The first settlers in Pequoig.
Two hundred and seventy years ago, during the last days of summer, the first five settlers along with their
wives, children and livestock, traveled through the woods from Hatfield to Pequoig to establish a new
community. These pioneers carried everything they could manage on their trek through the dense forests
and rough terrain. Richard Morton and Joseph Lord settled on the “east hill” which is the area we call Pleasant
Street. Samuel Morton, Ephraim Smith and John Smeed built their homes on “west hill” which was in the North
Orange/Moore Hill Road area. The distance of a few miles and a river separated these two settlements.
The first two houses in Pequoig were built on the east hill in the fall of 1735. The wives of both Richard Morton
and Joseph Lord were pregnant making their need for shelter a priority. One can imagine how primitive the
first houses must have been. The settlers most likely used green logs to build the home. There were no bricks
available in the area at this time, so field stones were used to create fireplaces that were used to heat the
home and cook meals. With only five men in the town during the first year or so, they must have joined forces
to build these structures together. At this time the nearest trading center was in Hardwick, which was 18 miles
away over rough terrain. The settlers made due with what they acquired from the land.
It is speculated that the three families from the “west hill” found shelter that first winter with either the Lords or
the Mortons. A fort was built in 1736 on the east hill to protect the families from Indian attacks. It was one
hundred feet square and made of upright logs. It was large enough for 20 families to gather at the “close of
day or for mutual safety and protection”. The fort’s well can still be seen in the yard at 834 Pleasant Street.
On the west hill the other pioneer families built homes. The oldest house in the town still stands at 53 Moore
Hill Road. It originally was a one-story two-room log cabin, built by Aaron Smith in 1736. The home was
enlarged by later generations of the Smith family and at one time served as a stagecoach stop and tavern. A
fort, similar to the one of the east hill, was built on the west hill in 1741. In 1850 Rev S.F. Clarke wrote in his
“Centennial Discourse”, “There are those still living in town who have heard their ancestors relate how, as
night spread its mantle of darkness over the forest, around their infant settlement, all would gather together in
the garrison and sit silently without lights, listening with a cautious ear to every external sound, querying if each
uncommon noise might not be the signal of danger from the hostile Indians.”
Ezekiel Wallingford was one settler whose meeting with the Indians is marked by one of the signs along the
Athol History Trail. The sign reads, “On August 17, 1746, Ezekiel Wallingford, thinking he heard bears
trampling his cornfield here left the fort to investigate. He was soon surrounded by Indians who shot and
scalped him dead.” It is said that his scalp was taken north by his native attackers for the reward which was
paid for English scalps.
Cemeteries for each village in the town of Pequoig were created in the early 1740s, one on each side of the
river. The cemetery for the east hill is located behind a home on lower Pleasant Street. Mt Pleasant
Cemetery, off North Orange Road, was the burial place for the residents of the west hill. Both cemeteries have
a variety of beautiful early stones. These stones are some of the earliest historic documents that we possess.
September is Athol History Month. For information about the Athol Historical Society’s Athol History Bus Tour -
sponsored by the Athol Clinton Cooperative Bank - please contact Susannah Whipps 978-249-4396, Debbie
Ellis 978-249-5835 or visit our website www.atholhistoricalsociety.com
Two hundred and seventy years ago, during the last days of summer, the first five settlers along with their
wives, children and livestock, traveled through the woods from Hatfield to Pequoig to establish a new
community. These pioneers carried everything they could manage on their trek through the dense forests
and rough terrain. Richard Morton and Joseph Lord settled on the “east hill” which is the area we call Pleasant
Street. Samuel Morton, Ephraim Smith and John Smeed built their homes on “west hill” which was in the North
Orange/Moore Hill Road area. The distance of a few miles and a river separated these two settlements.
The first two houses in Pequoig were built on the east hill in the fall of 1735. The wives of both Richard Morton
and Joseph Lord were pregnant making their need for shelter a priority. One can imagine how primitive the
first houses must have been. The settlers most likely used green logs to build the home. There were no bricks
available in the area at this time, so field stones were used to create fireplaces that were used to heat the
home and cook meals. With only five men in the town during the first year or so, they must have joined forces
to build these structures together. At this time the nearest trading center was in Hardwick, which was 18 miles
away over rough terrain. The settlers made due with what they acquired from the land.
It is speculated that the three families from the “west hill” found shelter that first winter with either the Lords or
the Mortons. A fort was built in 1736 on the east hill to protect the families from Indian attacks. It was one
hundred feet square and made of upright logs. It was large enough for 20 families to gather at the “close of
day or for mutual safety and protection”. The fort’s well can still be seen in the yard at 834 Pleasant Street.
On the west hill the other pioneer families built homes. The oldest house in the town still stands at 53 Moore
Hill Road. It originally was a one-story two-room log cabin, built by Aaron Smith in 1736. The home was
enlarged by later generations of the Smith family and at one time served as a stagecoach stop and tavern. A
fort, similar to the one of the east hill, was built on the west hill in 1741. In 1850 Rev S.F. Clarke wrote in his
“Centennial Discourse”, “There are those still living in town who have heard their ancestors relate how, as
night spread its mantle of darkness over the forest, around their infant settlement, all would gather together in
the garrison and sit silently without lights, listening with a cautious ear to every external sound, querying if each
uncommon noise might not be the signal of danger from the hostile Indians.”
Ezekiel Wallingford was one settler whose meeting with the Indians is marked by one of the signs along the
Athol History Trail. The sign reads, “On August 17, 1746, Ezekiel Wallingford, thinking he heard bears
trampling his cornfield here left the fort to investigate. He was soon surrounded by Indians who shot and
scalped him dead.” It is said that his scalp was taken north by his native attackers for the reward which was
paid for English scalps.
Cemeteries for each village in the town of Pequoig were created in the early 1740s, one on each side of the
river. The cemetery for the east hill is located behind a home on lower Pleasant Street. Mt Pleasant
Cemetery, off North Orange Road, was the burial place for the residents of the west hill. Both cemeteries have
a variety of beautiful early stones. These stones are some of the earliest historic documents that we possess.
September is Athol History Month. For information about the Athol Historical Society’s Athol History Bus Tour -
sponsored by the Athol Clinton Cooperative Bank - please contact Susannah Whipps 978-249-4396, Debbie
Ellis 978-249-5835 or visit our website www.atholhistoricalsociety.com
