The first settlements in the Connecticut valley were made from Cambridge, Dorchester, and Watertown, Mass., to the towns of Windsor, Hartford, and Weathersfield in Connecticut. This migration took place in 1634–’35. It was of a wholesale character, almost depopulating those towns in the eastern part of Massachusetts. Along with this exodus there was another from Roxbury, Mass., led by William Pynchon in May, 1636. This migration settled on the eastern bank of the Connecticut in Springfield, Mass. Middletown, Conn., was settled soon after and may possibly have been called after Middletown in Ireland. Among the early records of Springfield, Mass., we find that Henry Chapin sold to John Riley sixteen acres of land running 120 rods along the west side of the Connecticut river, Nov. 4, 1684, the property being described in the record as “West of the Connecticut River and north from the Riley tract,” which would indicate that the 16 acres was an additional tract to other lands previously owned by some member of the Riley family. The sale was witnessed by Miles Morgan, who made his mark in the form of a pick axe and the deed was recorded by John Holyoke. This is a part of the territory known as “Ireland Parish” and is the present site of the Holy Family Institute for orphan children at Brightside. Col. John Cummings purchased the territory of Cummington, Mass., of the government, June 2, 1762, for £1,800. This town furnished to American literature the poet William Cullen Bryant. He was the son of Dr. Peter Bryant and was born on Nov. 3, 1794. As a poet he ranks among the best. His productions are marked by great simplicity and clearness of expression, pure morality, a genial and gentle philosophy, and a well-tempered imagination, combined with a superior comprehension. Both names, Cullen and Bryant or Bryan, are distinctively of Irish origin, but are often called English, like many of the earlier Irish immigrants. Among the Revolutionary soldiers from Cummington, the last survivor was Daniel Timothy, born Jan. 7, 1755. He was in the service during the entire war and lived to be over 100 years old. He was known by the name of “Teague,” which is Irish for Timothy, and this is the name given him in his pension certificate. Felt’s history states that the town of Greenwich, Mass., was settled about the year 1732, by an Irish colony, and among the names of the first families are Powers, Hynds, Patterson, Cooley, Rogers, and Gibbs. Capt. N. Powers was a descendant of the Powers from Ireland, as was also Mr. Patterson, who died April 19, 1811, at the age of 79 years. In the Revolutionary struggle the men were patriotic, and furnished their full quota for the war.