History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

378 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON, [1681-1688.
Another Grant for TliG Saw Mill question was again in agitaa
Saw Mill Site. tion in 1681, and a site for one was granted
to Richard and Thomas Lyman, Samnel
Wright and Samnel Parsons. They were to set np the mill
within a year, not to damage the corn mill on the same
stream, and if they abandoned the privilege it was to revert
to the town. The place designated was above Broughton's
Meadow.
A Bell Purchased A movement for the purchase of a bell for
for the Meeting
House. Suit enthe
meeting house was made in 1682. Pre-
.
, n •
tered to Recover
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i n ^ , ^
vious to this time the Only summous to pubthe
Wheat sent lie worship or to secular meetings had been
o pay or 1
. -^^ mcaus of a drum or trumpet. For ordinary
town meetings, the drum was sometimes beaten
through the streets the night before, and doubtless the
drummer "cried" the meeting at the same time. In September
the town "vottedto haue A good bell purchased
that so they might haue it for their vse to call the Towne
together on the Lords days and at other times. And Also
ordered the Selectmen to Labour to purchase a good Bell
that might be herd through the towne." ^ A bell was bargained
for and doubtless obtained, yet a drum was used to
notify a special town meeting in 1690. Some difficulty occurred
in reference to the payment for this bell. In March,
1688, Enos Kingsley was empowered by a vote of the town
"to Sue for the wheat sent down By M'' Stevens (to pay
for the Bell) which he pretends was spoiled : & so gives no
account for it." At the same time the selectmen were
ordered "speedily to Raise a Rate for money :
so much as
will fully discharge what money is still due for the payment
of the Bell." This bell was in use for about threequarters
of a century.
1 Throughout New England, in early times, meetings were warned by the drum or
trumpet, beaten or sounded in some instances from the top of the meeting house,
and in others through the street. Bells were substituted in the latter part of the
seventeenth century. It was customary to sound the trumpet or beat the drum at
nine o'clock at night. At Hartford in 1677, a hand bell was rung throughout Hartford
street, and at New Haven and in other places, the drum was beaten every morning
an hour before day.