First Burial Place, Easthampton, Massachusetts

Date: 1704 to 1704
Location: Easthampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States
Surnames/tags: Cemeteries Hampshire County, Massachusetts

First Burial Place, Easthampton, Massachusetts

First Burial Place, Easthampton, Massachusetts

---

Cemetery name: First Burial Place

Address: 129 East St., Easthampton, Massachusetts

GPS Coordinates: 42.28199, -72.63094

First Burial Place in East Hampton was in a field owned by Augustus Clapp. 20 people with 7 headstones to mark the resting places of those killed on May 14 1704 by the Indians. There are many interesting versions taken from both the side of the English and the side of the Indians that need consideration before an accurate history can be attached to these memorials. Here are some of my findings.

There is a Pascommuck Raid memorial site on East Street and another stone memorial at the corner of Clapp Street and Fort Hill Road

The memorial, located near Clapp Swamp, was dedicated by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1931 and marks what many refer to as Easthampton's first cemetery. The dead from the Pascommuck Raid, which took place on nearby East Street, are believed to be buried in a field in the distance.

"On May 14, 1704, the village of Pascommuck was attacked by a group of Native Americans allied with the Quebec colony of France. This boulder stands on the site of the home of Moses Hutchinson. Other settlers included the families of Benoni Janes (Jones), John Searle Jr., Samuel Janes, and Benjamin Janes. Of the 33 inhabitants of the villiage, 19 were killed and 8 escaped during the attack. Of the 6 taken captive, 3 escaped."

NOTE THE DAR MARKER I FOUND STATES A DATE OF 24 May and 10 people.

Here is another account of the massacre from History of the Janes-Peek Family By Dr. Reba Neighbors-Collins

In May of 1704, a band of Indians attacked the little five-family village of Puokhumuck or Pascomac, later part of Southampton. It was just before daylight when they set fire to the pickets surrounding the home of Benoni Jones. A young women named Patience Webb looked out the window to see what was happening and was shot in the head. The rest of the village surrendered.

Nineteen persons were killed:

-Samuel Janes, his wife and three children (He was the first born of William Janes and Hanna Broughton), {5-Samuel Janes, Sarah Hinsdale, Obadiah, Ebenezer, Sarah}

-Benoni Jones and his two children {3-Benoni,Ebenezer, Jonathan

-Miss Webb {1-Patience}

-Moses Hutchinson and one child {2-Moses and Moses,Jr}

-four children of Benjamin Janes (grandchildren of William and Hannah) {4-mother was Hannah Hinsdale, children were Hannah, Mariam, Benjamin & Nermiah(Nathaniel)}

-John Searl, husband of Ruth Janes, was also killed as were three of their children {4-Searle-John, Abigail, John, Caleb}

Ruth was severely wounded, but was rescued and later recovered. The son Elisha, age 9, was taken to Canada where he remained a captive of the Indians for many years.

- Capt John Taylor died in pursuit.

As the prisoners were being marched and dragged away from the burning village, Benjamin managed to drop back, then slip away from his captors. Darting down a creek, hidden by bushes, he found a skiff and headed for Northampton to alert the town.

Hastily aroused men of the town sped after the Indians. On the top of Pomeroy's mountain the found Benjamin's wife Hannah. She had been knocked on the head, scalped and left for dead. Amazingly, after many months, she recovered and lived to be 80 years old.

After 300 years there are different opinions regarding the events.

LOCATION The address is 129 East St., Easthampton MA and GPS: 42.2819894 -72.630938. It is located within the Old Pascommuck Conservation Area and next to the E. Florence Smith Memorial Nature Trail.

 19 Memorials  |  Date Range: 1704-1704

Category Page

Find A Grave Page