Stockbridge Indians and Rev. Stephen Williams

Stockbridge Indians and Rev. Stephen Williams

Stockbridge, Massachusetts is the quintessential New England town. Norman Rockwell, who lived and worked in Stockbridge, fostered this image with his idealized visions of everyday American life. As the pandemic subsides, Stockbridge will resume its role as a tourist destination, home to world-class museums and nearby art and music venues. But, how many people know that this beautiful town began as an experimental community to “civilize” and convert indigenous peoples to Christianity? The Mohican people (also known as Mahikan, Housatunnuck, Mohekanew, and/or Muh-he-ka-nuk) spent springs and summers in the Hudson River Valley and autumns and winters around the Housatonic River in western Massachusetts. As European settlers expanded holdings up the Hudson River in New York and westward in Massachusetts,

Mohicans not only lost the right to use their traditional lands but they were decimated by previously unknown diseases. Feeling that, perhaps, the God of the Europeans was more powerful than their traditional spirits, Mohican tribal leaders agreed to be missionized.

Rev. Stephen Williams, the pastor of First Church in Longmeadow, was instrumental in establishing the Stockbridge mission. Starting in May, 1734, he wrote about the mission in his diary over 80 times. Working with Rev. Samuel Hopkins (pastor of the West Springfield church) and Rev. Nehemiah Bull (pastor of the Westfield church), he negotiated with the tribe to set up the mission.

In July, 1734, Rev. Williams traveled to Westfield, where Rev. Bull joined him as they traveled to Wnahktukuk (the Mohican village) to meet with tribal leaders. The tribe gave the ministers a belt of wampum as a token of their assent. Rev. Williams wrote on July 9, “…as good a prospect of Success – as we could hope for…”

On Aug. 12, 1734, Rev. Williams traveled to Boston to report on the July trip. “This day – I began – my journey – to Boston in order to give an account to ye commissioners of what I met with at Housatunnick & the commissioners have voted to send a missionary to ye Indians & have left it with Mr. B[ull] and myself to provide a missionary.” The “commissioners” referenced were on the Commission of the Society for the Promotion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Rev. Williams returned to Longmeadow on August. 22.

Empowered by the commission and not wasting any time, on September 9, 1734, Rev. Williams “went from home to go to New Haven to ye commencement of my special business was to procure – a missionary, to go to Housatunnick & according to ye Good hand of God, upon me, I was so far Succeeded as that I have procured ye ingenious learned & pious Mr. John Sergeant to undertake that service. I praise God for his Smiles on this affair hitherto & pray him, still to Smile upon it.”

John Sergeant

John Sergeant visited Longmeadow in October on his way to his mission and Rev. Williams kept tabs on his progress for many years. From all accounts, John Sergeant was well suited to missionary work and he was respected by the Mohican people. Timothy Woodbridge from West Springfield soon joined the mission as a teacher at the school.

The Mission House (1910-1920 image) John Sergeant’s home is a National Historic Landmark which is now operated as a museum, The Mission House, which you can visit in season. For more information, click here. The English colony and the Mohican tribe agreed to settle four English families in their village, ostensibly to serve as role models on the ways of Christianity and English life. The four settlers, Joseph Woodbridge, Col. Ephraim Williams, Ephraim Brown, and Josiah Jones, were each to receive 400 acres of prime farmland. The English settlers named the town Stockbridge. In August, 1735, tribal leaders met with colonial Governor Jonathan Belcher in Deerfield to ratify the treaty. Rev. Stephen Williams was also at the gathering which he described as “a great Hurliburry indeed”. Over several days, speeches were made and gifts were exchanged, the treaty was signed, and, on the final day, John Sergeant was ordained as a minister. The Commissioners financially supported the Stockbridge mission and Rev. Williams often transferred funds from Boston to Stockbridge. The diary references several of these transactions and Historic Deerfield recently acquired a letter from the commissioners to Rev. Williams concerning this financial support. At several points between 1734 and 1740, Mohican boys came to Longmeadow, living in and being educated in Rev. Williams’s home. With eight Williams children, at least one enslaved woman (Phillis), and several Mohican boys, it must have been a crowded household!

• The first two boys came in Dec. 1734 and another came in February, 1735. At least one returned home in March, 1735. Rev. Williams wrote “I desire they may do well – that they may get good, by coming to us - & be blessings to your nation & friend.” It is not clear when they returned to Stockbridge, but perhaps the boys returned home with Mr. Sergeant in July when he came to visit Longmeadow.

• Two more boys, Isaac and John, came to Longmeadow in December, 1738 and they stayed until at least April, 1739. Rev. Williams wrote of the challenges that these students brought to the household, including illnesses and disgruntled attitudes. Perhaps they returned to Stockbridge with Rev. Williams when he traveled there in August, 1739.

• In January, 1740, three boys arrived; two left in May and the third stayed through at least July.

In the early years of the Stockbridge settlement, Wappinger, Nipmuck, and Tunxis Indians joined the community and all of the indigenous peoples who lived there became known as the “Stockbridge Indians”. Stockbridge Indians were loyal to the English colonists, fighting on the side of the colonists in the French and Indian wars and the Revolutionary War.

As Massachusetts English families moved further west, new settlers flooded into Stockbridge, buying up land promised to the tribe, and excluding the Indians from town government. In 1739, land in a section of Stockbridge (which is now Lenox) was put up for sale and Rev. Williams joined others in buying a piece of property. His diary reflects that on October 23, 1739, “I set out for Stockbridge about our Farm – had a comfortable journey & success in our business – returned home.”

The Stockbridge Indians relocated many times. In 1783, many Stockbridge Indians moved to Oneida lands in central New York and founded New Stockbridge. In 1818, they moved to White River, Indiana, then to Wisconsin. In 1834, members of the Munsee tribe joined them and the tribe is now known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Band. The tribe was relocated several times within Wisconsin, but now has a reservation in Shawano County. You can learn more about them on the tribe's website.

Sources 1. Stephen Williams Diary 2. Stockbridge-Munsee Community website 3. Stockbridge, Past and Present: Or Recordes Of An Old Mission Station (1854) by Electa F. Jones 4.https://collections.dartmouth.edu/occom/html/ctx/placeography/place0225.ocp.html

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, LHS Board Member

Originally published April 29, 2021

Epidemics of 100 Years Ago

Past Epidemics in Longmeadow at the Doane Orphanage

The town of Longmeadow has dealt with epidemics before the COVID-19 pandemic changed our daily lives. We now have the advantage of modern medicine and science that helps us to understand diseases, and how to avoid and treat them. A hundred years ago, the doctors taking care of the children and employees at the Doane orphanage didn't have that advantage. The Doane orphanage was created by George and Lucy (Cook) Doane in 1902 at the corner of Longmeadow Street and Forest Glen Road. The orphanage closed in 1930, and the house no longer stands.

Doane Orphanage Paesiello Emerson Collection- Longmeadow Historical Society Archives

Sign from Longmeadow Historical Society collection

Over the years, the orphanage was affected by several pandemics. In 1908, diphtheria caused the house to be put into quarantine. A notice in the newspaper noted that "a thorough examination is being given to find, if possible, the source of the disease." Diphtheria is caused by bacteria, and was once a major cause of illness and death among children, especially the youngest. The fatality case rates for those five years old and under was a terrifying 20%. It is usually spread between people by direct contact or through the air, or by contaminated objects. A vaccine was developed in the 1920's, but not commonly used until the 1930's.

In August of 1913, a typhoid fever epidemic was reported at the Doane orphanage. Typhoid fever is also caused by a bacteria--a type of Salmonella, and is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Before the advent of antibiotics, typhoid fever had a fatality rate of 10-20%. Dr. Lyman A. Jones of North Adams made an investigation into the outbreak. Knowing the facts about transmission, Dr. Jones checked the water supply and milk supply and declared that were both eliminated as sources of the infection.

Springfield Daily News, Saturday, August 23, 1913

Later in August, the Springfield Union reported that two new cases of typhoid fever associated with the Doane house were found, bringing the total number of cases to 22. Dr. Jones reported on his progress with the investigation, stating that "of the 28 children recently in the orphanage, 22 have typhoid." By September, Dr. Jones made his final report to the state board of health. He systematically explained how he ruled out water, milk and food as sources, concluding that "it seems justifiable to conclude that the infection was introduced through some recently admitted child, or through some child returned from a visit, through some chance visitor or through some employee who was a carrier." While he did not identify a specific source of the infection, he made several recommendations:

Springfield Union, September 25, 1913

The first typhoid fever vaccine available in the U.S. was developed by Army physician Frederick Russell in 1909.

1914 found a new infection at the orphanage--scarlet fever. Also caused by a bacteria, group A streptococcus, it is usually spread by people coughing or sneezing. No vaccine is available, but the infection is usually treatable with antibiotics. Before antibiotics were available, long term complications from scarlet fever could include kidney disease, rheumatic heart disease, and arthritis. (The author's father had scarlet fever as a child and failed his physical exam to be a navy pilot in WWII because of valvular heart disease). At the time of this outbreak in Longmeadow, scarlet fever was a leading cause of death in children. In March of 1914, there were 13 cases of scarlet fever reported among the 32 children at the orphanage. There was much concern, as the children had attended crowded church services shortly before being diagnosed. Strict quarantine was the only available response.

Evening News, San Jose, California, March 26, 1914

Epidemics have been a part of life forever, but thankfully, we have found medicines and technologies to help us prevent and treat these diseases that were so dangerous to our ancestors.

Sources:

1. Genealogybank

2.The Doane Orphanage, May 2009 Town Crier article by Linda Abrams

3. Longmeadow Historical Society collections

Contributed by Betsy McKee, LHS Board Member

Originally published April 22, 2021

Buzz Buzz Buzz

Beehive Skeg (image by Rosser 1954)

"If there’s a buzzing noise, somebody’s making a buzzing noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you’re a bee. And the only reason for being a bee that I know of is to make honey. And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it." Winnie the Pooh

Like many of us, I have baked many loaves of bread over the past year, finding the tasks needed to create bread easy to integrate into the rhythms of my life worked from home. Many of my favorite bread recipes call for the complex goodness of honey, an ingredient that I can easily find on the shelf at Big Y or Armata's. But honey has not always been easy for people (or bears) to obtain. Winnie the Pooh, “a bear of little brain”, loved honey and knew that he had to follow bees in order to find honey. Likewise, early humans loved honey but could only obtain it by gathering hives that they found in the wild.

Honey Bee

While European colonists found a wide variety of bees and other insects in North America, they did not find honey bees and so they had to import them. Honey bees were first brought from England to the Virginia colony as early as 1622 and they were first brought to Massachusetts between 1630 and 1633. As in in Europe, honey and wax were greatly valued by the colonists.

By 1720, honey bees must have been in the wild in western Massachusetts. The Rev. Stephen Williams of Longmeadow wrote in his diary on Oct. 13, 1720, “this day I went into woods again after bees – but got none. I fear I am too eager after such things.”

Early beekeepers kept hives in containers such as straw skeps (pictured at the top of the article), pottery vessels, wooden boxes, or log gums. None of these structures allowed longtime maintenance of a hive and also significant production of honey. But, in 1852, L.L. Langstroth of Pennsylvania patented a hive with movable frames. Adaptations of this model, which are still used today, allow the beekeeper to manage the hive without destroying it. The beekeeper can remove a part of the hive (a frame), harvest the honey and wax from the frame, then reincorporate the frame the hive. This is a sustainable method of maintaining the bee colony while also procuring valuable bee products.

Langstroth Hive

Commercial production of honey began in 1864 and the government began tracking honey and beeswax as an agricultural commodity in 1870. The 1870 Non-Population Census form for Longmeadow is incomplete, but we know that at least three Longmeadow men produced honey in 1870. In 1880, eight Longmeadow men produced honey. Honey would have been harvested in July and in October.

In addition to the personal financial rewards of selling honey and wax, beekeepers provided an invaluable service to a largely agrarian community. Working within a three mile radius from the hive, bees busily pollinated farmers' crops as they gathered the pollen needed to make their honey and their home.

Today, it is estimated that almost 2/3 of the crops that we eat are pollinated by bees. While we no longer have any farms in town, Longmeadow today has around a dozen beekeepers. These bees pollinate our gardens, trees, and woodlands, keeping our plants healthy and Longmeadow verdant and lovely - at the same time that they are producing delicious honey!

Sources

1. Ronald Manseau, beekeeper/ Longmeadow, MA 2. History of Beekeeping in the United States 3. The Evolution of Beekeeping 4. The Bees- The Disney Wiki 5. Stephen Williams Diaries 6. 1870 US Census, 1880 US Census

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, LHS Board Member

Originally published April 15, 2021