History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

316 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. 11764.
taking up two planks of the brido-e over Little (Mill) River
near the house of Bathsheba Hull." They were fined 10s.
each and costs. Bathsheba Hull lived near South Street
bridge, and probably Little Mill River was the mill trench.
Bathsheba Hull. She was a uegress, widow of Amos Hull,
and occupied a small house on the Island
near South Street bridge, formed by the Mill Trench. She
bought the property of John McLane, who had it of his
father, Cuthburt McLane. The town claimed the land,
and in 1765, brought an action to evict tlie negress. John
Webb's original home lot extended from Main Street to
Mill River. When the first grist-mill was built, a short
distance up the stream, the trench for carrying away the
waste water was dug across the lower end of this lot, and
Webb relinquished to the town that part of it cut off by
the trench, receiving an equivalent elsewhere. On this
transaction the town based its title to the property, claiming
possession within thirty years, averring disseizure
through John McLane, then of Suffield. The McLanes
were squatters on the land, and John, inheriting from his
father, who was for many years supported b.y the town,
considered his title good. This claim covered the site of
the old brick school-house just above the old South Street
bridge, though it is probable that the bridge was then
somewhat further up the stream. In 1766, the case was
decided in favor of the town, and the next year a vote was
passed authorizing the purchase of the dwelling-house in
which Bathsheba Hull lived, "notwithstanding the fact
that the town had a legal right to said house." In case she
" would not accept a reasonable price for it," the committee
were ordered to "demolish and abate the same in such
manner as to render it uninhabitable." She probably sold
out, as there appears a charge in the expense account of
1768, for " carting Bathsheba's goods to the lower end of
Pleasant Street, Is. 6'\" The town afterwards sold the
property. In 1837, the Mill Trench was still visible, and
on the Island were tliree houses owned by the Hunts, who
had previously come into possession of the Webb lot. Now
every trace of trench or Island has been obliterated by the
railroad embankment.