Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research




The Berkshire Hills and Pioneer Valley



History of North Adams..



paid in silver or in grain; wheat at six shillings, rye at four shillings and Indian corn at three shillings per bushel; the soldier so engaging to sign an order for the selectmen of Adams to draw his state wages; that three pounds of the four be paid such soldier previous to his marching, if required, and the remainder by the first day of January, 1782.

Voted to assess a tax on the inhabitants of Adams for the sum of two thousand one hundred and eighty pounds state money, to purchase 24,000 weight of beef and a quantity of clothing.

August 17, 1781—The question being put whether the town will make good the wages of the six and three months men, carried in the negative.

February 21, 1782—The question being put whether the town will do anything toward procuring a man to serve three years in the Continental army for Captain Isaac Hathaway's class, voted in the negative.

It is here very proper to give South Adams her full credit as the principal settlement in the time of the Revolution. The "South End." so called in the records as early as July, 1780, had probably ten times as many inhabitants seventy-five years ago as the "North End." and the latter could never have caught up and gone ahead but for her more extensive water power on two streams. The land is much better for farming in the vicinity of South Adans, and her sturdy yeomanry were for many years the backbone of the settlement. Therefore, the patriotism and self-sacrifice of Revolutionary times were chiefly displayed by our southern friends, and are not cited here as proofs of the early glory of this part of the town. It had little or no glory, because there was scarcely anybody living here to let their light of patriotism shine. On the site of this village there were probably not five houses in 1780.

Following is an exact copy of an antique paper whereby a soldier of this town bound himself to serve in the Revolutionary army three years:

I Benjmin Hazzard of the Common Welth of massachustts County of Berkshire and Town of Adams have Inlisted my Self as A Soldier in the Sarvice of the United States of America For the Time of Three years and Promis to Obey and Subject my Self to all the Laws and Regulations of the Army and my Superior Officer in Witness whare of I have Set my hand this Twenty Third Day of march 1781 and For Class No 2 of Whome Mr. Darius Bucklin is head.
His
Benjmin   X   Hazzard.
Marke.



Among the first settlers of the township of Adams were Abiel Smith and his sons Gideon and Jacob, John Kilborn and John McNeal of Litchfield, Conn.; Reuben Hinman and Jonathan Smith of Woodbury, and Messrs. Parker, Cook and Leavenworth of Wallingford. These settlers, and others who settled with them, did not remain a long time. Most of them sold their land to purchasers from Rhode Island, many of them Quakers. Others not belonging to that order soon followed from the same state, until Rhode Islanders occupied nearly the whole town, and Adams still contains many of their descendants.





Edited and adapted from the original by Laurel O’Donnell
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