The first settlement in the Connecticut valley above the line between the two colonies was at Springfield, where in the year 1635 William Pynchon, father of John, took a party of settlers. Others followed quickly and in large numbers, all of whom, prior to 1654, located on the East side of the river. In that year, however, the people began to take up land on the western shore, at what is now West Springfield. Then until King Phillip's war, the people poured in, and it became necessary from time to time to apply to the General Court for new grants of land farther and yet farther away. And it must be here noted that on account of the dispute between Massachusetts and Connecticut regarding the boundary, the town of Suffield belonged to the former colony until 1749, and sent its deputies to the General Court at Boston.

At the General Court at Boston in 1670, a petition was presented by Captain John Pynchon, Captain Elizur Holyoke, Lieut. Cooper, Quartermaster Colton, and Ensign Cooley, all inhabitants of Springfield and vicinity, praying the court that a plantation might be set off "west of the Connecticut river." This petition was granted October 12, 1670, and a plantation was ordered laid off "towards Windsor" six miles square; that five hundred acres should be reserved for the use of the General Court, "one hundred near where the meeting house shall be," and the balance elsewhere. It was also provided that, in five years time there must be at least twenty families settled there, and that they "take care for the settlement and maintenance of some able minister." Also that not over eighty acres of land be granted to any one person, until the twenty families had settled. The court appointed the petitioners a committee to lay off the plantation, manage its affairs, receive its inhabitants, grant them lands in the plantation, and "order all prudentials."

At this time the Harmon brothers were engaged in hunting in the tract now known as Suffield, and making, perhaps, a hunter's home in the dense wilderness, but Lieut. Cooper, one of the committee, had a house just within the lines, on the banks of the great river. He was the commander of the militia at Springfield, next in rank to John Pynchon, and was killed at Springfield by the Indians at the time of the burning of the town, (September, 1675,) while hurrying to the village. The Indian title to Suffield had previously been purchased by Major Pynchon for one hundred dollars. Windsor, Connecticut, the next town south of Suffield, had been settled by a party from England under Captain Stiles in 1635.

The committee did not report to the court of their doings until June 3, 1674, alleging that they had awaited the settlement of the boundary question, but "as several families had settled there, they forbore further to delay." They reported that John Pynchon and Elizur Holyoke did on March 21, 1671, lay off the town, and had reserved the five hundred acres as directed. They urged that the township be exempt from rates for seven years, as an encouragement to emigrants, "it being a very woody place and difficult to winne." They recommended that the place be called "Suffield, an abbreviation of Southfield," it being south of Springfield. The court agreed to all they asked, save that it exempted the inhabitants from the payments of rates for only four years.

The committee, headed by Major Pynchon, and appointed by the General Court to manage the town, met for the first time in January, 1670-1. They decided, among other things, to grant land to settlers according to the rank and estate of the applicants; eighty acres to the first, sixty to the second, fifty to the third, and forty to the fourth rank. The town was laid out in three divisions. Along the banks of the Connecticut river, and running north and south, was laid out a road which was called (probably) Ferther street, because of its distance from the High street, and now is corrupted into Feather street. Three miles west, on the crest of a long hill, was located the High street, which also ran north and south, and still west of this, along the line of the main highway which ran from Northampton to Hartford, was located the third division. Settlers as they came in were alloted lands according to their rank, in one of the three divisions, but because of the troubles with the Indians, and, for their safety, each was given a "home lot" on the High street, where they lived, visiting their outlying lands as necessity required.

The first grant of lands was in 1670-1, to Samuel, Joseph, and Nathaniel Harmon, the three brothers whom I have mentioned. In 1670, 1671, and 1672, eight families only located in the town; in 1673 seven families came in and 1674 thirty settlers were granted land. Those who came during the first twelve years of its settlement were called "proprietors." The thirty-third actual settler or proprietor in Suffield was Launcelot Granger, who appeared there in 1674, as the following from the town records show:

Sept. 14, 1674. Granted to,
George Norton, 60 acres.
Launcelot Granger, 60 acres.
To Goodman Grangers, viz: Thomas Granger, 40 acres,
Two sons, 40 acres apiece, George Granger, 40 acres.

The boys were not yet of age, but by the custom of the time lands were granted to minors as well as adults.

King Phillip's war soon disturbed the settlement, and all the inhabitants removed to safer quarters. It was not until after peace was assured that the committee again took up the distribution of lands, and on June 12, 1678, we find the final location of Launcelot on the High street.

For ye settling of Goodm: Grangers Alotmst formerly granted; It is agreed that he shall ly on ye west side of High Streete over ag't Edwd Burles or thereabout; There Goodm: Grangers hom lots to take place for himself & 2 sons, Thomas & George Granger, 12 rod broad each of them, wch is in ye who'e 36 rod in breadth & to run in length fro' High Streete back to Muddy Brooke; p'vided his sons settle & Build on their lots in some short tyme. The rest of their land to be more remote The home lots assigned to Launcelot Granger and his two sons were among the choicest upon the High street, lying just north of the meeting-house, which may be called the center of the settlement. Each had a frontage of twelve rods upon the road, and each contained eight acres; Launcelot's lot was in the center, that of Thomas on the south, while George abutted on the north. Launcelot's lot is almost opposite the present Gay mansion in Suffield, and the famous Gideon Granger owned and lived upon the lot set off to Thomas.

Two routes of travel were common between the Bay colony and the Connecticut River country. By the river and the open sea most of the heavy goods and grain were sent, and even many passengers preferred it to the rougher hardships of the forest. The river also brought the settlers into even closer relationship with their brethren at Windsor, Hartford, and Saybrook than with those at Boston. Indeed, it was not uncommon to find them counseling with their nearest neighbors, and to Major Treat, the gallant and most successful Indian fighter of the valley, and his Connecticut troops, the Massachusetts towns frequently owed their salvation. The other route was across the hilly country to the east of Springfield, tedious in its length and difficult in its conditions. Settlers were frequently fourteen days in passing with their goods and cattle from Boston to Springfield. A word about this old road.

The earliest road was known as the "old Connecticut path," first a mere Indian trail, enlarged naturally by the increased travel which came upon it. Starting from Boston it passed through Framingham, Grafton, and Dudley to Woodstock, Conn. This point was a kind of four corners, for the trail from Narragansett, known as the "Providence path," and the "Nipmunk path," coming from New London, here intersected the "Connecticut path." Thence the trails extended, one to Hartford and one to Springfield. But in 1673 the road which afterward became an important line of travel was laid out and called the "Bay path." One will find constant references to it in all old records and books. It followed the Connecticut path from Cambridge along the Charles River to "Happy Hollow" in Wayland, where it branched, going direct by Marlborough and Worcester to Brimfield. Here it divided near the house of Joseph Walcott,(*) one branch going by Warren and Brimfield to Springfield, while the other ran west to Hadley. Over this Bay Path passed all the troops which, during King Philip's war, were pushed to the succor of the Connecticut River settlements. It was opened through in 1674.

But the path was not in 1678 a way of pleasure and of ease. It lay through a country rough and hilly. Little money was spent to open it up, and less to keep it in repair. I find that as late as 1700 only œ5 was allowed to put it in order from Worcester to Brookfield. Few, if any, of the streams were bridged. It ran around the rocks, if possible, to avoid removing them, and swamps in wet weather rendered it quite impassable. It was a route which was marked sufficiently to be followed, and it was not much more. From Marlborough to Brookfield it was an unbroken wilderness. Passengers camped out, there being little accommodation for man or beast. As late as 1700 I find the inhabitants of Brookfield petitioning the General Court for aid in repairing it, in the following language

Wee the subscribers being verry senceable of the inconveniencies that may happen in as much as the stated road to Conitticot, especially betwixt Wooster & Brookfield, is verry much incumbered with Trees ffallen & many Rocky Swamps & other impassable Obstructions to Travellers, Drovers & others & hazzarding life or limb of both men and Horses & other creatures, to great Losses & Damages, Humbly propose, that there bee a Suitable allowance Granted to repaire & amend sd Road, at least to the sum of -- pounds.

Out of the Publique Treasurie of this Province, which we humbly leave to consideration and subscribe

Over this rough trail, across the hills and vales, through the swamps and streams, and around the rocks, Joanna Granger and her ten children, with little Abraham hardly more than a babe in arms, pushed her way to join the husband and father in the tangled woods of Suffield and build up a new home on the banks of the great river.

(*) See Index No. 65.