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AN 


HISTORICAL   ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  AT 


PALMEE,  MASS.,  JULY  5,  1852, 


IN  COMMEMORATION  OF  THE 


ODenteimial  S^^^^^^^^^trg  of  tk  Incorpnttion  of  tire  f  olun; 


BY   THOMAS   WILSON, 

■FIRST  PASTOR  OF  THE  SECOND   CONGESGATIONAL  CHITRCH. 


PUBLISHED  BY  VOTE  OF  THE  TOWN. 


LOWELL : 

S.  J.  VARNEY,  (27  CENTRAL  STREET,)  PRINTER 
1855. 


T 


CORRESPONDENCE, 


Palmer,  August  25th,  lSo2. 
Dear  Sir  : — 

The  undersigned  were  appointed,  at  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Palmer, 
and  others,  on  the  5th  of  Jul)-  last,  being  the  occasion  of  the  Centennial  Celebra- 
tion of  the  organization  of  said  town,  to  solicit  a  copy  of  your  Address,  delivered 
at  that  time,  for  publication. 

We  hope  it  may  be  your  pleasure  to  gratify  the  citizens  of  this  town,  as  well 
as  numerous  others,  interested  in  the  history  of  Palmer,  by  furnishing,  at  your 
earliest  convenience,  a  copy  of  your  very  interesting  and  invaluable  Historical 
Address,  for  the  purpose  aforesaid. 

Be  assured.  Sir,  of  the  very  high  personal  regard  entertained  for  yourself  and 
family. 

J.  B.  MERRICK, 
F.  MORGAN, 
Rev.  Thomas  Wilson.  FRED.  T.  WALLACE. 


August  27th,  1852. 
Gentlemen : — 

The  Historical  Address  which  the  citizens  of  the  placo,  from  their 
personal  and  local  interest,  have  directed  you  to  obtain  for  publication,  is  cheer- 
fully placed  at  your  disposal.  In  complying  with  your  request,  so  cordially  con- 
veyed, I  sincerely  regret  that  it  was  not  in  my  power, —  from  the  brief  time  allow- 
ed for  the  preparation  of  a  discourse  of  this  nature,  and  from  the  pressure  of  im- 
perative professional  duties, —  to  render  more  fitting  honor  to  the  character  and 
doings  of  the  early  fathers  of  the  town.  I  hope,  however,  that  what  is  here  done 
may  rescue  from  utter  oblivion,  important  and  interesting  facts  connected  with 
their  history ;  and  that  it  may  furnish,  to  the  present  and  future  inhabitants  of 
Palmer,  an  acceptable,  though  slight  and  inadequate,  memento  of  the  deeds  and 
virtues  of  their  ancestral  generations. 

With  sentiments  of  respect  and  esteem  I  remain 

Yours,  very  truly, 

THOMAS  WILSON. 
To  Messrs.  J.  B.  Merrick,         ^ 

F.  Morgan,  i  Committee  oftJie  Citizem  of  Palmer. 

Fred.  T.  Wallace,  j 


PREFACE. 


The  citizens  of  Palmer,  at  their  annual  meeting  in  March,  1852,  appointed 
Rev.  Thomas  Wilson  to  prepare  an  historical  account  of  the  early  settlement  and 
subsequent  progress  of  the  town ;  to  be  given  as  an  Address,  in  connection  with 
other  services  that  were  to  be  held,  commemorative  of  the  first  Centennial  An- 
niversary of  the  Incorporation  of  the  Town  of  Palmer.* 

In  accordance  with  this  appointment,  the  following  brief  and  unavoidably  im- 
perfect sketch  was  prepared,  and  delivered  before  a  large  gathering  of  the  citizens, 
in  a  grove  near  the  To-vvn-House,  on  Monday,  July  5th  ;  though  the  appropriate 
time  for  the  centenary  celebration  would  have  been  on  the  23d  of  January  previous. 
This  filial  duty  would  more  justly  have  belonged  to  some  native  of  the  place ;  or 
at  least,  to  one  whom  long  residence  among  the  people,  and  an  intimate  acquain- 
tance with  the  aged  especially,  would  have  better  qualified  for  the  work.  As  it 
was  assigned  otherwise,  however,  the  commission  has  been  executed  as  well  as 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  would  allow. 

The  records  of  the  original  Proprietors,  together  with  those  of  the  town  and 
the  first  parish  ;  and  the  journals  of  the  Colonial  and  State  Legislatures,  in  the 
archives  of  the  Commonwealth,  have  been  the  principal  sources  from  which  the 
materials  have  been  gathered.  Valuable  assistance,  also,  was  derived  from 
♦'Parker's  History  of  Londonderry,  N.  H."  in  regard  to  the  emigration  to  this 
country,  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  of  tlie  Scotch  Presbyterians  by  whom  this  town 
was  chiefly  settled.  Other  sources  of  information  have  been  carefully  and  labori- 
ously examined ;  but  much  yet  remains  to  be  done  to  do  full  justice  to  the  depar- 
ted worthies  of  the  town ;  and  the  feeling  of  regret  is  an  honest  one,  which  the 
o-leaner  of  these  historical  relics  entertains,  that  a  more  skillful  pen  was  not  em- 
ployed to  put  these  pleasant  but  fading  reminiscences  of  past  generations  in  a 
more  acceptable  and  enduring  form. 

It  was  somewhat  appropriate,  however,  that  one  whose  own  birth  was  in  that 
land  whence  the  worthy  and  patriotic  fathers  of  this  town  primarily  originated  — 
-'  auld  Scotia" —  should  be  selected  to  pay  due  respect  to  the  virtue,  heroism,  and 
indomitable  love  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  which  characterized  the  noble  dead. 
The  grateful  work,  therefore,  was  engaged  in  with  something  of  filial  reverence 
and  ancestral  pride. 


''See  Appendix  C. 


ADDRESS. 


"  The  Ancient  of  days"  bas  implanted  in  man  a  reverence  for 
antiquity.  This  feeling  is  alike  honorable  in  him  who  manifests  it, 
and  respectful  to  the  object  or  person  toward  which  it  is  shown.  He 
who  placed  this  graceful  sentiment  in  the  nature  of  the  human  race, 
allows  it  to  be  cherished  in  every  form  and  degree  which  can  harmo- 
nize with  the  paramount  law  of  virtuous  progress. 

Whatever  is  old  is  to  man,  who  is  himself  so  short-lived,  invested 
with  peculiar  interest.  To  gratify  his  taste  for  the  antique,  he  will 
sometimes,  like  "  Old  Mortality,"  sit  down  among  the  crumbling 
tombstones  of  ancient  worthies,  and  patiently  re-chisel  the  half  oblit- 
erated inscriptions ;  at  other  times,  he  will  traverse  the  most  perilous 
seas,  and  scale  the  almost  inaccessible  mountains,  and  brave  even  ap- 
palling dangers,  to  look  upon  some  mouldering  relic  of  by-gone  ages  ; 
or  to  feel  the  inspiration,  flowing  in  upon  the  soul,  from  some  scene 
famed  far  back  in  the  records  of  time.  Hallowed  emotions  are  kin- 
dled in  the  heart  by  such  contemplations.  Past  ages  come  rolling 
back  as  we  stand  in  the  midst  of  scenes  thus  "  hoar  with  grey  an- 
tiquity." And  even  though  we  may  never  visit  them  in  person,  the 
ever-ready  and  nimble  imagination  —  that  wierd  and  subtle  power  of 
the  mind  —  will,  at  our  bidding,  present  them  in  visionary  but  im- 
posing array. 

It  is,  indeed,  true  that  the  annals  of  this  town  present  few,  if  any, 
of  those  stirring  events  which  claim  a  prominent  place  on  the  page  of 
history.  No  fierce  battle  fought  upon  our  soil,  has  ever  emblazoned 
its  name  in  lines  of  blood.  No  wonderful  curiosity  of  nature  has  ever 
brought  hither  a  crowd  of  sight-seeing  ti'avelers.  No  brilliant  achieve- 
ment in  art  or  arms,  has  ever  rendered  any  of  its  sons  illustrious.  No 
famous  production  in  literature,  or  memorable  discovery  in  science, 


6 

has  ever  claimed  its  paternity  here.  But  yet,  in  this  small  and  no- 
wise consjjicuous  town,  among  the  goodly  fellowshiiD  of  sister  commu- 
nities in  this  good  old  Commonwealth,  events  have  transpired  that  are 
worthy  to  be  remembered  ;  especially  by  the  descendants  of  those 
who  here  lived,  and  loved,  and  died.  As  the  centuries  go  by,  it  is 
well  to  recall  the  scenes  of  the  past,  and  the  actors  in  the  busy  drama 
of  human  life,  whose  remembrance  is  fast  fading  away.  There  has 
been  exhibited  on  this  soil,  and  within  the  bounds  of  this  township,  a 
noble  endurance  of  privation  and  sufFerina; ;  an  heroic  struggle  against 
the  difficulties  incident  to  a  pioneer  life,  such  as  were  inevitable,  but 
not  less  trying  in  the  early  settlements  of  this  region ;  and  a  devoted 
patriotism  amid  the  sorest  trials  —  which  ought  to  embalm  the  depar- 
ted worthies  in  the  hearts  of  a  grateful  and  emulous  posterity. 

Tlie  principle  of  religious  liberty  was  the  leading  central  idea  with 
the  founders  of  this  new  and  greatest  of  Republics.  It  found  fitting 
exponents  in  the  early  settlers  of  this  town.  This  sentiment,  when 
fully  roused,  is  stronger  even  than  the  love  of  civil  and  political  free- 
dom. That  exemption  from  control  and  dictation,  which  the  con- 
science demands,  and  for  which  men  feel  bound,  by  the  hopes  of  life 
eternal,  to  contend,  can  hardly  fail  to  be  secured  by  resolute  souls. 
As  the  English  Puritans  fled  from  their  comfortable  homes  to  this 
western  wilderness,  not  so  much  from  the  civil  government  as  from 
the  hierarchy,  and  the  laws  which  enforced  conformity  to  the  estab- 
lished Episcopal  Church  ;  so  did  the  Scottish  Covenanters  —  some  of 
whose  descendants  are  gathered  here  to-day  —  emigrate  to  escape  re- 
ligious rather  than  political  evils. 

Before  entering  upon  a  detailed  account  of  the  settlement  of  the 
largest  and  most  prominent  colony  which  virtually  founded  Palmer,  it 
may  be  interesting  to  advert  briefly  to  some  of  the  circumstances  in 
the  "  father-land,"  which  constituted  the  leading  cause  of  many  of 
the  settlements  in  New  England.  Even  the  most  cursory  examina- 
tion of  this  point  will  clearly  show  that  it  was  firm  and  conscientious 
adherence  to  religious  principle,  which  brought  most  of  our  ancestors 
to  this  distant  land  ;  and  led  them  to  establiab  an  empire  whose  chief 
and  most  glorious  characteristic  is  entire  freedom  in  matters  of  divine 
worship.  It  was  for  conscience's  sake  that  they  left  their  native  land 
and  their  cherished  homes  ;  and,  amid  sorrow,  suffering,  and  death, 
"  sought  a  faith's  pure  shrine  "  upon  these  inhospitable  shores.  Re- 
lio'ious  toleration  was  a  virtue  in  political  ethics,  to  the  attainment  of 


which  the  people  of  that  age  had  not  arrived.  This  principle,  though 
confessedly  just  and  wise,  has  been  of  slow  growth.  Hence  in  Eng- 
land, notwithstanding  the  light  and  influence  of  the  ever-memorable 
Reformation,  various  laws  were  passed  enjoining  uniformity,  not  only 
in  sentiment,  but  in  the  forms  of  religious  worship  ;  subjecting  to  se- 
vere penalties,  all  who  refused  obedience.  The  adherents  of  even 
the  reformed  religion  had  not  yet  acquired  that  truly  catholic  spirit 
which  gives  to  every  one  the  "  right  to  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  his  own  conscience."  Submission  to  the  most  intolerant 
statutes  was  enforced  with  such  extreme  vigor,  that  a  voluntary  exile 
seemed  to  many  the  best  mode  of  escaping  from  the  penalties  of  non- 
compliance. . 

The  stringencyof  the  laws,  and  the  relentlessness  of  their  execution, 
excited  the  strong  and  determined  resistance  of  many  in  all  ranks, 
who  fearlessly  withstood  this  encroachment  upon  their  rights,  demand- 
ing greater  simplicity  and  purity  of  worship  than  that  allowed  by  the 
established  Church  of  England,  hence,  by  way  of  reproach,  they 
were  called  Puritans  ;  and  as  their  sufferings,  under  the  oppressive 
acts  which  so  chafed  and  galled  their  spirits,  tended  to  deter  any  ex- 
cept the  conscientious  and  sincere  friends  of  Christ,  and  of  the  purer 
worship,  from  uniting  with  them, — serving  thus  to  sift  the  precious 
wheat  from  the  worthless  chaff, —  the  term,  though  otherwise  intended, 
became  one  of  honor  !  It  was  strikingly  significant  of  the  superior 
purity,  both  of  their  religion  and  their  lives.  Their  deep  and  in- 
wrought dislike  to  the  arbitrary  enactments  of  their  government,  in- 
duced our  Pui'itan  fathers  to  seek  in  this  then  newly  discovered  land 
a  settlement,  founded  on  the  principles  of  religious  toleration,  as  well 
as  of  civil  liberty.  It  was  a  determination,  fixed  and  resolute,  not  to 
submit  to  dictation  in  matters  of  faith  and  modes  of  worship  which 
prompted  their  self-denying  course.  They  preferred  to  hazard  every- 
thing, to  endure  anything,  rather  than  surrender  this  right,  which 
they  prized  dearer  than  life  itself,  of  "  freedom  to  worship  God." 
With  an  inextinguishable  thirst  for  liberty  in  the  moral  as  well  as  in 
the  natural  and  social  world,  they  could  not  bear  to  be  thus  trammel- 
ed in  their  religious  privileges.  No  other  motive  save  that  of  duty 
was  sufficiently  powerful  to  influence  these  men  to  abandon  all  that 
was  endeared  to  them  by  the  associations  of  home,  and  kindred,  and 
country,  for  a  hostile  wilderness  beyond  the  ocean.  It  was  a  pure 
and  holy  purpose  which  prompted  them  to  make  the  sacrifices  they 


8 

ilid.  They  claimed  "  an  open  Bible  and  a  free  conscience."  Their 
purpose  was  to  establish  "a  Church  without  a  Bishop,  and  a  State 
without  a  King."  They  sought,  therefore,  a  home  in  this  far-off 
land,  where  they  might  freely  enjoy  all  that  their  hearts  held  dear,  as 
citizens  of  the  State  and  members  of  the  Church.  For  this  they 
braved  the  storms  of  winter,  and  the  perils  of  the  sea ;  and  on  the 
bleak  and  frozen  rocks  of  Plymouth  they  raised  an  altar  at  once  to 
freedom  and  to  God  ! 

It  is  indeed  true  that  the  Presbyterians,  who  primarily  settled  this 
:md  a  few  other  towns  in  New  England,  were  different  in  forms  of 
church  government  from  that  noble  band  of  christians  of  the  Congre- 
gational ordei'  who  constituted  the  Plymouth  Colony  ;  yet  in  all  their 
views  of  divine* truth  and  religious  duty,  in  zeal  and  firmness  to  resist 
«ivil  and  ecclesiastical  domination,  they  fully  harmonized  with  each 
other,  and  were  "fellow  sufferers  for  conscience  sake." 

The  emigrants  who  chiefly  settled  the  town  of  Palmer  were  what  is 
called  "  Scotch-Irish,"  being  the  descendants  of  a  colony  of  Protes- 
tants which  emigrated  from  Argyleshne,  in  Scotland,  and  settled  in 
the  province  of  Ulster,  in  Ireland,  about  the  year  1612.  They  were 
induced  to  go  there  by  the  fact  that  in  the  reign  of  James  the  First, 
on  the  suppression  of  a  rebellion  of  his  Catholic  subjects  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Ireland,  two  millions  of  acres  of  land,  almost  the  whole  of 
the  six  upper  counties,  were  transferred  to  the  King,  who  thereupon 
became  desirous  of  supplanting  the  native  rebels  by  those  who  would 
be  more  loyal,  and  therefore  held  out  strong  inducements  to  his  other 
and  more  reliable  subjects  to  occupy  the  land.  His  Scotch  and  Eng- 
lish dependents  were  encouraged  by  liberal  grants  to  leave  their  own 
homes  and  settle  upon  this  forfeited  tract  of  land,  as  it  was  expected 
that  those  turbulent  spirits  in  the  "Emerald  Isle,"  who  had  so  often 
defied  the  authority  and  arms  of  the  British  government,  might  by 
means  of  this  colonization  be  awed  and  controlled. 

This  will  account,  in  some  measure,  for  the  bitter  enmity  which  was 
manifested  by  the  Catholics,  the  native  Irish,  toward  these  Protestant 
settlers,  who  occupied  the  soil  from  which  their  countrymen  had  been 
forcibly  expelled.  The  great  Isish  rebellion  which  occurred  thirty 
years  after,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  had  its  origin  in  the  animosity 
with  which  the  Irish  Catholics  regarded  the  Protestants,  and  in  the 
natural  and  burning  desire  they  felt  to  wrest  back  their  ancestral  pos- 
sessions.    The  plot  of  this  general  massacre  was  fortunately  discover- 


9 

ed  in  Dublin,  on  the  day  before  the  time  lixed  for  its  execution  ;  but 
in  the  other  parts  of  the  island,  and  particularly  in  Ulster,  the  most 
cruel  and  wanton  destruction  of  lives  and  property  ensued.  Accord- 
ing to  some  historians,  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
persons  perished. 

The  emi^nants  from  across  the  channel,  who  settled  on  the  lands  of 
the  expatriated  Irish  during  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
went  there  chiefly  from  mercenary  motives.  They  received  aci;essions 
from  time  to  time  of  their  countrymen,  who  were  injpelled  by  the  like 
hope  of  gain.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  that  century,  many  fled  there 
from  Scotland  to  escape  the  bitter  persecutions  and  horrid  barbarities 
inflicted  by  the  Roman  Catholics  upon  the  Covenanters,  in  the  reign 
of  James  II.  This  bigoted  and  infatuated  monarch  exhibited  a  hatred 
to  Protestantism,  and  a  devotion  to  Papacy,  the  most  excessive ;  and 
during  his  whole  reign  strove  most  zealously  to  eradicate  the  one  and 
establish  the  other.  No  one  of  the  Puritan  sects  was  so  particularly 
the  object  of  his  aversion  as  the  Presbyterians  of  Scotland.  While  he 
was  viceroy  of  that  kingdom,  during  the  reign  of  his  brother,  he  had 
persecuted  them  with  an  unrelenting  severity  which  he  was  in  nowise 
disposed  to  mitigate  after  he  had  ascended  the  throne. 

Those  districts  in  which  the  Covenanters  were  most  numerous  were 
overrun  by  companies  of  soldiers,  who  practised  the  most  wanton  cru- 
elties upon  all  who  fell  into  their  hands.  Among  the  leaders  of  these 
persecuting  and  blood-thirsty  bands,  the  most  noted  was  James  Gra- 
ham, of  Claverhouse  ; — "  a  soldier,"  says  Macauley,  "  of  distinguish- 
ed courage  and  professional  skill,  but  rapacious  and  profane,  of  violent 
temper,  and  of  obdurate  heart ;  who  has  left  a  name  which,  wherever 
the  Scottish  race  is  settled  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  is  mentioned  with 
a  peculiar  energy  of  hatred.  To  recapitulate  all  the  crimes  by  which 
this  man,  and  men  like  him,  goaded  the  peasantry  of  the  Western 
Lowlands  into  madness,  would  be  an  endless  task." 

By  such  brutal  persecution,  in  a  land  most  dear  to  thoin,  the  imme- 
diate ancestors  of  many  who  settled  in  this  jjlace  were  induced  to  flee 
to  Ireland,  and  join  their  countrymen  who  had  preceded  them.  But 
even  there,  their  repose  was  short.  Although  during  the  time  of 
Cromwell,  and  for  a  few  years  after  his  decease,  the  Protestants,  were 
protected  from  the  inveterate  enmity  of  the  Irish  Catholics,  they  were 
at  length  called  to  undergo  privations  and  sufferings  almost  unparal- 
leled.    The  pages  of  history  can  furnish  but  few  instances  of  such  un- 


10 

daunted  bravery,  unwavering  firmness,  and  beroie  fortitude  as  were 
displayed  by  them  in  the  midst  of  their  fiery  and  protracted  trials. 

Their  position,  in  the  land  of  their  adoption,  was  everyway  most 
uncomfortable.  They  were  surrounded  by  the  native  Irish,  who  ad. 
hered  with  tenacity  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  while  they  regarded  their 
new  neighbors  with  embittered  feelings  not  only  as  supplanters,  but 
as  heretics  ;  and  though  they  were  then  subjugated  to  Protestant 
power,  and  not  permitted  openly  to  persecute  as  they  had  done,  yet  a 
spirit  of  hostility  still  existed,  which  sought  every  opportunity  to  vent 
itself  in  acts  of  revenge.  Many  circumstances,  in  addition  to  the 
original  strong  traits  of  character  which  separate  the  Scotch  from  the 
Irish,  had  served  to  inflame  and  strengthen  the  enmity  existing  be- 
tween them. 

JMacauley,  adverting  to  the  hostility  manifested  by  the  Irish  Catho- 
lics toward  the  British  Protestants  who  had  settled  in  Ireland,  says  : 
"  On  the  same  soil  dwelt  two  populations,  locally  intermixed,  morally 
and  politically  sundered.  The  difference  of  religion  was  by  no  means 
the  only  difference,  and  was  perhaps  not  even  the  chief  difference, 
which  existed  between  them.  They  sprang  from  different  stocks. 
They  spoke  different  languages.  They  had  different  national  charac- 
ters, as  strongly  opposed  as  any  two  national  characters  in  Europe. 
They  were  in  widely  different  stages  of  civilization  —  there  could, 
therefore,  be  little  sympathy  between  them,  and  centuries  of  calami- 
ties and  wrongs  had  generated  a  strong  antipathy.  The  relation  in 
which  the  minority  stood  to  the  majority,  resembled  the  relation  in 
which  the  followers  of  William  the  Conqueror  stood  to  the  Saxon 
churls,  or  the  relation  in  which  the  followers  of  Cortez  stood  to  the  In- 
dians of  Mexico.  The  appellation  of  Irish  was  then  given  exclusively 
to  the  Celts,  and  to  those  families  which,  though  not  of  Celtic  origin, 
had  in  the  course  of  ages  degenerated  into  Celtic  manners.  These  peo- 
ple, probably  somewhat  less  than  a  million  in  number,  had,  with  few 
exceptions,  adhered  to  the  Church  of  Rome.  Among  them  resided 
about  two  hundred  thousand  colonists,  proud  of  their  Saxon  blood  and 
of  their  Protestant  faith.  The  great  preponderance  of  numbers  on  one 
side,  was  more  than  compensated  by  a  great  superiority  of  intelligence, 
vigor,  and  organization  on  the  other.  The  English  settlers  seem  to 
have  been,  in  knowledge,  energy,  and  perseverance,  rather  above  than 
below  the  average  level  of  the  population  of  the  mother  country.    The 


11 

aboriginal  jieasantry,  on  the  contrary,  were  in  an  almost  savage 
state." 

It  was  in  view  of  such  evils  and  sufferings,  experienced  both  in  the 
land  of  their  birth  and  adoption,  that  a  large  body  of  them  were  again 
disposed  to  leave  their  homes  for  another  country.  They  were  the 
more  encouraged  to  do  this,  by  the  flattering  representations  which 
had  come  to  them,  of  the  civil  and  religious  privileges  enjoyed  by  the 
American  colonies.  In  order  to  see  whether  these  reports  were  cor- 
rect, and  whether  they  would  be  justified  in  removing  ;  and  also,  to 
secure  a  place  of  settlement,  they  sent  a  messenger  early  in  the  year 
1718,  with  an  address  to  Governor  Shute,  of  Massachusetts,  express- 
ing a  strong  desire  to  remove  to  New  England,  if  they  could  be  as- 
sured of  the  permanent  enjoyment  of  their  civil  and  religious  rights. 
The  desired  encouragement  being  given,  they  immediately  turned 
their  pi'operty  into  money,  embarked  in  five  ships  for  Boston,  and  ar- 
rived there  August  4,  1718.  That  portion  of  the  emigrants  who  had 
been  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  James  McGregor,  in  Ireland, 
wished  to  remain  together  that  they  might  still  enjoy  religious  ordi- 
nances under  the  ministry  of  their  favorite  teacher,  who  had  accom- 
panied his  flock  to  their  new  home  in  this  western  world.  After 
considerable  search  and  many  privations,  they  finally  settled  upon  a 
fine  tract  of  land  in  New  Hampshire,  which  they  named  Londonderry, 
in  honor  of  the  town  in  Ireland  from  which  they  had  just  emigrated. 
Quite  a  number  of  this  body  of  emigrants,  on  arriving  at  Boston,  saw 
fit  to  remain  in  that  city,  and  uniting  with  those  of  their  countrymen 
of  their  own  faith  whom  they  found  there,  formed  the  "  First  Presby- 
terian Church  and  Society,"  over  which  the  Rev.  John  Moorhead  was 
installed  pastor.  It  was  styled  the  "  Presbyterian  Church  in  Long 
Lane,"  afterwards  Federal  Street. 

Another  portion  of  this  company  of  emigrants  repaired  to  Worces- 
ter, and  there  attempted  to  form  a  settlement  and  enjoy  religious  pri- 
vileges, under  the  ministry  of  one  of  the  four  jjastors  who  had  accom- 
panied them  to  this  country  ;  and  although  they  were  an  industrious, 
orderly  and  pious  community,  yet  in  consequence  of  their  being  for- 
eigners, especially  from  Ireland,  and  introducing  the  Presbyterian 
mode  of  worship,  which  was  before  unknown  in  New  England,  the 
prejudices  of  the  Congregational  churches,  the  "standing  order"  of 
the  State,  were  so  strong  and  bitter  toward  them,  that  they  were 
compelled  to  leave  the  place.     They  consequently  separated,  and 


12 

were  dispersed  through  the  country.  Some  of  these  families  settled 
in  Palmer,  others  in  Coleraine,  some  in  Pelham,  and  a  few  in  other 
towns  in  Massachusetts ;  and  being  joined  by  emigrants,  from  time  to 
time,  from  the  old  country,  formed  those  Presbyterian  societies  which 
existed  for  many  years  in  those  several  places. 

Such  is  a  brief  account  of  the  origin  of  the  principal  colony  which 
first  settled  within  the  limits  of  this  town,  about  the  year  1727. 
Some  years  previous  to  this,  however,  several  families  had  entered 
upon  the  territory,  and  erected  their  humble  log  dwellings  amid  the 
primeval  forest.  The  honor  of  being  the  first  settler  of  Palmer,  so 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn  from  documentary  or  traditional  evi- 
dence, belongs  to  John  King.  He  probably  came  here  sometime 
during  the  year  1717.  A  letter  from  his  mother,  dated  "  Ednars- 
ton,  (Eng.)  April  20,  1718,"*  speaks  of  him  as  being  married  and 
having  one  son,  born,  it  is  supposed,  in  Boston.  She  refers  to  the 
"  hardships"  he  had  experienced  since  he  left  home,  and  expresses 
her  sorrow  to  hear  that  he  "  lived  in  such  a  desert  place,  without 
neighbors."  She  says  also,  "I  shall  never  overcome  my  grief  to 
think  you  are  so  far  off;"  but  with  a  mother's  solicitude  for  the  spi- 
ritual welfare  of  her  child,  she  adds,  "I  am  glad  to  hear  you  live 
under  the  ministry  of  the  gospel ;  I  pray  God  to  give  you  grace  to  im- 
prove by  it."  He  probably  attended  the  church  in  Brimfield,  as  that 
town  was  incorporated  December  24,  1731,  having  been  granted  to 
petitioners,  and  settled  by  persons  from  Springfield,  in  the  year  1701. 
It  therefore  undoubtedly  possessed  such  religious  privileges  before 
Mr.  King  entered  upon  his  solitary  forest  home  in  this  place.  The 
spot  where  the  rude  log  house  was  first  erected  by  him  cannot  now  be 
precisely  determined.  It  was  somewhere  on  the  plain  where  the 
"  Depot-village  "  now  stands.  Tradition  says  that  this  pioneer  fami- 
ly spent  the  first  night  of  their  sojourn  here  at  the  spring  on  the  hill 
side,  near  the  old  grave-yard,  where  their  dust  now  slumbers.  Some 
apple  trees  are  said  to  have  sprung  up  near  by  from  seed  dropped  by 
them  from  the  fruit  they  were  eating. 

Several  of  Mr.  King's  sons,  of  whom  he  had  eight,  and  three 
daughters,  settled  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  their  father,  along  the 
north  bank  of  the  Quaboag,  or  Chicopee  river.  From  them  not  only 
the  neighborhood  where  they  lived  received  its  name  of  the  "  King's 
row,"  but  the  whole  township  is  often  called  "  Kingsfield,"  but  more 
*  See  Appendix  F. 


13 

commonly  "Kingstown,"  in  the  county  and  colony  records.  The  more 
usual  name,  however,  in  these  and  in  the  town  records,  is  the  "El- 
bow-tract," or  the  "Elbows  ;"  a  designation  doubtless  derived  from  the 
angles  made  by  the  union  of  the  Swift  and  the  Ware  rivers  with  the 
Chicopee,  at  whose  junction,  as  the  name  implies,  the  manufacturing 
village  of  "Three-Rivers"  is  situated.  This  part  of  the  town  was  first 
occupied  by  Mr.  James  Shearer,  who  died  in  1745.  It  was  some- 
times called  the  "  Dark-Corner,"  because  prior  to  its  occupancy  as  a 
manufacturing  place,  there  were  but  three  families  in  all  that  region, 
and  most  of  the  land  was  covered  with  a  dense  mass  of  the  primative 
forest.  The  town  was  designated  by  these  various  appellations,  until 
the  name  it  now  bears  was  given  to  it  a  century  ago  at  its  incorpora- 
tion as  a  District.  Previous  to  that  time  the  inhabitants  had  repeat- 
edly applied  to  the  Colonial  Legislature  to  be  invested  with  the  pow- 
ers of  an  incorporated  town,  and  had  sent  several  persons,  at  different 
times,  to  the  "  Great  and  General  Court,"  to  advance  their  interests 
in  this  respect.  These  early  efforts  were  not  successful ;  and  it  was 
not  till  thirty-five  years  after  its  first  settlement  that  an  act  of  incor- 
poration was  secured,  and  even  then  with  one  essential  limitation. 

The  bill  was  enacted  on  Thursday,  January  23,  1752*.  It  con- 
ferred upon  the  citizens  of  this  place,  then  numbering  about  seventy 
families,  "  all  the  powers,  privileges,  and  immunities  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  towns  within  this  province  are,  or  by  law  ought  to  be,  invest- 
ed with,  saving  only  the  choice  of  Representative,  which,  it  is  repre- 
sented, said  inhabitants  are  not  desirous  of."  Perhaps  one  reason 
why  the  residents  of  this  town  were  not,  at  that  time,  "  desirous  of" 
the  invaluable  j)rivilege  of  being  represented  in  the  Colonial  Legisla- 
ture, was  the  fact  that  the  granting  of  this  power  was  known  to  be 
contrai-y  to  the  general  policy  of  the  mother  country,  and,  therefore, 
they  asked  only  for  what  they  thought  could  be  obtained. 

Hutchinson  mentions  in  his  history  that  in  1757,  five  years  after 
Palmer  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  District,  the  Lieut.  Governor  of 
the  Province,  by  the  King's  instructions,  "was  strictly  charged  to 
consent  to  no  act  for  making  a  new  town,  unless,  by  a  clause  in  it, 
there  should  he  a  restraint  of  this  power  of  sending  representatives.^^ 
Thus  jealously  did  the  British  crown  guard  its  supremacy  in  the  Colo- 
nies which  were  even  then  beginning  to  be  restive.  Such  a  veto 
seems  to  have  been  interposed  by  His  Majesty,  to  prevent  an  increase 
♦  See  Appendix  E. 


14 

of  opposition  to  his  power  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  Legislature, 
filled  as  it  was  with  representatives  from  the  towns  which  were  gene- 
rally against  his  policy.  This  town,  therefore,  was  deprived  of  the 
power  of  sending  a  representative  at  its  incorporation  ;  and  it  did  not 
attain  this  privilege  till  a  general  act  was  passed  by  the  State  Legisla- 
ture, soon  after  the  Revolution,  empowering  all  districts  to  exercise 
this  valuable  prerogative  of  their  civil  rights.*  In  a  statute  for  the 
reo-ulation  of  towns,  passed  March  2-3,  1786,  is  the  following  clause  : 
"  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  all  places  incorporated  by  the  name 
of  districts  before  the  first  day  of  January,  1777,  are  hereby  declared 
to  be  towns,  to  every  intent  and  purpose  whatever."  It  was  by  vir- 
tue of  this  enactment  that  Palmer,  like  Danvers  and  several  other 
places,  was  raised  from  the  subordinate  rank  of  a  district,  incapable 
of  representation  in  the  General  Court,  to  the  more  honorable  position 
of  equality  with  the  other  towns  of  the  Commonwealth  ;  entitled  to  all 
the  privileges,  and  vested  with  all  the  rights,  possessed  by  these  sister 
municipalities. 

The  bill  of  incorporation  having  failed,,  inadvertently,  to  provide 
for  callino-  the  first  meeting  of  the  district,  a  special  resolve  of  the 
Legislature  was  passed  June  4,  1752,  authorizing  John  Sherman, 
Esq.,  "  upon  application  to  him  made  for  that  purpose,"  to  issue  his 
•warrant  for  such  a  meeting,  where  the  inhabitants  might  "  choose  and 
appoint  such  town  officers  as  the  law  directs."  In  accordance  with 
this  provision,  a  warrant  was  issued,  and  the  first  official  meeting  of 
the  citizens  of  the  newly  incorporated  district  was  held  ' '  at  the  public 
Meeting  House,  on  Tuesday,  the  30th  day  of  June,  1752."  The  act 
of  incorporation,  as  it  passed  the  House  of  Representatives,  contained 
also  no  nmiie  for  the  new  district,  though  the  inhabitants  had  petition- 
ed for  that  of  "  Kingstown,"  by  which  it  had  previously  been  called. 
The  i)robable  reason  why  this  natural  request  was  not  granted,  was 
the  fact  that  in  the  year  1726  a  town  in  Plymouth  county  had  already 
been  incorporated  by  the  the  similar  name  of  "  Kingston."  It  was, 
however,  no  unusual  thing  for  districts  and  towns  to  be  thus  name- 
less when  the  act  of  their  incorporation  passed  the  Legislature,  leav- 
ing it  for  the  Lieut.  Governor,  or  some  member  of  the  Council,  to  be 
sponsor  to  the  young  offspring  of  the  State.  Such  was  the  case  with 
Palmkr.  The  name  was  given  by  Lieut.  Governor,  Spencer  Phipps, 
of  Mass.,  in  honor  of  his  relative,  Thomas  Palmer,  Esq.,  who  bad 
*  See  Appendix  D. 


15 

recently  died  ia  Scotland.*  It  is  somewhat  singular,  and  no  less 
appropriate,  that  the  town  should  bear  the  name  of  one  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  that  land  from  which  the  greater  part  of  the  first  settlers  orio-i- 
nally  came. 

But  to  return  to  the  account  of  those  who  early  established  them- 
selves here  :  —  the  first  notice  in  the  public  records  that  persons  were 
desirous  to  settle  on  these  lands  is  a  petition  to  the  General  Court, 
from  Joseph  Wright,  John  Kilburn  and  others,  in  Hampshire  Coun- 
ty, dated  December,  1726.  They  asked  for  "  a  tract  of  land  bound- 
ed westerly  by  Ware  river  and  southerly  by  Chicopee  river,"  and 
proposed  "to  settle  there  soon."  The  General  Court  appointed  a 
committee  to  view  the  place  ;  but  their  report,  if  they  made  any,  does 
not  appear  on  record.  The  first  date  recorded  on  the  town  books  oc- 
curs in  specifying  the  birth  of  Sarah  Frost,  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Deliverance  Frost,  who  was  born  February,  1725.  The  first 
death  on  record  is  that  of  Moses  King,  son  of  John  and  Sarah  King, 
who  departed  this  life  April  26,  1729.  In  recording  the  death  of  any 
one,  the  number  of  years,  months  and  days,  were  very  carefully  giv- 
en ;  and  sometimes  even  the  hours  and  minutes ! 

In  September,  1730,  John  King,  Samuel  Nevins  and  others,  who 
were  on  these  lands,  petitioned  for  a  grant  of  six  miles  square,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  consider  the  matter  and  view  the  land, 
but  nothing  was  done.  In  June,  1731,  Joseph  Wright,  and  others 
residing  at  "  Elbows,"  petitioned  to  have  their  lands  confirmed  to 
theiu ;  and  John  King  and  others  sent  a  similar  petition.  As  was 
before  stated,  a  company  of  the  Scotch-Irish  emigrants  had  begun  to 
establish  themselves  here  as  early  as  1727.  They  were  encouraged 
to  do  this  by  grants  or  permits  from  the  proprietors  of  Lambstown, 
(now  Hardwick)  who  claimed  an  extensive  tract  of  land  in  this  re- 
gion, by  virtue  of  a  purchase  from  the  Indians,  December  27,  1686, 
"  for  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds  current  money  of  New  England." 
The  Colonial  government,  however,  did  not  admit  their  title  to  the 
land,  and  accordingly  fifty-six  of  the  inhabitants,  mostly  Scotch-Irish, 
but  some  from  Springfield  and  other  New  England  towns,  presented 
the  following  petition  for  a  grant  of  this  tract  of  land  : — 

"  To  His  Excellency,  Jonathan  Belcher,  Esq.,  Captain  General  and  Governor 
in  Chief  in  and  over  his  Majesties  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New 

♦  I  am  indebted  to  Rev.  J.  B.  Felt,  Secretary  of  the  Congregational  Library 
Association,  for  this  interesting  fact. 


16 


England,  The  Honorable  His  Majesties  Council,  and  House  of  Representatives  in 
General  Court  assembled,  May  31,  1732. 

"  The  petition  of  the  subscribers  dwelling  and  residing  on  a  tract  and  parcel  of 
land  lying  and  situate  between  Springfield  and  Brookfield,  Brimfield  and  the  land 
failed  the  Equivalent  land  and  Cold  Spring,  Humbly  Sheweth  :— 

"  That  they  are  sensible  the  said  land  belongs  to  the  said  Province,  yet  the  reason 
•vvhy  your  petitioners  entered  on  the  said  land  was  as  follows: — 'Some  from  the  en« 
couragement  of  Joshua  Lamb,  Esq.,  and  Company,  that  the  said  land  belonged 
to  them  ;  and  that  they  would  give  to  such  of  your  petitioners  as  entered  thereon 
under  them  a  good  right  and  title  to  such  a  part  thereof  as  they  respectively  con- 
tracted for.  Yet  notmthstanding  your  petitioners  are  now  sensible  that  the  said 
Lamb  &  Co.  have  no  right  to  the  said  land,  and  that  the  same  will  prove  greatly  to 
your  petitioners  damage  —  that  is  to  such  as  hold  under  them,  unless  relieved  by 
Your  Excellency  and  Honors ;—  and  that  others  of  your  petitioners  entered  on  from 
necessity,  not  having  wherewith  of  their  own  to  provide.  Yet  nevertheless  your 
petitioners  are  duly  sensible  that  they  deserve  your  discountenance.  But  confiding 
in  the  reasons  offered,  they  humbly  request  your  compassionate  consideration , 
that  they  may  be  put  under  such  regulation  as  may  have  a  tendency  to  promote 
the  floiu-ishing  of  religion,  &c. 

"  Therefore  your  petitioners  most  humbly  pray,  that  your  Excellency  and  Honors 
would  take  the  premises  into  your  wise  consideration,  and  either  grant  them  the 
said  tract  of  land,  or  put  them  under  such  restrictions  and  regvilations  as  in  your 
consummate  wisdom  shall  be  thought  m.ost  reasonable  ;  and  your  petitioners  as  in 
duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

Joseph  Brooks,         Joseph  "Wriglit,  jr., 
Robert  Nevins,  Samuel  Brooks, 

Humphrey  Gardner,  Robert  Dunlap, 
Nicholas  Blancher,  Benjamin  Parsons, 
William  Crawford,   James  Lamberton,jr; 
Samuel  Nevins,         Timothy  McElwean, 
John  Gerish,  William  Sloan, 

Samuel  Shaw,  Thomas  Hill, 

Alexander  Tackels,  Andrew  Rutherford,  James  McElwean, 
Robert  Farrell,  Daniel  Parsons,        Matthew  Brown, 

James  M'Clenathan,Patrick  Smith, 
James  Lamberton,     John  Brown, 
Thos.  M'Clenathan,  Aaron  Parsons, 
Robert  Thompson,    Andrew  Farrand. 


■Tames  Dorchester 
Joseph  Wright, 
Bernard  McNitt, 
Daniel  Fuller, 
Andrew  Mackie, 
James  Shearer, 
James  Stephens, 
Daniel  Killam, 
David  Spear, 
Thomas  Little, 
Samuel  Doolittle, 


John  Harvey, 
John  Bemon, 
Duncan  Quintin, 
Isaac  Magoon, 
Isaac  Magoon,  jr. 
Micah  Tousley, 
Elijah  Vose, 
Elisha  Hall, 


Joseph  Fleming, 


James  Brakenridge,  Aaron  Nelson, 
Robert  Harper,         John  Henderson, 
William  Shaw,  David  Nevins, 


"  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Nov.  24,  1732.  In  answer  to  this  petition. 
Voted,  that  Col.  John  Alden,  of  Duxbury,  and  Mr.  Samuel  Bradford,  of  Plymp- 
ton,  with  such  others  as  the  Honorable  Board  shall  appoint,  be  a  Committee  to  re- 
pair to  the  land  petitioned  for,  carefully  to  view  the  situation  and  circumstances 
thereof,  as  well  as  those  of  the  petitioners  ;  and  also  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
the  said  land ;  and  to  report  then-  opinion  at  the  next  May  session,  what  may  be 
proper  for  the  Court  to  do  thereon,  and  that  the  petition  be  referred  accordingly. 
Sent  up  for  concurrence.  J.  Quincy,  Speaker. 

"  In  Council,  Nov.  27, 1732.  Read  and  concurred.  Ebenezer  Burrill,  Esq.,  of 
Lynn,  joined  in  the  affair,  J.  Willard,  Secretary. 

"  Consented  to,  J.  Belcher." 


17 

"The  Committee  appointed  by  the  General  Court  at  their  session  in  Nov.  last, 
to  repair  to  the  land  petitioned  for  by  James  Dorchester  and  sundry  others,  hav- 
ing, in  pursuance  of  the  vote  of  said  Court,  repaired  to  said  lands,  and  carefully 
viewed  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants  thereof,  as  well  as  that  of  the  petitioners, 
and  also  the  quantity  and  quality  of  said  lands,  do  Report  our  opinion  thereon,  as 
follows,  viz : — 

"  We  find  the  land  petitioned  for  to  be  a  ti-act  of  land  commonly  called  the  '  El- 
bow tract,'  lying  near  Springfield  and  the  Equivalent  Lands,  containing  17,014 
acres,  (viz.  contents  of  five  miles  scjuare,  and  1,014  acres  over,)  exclusive  of  par- 
ticular grants  taken  up  find  laid  out  within  the  same,  bounded  and  included  within 
the  lines  and  boundaries  of  the  adjacent  land  as  hereafter  laid  down,  viz  : — Easter- 
ly in  part  upon  the  west  line  of  Brookfield  township  ;  from  the  North-west  corner 
the  said  line  runs  South  two  deg.  AVest  to  the  river,  called  Quaboag  aiias  Chicopec 
river  ;  thence  bounding  on  Brimfield  township,  as  the  said  river  runs,  Easterly  in 
part,  and  Southerly,  and  in  part  Westerly  so  far  down  said  river,  as  to  where  the 
South  end  line  of  a  tract  of  Equivalent  land,  called  Cold-Spring  township,  [now 
Belchertown,]  crosses  or  skirts  the  f  aid  river ;  then  bounding  Northerly  on  the 
said  line,  as  it  keeps  East  by  the  needle  of  the  surveying  instrument,  to  the  South- 
east corner  of  said  tract  or  township,  which  is  the  mouth  of  Swift  River  ;  thence 
bounding  Westerly  in  part  on  the  said  tract  or  township  of  Equivalent  land  as  the 
river  runs,  to  where  the  South  line  of  another  tract  of  Equivalent  land,  [now 
Ware]  containing  10,000  acres  belonging  to  John  Read,  Esq.,  strikes  up  or  runs 
■from  said  river  ;  thence  bounding  Northerly  upon  said  lino  as  it  runs  East  and  by 
North  to  the  South-east  corner  of  said  tract,  being  a  heap  of  stones  by  the  root  of 
a  great  red  oak  tree,  fallen  close  by  one  on  the  West  side  of  a  run  of  water,  about 
eighteen  rods  Southerly  of  the  river,  called  the  Ware  River  ;  thence  bounding 
Westerly  on  the  East  line  of  said  tract,  as  it  runs  North  by  the  needle,  until  an 
East  line  there  will  strike  the  North-east  corner  tree  of  Brookfield,  as  by  a  plan 
presented  herewith  appears. 

"We  find  the  greatest  part  of  said  land  to  be  a  Pine  land,  high  hills  and  low 
vallies  ;  the  hills  very  poor  and  mean,  the  vallies  pretty  good.  We  also  find  thai 
the  said  tract  of  land  lies  in  a  broken  form,  and  is  much  discommoded  by  farms 
claimed  by  particular  grants  from  this  Court,  which  have  taken  up  the  best  of  the 
land.  We  also  find  that  the  circumstances  of  the  petitioners  and  settlers  are  diffi- 
cult and  much  intricated  and  perplexed  ;  some  of  them  having  entered  and  settled 
without  regulation,  and  have  interfered  and  encroached  upon  other  men's  pitches 
and  improvements  ;  and  in  many  instances,  two  several  settlers  claim  one  and  the 
same  spot,  under  different  pleas  and  pretences  of  right ;  some  having  lots  laid  out, 
some  partly  laid  out,  and  others  only  pitched,  interfering  one  with  another  as  afore- 
said. We  would  further  inform  this  honorable  court  that  we  have  taken  great 
pains  and  care  to  inspect  and  inquire  into  every  particular  instance  relating  to  the 
said  tract  of  land,  and  find  it  needful,  to  prevent  further  charge  and  difiiculty,  to 
report  particularly,  viz: — That  we  find  that  there  are  entered,  and  settled,  and 
about  settling,  on  the  said  tract  of  land,  the  number  of  eighty  persons,  the  most 
whereof  are  families  who  have  built  houses,  and  made  considerable  improvements, 
and  are  now,  and  have  constantly,  for  more  tlian  three  years  past,  been  supplied 
with  a  minister  to  preach  the  word  of  God  unto  them,  who  has  been  supported  by  a 
free  contribution.  We  also  find  that  about  forty-eight  of  the  above  number  were 
introduced  and  led  on,  or  encouraged  to  settle  and  make  improvements,  by  Joshua 
Lamb,  Esq.,  &  Co.,  and  their  Committee,  who  claimed  the  said  tract  of  land  by 
2 


18 

virtue  of  an  Indian  purchase ;  and  the  most  of  the  number  had  actual  contracts 
from  them  for  certain  parcels  thereof,  and  had  received  deeds  of  conveyance,  and 
orders  from  them  for  laying  out  of  their  lots,  and  have  had  the  most  of  them  laid 
out  accordingly.  We  are,  therefore,  humbly  of  the  opinion  that  the  several  per- 
sons and  families  hereafter  named,  that  were  so  admitted  and  settled  under  and  by 
the  said  claimers,  have  their  several  and  respective  lots,  hereafter  mentioned,  rati- 
fied and  confirmed  to  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  in  such  proportions  and  under 
such  restrictions  and  limitations  and  considerations  as  follows  and  are  hereafter 
mentioned." 

Specific  grants  to  fortj-four  different  persons  were  then  made,  most- 
ly of  100  acres  each,  and  they  alone  were  constituted  Proj)rietors  or 
Grantees,  with  power  to  take  and  divide  among  themselves  all  lands 
within  the  limits  of  the  town,  not  otherwise  appropriated.  One  of  the 
conditions  of  this  adjustment  of  their  affairs  was,  "  that  such  of  the 
aforenamed  persons  or  grantees,  as  are  non-residents,  and  their  lots 
not  settled,  shall  forthwith  settle  them  by  their  own  persons,  or  by 
such  credible  wholesome  inhabitants  as  shall  be  accepted  by  the  ma- 
jor part  of  the  resident  settlers."  Another  of  the  terms  was,  that 
they  should  "  lay  out  in  some  suitable  and  convenient  places,  one  lot, 
not  less  than  one  hundred  acres,  to  be  to  and  for  the  first  settled  and 
ordained  minister ;  and,  also,  two  other  lots,  of  the  same  contents, 
one  for  the  use  of  the  ministry,  and  the  other  for  a  school."  Thus 
early  was  provision  made  for  education  and  religion. 
.  The  Committee  reported  further : — "  We  find  that  the  following 
named  persons,  to  the  number  of  thirty-one,  having  presumed  to  enter 
upon  the  Province  land,  in  the  said  tract,  without  any  leave  or  order 
from  this  Court,  or  under  any  pretence  of  mistake,  or  admission  from 
the  aforesaid  claimers ;  yet,  they  having,  most  of  them,  made  consid- 
erable improvement,  and  expended  the  chief  of  their  small  substance, 
and  having  paid  their  proportion  to  the  support  of  the  ministry  among 
them ;  that  to  remove  them  off  would  reduce  them  to  extreme  pover- 
ty. We  are,  therefore,  humbly  of  the  opinion  that  it  may  not  be  in- 
consistent with  the  honor  of  the  Province,  and  yet  a  sufiieient  dis- 
countenance to  such  presumptuous  settlements,  if  there  be  granted  to 
each  of  them  a  single  lot,  including  their  improvements,  upon  such 
conditions  as  are  hereafter  mentioned." 

A  description  of  the  grants  to  these  persons  then  follows,  and  also 

the  conditions  applicable  to  all  the  settlers.     These  were  "  that  all 

and  each  of  the  above-named  persons  or  grantees,  both  first  and  last 

mentioned,  (excepting  the  Rev,  Mr.  John  Harvey,*)  do  pay  into 

*  Ihe  first  settled  minister  of  the  town.    See  Appendix  A. 


19 

the  public  treasury  of  this  Province,  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds 
within  two  years  ;  as,  also,  forthwith  to  pay  the  further  sum  of  £67, 
lis  and  9p,  the  charge  and  expense  of  this  Committee  on  the  affair ; 
each  man  or  grantee  his  equal  part  or  proportion  of  said  sums,  accord- 
ing to  the  quantity  of  his  grant  or  first  allotment.     And  if  any  of  the 
aforenamed  persons  or  grantees,  either  first  or  last  mentioned,  do  not 
fulfil  the  aforesaid  conditions,  within  the  term  of  time  herein  limited, 
their  lots  to  be  forfeited,  and  other  ways  disposed  of  as  this  Court 
shall  order.     And  that  all  public  charges  arising  for  the  future  (until 
they  be  settled  and   invested   with  the  powers  and  privileges  of  a 
township,)  shall  be   raised  upon  their  several  lots,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  acres  ;  and  that  all  such  of  the  aforesaid  persons,  or  gran- 
tees, as  are   entitled  to   draw  after-rights  and  divisions,  shall  pay  a 
double  proportion  to  all  such  charges,  according  to  the  quantity  of 
their  grants  or  first  lots.     And  that  they,  the  aforesaid  settlers  and 
grantees,  do  erect  and  build  a  suitable  house  for  public  worship*,  and 
settle  a  minister  within  two  years  ;  and  that  they  be  allowed  to  brino-  in 
aBill  for  erecting  and  setting  themselves  ofFa  township  accordingly." 
This  Report  was  presented  by  Ebenezer  Burrill,  Esq.,  and  adopt- 
ted  by  the  General  Court,  June  21st,  1733.     It  seems  to  have  ad- 
justed all  difficulties  in  the  case,  and  from  this  time  the  aflfairs  of  the 
youthful  settlement  seem  to  have  gone  "on  the  even  tenor  of  their 
way."     The  following  record  on  the  Proprietor's  book  shows  the  es- 
teem in  which  the  labors  of  this  Committee  were  regarded  by  them  : — 
"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  common  and  undivided  lands 
in  the  Elbow  Tract,  legally  convened  by  adjournment,  on  the  third 
of  June,  being  Monday,  1735, —  Voted,  That  there  be  granted  and 
laid  out  to  Ebenezer  Burrill,  Esq.,  Col.  John  Alden,  and  Mr.  Samuel 
Bradford,  who  were  the  Honorable  Committee  of  the  General  Court 
for  viewing  and  determining  the  grants  of  this  Elbow  Tract, —  to 
each  of  them  an  hundred  acre  lot,  in  any  of  the  common  land  that  was 
added  to  the  tract  since  it  was  surveyed  by  the  former  elaimers,  as  a 
grateful  acknowledgment  of  their  great  and  good  service  to  the  settle- 
ment, in  dispatching  the  affairs  thereof  by  a  full  and  particular  Report, 
superseding  the  charge  and  difficulty  of  a  Committee  of  regulation." 
The  record  also  exists  of  the  land  surveyed  and  laid  out  to  Esquire 
Burrill  and  Mr.  Bradford,  "  in  the  north-end  addition,  so  called," 
which  is  now  probably  within  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Ware. 
*  See  Appendix  B. 


20 

The  tax  levied  upon  the  inhabitants  by  the  General  Court,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  conditions  specified  in  the  Report,  seems  to  have 
pressed  as  a  heavy  burden,  "  too  heavy  to  be  borne  "  by  the  feeble 
and  struggling  colony.  It  may  appear  as  a  small  sum  to  us,  but  it 
Vas  a  great  amount  for  them  to  raise,  amid  the  privations  and  desti- 
tutions of  that  early  time.  The  currency  was  in  Province  bills,  which 
were  then  worth  in  silver  only  one-third  of  their  nominal  value  ;  so 
that  the  whole  tax  of  £567,  lis,  9p,  was  equal  only  to  about  $630, 
or  less  than  four  cents  an  acre  for  the  17,014  acres  which  the  town 
contained ;  yet  the  people  found  it  very  difl&cult  to  pay  even  this 
pittance.  They  accordingly  applied  to  the  General  Court  for  relief, 
and  also  appointed  a  Committee  from  their  own  number,  to  consult 
with  the  Hon.  John  Stoddard  and  Ebenezer  Pomeroy,  Esq.,  and 
"  lay  before  them  the  state  and  condition  of  this  settlement,"  with 
respect  to  this  matter.  The  payment  was  delayed  from  time  to  time, 
till  at  last  execution  from  the  Province  Treasurer  was  issued  against 
them,  and  their  collectors  exposed  to  imprisonment  for  not  meeting 
the  demand  of  the  General  Government.  The  town  immediately  ad- 
dressed a  petition  to  the  Court,  in  Sept.  1743,  ten  years  after  the  tax 
was  levied,  setting  forth  the  claims  of  "  this  little,  poor,  infant  plan- 
tation," to  farther  forbearance  and  mercy.  They  represented  them- 
selves as  being  but  "  a  poor  people,  on  a  small,  mean  tract  of  land," 
and  that  their  taxes  were  "  very  hard,  and  grevious,  and  wholly  in- 
supportable." In  answer  to  this  petition  it  was  "  ordered  that  the 
warrant  mentioned  be  so  far  stayed  as  that  they  be  obliged  to  pay  only 
one-quarter  part  thereof  forthwith,  and  the  other  three-quarters  in 
three  equal  payments,  viz:  in  the  years  1744,  '45,  and  '46."  This 
probably  settled  the  matter,  and  out  of  their  deep  poverty  they  paid 
the  stipulated  price  of  their  humble  homes. 

The  town  increased  but  slowly  in  population.  The  land,  covered 
mostly  with  primeval  forests,  presented  few  attractions  to  any  save  a 
haxdy  and  peri^overing  race  of  men,  who  could  earn,  from  a  rugged 
and  somewhat  sterile  soil,  a  scanty  subsistence  only  by  severe  and 
patient  toil.  Their  early  efforts  and  labors,  like  those  of  emigrants  to 
our  now  distant  western  borders,  were  necessarily  directed  to  the 
toilsome  work  of  clearing  the  heavy  timbered  lands,  and  building  their 
rude  log-houses.  There  was  little  opportunity  afforded  them  for  the 
acquisition  of  property.  Their  dependence  was  almost  exclusively 
placed  upon  what  their  own  hands  might  gain  from  a  soil  never  famed 


21 

for  its  fertility.     Whatever  tlicy  could  raise,  beyond  what  their  own 
necessities  required,  had  to  be  carried  by  long  and  expensive  journies 
to  Boston,  in  order  that  they  might  procure  other  articles  of  domestic 
consumption.     Their  pork,  and  grain,  and  potatoes, —  the  culture  of 
this  latter  vegetable  being  introduced  into  this  country  by  the  emi- 
grants from  the  north  of  Ireland, —  were  there  exchanged  for  sugar, 
and  spices,  and  other  commodities,  which  only  the  city  could  furnish, 
not  forgetting  a  little  tea  ! —  for  the  good  dames  of  that  period  were 
undoubtedly  as  fond  of  a  social  chat,  and  a  bit  of  scandal  too,  over 
"  the  cups  that  cheer  but  not  inebriate,"  as  are   their  more  modern 
sisters.     The  women  of  the  Scotch-Irish  made  much  finer  linen  and 
thread  than  our  New  England  women,  which  they  often  sold  in  the 
river  towns.     Nothing  was  known  here  about  the  foot-wheel  for  spin- 
ning flax,  until  these   emigrants  came  to  this  country.     It  may  be 
thought,  perhaps,  by  the  cynical  that  these  were  articles  of  luxury, 
for  whicb-  the  people  of  that  day  had  no  great  necessity.     They  were 
elements,  however,  of  refinement ;  for  they  manifested  a  taste  which 
would  naturally  seek  to  gratify  itself  in  other  ways,  and  which  would 
thus  gradually  lead  to  the  improvement  of  their  condition  in  many 
other  respects.     Still  a  spirit  of  patriotic  prudence,  and,  if  need  be, 
of  self-sacrifice  was  early  and  strongly  cherished  by  our  worthy  pro- 
genitors.    At  the   annual  town  meeting,  held  March  15,  1768,  an 
article  had  been  introduced  into  the  warrant  "  to  see  if  this  District 
will  agree  upon,  and  come  into  some  effectual  measures  to  promote 
industry,  economy  and  manufactures."     "  Whereupon,"  it  is  record- 
ed that,    "in  a  very  full  meeting,  the  following  votes  passed  : — 
"  Whereas,  the  excessive  use  of  foreign  superfluities,  is  one  great 
cause  of  the  present  distressed  state  of  this  country  in  general,  and 
the  happiness  of  the  communities  depends  on  industry,  economy  and 
good  morals ;  and  this  District,  taking  into   serious  consideration  the 
great  decay  of  trade,  the  scarcity  of  money,  tlie  heavy  debt  contracted 
in  the  last  war,*  which  still  remains  upon   the  people,  and  the  great 
difficulties  to  which,  by  these  means,  they  are  reduced :  Therefore, 
Voted,  imanimoushj,  that  this  District  will  use  their  utmost  endeav- 
ors, and  enforce  their  endeavors  by  examples,  in  suppressing  extrava- 
gance, idleness  and  vice,  and  promoting  industry,  economy  and  good 
manners.     And,  in  order  to  prevent  the  unnecessary  exportation  of 
money,  of  which  the  continent  has  of  late  been  so  much  drained,  it  is 

*  The  old  French  "War,  so  called. 


22 

therefore,  Voted,  that  this  District  will,  by  all  prudent  means,  en- 
deavor to  discountenance  the  use  of  foreign  superfluities,  and  encour- 
age the  manufactures  of  the  whole  continent  in  general,  and  of  this 
Province  in  particular."* 

These  resolutions  were  worthy  of  those  who  were  coteraporaries  and 
co-patriots  with  "the  Boston  tea  party."  It  was  such  a  spirit,  so 
rife  even  in  the  retired  rural  districts,  which  prepared  the  way  for  the 
long  and  arduous,  but  triumphant  struggle  of  the  Revolution.  It  does 
not  appear,  from  any  record  or  tradition  that  has  come  within  my  reach, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  in  its  earlier  days,  were  ever  sub- 
jected to  the  inroads  and  ravages  of  the  Indians,  by  whom  they  were 
surrounded.  Traces  of  the  aborigines  are  still  found  in  our  fields. 
Their  rude  stone  implements  of  husbandry,  domestic  utensils,  and  ar- 
row-heads, are  occasionally  turned  up  by  the  plough-share.  This  ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  favorite  region  with  them.  It  was  their  fishing 
and  hunting  grounds.  From  the  Quaboag  ponds  in  Brookfield,  along 
the  valley  of  the  Chicopee  river,  to  where  it  empties  into  the  Con- 
necticut, the  free,  hardy,  stalwart  sons  of  the  forest  roved  at  pleasure. 
Though  this  was  never  the  scene  of  any  general  and  sanguinary  con- 
flict with  them,  yet  the  early  settlers  were  obliged  to  be  ever  on  the 
alert  against  a  sudden  surprise  or  open  attack.  Strong  guard  houses 
were  erected  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  to  which  for  a  time  the 
men  were  accustomed  to  resort  at  night,  leaving  their  femilies  exposed 
and  defenceless ;  for  it  was  generally  found  to  be  the  aim  of  the  sav- 
age foe  to  cut  off  the  male  portion  of  the  inhabitants,  well  knowing 
that  from  them  they  had  the  most  to  fear.  It  was  customary,  also, 
for  the  first  settlers  here,  as  was  the  case  in  other  parts  of  our  exposed 
frontier  settlements,  to  go  into  the  fields  with  a  gun  in  one  hand,  and 
the  implements  of  husbandry  in  the  other.  The  females  left  at  home 
had  loaded  fire-arms  ready,  and  ready  arms  to  use  them,  in  defence  of 
themselves  and  their  little  ones ;  and  they  kept  a  constant  look  out, 
•'  all  eye,  all  ear,"  in  dreaded  expectation  of  the  foe.  On  one  oc- 
casion an  heroic  matron,!  while  left  alone  at  night  with  her  little  fam- 
ily, her  husband  having  gone  to  the  guard  house,  was  startled  by  the 
howling  of  the  frightened  dogs  who  attempted  to  burst  in  the  door  of 
the  loo-  house.  She  feared  that  this  boded  an  attack  from  the  ruth- 
less savage,  but  was  greatly  relieved  when  three  loud  yells  of  a  pan- 
ther, thrice  repeated,  told  the  real  character  of  her  untimely  visitor. 
*  Town  Records,  Vol.  I,  p.  351.        f  The  grandmother  of  Capt.  Timothy  Ferrell. 


23 

■'  Oh,  mister,"  said  she,  "  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  it  is  only  youV 
The  present  generation  of  ladies,  whose  hands  seldom  touch  any  thing 
more  alarming  than  the  needle,  or  the  keys  of  a  piano,  and  who  faint 
almost  at  the  smell  of  gunpowder,  would  be  ill-suited  for  such  times 
and  scenes  as  tried  the  resolution  and  fortitude  of  the  dames  of  yore. 
As  it  is  a  matter  of  interest  to  know  the  progressive  growtli  of  any 
place,  I  have  endeavored  to  collect  a  few  such  facts  as  would  clearly 
show  the  progress  of  this  town  in  population  and  wealth.  The  first 
movement  for  a  census  in  Massachusetts, — except  one  ordered  in  1754, 
to  ascertain  the  number  of  negroes, —  which  is  found  on  our  legisla- 
tive records,  was  begun  in  1763,  while  this  Province  was  still  a 
colony  of  the  British  government.  The  requisition  was  made  by 
Parliament,  and  was  regarded  with  anxious  jealousy  by  our  fathers,  as 
another  plan  for  the  imposition  of  taxes  on  our  Province,  and  the  in- 
fringement of  their  charter  rights.  Being  a  novelty  in  political  requi- 
sitions, it  was  naturally  viewed  with  great  suspicion.  The  first  pro- 
posal of  the  Governor,  Sir  Phillip  Francis,  in  1763,  did  not  receive 
from  the  Colonial  Legislature  that  prompt  attention  which  he  wished. 
He  again  addressed  the  legislative  body  on  the  subject,  and  an  order 
was  passed  "  that  the  selectmen  of  each  town  and  district,  in  this 
Province,  to  be  chosen  for  the  year  1764,  do,  as  soon  as  conveniently 
may  be,  take  an  exact  account  of  the  number  of  dwelling  houses, 
families  and  people  in  their  respective  towns  and  districts,  including 
as  well  Indians  civilized,  negroes  and  mulattoes,  as  white  people,  and 
females  as  well  as  males,"  Thus  sanctioned,  the  project  seemed  as 
though  it  would  be  successful.  But  as  the  heart  of  the  people  was 
not  in  it,  many  refused  to  comply  with  its  requisitions.  No  doubt 
their  disaffection  to  it  wag  much  increased  by  the  tidings  that  Parlia- 
ment had  voted  to  tax  the  American  Colonies.  Nor  was  the  acerbity 
of  their  feelings  toward  it  at  all  sweetened  by  the  "  Sugar  Act," 
which  restricted  their  commerce  with  the  West  Indies.  After  waiting 
over  a  year  with  his  patience  much  tried,  and  his  fear  not  small  lest 
the  British  authorities  would  look  on  him  as  inefficient,  the  Chief 
Macristrate  desired  that  the  stronger  confirmations  of  a  formal  law 
with  suitable  penalties  annexed,  might  be  superadded.  In  accordance 
with  this,  an  act  was  passed  March  1,  1765,  that  compelled  the  select- 
men of  the  various  towns  and  districts  to  see  that  the  required  census 
was  taken,  under  a  penalty  of  £50  for  refusal  or  neglect  of  this  duty. 
Any  individual  who  should  refuse  to  give  a  proper  and  true  list,  when 


24 

required  by  the  selectmen,  was  fined  forty  shillings.  Thus  the  first 
most  particular  census  of  our  Commonwealth  was  introduced  and  car- 
ried forward,  in  one  of  the  stormiest  periods  of  our  political  history. 
From  this  it  appeared  that  the  town  of  Palmer  had  in  the  year  1765, 
a  little  less  than  50  years  after  its  settlement,  74  houses,  88  families) 
123  males  and  110  females  under  16  years  of  age  ;  133  males  and 
140  females  above  16. —  making  in  all  506  inhabitants.*  According 
to  the  negro  census  of  1755,  there  was  but  one  colored  person  in  this 
town,  and  he  a  slave  1  owned  by  William  Scott. 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  March  3,  1761,  the  citizens  appointed 
a  Committee  of  five  "  to  petition  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  that 
some  person  be  commissioned  for  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  this  town." 
The  record  goes  on  to  say, — "  It  was  disputed  whether  it  would  be 
agreeable  to  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  that  we  should  nominate 
such  a  person  as  we  thought  best  qualified  for  such  a  commission,  and 
most  likely  to  serve  the  public  in  the  exercise  of  it ;  and  it  was  unan- 
imously thought  that  our  nominating  such  a  person  would  be  no  way 
disagreeable  to  him.  Then,  Voted,  the  following  instructions  to  the 
above  said  Committee,  viz: — That  we,  after  due  consideration,  and 
deliberately  debating  the  affair,  do  find  that  Mr.  William  Scott,  Jr., 
is  a  person  most  likely  to  be  of  public  service  to  this  Society  in  the 
commission  of  the  peace  ;  and  we  do  expect  you  will,  as  soon  as  you 
have  opportunity,  make  application  to  His  Excellency,  the  Governor, 
in  behalf  of  this  town,  that  a  commission  of  the  peace  might  be  pro- 
cured for  Mr.  William  Scott,  Jr.,  he  being  a  person  of  considerable 
knowledge  in  the  law,  and  also  of  a  very  good  character.  We,  there- 
fore, put  confidence  in  you,  that  you  will  take  every  proper  method 
you  can  think,  or  imagine  necessary,  and  so  proceed  from  time  to 
time,  till  you  have  obtained  the  same."  Such  action,  by  the  concur- 
rent voice  of  the  whole  town,  shows  the  importance  they  attached  to 
the  ofiice,  and,  the  confidence  they  had  in  the  man.  The  title,  of  it- 
self, then  conferred  distinction.     It  was  a  warrant  of  personal  merit ; 

*  By  the  census  of  1776,  at  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  there  were  727  in- 
habitants in  this  town. 


In  1790 
"  1800 
"  1810 
"  1S20 
"  1S30 
"  1840 
"  1850 


Popuhition,  809 
1,389 
1,111 

"  1,197 
1,237 
2,139 

"        3,974 


Valuation,  $5,134  82 

0,749  94 

6,9-57  70 

9,092  77 

256,428  06 

"  695,519  00 

«'       1,208,435  67 


25 

a  eertifieate  of  undoubted  excellence  of  character  ;  an  evidence  of  in- 
tellectual and  moral  worth  ! 

Many  other  matters  of  local  interest  might  bo  alluded  to,  but  the 
lap.se  of  time  admonishes  me  to  hasten  to  a  close.  It  would  require 
a  volume,  rather  than  the  limited  compass  of  an  address,  to  narrate  all 
that  might  be  said  with  profit  and  interef>t:,  of  the  history  of  the  town. 
There  is  one  point,  however,  to  which  I  must  refer,  fefiecting  as  it 
does  such  high  honor  upon  the  patriotic  qualities  of  our  fathers  in  rev- 
olutionary times.  The  records  of  this  town,  like  those  of  nearly  all 
the  other  towns  of  the  State  at  that  day,  contain  many  honorable  relics 
of  the  sterling  virtues  of  our  ancestors,  and  of  their  zealous  devotion 
to  the  cause  of  civil  liberty.  "  From  the  first  practical  attempt  to 
separate  the  power  of  taxation  and  the  right  of  representation,  to  the 
termination  of  the  war  of  Independence,  the  various  town  records  are 
filled  with  papers  breathing  an  ardent  spirit  of  patriotism.  On  their 
pages  are  eloquent  vindications  of  the  principles  of  civil  liberty,  able 
expositions  of  chartered  privileges,  and  bold  appeals  against  the  en- 
croachments of  the  crown.  They  bring  to  us  the  thoughts  and  words 
of  the  fathers  of  the  Revolution  as  vividly  as  they  rose  on  t!ie  minds, 
or  came  from  the  lips,  of  the  authors  of  the  heroic  resolutions.  The 
doings  of  each  of  these  municipal  republics  form  connected  scries  of 
noble  acts  and  exertions,  spreading  through  many  years,  and  evincing 
the  pure  and  tested  virtues  of  the  patriots  of  former  time." 

The  inhabitants  of  this  town  at  the  time  of  the  Kevolution,  were 
not  lacking  in  patriotism  at  this  trying  era  of  our  national  struggle  for 
independence.  They  were  ready  to  peril  every  thing  but  honor,  for 
the  preservation  of  their  "most  invaluable  rights  and  privileges." 
They  furnished  their  proportion  of  men  and  means  for  the  war,  and 
nobly  performed  their  part  toward  securing  that  independence  for 
which  they  made  a  prompt  and  early  declaration.  By  a  singular  co- 
incidence, a  meeting  was  held  in  Palmer  on  the  17th  of  June,  1776, 
• — on  tlie  very  day  of  the  awful  opening  scene  of  the  bloody  drama  of 
the  llevolutionary  War,  on  the  heights  of  Bunker's  Hill, — "  to  advise 
and  instruct  the  Representative  of  this  town,  whether,  should  the 
Honorable  Congress- for  the  safety  of  the  Colonies  declare  them  inde- 
pendent of  Great  Britain,  they,  the  said  inhabitants,  will  engage  ivith 
their  lives  and  fortunes  to  support  them  in  the  measures,  agreeable 
to,  and  in  compliance  with,  the  resolve  of  the  General  Court." 
To  the  lasting  honor  of  our  patriotic  forefathers,  be  it  said,  that  they 


26 

unitedly  and  cordially  entered  into  the  spirit  of  tlie  call.  Andwliile, 
all  unknown  to  them,  their  fellow-citizens  in  the  eastern  part  of  this 
"  good  old  Commonwealth,"  were  pouring  the  leaden  missiles  of  death 
upon  the  ranks  of  the  hired  minions  of  despotism  ;  and  in  behalf  of 
their  native  or  adopted  land,  were  bravely  and  freely  shedding  their 
blood  in  the  first  battle  of  America's  Liberty  :  they,  with  a  kindred  de- 
votion, were  ^ving  utterance  to  their  patriotic  feelings  in  words,  whose 
sincerity  they  were  ready  to  test  by  as  patriotic  deeds.  It  is  record- 
ed on  the  town  books  that,  "  at  a  very  full  meeting  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Palmer,  legally  met  at  the  public  meeting-house,  on  Monday,  the 
17th  day  of  June,  1776,  at  one  of  the  clock,  the  meeting  being  open- 
ed, Mr.  Robert  Ferrell  was  chosen  Moderator,  and  then  proceeded  and 
Voted  the  following  instructions  to  the  Representative  of  this  town, 
[Capt.  David  Spear],  now  at  the  General  Assembly  of  this  Colony, 
as  the  sentiments  of  this  town  : —  That,  Whereas,  the  Court  of  Great 
Britain  hath,  by  sundry  acts  of  Parliament,  assumed  the  power  of 
legislation  for  the  Colonies  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  inhabitants  ;  and  have,  likewise,  eserted  the  assumed  pow" 
er  in  raising  a  revenue  in  the  Colonics  without  their  consent,  so  that 
we  cannot  justly  call  that  our  own,  which  others  may,  when  they 
please,  take  from  us  against  our  will  :  Hath,  likewise,  appointed  a 
new  set  of  ofiicers  to  superintend  the  revenue,  wholly  unknown  in  the 
Charter,  who,  by  their  commissions,  are  invested  with  powers  alto- 
gether unconstitutional,  and  destructive  to  the  security  which  we  have 
a  right  to  enjoy ;  and  fleets  and  armies  hath  been  introduced,  to  sup- 
port these  unconstitutional  officers  in  collecting  these  unconstitutional 
revenues  :  Hath,  also,  altered  the  Charter  of  this  Colony,  and  there- 
by overthrown  the  Constitution,  together  with  many  other  grievous 
acts  of  Parliament  too  grievous  to  be  borne  :  The  peaceable  inhabi- 
tants being  alarmed  at  such  repeated  inroads  on  the  Constitution,  and 
gigantic  strides  to  despotic  power  over  the  Colonies,  they  petitioned 
the  King  for  redress  of  grievances  separately,  but  finding  that  to  fail, 
petitioned  jointly, —  begging  as  children  to  a  father  to  be  heard  and 
relieved,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  the  petitions  being  treated  with  the 
utmost  contempt :  The  united  Colonies  finding  that  no  redress  could 
be  bad  from  Great  Britain,  unitedly  agreed  to  an  opposition,  in  the 
most  peaceable  way  they  could  contrive.,  being  willing  to  try  every 
peaceable  measure  that  they  possibly  could  invent,  rather  than  break 
with  Great  Britain ;  but  Great  Britain,  being   bent   on   her  favorite 


27 

scheme  of  enslaving  the  Colon'es,  declared  them  rebels  and  treated 
them  as  such  :  The  Colonies  being  driven  to  a  state  of  despair,  for 
the  last  release  from  them,  were  obliged,  by  the  law  of  self-preserva- 
tion, to  take  up  arms  in  their  own  defence,  and  meant  to  use  them 
only  as  such  ;  but  the  dispute  having  arisen  to  so  great  a  height  that 
it  is  impossible  for  the  Colonies  ever  to  be  joined  with  Great  Britain 
again,  with  the  least  security  and  safety  to  themselves  or  posterity  : — 

"  We,  therefore,  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  do  believe  it  absolute- 
ly necessary  for  the  safety  of  the  United  Colonies,  to  be  independent 
fi'om  Great  Britain,  and  to  declare  themselves  an  independent  and 
separate  State,  as  we  can  see  no  alternative  but  inevitable  ruin  or  in- 
dependence. But  as  there  is  a  General  Congress  of  the  United  Col- 
onies, composed  of  honorable,  wise  and  good  men,  wlio  sit  at  the  head 
of  affairs,  consulting  measures  which  will  be  most  for  the  safety  and 
prosperity  of  the  whole,  having  the  means  of  intelligence  and  infor- 
mation in  their  hands,  we  submit  the  whole  affair  to  their  wise  con- 
sideration and  determination ;  and  if  they  shall  unite  in  a  separation 
from  Great  Britain,  toe  do  unanimously  determine  and  declare  that 
we  will  support  them  with  our  lives  and  fortunes  ! 

"  We  do  direct  the  Representative  of  this  town  to  lay  these  votes 
before  the  Honorable  General  Assembly  of  this  Colony,  to  enable  them 
to  communicate  our  sentiments  to  the  Honorable  Continental  Congress. 
(Signed)  Robekt  Ferkell,  3Iode7'ator. 

Robert  Hunter,  Clerk.'''' 

These  resolutions  of  our  patriotic  fathers  are  worthy  of  all  praise, 
and  the  liberty-loving  spirit  they  breathe  ought  to  be  cherished  by 
their  posterity  to  the  latest  generation.  They  came  from  men  who 
felt,  from  their  past  experience  and  that  of  their  progenitors,  that 

"  'Tis  Liberty  alone  that  gives  the  flower 
Of  fleeting  life  its  lustre  and  perfume, 
And  we  are  weeds  without  it ;    all  constraint, 
Except  what  wisdom  lays  on  evil  men, 
Is  evil,  and  forms  in  them  who  suffer  it 
A  sordid  mind,  unfit  to  be  the  tenant 
Of  man's  noble  frame." 

This  manly  and  explicit  avowal  of  wrongs  received,  and  bold  asser- 
tion of  rights  denied,  and  fearless  Declaration  of  Independence,  as  it 
might  justly  be  called,  was  a  litting  prelude,  on  the  part  of  our  heroic 
citizens,  to  that  world-renowned  instrument  whose  thrilling  words,  but 


28 

seventeen  days  later,  rang  through  the  land ;  and  whose  anniversary 
is  hailed  with  jubilant  greetings  through  the  entire  length  and  breadth 
of  the  freest,  noblest,  mightiest  nation  that  the  sun  shines  upon  ! 

Bancroft*  in  giving  a  description  of  the  disfranchised  Scotch-Pres- 
byterians, and  their  share  in  colonizing  Amei-ica,  and  preparing  the 
way  for  the  Revolution,  says  :— ^"  Their  training  in  Ireland  had  kept 
the  spirit  of  Liberty,  and  the  readiness  to  resist  government,  as  fresh 
in  their  hearts  as  though  they  had  just  been  listening  to  the  preach- 
ings of  Knox,  or  musing  over  the  political  creed  of  the  Westminster 
Assembly.  They  brought  to  America  no  submissive  love  for  Eng- 
land ■  and  their  experience  and  their  religion  alike  bade  them  meet 
oppression  with  pi'ompt  resistance.  We  shall  find  the  first  voice  pub- 
licly raised  in  America  to  dissolve  all  connection  with  Great  Britain 
came,  not  from  the  Puritans  of  New  England,  nor  the  Dutch  of  New 
York,  nor  the  planters  of  Virginia,  but  from  the  Scotch-Irish  and  Pres- 
byterians." It  was  because  such  a  spirit  pervaded  nearly  all  minds, 
and  bound  the  people  together  as  one,  in  their  efforts  for  Liberty,  that 
they  were  finally  triumphant.  Indeed,  how  could  it  be  otherwise,  es- 
pecially among  those  who  had  themselves,  or  whose  immediate  ances- 
tors had  periled  all  for  the  sake  of  civil  and  religious  freedom.  Tliere 
was  a  devoted  enthusiasm  for  popular  rights  pervading  the  entire  com- 
munity. There  was  a  stern  unshrinking  determination  to  oppose  tyran- 
ny, exhibited  by  the  patriots  of  '76,  which  was  itself  the  prestige  of 
victory,  and  which  has  embalmed  their  memory  in  the  grateful  hearts 
of  a  liberty-loving  people.  Our  own  spirit  of  independence  and  love 
of  freedom,  we  derive  from  this  pure  source.  And  their  descendants 
must  sadly  degenerate  indeed,  if  they  ever  become  unmindful  of  the 
daring  spirit,  and  high  resolve,  and  self-sacrificing  devotion  which  fill- 
ed the  souls  of  our  heroic  ancestors.  They  possessed  an  enthusiastic 
love  of  liberty,  and  an  utter  detestation  of  tyranny,  that  led  them  to 
brave  death  itself,  rather  than  lose  the  one  or  submit  to  the  other. 
It  was  a  matter  of  ^Ji^inci]^^  with  them.  It  was  no  mere  emotion. 
It  was  no  sentimental  or  romantic  feeling  ;  no  visionary  or  ideal  thing. 
They  entered  upon  the  bloody  contest,  by  which  alone  they  could  se- 
cure the  free  and  full  enjoyment  of  civil  and  religious  rights,  with  a 
fearless  determination  and  a  persistent  purpose  that  yielded  to  no  ob- 
stacle. All  that  was  dear  to  them  in  life  was  periled  in  the  struggle  ; 
yet  they  nobly  engaged  in  it  with  unfaltering  resolution.     "  Liberty 

*  "  History  of  the  United  States,"  Yol.  5. 


29 

or  death  "  was  the  watchword.  This  was  the  only  alternative  they 
proposed  to  themselves,  and  they  were  ready  to  "  do  or  die,"  to  se- 
cure the  freedom  they  prized  so  much.  That  a  people,  who,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  "  had  not  a  regular  regi- 
ment of  soldiers,  nor  a  single  fortified  town,  nor  a  solitary  ship  of 
war ;  who  had  neither  money,  arms,  nor  military  stores," —  should 
maintain  a  seven  years  contest  with  one  of  the  mightiest  and  most 
warlike  nations  upon  the  earth  ;  that  they  should  conquer  two  com- 
plete armies,  and  finally  obtain  their  independence,  ought  ever  to  be 
acknowledged  as  one  of  the  wonderful  wCrks  of  a  wonder-working 
Providence. 

And  as  often  as  the  anniversary  of  our  nation's  birth-day  shall  re- 
turn, may  it  be  hailed  as  a  precious  memento  of  the  brightest  era  in 
the  political  history  of  the  world.  May  this  joyful  day,  consecrated 
by  so  many  and  such  precious  associations  of  by-gone  and  eventful 
times,  never  dawn  without  awakening  in  the  heart  of  every  American, 
the  warmest  gratitude  to  Heaven  for  the  priceless  blessings  of  civil 
and  religious  freedom ;  may  its  annual  return  ever  be  hailed  with 
gladness  for  what  it  has  secured  to  us,  and  may  we  transmit  the  pre- 
cious legacy  unimpaired  and  improved  to  those  who  come  after  us ; 
may  "  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,"  be  guaranteed  to 
every  individual  of  our  mighty  and  growing  Republic  ;  may  the  com- 
mon interests  of  humanity  ever  hold  us  compact  together ;  may  the 
rich  inheritance  we  have  received  from  our  patriotic  fathers,  never  be 
squandered  or  perverted  ;  and  may  the  sun  never  shine  between  our 
ocean  boundaries  upon   any  other  than  a  free,  happy  and  united 

PEOPLE  ! 


APPENDIX. 

A. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  AFFAIRS  OF  PALMER. 

In  the  Report  of  the  Legislative  Committee,  made  June  21,  1733, 
respecting  the  disputed  tenure  of  the  land,  it  is  said  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  "  are  now  and  have  constantly,  for  more  than  three 
years  past,  been  supplied  with  a  minister  to  preach  the  word  of  God 
unto  them,  who  has  been  supported  by  a  free  contribution."  It  also 
specifies  that  "  not  less  than  one  hundred  acres  "  of  land  should  be 
"  laid  out  in  some  suitable  and  convenient  place,"  as  a  gift  to  "  the 
first  settled  and  ordained  minister,"  and  an  additional  lot  of  the  same 
size  for  the  continued  "use  of  the  ministry."  No  records  of  the 
church  are  found  of  an  earlier  date  than  1753.  Probably  none  were 
made  previous  to  that  time ;  consequently  nothing  definite  can  be  as- 
certained respecting  the  precise  date  of  the  organization  of  the  church, 
or  of  the  circumstances  attending  its  formation.  Some  facts,  however, 
can  be  gathered  from  the  "  Proprietors' Records  "  and  the  Town 
books,  which  are  of  interest,  and  which  serve  to  throw  some  light  upon 
the  ministerial  afiairs  of  the  town  at  that  early  day. 

The  first  minister  of  whom  mention  is  made,  was  Rev.  Robert 
KiLPATRicK,  who  ofiiciated  for  them  for  five  Sabbaths  in  the  year 
1730.  Rev.  Mr.  Weld  followed  him  and  supplied  them  for  three 
months ;  after  whom  Rev.  Benjamin  Dickinson  preached  for  six 
months.  These  were  probably  "candidates,"  but  neither  of  them 
seems  to  have  given  satisfaction  enough  to  be  called  to  settle  with  the 
people  ;  or  else,  it  may  be,  they  were  not  sufficiently  interested  in  the 
infant  colony  to  throw  in  their  lot  with  it. 

Rev.  John  Harvey,  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ireland  and  educated 
before  he  came  to  America,  was  hired  to  preach  May  11,  1781,  and 


31 

continued  thus  to  labor  with  them  in  the  work  of  tlie  ministry  for  sev- 
eral years.  He  was  at  first  "  hired  quarterly,"  every  inhabitant  be- 
ing visited  by  a  Committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  "  to  know 
whether  they  were  willing  that  Mr.  Harvey  should  stay"  among 
them  as  their  minister.  The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in  reference 
to  his  "continuance  and  support."  One  of  the  votes  passed  was 
that  "  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harvey  have  liberty  in  the  common  to  get  fire- 
wood, timber  and  pine,  for  his  own  necessary  use,  during  his  abode 
amongst  us."  He  was  paid  at  the  rate  of  £80  a  year.  "Whatever 
grain  he  took  toward  his  rates,"  it  was  provided  that  he  should  have 
it  at  a  fixed  value,  viz  : — "  Wheat,  8s;  rye,  6s;  Indian  corn,  4s." 
After  preaching  more  than  three  years  in  this  way,  a  "call"  was 
given  to  him  "to  continue  and  settle  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  in 
this  place."  £100  were  to  be  granted  to  him  "  to  encourage  his  set- 
tlement," and  £80  a  year  offered  as  the  "stated  salary,"  to  be  paid 
semi-annually.  "  Upon  these  terms  and  proposals,"  with  the  addi- 
tional stipulation  that  "the  people  should  either  provide  his  fire-wood 
yearly,  or  grant  him  a  wood  lot,"  he  "  consented  to  serve  them  in 
the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  according  to  his  ability,  and  as  God 
by  his  grace  shall  enable  him,  and  by  his  Providence  continue  him 
therein,."  Measures  were  therefore  taken  to  establish  him  as  "the 
minister  of  this  settlement,  according  to  the  order  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  laws  of  this  Province."  A  vote  of  the  town  was  passed  that  he 
should  be  ordained  as  a  Presbyterian  minister.  The  time  fixed  for 
the  ordination  was  the  first  Wednesday  in  June  ;  and  as  they  had  as 
yet  no  meeting-house, —  the  religious  services  of  the  community  hav- 
ing been  held  from  house  to  house,  three  Sabbaths  in  succession  at 
each  place, —  they  selected  the  house  of  James  Shearer  as  the  scene 
of  the  solemn  and  interesting  ceremony;  "  unless  the  Reverend  El- 
ders, called  to  officiate  in  the  work,  should  see  cause,  if  the  weather 
permit,  to  do  it  abroad," — i.  e.,  in  the  open  air.  The  people,  how- 
ever, afterwards  chose  another  place,  under  the  broad  canopy  of 
heaven,  in  a  field  "on  the  east  side  of  Cedar-Swamp  brook,  between 
the  brook  and  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  within  eight  or  nine  rods  of 
the  road  laid  out  toward  Brookfield,  on  the  South  side  thereof." 

The  following  account  of  the  important  event  is  taken  from  the 
Proprietors'  records  : — "  On  the  5th  day  of  June,  Anno  Dom.  1734, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Harvey  was  ordained  the  first  minister  of  the 
church  of  the  Elbow  settlement.     The  ordination  was  performed  by 


32 

the  delegates  of  the  -Reverend  Presbytery,  of  Londonderry,  N.  H., 
upon  a  scaffold  standing  on  tlie  plain  on  the  East  side  of  the  meadow, 
called  Cedar-Swamp  Meadow,  within  Mr.  Harvey's  lot.  The  E,ev. 
Mr.  Thompson,  of  Londonderry,  preached  the  sermon,  and  the  Rev. 
John  Moorhead,  of  Boston,  gave  the  charge."  One  other  Presbyte- 
rian minister  was  present,  though  what  part  he  took  in  the  services  is 
not  specified.  They  were  all  countrymen  of  Mr.  Harvey's.  Rev. 
Isaac  Chauncey,  of  Hadley,  assisted  at  the  ordination,  and  pei-haps 
other  Congregational  ministers.  Ample  provision  seem^s  to  have  been 
made  for  his  support,  considering  the  circumstances  of  the  people.  In 
accordance  with  "  a  petition  from  the  Proprietors,  Settlers  and  Gran- 
tees of  the  Elbow  Tract,"  it  was  ordered  in  Council,  April  16, 1734, 
that  "  a  tax  of  two  pence  per  acre  per  annum  for  three  years,"  should 
be  levied  for  the  purpose  of  "building  a  meeting-house,  and  settling 
and  supporting  a  minister  in  the  said  plantation."  On  the  11th  of 
November  of  that  year,  £12  were  assessed  upon  the  inhabitants  for 
"supplying  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harvey  with  a  stock  of  fire-wood  for  the 
year  ensuing;"  £20  were  granted  for  the  same  purpose  the  following 
season,  and  £37  the  year  after  that.  The  increase  in  amount  was 
probably  owing  to  the  depreciation  of  the  paper  currency  of  that  day. 
March  5,  1735,  there  was  "  surveyed  and  laid  out  to  the  Rev.  John 
Harvey,  as  the  first  settled  ordained  minister,  one  hundred  acres  of 
land,  lying  on  the  Westerly  side  of  Cedar  Mountain."  This  was  the 
lot  which  was  to  be  given  as  a  sort  of  bonus  to  the  first  pastor  of  that 
small  and  struggling  band.  The  "  ministerial  lot  "  which  was  to 
descend  as  the  inheritance  of  the  successive  ministers  of  the  place,  had 
previously  been  designated  and  allotted  to  him.  It  was  on  the  old 
Brimfield  road,  about  a  mile  east  of  the  meeting-house. 

January  5,  1759,  a  memorial  of  James  Brakenridge  and  others,  as 
a  Committee  of  the  District  of  Palmer,  was  presented  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, setting  forth  that  "  in  the  grant  made  them  of  their  lands  by  the 
General  Court  in  1733,  they  were  obliged  to  lay  out  for  the  use  of  the 
ministry,  and  for  the  use  of  the  school,  one  hundred  acres  each  ;  that 
they  accordingly  laid  out  such  lands  in  the  year  1735,  but  they  not 
being  conveniently  situated  for  the  purposes  intended,  the  inhabitants 
have  piirchased  a  farm  of  150  acres,  for  the  use  of  the  ministry,  in  a 
much  better  situation,  which  cost  them  more  than  both  the  other  lots 
would  sell  for ;  and  they,  therefore,  pray  that  they  may  be  enabled  to 
make  sale  of  the  two  lots  first  mentioned,  and  apply  the  produce 


33 

toward  payment  for  tbe  lot  they  have  purchased  aforesaid."  In  the 
House  of  Representatives  it  was  read  and  ordered  that  ' '  the  prayer 
of  this  petition  be  so  far  granted  as  that  the  petitioners  be,  and  they 
hereby  are,  authorized  and  impowcred  to  make  and  execute  a  good 
and  sufficient  deed,  or  deeds,  of  conveyance  in  the  law,  of  the  minis- 
try  lot  mentioned ;  they  purchasing  lands  of  equal  value,  in  tlie  most 
convenient  place  they  can,  to  be  held  for  the  same  purpose  as  the  land 
is  that  they  shall  dispose  of." 

"  Consented  to  by  the  Governor." 

Most  of  the  inhabitants,  at  this  time,  were  what  was  called  Scotch- 
Irish  ;  they  were  an  industrious  and  frugal  people,  and  made  good, 
honest  and  upright  citizens.  Though  they  were  from  the  "  Emerald 
Isle,"  and  their  ancestors  had  lived  in  Ireland  for  a  century,  they 
were  as  really  and  truly  Scotch  in  their  habits,  and  tastes,  and  char- 
acter, as  the  natives  of  that  famous  "land  o' cakes."  '  They  were 
of  ardent  temperament,  tenacious  of  their  opinions  and  strong  in  their 
prejudices,  which  sometimes  led  them  into  difficulties,  especially  with 
their  townsmen  of  English  origin,  who  had  come  in  there  from  Spring- 
field and  other  places.  The  latter  were  mostly  Congregationalists  of 
the  Puritan  stamp ;  while  the  former  were  staunch  Presbyterians, 
somewhat  like  the  old  Covenanters.  They  did  not  harmonize,  there- 
fore, in  their  ecclesiastical  matters,  and  some  sharp  contentions  arose 
between  them. 

The  English  disliked  Mr.  Harvey,  and  a  few  of  the  Scotch  united 
with  them  in  opposition  to  him.  In  a  petition  to  the  General  Court, 
September,  1739,  they  made  many  complaints  against  their  opponents, 
accused  Mr.  Harvey  of  drunkenness,  and  prayed  for  relief.  The 
Scotch  party  sent  a  counter-petition,  and  said  hard  things  of  the  others, 
and  were  especially  severe  upon  Steward  Southgate,  a  prominent  citi- 
zen and  the  leader  of  the  opposition.  They  admitted  that  Mr.  Har- 
vey had  been  guilty  of  the  charge  brought  against  him,  but  he  had 
made  a  public  and  penitent  confession  of  his  fault.  The  friends  and 
adherents  of  the  minister  thus  rancorously  assailed,  were  greatly  in 
the  majority,  both  in  numbers  and  influence,  and  successfully  carried 
their  point  in  this  unhappy  controversy  which  was  but  the  precursor 
of  other  and  sorer  conflicts.  The  General  Court  ordered  the  petition 
of  Steward  Southgate  and  others  to  be  dismissed,  as  it  was  declared 
"  groundless ;"  and  the  town  afterwards  repaid  the  defenders  of  Mr. 
Harvey  for  the  expense  they  had  incurred  in  the  matter,  amounting  to 
3 


34 

£100.     His  support,  however,  seems  to  have  been  somewhat  scanty ; 
as  the  disaffected  members,  like  the  similar  characters  in  modern  times, 
appear  to  have  done  what  they  could  to   "  cut  oflf  the  supplies,"  and 
otherwise  render  his  stay  unpleasant.     He  apparently  had  decided  to 
leave  at  a  specified  time,  for  in  a  warrant  for  a  town  meeting  held 
December  17,  1744,  an  article  was  inserted  "to  choose  a  Committee 
to  provide  a  supply  for  the  pulpit,  since  Mr.  Harvey  hath  fulfilled  the 
time  which  he  determined,  and  hath  bidden  us  provide  for  ourselves." 
But  at  that  meeting  £20,  "  old  tenor,"  was  added  to  his  salary  and 
he  stayed.     In  the  year  1746,  a  more  serious  diflBculty  arose  respect- 
ing Mr.  Harvey,  which  ultimately  led  to  his  dismissal  from  the  pastor- 
ship of  the  church.     He  had  escorted  Mrs.  Agnes  Little,  the  wife  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Little,  to  and  from  Boston  ;  and  a  public  scandal  attrib- 
uted to  them  gi'oss  and  unworthy  conduct  on  the  journey.     The  foul 
and  calumnious  aspersion,  which  was  never  proved,  and  which  even 
the  husband  appears  not  to  have  credited,  for  he  remained  friendly  to 
Mr.  Harvey,  caused,  however,  sore  contentions  in  the  church  and 
parish,  which  then  embraced  the  whole  town.     July  8,  1746,  Robert 
Hunter  was  delegated  to   "go  to  the  Presbytery  to  get  them  to  come 
up  to  this  place,  to  settle  our  differences  in  the  church  if  may  be." 
He  declined  going ;  and  on  November  24th  of  that  year,  Barnard 
McNitt  was  "  sent  up  in  his  stead."     What  the  result  was  of  this 
appeal  does  not  appear.     April  22d,  of  the  year  following,  a  Commit- 
tee was  appointed  by  the  town  to  investigate  the  affair,  and  after- 
wards to  prosecute  Mr.  Harvey  before  the  civil  court  of  the  State. 
This  apparently  was  not  done,  though  he  seems  to  have  ceased  from 
his  public  labors,  for  December  7,  1747,  it  is  stated  he  had  "  resign- 
ed," and  "  Capt.  Seth  Shaw  was  delegated  to  go  after  a  minister." 
The  town  voted,  March  8,  1748,  to  send  to  the  Londonderry  Presby- 
tery to  have  them  dismiss  Mr.  Harvey  from   his  pastoral  connection 
with  the  church  and  people ;  and  this  was  done  accordingly,  though 
the  precise  date  is  not  recorded.     It  was  probably  early  in  the  sum- 
mer, for  July  5,  of  that  year,  they  chose  a  Committee  to  supply  the 
pulpit,  and  a  receipt  of  that  date  appears  on  the  Proprietor's  Records, 
(Vol.  2d,  page  275,)  from  Mr.  Harvey,  which,  as  a  matter  of  curi- 
osity, is  transferred  verbatim  et  literatim.     The  "  Clark  "  is  proba- 
bly answerable  for  the  spelling  : — 

"  Kingstown,  July  the  5,  1748. 
"  Recaved  from  Mr.  Barnard  McNitt  the  full  of  my  Reates,  Sallery 


35 

and  Wood-reates,  during  his  collection.  Ney  —  the  full  due  to  mee 
since  my  coming  to  the  Elbowes,  which  has  been  seventeen  years  past, 
the  Elaventh  day  of  may  Last,  as  witness  my  hand  this  fifth  of  July, 
1748.  Mr.  John  Harvey. 

"  Witness  preasent 

"  Samuell  Shaw,  Juner. 
"Kecorded  this  fifth  of  July,  1748. 

"  Barnard  McNiTT,  Proprietor'' s  Clark. ''^ 

Thus  closed  the  labors  of  "the  first  settled  minister  of  Palmer." 
Mr.  Harvey  resided  for  a  time  in  Peterboro',  N.  H.,  and  then  remov- 
ed to  Blandford,  in  the  western  part  of  Hampden  County,  which  was 
settled  by  his  countrymen,  and  where  he  resided  on  a  ftirm  until  his 
death. 

For  more  than  five  years  after  Mr.  Harvey's  dismission,  the  church 
had  no  pastor.  A  great  variety  of  preachers  casually  ministered  unto 
them  "the  bread  of  life;"  but  they  were  "as  sheep  without  a 
shepherd,"  divided  and  scattered.  November  2,  1748,  a  call  was 
given  to  Rev.  Alexander  Boyd,  and  £600,  old  tenor,  offered  as  a 
settlement,  but  it  was  declined.  Rev.  Dr.  Lord,  Rev.  Messrs.  James 
Morton,  Mitchell,  and  John  McKinstry,  among  others,  minis- 
tered unto  them  for  a  time,  but  without  uniting  the  people.     July  29, 

1752,  an  invitation  was  given  to  Rev.  Timothy  Symes,  to  become 
their  pastor,  and  a  yearly  salary  of  <£400,  old  tenor,  was  offered,  ex- 
clusive of  fire-wood,  which  the  minister  was  to  pj-ovide  for  himself;  but 
this,  also,  was  responded  to  unfavorably.  About  this  time,  too,  a 
kind  of  preaching  was  enjoyed,  which  after  all  was  not  relished  very 
much  ;  at  least  an  unwillingness  to  pay  for  it  was  manifested,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  following  record  : — 

"  At  a  meeting  of  ye  Inhabitants  of  this  District,  Legally  convened 
and  assembled  at  ye  Public  Meeting  House  in  said  place,  August  23, 

1753,  ye  Meeting  being  opened,  Andrew  Butterfield  was  chosen 
Moderator.  On  the  third  article  in  ye  warrant  for  said  Meeting,, 
voted  that  Rev.  Ebenezer  Kniblows,  from  New  London,  Conn.,  be 
allowed  foure  pounds,  Sixteen  shillings,  which  is  eight  shillings  Law- 
ful money,  for  each  Sermon  he  Preached  on  Sabbath  Days,  in  this 
District,  except  three  Sermons  which  we  con  prove  he  preached  other 
men's  works.  Andrew  Butterfield,  Moderator. 

"A  true  Entry,  pr.  Sam'll  Shaw,  Junr.,  Town  Clerk." 

At  length,  September  14,  1753,  the  town,  in  a  legal  meeting,  con- 
curred in  a  call  which  had  already  been  given  by  the  church  to  Rev. 
Robert  Burns,  to  '*  settle  with  them  in  the  work  of  the  gospel  min- 


36 

istry."     £600,  old  tenor,  equivalent  to  £80  lawful  money,  was  prom- 
ised him  as  a  "settlement;"   and  £400,  old  tenor,  or  £53,  6s,  8p, 
"  lawful  money  as  it  now  passeth  from  man  to  man,"   as  annual  sala- 
ry.    It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  correctly  the  value  of  these  stipulations, 
for  there  was  a  gradual  depreciation  in   the  currency  of  the  country 
from  the  standard  at  4s,  6d,  a  dollar,  as  it  was  at  first,  to  6s  a  dollar, 
at  which  it  was  fixed  in  1707.     In  1750  it  had  fallen  so  low  as  to  be 
rated  at  45s.  to* a  dollar.      According  to  this,  the   "settlement" 
would  be  equal  to  about  $266,  and  the  "  salary  "  to  $177,  a  meager 
sum  when  estimated  by  modern  standards ;  but  it  must  be  remember- 
ed that,  connected  with  this  provision  in  money,  there  was  the  use  of 
a  farm  of  a  hundred  acres,  and  a  parsonage,  and  that  the  fire-wood 
was  usually  furnished  gratuitously,  so  that  the  amount  actually  re- 
ceived by  the  ministers  of  that  day,  was  probably  greater  in  value  to 
them  than  what  is  paid  to  their  brethren  and  successors  in  the  minis- 
terial office  at  the  present  time.     The  precise  date  of  the  ordination 
of  Mr.  Burns,  who,  like  his  predecessor,  was  from  the  north  of  Ireland, 
cannot  be  ascertained  ;  but  as  it  appears  from  the  town  records  that 
the  bill  for  his  preaching  as  a  candidate  was  made  up  to  November 
15,  1753,  and  as  the  Session  records,  under  his  ministry,  were  com- 
menced the  27th  of  the  same  month,  it  is  probable  that  he  was  ordain- 
ed about  the  middle  of  November  of  that  year.     His  ministry  in 
Palmer  was  short ;  for,  three  years  after  his  settlement,  a  serious  con- 
troversy appears  to  have  existed  between  him  and  the  church.    Charges 
were  subsequently  brought  against  his  moral  character,  which  being 
but  too  well  sustained,  led  to  his  dismission.     No  account  is  found 
on  record  of  the  time  or  circumstances  of  the  separation,  but  from 
a  statement  made  in  the  Session  book.  May  15,  1758,  it  seems  that 
the  church  was  at  that  time  without  a  pastor ;  and  fi'om  the  town 
record  it  appears  that  the  first  lot  of  land,  set  apart  for  the  minister's 
use,  was  sold  in  September  of  that  year,  and  instead  of  it  the  farm  of 
Mr.  Burns  was  purchased.     The  following  receipt  is  recorded  on  the 
town  books,  one  clause  of  which  is  rather  noticeable  : — 

"Union,  Conn.,  Oct.  14,  1761. 

"  Then  received  of  Elder  Samuel  Shaw,  Jr.,  Treasurer  of  Palmer, 
the  full  and  just  sum  of  eight  pounds,  fifteen  shillings  and  five  pence, 
for  the  District  of  Palmer ;  being  in  full  of  all  accounts,  debts,  dues 
and  demands  from,  the  beginning  of  the  world  unto  the  date  hereof, 
as  witness  my  hand.  Robert  Burns. 

"  Recorded  by  Barnard  McNitt,  District  Clerhy 


37 

There  is  no  prospect  here  of  any  old  claims  ever  being  reproduced, 
for  they  are  all  most  effectually  cut  off  by  the  singular  wording  of  the 
receipt.  It  would  be  needless,  one  would  think,  to  go  farther  back 
in  such  matters  than  "  the  beginning  of  the  woild  !"  Mr.  Eurns 
afterwards  went  to  Pennsylvania  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  days  there 
on  a  farm. 

The  town  was  again  destitute  of  a  resident  ministry  for  several 
years.  During  this  interval  Rev.  xMessrs.  Mitchell,  Peck,  Curtiss  and 
Noah  Benedict,  and  others,  supplied  the  pulpit.  At  last,  March  3d, 
1761,  Rev.  Moses  Baldwin  received  "a  call  to  settle  in  the  work 
of  the  gospel  ministry,  according  to  the  Presbyterian  platform  of  the 
church  of  Scotland."  £60  current  money  was  pledged  to  him  as  a 
yearly  salary,  and,  also,  the  hundred  acre  lot  which  had  been  reserv- 
ed for  the  minister,  on  the  payment  to  the  town  of  £150  !  Mr. 
Baldwin  was  a  native  of  Newark,  N.  J. ;  was  educated  at  Princeton 
College,  and  was  the  first  who  received  collegiate  honors  at  that  an- 
cient and  honored  institution  in  1757.  He  was  ordained  at  first  as 
an  Evangelist,  and  labored  as  such  for  a  time  at  Southhold,  Long 
Island,  from  whence  he  was  invited  to  come  to  Palmer,  He  was  in- 
stalled by  the  Boston  Presbytery,  June  17,  1761,  and  continued  his 
connection  with  the  church  and  people  for  the  long  period  of  half  a 
century.  His  relation  to  them  was  dissolved  at  his  own  recjuost,  and 
with  their  amicable  consent,  by  the  same  Council  that  ordained  bis 
successor,  June  19,  1811.  He  died  at  Palmer,  on  Tuesday,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1813,  aged  81.  His  remains  were  interred  on  Thursday, 
when  the  Rev.  Justus  Forward,  of  Belchertown,  delivered  an  appro- 
priate discourse  from  Zech.  1:5.  "  Your  fathers,  where  are  they  V 
and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever?"  But  few  incidents  of  his 
long  and  eventful  life  are  preserved  on  record.  Like  his  predecessors, 
he  went  through  the  most  serious  trials,  but  his  ministry  was  honored 
and  useful.  He  survived  every  male  inhabitant,  who  was  at  the  head 
of  a  family  when  he  settled  in  the  place.  He  was  tall  in  stature,  and 
of  a  dark  complexion  ;  social  in  his  nature,  and  full  of  good  feeling, 
rendering  him  a  genial  companion,  and  a  welcome  visitor  at  the  homes 
of  his  parishioners.  He  was  a  bold,  animated  and  fervent  preacher, 
full  of  gesticulation.  His  manuscript  sermons  show  that  he  depended 
a  good  deal  on  the  spur  of  the  moment.  Many  of  the  sentences  be- 
ing just  begun,  the  filling  out  being  left  to  the  quickened  intellect 
and  excited  feelings  at  the  time  of  delivery.     It  is  said,  suh  rosa,  that 


38 

he  used  to  be  a  great  deal  more  animated  in  the  afternoon  than  in  the 
morning ;  the  social  habits  of  the  people  at  that  day  permitting  even 
the  minister  to  share  in  the  exhilarating  influences  of  Col.  Hamilton's 
hospitality,  at  whose  tavern  the  "nooning"  was  generally  spent. 
When  going  to  Monson  on  an  exchange  with  Rev.  Jesse  Ives  of  that 
place,  he  would  call  upon  the  families  on  the  way  and  tell  them  he 
was  going  to  pi-each. 

In  the  "  Hampden  Federalist,"  of  November  18,  1813,  a  news- 
paper published  in  Springfield  at  that  time,  the  following  remarks  oc- 
cur in  an  obituary  notice  : — "  As  a  minister  of  Christ  he  was  faithful 
and  diligent  in  discharging  the  duties  of  his  office.  Few  have  gone 
through  a  greater  variety  of  trials ;  few  have  subsisted  upon  a  smaller 
annual  stipend,  (about  $250  per  annum,)  and  few  have  ever  mani- 
fested a  greater  attachment  to  a  people,  or  sought  more  earnestly  for 
their  good.  His  greatest  ambition  was  to  please  God.  He  gloried 
in  maintaining  and  defending  the  system  of  faith,  which  was  '  once 
delivered  to  the  saints.'  His  doctrines  were  pure,  for  they  were  the 
doctrines  of  the  gospel ;  his  preaching  was  impressive,  for  it  was  the 
preaching  of  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  his  motives  were  good,  for  he 
sought  to  win  souls  to  God.  As  a  speaker  he  was  above  mediocrity. 
Few  possessed  an  equal  talent  in  gaining  the  attention,  and  interesting 
the  feelings  of  an  audience.  In  all  his  dealings  with  man,  as  well  as 
in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties,  he  was  punctual  and  exact.  As 
a  husband  he  was  affectionate,  and  as  a  parent  he  was  watchful  and 
kind.  Mourning  friends  will  regret  his  loss,  and  an  affectionate  peo- 
ple will  sympathize  with  them  in  their  affliction.  '  Blessed  are  the 
dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth  :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labors ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them.'  " 

The  following  matters  of  ecclesiastical  history,  though  not  exclu- 
sively pertaining  to  Palmer,  are  of  sufficient  interest  to  be  noticed  in 
this  connection  ;  for  at  the  close  of  Mr.  Baldwin's  ministry,  the  church 
changed  its  form  of  government,  and  became  Congregational.  From 
its  origin  up  to  that  time,  it  had  been  in  the  Presbyterian  ranks.  The 
first  Presbytery  in  New  England  was  constituted  in  Londonderry,  N. 
H.,  April  16, 1745,  and  was  called  the  "  Boston  Presbytery."  At  a 
meeting  in  Seabrook,  N.  H.,  May  31,  1775,  a  division  was  amicably- 
agreed  upon,  and  three  Presbyteries  were  formed,  called  respectively, 
"  The  Presbytery  of  Salem,"  "  The  Presbytery  of  Londonderry,"  and 
"  The  Presbytery  of  Palmer. ^^     The  latter  was  constituted  of  Kev. 


39 

Moses  Baldwin,  of  Palmer ;  Rev.  Jolin  Houston,  of  Bedford  ;  and  the 
three  then  vacant  churches  of  Blandford,  Pelham  and  Coleraine.  The 
three  Presbyteries  thus  organized  were  formed  into  one  body,  called 
"  The  Synod  of  New  England,"  whose  first  meeting  was  held  at  Lon- 
donderry, N.  H.,  September  4,  1776. 

The  next  minister  of  Palmer  was  Rev.  Simeon  Colton.  He  was 
born  in  Longmeadow,  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  180G,  studied 
theology  with  Rev.  S.  Worcester,  D.  D  ,  of  Salem,  and  was  ordain- 
ed June  19,  1811,  by  the  same  Council  that  dismissed  his  venerable 
predecessor.  Rev.  Zephaniah  Swift  Moore,  of  Leicester,  preached 
the  ordination  sermon.  The  first  general  revival  of  relimon  in  Palmer 
occurred  during  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Colton.  This  was  in  the  year 
1819.  The  number  of  persons  added  to  the  church  while  he  was 
pastor,  was  120,  of  whom  16  only  were  received  from  sister  churches. 
In  consequence  of  some  dissatisfaction  which  arose  among  the  people 
relative  to  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Colton,  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own 
request,  November  13,  1821.  He  then  removed  to  Monson,  where 
he  taught  in  the  Academy  for  a  period  of  nine  years ;  having  also  been 
preceptor  there  one  year  before  his  settlement  at  Palmer,  and  two 
years  at  Leicester  Academy.  After  leaving  Monson  he  went  to 
Amherst,  where  he  had  the  charge  of  an  Academy  for  a  few  years. 
He  then  removed  to  North  Carolina  to  assume  the  care  of  a  new  in- 
stitution, to  be  established  under  Presbyterian  influence,  in  the  town 
of  Fayetteville.  There  he  remained  thirteen  years,  when,  on  invita- 
tion, he  went  to  the  State  of  Mississippi,  to  take  charge  of  an  institu- 
tion that  had  been  incorporated  by  the  name  of  Clinton  College.  This 
ifas  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  individuals  to  revive  a  decayed  and 
broken  down  concern.  The  effort  was  found  to  require  larger  means 
than  its  friends  could  command,  and  so  became  a  failure.  He  re- 
turned to  North  Carolina  and  took  charge  of  a  Select  School  in 
Ashboro',  where  he  now  resides,  and  where,  as  he  himself  says,  it  is 
probable  he  will  spend  the  remnant  of  his  days.  In  1846,  he  receiv- 
ed the  honorary  degree  of  D.  J),  from  a  Delaware  College.  As 
one  has  justly  characterized  him, — "  He  was  a  man  of  restless  enter- 
prise in  whatever  he  undertook,  having  a  full  share  of  that  enthusiasm 
which  has  been  said  to  be  common  to  many  who  bear  his  respectable 
family  name.  Ho  was  an  earnest,  ftiithful  preacher,  an  excellent  in- 
structor, a  strict  disciplinarian,  always  patient  and  hopeful,  prompt  in 
the  fulfilment  of  every  duty,  and  full  of  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice, 
whatever  his  work  might  be." 


40 

After  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Colton,  a  series  of  controversies  and 
contentions  between  the  church  and  the  society  prevented  their  uni- 
ting in  the  settlement  of  another  minister  till  November  9,  1825, 
when  Rev.  Heney  H.  F.  Sweet  was  ordained  as  their  pastor  and 
teacher,  having  been  invited  by  the  unanimous  vote  both  of  the  church 
and  of  the  town.  He  was  a  native  of  Attleboro',  and  graduated  at 
Brown  University  in  1822.  His  ordination  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Jacob  Ida,  D.  D.,  of  Medway.  Mr.  Sweet  was  removed  from 
his  people  by  death,  February  20,  1827,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one. 
During  his  brief  ministry  he  greatly  endeared  himself  to  his  parish- 
ioners, and  even  now  his  name  is  fragrant  among  them.  Truly  "  the 
memory  of  the  just  is  blessed."  Rev.  Alfred  Ely,  of  Monson,  preach- 
ed his  funeral  sermon.  He  is  spoken  of  "  as  a  man  who  was  unas- 
suming and  kind  in  his  manners  and  intercourse  with  others.  As  a 
preacher,  he  was  interesting  and  impressive.  He  was  thoroughly 
Calvinistic  in  his  doctrinal  views."  A  somewhat  extensive  revival  of 
religion  commenced  in  the  place  a  few  months  previous  to  his  death. 
The  number  added  to  the  church  during  his  short  but  acceptable  min- 
istry, was  23  ;  of  whom  eight  were  received  from  other  churches.  In 
the  same  year,  subsequent  to  his  death,  21  others  were  admitted  to 
the  church. 

The  next  pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  K.  Ware,  was  ordained  December 
12,  1827.  He  was  born  in  Conway,  and  gratuated  at  Amherst  Col" 
lege  in  1824.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Hemau  Humphrey, 
D.  D.  There  was  from  the  first  a  minority  opposed  to  the  settlement 
of  Mr.  "Ware,  which  continued  through  his  ministry.  A  considerable 
number  left  the  society ;  some  because  of  dissatisfaction,  and  others 
because  of  heavier  taxes,  until  the  residue  felt  themselves  unable  to 
raise  the  salary.  By  request  of  Mr.  Ware,  he  was  regularly  dismiss- 
ed from  his  pastoral  relation  to  the  church,  March  16,  1831,  and  has 
since  been  settled  in  Chapinsville,  N.  Y. 

The  ecclesiastical  concerns  of  the  town  remained  in  a  low  and  dark 
state  through  the  summer  ensuing,  the  people  being  divided  and  dis- 
couraged. A  largo  portion  of  the  time  there  was  no  stated  preaching. 
In  September,  Rev.  Samuel  Backus,  a  native  of  Canterbury,  Conn., 
and  a  graduate  of  Union  College  in  1811,  was  invited  to  preach,  and 
continued  the  only  supply  till  his  Installation,  January  11,  1832. 
He  was  first  settled  in  Woodstock,  in  his  native  State,  In  conse- 
quence of  some  dissatisfaction,  arising  partly  from  his  active  efforts  in 


41 

the  temperauce  cause,  Mr.  Backus  was  dismissecl  May  4,  1841, 
since  which  time  he  has  not  been  a  settled  pastor.  He  now  lives  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  where  he  has  labored  for  a  time  as  city  missionary, 
and  has  also  been  engaged  in  teaching. 

The  pulpit  was  supplied  during  the  summer  following  Mr.  Backus' 
dismission,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wetherell.  In  September,  Rev.  Moses  K. 
Cross,  was  engaged  as  a  candidate  for  settlement.  He  was  a  native 
of  Danvers,  a  graduate  of  Amherst  College  in  1838,  and  had  studied 
theology  at  East  Windsor,  Conn.,  and  Andovcr.  He  was  ordained 
February  2,  1842,  the  sermon  being  preached  by  Rev.  Milton  P.  Bra- 
man,  D.  D.,  of  Danvers.  He  continued  pastor  of  the  church  at  the 
centre  of  the  town  until,  an  an:icablc  and  nearly  equal  division  took 
place,  April  1,  1847,  on  territorial  grounds.  The 'pastor  went 
with  the  First  Church  to  Thorndike  Village,  where  they  worshipped 
for  a  time  in  a  hall,  but  soon  erected  a  neat  and  pleasant  sanctuary. 
Mr.  Cross  remained  with  them  till  March  7,  1849,  when  he  was  dis- 
missed at  his  own  request,  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  was  after- 
wards, September  4,  1850,  settled  at  South  Deerfield. 

Rev.  Levi  Smith  and  Rev.  Plinius  Moody  supplied  the  destitute 
church  for  a  time,  till  on  Nov.  19,  1851,  Rev.  Sylvester  Hine  was 
installed  pastor.  He  was  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  and  graduated 
at  Yale  College  in  1843.  He  received  his  theological  education  at 
East  Windsor.  Rev.  Prof.  Nahum  Gale,  of  that  Seminary,  proar-hed 
his  installation  sermon.  Previous  to  his  settlement  in  Palmer,  he  had 
been  pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church  in  Ticonderoga,  N.  Y. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  was  organized  April  1, 
1847,  and  commenced  holding  religious  services  in  a  hall  at  the 
Depot  Village,  where  an  enterprising  and  growing  community  had 
congregated  around  an  important  station  of  the  Western  Railroad. 
They  soon  commenced  to  build  a  meeting-house,  and  on  Wednesday, 
December  22,  1847,  it  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  by  ap- 
propriate solemnities,  viz  : —  Invocation  and  reading  the  scriptures  by 
Mr.  T.  Wilson,  (licentiate  ;j  introductory  prayer  by  Rev.  C.  B.  Kit- 
tredge,  of  Monson  ;  sermon  by  Rev.  E.  Russell,  of  Springfield  ;  ded- 
icatory prayer  and  benediction  by  Rev.  A.  Ely,  D.  D.,  of  Monson. 
The  esercises  were  exceedingly  interesting  ;  and  an  additional  zest 
was  given  to  them,  from  the  fact  that  they  occurred  on  a  day  hallowed 
by  such  sacrod  associations  to  every  lover  of  the  Puritans.     The  ser- 


42 

mon,  on  Psalm  96  :  6,  "  Honor  and  majesty  are  before  Lim ;  strengtli 
and  beauty  arc  in  his  sanctuary,"  was  characterized  by  that  bold, 
vigorous  and  manly  style,  for  which  the  preacher  is  distinguished. 
He  considered  in  it,  "  Some  of  the  Elements  of  Strength  and  Beauty 
in  the  Sanctuary ;"  and  dealt  out,  in  no  stinted  measure,  a  sparkling 
and  racy  draught  of  original  thought.  Dr.  Ely  alluded  most  touch- 
ingly  to  the  fact  that  it  was  the  anniversary  of  that  day, —  endeared 
to  every  true  descendant  of  the  Pilgrims,- — when  they  landed  on  the 
rock  of  Plymouth  ;  and  with  no  roof  over  their  heads  but  the  vaulted 
dome  of  the  sky,  and  no  music  but  the  howling  of  the  bleak  December 
winds,  they  poured  forth  the  gratitude  of  their  hearts  to  that  gracious 
Being  who  had  brought  them  safely  across  the  perilous  deep,  and 
landed  them  on  that  sterile  shore,  where  at  last  they  found  a  home, — 
and  with  it,  what  they  prized  above  all  else,  "  freedom  to  worship 
God."  The  interest  of  the  services  was  enhanced  by  the  excellent 
performances  of  the  choir,  which,  under  the  skillful  and  efficient  train- 
ing of  Mr.  Sumner,  of  Worcester,  "  discoursed  most  eloquent  music  " 
for  the  occasion.  The  house  is  a  neat,  chaste,  and  tasteful  edifice, 
built  at  a  cost  of  about  $5,000,  and  reflects  much  credit  upon  the  en- 
terprise of  the  infant  church  and  society  who  have  thus  secured  to 
themselves  a  comfortable  and  beautiful  place  of  worship.  May  it 
prove,  to  them  and  theirs,  to  be  "  none  other  hut  the  house  of  God, 
and  the  gate  of  heaven  I" 

To  this  church  and  society,  then  recently  organized  and  furnished 
with  a  temple,  Ptev.  Thomas  Wilson  was  called  to  minister.  He  was 
born  in  Paisley,  Scotland,  but  came  to  this  country  in  early  life  with 
his  parents,  and  resided  in  Lowell.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1844,  studied  theology  one  year  at  New  Haven,  and  two 
years  at  Andover,  and  was  ordained  March  1,  1848.  Rev.  Lyman 
Whiting,  of  Lawrence,  preached  i^ie  sermon.  After  a  ministry  of  a 
little  more  than  four  years  as  pastor  of  this  church,  he  was  dismissed 
at  his  own  request,  July  1,  1852,  on  account  of  inadequate  support. 
He  is  now  settled  in  Westford. 


THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  in  Palmer  was  originally  organized  in 
the  south  part  of  Belchertown,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Belchertown 
and  Palmer  Baptist  Church,"  November  16,  1825.      The  meeting- 


43 

house  in  wliicli  the  church  worshipped,  was  occupied  in  common  by 
this  people  and  a  Methodist  Society.  At  length  they  erected  their 
present  church  edifice  at  the  village  of  Three-Rivers,  which  they  oc- 
cupied in  January  1833.  The  name  of  the  church  was  then  changed 
to  the  "  Baptist  Church  in  Three-Rivers."  The  number  of  original 
members  was  24,  11  males  and  13  females.  Their  present  number 
is  111.  The  succession  of  pastors  has  been  as  follows:  Rev.  Messrs. 
Alviu  Bennett,  Henry  Archibald,  Tubal  Wakefield,  David  Pease, 
John  R.  Bigelow,  Prosper  Powell,  N.  B.  Jones,  Chester  Tilden, 
Joseph  Hodges,  Jr.,  Sandford  Leach,  Addison  Parker  and  Levi  H. 
Wakeman,  who  is  the  present  incumbent  of  the  pastoral  office. 

The  Second  Baptist  Chukcii  in  Palmer,  is  located  at  the  Depot 
Village,  and  was  formed  by  a  colony  from  the  first  church.  Its  public 
recognition,  and  the  installation  of  Rev.  Samuel  A.  Collins,  its  first 
pastor,  took  place  September  29,  1852.  A  commodious  and  beautiful 
house  of  worship  was  soon  erected,  which  was  dedicated  February  22, 
1854.     It  cost  about  $5,000. 


THE  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Cuukcu  at  Three-Rivers  was  organized 
in  1833,  under  Rev.  A.  Taylor,  consisting  of  ten  members.  Rev. 
H.  Perry  then  ministered  to  them  two  years,  and  in  1837,  a  house  of 
worship  was  erected,  and  Rev.  H.  Moulton  appointed  to  the  pastoral 
charge.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Wm.  Gordon,  who,  in  1840,  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  T.  W.  Gile.  Up  to  1841  the  society  divided  the 
labors  of  the  pastor  with  a  society  in  Belchertown  ;  but  in  that  year 
it  became  a  station  to  which  Rev.  J.  Nichols  was  appointed  to  preach 
the  whole  time.  He  remained  two  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
D.  L.  Winslow,  after  whom  was  Rev.  J.  Cadwell,  under  whose  min- 
istry the  church  numbered  130  members.  Mr.  Cadwell  was  followed 
in  turn  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Amos  Binney,  Daniel  Chapin,  C.  L.  Mc- 
Curdy,  J.  W.  Mowry  and  Nathaniel  J.  Merrill. 

On  the  23d  of  January,  1847,  a  church  was  formed  at  Thorndike 
Village,  by  members  of  this  church,  who  enjoyed  at  first  the  pastoral 
services  of  Rev.  N.  E.  Cobleigh.  In  about  a  year  the  membership 
numbered  sixty.  Mr.  C.  was  followed  by  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Hubbard, 
and  he  by  Rev.  Mr.  Atkins.     As  the  adjustment  of  a  series  of  diffi- 


44 

culties  passed  through  by  the  Thornd ike  organization,  the  two  societies 
(iamc  together  and  formed  one  large  church  and  congregation,  sus- 
taining public  worship  at  the  Town  Hall,  located  between  the  tw( 
villages. 


B. 

THE  FIRST  MEETING  HOUSE. 

As  was  the  case  in  nearly  all  the  towns  of  New  England,  so  here, 
immediately  after  the  settlement  was  commenced  by  the  principal  col- 
ony, the  inhabitants  turned  their  thoughts  and  care  to  provide  for  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship. 
Their  particular  and  anxious  interest  in  this  matter  formed  a  distin- 
guishing trait  in  their  character.  In  the  Legislative  Committee's 
Report  of  1733,  before  alluded  to,  it  was  enjoined  upon  the  persons 
then  residing  here,  "to  build  a  meeting-house  within  two  years." 
The  Proprietors,  therefore,  made  arrangements  for  building  their 
church  as  early  as  August  of  that  year,  by  voting  money  for  that  ob- 
ject. The  size  of  the  house  determined  upon  was  30  by  36  feet,  and 
the  place  first  selected  was  "near  James  Lamberton's  fence,  by  the 
pine  tree  marked  H.,  standing  on  the  north  side  of  the  path."  These 
specifications,  though  sufficient  to  designate  the  locality  at  that  day, 
are  not  definite  enough  to  enable  us  to  fix  upon  the  place  now.  The 
people,  however,  were  greatly  divided  in  reference  to  the  most  suitable 
or  convenient  spot  for  the  meeting-house  ;  and  differed  so  widely,  in 
their  plans  for  its  location,  that  the  site  was  changed  several  times. 
At  last,  to  make  a  final  adjustment  of  the  vexed  question,  the  proprie- 
tors, at  a  meeting  held  February  10,  1735,  voted  "  that  every  person, 
proprietor  or  grantee,  shall  enter  with  the  clerk,  or  bring  in  his  vote 
therein,  naming  a  spot  to  set  the  meeting-house  on  ;  and  that  the  two 
spots  which  shall  be  the  highest  in  nomination,  shall  be  put  to  a  lot, 
for  a  final  determination."  This  vote  was  duly  carried  out,  when 
"  it  appeared  that  a  spott  on  ye  knowl  near  Crawford's  house,  and  a 
spott  on  ye  east  side  of  Cedar  Swamp  Brook,  on  ye  North  side  of  ye 


45 

road  near  where  Wm.  Kelson's  bay-stack  stood,  were  the  two  spots 
highest  in  nomination."  The  papers  for  "  the  lott  "  were  then  pre- 
pared, and  Rev.  John  Harvey,  their  minister,  was  sent  for  to  draw 
the  lot ;  who,  after  solemn  prayer,  performed  that  service,  and  thus 
settled  the  disputed  and  vexatious  matter.  The  locality  thus  decided 
upon  by  an  appeal  to  tlie  providence  of  God, —  for  even  the  heathen, 
as  in  case  of  Jonah's  shipmates,  looked  upon  the  casting  of  the  lot 
as  a  sacred  thing  and  a  direct  address  to  heaven, — was  the  same  as 
that  on  which  the  meeting-house  stood  for  more  than  a  century,  and 
which  formed  the  centre  of  the  town. 

The  people  forthwith  proceed  to  erect  the  house,  taking  suitable 
timber,  by  common  consent,  wherever  they  could  find  it ;  and  without 
giving  any  recompense  to  the  owners  of  the  land  from  which  it  was 
cut.  The  raisinff  of  the  meeting-house,  small  as  its  dimensions  ap- 
pear to  us,  and  indifferent  as  we  look  upon  such  matters  now,  was  a 
great  event  in  those  days, —  quite  an  era  in  their  life  !  A  special  oc- 
casion was  made  of  it, —  a  sort  of  holiday  afFuir.  The  town  appro- 
priated £7,  "  to  make  provision  for  raising  the  meetiug-house  ;"  and 
a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  make  provision  of  drink  and  cakes 
suitable,  and  to  order  and  dispose  of  the  same  at  the  time  of  the 
raising."  This  building,  like  most  houses  of  public  worship  in  the 
country  towns  at  that  time,  had  only  square  pews  adjoining  the  walls, 
for  the  principal  families ;  the  rest  of  the  audience  being  accommodated, 
not  with  well  cushioned  seats,  but  with  hard  benches  ranged  close 
together  in  the  body  of  the  house.  But  even  in  that  day  of  plain- 
ness and  poverty,  there  was  some  taste  displayed  in  adorning  the 
preacher's  desk ;  for  August  7,  1733,  "  the  sum  of  £5,  2s,  was  ex- 
pended for  a  cusldon  for  the  pulpit."  A  great  oak  tree  used  to 
stand  in  front  of  the  church.  The  outside  door  of  the  building,  like 
the  rest  of  the  houses  in  the  parish,  was  fastened  with  a  wooden  latch 
on  the  inside,  to  be  pulled  up  with  a  string ;  or  when  that  was  gone, 
raised  by  a  stick  run  through  an  aperture  made  for  that  purpose.  The 
jomfort  of  a  warm  house  in  winter  was  a  thing  unknown  in  those 
primitive  days,  for  stoves  and  furnaces  had  not  yet  been  invented. 
It  was  so  cold  that  during  the  winter  months,  only  one  sermon  was 
preached  on  the  Sabbath  ;  and  even  then  they  would  sometimes  get 
so  benumbed,  and  stamp  so  hard  to  keep  themselves  warm,  that  the 
minister  would  be  obliged  to  suspend  the  services  and  dismiss  the  as- 
sembly.     On  tedious  stormy  sabbaths  the  scanty  congregation  used 


46 

to  adjourn  from  the  meeting-house  to  the  tavern,  and  the  preacher 
would  take  the  Lar  for  his  pulpit. 

As  was  then  customary,  there  was  a  huge  "  sounding-board  "  sus- 
pended over  the  head  of  the  minister,  which  seemed  to  serve  no  other 
purpose  than  to  awaken  sundry  speculations  in  the  minds  of  the 
youthful,  and  perhaps  not  too  devotional  part  of  the  assembly,  as  to 
what  the  probable  fate  of  the  minister  would  be  if  it  should  fall ! 
There  appears,  also,  to  have  been  a  gallery  at  the  end  of  the  house 
over  the  entrance,  in  which  the  choir  sat ;  and  where  the  young  men 
and  maidens  loved  to  congregate.  The  proprieties  of  the  place  and 
of  the  service  were  not  always  duly  kept,  then  as  now  ;  but  an  ex- 
pedient was  resorted  to,  which  served  to  allay  the  mirthful  tendencies 
of  the  young  and  buoyant  worshippers.  October  1,  1750,  Messrs. 
"  John  Webber  and  Matthew  Hutchins,"  two  of  the  worthy  and  se- 
date patriarchs  of  the  place,  were  appointed  a  committee  "  to  sit  in 
the  gallery  amongst  the  young  people,  to  inspect  their  carriage  that 
they  may  not  profane  the  Sabbath  in  the  time  of  worship." 

Thouo-h  there  was  a  choir  in  those  days,  it  was  rather  to  assist  the 
congregation  in  singing,  than  to  do  it  all  for  them  as  the  incongruous 
custom  is  now.  The  singing,  for  a  long  time,  was  conducted  after 
the  manner  usually  called  "  Beaconing  f  i.  e.,  by  the  Deacon,  or 
Precentor  as  he  was  sometimes  styled,  reading  the  psalm  or  hymn 
line  by  line  ;  and  the  whole  assembly,  so  far  as  they  were  able,  aided 
by  the  choir,  singing  it  thus  piecemeal.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  1761,  soon  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Baldwin,  a  Committee 
was  appointed  "  to  repair  and  finish  the  meeting-house,"  for  which 
laudable  purpose  £20  were  raised.  An  additional  sum  of  "20  shill- 
ings "  was  appropriated  to  "  Ens'n  Ephraim  Gates,  for  which  he  was 
to  remove  back  and  make  narrower  the  pulpit,  minister's  pew,  and 
stairs,  with  the  deacon's  seat,  and  make  the  pulpit  lower ;  all  to  be 
done  without  damage  to  the  work,  or  without  maJdng  it  look  ivoise 
than  it  does  now  !'^ 

The  following  June,  £50  more  were  raised  to  complete  the  needful 
work,  and  in  September  £9,  Is,  6p,  3f,  were  added ;  and  the  Com- 
mittee were  instructed  "  to  new  shingle  the  roof  of  the  house,  clapboard 
anew  the  outside,  and  make  new  window  frames  in  a  handsome  size, 
and  glaze  the  same  with  glass  8x6,  and  renew  the  fore-door  and  sill 
that  is  rotten."  They  were,  also,  "  to  proceed  to  the  inside,  and  new 
lay  such  places  in  the  floor  as  should  need  it,  and  make  new  seats  in 


47 

tlie  body  "  [of  the  house.]  They  were  "  to  make  seats  in  the  gal- 
lery, with  one  row  of  small  pews  all  round  the  Lack  side  of  the  gallery, 
in  as  convenient  a  manner  as  possible  "  The  pews  on  the  ground 
floor  were  assigned  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  according  to  the 
valuation  of  the  real  and  personal  estate  of  each  "  head  of  a  family, 
paying  also  a  small  regard  to  age."  In  "  finishing  the  meeting, 
house,"  the  singular  provision  was  made  that  "  the  proprietor  of  any 
pew,  having  no  part  of  a  window  against  it,  may  have  liherty  to  male 
a  windoiv  against  it,  equal  in  size  with  the  other  windows  of  the 
house,  and  finish  it.  outside  and  in,  handsomely  and  well;  and  also 
keep  said  window  in  repair  during  the  whole  of  the  time  he  or  they 
own  the  pew."  Whether  any  one  availed  himself  of  this  unusual  and 
very  accommodating  liberty,  does  not  appear;  but  the  meeting-house, 
thus  rejuvenated,  seems  to  have  served  them  for  another  generation. 
Originally  built  about  the  year  1733,  it  was  occupied  as  the  only 
place  of  worship  for  sixty-five  years,  for  at  that  time  every  family  in 
the  town  belonged  to  the  parish,  except  three  who  were  Baptists.  At 
the  end  of  that  period,  a  larger  and  more  commodious  house  was 
erected,  and  the  old  church  became  a  sort  of  town  hall  for  the  transac- 
tion of  public  business.  Before  it  was  thus  superceded,  however,  it 
bad  become  very  much  dilapidated  ;  and  verified,  though  in  a  differ- 
ent sense  from  what  was  originally  intended,  the  description  which 
the  Psalmist  gives  of  the  "  tabernacles  of  the  Lord,"  when  he  says  : 
"  Yea,  the  sparrow  hath  found  an  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest  for 
herself,  where  she  may  lay  her  young,  even  thine  altars,  0  Lord  of 
hosts."  The  "  house  swallows  "  used  to  be  so  numerous  in  the  old 
church,  that  they  disturbed  the  devotions  of  the  assembled  worshippers  • 
and  made  so  much  noise  with  their  twittering  and  fluttering-,  that 
"  Father  Baldwin  "  could  scarcely  be  heard,  though  he  customarily 
spoke  very  loud. 

But  the  "  old  meeting-house  "  passed  away,  like  those  who  had 
gathered  within  its  hallowed  walls  for  divine  worship  ;  but  who,  in  the 
due  course  of  nature,  went  the  "way  of  all  the  earth."  Reared 
amid  the  struggles  and  privations  of  the  infant  colony,  it  faithfully 
served  two  generations  as  "  a  place  for  prayer  ;"  and  no  doubt  pure 
and  acceptable  worship  ascended  from  that  unpretending  sanctuary 
to  Him  who  "  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands  ;"  but  who 
filleth  immensity  with  his  presence,  and  eternity  past  and  future  with 
his  being.     To  many  we  doubt  not,  it  proved  a  spiritual  birth-place  ; 


48 

and,  as  ''of  Zion  it  shall  be  said,  'This  and  that  man  was  born  in  her,'  " 
so  of  this  church  ;  and  though  itself,  and  its  appearance,  and  almost 
its  remembrance,  has  ceased  to  exist  on  earth,  it  will  forever  be  iden- 
tified as  the  scene  of  the  spiritual  conflicts  and  triumphs  of  many  a 
human  but  now  sainted  soul.  It  will  thus  be  "  enshrined  in  the 
amber  of  celestial  reminiscence.''  The  deathless  memory  will  hold 
it  in  its  tenacious  grasp,  and  its  form  and  existence  will  therefore 
be  immortal. 


c. 

THE  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

According  to  a  vote  of  the  town,  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of 
its  incorporation,  was  observed  by  appropriate  festivities  at  the  Town 
Hall,  July  5,  1852.  The  following  account  of  the  interesting  exer- 
cises of  that  occasion,  is  taken  chiefly  from  the  "  Palmer  Journal," 
of  July  10th,  edited  by  Mr.  Gordon  M.  Fisk.  The  day  was  a 
brio'ht  and  beautiful  one  ;  and  at  an  early  hour  the  people  began  to 
oather  at  the  Town  House,  so  that  by  10  o'clock,  the  hour  appointed 
for  the  services,  it  was  judged  that  nearly  two  thousand  persons  were 
assembled.  A  long  procession  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  was  formed, 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Thomas,  as  Chief  Marshal;  and 
escorted  by  the  "  Belchertown  Brass  Band,"  to  a  beautiful  grove 
about  a  hundred  rods  distant,  where  the  Address  was  delivered.  The 
order  of  the  Procession  was  as  follows  :— 

1st.  The  Belchertown  Brass  Band.  2d.  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments. 3d.  President  and  Orator  of  the  Day.  4th.  Reader  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  5th.  Clergy.  6th.  Invited  Guests. 
7th.  Citizens. 

On  arriving  at  the  grove  the  band  played  till  the  assembly  were 
seated.  The  President,  John  Ward,  Esq.,  then  called  attention  to 
the  Exercises,  which  took  place  in  the  following  order : — 

I.  Prayer  by  Rev.  Samuel  Backus,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 
formerly  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Society  in  this  Town. 

II.  National  Hymn.—"  Let  every  heart  rejoice  and  sing." 


49 

in.  Reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  by  F.  T.  Wal- 
lace, Esq. 

IV.  Hymn. — "  When  stern  oppression's  iron  rod." 

[The  singing  was  performed  in  an  admirable  manner  by  the  Choir 
of  the  First  Congregational  Church.] 

V.  Address  by  Rev.  Thomas  Wilson.  Subject, —  The  History 
oftfie  Town  of  Palmer. 

VI.  Music  by  the  Band. 

VII.  Benediction,  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Mowry. 

At  the  close  of  the  services  in  the  grove,  the  procession  re-formed 
and  marched  to  the  Town  House,  where  an  excellent  and  bountiful 
repast  had  been  provided  under  the  eater-ship  of  Mr.  Charles  D. 
Foster,  of  tho  Thorndike  Hotel.  At  the  table,  Rev.  Sylvester 
HiNE  invoked  the  Divine  blessing ;  and  the  company  did  ample  jus- 
tice to  the  palatable  viands. 

After  Dinner  the  President  announced  the  reading  of  the  Regular 
Toasts  by  F.  T.  Wallace,  Esq. —  all  of  which  were  responded  to 
with  cheers  and  the  booming  of  cannon. 

1.  The  Day  tve  Celebrate. —  May  each  returning  Anniversary,  of 
the  birth  of  our  National  Liberties,  find  us  happy  in  their  enjoyment, 
and  impress  us  with  gratitude  to  the  men  of  76  by  whom  they  were 
achieved. 

2.  The  President  of  the  United  States. —  Hon.  Millard  Fill- 
more. 

3.  The  American  Flag. —  The  sacred  emblem  of  Liberty;  the 
free  sons  of  Columbia  will  never  suffer  it  to  be  disgraced  : 

"The  Star  Spangled  Banner,  0  long  may  it  wave. 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave !" 

4.  The  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth. — His  Excellency. 
George  S.  Boutwell. 

5.  The  Manufactories  of  Palmer. —  Though  the  times  are  hard, 
they  are  bound  to  "go,"  while  Jacob  and  Joseph  grease  the  wheels! 

[Referring  to  Jacob  B.  Merrick  and  Joseph  Brown,  Esqrs., 
Agents  of  the  "Thorndike"  and  "Palmer"  Manufacturing  Com- 
panies.] 

6.  Old  Uncle  Sam. —  The  great  Uncle  of  all  Uncles.  He  settles 
a  dower  of  Liberty  on  all  his  nephews  and  nieces. 

7.  The  Union  of  the  States. — "  The  palladium  of  our  National 
Independence ;  the  guarantee  of  our  National  Prosperity ;  and  the 
pledge  of  our  National  Grlory." 

4 


50 

8.  The  Palmer  Declaration  of  Independence,  June  Ylth,  1776. — 
Thougli  of  less  consequence  to  the  world  than  our  National  Declara- 
tion, it  demonstrates  to  us,  with  proud  satisfaction,  that  while  the 
people  of  Palmer  were  then  ignorant  of  the  deliberations  of  Congress, 
or  the  sanguinary  conflict  that  day  being  waged  on  Bunker  Hill,  they, 
in  a  public  meeting,  pledged  their  lives  and  fortunes  under  the  wis- 
dom of  Congress,  for  National  Freedom. 

[This  sentiment  was  received  with  three  cheers.  Historians  may 
now  make  a  note  of  the  fact,  that  the  citizens  of  Palmer  made  a 
Declaration  of  Independence,  seventeen  days  before  it  was  declared 
by  the  Continental  Congress.] 

9.  Uncle  Sam''s  Family. —  May  they  be  content  to  hold  their 
thirty-Jive  farms  with  all  future  additions  as  tenants  in  common. 

10.  The  State  we  live  in  —  Old  Massachusetts. —  The  land  of  our 
Pilgrim  Fathers,  and  the  spot  where  the  first  blood  of  the  Revolution 
was  shed.  She  stands  a  monument  of  American  prosperity  and  Inde- 
pendence. 

11.  The  Farmers  oj  Palmer. —  Though  the  township  was  once 
represented  as  a  "  very  poor  piece  of  land,  and  the  hills  high  and 
mean,"  yet  by  their  industry  it  has  been  made  to  yield  abundantly ; 
and  ikaixi  fine  fortly  figures  are  evidence  that  they  have  enough  and 
some  to  spare. 

12.  The  House  we  Dine  in. —  Though  located  between  four  villa- 
ges it  belongs  to  none  of  them — it  stands  "  alone  in  its  glory." 

After  the  reading  of  the  Regular  Toasts,  the  following  volunteer 
sentiments  were  offered  and  speeches  made,  viz  : — 

By  F.  T.  Wallace,  Esq.,— 

The  Clergy,  of  Palmer. — Faithful  sentinels  on  the  watchtowers  of 
Zion. 

Rev.  Samuel  Backus,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  arose,  and  said  that  he 
supposed  some  response  to  the  sentiment  just  propounded  might  be 
expected  from  him.  He  was  the  senior  clergyman  present.  He  had 
been  the  minister  of  the  town  for  ten  years,  while  as  yet  they  compos- 
ed but  one  religious  Society.  He  rejoiced  in  the  opportunity  of  being 
present  on  this  interesting  occasion,  and  felt  disposed  to  do  what  he 
could  for  the  gratification  of  his  numerous  friends  now  assembled. 
He  remarked  that  though  conscious  of  unworthiness  as  a  minister  of 
the  Grospel,  he  had  no  delicacy  in  pronouncing  the  ministry  itself 
worthy  of  high  estimation.  He  said  that  in  his  view  there  was  no 
arrogance  in  any  man's  exalting  his  profession,  or  his  opinions.  Yea, 
that  he  is  warranted  in  speaking  of  them  as  the  very  best.     For  why 


51 

should  not  a  man  in  selecting  his  calling,  choose  that  which  in  the 
circumstances  is  the  best  ?  Or  why  should  any  man  adopt  an  opinion 
which  for  its  truthfulness,  may  not  challenge  comparison  with  all  other 
opinions,  on  the  same  subject,  which  can  be  named  ?  He  could,  there- 
fore, boldly  say  that  he  counted  the  ministry  worthy  of  all  honor, 
while  he  could  claim  no  honor  to  himself. 

Mr.  B.  proceeded  to  remark,  that  while  this  was  so,  he  regarded 
the  just  influence  of  the  ministry  to  be  like  that  of  women,  silent  and 
unperceived  at  the  moment ;  an  influence,  which  by  persuasive  kind- 
ness, moulds  and  guides  the  habitudes  of  mind  in  the  other  sex.  We 
have  heard  much  of  "  woman's  rights,"  and  he  would  by  no  means 
have  these  rights  denied  or  abridged.  But  then  these  are  best  main- 
tained by  the  kindly  influence  of  the  family.  Let  women  in  this  way 
rule  the  men  as  absolutely  as  they  please,  and  then  let  them  leave  it 
to  the  men  to  rule  the  world. 

Here  woman  may  make  her  influence  so  felt  as  to  satisfy  the  largest 
ambition.  But  let  not  woman  think  to  enlarge  her  powers  by  bustling 
and  speech-making,  and  voting  and  fighting  ;  unless  like  grandmother 
Ferrell,  of  whom  we  have  heard  to-day,  the  door  shall  be  besieged  by 
a  panther,  a  wild  Indian,  or  a  rum  jug;  with  which,  musket  in  hand, 
she  may  have  occasion  to  hold  grave  debate  on  matters  of  life  and 
death.  So  should,  and  so  does,  the  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ 
form  those  opinions,  and  establish  those  principles  of  action,  from 
which  the  world  takes  its»charaeter  and  by  which  its  destinies  are  de- 
cided. It  is  the  work  of  the  ministry  to  educate  the  mind  and  the 
heart. 

This  is  not  a  fitting  occasion  to  dwell  on  the  great  and  holy  ends, 
for  the  gaining  of  which  the  gospel  ministry  was  chiefly  designed.  We 
talk  now  of  the  ministry  as  it  acts  on  the  affairs  of  this  world.  We 
speak  of  it  as  forming  the  community  to  purity,  peace,  intelligence 
and  happiness.  Take  away  from  civilized  society,  all  that  has  been 
woven  and  twisted  into  its  texture  by  the  quiet  workings  of  the 
christian  ministry,  and  you  take  away  whatever  it  possesses  of  the 
power  of  self-government  and  the  enjoyment  of  rational  liberty. 

While,  therefore,  Mr.  President,  we  may  be  often  ashamed  of  our- 
selves, we  wish  it  to  be  known  that  we  are  never  ashamed  of  our  call- 
ing, and  that  we  can  most  cordially  reciprocate  the  sentiment  that  has 
been  uttered- 

In  connection  with  a  volunteer  sentiment  from  one  of  the  Commit- 


52 

tee,  expressing  the  satisfaction  of  the  assembly  in  the  return  of  Mr. 
Backus  to  this  field  of  his  former  labors,  in  order  that  he  might  par- 
ticipate in  the  festivities  of  this  anniversary,  Mr.  B.  made  a  grateful 
acknowledgement  for  the  honor  intended  him.  He  spoke  of  the 
agreeable  disappointment  he  had  experienced  in  meeting  so  many  well  ^ 
known  faces,  both  here  and  in  the  different  sanctuaries  on  the  day 
jjrevious,  and  that  these  countenances  were  so  slightly  changed  in  the 
intervening  ten  years.  He  expressed  his  high  gratification  at  the 
cordial  greetings  and  smiles  of  welcome  with  which  he  had  invariably 
been  met.  He  assured  his  hearers  that  he  most  heartily  reciprocated 
their  greetings,  expressed  his  satisfaction  in  all  their  prosperity  both 
temporal  and  spiritual,  hoped  they  might  thus,  and  more  largely,  con- 
tinue to  prosper  not  only  as  living  in  themselves,  but  in  their  descen- 
dants till  another  century  shall  have  passed  away.  Knowing,  he  said, 
that  he  should  never  again  thus  meet  them,  he  affectionately  bade 
them  Farewell  I 

By  Mrs.  Fkanklin  Morgan, — 

The  Orator  of  the  Day. —  May  his  name  be  as  fresh  and  enduring 
as  the  everlasting  hills  that  surround  us. 

This  called  up  Bev.  Thomas  Wilson,  who  said  : — 

Mr.  President, —  It  is  with  sensitive  yet  grateful  feelings,  that  I 
rise  to  respond  to  the  flattering  sentiment  just  offered.  Though  en- 
deared by  many  sacred  and  touching  ties  to  a  portion  of  this  people, — 
with  whom  I  have  labored  for  a  time  in  the»precious  and  responsible 
work  of  the  gospel  ministry, —  yet  I  claim  no  general  remembrance 
save  that  which  may  arise  from  interest  in  my  public  labors.  It  is 
because  the  christian  minister  is  identified  with  all  that  is  good  in  any 
community,  that  he  is  deservedly  held  in  such  high  esteem.  The 
prominence  given  him  by  common  courtesy,  is  accorded  mainly  by 
respect  to  his  ofl&cial  character  ;  however  much  he  may  also  be  endear- 
ed to  a  people  by  the  individual  traits  of  his  own  life.  The  ministry 
have  ever  exerted  an  important  and  extensive  influence  in  this  town. 
Our  fathers,  animated  by  their  spirit  and  instructed  by  their  ministra- 
tions, have  left  us  a  rich  inheritance  of  political  freedom,  sound  morals 
and  evangelical  relio-ion. 

There  have  been  a  succession  of  ten  ministers  in  this  place,  of  the 
Presbyterian  and  Congregational  order.  Tlie  Church  here  was  pri- 
marily Presbyterian,  according  to  the  standard  and  discipline  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  and  so  continued  till  Mr.  Colton's  ordination  in 


53 

1811.  Of  the  personal  history  of  the  first  two  ministers,  Rev.  John 
Harvey  and  Rev.  Robert  Burns,  but  very  little  is  known.  Their 
successor,  Rev.  Moses  Baldwin,  passed  a  ministry  of  half  a  century 
among  this  people.  He  was  energetic  and  animated  in  his  delivery ; 
and  might  well  stand  for  the  portrait  of  that  minister,  which  the  good 
old  Scotch  lady  described  hers  to  be  :  "  An  awfu'  po'rful  preacher; 
for  he  dang  th'  inside  out  o'  twa  Bibles  an'  three  cushions."  On 
one  occasion  Mr.  Baldwin,  who  was  wont  to  pound  the  pulpit  cush- 
ion somewhat  sledge-hammer-wise,  as  he  brought  his  hand  down  with 
emphatic  force,  startled  a  red  squirrel  that  had  snugly  esconced  him- 
self within,  to  the  no  small  amusement  of  the  audience. 

Mr.  Baldwin  whose  ministry  was  the  longest,  and  Mr.  Sweet  whose 
ministry  was  the  shortest,  of  any  of  the  clergymen  of  this  town,  were 
the  only  ministers  who  died  while  residing  in  the  place.  The  former 
after  fifty  years  of  toil,  the  latter  after  one  year  and  a  half  of  service  ; 
both  greatly  beloved  and  respected  by  the  people.  "  But  the  fathers, 
where  are  they?  and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever  ?"  They  have 
passed  away.  In  the  restless  march  of  time  they  have  been  borne  along 
with  that  onrushing  phalans  of  death,  which  never  retreats.  They 
have  long  since  departed  from  this  scene  of  their  toils  and  privations, 
joys  and  sorrows ;  but  their  sepulchres  remain  with  us  till  this  day  : 

"  Each  in  his  narrow  cell  forever  laid. 
The  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep." 

May  we  emulate  their  virtues,  and  cherish  their  memories.  May  we 
ever  hold  on  to  the  principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  which  they 
so  nobly  exhibited  ;  and  may  we  transmit  to  a  grateful  posterity,  tho 
blessings  we  have  so  richly  enjoyed.     For 

"  We  live  in  deeds,  not  years ;   in  thoughts,  not  breaths ; 
In  feelings,  not  in  figures  on  a  dial. 
"We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.     He  lives  most 
Who  thinks  most  —  feels  the  noblest — acts  the  best." 

By  Gen.  J.  A.  McElwain,  of  Warsaw,  N.  Y., — 

The  inhabitants  of  my  own  native  town. —  May  they  live  long, 
and  inherit  the  virtues  and  integrity  of  their  most  worthy  ancestors. 

By  Samuel  D.  Backus,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., — 

The  memory  of  the  departed. 

By  Franklin  Morgan, — 

The  Seed  planted  by  our  Fathers  a  Oenttiry  ago. —  Industry  has 
tended  it,  faith  watered  it,  and  hope  watched  over  its  growth.  Be- 
4* 


54 

hold  it  now  a  stately  tree,  under  whose  branches  safely  rest  a  thrifty, 
prosperous  and  happy  people. 

The  Four  Villages  of  Palmer. —  Like  the  Thirty-five  States  and 
Territories  of  our  glorious  Union  ;  though  divided  by  local  interests, 
they  are  always  ready  to  show  themselves  the  inseparable  parts  of  one 
"  stupendous  whole." 
By  F.  T.  Wallace,  Esq.,— 

The  Ancient  Families  of  Palmer. —  The  Kings,  the  Ferrells,  the 
Cooleys  and  McMasters.  The  honor  and  virtue  of  the  old  families 
are  still  retained,  and  will  depart  only  when  '  Dumplin '  takes  to  it- 
self wings. 

By  John  Ward,  Esq., — 

The  Descendants  of  the  first  settlers  of  Palmer. —  May  the  remem- 
brance of  the  toils  and  privations  of  our  ancestors,  the  fruits  of  which  we 
at  the  present  time  enjoy  with  prosperity,  never  be  erased  from  our 
memory. 

By  G.  M.  FiSK,— 

The  Early  Settlers  of  Palmer. —  Though  many  of  them  were 
Kings,  like  true  Scotts  they  were  opposed  to  a  kingdom. 

Our  aged  Mother  Palmer. —  Though  in  her  one  hundredth  year, 
she  is  hale,  hearty,  and  well  to  do  in  the  world,  and  we  attribute  it 
somewhat  to  good  neighbors  ;  such  as  old  Squire  Belchertown,  the 
venerable  Mr.  Ware,  old  Mr.  Wilbraham,  and  Madame  Monson,  a 
peculiarly  virtuous,  venerable  and  devoted  old  lady — She  has  done 
much  for  our  morals. 

By  A.  V.  Blanchard, — 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Backus. —  It  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant  inci- 
dents of  this  occasion  that  he  is  here.  He  is  welcome  to  our  homes 
and  our  hearts. 

Mr.  Backus  responded,  neatly  and  approp-iately.     (See  page  52.) 
By  F.  T.  Wallace,  Esq.,— 

The  Orator  of  the  Day. —  He  has  endeared  himself  to  us  beyond 
expression,  by  placing  in  our  hands  the  link  which  unites  us  with  the 
past ;  and  our  only  regret  on  the  occasion  is,  that  though  a  great 
public  act,  it  is  his  last  to  us. 

Mr.  Wilson  replied  in  a  brief  and  apt  speech  ; —  referring  to  the 
interest  taken  in  the  historic  recollections  of  the  day,  and  to  the  duty 
we  owed  to  posterity  to  transmit  to  them  what  was  now  veritable  his- 
tory concerning  our  "  illustrious  predecessors,"  ere  it  should  become 
only  dim  and  uncertain  tradition.  He  closed  by  offering  the  follow- 
ing sentiment : — 

The  Toivn  of  Palmer. —  Though  some  other  places  may  bear  the 
palm  in  antiquarian  lore  and  stirring  incident ;  yet  in  all  that  pertains 


55 

to  the  welfare  of  any  community, —  to  patient  industry,  general  Ik 
ligence  and  sound  morals, —  may  we  ever  be  Palin-er. 

By  Franklin  Morgan, — 

Our  Living  Statesmen. —  To-day  we  celebrate  the  memory  of 
those  who  struck  the  first  blow  which  gave  our  country  Independence. 
Let  us  not  forget  to  do  honor  to  those  great  Statesmen  of  our  own 
times,  who  have  successfully  labored  to  defend  and  uphold  our  glorious 
Constitution  and  the  Union  of  all  the  States. 

By  J.  B.  Merrick, — 

Hon.  Henry  Clay. — (Now  no  more.)  His  mortal  remains  have 
gone  to  the  dust.  His  virtues  are  embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  the 
American  People.  His  memory  will  be  cherished  until  the  star- 
spangled  banner  shall  cease  to  float  in  the  breeze,  and  the  light  of 
Liberty  be  extinguished  from  the  earth. 

By  Dr.  J.  B.  Thomas,— 

It  is  said  that  the  Crown  that  Queen  Victoria  wears  cost  ten  thou- 
sand pounds.  God  grant  that  no  American  Crown  shall  ever  exceed 
a  dollar  and  ten  cents. 

By  G.  M.  FisK,— 

Yankee  Perseverance. —  It  was  first  illustrated  in  Boston  Harbor, 
when  a  few  Patriots  went  to  take  tea  with  the  British  without  invita- 
tion. 

By  A.  V.  Blanchard, — 

The  Ladies. —  However  they  may  differ  with  the  men  on  other 
matters,  they  are  unanimously  in  favor  of  the  Union. 

Supposed  to  be  by  a  rich  Bachelor  of  Palmer, — 

To  the  Single  Ladies  of  Palmer. —  Though  I  am  in  no  sense  a 
military  man,  I  am  ready  to  preseiit  arms. 

By  Mrs.  A.  V.  Blancuakd, —  ^ 

Modern  Ladies. —  Though  they  may  possess  less  courage  and 
bravery  than  our  ancient  and  venerable  grandmother  Ferrell,  to  with- 
stand the  assaults  of  the  Indian  and  the  panther,  they  have  improved 
upon  the  skill  of  their  ancestors  in  the  duties  of  the  kitchen. — Mod- 
ern Men  acknowledge  their  prowess. 

By  a  Guest, — 

We  rejoice  that  among  the  numerous  manufactories  in  town,  the 
farmer's  wants  are  not  forgotten  in  an  important  article  of  cutlery. 
Gentlemen  Farmers,  you  are  reminded  that  it  is  just  before  haying. 

A.  V.  Blanchard,  a  manufacturer  of  "  farmer's  cutlery,"  re- 
sponded : — 

]Mr.  President, —  Although  I  have  been  engaged  many  years  in 
the  manufacture  of  cutting  instruments,  I  should  regret  extremely  to 
be  instrumental  in  the  least  in  causing  any  damage  thereby  to  any- 


56 

body  ;  but  there  are  various  instruments  used  for  cutting,  and  many 
modes  of  doing  the  cutting,  and  there  is  considerable  cutting  done 
without  instrviments.  I  recollect  seeing,  many  years  ago,  in  a  picture 
book,  Time  represented  as  an  old  man  with  a  scythe  in  his  hand,  and 
underneath  a  verse,  which  read,  "  Time  cuts  down  all,  both  great  and 
small;"  and  I  have  heard  of  Merchants  who  were  said  to  have  cut 
the  throat  of  a  man  with  a  feather,  but  if  there  are  any  merchants 
present  I  think  they  will  pardon  me  as  I  do  not  wish  to  be  personal ; 
and  I  have  heard  of  Lawyers  who  were  very  cutting  in  their  argu- 
ments before  a  jury,  especially  when  they  expected  a  good  fee  ;  I 
have  also  heard  the  ladies  accused  of  cutting  an  acquaintance  some- 
times ;  and  when  I  was  a  young  man  I  frequently  heard  conversation 
about  cutting  out,  particularly  when  a  pretty  damsel  was  concerned  ; 
but  I  was  taught  in  my  early  days  to  handle  Edge  Tools  with  care, 
and  never  found  any  difficulty  when  I  did  so ;  but  not  to  enlarge  on 
the  cutting  process,  I  give  you  sir  : 

The  young  Men  of  Palmer. —  Whatever  other  cutting  they  may 
do,  may  they  not  fail  to  cut  off  all  their  had  habits. 

By.  G.  M.  FisK,— 

Our  attentive  Host. —  May  the  good  things  which  he  has  provided 
the  citizens  of  Palmer  to-day,  stimulate  them  to  encourage  and  Foster 
him. 

Mr.  Foster  answered  concisely  and  gave  : — 

The  Town  of  Palmer. —  May  the  sunshine  of  prosperity  and  the 
star  of  Liberty  shed  their  refulgent  rays  upon  the  town  for  the  com- 
ing century,  as  they  have  done  for  the  century  past. 

By  F.  T.  Wallace,  Esq.,-- 

The  President  of  the  Day. —  May  his  services  on  this  occasion 
meet  with  an  adequate  re-  Ward. 

Mr.  Ward  responded  briefly  and  gave  : — 

Our  worthy  Toastmaster. —  The  sentiments  from  him  come  so 
direct,  and  with  such  force  that  I  need  a  Wall-ace  to  Ward  them  off. 

By  Samuel  D.  Backus, — 

The  Town  of  Palmer. —  May  it  celebrate  its  second  centurial  an- 
niversary, as  this,  with  renewed  youth. 

Other  toasts  wore  offered  and  remarks  made  which  are  not  pre- 
served, but  which  added  to  the  pleasure  of  a  scene  which  all  who 
participated  in,  will  hold  in  grateful  remembrance.  Throughout  the 
festivity  the  interest  was  greatly  enhanced  by  the  excellent  music 
from  the  Band.     Everything  connected  with  the  Celebration  passed 


57 

off  pleasantly  and  in  good  order;  and,  though  we  do  not  expect  to  be 
there  to  enjoy  it,  we  hope  the  nest  Centennial  Anniversary  will  be 
observed  in  like  manner  ;  and  may  it  prove  to  those  who  shall  then 
participate  in  it,  as  joyous  as,  or,  if  that  be  possible,  more  gladsome 
than  the  delightful  scene  through  which  we  have  just  passed.  Our 
blood  will  flow  in  the  veins  of  some  of  them  ;  and  we  feel,  therefore, 
that  they  will  be  "  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh."  There 
is  thus  a  community  of  interests  ;  and  we,  their  Ancestors,  send 
down  our  Benediction  to  them,  our  Posterity. 

At  the  close  of  the  services  a  Committee  of  three,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Jacob  B.  Merrick,  Franklin  Morgan  and  Frederick  T. 
Wallace,  Esqs.,  were  appointed  to  request  a  copy  of  the  Address 
for  publication.  On  motion  of  Rev.  Thomas  Wilson  the  Celebra- 
tion was  adjourned  for  One  Hundred  years  ! 


D. 


REPRESENTATIVES  FROM  PALMER  TO  THE  GENERAL  COURT. 

The  following  is  the  Eepresentative  History  of  Palmer  from  the 
adoption  of  the  State  Constitution  to  the  present  time  : — 


1783  Capt.  David  Spear. 

1784  Capt.  David  Spear. 

1785  William  Scott. 

1786  Capt.  David  Spear. 

1787  to  1794  —  seven  successive 
years  —  Capt.  David  Shaw. 

1794  Capt.  Thomas  McClenathan. 

1795  Capt.  David  Spear. 

1796  Lieut.  David  King. 

1797  Lieut.  James  Smith. 

1798  Isaac  Warren. 

1799  Aaron  Merrick. 

1800  James  Smith. 

1801  James  Smith. 

1802  James  Smith. 

1803  to  1809 -six  successive  yrs. 
Aaron  Merrick. 

1809  Jesse  King, 


1810  Jesse  King. 

1811  Jesse  King.  , 

1812  Alpheus  Converse. 

1813  Alpheus  Converse. 

1814  Alpheus  Converse. 

1815  Jesse  King. 

1816  Col.  Amos  Hamilton. 

1817  Col.  Amos  Hamilton. 

1818  James  Stebbins,  Esq. 

1819  Voted  not  to  send. 

1820  James  Stebbins,  Esq. 

1821  Clark  McMaster. 

1822  Clark  McMaster. 

1823  Voted  not  to  send. 

1824  John  Frink. 

1825  Voted  not  to  send. 

1826  Asa  Ward. 

1727  Voted  not  to  send. 


58 


1828  David  King. 

1829  John  Sedgwick. 

1830  Cyrus  Knox. 

1831  Joseph  Lee. 

1832  Joseph  Lee. 

1833  David  King. 

1834  Kobert  Hitchcock." 

1835  Cyrus  Knox. 

1836  A.  V.  Blanchard,  Emelius 
Bond. 

1837  Sylvester  Parks,  John  Ward, 

1838  Abel  Calkins,    Marble  K. 
Ferrell. 

1839  Wm.  J.  Blanchard,  James 
Gam  well. 

1840  F.  Morgan,  Asa  Shumway. 


1841  Olney  Goff. 

1842  John  Ward. 

1843  Abel  Calkins. 

1844  Gilbert  Barker. 

1845  A.  V.  Blanchard. 

1846  Lambert  Allen. 

1847  A.  V.  Blanchard. 

1848  Calvin  Torrey,  Esq.,  who  re- 
signed and  J.  B.  Merrick  was 
elected  for  the  extra  session  of 
that  year. 

1849  J.  B.  Merrick. 

1850  John  D.  Blanchard. 

1851  Joseph  Brown,  2d. 

1852  Amos  C.  Billings. 


E. 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 

"An  Act  for  erecting  the  Plantation  called  the  'Elbows'  into  a  District  by  the 
name  of  Palmer. 

"  Whekeas,  It  hath  been  represented  to  this  Court  that  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Plantation,  in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  called  the 
Elbows,  labor  under  difficulties  by  reason  of  their  not  being  incor- 
porated into  a  District : — 

' '  Be  it  Enacted,  by  the  Lieut.  Governor,  Council,  and  House  of 
Representatives,  that  the  Plantation  aforesaid  be,  and  is  hereby 
erected  into  a  District,  by  the  name  of  [Palmer,]  bounding  as  fol- 
lows :  viz..  Easterly,  on  the  town  of  Western*,  Northerly,  partly  on 
the  plantation  called  Cold-Springf,  and  partly  on  Ware  River  Pre- 
cinct, called  Read's  farraj.  Southerly  and  Westerly  on  the  Hown  of 
Brimfield ;  and  that  the  inhabitants  thereof  be  and  are  hereby  in- 
vested with  all  the  powers,  privileges  and  immunities,  that  the  in- 
habitants of  towns  within  this  Province  are,  or  by  Law  ought  to  be, 


*  Now,  Warren. 


t  Belchertown. 


J  Ware. 


59 

invested  with,  saving  only  the  choice  of  Representative,  which  it  is 
represented  said  inhabitants  are  not  at  present  desirous  of. 

"  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  Rates  and  Taxes  heretofore 
assessed,  or  ordered  to  be  assessed,  pursuant  to  the  Laws  and  Orders 
of  this  Court,  upon  the  inhabitants  of  said  Elbows  plantation,  shall 
be  levied,  collected,  and  fully  comj)leted,  agreeable  to  the  Laws  or 
Orders  by  which  they  were  assessed." 

The  engrossed  Bill  passed  to  be  enacted  Thursday,  January  23d, 
1752.— [Proprietors'  Record,  Vol.  I,  p.  242.] 


R 

Copy  of  a  letter  to  John  King,  the  first  settler  of  Palmer,  from 
his  mother  in  England  : — 

"  Ednarston,  April  20th,  1718. 

"  Dear  Son, —  I  received  your  letter  April  6th,  and  there  could 
nothing  in  the  world  be  welcomer  to  me,  except  yourself.  You  send 
me  word  you  are  married.  I  pray  God  to  bless  you,  and  grant  you 
both  a  happy  life  together.  You  send  me  word  you  have  met  with 
hardships  since  you  left  me,  which  is  a  great  trouble  to  me ;  but  I 
am  glad  to  see  in  your  letter,  that  you  have  overcome  them.  But  I 
think  I  shall  never  overcome  my  grief  to  think  you  are  so  far  off  that 
I  have  but  little  hope  of  ever  seeing  you  again.  But,  if  it  is  possi- 
ble, let  us  meet  once  more  again,  which  if  I  had  not  hopes  of,  my 
heart  would  break.  But  since  we  cannot  enjoy  your  company,  I  beg 
of  you  to  miss  no  opportunity  of  letting  me  hear  from  you. 

"  I  am  where  you  left  me,  and  hope  I  shall  be  as  long  as  I  live. 
My  son  Jonathan  and  my  daughter  Mary  are  with  me.  I  am  sorry 
to  hear  you  live  in  such  a  desert  place,  without  neighbors.  I  often 
wish  myself  with  you.  Some  of  our  neighbors  here  talk  of  going.  I 
wish  they  may.  I  will  encourage  them  what  I  can.  And,  I  doubt 
not,  but  the  Gentleman  that  brought  the  letter  to  me  will  be  a  good 
neighbor  and  friend  to  you.     I  pray  God  he  may  be. 

"  Your  brothers  and  sisters  are  all  overjoyed  to  hear  from  you,  and 


desire  you  to  send  as  often  as  you  can ;  and  pray  send  word  how  we 
may  direct  to  you.  You  send  me  word  you  have  a  son,  I  pray  Grod 
to  bless  him  ;  he  is  the  only  grandson  I  have.  Your  brother  Wil- 
liam and  your  brother  Thomas  have  two  bravo  daughters  apiece.  I 
pray  God  to  bless  you  and  your  wife  and  child.  I  could  wish  your 
child  with  toe.  I  have  sent  a  small  token  to  you  of  ten  shillings ; 
and  your  brothers  and  sisters  have  sent  one  shilling  apiece  to  the 
child,  which  is  fifteen  shillings  in  all. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  live  under  the  ministry  of  the  Grospel.     I 
pray  God  to  give  you  grace  to  improve  by  it.     I  bear  you  keep  good 
fires.  I  often  wish  myself  with  you.     The  Gentleman  has  almost  per- 
suaded your  brother  Jonathan  to  come,  if  I  could  spare  him.     *     * 
"  Your  ever  loving  mother, 

*  *  *  *  King." 


LbJe'lO