Historical Collections, by John Warner Barber

244

CONWAY.

near Deacon McGee's. Hezekiah Smith, from Woodstock, in Connecticut, settled about two miles shout-west down the North river. Thomas Fox and Deacon Moses Johnson were early settlers. Deacon Elliot Harroun and Joseph Thompson settled near Hugh McClallen, in the north-western part of the town.

In May, 1746, Matthew Clark, with his wife and daughter, and two soldiers, were fired upon by the Indians. Clark was killed, and his wife and daughter wounded. One of the soldiers returned the fire and killed one of the enemy, which gave them a check, and the wounded were brought into the fort and saved. In July, David Morrison was captured by the Indians. In 1756, John Morrison and John Henry were wounded near Morrison's fort, but getting on to a horse, made their escape. The enemy burned a house and killed some cattle on North river. In 1759, John McCown and his wife were captured, and their son was killed.

CONWAY.

This town was incorporated in 1767. The first minister of the place was Rev. John Emerson, who settled here in 1769. At this time the town contained but 400 or 500 inhabitants. Mr. Emerson afterwards shrewdly remarked, that when he came "it was literally John preaching in the wilderness." He lived to see a population of about 2000 souls. Mr. Emerson was eminently a prayerful and devoted minister of the gospel. "For several of his last years he had an impediment in his speech; it was, however, scarcely perceptible in his devotional exercises, showing it was more natural for him to pray than to converse." Rev. Edward Hitchcock was settled as colleague with Mr. Emerson in 1821. Mr. Emerson died in 1826, aged 80. Mr. Hitchcock was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Crosby, in 1827.

The following is a southern view of the central part of Conway, as it appears from the road passing over the elevated ground south from the village. The village, which consists of about thirty dwelling-houses and other buildings, lies principally in a narrow valley between two elevated hills, the one westward called Beal's Hill, the one eastward Billing's Hill. South river, a mill-stream, passing into Deerfield river, divides the village into two parts. There are two churches in the village, one a Congregational, the other a Baptist church. The Congregational church is seen in the engraving in the southern part of the village. The Baptist church is without a spire, and stands in the northern part, on elevated ground. Distance, 7 miles S. W. from Greenfield, and 100 from Boston. Population 1,445.

In 1837, there was one cotton mill, 924 spindles; cotton consumed, 10,045 lbs.; cotton goods manufactured, 151,140 yards, valued at $16,625; males employed, 8; females, 20; capital invested, $10,000. One woolen mill, which manufactured 3,500 yards of cloth, which employed 18 hands. There were in the town