U-H Benjamin - 002

Benjamin Hastings (II) was born in Northampton to Benjamin I and Mary (Clark/Parsons) Hastings in May 1699. His father's first wife, Elizabeth Graves, died in February 1697, leaving one son (Samuel) and two daughters (Elizabeth; Hannah).  Benjamin then married Mary Clark, widow of Jonathan Parsons in 1697. Mary Parsons had four children when she married Benjamin: Nathaniel Parsons (11 years old); Mary Parsons (9 years old); Hannah (7 years old); and Jonathan Parsons Jr (4 years old).  Thus, Benjamin II was born into a family consisting of siblings, half-siblings and stepsiblings. However, the family would soon lose the eldest son Samuel.  A militia soldier, he was captured February 29, 1704, at the sack of Deerfield. Benjamin I and his wife Mary died in 1711.  Benjamin II was twelve years old, and his brother Joseph was nine years old when their father died.  Thus, the family was young when their father died. A very real problem existed for the family in 1711.  With both parents deceased, and Benjamin II and Joseph being children at the time, one wonders who took care of the family.  The eldest stepchild, Nathaniel Parsons was 25 years old at the time.  Perhaps he looked after the family.  However, the family lived in Hatfield.  This placed them near the family of Thomas Hastings II, the uncle of Benjamin II and Joseph.  However, he died in 1712.  He left young children as well, but his eldest son, Thomas Hastings III, was thirty-three years old, and may have helped the family as well.  But it should be noted that the widow of Thomas Hastings III married Samuel Belding in 1713.  One might speculate that Samuel Belding looked after Benjamin's family as well, although he probably had his hands full with the Thomas Hastings family.  Nonetheless, it remains unclear just who was taking care of Benjamin's family.

     According to town records, as of March 20, 1718 Benjamin I, a Proprietor of Deerfield, owned 3 commons (13.5 acres), 10 acres, and 64 rods of land in Deerfield from the 8,000 acres originally granted to Dedham. In addition, he owned lot 42, consisting of 3 acres and 6 rods of land near the Green River, which became part of Greenfield in 1753. Consequently, the births of the children of Benjamin and Prudence are recorded in Deerfield. Of course, Benjamin I had died in 1711.  Benjamin II was nineteen years old at this time, and his brother Joseph was fifteen years old.  The question of who received this property remains.  Looking at Benjamin's sons, i.e. excluding the stepchildren, it would appear that Benjamin II received the land.  His brother Joseph left Deerfield and moved to Suffield, Connecticut by 1726 at the latest.  It was on May 7, 1723, that the Proprietors held a meeting to review the landownership records. Thus Joseph left Hatfield no more than 3 years after this meeting.  Benjamin II remained in Hatfield, and then lived in Deerfield, inheriting his father's land. It would appear that Benjamin's occupation was primarily that of raising cattle.  The earmark used to identify his cattle was registered with the town clerk, and is described as "two half pennies at the upper side of the near ear."   

     On September 22, 1721, Benjamin II married Prudence Smith, daughter of Jonathan Smith of Hatfield. Prudence Smith was born May 16, 1700, and was one of 10 children born to Jonathan and Abigail Kellogg Smith. Jonathan's father was Philip Smith, who had been an eminent citizen of Hadley, having served as a lieutenant in the militia, Selectman, and deacon. Philip Smith, Prudence's grandfather, died on January 10, 1685, under circumstances which Cotton Mather declared to be the result of witchcraft.  Philip's father Lt. Samuel Smith came to New England from Ipswich in 1634 aboard the Elizabeth, and was thus known to Deacon Thomas Hastings. As a footnote to the fate of Philip Smith at the hands of a witch, Prudence's brother Daniel, born March 3, 1692, was said to have become "deranged."

     Benjamin II spent his early manhood years serving in the militia.  He served in the militia sometime during the years 1721-1725, in the conflict popularly known as Father Rasle's War, and obtained the rank of lieutenant. On November 27, 1723, daughter Prudence was born. The year 1726 saw the birth of daughter Abigail on March 28th, but also the death of Benjamin's first daughter Prudence on June 18th, who was 3 years old at her death. In the year 1733, Benjamin once again served as Selectman. In March of the same year, Benjamin was elected to a committee tasked with disposing of 3 old military forts. On December 7, 1728, son Benjamin III was born. On March 21, 1731, daughter Prudence was born.  On September 1, 1733, daughter Mary was born. On December 28, 1735, son Samuel was baptized. 

     An issue arose in 1738, which required review by the Proprietors. Benjamin and two others accused two others of occupying house lots which belong to them.  A meeting was held on March 16, 1738, and a committee was established to review the situation.  It was confirmed that house lot 5, consisting of 8 acres, belonged to Benjamin, along with another 60 acres near the Green River. However, he was required to allow a cart road to be laid through his land.

     On July 16, 1738, son Jonathan was baptized. On November 23, 1740, son Joseph was born. On October 2, 1743, son Lemuel (I) was baptized. Then on March 1, 1744, daughter Abigail married Joshua Hawks. Joshua Hawks was born January 25, 1722, to Eliezer Jr and Abigail (Wells). Joshua's father Eliezer Jr was born December 26, 1993 to Eliezer Sr and Judith Hawks. Eliezer Sr was the son of John Hawks, whose daughter Anna married Thomas Hastings (see Chapter 2).

     Beginning on April 23, 1746, Benjamin served in the militia under the command of Cpt. Thomas Wells. In 1750, he once again served as Selectman, and in this capacity verified the plan which laid out Green River Street on February 22, 1749. In 1751, daughter Mary married David Smead.

     The marriage to David Smead was very fortuitous.  He was born April 9, 1732 to Ebenezer and Abigail (Barnard) Smead. David's father Ebenezer had settled the family in Greenfield. David Smead was the town's first Justice of the Peace. On July 28, 1773, he was made church deacon. He was Selectmen in 1762 and 1767. In 1780, he assumed a larger role in town affairs, being elected representative to the state legislature. He was re-elected annually between 1780-1784, and 1786-1788. In 1788, he was elected to the state senate. This was followed by three more terms as representative. It is worth noting that David's granddaughter Melinda married Lemuel Hastings II, grandson of Benjamin II.  Thus, it is clear that Mary's marriage to David Smead provided a direct link to one of the most politically powerful men in Greenfield.

     On January 1, 1753, Benjamin's daughter Prudence married Ebenezer Graves. The Graves family is well known from Chapter 5, where it was noted that Benjamin I Hastings had married Elizabeth Graves, daughter of Isaac Graves.  Ebenezer Graves was born March 15, 1726, to Daniel and Thankful (Smead) Graves.  Daniel was the son of John Graves Jr, and grandson of John Graves Sr. The latter was the brother of Isaac Graves, whose daughter Elizabeth married Benjamin I.  Ebenezer was a soldier at Fort Massachusetts during the period 1746-1752, and was later a church deacon. Twice his home was used for school; in December 1768 and December 1770. Most notably, Ebenezer Graves served as a private in the company of Captain Timothy Childs of Colonel David Leonard's regiment. The company was raised February 24, 1777, Ebenezer served 1 month and twelve days at Ticonderoga. It should be noted here that Benjamin III, Ebenezer's brother-in-law also served in this unit (see Chapter 21).  Ebenezer was mobilized again In August 1777, serving again with Capt. Childs, although now part of Colonel David Field's regiment, during the alarm at Bennington on August 14, 1777.

     On July 3, 1753, the town of Greenfield held its first town meeting.  Benjamin stepped to the fore, being elected moderator, town clerk, constable, and sealer of leather.  He held the office of Town Clerk until 1768. On August 16, 1753, Benjamin was elected to a committee tasked with finding a minister for Greenfield, which led to the installment of Edward Billings as minister. In November 1753, he was one of the 12 founders of the Greenfield church. On November 19, 1753, he was appointed to a committee tasked with finding land for a cemetery.  In 1755, Benjamin was elected to the office of Selectman. This was the only time he held this office, but his son Benjamin III would later hold this office twice. It was also in 1755 that Benjamin and Ebenezer Smead were appointed to petition the General Court for relief to allow for the repairing of the roads.

     On August 23, 1756, an ambush by hostile tribesmen took place which involved Benjamin.  However, it should be noted that there is disagreement in the sources as to which Benjamin was involved.  Thompson clearly identifies the relevant Benjamin as Benjamin II.  In discussing the ages of those involved in the event, he states that Benjamin was "about" 64 years old. Sheldon does not provide Benjamin's age, but in the index to his work, he lists this event under the heading of Benjamin III. Willard does not make a specific identification.  In looking at the nature of the story, the view of Sheldon makes the most sense.  As concerns Thompson, it is noteworthy that he provides an incorrect age for Benjamin II. Born in 1699, he was 57 years old in 1756, and not 64 years old.  But more to the point, the only two men who survived the event were Benjamin and John Graves.  John's father Daniel Graves was killed.  Daniel was the father-in-law of Benjamin's sister Prudence.  John Graves was born December 29, 1739, and he was the younger brother of Ebenezer, born March 15, 1726 (see above).  Their father Daniel was born either January 28, 1697; or January 20, 1698. Thompson identifies Daniel Graves as 60 years old at the time of the ambush, Nathaniel Brooks as 49 years old, and Shubal Atherton as 36 years old. John Graves is identified as 16 years old. Sheldon identifies Daniel Graves as 58 years old, and Shubal Atherton as 36 years old.  In the story, only Benjamin and John Graves survive the ambush.  Both fled the scene together, running the Green River and across the Irish Plain.  If the relevant Benjamin is Benjamin III, he was twenty-eight years old.  Thus, the two youngest men in the group were able to outrun their attackers, making for a more likely conclusion. Thus, the position taken here is that the Benjamin of 1756 was Benjamin III, and that this date marked a transition point whereby Benjamin III became more active in Greenfield's military situation.

     At a church meeting on April 6, 1762, Benjamin II was elected deacon. One historian states that with his installment in April of 1672, Benjamin was the first deacon in the Greenfield Church, and for several years the only deacon. We hear one last time of Benjamin's role in the community. On March 7, 1768, he was appointed to committee tasked with finding a location for a second cemetery. Benjamin II died on August 16, 1774, and his wife Prudence died a month later on September 20, 1774. Both are buried in the High Street Cemetery, and their epitaphs read as follows:

  "Dean- Benjn Hastings Died Aug. 16th 1774 in the 76th year of His age."

  "Prudance Wife of Dean- Benjn Hastings Died Sept. 10 1774 in the ye "75th Year."

  It is perhaps Benjamin II, rather than Benjamin III, who is the subject of a notable declaration of tavern-keeper Aaron Denio.  As the story goes, Benjamin happened into Denio's tavern one day.  Denio turned to several people who were drinking in the tavern and declared:

  "Here you are a parcel of lazy drones, lounging about my barroom doing
nothing.  But here is Hastings, who never puts on his leggins and comes into the street
without earning a dollar.”