Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 30 Oct 23 - 09:23 AM

Here is an earlier source of the Nathan Torrey (proper spelling) link:

Berkshire County Eagle, February 20th, 1868, p. 2

An Old Settler - Dalton [Mass.], Feb. 19, 1868

EDITOR EAGLE:--The following newspaper clipping caught my attention recently:

"Nathan Torrey, formerly Hinsdale, read the Bible through seventy-two times by course. He was the first settler of the town, coming there at the time of the revolution, and died in 1819 at the age or 85."

There are but few perhaps who are aware that this same Nathan Torrey is the author of those celebrated lines commencing:

"On Springfield mountains there did dwell."

These lines will live as long as the Old Bay State itself, and the name of their author should be preserved and associated with them. The authorship has been claimed for a number of persons, but Rev. Dr. Stebbins in his history of Wilbraham, says "to Nathan Torrey belongs the honor of the authorship, if any reliance can be placed upon the most direct and authentic tradition upon the subject." I have looked in vain through this history to find some further mention of Mr. Torrey. It is probable that he was a native of Wilbraham but removed to Hinsdale not long after writing his Elegy on "Leftenant Merrick's Only Son" some time between 1761 and 1776.

There are persons living in this town who remember Mr. Torrey and there are doubtless those in Hinsdale who could give many interesting reminiscences of him. I believe he lived in the northen part of the town, near the present residence of Mr. Philander Booth. If I mistake not, the place of his burial is known, but no stone marks the spot. It seems to me that there are many people in Wilbraham and Hinsdale who would be pleased to see an appropriate monument erected to his memory and would gladly contribute money for that purpose. As I claim for my ancestor, one of the first settlers of old Wilbraham, Ensign Abel Bliss, whom tradition says "did carry six bushels of salt on his back all at one time," I feel an interest in whatever pertains to her history and earnestly desire to have her great poem kept fresh in the minds of the people and its author's name indissolubly connected with it. I write this hoping to draw out if possible more particulars in regard to Mr. Torrey.

When the steeple of the Congregational meeting house in Dalton was raised (about 1812) it is said that Parson Jennings called on Nathan Torrey for some poetry suitable to the occasion. Mr. T. looked up at the steeple, then around upon the minister and the people and gave utterance to the following:

"Little church, tall steeple,
Blind guide, ignorant people."

We do not learn how well the Parson and his flock relished the joke.

As I think the poem composed by Nathan Torrey should be handed down to the latest generations and therefore ought to be published often, I beg you will favor me by printing it herewith verbatim et literatim, also the inscription on the tombstone of the subject of his verse, as it is still to be seen in the old burying ground at Wilbraham.

Yours truly,
BLISS.

INSCRIPTION
Here lies ye Body of
Mr. TIMOTHY MIRICK,
Son of lieut. Thomas & Mrs. Marry Mirrick.
1 who died Aug. 7th, 1761, in ye 23rd year of his age.

He cometh forth like a
flower and is cut down
He fleeth also as a shadow
And comith not.

BITTEN BY RATTLE.SNAKE.

On Springfield mountains there did dwell
A likely youth who was known full well
Leftenant Mirick onley son
A likely youth nigh twenty-one

One friday morning he did go
in to the meadow and moe
A round or two then he did feal
A pisin sarpeat at his heal.

When he received his dedly wound
he dropt his sithe a pon the ground
And strate for home wase his intent
Calling aloude stil as he went

tho all around bid voys was hered
but none of his friends to him apiered
they thot it was some workmen called
and there poor Timothy alone must fall

So soon his careful father went
to seak his son with discontent
and there hes fond onley son he found
ded as a stone a pon the ground

And there he lay down sopose to rest
with both his hands acrost his brest
his mouth and eyes closed fast
And there poor man he slept his last

his father vieude his track with great consarn
Where he had ran across the corn
uneven tracks where he did go
did appear to stagger to and frow

The seventh of August sixty-one
this fatal axsident was done
Let this a warning be to all
to be Prepared when God does call

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 29 Oct 23 - 10:33 PM

Joe, I don't know if it existed back in 2003 when you linked to the Ballad Index, but Robert Waltz (who will hopefully soon also be seeing this thread) and his compatriots now has a page dedicated to the Springfield Mountain song: Springfield Mountain [Laws G16]

I did come across a version from 1821, reproduced below, from a Boston, Mass. weekly. I'll include the introductory text, which alludes that the song is older than that.

New England Galaxy, July 27th, 1821, p. 4:

Mr. Editor,

The following pathetic effusion was written several years since, by an attorney at law, who resided at Springfield, Massachusetts. It is, however, merely "a piece of a thousand others," (as the Major says) which I have seen in that flourishing town, from the pen of the same great poet. Were it not to please the dear, bewitching, tender-hearted, smooth-faced creature, "Lydia Languish," who appears so bloomingly in your last paper *, I should not have troubled you to insert it in the Galaxy. Yours, affectionately, CONSERVE OF ROSES.

SENTIMENTAL DITTY. -- "Founded on Fact."

On Springfield Mountains there did dwell,
A likely youth, who was known full well;
A likely youth, 'bout twenty-one,
Lieutenant Curtis' only son!

Last Monday morning he did go
Down in the meadow for to mow,
He mow'd all round, at length did feel,
Some poison serpent bite his hell [sic].

He laid his scythe down on the ground,
And with his eyes he looked around,
But not a soul could he descry,
To carry him home when he should die.

The serpent's bite began to smart,
The venom had nearly reach'd his heart;
He cried aloud, but no one came
To help poor Curtis, who was so lame!

At last this youth "gave up the ghost,"
And to Abraham's bosom he did post,
Crying all the way as he went,
O cruel, cruel, serpent!

Now readers all, pray drop a tear,
For the unhappy youth who slumbers here;
From his sad fate a warning take,
And shun the poison of a snake!

* Perhaps finding the request could add a bit more detail to the song, but the OCR searches of preceding issues aren't turning up much, and I'm not dedicated enough to pour over pages of small, scratchy microfilm to find something which will provide inconsequential detail at most.

---

I don't know if the Traditional Ballad Index esisted in 2003. I think it did, but not on the Web. I've been using it and posting its contents for a long time. I was just recently appointed to the Board of the Ballad Index. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 30 Oct 23 - 08:28 PM

Below is the text of Rev. Dr. Rufus P. Stebbins, referenced in the Berkshire County Eagle article above. Reference: An historical address, delivered at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Wilbraham, June 15, 1863, by Rufus P. Stebbins, pp. 66-67,

No literary productions have come down from this period except the precinct records... and a celebrated poem, on the death of "Leut. Thomas Mirick's only Son," who "dyed, August 7th, 1761, By the Bite of a Ratle Snake, Being 22 years, two months and three days old, and very nigh marridge," as faithful Clark Warner records. This poem had a wide circulation in both manuscript and print, and is the great Elegy of the "Mountains." Like the author of another immortal poem, the Iliad, its author and his residence are alike mythical; but his work and his fame have endured....

Longmeadow and Ludlow and Springfield will strive to rob Wilbraham of the honor of giving him birth and guarding his ashes, they cannot rob us of the unspeakable glory of having within our borders the grave of the immortal subject of the poem. Without waiting to invoke the aid of muses or gods, either sacred or profane, the poet, seized and carried away with the magnitude and inspiration of his subject, burst forth,—

"On Springfield Mountains there did dwell
A Likely youth who was known full well,
Leutenant Mirick's only sone
A likely youth nigh twenty-one."

I may well be excused from repeating the pathetic lines which follow, as I am informed that better justice can be done them by the plaintive music of "ye olden tyme" in which they will be sung after we are refreshed at the table. [1]

[1] ((This note references Appendix G, which quotes the poem exactly as above, with the title "ELEGY ON THE YOUNG MAN BITTEN BY A RATTLESNAKE," plus)):

I hardly overstated the variety of claimants, or rather authors, to whom this Elegy(?) is attributed, — to Daniel or Jesse Carpenter, to a young lady to whom young Merrick was engaged, and to Nathan Torrey. The latter has the honor of authorship, if any reliance can be placed upon the most direct and authentic tradition on the subject. The original hi been tampered with by editors. I have done my best to approach the author's copy.

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 30 Oct 23 - 08:51 PM

As to the third asserted author above, "a young lady to whom young Merrick," a history on the descendants of John Dwight (The history of the descendants of John Dwight, of Dedham, Mass. by Benjamin W. Dwight, pp. 450-452), notes that this wife was one Sarah Lamb, who eventually wedded Capt. Justus White (1739-1824) of Belchertown, Mass. in 1763. Sarah was born 1736 and passed 1832. The relevant portion reads:

It was concerning the first lover (Mr. Merrick of Wilbraham, Mass.), of his wife, Sarah Lamb, that the doggerel was written, "A pizin sarpint bit his heel." It had originally a dozen or more verses in it, and was sung very much all over the land. "Yankee Hill" used to sing it often, and always "through his nose," and with appropriate twirls and twangs of voice, beginning thus "I'll sing you a song of the olden time:

" 'On Springfield mountains there did dwell,' " etc.

It is sung also nowadays, at times, at "Old Folks' Concerts." It ran thus:

"On Wilbraham Mountings there did dwell,
A lovely youth who's known full well,
Lieutenant’s Merrick’s only son,
A lovely youth not twenty-one.

On Mondy morning he did go
Out in the meadows for to mow;
He moughed about till he did feel
A pizin sarpint bite his heel.

When he received his mortal wound,
He cast his scythe upon the ground;
And homeward then was his intent
Crying aloud long as he went.

His costly robes were laid aside,
Which did promote his youthful pride;
A coffin and a winding sheet
Did dress his body most complete.

’Twas Sixteenth of August, Sixty-one,
When this sad accident was done;
May this a warning be to all,
To be prepared when God doth call."

It is said that this effusion was sometimes sung at religious meetings in some parts of the land. If so, it must have been only where both religion and education were at a low ebb.

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 01:55 PM

Perhaps the best history of this song comes from the liner notes of Sam Hinton's The Wandering Son (Folkways FA2401), released 1966. I've included his notes in the five subsequent posts below:

7. Springfield Mountain I

Often cited as perhaps the first English-language ballad to have originated in North America, "Springfield Mountain" is based on actual incident. On an August afternoon in 1761, 22-year-old Timothy Myrick died as the result of a bite by a rattlesnake (doubtless the timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus horridus), inflicted while Timothy was mowing in a hayfield near Farmington, Connecticut. He was buried near his father's home in Springfield Mountain (now Wilbraham), Massachusetts, which was given as the site of the tragedy in the first known versification of the incident; this was in Joseph Fiske's Rhymed Almanac for 1765. [1]

It is not certain whether people put a tune to the Fiske verses or whether the song was not sung until quite a bit later. There is reason to believe that the song itself did not start until 1832, when it may have been composed and sung as part of a pageant commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Springfield Mountain. It is also possible that this version was written -- or at least approved by -- Mrs. Sarah Dwight who had, as Miss Sarah Lamb,
been engaged to the unfortunate Timothy some 70 years earlier. However it started, it got to be a pretty popular song in the early and middle 1800's. The words I sing here are from a diary written in 1849 by a resident of Springfield Mountain, and later published in the Bulletin of the Folk-Song Society of the Northeast. The tune I learned from a sailor in the San Diego Naval Hospital in 1944; he sang it with some of the later comic words, but I have always felt that the old tragic words were best suited to it.

In Springfield Mountain there did dwell
A likely lad, I knew full well.
Leftenant Myrick's only son,
A likely lad of twenty-one.

One early morning this lad did go
Down in the meadow the hay to mow;
He scarce had mowed twice round the field
When a pizen sarpint bit his heel.

Soon as he felt that deadly wound
He threw his scythe down on the ground.
Straightway for home was his intent,
Crying aloud still as he went.

The neighbors round, his voice did hear,
But none to him did thus appear,
Thinking for workmen he did call,
And so alone this lad did fall.

His careful father as he went,
Seeking his son was his intent.
And soon his only son he found,
Cold as a stone upon the ground.

In seventeen hundred and sixty-one
'Twas this sad accident was done;
Let it be warning unto all
To be prepared when God doth call.

[1] Here, Hinton almost certainly meant "The Ten Year's Almanack" by Joseph Fisk, though I've been unable to find a digital copy to confirm.

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 01:56 PM

8. Springfield Mountain II

Parody is one of the most important forces in the shaping of American folksong. "Springfield Mountain" was subjected to the indignities of parody around 1840; Joseph Spear, a vaudeville performer, used to pretend to be a New England country bumpkin, and burlesqued the songs that were taken seriously by the country people. (Sort of an early-day Smothers Brothers, he was.) In a way, he was ridiculing the people, and, in a way, the joke was on him -- for the people took the song back into their oral tradition, and it entered a new and more vigorous life as a comic number. Here is what Joseph spear did to it, using for a tune a slowed-down version of the English fiddle tune, "Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife. "

In Springfield Mountain, there did dwell
A likely lad, I knowed him well.
Leftenant Myrick's only son,
A likely lad of twenty-one.

CHORUS: Ri too dee noo, ri too dee nay,
Ri too dee noo, ri toodle de day.

Now one fine day this lad did go
Down in the meadow, the hay to mow.
He scarce had mowed twice round the field
When a pesky sarpint bit his heel.

CHORUS:

"Oh, Johnny dear, why did you go
Down in the meadow the hay to mow?"
"Oh, Molly dear, I thought you knowed --
When the hay gets ripe, it must be mowed!"

CHORUS:

Now Molly had two ruby lips
With which the pizen she did sip.
But Molly had a rotten tooth --
And so the pizen killed them both.

CHORUS:

And so they died, guv up the ghost,
And off to Heaven they did post
A-crying loud still as they went --
"Oh, cruel, cruel, ser-pi-ent!"

CHORUS:

Now all young men this warning take,
And don't get bit by no rattlesnake;
And mind, when you're in love, don't pass
Too near to patches of tall grass.

CHORUS:

(NOTE: Milton Lev of the Sacremento Folksong Society didn't think it fair that there should be no warning for the ladies as well as for the young men, so he made up another stanza which fits beautifully:

For all young ladies, the warning's clear --
Oh, see your dentist twice a year!

CHORUS:

I sang that once at Sonoma State College, and a student came up afterward, having dashed off still another warning couplet -- this time aimed at the unfortunate rattlesnakes!

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 01:58 PM

9. Rattlesnake Mountain

This great Arkansas version I got from Jimmie Driftwood, who likes to point out that the labial suction applied by the heroine was, in this case, successful, and the patient survived. But then he had to marry the girl, and it seems sort of an open question as to which fate was the worse.... Jimmie is not sure about it, but thinks he may have made up one or two of these verses himself.

Oh Rattlesnake Mee-wi-mountain I did dwee-wi-dwell;
I heard a stee-wi-story I'm gonna tee -wi-tell,
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
A nice young mee-wi-man in the month of Mee-Mi-May
Went down to the fee-wi-field for to mow his hee-wi-hay.
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

He had not mee- mi -mowed around the fee-wi-field --
Come rattle, come snee-wi-snake, and it bit him on the hee-wi-heel.
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
He jumped up hee-wi-high and looked all a ree-ri-round,
Then he closed his ee-wi-eyes and he fell to the geeWi-ground,
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

He cried "Little bee-wi-bird, go tell my gee-wi-gal
I'm a-rattlesnake bee-wi-bit, and I need my See-Wi-Sall"
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
So the little bird flee-wi-flew and spread the nee-wi-news;
And here come See-Wi-Sally without any shee-wi-shoes.
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

"Oh, Johnny dee-wi-dear, why did you gee-wi-go
Down in the fee-wi-field, the hay for to mee-mi-mow? "
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
"Oh, Sally dee-wi-dear, I thought you knee-wi-knowed,
When the hay gets ree-ri-ripe, it's got to be mee-wi-mowed. "
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

"Oh Johnny dee-wi-dear, I'll save your lee-wi-life,
If I may bee -wi-be your sweet little wee-wi-wife. "
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
She grabbed his lee-wi-leg, which made him squee-wisqueal,
And sucked the poison blood all out of his hee-wi-heel.
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

So all young mee-wi-men, this warning tee-wi-take;
Don't never get bee-wi-bit by a rattle-copper-snee-wisnake.
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.
When a rattlesnake bee-wi-bites -- you're bit for the rest of your life!
Come a roo di, roo di, roo.

There are scores of versions of this song in which syllables are twisted and repeated in a sort of pig-latin. Note the pervasive effects of personal familiarity with the symbolism of the folk tradition; even in the midst of all this nonsense, a bird is pulled into the story in its usually serious role of watcher and disseminator of the news.

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 02:00 PM

10. Springfield County

Many people, hearing or reading the old Spear version of "Springfield Mountain" have wrongly thought it to be a song that the old folks had naively taken seriously, and have felt called upon to ridicule it. Thus, some of the later songs appear to be parodies upon a song not recognized by the parodists as being already parody! I think something like that prompted this one, which was printed by the late Prof. Harold W. Thompson in his great collection of folklore from New York State, Body, Boots, and Britches. His informant had learned it at Albany Normal College in 1883.

In Springfield County, there did dwell
A likely lad, I knowed him well.
And Obed Squashbine was his name,
And Dolly Smythe his charming flame.

Now Obed he, as you must know,
Did earn a heap a-shovelling snow.
And when the weather it was good,
He earned some more a sawring wood.

One early morning, before 'twas light,
He was sawring wood with all his might.
He hadn't sawred more'n half a cord
When his three fingers off he sawred!

No Obed, when he saw the blood,
Just like an aspen leaf he stood.
Then up he picked his fingers quick,
And run to Dolly, lickety-split.

He run till h e came to Dolly'S door,
And fell "kerplop I" upon the floor.
"Oh Dolly, Dolly -- come here quick;
I've sawred my fingers for a stick!"

So Dolly forthwith she did run,
To get a doctor to sew them on.
But Dolly, being out of breath,
Straightway fell down and froze to death.

So all the neighbors to him did run,
And said to Obed, "Come, oh come!"
And Obed, when he Dolly saw,
He up and died of the lockjaw.

They buried them down in the sand,
Obed a-holding Dolly's hand.
Their weeping friends, they stood around,
And with their tears they soaked the ground

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: cnd
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 02:01 PM

11. Old Jabo

Words and music by Sonny Terry. "Springfield County" gave rise to a lot of floating stanzas, and you'll find a whole raft of songs which have somebody running across a field, getting bitten by a snake, and falling to the ground. When Sonny Terry wanted to make up a song in honor of his brother whose nickname is Old Jabo, he had recourse to these -- and other -- floating stanzas, and incorporated a song of genuine originality. In this song, by the way -- as in all the songs on this record -- I am more concerned with reproducing the content than the form, or style, and my harmonica produced only the feeblest ghost of Sonny's magnificent sound.

Now, Old Jabo run across that field,
And a big black snake bit him on the heel.

Old Jabo tried his best --
Fell right back in a hornet's nest.

Up he jumped and away he ran --
And you couldn't catch the fool in an aeroplane.

Old Jabo don't have no shoes;
That's why he's got them running blues.

Now Old Jabo promised me
Before he died he'd make a will for me.

But he lived so long till his head got bald,
And got out of the notion of dying at all.

Old Jabo, fare you well;
I know something I ain't gone tell.

Subject: RE: Origins: Rattlesnake Mountain/Springfield Mountain
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 26 - 02:11 PM

About 50 years ago my father (John Dwyer) took a meandering trip east with his youngest child and they visited family spots but also made a point of going to the apparent origin of this event in the song. I'll have to look and see if he made any notes.