Historically important manuscript regarding Savoy, Massachusetts, 1777

Description

Historically important document related to the settling of Savoy, Massachusetts in Berkshire County. This document is dated October 17, 1777, the year of the town’s settling and identifies it only as Township of Land granted to William Bullock on April 22, 1771 lying on Hoosac Mountain in the County of Berkshire. The document specifically discusses the settlement of the town. Savoy began its existence within the Massachusetts Colony as part of “Northern Berkshire Township #6”, which included the present-day towns of Adams, North Adams, Cheshire and Lanesborough. The land was auctioned off several times before it was finally purchased by Colonel William Bullock (1716-1810) of Rehoboth. He surveyed the town of Savoy which had been granted to the soldiers who served in the French and Indian Wars. The area he surveyed was called “Bullock’s Grant. Savoy, or “New Seconk” as it was originally called by its inhabitants. It was first settled in 1777 by a group led by Colonel Lemuel Hathaway. The town was officially incorporated in 1797, and was supposedly named for the land’s resemblance to the Duchy of Savoy in France. The town started off with an agrarian industry, before several lumber mills took off in town. The town was very diverse religiously, with several faiths practicing by the mid-19th century. Today the town is mostly a quiet rural community, known for its scenery and natural beauty. At the start of the Revolutionary War, Bullock was identified as a Tory sympathizer, believing that the differences with England could be worked out peaceably without resorting to war. He was eventually exonerated and continued as a Colonel in the Bristol Co. Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia during the War, a position he was appointed to in 1769. Condition: Separated along fold. Size: 11″x2″.