History of Gill, Massachusetts, USA

On the sleepy morning of May 19, 1676 in present-day Gill, Massachusetts, a band of English colonists under the command of Captain William Turner fell upon the poorly guarded Indian village of Peskeompscut near the falls at dawn, slaughtering many of its inhabitants. More than 300 native people were killed (including many women and children), while only one colonist died in the surprise attack. There is still a marker commemorating the incident in Gill.

Gill, Massachusetts
Franklin county. A mountainous township on the W. side of Connecticut river; 86 miles W. by N. from Boston and 5 E.N.E. from Greenfield. Gill contains a fine tract of rich intervale on a bend of the Connecticut. The people are generally engaged in farming. The town is divided from Greenfield by Fall river. It has some manufactures of combs, wooden ware, leather and palm-leaf hats. The fleeces of 1,809 sheep weighed 5,627 poinds, and were valued, in 1837, at $2,214. Population, 1837, 809. Taken from Deerfield in 1793.

This town, originally a part of Deerfield, was named in honor of Moses Gill, Lieut. Governor of the State at the time the town was incorporated.

Gill is situated on the point made by a great bend of the Connecticut, and is separated from Greenfield by a small stream, called Fall River, because it enters the Connecticut near Turner's Falls, the most interesting falls in the State.

Just above these falls, a Captain Turner, with one hundred and sixty men, from Hadley, surprised and killed about three hundred Indians; but soon afterwards King Philip, with about one thousand Indians, came upon them, and Turner was killed in Greenfield, on the retreat. The rest, under Captain Holyoke, were routed, and many were slain before they reached Hatfield, through Deerfield, which afforded them no shelter, having been burned the year before.

The land is fertile, and agriculture is the main business of the inhabitants.

Distance from Greenfield, 5 miles; from Boston,...

This town was formerly a part of Deerfield; it was incorporated in 1793. It received its name in honor of Lieutenant Governor Moses Gill. The church records have been lost, but it is supposed that the Congregational church was organized in 1793. The first minister was Rev. John Jackson, who was settled in 1798; his successor, Rev. Jabez Munsell, was settled in 1802; the next minister, Rev. Josiah W. Canning, was settled in 1806. The township is situated on a great bend of Connecticut river, and contains much fertile land. It lies on the west side of the Connecticut, and is separated from Greenfield by Fall river. There are two churches, 1 Congregational and 1 Methodist, both situated in the small viilage in the central part of the town. Population, 809. Distance, 5 miles E. N. E. of Greenfield, 15 S. of Brattleborough, Vt., and 86 westerly from Boston.

Near the point where the boundaries of this town, Montague and Greenfield meet, there is in the Connecticut the most interesting...

Gill, a post-township of Franklin co., Massachusetts, on the W. side of Connecticut river, 10 miles W. S. W. from Boston. Population, 754.

GILL, a township in Franklin co., in the state of Massachusetts, 98 m. W by N of Boston, on the W side of the Connecticut river. Pop. 798.