A History of Amherst, Mass. CHAPTER I. INDIAN DEED OF LANDS.-RIVER INDIANS.-ORIGINAL BOUNDS OF HADLEY.-CAUSES LEADING TO HADLEY'S SETTLEMENT.-BEGIN NINGS OF THE TOWN OF HADLEY.-INDIAN WARS, 1675-1748. The lands comprised within the present limits of the township of Amherst are a part of those acquired by John Pynchon of Springfield, by purchase from the Nonotuck or Norwottuck tribe of Indians in 1658. In 1653 a number of men residing in Windsor, Hartford and other places in Connecticut petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts to grant them a plantation at Nonotuck, above Springfield. This petition was granted and the General Court appointed three men of Springfield, John Pynchon, Elizur Holyoke and Samuel Chapin, to divide the land into two plantations, the petitioners to have one of them. In December, 1658, Major Pynchon secured from the Indians the following deed of land: This deed embraces the land from the mouth of Fort River, and Mount Holyoke, on the south, to the mouth of Mohawk brook and the southern part of Mount Toby, on the north, extending easterly nine miles into the woods. "Here followeth a copy of a deed or writing whereby the Indians of Nolwotogg, upon the river Quienecticott, made sale of certain lands unto Maj. John Pynchon, of Springfield, together with the copy of the said Maj. John Pynchon his assignment of the said deed to the use and behoof of the inhabitants of Hadley, and his acknowledgment thereof. Be it known to all men by these presents that Chickwollop alias Wahillowa, Umpanchella alias Womscom, and Quonquont alias Wompshaw, the sachems of Nolwotogg, and the sole and proper owners of all the land on the east side of Quonicticot river, from the hills called Petowamachu, and from the mouth of the brook or river called Towunucksett, and so all along by the great river upward or northward to the brook called Nepassooenegg, and from the hither part of south end of the great hills called Kunckquachu, (being guessed at near about nine miles in length) by the river Quenecticott-We the aforenamed Chickwallop alias Waahillow, Umpanchala alias Womscom, and Quonquont alias Wompshaw, of Nolwotogg, on the one party, do give, grant, bargain and sell unto John Pynchon, of Springfield, on the other party, to him, his assigns and successors forever, all the |