The earliest material is now in the UMass library archives but there’s still more to come from the Hampshire Council of Government office.
This cabinet shows where the earliest Hampshire County records were stored in the Hampshire Council of Government's office dating back to 1677. These records are now with the University of Massachusetts special collections and university archives. The council is donating its archives to UMass.NORTHAMPTON - Michael Cote, an environmental planner, was working on a project for the city when Planning Director Wayne M. Feiden suggested Cote go over the Hampshire Council of Governments office to see if he could find an old map.
Cote said they were looking for an old parcel the city was thinking of buying for conservation and Feiden remembered seeing old maps at the council officer.
Lydia King, executive assistant took Cote into the large storeroom where the materials were kept and Cote said “I almost dropped dead. It was amazing.”
What he found were records dating back to 1677.
“It was stunning, stunning stuff.” Among the archives were court dockets kept by the court magistrate. Cote said he read of a dispute before the court between a husband and wife. On this particular complaint, the judge sentenced the woman to 40 lashes about the breast to be administered in public. While Cote was stunned by the punishment, he was also thinking “I shouldn’t be holding this” because of how old and fragile the document was. Cote, who also does work in historic preservation, and King were talking about what was there and King told him that that no one could get the stuff preserved. Cote said he took that has a challenge.
Now, two years later, the collection of materials is making its way to the University of Massachusetts Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives.
The announcement of the donation is being made Thursday morning at the council officer.
Cote said he had been hunting for someone who word preserve the material thinking it would be good for a private collector or historian but “I couldn’t find anyone reliable.” Someone suggested he contact Robert S. Cox, head of Special Collections and University Archives.
Cox, who’s a historian with a focus on the early period, said he was shocked by what was there. Not only was it a period he loved personally, but said, “I never thought it was possible that this quantity, this quality( of material was available.)”
The earliest material is now in the library possession but there’s still more to come from the council office.
The trove contains all kinds old county records, including a coroner’s inquest form from someone suspected of dying by witchcraft. There were records of someone being fined for wearing silk outside his social station, Cox said.
Cote remembers how when the discovered an early map of New Salem where Cox lives in an historic house, “he welled up,” seeing it.
Cox said the courts dealt frequently with cases involving illegitimate children, or negligence on the part of parents. There was as record of record of a black man found guilt of having sexual relations with a white woman. And both were whipped.
“Because it is so detailed, when you look at this material in connection with other material, you have a very detailed picture of the formation of the community,” Cox said.
There are all kinds of maps, records of road and bridge work among the collection. The hope to get it all up on line soon.
“This is a good thing for UMass, for the people of Western Massachusetts.” Cox said it will provide access to so many more people than it did while sitting in the council closet.