Timeline of the early period of "The Hill"
Today known as Foster Hill, West Brookfield
Outline of Early History
1660 - 1688
1660 Grant made
by General Court May 31, 1660. Condition was
20 families resident within 3 years. Four men came from Ipswich, MA
summer of 1660. John Warner, John Ayers, William Pritchard, and
one unknown man.
1665 First three
or four families settled in 1665. Steps taken to
buy the land from the Indians, through Lieut. Thomas Cooper of
Springfield.
1667 On May 15,
1667, because of failure to get settlers, the
Grant was declared void. However, time was extended one year.
Capt. John Pynchon of Springfield, with four local men, appointed
by the General Court to handle all prudential affairs.
1673 On petition
of October 10, 1673 a Township was granted by
the General Court. The settlers requested that the name be changed
from "Quaboag Plantation" to "Brookfield". Lieutenant
Cooper's.
deed of land purchase from the Indians was transferred to the
settlers. Incidentally, in this year the first mail on the continent
of North America passed through Brookfield, by post rider, from
New York to Boston. (And also passed through the areas, that later
became West Brookfield and East Brookfield.)
1675 Now twenty
families. A meeting house. The great event
was the siege and burning of the town in King Philip's War,
August 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The inhabitants saved by refuge in the
Fortified House (Ayers' Tavern). This was also burned by the Indians
shortly thereafter.
1675 to
1685 The
town abandoned for about ten years. The
fields lay waste.
1686 Resettlement
of the town. General Court refused to allow
a local committee to manage affairs. Appointed, instead, a Spring-
field committee, - Maj. John Pynchon, Samuel Partridge, Eden Pumry,
Samuel Porter, and Luke Hitchcock. All prudential affairs managed by
the Springfield committee for 32 years.
1688 Settlers prepared
to abandon the town for the second time
because of reports of Indian murders committed at Northfield.
Abandonment prevented by major Pynchon who sent soldiers
"ordering and requiring their continuance". Fort Gilbert was
erected
to protect the new settlement.
1710 Massacre of
the six haymakers. This was the last hostile act of the
Indians toward the town.