1
10
25
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/65cfc3b90c89fc24067e1938655345d2.jpg
649c0a72461be6ac2ae8cb4d50518553
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Memorial Hall Museum
Description
An account of the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association <span>is a regional organization that maintains the </span><em>Memorial</em><em> Hall Museum, a research Library, Deerfield Teachers’ Center, Indian House Children’s Museum, </em><span>and </span><em>Community Outreach</em><span> projects.<br /><br /></span>Memorial Hall Museum's collection is comprised of artifacts, documents, maps, photographs and books from the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts. The Collection spans a vast sweep of history: from the area's earliest Native American inhabitants to more recent early twentieth-century times. <a href="https://deerfield-ma.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PVMA's website</a>, <a href="http://americancenturies.mass.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Centuries</a>: PVMA/Memorial Hall Museum's online collection and more
Revolution Happened Here
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Though this sword dates to after the Revolutionary War, it was owned by a former British soldier who carved out a very unique life in Western Massachusetts following the war.
At the end of the Revolutionary War, not all British soldiers returned home. Many remained in the newly-formed United States, often establishing careers and families. One such soldier, with a particularly colorful story, was William Dorrell.
Dorrell was one of thousands of British troops under the command of General Burgoyne who officially became prisoners of war when Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga in 1777.
After the war, Dorrell married and settled in Western Mass (Petersham, Warwick, and finally Leyden). After his time as a soldier, Dorrell went on to become a leader of his own utopian religious sect, the Dorrellites. Chief among their beliefs was that man should never eat nor in any way harm animals. He went on to claim that the Bible was “all wrong” and that he was the messiah of his generation. He gained the following of 20 to 30 families, though his support came to a rather dramatic end when Captain Ezekiel Foster, outraged by what he considered Dorrell’s blasphemy during a Dorellite gathering, seized Dorrell and mercilessly pummeled him until he recanted on the spot before his followers.
Likely in accordance with Dorrell’s beliefs, the leather has been removed from the handle of his sword.
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William Dorrell's Sword
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Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association's Memorial Hall Museum
Date
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Late 18th century
Identifier
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1884.13
Description
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Short sabre, no marks, grip rewound with rope, guard broken. Length: 32", Petersham, Warwick, Leyden
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arms
arms
British
religion
soldier
weapon
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/580adb6fd7d070824d8dc889b6f9db18.jpg
0e9219e600b226047600eb241f79cbf4
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Historic Northampton
Description
An account of the resource
<span>Historic Northampton focuses on local history and the local community. We preserve objects and documents that illuminate the lives of past residents while creating structures through which contemporary residents can preserve</span><span> and celebrate their own histories in ways that honor both tradition and change.</span><br /><br />46 Bridge Street Northampton, Massachusetts 01060 <a href="https://www.historicnorthampton.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.historicnorthampton.org</a>, info@historicnorthampton.org, 413-584-6011
Revolution Happened Here
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The house in this photo may no longer stand on King Street in Northampton, but the stories of the people who lived there remain. When Mary and Timothy Dwight built this house in 1751, they were a young couple embarking on their new life together. For 20 years, the Dwights navigated Timothy’s career as a merchant and a judge, and raised their thirteen children. At some point during this period, they enslaved a woman named Sylvia Church. The Dwights’ imposing house was renovated in the late the 19th century and would stand until 1905, when it was pulled down to build a school.
During the American Revolution, Timothy left Northampton to deal with a land investment in Mississippi, and died there in 1777. Before his death, Timothy had been a loyalist and that position dogged his wife and children even after he left. Mary was a loyalist herself, which fueled the resentment of those who disagreed with her politically. Her fields were burned, her livestock run off her land, and one of her children was bullied so much that he no longer wanted to attend school.
Mary Dwight was an intelligent woman with a mercurial temperament, a force of nature in her household and her community. Lewis Tappan, who grew up playing on this house’s grounds (much to Mary’s chagrin), remembered that she gave strict orders and saw that they were obeyed.
Tappan’s recollections also shed light on the other adult woman who lived in the house during the Revolution: Sylvia Church. Lewis Tappan recalled that when he and the other neighborhood children would be scolded by Mary, Sylvia Church would hide them from her until they weren’t scared.
This remembrance is important, because glimpses of Sylvia Church’s life are few and far between. She was probably born in Africa around 1754, and by the Revolution she had been enslaved for over half her life. She remained in this house for years after she technically had her freedom when Massachusetts abolished slavery in 1783. Like so many people who were enslaved, legally obtaining her freedom did not remove her from the people who had enslaved her or the house where she was enslaved.
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Title
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The Loyalist House on King Street
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Historic Northampton
Type
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Photo/Postcard
Description
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Sepia-toned B/W photograph of the Dwight-Fisk home on King Street, Northampton, MA.
Source
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Historic Northampton
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1751
enslaved
loyalist
slavery
women
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/1279fc0faa014bd8451c4dcad8ac9eb4.jpg
2e1fe6670ca2defd8e164b225ba89fdb
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Memorial Hall Museum
Description
An account of the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association <span>is a regional organization that maintains the </span><em>Memorial</em><em> Hall Museum, a research Library, Deerfield Teachers’ Center, Indian House Children’s Museum, </em><span>and </span><em>Community Outreach</em><span> projects.<br /><br /></span>Memorial Hall Museum's collection is comprised of artifacts, documents, maps, photographs and books from the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts. The Collection spans a vast sweep of history: from the area's earliest Native American inhabitants to more recent early twentieth-century times. <a href="https://deerfield-ma.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PVMA's website</a>, <a href="http://americancenturies.mass.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Centuries</a>: PVMA/Memorial Hall Museum's online collection and more
Revolution Happened Here
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Story
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The two months following the battles at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 were tense and uncertain. The British Army, besieged in Boston, and the colonial militias to the north and west were in a standoff across the Charles River. As they maneuvered into position, they prepared for a battle that both sides expected would come. This bullet mold, one of many used by the American forces, was “kept hot night and day for two weeks before Bunker Hill.”
Soapstone was, and is, a valuable mineral with many uses. Because it is comprised primarily of talc, it’s very soft and easy to work with. Soapstone is durable and stands up to heat remarkably well. As a result, it was an ideal material for bullet molds.
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Title
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Soapstone Bullet Mold
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Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association's Memorial Hall Museum
Date
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June, 1775
Identifier
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1872.19
Description
An account of the resource
Soapstone bullet mold, 2.25" x 3.17" x 0.75", Boston, Bunker Hill
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arms
arms
Bunker Hill
soldier
weapon
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/43c80269278cfee58edf720d5c69b47a.jpg
ca0f751b2ed313f73b7d9b46f8b7c42d
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Individual/Community Contributions
Revolution Happened Here
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Richard Falley served as an ensign in Captain Park's company at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Upon his return he created his "works" - as he referred to his shop in Montgomery, Massachusetts on the slopes of Mount Tekoa. He answered the demand for locally made weapons to fill the shortage of serviceable muskets available to carry on the Revolution.
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1776
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Title
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Richard Falley Musket
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Westfield Athenaeum
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1776 - 1783
Identifier
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n.a.
Description
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Iron, steel and wood musket
Subject
The topic of the resource
Wartime Home front
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Artifact
arms
weapon
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/eb583b4d1112358a1ebc3d463edf91c2.JPG
b126d705f8ee853c64bda49a747f2f49
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/3ad3f0db5e25ded7f56eeec4b262533f.JPG
375e36b0be0cf8c22ae4c84f9af0d327
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Title
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Gravestone of Henry Wilkie
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
November 20, 1828
Contributor
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Hatfield Historical Society
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/09dece2facd7ac1acba11d05dff5d608.jpg
821d72b6f4a3d1cb23465fab5a735d7f
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The Old Wilkie House
Contributor
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Hatfield Historical Society
Format
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Sepia toned Black/White photograph
Identifier
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2016-268-001
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Hatfield Historical Society
Description
An account of the resource
<p><span>The Hatfield Historical Society (HHS) manages the museum collections of the Town of Hatfield, including the Hatfield Historical Museum and the Mary Lou & Robert J. Cutter Hatfield Farm Museum. The mission of HHS is to promote an understanding of the history of Hatfield, by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing that history and its relationship to the region.</span></p>
<p>The Hatfield Historical Museum, owned by the Town of Hatfield, is located at 39 Main St., Hatfield. Its collection consists of some 24,000 items.</p>
<ul>
<li>Visit the <a href="https://hatfieldhistory.weebly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hatfield Historical Society website</a></li>
<li>Visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Hatfield-Historical-Museum-627515587293630/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hatfield Historical Museum on Facebook</a></li>
<li>Visit the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kEm_PGKCkqVInZezfZFJQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hatfield Historical Society and Museums on YouTube </a></li>
</ul>
Revolution Happened Here
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Story
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<p>This horn was described in an exhibition of historical artifacts in Hatfield in 1889<sup>1</sup> as the powder horn of Henry Wilkie, a Hessian in General Burgoyne's army.</p>
<p>While Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary War were typically pre-issued cartridge boxes, this horn may have been issued to Henry once in America, or could have been taken off a captured or killed soldier from the Continental Army. Since the more prominent initials on one side of the horn do not match Henry Wilkie’s initials, the latter scenario is more likely.</p>
<p>There are two known versions of how Henry came to Hatfield, MA. Samuel Partridge in his reminiscences<sup>2</sup> indicates that he knew Henry and described him as follows:</p>
<blockquote>“…Henry Wilkie, who was from Wolfenbüttel, Germany, belonged to General Burgoyne's army, and was taken prisoner at Saratoga. While on his march to Boston for reembarkation to Germany, he made his escape, preferring to remain in this country. He was a barber in his native country, and told me that the barbers there were surgeons to the extent of bleeding patients. He lived in a small one-story house with his wife and four sons. All of these sons attended school in the old brick schoolhouse. One of the sons, Henry, remained in town, where he died at an advanced age. The others left town before their father's death.”</blockquote>
<p>Another version of how he came to be one of the earliest non-English residents of Hatfield comes from an obituary of Henry’s grandson Charles E. Wilkie (donor of the powder horn), in which Henry is said to have been paroled. He, like many of his fellow Hessian soldiers, chose to remain in this country and was allowed to settle on condition that he not take up arms again for the British. Some Hessian POWs were paroled to local farmers, who needed manpower.</p>
<p>There were several paths of march taken by the prisoners from the Saratoga battlefield to Boston following General Burgoyne’s surrender on Oct. 17, 1777. One march led by General James Brickett did pass through Hatfield and another passed through Northampton. These, however, were thought to consist of British soldiers. The Hessians were marched via more southerly routes through Springfield and Connecticut. Along these routes, the Hessian soldiers were encouraged to desert their British armies and settle in the new land.</p>
<p>A more <a href="https://hatfieldhistory.weebly.com/blog/henry-wilkee-hessian-soldier" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-depth profile of Henry Wilkie</a> is available from the Hatfield Historical Society.</p>
<ol>
<li>PVMA, <em>212th Anniversary of the Indian Attack on Hatfield</em> (Northampton, MA, Gazette Printing, 1890)</li>
<li>Daniel White Wells, Reuben Field Wells, <em>A History of Hatfield in Three Parts</em> (Springfield, MA, F.C.H. Gibbons, 1910).</li>
</ol>
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1777
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Title
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Powder horn of Hessian soldier Henry Wilkie
Contributor
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Hatfield Historical Society
Date
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circa 1777
Identifier
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0055
Description
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Natural horn, 13" x 5" x 4, likely of English or American origin, with some pinhole-burned designs and letters, not complete. Replacement wood plug in base and brown shoestring cord.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Minorities’ Experience
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Artifact
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Hatfield Historical Museum
arms
Hessian
soldier
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/37c5dcc9af8c51545cfebee3075542b8.jpg
9d4d310e77eef3a2139e30f2bb9bfd21
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Memorial Hall Museum
Description
An account of the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association <span>is a regional organization that maintains the </span><em>Memorial</em><em> Hall Museum, a research Library, Deerfield Teachers’ Center, Indian House Children’s Museum, </em><span>and </span><em>Community Outreach</em><span> projects.<br /><br /></span>Memorial Hall Museum's collection is comprised of artifacts, documents, maps, photographs and books from the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts. The Collection spans a vast sweep of history: from the area's earliest Native American inhabitants to more recent early twentieth-century times. <a href="https://deerfield-ma.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PVMA's website</a>, <a href="http://americancenturies.mass.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Centuries</a>: PVMA/Memorial Hall Museum's online collection and more
Revolution Happened Here
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Liberty poles were overt signs of defiance to British rule of law in the colonies. These tall wooden poles, often topped with red Phrygian hats (a symbol of independence from tyranny, dating back to ancient Rome), were erected in towns and cities throughout all 13 colonies.
When two men brought a liberty pole into Deerfield on July 28, 1774, it raised the ire of those in town who supported British rule as well as moderates who feared increased tensions and division would lead to armed conflict. Seizing on this opportunity of mischief, David Dickinson urged his friend, 24-year-old Elihu Ashley, to cut the pole in half before it could be raised the following day. In Ashley’s journal, he describes borrowing a saw from Dickinson and, in the dark of night, sawing the 50-foot pole in half with two friends.
Ashley’s success was fleeting, though. The following day a new liberty pole was placed in front of David Field’s store in Deerfield.
Ashley’s personal account is an example of the divided allegiances in Deerfield and many other small towns. Though many people took up the revolutionary cause (and even arms) of the war, others remained neutral or loyal to the crown.
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1774-07-28
Text
A text transcription of the manuscript
<p>Journal from y<sup>e</sup> 1<sup>st</sup> of March 1773<br />1773--- Mar 1<sup>st</sup>- Went with M<sup>r</sup> Cutler in y<sup>e</sup> Morning to Leiut <br />Fields drank Egg Pop and from there to Hoyts <br />drank Cherry and then back to L<sup>t</sup> Fields & dined & <br />in y<sup>e</sup> Afternoon to Dickinsons Shop drank Cherry from <br />there we went to Joiners and in y<sup>e</sup> Evening we had <br />a dance and I waited upon M<sup>r</sup> C Williams the C<sup>o</sup> <br />were Doct<sup>r</sup> Barnard et lexor J Williams & Sister T. Cutler <br />Murray Dickinson Cooley Peggy Ingersoll & Vira d<sup>o<br /></sup>with several other Gentleman and Ladies a very fine <br />Dance, the C<sup>o </sup>braking up I came and Lodged w<sup>th</sup> Murray<br /><br />Tuesday Maj<sup>r</sup> Murray paid y<sup>e</sup> fine of 10/0 to <br />Col<sup>o</sup> Tho<sup>s</sup> Williams Esq for riding of a <br />Sunday from Hubbards in Sunderland to Deerfield he <br />complain<sup>d</sup> of himself up & y<sup>e</sup> Afternoon I began <br />to read Van Swietens Commentaries upon Boerhaaves <br />Aphorisms drank Tea with y<sup>e</sup> Ladies, in y<sup>e</sup> Evening <br />went to L<sup>t</sup> Fields to get an order of Abatement w<sup>c</sup> he <br />promised he would make when he saw y<sup>e</sup> Selectmen <br />from there I went to Ens<sup>n</sup> Barnards & from there <br />went to Catlins w<sup>th</sup> Murray, and from Catlins we <br />went to Doct<sup>r </sup>Barnards and play<sup>d</sup> Checkers, Murray <br />married me to Vira and I married him to Peggy after <br />which Murray and Peggy in truth like married People <br />went to Bed in presence of Theo<sup>d</sup> Barnard & Vira & myself <br />where I left them when I came away Theo<sup>d </sup> took Vira away<br />& into y<sup>e</sup> Kitchen and them I see no more---</p>
Dublin Core
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Title
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Pages from the Journal of Elihu Ashley
Contributor
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Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association's Memorial Hall Museum
Date
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July 28, 1774
Identifier
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L99.171
Description
An account of the resource
Pages from Journal of Dr. Elihu Ashley. 7.0" x 4.25"
Subject
The topic of the resource
Journal
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Manuscript
community
conflict
journal
Tory
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/75033c32dadb12002bdd7a032e6640cb.jpg
5de6d9f21fc5a4cc3752a90315a6418a
Dublin Core
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Title
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Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Memorial Hall Museum
Description
An account of the resource
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association <span>is a regional organization that maintains the </span><em>Memorial</em><em> Hall Museum, a research Library, Deerfield Teachers’ Center, Indian House Children’s Museum, </em><span>and </span><em>Community Outreach</em><span> projects.<br /><br /></span>Memorial Hall Museum's collection is comprised of artifacts, documents, maps, photographs and books from the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts. The Collection spans a vast sweep of history: from the area's earliest Native American inhabitants to more recent early twentieth-century times. <a href="https://deerfield-ma.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PVMA's website</a>, <a href="http://americancenturies.mass.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Centuries</a>: PVMA/Memorial Hall Museum's online collection and more
Revolution Happened Here
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Story
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The glory of the cause of independence during the Revolution often overshadows the reality of the war itself. Major John Bolton of Colrain was a full-throated supporter of the cause. Having served as a young British soldier in Quebec in 1759, Bolton led the formation of a militia company at the start of the Revolution. Bolton’s company was stationed at West Point where Bolton, a skilled engineer, was instrumental in blocking the river with a massive chain boom in 1778.
Bolton’s dedication to the cause was surpassed only by his devotion to his men. By 1779, his company was all but forgotten at West Point; underdressed, hungry, and unpaid, the men were nearing mutiny. Bolton briefly returned to Colrain to mortgage his property and raise money to support his company.
This frying pan, used in Bolton’s company, may not have been full, but Bolton’s leadership and selflessness assured that it was not empty.
Bolton and his men remained at West Point through the end of the war in the fall of 1783.
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Long-Handled Frying Pan
Contributor
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Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association's Memorial Hall Museum
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
c. 1775
Identifier
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1875.01.01
Description
An account of the resource
Long-handled frying pan, iron, 55" x 16.75", West Point, Colrain
Subject
The topic of the resource
Domestic Items
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/594ab171c25cc2d64ba738107ddfa064.jpg
dfb15e8d065eedc52f3f898904bf75cc
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/10be88ece96b0ccc8090e05493c30028.jpg
ccabde811bcf9870d052d429d46ff19b
Dublin Core
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Title
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Bill of Sale for Caesar Phelps
Description
An account of the resource
Single page manuscript documenting the sale of Caesar Phelps to Charles Phelps, Jr.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
March 1770
Contributor
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Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Identifier
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N/A (Box 4, Folder 15)
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Title
A name given to the resource
The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Description
An account of the resource
<img src="https://rhh.reclaim.hosting/themes/rhh-berlin/images/contributor-images/PPH-museum.jpg" width="400" alt="PPH-museum.jpg" />
<p>The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is a unique historical resource in Hadley, Massachusetts. Its significance goes beyond the well-preserved eighteenth century architecture of the house itself: the house was continuously occupied by a single family from its construction in 1752 until the death of Dr. James Lincoln Huntington, the museum’s founder. The house contains the family’s belongings accumulated and preserved over 300 years. The family also left a rich collection of personal letters, diaries and account books, photographs and other material. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers are now housed at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. The house was the heart of the large farmstead known as "Forty Acres" that included over 600 acres stretching from the banks of the Connecticut River to the top of Mount Warner, in North Hadley. Today, the house is surrounded by over 350 acres of protected farmland land, forest, and river frontage retaining its original rural setting. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located on the National Tri-State Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway.</p>
<p>Location:</p>
<p>The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum<br />130 River Drive<br />Hadley, MA 01035<br /><br />Phone: (413) 584-4699<br />Website: <a href="https://www.pphmuseum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit the Museum's website</a><br />Email: <a href="mailto:pphmuseumassistant@gmail.com">pphmuseumassistant@gmail.com</a></p>
Revolution Happened Here
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Within the collection of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum in Hadley, Massachusetts, is a letter from a soldier stationed at Fort Ticonderoga, New York, in 1776. The letter, written by a man named Caesar Phelps, is quite brief. Nevertheless, it recounts the Revolution from a very important and often underrepresented point of view.<br /><br />After its famous capture by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold in 1775, the Americans put a great deal of effort into upgrading Ticonderoga’s defenses throughout the following year; Caesar was likely engaged in this work during his time there. The fort represented a strategic prize, and the Americans were determined not to lose it. Despite their efforts, the British managed to capture Ticonderoga without firing a shot in July of 1777, and held it until fighting subsided in the area following the surrender of General John Burgoyne’s army at Saratoga later that fall. Caesar Phelps’ voice is remarkable among the troops at Ticonderoga for the fact that he was enslaved. The only known record of Caesar’s time at the fort is brief— consisting of this single letter.<br />
<p>Prior to arriving at Fort Ticonderoga, Caesar lived and worked at a vast estate known as Forty Acres in Hadley, Massachusetts. His enslaver, Charles Phelps, Jr, was a man of high status in the community, and had him sent to fight in his place. It was common for white men, when called up to serve in the army, to send their enslaved servants as a substitute. Though they would receive the same wages as their white counterparts, they were required to give half or more to their owner. Caesar wrote to Charles in September of 1776, complaining that he had not received his wages. While lack of pay was frequently an issue for American soldiers during the Revolution, Caesar’s poignant letter reveals the complicated and precarious nature of his life as an enslaved person. He strives for some control over his living situation and meager personal possessions even as he acknowledges his status and that Charles has the power to sell him at any time.</p>
The “stock and buckel” Caesar requests in his letter would have been his neck stock and buckle, a clasp that held a tightly wrapped piece of fabric around the neck. They would have been some or all of the possessions he would have been able to own. Enslaved persons were able to purchase small items like this, usually with the exchange of labor.<br /><br />Though the letter is signed “Sezor,” it is unknown whether or not he penned it himself, or dictated it to a fellow literate soldier. Regardless, it is his voice. Unfortunately, known historical records of Caesar end with this letter. Whether he died at Ticonderoga, returned to Forty Acres to find that he had been sold, or gained his freedom, we do not know. Today, Forty Acres has been preserved as the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum in Hadley. Caesar’s letter is a small, but important part of its vast collection— one that serves as a rare voice for those who were so often voiceless during this time period. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.pphmuseum.org/slavery-and-servitude-at-forty-acres-blog/2018/6/27/caesar-phelps" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click this link to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum website</a> to find more about Caesar and his life at Forty Acres.
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1776-09-30
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Camp Ft Ticonderoga Sept the 30th 1776
Sir I take this opportunity to Enform you that I dont Entend to Live with Capt Cranston if I can helpit and I Would Be glad if you Would Send me a letter that I may git my Wagers for I have not got any of my Wagers and I Want to know how all the Folks Do at home and I desire yor Prayers for me While in the Sarves and if you Determin to Sel me I Want you Shud Send me my Stock and Buckel. So no more at Present But I remain your Ever Faithful Slave
Sezor Phelps
Dublin Core
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Title
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Letter from Caesar Phelps to Charles Phelps, Jr
Description
An account of the resource
Single page manuscript written by Caesar Phelps to his enslaver Charles Phelps, Jr
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
September 30, 1776
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Type
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Manuscript
Identifier
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The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers on deposit at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. Box 4, Folder 12
Subject
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Minorities' Experience
Publisher
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Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
African American
enslaved
Fort Ticonderoga
soldier
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/2d6ea23433fd08e7bc31991c27a73e54.jpg
6bf776c436c33964a8b070c61ae892a0
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Title
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Solomon Burt's gravestone
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
May 7, 1777
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/ff825ca099ad5192ba2be1942e800b08.jpg
2a5bd9da4b6cfcbc217935a2cd995593
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Title
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Accounts from David Burt's powder mill business
Description
An account of the resource
David Burt, Solomon Burt's father, continued the powder mill business even after the explosion that killed his son, as detailed in this document from 1781.
Source
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Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum in Springfield, MA.
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Longmeadow Cemetery Association
Description
An account of the resource
When the precinct of Longmeadow moved up the hill from the flood-prone meadows along the Connecticut River in 1702/3, they planned for a burying ground that became the Longmeadow Cemetery. It grew from the original one acre to its present-day 10 acre size. The oldest section of the cemetery is in the Historic District. In 1872, the Longmeadow Cemetery Association was established, with the charge of maintaining the growing cemetery. There are many redstone gravestones made by local carvers from the excellent Longmeadow stone (sandstone) quarries. The Association is a volunteer-run 501c13.<br /><br />Address: Williams Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106 (opposite 34 Williams Street)<br />Phone number: 413-244-7215 (superintendent)<br />Web: www.longmeadowcemetery.org<br />Facebook: Longmeadow Cemetery<br />Email: <a href="mailto:longmeadowcemetery@gmail.com">longmeadowcemetery@gmail.com</a>
Revolution Happened Here
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<p class="p1"><span class="s1">As this gravestone attests, patriots faced danger at home as well as on the battlefield. This stone stands in Longmeadow Cemetery, describing the untimely death of 18 year-old Solomon Burt, "Who was suddenly Kill'd by the Blowing up of a Powder Mill."</span></p>
<p class="p2">Two years before this catastrophe, Longmeadow's minister Stephen Williams wrote about the growing conflict with Great Britain in his diary.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On April 20th, 1775,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the Reverend Stephen Williams wrote (Vol. 8): "this morning–as Soon as it was light, ye Drum beat & three Gun/fired an Alarm–the Story is that Some of ye troops had marched from Boston to Seize Some military Stores, at Lexington, or Concord–& that Some men had been Killed..." <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On April 21st, Captain David Burt led 22<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Longmeadow minute men to the Lexington alarm. On the 26th, Reverend Williams, upon hearing of various conflicts occurring in New England, prayed "to God to Give wisdom, prudence, discretion and moderation to all his people." In May, he bemoaned the state of affairs: "the nation in a ferment; Some are for violent and coercive measures, with ye colonies, & provinces; some few for lenient, & moderation measures–destruction both to the parent country & the colonies Seems inevitable..." <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p class="p2">While Williams seems to have been torn about the rift with Great Britain, the Burt family's sympathies were clearly on the side of the patriots.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Solomon Burt worked at a powder mill situated on the Mill River in Springfield.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The mill, owned by his father David, supplied powder to the American army.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p class="p2">On May 7, 1777, the powder mill exploded, with predictably disastrous results.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sabotage was suspected, but powder mills were by their very nature extremely volatile, and any spark could have set it off.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Reverend Williams wrote about the event in his diary (Vol. 9): "this day ye powdr Mill blew up & Solomon Burt (Son to Lt. David Burt) was Kill'd- was cari'd over ye Mill River - Severall rod/ & upon ye Hill - his leggs broke - & his Body much Bruis'd- Asahell Bliss - yt was in ye mill with him - was flung into ye River & one of his legs broke de [ditto]- de [ditto]- a very awefull & affecting providence - ..."</p>
<p class="p2">David Burt continued the powder mill business even after the explosion, as detailed in the following document from 1781 in the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum in Springfield, MA.</p>
<p class="p2">Other local cemeteries record similar dramatic explosions, including Southwick and Glastonbury, CT.</p>
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1777-05-07
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In Memory of Mr. Solomon Son of Lieut. David & Mrs. Mary Burt Who was suddenly Kill'd by the Blowing up of a Powder-Mill May 7th 1777 In His 19th Year.
Here is a Voice Directed here' To Old and Young & all, That they be Ready to appear, When ever GOD shall Call.
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Killed in a Powder Mill Explosion
Subject
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gravestone
Description
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Red sandstone grave marker
Source
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The Longmeadow Cemetery Association
Date
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May 7, 1777
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The Longmeadow Cemetery Association
Type
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Place or Site
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The stone's location is Row 8, stone 31 in the Longmeadow Cemetary
death
gravestone
-
https://revolutionhappenedhere.org/files/original/93e43c4c203f0b6520987b3d73e5c1aa.jpg
1f833d8e29ef77f44e7a4d73a0c225df
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The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Description
An account of the resource
<img src="https://rhh.reclaim.hosting/themes/rhh-berlin/images/contributor-images/PPH-museum.jpg" width="400" alt="PPH-museum.jpg" />
<p>The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is a unique historical resource in Hadley, Massachusetts. Its significance goes beyond the well-preserved eighteenth century architecture of the house itself: the house was continuously occupied by a single family from its construction in 1752 until the death of Dr. James Lincoln Huntington, the museum’s founder. The house contains the family’s belongings accumulated and preserved over 300 years. The family also left a rich collection of personal letters, diaries and account books, photographs and other material. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers are now housed at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. The house was the heart of the large farmstead known as "Forty Acres" that included over 600 acres stretching from the banks of the Connecticut River to the top of Mount Warner, in North Hadley. Today, the house is surrounded by over 350 acres of protected farmland land, forest, and river frontage retaining its original rural setting. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located on the National Tri-State Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway.</p>
<p>Location:</p>
<p>The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum<br />130 River Drive<br />Hadley, MA 01035<br /><br />Phone: (413) 584-4699<br />Website: <a href="https://www.pphmuseum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit the Museum's website</a><br />Email: <a href="mailto:pphmuseumassistant@gmail.com">pphmuseumassistant@gmail.com</a></p>
Revolution Happened Here
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Among the myriad of interesting figures buried at the Old Hadley Cemetery, there rests an unlikely resident by the name of John Morrison. The story of how Morrison came to Hadley begins in June of 1776, when he arrived outside of Boston Harbor as part of the Seventy-First regiment of Highlanders. Unaware of the evacuation of Boston by the British Troops, the Highlanders' ships were engaged by American vessels upon their approach to port. Their commander, Lt. Col. Campbell, decided to surrender to the Americans. John Morrison was among the 267 Highlanders taken as prisoners of war, captured before he ever set foot in North America!
Throughout Massachusetts, the recruitment of local men into militias had put a strain on the available labor force. The shortage of able-bodied farmhands was a serious problem for growers in the area. As a result, farmers petitioned the local Committees of Safety for permission to use captured enemy soldiers as labor in their fields. John Morrison was one of these captives, and was sent to work in Hadley on the locally influential estate then known as “Forty Acres”. On March 23, 1777 Elizabeth Porter Phelps, who managed the farm alongside her husband Charles, mentioned in her diary that “one of the Highlanders” who was captured by her cousin Colonel Porter, was sent to live and work at the farm.
Upon his arrival, John Morrison was initially put to work in the fields. Back home in Scotland, before joining the army, Morrison was an ornamental gardener. With his experience, Morrison eventually was given the responsibility of creating and maintaining the gardens at Forty Acres. Most families in Hadley at the time had gardens but they were most often just extensions of their vegetable plots. It is likely that the Phelps were the only family in Hadley with their own private gardener. Prior to Morrison’s tenure at Forty Acres, Elizabeth had described gardening as sporadic and casual. Morrison’s garden was carefully planned; it was laid out in a rectangular shape with four subdivided paths, a circular rose-bed at the center, and was lined by fruit-trees along its sides. The meticulously designed North Garden brought a sense of elegance to the rural landscape that surrounded Forty Acres.
Morrison was obviously a very skilled gardener. According to family letters, however, he was also somewhat of a notorious drunkard. His relationship with alcohol led to periods of prolonged absences which frustrated family members. He would allegedly skirt his duties at Forty Acres to nap on top of Mount Warner—the hilltop at the edge of the family's estate. It was on top of Mount Warner where he would recover from his bouts of drinking. The secluded area was a great spot for a nap, but it also gave John a vantage point to admire his work in the garden from a distance. The planned and orderly garden, inspired by European-style gardens, would have stood out from the rural landscape that surrounded it. Today, if one hikes to the summit of Mount Warner, it is possible to find “John’s Rock”, a boulder which Morrison regularly used to rest his head during his naps.
After the Revolutionary War, John Morrison remained at Forty Acres. He would eventually be considered a member of the extended Phelps Family. When he died in 1814, he was buried alongside family members in the Old Hadley Cemetery, where his grave can still be seen today. Signs of Morrison’s handiwork, too, are still visible around Forty Acres. The estate has been preserved as the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, and the North Garden is still laid out according to Morrison’s original plan. Many of the same plant varieties that were grown during his time as gardener can be found in the North Garden today. The garden is open to the public, and serves as a testament to the lasting impact of revolutionary war figures like John Morrison.
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1777-03-23
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John Morrison / a Scotch Highlander / captured with / Col. Campbell / in Boston Harbour / June 1776 / died in the family / of Chas Phelps / Sept. 13. 1814 / aged about 65
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Title
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John Morrison: Highlander, POW, Gardener, Tippler
Description
An account of the resource
Gravestone
Date
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1814
Contributor
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Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
Type
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Place or Site
gravestone
prisoner of war