Westfield, MA

Several of my ancestors lived in Westfield, in the early days of English settlement. Here I present the early history, with an emphasis on the genealogy of the ASHLEY, DEWEY, FOLWER, LEE, ROOT, TAYLOR families.

Woronoco

The area that became Westfield was called Woronoco, and was inhabited by the Pocumtuc tribe. This ancient village was about 7 miles west of the current location of Springfield, on the Woronoco (Worrinoke, or Agawam, later Westfield) River, which flows generally eastward, and empties into the Connecticut River at Springfield.

Sources

[HMB] The first century of the history of Springfield; the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders (1898) by Henry Martyn Burt, Vol I Vol II

[JHL] Westfield and its historic influences, 1669-1919; the life of an early town, with a survey of events in New England and bordering regions to which it was related in colonial and revolutionary times (1922) by John Hoyt Lockwood Vol I Vol II

Last updated 28 Jul 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.