History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;
History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654; History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;
374 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1775. dience to the Resolves of the Congress. Lodge at Dr. Hunts. Saturday 4, hear that Mr. Stoddard was dismissed last Night pretty late after a Trial similar to Col" Williams. Those of the Northampton Committee that were at Hadley helped him what they could. People condemn the Mob very freely to-Day and I fancy that something will be done by the Commitees about it. * * * Thursday 9. Last Evening received a Letter from the Committee of Correspondence & Inspection at Northampton Declaring their Resolution against Mobs and Desire every Town will join in the same Sent round to both our committees to meet to-morrow afternoon. Fryday 10. * * * The Committees meet, adopt Measures recommended, answer Northampton Letter and order their opinion to be posted up in the Taverns. We are well agreed." It is stated that the Pelham people owed money to Mr. Stoddard, and that a part of their whigism, at least, originated in a disposition not to pay their debts. Mr. Stoddard Unre- This treatment of Mr. Stoddard by the mob claimed-. ^{^ j^q^ wliolly convert him. On the last him : — day of the month Mr. Judd again refers to " Major Stoddard was very imprudent and yesterday they were after him in Northampton. * * * T^ey took Major Stoddard but not as a mobb and the Committee met but proved nothing against him." Tories put ou the In July of the following year, Stoddard, Town Limits. Clark, and Kingsley were required to give their affidavit, engaging themselves to re- port all conspiracies or other movements inimical to the cause of liberty, and to promise not to go outside the bounds of Northampton without permission from the Committee of Safety. The following month Erastus Dwight was ordered to give up his arms and remain within the limits of the town. Three years later all the above named persons, including Erastus Dwight, had apparently been converted from their heresies, and were permitted by the Committee of Safety to bear arms in defense of their country. The names of Haines Kingsley and Solomon Stoddard are found upon the list of military averages, but it is not probable that either of them ever engaged in active service. It is quite certain that they did not enlist, and if drafted they probably procured substitutes.
I 1775.] REVOLUTION—PRISONERS OF WAR—TORIES. 375 Military Matters in Northampton. Duriiig tliis year mucli was undertaken by i\-^q patriotic citizens of this town to perfect themselves in military exercises. Several companies were formed and much time spent in drilling. The most favorable ground for this purpose seems to have been upon the plain, near the Bridge Street cemetery. Among certain papers, undoubtedly in the handwriting of Major Hawley, has been found an agreement, ^ drawn up May 20, 1775, for the formation of a military company, as well as a "MSS. address, which was apparently the speech made by the major to the volunteers. This agreement stipulated that the company should continue in force for three months from the first of June ensuing, and the men were to "appear upon every Monday and Thursday, in every week, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, upon the plain near the burying ground," " every one well accoutered with firelock clean and in good order." It contained the following signatures: — Enos Kingsley, William Pomeroy, Hollister Baker, Stephen Hubbard, Joseph Clarke, Amasa Clap, Thomas Stearns, Luke Lyman, Samuel Wright, Elisha Lyman, Samuel Hunt, Asahel Pomeroy, Thomas Craige, Joseph Lyman, Moses Kingsley, Seth Clap, Medad Clarke, Simeon Guilford, and John Strong. Of the above named men, nineteen in number, the names of one half will be found upon the muster-rolls of companies that saw active service. The company, if one was formed at that time, evidently did not enter the army as a whole, but its members joined different organizations as the war progressed, and calls were made for soldiers. Mr. Hawiey-s Address. In the addrcss by Major Hawley appears the following paragraph — : " We have seen within the compass of a year two companies formed in this town for the sole purpose of learning the military art. The first evaporated or came to nothing by reason of a defect in its first institu- tion and the second is gone to defend their comitry. A third I hope will be formed which will not labor under the difficulties and defects of the first, without countenance or patronage ; nor fall short of the second in point of dexterity, good order and discipline." 1 Thanks are due to Mr. Chas. L. Shaw, of New York, for copies of the above documents.
- Page 356 and 357: 324 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. 11766.
- Page 358 and 359: 326 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1768.
- Page 360 and 361: 328 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1764.
- Page 362 and 363: 330 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1769.
- Page 364 and 365: 332 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1771-1
- Page 366 and 367: 334 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1770-1
- Page 368 and 369: 336 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON, [1773.
- Page 370 and 371: 338 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON, [1773.
- Page 372 and 373: CHAPTER XXIV. REVOLUTION—PRELIMIN
- Page 374 and 375: 342 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1773-1
- Page 376 and 377: 344 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1774.
- Page 378 and 379: 346 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1774.
- Page 380 and 381: 348 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. L1W4. "
- Page 382 and 383: 350 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1774.
- Page 384 and 385: 352 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1767.
- Page 386 and 387: 354 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1774.
- Page 388 and 389: 356 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1774.
- Page 390 and 391: 358 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. 11775.
- Page 392 and 393: 360 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 394 and 395: 362 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 396 and 397: 364 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 398 and 399: 366 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 400 and 401: 368 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 402 and 403: 370 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 404 and 405: 372 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
- Page 408 and 409: CHAPTER XXVI. REVOLUTION— INVASIO
- Page 410 and 411: 378 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. • [17
- Page 412 and 413: 380 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1775-1
- Page 414 and 415: 382 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1776.
- Page 416 and 417: 384 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1776.
- Page 418 and 419: 386 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1776.
- Page 420 and 421: 388 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1776.
- Page 422 and 423: 390 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1776.
- Page 424 and 425: 392 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [177S.
- Page 426 and 427: 394 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [ITTr.
- Page 428 and 429: 396 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [ir?7.
- Page 430 and 431: 398 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [irr?.
- Page 432 and 433: 400 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1777.
- Page 434 and 435: 402 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1777.
- Page 436 and 437: 404 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1777.
- Page 438 and 439: ' 406 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [lTr7
- Page 440 and 441: 408 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1777.
- Page 442 and 443: 410 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1777.
- Page 444 and 445: CHAPTER XXIX. REVOLUTION—WESTHAMP
- Page 446 and 447: 414 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1778.
- Page 448 and 449: 416 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1778.
- Page 450 and 451: 418 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1778.
- Page 452 and 453: 420 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1778.
- Page 454 and 455: CHAPTER XXX. REVOLUTION—CONSTITUT
374 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1775.<br />
dience to the Resolves <strong>of</strong> the Congress. Lodge at Dr. Hunts. Saturday<br />
4, hear that Mr. Stoddard was dismissed last Night pretty late<br />
after a Trial similar to Col" Williams. Those <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Northampton</strong><br />
Committee that were at Hadley helped him what they could. People<br />
condemn the Mob very freely to-Day and I fancy that someth<strong>in</strong>g will<br />
be done by the Commitees about it. * * * Thursday 9. Last Even<strong>in</strong>g<br />
received a Letter <strong>from</strong> the Committee <strong>of</strong> Correspondence & Inspection<br />
at <strong>Northampton</strong> Declar<strong>in</strong>g their Resolution aga<strong>in</strong>st Mobs and Desire<br />
every Town will jo<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> the same Sent round to both our committees<br />
to meet to-morrow afternoon. Fryday 10. * * * The Committees<br />
meet, adopt Measures recommended, answer <strong>Northampton</strong> Letter<br />
and order their op<strong>in</strong>ion to be posted up <strong>in</strong> the Taverns. We are well<br />
agreed."<br />
It is stated that the Pelham people owed money to Mr.<br />
Stoddard, and that a part <strong>of</strong> their whigism, at least, orig<strong>in</strong>ated<br />
<strong>in</strong> a disposition not to pay their debts.<br />
Mr. Stoddard Unre-<br />
This treatment <strong>of</strong> Mr. Stoddard by the mob<br />
claimed-. ^{^ j^q^ wliolly convert him. On the last<br />
him :<br />
—<br />
day <strong>of</strong> the month Mr. Judd aga<strong>in</strong> refers to<br />
" Major Stoddard was very imprudent and yesterday they were after<br />
him <strong>in</strong> <strong>Northampton</strong>. * * * T^ey took Major Stoddard but not as<br />
a mobb and the Committee met but proved noth<strong>in</strong>g aga<strong>in</strong>st him."<br />
Tories put ou the In July <strong>of</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g year, Stoddard,<br />
Town Lim<strong>its</strong>. Clark, and K<strong>in</strong>gsley were required to give<br />
their affidavit, engag<strong>in</strong>g themselves to re-<br />
port all conspiracies or other movements <strong>in</strong>imical to the<br />
cause <strong>of</strong> liberty, and to promise not to go outside the<br />
bounds <strong>of</strong> <strong>Northampton</strong> without permission <strong>from</strong> the Committee<br />
<strong>of</strong> Safety. The follow<strong>in</strong>g month Erastus Dwight<br />
was ordered to give up his arms and rema<strong>in</strong> with<strong>in</strong> the<br />
lim<strong>its</strong> <strong>of</strong> the town. Three years later all the above named<br />
persons, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Erastus Dwight, had apparently been<br />
converted <strong>from</strong> their heresies, and were permitted by the<br />
Committee <strong>of</strong> Safety to bear arms <strong>in</strong> defense <strong>of</strong> their<br />
country. The names <strong>of</strong> Ha<strong>in</strong>es K<strong>in</strong>gsley and Solomon<br />
Stoddard are found upon the list <strong>of</strong> military averages, but<br />
it is not probable that either <strong>of</strong> them ever engaged <strong>in</strong> active<br />
service. It is quite certa<strong>in</strong> that they did not enlist, and if<br />
drafted they probably procured substitutes.