' province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, have had and found in our distresses in the times of war, from our neighbors and friends of Connecticut colony, calls for our grateful acknowledgment, as we do expect the continuance of their former friendliness and good neighborhood.

Wherefore, these are humbly to signify, that we have received greathelp and good assistance from the government of their majesties' colony of Connecticut, in a ready, large and plentiful supply of men and help, both in the first war in the years 1675 and 1676, as also at divers times upon emergencies and exigences, they have performed great helpfulness in going upon discoveries and keeping garrisons, to their great charge, and now lately in their assistance at Deerfield, our chief frontier town; whereby through God's goodness, they have been a great support and guard, encouragement and safety to our county, and discouragement to the common enemy; and hereunto we subscribe our hands, September 28th, 1693.

The Militia and their postures and arms--Hadley militia--Hampshire Troop--Change in fire-arms--New Militia Law--New Military book--Bayonets--Colors--Calling the roll--Watches--Alarms.

MILITIA companies in Massachusetts and Connecticut were organized and armed in nearly the same manner as soldiers in England.

"The Compleat Body of the Art Military," by Lieut. Col. Richard Elton, was published before 1649, and a Supplement by another was published with it in London, 1668. Many persons in New England had Elton's book. Major John Pynchon had one; and Capt. Aaron Cooke of Northampton had one, which he gave in his will, to his son, Capt. Aaron Cooke of Hadley. The manner in which our fathers performed the manual exercise, with the matchlock musket and rest, may be learned from what Elton calls "The Postures of the Musket," in the edition of 1668.

He gives, also, funeral, saluting and other postures; and the postures of lighter muskets, which were used without rests, but were fired with a match.

"The Postures of the Pike" are given; some of them are handle, raise, charge, order, advance, shoulder, port, comport, check, trail, and lay down, your pikes. The pikes in England were 16 feet in length; in Connecticut, 14 feet.

His musket signified a hand-gun with a matchlock. The cock was that part of the lock which held the burning match that was applied to the powder in the pan. Muskets were generally large and heavy, and required a forked staff or rest to support them when presented to a fire. The rests had a crotch or crescent at the top, and a sharp iron at the bottom to fasten them in the ground. The musketeer had a rest in his hand, or hung to it by a string, in nearly all his exercises.

Bandoleers.--Musketeers carried their powder in little wooden, tin, or copper, cylindrical boxes, each containing one charge; twelve of these boxes were fixed to a belt two inches wide worn over the left shoulder, and the boxes and belt were called bandoleers. Usually the primer containing the priming powder, the bullet-bag and priming-wire were fastened to the leather belt. These and the little long boxes hung upon the belt, and made much rattling. This belt with its dangling appendages, had some resemblance to a string of sleigh-bells. The match-cord was tied to the bandoleer-belt.