part of the eastern end of this town. Population, 698. Distance, 6 miles from Salem, and 21 from Boston.

In the journal of John Duntan, a gentleman who travelled in this country in 1686, this town is thus noticed: "Wenham is a delicious paradise; it abounds with rural pleasures, and I would choose it above all other towns in America to dwell in. The lofty trees on each side of it are a sufficient shelter for the winds, and the warm sun so kindly ripens both the fruits and flowers, as if the spring, the summer and the autumn had agreed together to thrust winter out of doors.' The same writer, speaking of Joseph Gerrish, the minister, says-"'T were endless to enter on a detail of each faculty of learning Mr. Gerrish is master of, and therefore take his character in short hand. The philosopher, is acute, ingenious and subtle. The divine, curious, orthodox and profound. The man, of a majestic air, without austerity or sourness; his aspect is masterly, yet not imperious or haughty. The Christian, is devout, without moroseness or starts of holy frenzy and enthusiasm. The preacher, is primitive, without the occasional colors of whining or cant; and methodical, without intricacy or affectation; and, which crowns his character, he is a man of public spirit, zealous for the conversion of the Indians, and of great hospitality to strangers. He gave us a noble dinner, and entertained us with such pleasant fruits as I must own Öld England is a stranger to."

WEST NEWBURY.

THIS town was settled at an early period, and was within the limits of Newbury. It was incorporated as a distinct town in 1819. The first church in this town was the second of Newbury. The first pastor was Rev. Samuel Belcher, who was settled here in 1698. The succession of ministers in this church is as follows: John Tufts, settled here in 1714; Thomas Barnard, in 1739; Moses Hale, in 1752; True Kimball, in 1782; Samuel Tomb, in 1798; Ebenezer Hubbard, in 1809; Gilbert T. Williams, in 1814; Henry C. Wright, in 1826; Benjamin Ober, in 1834. The second Congregational church (the fourth of Newbury) was formed in 1731. Rev. William Johnson was the first pastor, settled in 1731; David Tappan, in 1774; Leonard Woods, in 1798; John Kirby, in 1816; Elijah Demond, in 1821; Paul Couch, in 1827. The Friends have a meeting-house in this town.

The town occupies an elevated situation on the south bank of the Merrimac. The soil is excellent, and grain and hay are produced in great quantities. The butter and cheese made in this town are held in high estimation. Fruit is also produced in abundance. The town is connected with Rocks village, Haverhill, by an excellent bridge over the Merrimac, one thousand feet in length. This bridge was built in 1828; the one previous was erected in 1796, but was swept away in the great freshet of 1818. From the elevated grounds in this town many fine prospects of the surrounding scenery are obtained. Population, 1,448. Distance, 6 miles from Newburyport, 20 from Lowell, and 34 from Boston.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

FRANKLIN COUNTY was originally the north part of Hampshire county: it was incorporated as a distinct county in 1811. Connecticut river passes centrally through the county from north to south, and Deerfield river passes from west to east centrally through the western, and Miller's river from east to west through the eastern part of the county. Few tracts of country exceed this for the extent and value of its water powers. The great body of the people are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The fine grazing lands found upon the verdant hills and fertile valleys, enable the farmers in this section to raise large droves of fat cattle for market. The manufacturing interests have received considerable attention of late years, and are increasing in value and importance. The following is a list of the towns, which are 26 in number.

In 1820, the population of this county was 29,268; in 1830, it was 29,344; in 1837, it was 28,655.

ASHFIELD.

THE territory comprising this town was granted to Capt. Ephraim Hunt, of Weymouth, as a compensation for services rendered in the Canada expedition of 1690. It was actually conveyed to his heirs forty-six years afterwards, and was settled by a few families in 1742. It was incorporated as a town in 1764; previous to that time it went by the name of Huntstown, from the name of its original proprietor. Richard Ellis, a native of Ireland, was the first permanent settler; Thomas Phillips, with his family, from Easton, was the next; Chileab Smith, from South Hadley, was the third settler. These persons all settled in the north-eastern part of the town. Mr. Chileab Smith settled on the farm now owned and occupied by his son Chileab, who is 96 years of age, and in good health at this time, (1837.)

The first regular church formed in this town was of the Baptist denomination. It was constituted in July, 1761, and consisted of nine members. In the following August the Rev. Ebenezer Smith, the eldest son of Chileab Smith, was ordained its pastor. He was succeeded in 1798 by elder Enos Smith, who deceased about two years since. The Congregational church in this town was formed by an ecclesiastical council, Feb. 22d, 1763, and Rev. Jacob Sher

win ordained its pastor the same year. Rev. Nehemiah Porter succeeded him in 1774, and died Feb. 29th, 1820, aged 99 years and 11 months. Rev. Alvan Sanderson was ordained colleague pastor in 1808. Rev. Thomas Shepherd succeeded Mr. Sanderson in 1819. Rev. Mason Grosvenor, the next pastor, was installed 1833; he was succeeded by Rev. Burr Baldwin, in 1836. In 1820 an Episcopal society was formed in this town, and they have a handsome church in the center of the place. There is also a small society of Methodists.

Ashfield is a little over six miles square. The face of the township is uneven and hilly, better adapted for grazing than tillage. There is, however, much good tillage land interspersed among the hills. The principal productions are corn, potatoes, oats, and of late wheat. Some of the farmers have large dairies. In 1837, there were in this town 8,021 merino sheep, which produced 24,063 lbs. of wool. There are four churches, 2 for Baptists, 1 Congregational, and 1 Episcopal. The central village consists of about twenty dwelling-houses, an Episcopal church, an academy, and a number of mercantile stores. Distance, 18 miles from Greenfield, 18 from Northampton, and 105 to Boston. Population of the town, 1,656.

BERNARDSTON.

IN 1735, the general assembly of the province of Massachusetts Bay granted a tract of land six miles square, north of Greenfield, including the present towns of Bernardston and Leyden, and a part of Coleraine, to the officers and soldiers who were in the Fall Fight, an account of which may be found under the head of Gill. In consideration of the services and sufferings of these men, the tract above mentioned was granted to them or their descendants 59 years after the battle. From the fact that this battle took place at the Falls, the town took the name of Fall Town, which it was called for nearly 20 years. The first meeting of the owners of this tract of country was held at Northampton, in January, 1736, the next month after it was granted by the legislature. The proprietors were 97; among the names of these were the following: Atherton, Field, Hitchcock, Cook, Chamberlain, Alexander, Chapin, Connable, Dickinson, Edwards, Hoit, Lyman, Munn, Hunt, Smith, Wright, Pomeroy, Pratt, Rogers, Sikes, Smead, Scott, Wells. The town was first settled in 1738. The four first houses that were built in town were Major Burk's, Mr. Samuel Connable's, Lieut. Ebenezer Sheldon's, and Dea. Sheldon's. Major Burk's house was situated a little north of the present bark-house; Mr. S. Connable's stood near the house now occupied by Mr. Joseph Connable; Lieut. E. Sheldon's house was situated a little west of Mr. Hatsell Purple's late residence; and Dea. Sheldon's stood near Mr. Seorin Slate's, on Huckle Hill.

These houses, or forts, as they were called, were built of hewn logs, and served the double purpose of houses to live in, and a defence against the sudden, and often fatal, attacks of the Indians. They were built with port-holes through the sides, through which those within could fire, with elevated stands for a watch, where they could better see the approach of the enemy, and give the alarm. These houses were occupied by those by whose name they were called, and the occupants were among the first settlers in this town. At a proprietors' meeting held in Deerfield, in June, 1739, it was voted that a meeting-house should be built, 59 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 23 feet between joists. This house was built in two years after the first settlement of the town. It was situated on Huckle Hill, and was the first meeting-house built in Fall Town. In Oct. 1740, it was voted that there be £20 paid out for the support of preaching. And at an adjourned meeting it was voted that a committee be chosen to cut the brush and burn them ten rods round the meeting-house. Rev. John Norton, from Windham, Con., the first minister, was ordained in 1741, and was dismissed, on account of the unsettled state of the times, in 1745. In the first French war, he acted for a season as chaplain at the fort which was kept at Hoosic, near Adams. He was there at the time that fort was surprised and taken by a party of French and Indians, whence he was carried captive into Canada. After his release, he was installed a pastor in Chatham, Con. From 1750 to 1761 there was no ordained preacher in Fall Town. The Rev. Job Wright, the next minister, was settled in 1761. About 1755, commenced the French and Indian war, in which the settlers in the town suffered severely; while it continued, the people lived mostly in Burk's fort. Every man that was capable, bore arms, and, in some cases, females were under the necessity of bearing arms to defend their dwellings from the attacks of a barbarous enemy. When the men went into the fields, they took their arms with them, and constantly had some one on guard. Agriculture and education were but little attended to. The Indians were almost constantly lurking in the woods, which kept them in a perpetual state of danger and alarm.

Fall Town was incorporated into a township in 1762, by the name of Bernardston, after Governor Bernard, the provincial governor of Massachusetts. The first selectmen were Messrs. John Burk, Rememberence Sheldon and Moses Scott. During the Revolutionary war the inhabitants of Bernardston furnished their full quota of men and means during the continuance of the struggle, and made many sacrifices for the American cause. In Jan. 1782, a vote was passed "that those persons who are professed Baptists, and have attended that particular form of worship, shall be free from the minister tax;" this appears to be the first account of the Baptist society in this town. The Rev. Amasa Cook, the third settled minister in this town, was ordained in Dec. 1783. In 1790, the first census was taken by Mr. David Saxton, of Deerfield, by order of the general government. The population of the town at that period was 691, being divided into 108 families. In 1789 the Baptist society was organized, and in 1790 their first meeting-house was built, and the same year Elder Hodge was ordained, and continued here about ten years. He was succeeded by Elder Rogers and Elder Green. The present Baptist meeting-house was built in 1817. In 1821 the Universalist society was organized, and their meeting-house was built in 1823, and the same year Dr. Brooks was ordained as minister. The first Orthodox Congregational society was organized in 1823.

The following is a representation of the public buildings and Cushman's tavern, in the central part of the village, as they appear when passing through to the northward. The Universalist church is the one-story building with four windows, on the western side; Cushman's tavern appears on the left. The distance between this tavern and the Universalist church is about 35 rods. In the engra

South-west view of Bernardston, (central part.)

ving this distance is contracted, and some buildings are left out, in order to show Mr. Cushman's house, long known as an excellent tavern stand, and, with the elms standing south, is a very striking feature in the appearance of this village. Within the distance of half a mile from this place there are upwards of fifty dwellinghouses, which, though mostly small, are neat in their general appearance. Distance, 7 miles from Greenfield, 13 from Brattleboro', Vt., and 96 from Boston. Agriculture is the principal business of the inhabitants. Population, 878.

The following is a letter of Maj. John Burk, (one of the principal men of Bernardston,) to his wife, giving an account of the battle of Lake George. For this, and the journal of Maj. Burk, together with the materials for the preceding historical sketch, the author is indebted to the politeness of Henry W. Cushman, Esq., of Bernardston.

Lake Sacrament, now called Lake George, Sept. 11, 1755. DEAR WIFE: I wrote to you yesterday, but was not allowed to say any more than that I was well, and that we have had a battle, &c. The particulars of the engagement I now send you by Capt. Wyman. On the 7th inst., our Indians discovered the track of a large body of the enemy east of us. On the 8th, Col. Williams, with a detachment 1000 strong, marched in pursuit, or to make discovery. They marched in the road 3 miles south, and being discovered by the enemy, (as we are told by the French general who is taken by us,) were waylaid by 1800 French and Indians. The French lay on one side the road on rising ground; the Indians on the other side, in a swamp. Part of the French were regular troops; these lay south. Their scheme was to let our men march quite to the south end of the ambush, the regular troops to give the first fire, then all to fire and rush on; which if they had done, they would have cut our men all to pieces. But the general says that a heady Indian, who was very eager, fired as soon as they entered the ambush. Then the enemy pursued and fired briskly, and, having the advantage of the ground, obliged our men to retreat, which, the French general says, they did very regularly. We at the camp heard the guns; were not suffered to go out, but to make ready to receive the enemy, lest they should rout us and take our baggage, for we knew they retreated by the guns, (viz. our men.) The enemy drove on very furiously, but while they were coming we placed our cannon, felled trees and rolled lugs to make a breast-work all round the camp, but it was a poor defence. The regulars marched along the road, 6 deep, till they got near our camps; then all fired upon us,