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

418 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1778.
The New Town In- Oil tliG 29"' day of September, in accordance
corporated. -witli tlie pray 61' of the petitioners, the General
Court incorporated that section of
Northampton into a town by the name of Westhampton.
In connection with the above vote another was passed
allowing the new town "their proportion of the Land and
Money which now belongs to the Town (being 90 pounds)
they taking the sequestered lot containing about 107 acres
in lieu of £80.5 and the other sum of £9.15 to be paid out
of the Town Treasury in consideration of their whole right
to the Real and Personal estate in the hands of the town."
A New Minister.
^ot oiily was the towu Called upon during
the distress, difficulties, and hardships of
the war of the Revolution to vote away a considerable portion
of its territory, but it was at the same time under the
necessity of engaging and settling a new minister. This
was always a matter of special expense, and doubly so
when the currency had so greatly depreciated and money
was so hard to be obtained.
Sooii after the appointment of a committee
Rev. Solomon wiiliams
Invited to
-^o obtaiii a iiew minister, £200 was appropriated
to sustain Sabbath services, and a
year had barely elapsed when a vote was passed looking
towards the settlement of Mr. Hookers successor. In
March, at the annual town-meeting, the committee appointed
to provide preaching, was directed to "apply to Mr.
Williams in order to know whether he is Willing to have a
Church meeting called that the minds of the church may be
known relative to his settlement." He was to preach a
lecture here during the next week. How long he officiated
previous to this action is not known. It is not to be supposed,
however, that the proposed service during the coming
week was his first appearance here, though the above vote
contains the first mention of his name to be found. On the
18"' of March the church voted, one hundred thirty-six to
two, to invite him to settle, and twelve days after, the town
by an equally unanimous vote—one hundred eighty-eight
in favor to two in opposition— decided to concur with the
church in the choice of Mr. Solomon Williams as their