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

1774.] REVOLUTION— PRELIMINARY EVENTS. 355
John Baker, Capt. ; Selali Wright, Lieut. ; Joseph Lyman,
Ens. ; Co. No. 4—Jonathan Clapp, Capt. ; Asahel Clapp,
Lieut. ; Joseph Cook, Ens. Of the Southampton company,
Jonathan Judd Jr. was Capt. ; Lemuel Pomeroy, Lieut. ;
DougLas King, Ens. The commanding officers of tlie regiments
were CoL Israel Williams of Hatfield, and Col. John
Worthington of Springfield. Though these officers were
commissioned in the spring, there was no company formed
and no attempt at drill till fall. Apparently some difficulty
occurred in filling the ranks, and eventually the men refused
to serve under the officers appointed by Gov. Hutchinson.
Only a single training is recorded of any of the
companies, and that took place late in the year. In November,
the Northampton companies held one day's parade,
and the Southampton company had a training-day in December.
But on the last named occasion, the men insulted
their officers, and nothing was accomplished. Most of
these officers were compelled to resign their commissions
the following spring, but Capt. Baker, Capt. Wright, and
Lieut. Gideon Clark refused to give them up.
The First Hampshire Under authority granted by the Provincial
Regiment. Cougrcss, allowiug militia officers to divide
regiments and otherwise reorganize them,
the officers of the first Hampshire Regiment met at Northampton,
November 10*^ and 11*'', 1774. Capt. Jonathan
Clapp of " Clapp's Farms," Northampton, was chosen
chairman, and Lieut. John Chester Williams of Hadley,
clerk. They divided the regiment into three, and drew up
a paper "renouncing and disdaining all authority they
might have by virtue of any commission from Thomas
Hutchinson, Esq., late Governor." It received the signatures
of thirty-two men from diff^erent towns in the county
and included the names of Elijah Hunt Jr., Joseph Lyman
and Asahel Clapp of Northampton. The first regiment
covered the towns of Northampton, Southampton, Hatfield,
Williamsburg, Chesterfield, Worthington, Murrayfield,
Norwich, Whately, Ashfield, and No. 5, afterwards
Cummington. Setli Pomeroy was chosen Colonel, and
Dea. Ezra May of Goshen, Major.