"/give theft Boots fyr,jffie founding ef.a, CalUgt in tftif .Colony" HISTORY WESTERIS MASSACHUSETTS. THE COUNTIES 07 HAMPDEN, HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND BERKSHIRE. EMBRACING AN OUTLINE, OR GENERAL HISTORY, OF THE SECTION, AN ACCOUNT OP ITS SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS AND LEADING INTERESTS, AND SEPARATE HISTORIES OF ITS ONE HUNDRED TOWNS. JOSIAH GILBERT HOLLAND. fit «ran !oliit0 an ft €^xtt $arts. VOL. n.— Part m. SPRINGFIELD: PUBLISHED BT SAMUEL BOWLES AND COMPANY. 185 5. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1855, by SAMUEL BOWLES & COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. SAMUEL BOWLES & COMPANY, Printers and Stereotypes. CONTENTS OF PART THIRD. HISTORIES OF THE TOWNS OF HAMPDEN COUNTY. Page. Page. BLANDFORD, 7 MONTGOMERY, 99 BRIMFIELD, 15 PALMER, 101 CHESTER, 34 RUSSELL, 110 CHICOPEE, 43 SOUTHWICK, 112 GRANVILLE, 58 SPRINGFIELD, 118 HOLLAND, 68 TOLLAND, 138 HOLYOKE, 70 WALES, 139 LONGMEADOW, 77 WESTFIELD, 141 LUDLOW, 83 WEST SPRINGFIELD, 147 MONSON, 80 WILBRAHAM, 155 HISTORIES OF THE TOWNS OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. AMHERST, 164 MIDDLEFIELD, 240 BELCHERTOWN, 175 NORTHAMPTON, 244 CHESTERFIELD, 183 PELHAM,» 258 CUMMINGTON, 189 PLAINFIELD, 262 EASTHAMPTON, 194 PRESCOTT,* 267 ENFIELD, 200 SOUTH HADLEY, 269 GOSHEN, 203 SOUTHAMPTON, 276 GRANBY, 207 WARE, 282 GREENWICH, - 211 WESTHAMPTON, 290 HADLEY, 214 WILLIAMSBURG, 296 HATFIELD,HUNTINGTON, 229 237 1 WORTHINGTON, 302 CONTENTS. HISTORIES OF THE TOWNS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY. Page. Fase. ASHFIELD, 309 LEYDEN, 389 BERNARDSTON, 317 MONROE, 393 BUCKLAND, 325 MONTAGUE, 393 CHARLEMONT, 327 NEW SALEM, 399 COLERAINE, 336 NORTHFIELD, 405 CONWAY, 346 ORANGE, 412 DEERFIELD, 351 ROWE, 419 ERVING, 362 SHELBURNE, 422 GILL, 363 SHUTESBURY, 428 GREENFIELD, 367 SUNDERLAND , 437 HAWLEY, 377 WARWICK, 445 HEATH, 379 WENDELL, 452 LEVERETT, 385 WHATELY, 459 HISTORIES OF THE TOWNS OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY. ADAMS, 463 NEW ASHFORD, 531 ALFORD, 470 ¦NEW MARLBOROUGH, 533 BECKET, 471 OTIS, 540 CHESHIRE, 475 PERU, 543 CLARKSBURG, 479 PITTSFIELD, 547 DALTON, 480 RICHMOND, 561 EGREMONT, 485. ¦6ANDISFIELD, 569 FLORIDA, 489 SAVOY, 577 GREAT BARRINGTON, 491 SHEFFIELD, 581 HANCOCK, 496 STOCKBRIDGE, 585 •HINSDALE, 501- TYRINGHAM, 597 LANESBOROUGH, 508 WASHINGTON, 602 LEE, 514 WEST STOCKBRIDGE, 604 LENOX, 522 WILLIAMSTOWN, 608 MONTEREY, 526 WINDSOR, 615 MOUNT WASHINGTON, 529 PART III TOWN HISTORIES HISTORY OF THE TOWNS OF HAMPDEN COUNTY. BLANDFORD. The settlement of the boundary line between Massa chusetts and Connecticut, in 1713, threw the town of Suf- field into Connecticut. In 1732, the Legislature of Mas sachusetts Bay, in compliance with the petition of the owners of common and undivided lands in that town, at the time the line was run, granted to them an equivalent tract of six miles square, and this tract is now covered by the town of Blandford. Christopher Jacob Lawton, then of Suffield, became the purchaser of this tract, and, in 1735, conveyed two undivided fourth parts of the town ship to Francis Wells and John Faye, and another fourth part to Francis Brinley of Roxbury. Messrs. Lawton, Wells, Faye and Brinley thus became equally the proprie tors of the township. There is interesting early history contained in the following statement, in the hand-writing of Francis Brinley, not before published : — " It's generally well known in your parts that Mr. Christo pher Jacob Lawton obtained a grant for a tract of land called now Blandford, alias New Glasco, and in the time of it, in order to carry on the settlement, took in two partners for one- half, viz : Capt. Francis Welds and Mr, John Fay. Some 8 BLANDFORD. time after, I bought of said Lawton one-half of his remain ing half, (exclusive of all charges) which entitles each of u3 to one-quarter part. But I should have observed, before 1 was concerned they had agreed with 45 families to settle it, from a place called Hopkinton, and articled with them, amongst whom was one Hugh Hamilton, who could not go by reason he could not sell his interest there ; so, by much importunity of him and his friends, being a man pretty well approved amongst them, I purchased his farm, (and one or his neighbors') to get them up to Glasco, and I soon sold them to loss. However, I gave them obligations for money and lands in Glasco. The money part I long since paid, and this man, if I remember right, was to have 300 acres, and (to oblige him, which he was to impart to no one living,) I promised him to choose out of one of my lotts, when I could certainly know where my right was ; and accordingly, a surveyor was appointed to divide it, and lay it out in 500-acre lotts, and before he had finished it, or even markt and bounded them, the General Court overhald-the grant, (which made some dis turbance) and ordered a committy, and had it new surveyed, and found Mr. Lawton had a mile or thereabouts more than was conformable to their grant. But finally they granted the overplus, as I took it, to all of us, on condition that we settled sixteen famelys more. But how it happened I know not, this second grant was done in Welds' and Fay's names only. But they have always told me and Lawton that we were and should be equally entitled to it with them, and that they would give us a quit-claim, in order to make good a division we were about to make above mentioned, but they have nev er done it, (more than by promise) though often requested. This I told said Hamilton, and others concerned in Glasco, three or four years agoe, and hearing he was uneasy and threatening, I wrote him I was willing to doe it, if he'd appoint when, but I thought it was a pity to let him pitch at uncertainty, and I always was and am as willing to doe it (and doe him justis) as he can be to have it, and it has been retarded on no other account on my side. But such are the circumstances often in such new settlements, that it's almost imposssible — if men are soe unequal in their demands, with out the least injury don to them. But by what I can learn, what has moved him to this resentment, or at least to give a handle to it, is as I have sold to four men a lott of 470 acres. in order to perform my quarter part of the settlers to the last grant above mentioned, in order to qualify me to my full quarter part as above hinted, with Welds and. Fay, that there might not any longer remain any difficulty not being named in the second grant, and I have sold for £70 less than others BLANDFORD. 9 in order to perform my part therein, with a long credit. Now behold nothing will serve said Hamilton, as I am told, but 300 acres out of that lott which I can't recall." This statement, evidently made to an attorney, was drawn out by a suit commenced by Hamilton, and inci dentally tells some of the most important facts touching the earliest history of the town. However fairly Mr. Brinley was disposed to deal with Mr. Hamilton, he states one fact connected with the survey of the town more mildly than it will bear. The surveyor employed by the four proprietors (probably under the direction of Mr. Lawton) surveyed a township seven miles square, instead of six, the limit of the grant. The Legislature doubtless became aware of this operation, and obliged the proprie tors to procure fifty settlers immediately, as an offset to the slice taken without liberty. Of these, were the Hop- kinton men, spoken of by Mr. Brinley, with one of whom he had his difficulty. The settlers were promised two six ty-acre lots, " one of which should be located on the main street as it now runs, and the other in the Easterly part of the town, well known by the name of the second division." Previous to the emigration of the mass of settlers, a num ber of young men went forward as pioneers, to select a route, and erect habitations. They reached the center of the town in the latter part of April, 1735. They were welcomed by a terrible snow storm, that continued three days, and inflicted great suffering upon them. In the fol lowing Autumn, came the " first families," Hugh Black and his family being foremost. The following are among the earliest family names: — Reed, McClinton, Taggart, Brown, Anderson, Hamilton, Wells, Blair, Stewart, Mont gomery, Boise, Ferguson, Campbell, Wilson, Sennett, Young, Knox and Gibbs. Wm. H. Gibbs, a descendant of Israel Gibbs, has written a history of Blandford, in which he states that the first team driven into the town was owned by Israel Gibbs, and was driven, attached to a cart, by Widow Moses Carr. Israel Gibbs, Jr., was the first child born in the town. The first settlers of Bland ford suffered very serious hardships. In 1737, the four proprietors of Blandford who had hitherto owned the township in common, signed a deed of partition, apportioning between themselves the fifty-one 10 BLANDFORD. lots into which the town had been divided, Mr. Lawton becoming the proprietor of lots numbered respectively L 5, 10, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 36, 40, 44, 49, and 32 ; Mr. Brin ley, lots 4, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 84, 39, 41, 48, 11, and Ui Fwuyas Wells, lots 3, 7, 21, 25, 29, 35, 37, 43, 47, and 51; and John Faye, lots 2, 6, 9, 16, 20, 24, 28, 33, 38, 45, 4b, and 42. These numbers are taken from a printed copy w the deed as found in Gibbs' history, and the aggregate number wiU be found to fall four short of the number ot the 51 lots divided. The town during its early history was known by the name of New Glasgow, but it took the name of Blandford at its incorporation, April 10, 1741. The name was con ferred by Gov. Shirley who had, a short time before, ar rived in the province, in a ship bearing the name of Bland ford. The town was a frontier town, was less prosperous in consequence of that fact, and received many favors from the General Court. Forty bushels of salt was among the benefactions of the State. In common with other towns in the vicinity, it suffered to some extent from the hostilities of the Indians, in the French and Indian wars. Blandford was the locality of an important fort, erected and sustained by the Government. While the town furnished its quota of men to fight the battles of our Revolution, and paid its taxes, there were several citizens who boldly proclaimed their adhesion to the king, and who were, in consequence, forbidden by the Committee of Safe ty to pass beyond their farms. The town was a great thoroughfare for the passage of stores Westward during the war, and it is said that the roads were so bad, at that time, that it took twenty yoke of oxen and eighty men to convey a mortar over the hills to West Point. The pris oners who were taken at the battle of Bennington, or, rather, a part of them, passed through Blandford on their way to Boston, and, while in the town, were driven into quarters by a severe snow storm. Hartford was the market town for Blandford, and its distance and difficulty of access allowed but poor facilities for the acquisition of money. About the year 1807, Amos M. Collins, a merchant of Connecticut, took up his resi dence in the town, and by holding out inducements to the inhabitants to change their line of industry and produc- BLANDFORD. H tion, very much enhanced the prosperity of the town. Hitherto, grain and wool had principally been grown, but Mr. Collins wished the people to produce butter and cheese. He even purchased a large drove of cows for their accommodation, agreeing to take his pay in cheese. But the people did not know how to make cheese, and Mr. Collins was obliged to go from house to house and teach them. This changed the whole aspect of affairs, and, from a very poor town, Blandford has been transformed to one of the most thrifty in the County. Mr. Collins remained in Blandford nine years, made $25,000 on his own account, and then removed to Hartford, which city he has since serv ed in the capacity of mayor. Orrin Sage, at present a resident of Ware, succeeded Mr. Collins, and for more than thirty years bought the cheese produced in the town, and built up a character for integrity and benevolence, alike an honor to himself and the mercantile profession. The first money voted in Blandford for education was in September, 1756, when it was voted "to grant three pounds to be laid out to hyre a school-master." The first regular school was taught at the dwelling house of Robert Black, by a sea-captain, and the early educational move ments of the town were very feeble and limited. In 1802, the town was divided into thirteen school districts, the same number which now exists. In 1805, Widow Jane Taggart left a bequest of $1,200 to district No. 3. This sum has more than doubled in amount, and for more than twenty years the district has been enabled to main tain a select school, from the proceeds of the fund. Mr. Gibbs, in his history, publishes a list of about sixty indi viduals that Blandford has furnished for the colleges. Among these are Artemas Boies, once pastor of the church in South Hadley, J. Hooker Ashmun, who became a pro fessor in the law school at Harvard University, and died in 1833 ; George Ashmun, of Springfield, who has twice rep resented his native district in Congress; Samuel Knox of St. Louis ; and Patrick Boies of Westfield, late Sheriff of Hampden County. The first church in Blandford was organized in Hop- kinton in 1735, or before the settlers started for their new home. Rev. Thomas Prince of the Old South Church in Boston officiated on the occasion. The people were Irish 12 BLANDFORD. Presbyterians, and adopted the Presbyterian form ?f Government. The church became Congregational w 1800, from the inconvenience attending its first form. The first minister was Mr. McClenathan. The .manner in which a large part of his salary was paid is indicated in the following tetter : " Boston, Sept. 14, 1744. •'Francis Brinley, Esq:— The people of Blandford have most unanimously invited or called the" Rev. Mr MeClenatnan to.be their settled. pastor. He has accepted their call, ana the Presbytery have appointed his installation on the otti ol next October. In order, therefore, to forward such a good work, and to encourage and assist Mr. McClenathan under his present circumstances, we have advanced him, each ot us, thirty-three pounds, cash, old tenor, and given him our obli gations to pay him ten pounds old tenor per year for five years to come from the time of his being installed, which is agreeable to what was always promised the first setfleci minister; but its to be understood the foregoing thirty-three pounds is to be allowed as so much paid towards the five years' salary to Mr. McClenathan, all of which we have thought proper to inform you, being well persuaded of your readiness to aid and give encouragement in a matter of so great importance which we hope will redound to thebenefit of the town in general, and make us forget our former difficulty. We have also engaged to provide two horses and chairs to convey his family to Westfield. We shall depart for Bland ford in a few days, in order to get the meetinghouse finished, and settle what else is needful at the same time. Should be glad to have your company, and assistance in these af fairs. You can 't be insensible the meeting house must be finished immediately. Please signify your disposition here in, and you '1 oblige " Your most Humble Servants, Fran : Wells, John Fate." On the back of this letter Mr. McClenathan, who was the bearer of the letter to Mr. Brinley, wrote and signed the following :— " Roxbury, Sept. 14, 1744 : Conformable to the purport of the enclosed letter, I acknowledge to have received of Mr. Francis Brinley thirty-three pounds." This man was an Irishman, and did not sustain the char acter of a good minister. He preached only about two years, when he became for a time chaplain in the army. Rev. James Morton, also an Irishman, was installed in BLANDFORD. 13 August, 1747, but did not please the people. There were councils many, and there was dissatisfaction much, but he kept his place for twenty years, and was dismissed June 2, 1767. He died in Blandford, October, 1, 1793, aged 79. Rev. Joseph Patrick of Warren, a graduate of Yale in 1767, was ordained June 25th, 1772. His ordination was accompanied by a sihgular incident. The Presbytery gave him a public admonition for riding from an adjacent town on Sabbath evening, and treated some individuals who had preferred a complaint against him for so doing, to the same censure. He was dismissed in the following December. Rev. Joseph Badger of Wilbraham, a gradu ate of Yale in 1785, was ordained October 24, 1787. The church had thus been left without a pastor for fifteen years. He was dismissed October 24, 1800, to go to Ohio as a missionary. There he was a very useful man, and died in 1846, at the good old age of 89. Rev. John Keep of Longmeadow, a graduate of Yale in 1802, was ordained October 30, 1805, and was dismissed in 1821. He was an ardent pioneer in the temperance cause. He has since lived successively in Homer, N. Y., and Cleveland, and Oberlin, Ohio. Rev. Dorus Clark of Westhampton, a graduate of Willams College in 1817, was ordained Feb ruary 5, 1823, and dismissed February 17, 1835. He has since been a pastor at Chicopee, a conductor of a religious press in Boston, and a farmer at Waltham. Rev. Charles J. Hinsdale, the present pastor, was born in Newark, N. J., graduated at Yale in 1815, and was in stalled at Blandford, January 20, 1836. He had pre viously been settled at Meriden, Ct. The Episcopal Church and Society in Blandford had its origin in the preaching of Mr. Badger, whose doctrine of unconditional election was more than a portion of his congregation could abide by, and the disaffected retired and started a new church, after the form of the Church of England. This body maintained preaching for a part of the time until 1830, when it was enabled to erect a church edifice. The church has a respectable fund for sustaining the ministry. _„ A Baptist Church was formed during the year 182b, consisting of about forty members. Rev. Charles A. 2 14 BLANDFORD. Turner was its first Pastor. He preached several years, but preaching has not been steadily maintained. The First Methodist Episcopal Church built their meet ing house at North Blandford in 1845. Rev. Mr. Bige- low was the first minister. He has been succeeded by Rev. Mr. Braman, Rev. Mr. Sherman, Rev. Mr. Wood and others. A Methodist Episcopal - Church edifice was erected in Central Blandford in 1846 and 1847, and a prosperous society at present worship in it. A society oi the same denomination exists at "Beach Hill," in the South part of the town, more than half a century old. Blandford has been represented in the Legislature without any extended intermission since 1787. The Rep resentatives have been as follows : — Timothy Blair, 1787 ; John Ferguson, 1789 ; Reuben Boies, 1792, 1793, and 1794; Jedediah Smith, 1795, and 1796; Reuben Boies, 1797; William Knox, 1799, and 1801; Eli P. Ashmun, 1803,1804; David Boies, 1805, and 1806; Joseph Bull, 1807; Edward Pincheon, 1808; Samuel Knox, 1811; Alanson Knox, 1812; Alanson Knox, and Andrew Wilson, 1813; Andrew Wilson, and Alanson Knox, 1814; Alanson Knox, and Isaac Lloyd, 1815 ; Isaac Lloyd, and David Boies, 1816; Abner Gibbs, 1817, 1818, and 1819; David Boies, 2d, 1820; David Blair, 2d, 1821 ; Reuben Boies, Jr., 1825, and 1827; Alanson Knox, and Israel Cannon, 1828; Reuben Boies, Jr, 1829; Orrin Sage, 1830, and 1831; David Parks, and Lyman Gibbs, 1831; Justin Wilson, and Lester E. Gibbs, 1832; Orrin Sage, and Logan Crosby, 1833, Kilborne Bates, and Milton Boies, 1834; Curtiss Hall, and Russell A. Wilson. 1835; Daniel Collins, and Adam Blair, 1836; S. S. Day, 1837; S. W. Loring, 1839; Horatio G. Lewis, 1840; Watson E.Boies, 1841; Edwin Ely, 1842; Leverett Sackett, 1843, Sharon Bradley, 1844; Vincent Bradley, 1845; Rev. Amos G. Bowker, 1848; Albert Knox, 1849: Justin Wilson, 1850; Chauncey S. Brown, 1851 ; Samuel Lloyd, 1853. Alanson Knox was a Senator for Hampden County in 1820, Orrin Sage in 1835 and 1836, and Reuben Boies Jr., in 1837 and 1838 ; all residents of Blandford. The manufactures of Blandford are limited, though considerable manufacturing business is carried on in the North part of the town. The tanning business is pursued by Norton & Ely, who have $6,000 invested, employ 11 hands, and turn out $20,000 worth of leather yearly • by Robinson & Brigham who have $3,000 invested employ BRIMFIELD. 15 6 hands, and produce $8,000 yearly; by Alfred Peck- ham, with $2,000 invested, 5 hands, and a product of $8,- 000 yearly, and by David Bates with $1,000 invested, 3 hands, and a product of $2,000 annually. The total amount invested in tanneries is $12,000, hands employed 25, total annual product, $38,000. Foot & Kyle have $2,000 invested in the manufacture of bedsteads, employ 2 hands, and turn out $2,000 worth yearly ; Daniel Fay has $500 invested in the same business, employs 3 hands,- and turns out $1,000 yearly. Joseph Kitman makes $1,000 worth of butter prints, rolling pins, &c, yearly, and Gibbs & Brother $1,400 worth of wooden bowls. Lyman Gibbs has $4,000 invested in a paper mill whose operative force is 4 hands, and whose product is $4,000. Norton & Ely, and Gibbs & Brother have each a team constantly engaged in carting goods, lumber, leather, &c, between Blandford and the depot at Chester Factories, to an aggregate amount of not less than 500 tuns annually. The amount raised by tax in the town, for 1854, includ ing $700, the amount appropriated for schools, was $2,900. Population in 1840,1,512; in 1850, 1,515; increase in ten years, 3. BRIMFIELD. In the year 1701, Maj. John Pynchon, Capt. Thomas Colton, James Warriner, David Morgan and Joseph Steb- bins, all of Springfield, were constituted by the General Court, a Prudential Committee, for five years, to lay out this town, to superintend the allotment of land, and exer cise' a general control over the affairs of the place. The original grant embraced an area of eight miles square, in cluding the towns of Monson, Wales and Holland. The name of Brimfield was applied, not from any marked phys ical features, nor to perpetuate the memory of any individ ual; but simply to designate a tract of land lying East of Springfield. On the 22d of September, 1701, the Committee, accom panied by about twenty inhabitants of Springfield, visited the region. The trip, at that time, occupied three days. They first fixed upon the elevated ground between Brim- field and Monson, known as Grout's Hill, for the town plot, but the present site was finally adopted, for the reason that, 16 BRIMFIELD. although within one half mile of the Eastern line of the grant, it embraced the best land. At that time the physi cal features of the country presented a very different aspect from what we now behold. The fires of the Indian had repeatedly swept over it, consuming the timber, and leav ing the hills bare and desolate; while the valley, in which the town is now situated, was covered with a rank growth of grass. Forty years ago, one of the old inhabitants was enabled to point out what were once "hills of corn, grown by the Indians on Indian Mountain, where now there are large trees. The settlement of the town proceeded slowly, owing, as the committee allege, to the "distress of the war," then waged between France and England ; and the General Court, on their representations, extended the time for a further period of four years, and appointed John Pynchon a member of the Committee, in the place of his father, Ma jor John Pynchon, deceased. In 1717, the General Court, on the petition of the Pru dential Committee, extended the limits of the town three miles further East, in order to embrace the good land lying in that direction. In June, 1723, the General Court declared the preced ing grant void, and appointed Hon. John Chandler, Henry Dwight Esq. and Joseph Jennings, a Committee to perfect the settlement of the town, who reported at the session held at Cambridge, September, 1729, adversely to the grants made by the first Committee. This report created great consternation among the settlers, who^ in a memorial addressed to the General Court, declared that, if its recom mendations were carried out, it would deprive some of them of one-fourth, others of one-half, and others of three- fourths, even, of the lands which they had acquired under the previous Committee. They concluded by declaring that "it would be the highest reflection on the Justice of the Greate and General Court" to deprive them of lands which they had improved " with greate Hazzard of their lives and substance, living on and Defending the same." This petition was referred in the House, and on the 20th of February, 1730, it was ordered that a copy thereof be served on some of the principal inhabitants, and that they be cited to appear at the next session of the General Court BRIMFIELD. 17 and show cause why the report of the second Committee should not be adopted. In the meanwhile, the inhabitants were authorized to exercise all of the privileges of a town ; but were restrained from passing any acts, affecting the rights of property. " Capt. John Sherman, a principal in habitant," was authorized to "Notifye and Warn" the free holders to assemble at some public place during the suc ceeding March, for the choice of town officers. Under this authority, the town effected a political organization, March 16, 1731. Robert Moulton was chosen the first Represen tative to the General Court, and was instructed "to act ac cording to the best of his understanding in the greate and waitty affair at Court, standing for our rights and privi leges." From this time until 1740, the right of represen tation was not again exercised. On the 18th of June, 1731, the General Court settled the' conflicting titles of this town by confirming the grants tf 120 acres each, made by the first Committee, to the fol lowing persons, viz : Nathaniel Hitchcock,* Ebenezer Graves, David Hitchcock, Benjamin Cooley, Leonard Hoar, Capt John Sherman, David Morgan and Nathan Collins, and one to one of the sons of each of them : to Deliver ance Brooks,f Daniel Hubbard, John Atcheson, and one to his son ; one to Park Williams, in his own right, and one purchased by him, originally granted to Robert Old ; one to John Stebbins, William Wilson and John Charles, and likewise one to each of their sons ; one to John Lum- bard, David Lumbard, Samuel Hubbard, Peter Haynes, Joseph Haynes, Peter Montague, Henry Burt, Thomas Stebbins, William Nicholls' heirs, Micah Towsley, Elea- * Nathaniel Hitchcock appears to have been the first set tler. The first house was built by him on the grounds now owned by Alfred L. Converse. The original frame, subse quently enlarged, is yet standing. The second, probably, was the old Townsley house, now dismantled, which was erected by David Morgan. The first tavern was built on the hill side, by the Warren road, nearly opposite the house formerly occu pied by Rev. Dr. Vaill. Although a blanket served for a door, it is said there was always hospitable cheer within. t Moses Brooks, a son of this, individual, is said to have been the first child born here. This was in 1717.— Dr. Vaill's New Year's Discourse, 1821. 2* ' 18 BRIMFIELD. zer Foot, William Warriner, James Thompson, Francis Baxter's heirs, George Erwin, Joseph Frost, David Shaw, John, alias Daniel Burt, Joshua Shaw, Samuel Bliss, Thomas Foot and assigns, John Keep, Samuel Allen, Na thaniel Miller, Ezra King, Robert Old, Samuel King, An thony Needham, Robert Moulton, Robert Moulton Jr., John Wilson, John Danielson, John Miller, John Mighell, Joseph Davis, Benjamin Warner, Daniel Graves, Benja min Mun, Daniel Fuller, Nathaniel Clark and John Bul- len, amounting to 169 lots, of 120 acres each. To Samuel Munger, Thomas Green, Joshua Old, Ebenezer Scott, Mark Ferrey, Samuel Allen Jr., Samuel Shaw, Seth Shaw and Daniel Killum, each a home-lot of 60 acres, already laid out, and if any of them should be found to have more than that amount,, to retain the same, the surplus to be de ducted from their " after rights." Also, to Rev. Mr. Treat, the minister of the town, a lot of 120 acres, with all after rights ; also a lot to Samuel Chandler, son of John Chand ler, who had built a house here ; one to Seth Dwight, son of Henry Dwight, and one to Joseph Jennings, in consid eration of their services as a Prudential Committee ; also, to William Pynchon and Obadiah Cooley, who, although they did not reside on the grants, "did provide some ma terials for finishing the meeting-house, and have since made some improvements thereon;" also a lot to them jointly, "in consideration that they provided iron-work for the first saw-mill, they drawing no after rights." Also to Capt. George Colton and David Ingersole a lot "in consid eration of their having provided nailes of all sorts, suffi cient for finishing the meeting house; also to the heirs of ^1 T? • JffCh°U' Capt- Thomas Coltoll> James War- andtoMTp^Tpf'1 j0Seph Stebbins ^11 deceased, :ftert0rifhtsPelatlah ^^ 12° «*» -*> -"hout an; To Thomas Ingersole, in consideration of expenses in curred on the first Committee : to Thorns wJfT Mirrick Jr., the heirs of Nathaniel S&e^I™' ^^ Samuel Keep and Tilly Mirrick, in cSnsiderSion rfm ' paid, lots were granted and confirmed without "ft! Ty or divisions. The claims of William Brewer W Hamilton, Patrick Marshall, Andrew BayTev' S^ Glover Jr., John Evans and Ebenezer Co^' *t "e BRIMFIELD. 19 clared void. It has seemed desirable to be minute in giv ing the names of the grantees, for the reason that they comprised nearly all the first settlers of the town. Many of their descendants, even to the, fifth and sixth generations, still reside in the town. The General Court further directed that after these sev eral grants were satisfied, the whole of the remaining lands should belong to the grantees, with after rights, and be proportionately divided ; and, lastly, that the inhabitants of the town should have and enjoy all of the privileges and immunities that other towns in the province did. In 1760, Monson was set apart as a district, but still at tached to Brimfield for the purpose of representation, and the same was done with regard to Holland and South Brim- field, now Wales, in 1762. In the early settlement of the town, the inhabitants were annoyed by the Indians, but there is no record of any deadly conflicts. The first settlers came out from Springfield," and encamped. Their tents were torn in pieces, their provisions plundered, and they were forced to return. Two block houses were constructed, to which the inhabitants could resort at night, and in case of alarm. The site of one was on the premises formerly occupied by Theodore Fields, and of the other on the premises former ly occupied by Sylvanus Thompson whose house for many years was known as " the old fort." In the memorial be fore quoted, the memorialists aver that their lands had been acquired at " Great Hazzard of their lives," and that they had been obliged to defend them. There are tradi tions that the Indians formerly resorted here in considera ble numbers, and there was a collection of wigwams on Indian Hill, In the Western part of the town, there is a sharp and well defined ridge, which, in places, attains an elevation of 500 or 600 feet. On one of the highest sum mits is perched an immense boulder, known as " Steerage Rock." This mountain forms one of the most striking land-marks of the region, and from the top of the rock the eye ranges over the country for many miles in every direction. The Indians were accustomed to ascend this rock to take the bearing of any particular point towhich they wished to direct their course, and hence the origin of the name. There was a well beaten trail from Deacon 20 BRIMFIELD. Tarbell's, in the Eastern part of the town, to Indian Hill) on the farm now occupied by Cheney Solander, thence to Steerage Rock, and thence to the Chicopee Valley, m Palmer. .,: „. In the early settlements of Brimfield, the noble game, such as wolves, wild-cats and deer, were probably abun dant, for we find that the town occasionally laid a tax to pay for the scalps of the former classes, while at every annual meeting, " Deer Reeves " were elected to enforce the game- laws with regard to the protection of the latter. A few of the early settlers were engaged in the French war. Reuben Towsley was taken captive by the Indians, and compelled to run the gantlet. He became a favorite among them, was adopted into the tribe, and lived with them for ten years. He then returned to Brimfield, but found it difficult to resume his former mode of life. Af ter remaining awhile, he returned to his forest home, and ended his days among the people who had adopted him. As early as 1768, the inhabitants, by a clause in the warrant, were called upon to consider whether the town would choose one or more persons, to attend the conven tion to be held at Boston on the 22d day of September of that year, to act and consult on the important affairs of the Province. They promptly responded as follows : " That this town will now make choice of one person to act for them in convention, with such as may be sent from the several towns in the province, in order that such measures may be devised as may conduce to his Majesty's service, and the peace and safety of his subjects." Timothy Dan- ielson was the person delegated. In 1773, the inhabitants, through their selectmen, were required to vote on the following clause in the warrant : " To see if the town would take into consideration the matters of grievance brought upon them by certain acts of Parliament." To this they responded in the following resolutions :— » 1. That the town of Brimfield have the right, as often as they think proper, to assemble themselves together and con sult on their rights and liberties, and point out the' violations of them ; and confer with any, or all the towns in the Prov ince on matters belonging to their common safety. " 2. That we esteem it a very great grievance that there BRIMFIELD. 21 should be a revenue raised in this Province by which our property is taken from us, without our consent, or that of our representative ; and that our moneys thus taken from us are appropriated to acts tending to the subversion of that constitu tion we have an indefeasible right to be governed by, till we are pleased to consent to another. "3. That we hold it as a great grievance growing out of the above, as its natural offspring and in its own similitude, that the Governor of this Province, whom we desire to honor as the Representative of the greatest Potentate on earth, should be paid out of a revenue unconstitutionally raised, and con trary to the known, stated, and approved manner in this Pro vince, and in a way so apparently tending to alienate his af fections from his people, and clearly tending to destroy their mutual confidence, upon which the well-being of a Province so much depends. " 4. That we are much alarmed by the report, which we fear is too well grounded, that the Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature have their salaries appointed out of the afore said revenue, by which they are made entirely dependent on the Crown. Should it ever happen that the aforesaid Judges should be more careful to enrich themselves than to do jus tice, how are our lives and properties exposed? They ought either to be independent of King and people, or equally de pendent on them both. The latter has ever been the case, which tended to keep a balance of affection in them to the Prince and his subjects. " 5. That we account the late act of Parliament entitled " An Act for the better serving His Majesty's Dock Yards, Maga zines, &c," to be a great grievance, as we are thereby de prived of that which is most dear to us. On suspected guilt, we must be hurried across the Atlantic, for trial, where we must be deprived of a trial by jury from the vicinity, in a mo ment exposed to the loss of our whole estate, if not to the loss of life. . " 6. That we are and ever have been ready to resign our lives, and spend our fortunes, in the defense of his Majesty, King George the III., his Crown and Dignity; and that we will endeavor to lead quiet and peaceable lives ; but, at the same time, firmly and resolutely endeavor, by every just and constitutional way, to maintain our rights and liberties yet continued, which were purchased for us by the blood of our ancestors, and to recover those which have been cruelly, not to say unrighteously, taken from us." It was ordered that a copy of these resolutions should be presented to the delegate, and by him transmitted to the Committee of Grievance in Boston. From the tone of 22 BKtMFIELT). these resolutions, and the unnnimily with which they were passed, there being not one dissenting vmVo, wc mayread- ily infer that a deep seated feeling of hostility to the Crown pervaded the interior of Massachusetts, and that a breatn only was required to blow it into a flame. The critic, coolly reading them in his closet, might say that they were somewhat high-sounding, but they were the true index ot the sentiment of the people at that time, which was subse quently justified by their acts. The warrant calling a meeting for July 1st, 1774, con tained two clauses not embraced in the regular routine of town business. One was whether the town would pay her proportion of £500 to defray the expenses of a Commit tee of Congress ; the other was to see whether the town would adopt a Covenant, laid before them by the Commit tee of Correspondence, and give the inhabitants an oppor tunity of signing the same. To both of these propositions they responded affirma tively, and the record contains not a dissenting name. Jo seph Moffat, Aaron Mighell and Nathan Hoar were ap pointed a Committee to present the Covenant to the peo ple. The following is the Covenant: — " We, the inhabitants of the town of Brimfield, have taken into our serious consideration the precarious state of the liber ties of North America, and more especially the present distress ed condition of this insulted Province, embarrassed as it is by several acts of the British Parliament, tending to the entire subversion of our natural and charter rights, among which is the act for closing up the Harbor of Boston, and being fully sensible of our indispensable duty to lay hold of every means in our power to preserve and recover the much injured con stitution of our country, and conscious, at the same time, of no alternative between the horrors of slavery, and the carnage and desolation of civil war, but a suspension of all com mercial intercourse with the island of Great Britain, do, in the presence of God, solemnly and in good faith, covenant and engage with each other, that, from henceforth, we will sus pend all commercial intertourse with the said island of Great Britain, until the said act of blocking up the said Harbor be repealed and a full restoration of our charter rights be ob tained. " And 2d. That there may be the less temptation to others to continue in the now dangerous commerce, we do now in like manner solemnly covenant we will not buy merchandise BRIMFIELD. 23 or consume, or suffer any person under us to purchase or con sume, in any manner whatever, any goods, wares or mer chandise, which may arrive in America from Great Britain from and after the last day of August next ensuing; and in asmuch as in us lies, to prevent our being interrupted and de feated in this our only peaceable measure, entered into for the recovery and preservation of our rights, we agree to break off all trade, commerce and dealing whatexpr with any per sons who, preferring their own private interest to the salvation of their now perishing country, shall continue to import goods from Great Britain, or shall purchase from them who do it. " 3. That such persons may not have it in their power to impose upon us by any pretence whatever, we further agree to purchase no article of merchandise from them, or any of them', who shall not have signed this, or a similar covenant, or will not produce an oath certified by a magis trate, to be by them taken to the following purpose, viz : ' I of in the county of , do solemnly swear that the goods I have on hand and purpose for sale, have not, to the best of my knowledge, been imported from Great Britain into any port of America, since the last day of August, 1774, and that I will not contrary to the spirit of an agreement, entered into through this Province, import, or purchase of any person, so importing any goods aforesaid, until the port, or harbor of Boston shall be opened, and we are fully restored to the free use of our constitutional and charter rights. " And, lastly, we agree that after this, or a similar covenant, has been offered to any person and they reluse to sign it, or produce the oath above said, we will consider them as con tumacious imposters, and withdraw all commercial connec tions with them, so far as not to purchase of them any arti cle whatever, and publish their names to the world.'' This covenant is signed by 190 individuals, who must have included nearly all the freeholders of the town. Among the names are to be found the Hoars, the Daniel- sons, the Browns, the Shermans, the Blisses, the Janeses, the Hubbards, the Stebbinses, the Thompsons, the Nichols es, the Burts, the Blashfields, the Lombards, the Haynes- es, the Shaws, the Lyons, the Charleses, the Morgans, the Hitchcocks, the Fays, the Nelsons, and the Trasks, whose descendants still reside within the limits of the town, and are comprised among its most substantial inhabitants. At the September meeting, money was raised and Tim othy Danielson was instructed " immediately " to increase the town stock of powder and lead. October 5th, the 24 BRIMFIELD. town appointed Timothy Danielson a delegate to the Pro vincial Congress about to assemble at Concord, indorsed the .resolutions passed by the Congress at Northampton, and took measures to organize two companies of militia. October 1, James Sherman was appointed Captain ot the East Company, Jonathan Charles, 1st Lieutenant, Phineas Sherman, 2d Lieutenant, and Daniel Burt, En sign. The West Company was officered as follows: Sam uel Nichols, Captain ; Jonathan Brown, 1st Lieutenant ; Nathan Hoar, 2d Lieutenant; and Abner Stebbins, En sign. All good and effective men were invited to enlist and equip themselves for the service of their country, and hold themselves ready at a momentls warning to march to the defense of the Province. The Selectmen were to de termine the number of men who were to be draughted from the companies thus organized, and every private thus draughted was to receive £3 10s. per month, if he billeted himself, or 40s. if billeted by the Province, while the Captain was to receive £6, if he billeted himself, or £4 if billeted by the Province. They were required to muster for military exercise at least once a week, and subscribe an agreement to behave as faithful and obedient soldiers, to refrain from dissensions, and not stir up mutiny. The town further voted to co-operate with the Committees of Bdston and the neighboring towns not to supply the [King's] troops with materials to fortify with. On the 23d day of December, 1774, the people, in town meeting assembled, voted to choose a Committee of Inspec tion, as recommended by the Provincial and Continental Congresses, whose duties were defined in the 10th and 11th articles of the Provincial Association. Captain James Sherman, Lieut. Jonathan Brown, Joseph Holbrook, Jr., Jabez Nichols and Simeon Hubbard were appointed a Committee. The constables were directed to pay the Province tax to Henry Gardner of Stowe, as recommended by the Provincial Congress. Lieut. Jonathan Brown, Ebenezer Miller, Judah Stebbins, Samuel Bates and Jo seph Browning were appointed a Committee to inspect the Tea Drinkers, and if they should know, or find, any per son who still continued to use, sell, or consume in their families, any East India tea, they were directed to post up their names in some public place, that they might be BRIMFIELD. 25 known and fined. The several Committees were enjoined to see that the inhabitants complied with the articles of the Continental Association, and preserved them inviolate. At the meeting of the town, January 11, 1775, a com mittee was raised to receive donations for the poor of the town of Boston, and preliminary steps were taken towards sending a delegate, in conjunction with jSouth Brimfield and Monson, to the Congress to be held at Cambridge. Timothy Danielson was chosen the delegate from the three towns. On the 18th of January, 1775, Mr. Danielson recommended that fifty minute men be raised in the town and equipped at its expense. This was at once granted, and the enlisting of the company was confided to Captain Joseph Thompson. May 5, 1775, the town instructed the committee strictly to observe the directions of the Congress with respect to any person who might be charged with being inimical to the country ; and declared that they would discountenance and endeavor to prevent all disorderly meetings. May 24, 1776, the inhabitants of Brimfield, in town meeting assembled, voted unanimously, " that if the Hon. Congress should, for the safety of the said Colonies, de clare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, we, the said inhabitants, will solemnly engage with our lives and fortunes, to support them in the measure." Hitherto, all of the citations had been in his Majes ty's name, and were dated according to the year of his reign ; but from this time forth, these formalities were dis pensed with. The flame which had been so long smouldering had broken forth. Concord, Lexington and Bunker Hill had been stained with American blood, and every town had armed her inhabitants for the strife. This town contribu ted her quota of men, but the record of their services, the battles in which they were engaged, and the lists of wound ed or killed, have perished, or survive only in the recollec tion of a few aged men. There is a list of 148 men who had rendered services in the Continental Army, and to whom the town was responsible for arrearages in the sum of £1,768 8s. The records from this period to the close of the revolutionary war, show that the people were actu ated by one impulse, and were ready at all times to indorse 3 26 BRIMFIELD. the action of the Continental Congress, and to contribute men and munitions to the army, to the extent of their ability. Few towns can recur to this period in their his tory with more pride and satisfaction. On the 4th of October, 1776, the town gave their con sent that the House of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay, together with the Council, might agree on such a con stitution and form of government, as would most conduce to the peace and happiness of the State, and make the same public, for the consideration and approbation of the inhabitants, before the same were enacted or ratified by the assembly. March 10, 1777, the town voted that the sum of £20 be added to the bounty given by Congress to such persons of the town as should enlist for three years, or during the war, and that £600 be raised for this pur pose. During this period, we find that a Committee of Safety constituted a portion of the regularly elective officers. May 13, 1778, the town voted against the Constitution Act, nays 27, ayes 4, and at the same time agreed to raise £210 for such persons as should appear to join the Continental Army, and directed the re-payment of the money advanced by the Selectmen to the wives and families of the sol diers. March 8, 1779, the town constituted the Selectmen a committee to take charge of the wives and families of the soldiers, directed the expenditure of $200 to procure a stock of ammunition, and levied an assessment to pay the bounty due the Continental soldiers. August 24, 1779, the town appointed Hon. Timothy Danielson a delegate to the Convention to be held at Cam bridge, to form a new constitution. At the same time, they agreed to raise the sum of £1,857 16s. to pay six men for nine months' service in the Continental Army. On the 6th of October ensuing, they appropriated a further sum of £540 to defray the expenses of ten men for the like service, for three months. June 19, 1780, the town voted to raise thirteen men to reinforce the Continental Army, and to give to each man who should enlist for six months the sum of £1,000. They further voted to raise the sum of £20,000 to hire the town's quota of men to servo in the Continental Army. July 3d, 1780, voted to hire the BRIMFIELD. 27 militia to serve three months, and to pay to each man who should enlist £650. Voted also, to raise £1,130 for this purpose. December 21, voted to pay thirteen men month ly, to serve for 3 years, or during the war. June 1, 1781, the town voted to raise £34,000 to purchase beef, and pay in part the thirteen men before employed in the army, and July 23, they voted to employ twelve more. March 28, 1782, they voted £50 to fit out five more. From the best information obtainable, it is probable that the town, from first to last, furnished not less than 200 men to the Continental Army, some of whom served through the whole contest. Although the tax for supporting these men bore heavily on the people, yet the records show that the town responded promptly to every appeal of patriotism, and that never for a moment did they hesitate or waver in the cause in which they had embarked. If payments were slack, the constables were directed to distrain the goods and chattels. As the currency depreciated, and the em ployment of soldiers became more difficult, they increased the bounties, and guaranteed them against depreciation. The peace of 1783 must have been hailed with joy, as it relieved the people from a burden of taxation and anxiety. Timothy Danielson was the leading spirit, in this re gion, during the revolutionary period, and left the impress of his mind upon all of the public proceedings. Accord ing to tradition, he possessed a Herculean frame united with Herculean strength. He was bold, energetic, and well ed ucated, and combined in an eminent degree, many of the qualities of a popular leader. He joined the army during the first rendezvous at Cambridge, but subsequently served the people of the town in a civil capacity. After the adoption of the constitution, he became a Senator and Councillor, and was the first Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. He died at Brimfield, 1791, aged 58. Jonathan Thompson of Brimfield, attained a Colonelcy in the army, was in active service, and present at the crowning siege of Yorktown. He died, we believe, some years ago, in Ohio. Lieut. Thompson, also of Brimfield, is said to have been the last man killed in the revolution. Abner Morgan was in the army during the latter part of the war, and held the rank of Major. Christopher Ward served through the war. He was a trustworthy and em- 28 ' BRIMFIELD. cient soldier, saw much active service, encountered many hair-breadth escapes, and went down to the grave, a few years ago, with an unsullied reputation. He died October 13, 1840, aged 83. He was often detailed to conduct a scouting party, a post requiring coolness, promptitude and fertility in resources. On one occasion, while thus em ployed, he entered the house of a tory, and asked for something to eat. The host replied that he had nothing. Inferring from the savory smell that greeted his olfacto ries, that the host was lying, he proceeded to open the oven door, where he saw sundry dishes in the process of being baked ; and as he was in the act of helping himself, was saluted by a volley of bullets which came whizzing past his head and crashed against the bricks. They were dis charged by a squad of British dragoons who had entered the yard immediately after his arrival. The house was surrounded by a fence six feet in hight, beyond which there was an open field nearly a hundred rods broad, skirted with woods. Nothing daunted, Ward rushed from the house into the midst of his enemies, who called upon him to surrender. " Catch me first," was his reply. Using his musket for a vaulting pole, he cleared the fence, and as he landed on the other side, a British saber aimed at him buried itself deep in the topmost rail. But his dangers were not over. When the dragoons saw that he had scaled the fence, they put spurs to their horses, dashed through the gate, which they gained by making a short detour, and joined in hot pursuit. It was a neck-and-neck race across the field, but Ward was the winner. He gained the woods, and eluded further pursuit. On another occasion, while conducting a small scouting party, he noticed, in advance, two figures on horseback, dressed in female attire. Finding themselves observed they quickened their pace. Ward, thinking that all was not right, pressed them closely, when they reined up, and very innocently inquired the way to a certain place. The sight of their features and the sound of their voices did not strike him as being over-feminine, and he somewhat ungallantly replied, "Ah, you rascals, dismount!" He marched them into the American camp, and on examina tion they proved to be spies. On one occasion he was Called into the presence of the Commander-in-chief, and BRIMFIELD. 29 complimented for his faithfulness and efficiency. On one of his cheeks he bore a scar which was caused by a Brit ish bullet. Mr. Blodgett, once of Brimfield, saw much active ser vice. He was captured by the British. He appropriated the red coat of his guard, mingled among his captors, and unconcernedly strolled away from the camp, until beyond the reach of observation, when he took refuge in a thicket. He was soon missed, and a body of Hessians started on his trail. They did not succeed in finding him, but by way of a parting salute, poured a volley of balls into the thicket where he lay concealed. After they had left, he resumed his flight, swam a river (it was mid-winter) ^and succeeded in reaching the American lines. Enoch Mor gan entered the army at the age of sixteen, and served through the war. Gen. William Eaton, one of the men of note who have lived in the town, ran a brilliant, but somewhat eccentric career. He was born at Woodstock, Ct., Feb. 23, 1764, was graduated at Dartmouth, and, in 1792, entered the army, with the rank of Captain. That year he married Mrs. Eliza Danielson of Brimfield, the widow of the Hon. Timothy Danielson, and ever after regarded this as his place of residence. He was first ordered to the valley of the Ohio, to join Wayne, and subsequently transferred to Georgia. In 1798, having resigned his commission, he was appointed Consul to Tunis. Here, for four years, he was engaged in a series of difficult and irksome negotia tions with the Bey, to restrain him from pouncing on our unprotected commerce in the Mediterranean. While here, he redeemed six prize Danish vessels, and their crews who had been enslaved by the Tunisians, for which services the King of Denmark presented him with a gold box, orna mented with the initials of his royal name, which were en circled with diamonds. His firmness in resisting the arro gant demands of the Bey, gave offense, and he was ordered immediately to quit his Court. In June, 1803, he returned to the United States. Meanwhile, war had been declared - against Tripoli, and our commerce in that quarter was ex posed to the assaults of a piratical horde, and the captured crews were condemned to perpetual slavery. In June, 1804, he embarked in the capacity of Naval Agent, on 3* 30 BKIMFIELD. board the frigate John Adams, in company with the Pres ident, the Congress, the Essex and the Constellation,' which had been commissioned for the Mediterranean service, un der Com. Barron and Capts. Rogers, J. Barron, Campbell and Chauncey. Late in the fall of 1805, he landed at Al exandria, where he learned that Hamet Bashaw, the right ful sovereign of Tripoli, with whom he wished to commu nicate, and whom he wished to restore to his possessions, was in Upper Egypt. He immediately embarked in a Nile boat, accompanied by O'Bannan, Mann and Eli Dan ielson. (The latter was Eaton's son-in-law, a Lieutenant in the Navy, a young officer of high promise, who subse quently fell in a duel at New York.) He proceeded to Grand Cairo, where he employed Eugene Leitensdorfer, a man of all work, who had assumed at different times the character of soldier, sailor, friar, dervise, surveyor and engineer, besides others of a subordinate nature. He proved an intrepid and faithful agent. With a single at tendant, and two dromedaries, he penetrated through the desert, traveling night and day, and feeding the animals on balls of meal and eggs. He reached the Mamalnke camp, communicated with the ex-Bashaw, and brought him with 150 retainers to the American rendezvous. On the 6th of March, 1805, Eaton, accompanied by the ex-Bashaw, left Alexandria, and put his little army in motion. It was a motley organization, consisting of six private marines, twenty-five cannoniers, thirty-eight Greeks, and a company of Arab cavalry, amounting in all to about four hundred. The luggage and provisions were trans ported on the backs of 107 camels. The plan of opera tions was for Eaton to invade the dominions of the Bashaw m the rear and thus create a diversion, while the squad- ron availed hnn on the coast. With incredible hardships, he traversed the desert of Barca for 600 miles, with starv- a ion staring him in the face, and it often required all em,« !T suPPress mutiny among troops so heterogne- OnC25tnnfnMCUStnedi,t°,the restrain^ °f discipline. un the 25th of March, he had arrived before the walls of Derne, and had the satisfaction of soon beh^Zt a United States vessels, the Nautilus, Horn™ aTf g * the offing, with which ho „nt,.nJ:/:™* and.Argus, ln S^Sfe^1** heexcha^-mmunicSitr£ On the 27th the action was commenced by a well directed fire in On BRIMFIELD. 31 from the shipping in front, while Eaton's party was sta tioned in a ravine in the South part of the town. The battle lasted about two hours, and was brought to a close by a vigorous 'charge on the part of the Americans, who were outnumbered ten to one. They took pos session of the battery, planted the American flag on the ramparts, and turned the guns on the enemy, who fled in every direction, leaving the Americans in complete pos session of the town. In this charge, Eaton received a ball through the left wrist, which incommoded him through life. This action spread terror through all the Tripolitan dominions, and exceedingly alarmed the Bashaw, who now became anxious to treat, on accommodating terms. Con sul Lear at once concluded a treaty, and orders were dis patched to the American vessels to discontinue hostile operations and to embark the land forces. It was through life a source of deep mortification to Eaton, that the means were not afforded him by Commo dore Barron of marching to Tripoli, driving out the usurp er, and reinstating Hamet Bashaw. The conduct of our Government towards the latter personage, in using him as an instrument to extort a peace, and then abandoning him to his fate, was always reprobated by Eaton in the severest terms ; and when in after years he learned that he had been appointed Governor of Derne, he exclaimed " I thank God ! I am now willing to die." The conduct of Lear he characterized as being marked by duplicity, injustice and treachery. In November, 1805, Gen. Eaton returned to the United States. He was feted with public dinners, and the press contained complimentary notices of his prowess and enter prise, and Massachusetts presented him 10,000 acres of land in the district of Maine. In 1807, the public mind was occupied with rumors of the Burr conspiracy. Swartwout and Bollman had been arrested, but there was no specific charge to enable the Court to act. Under these circumstances, Eaton was call ed upon for his deposition. From this it appeared that Colonel Burr, at different times, approached him and grad ually developed his scheme of establishing a monarchy West of the Alleghanies. Eaton was offered the second 32 BRIMFIELD. post in command. After Burr had fully committed him self, Eaton waited on the President, Mr. Jefferson, and made a full disclosure of his schemes. The trial ot Burr, in which Eaton was a conspicuous witness, need not here be recapitulated. His disappointment in not receiving a high military command, his pecuniary embarrassments, and his intem perate habits, embittered the last years of his life, and lowered the natural dignity of his character. He died of dropsy, at Brimfield, June 1, 1811, aged 47. Charles Prentiss, a man of very considerable literary pretensions, lived here. He was the biographer of Gene ral Eaton and Robert Treat Paine, and the author of a His tory of the United States ; besides being a contributor to many literary magazines. He committed suicide October 19, 1820. Erastus Fairbanks, Ex-Governor of Vermont, is a na tive of this place ; also Josiah Stebbins and Samuel Hitch cock, both of whom attained to the bench, the one in Ver mont, the other in Maine. Among those whose influence has been prominent in the affairs of the town and county, since the revolutionary period, may be mentioned Colonel Alfred Lyon, Stephen Pynchon, Festus Foster, Asa Lincoln, John Wyles and Samuel A. Hitchcock. The last two are yet living here. There has been but one Religious Society in this town since its organization, and that is known as the Congrega tional Church. By the terms of the grant it was re quired that the Prudential Committee proceed "to settle an able orthodox minister of the Gospel as soon as might be." As early as 1721, the inhabitants took the prelimin ary steps towards the erection of a meeting-house, 40 feet by 45, on the spot where the present one stands, which was raised and covered the following year ; but this re mained incomplete for more than 15 years, and was a very indifferent house at best* In 1806, a new house was erected on the site of the old one, which was remodeled *Rey. Clark Brown, in 1798, in his letter of acceptance. makes it a condition that the town should erect a new housed He describes the old one as inconvenient to those who attend' and excluding many who would attend when the weather was suitable. BRIMFIELD. 33 in 1838, and was burned to the ground February 21, 1847. The present house was dedicated January 19, 1848. The first minister was Rev. Richard Treat, whose ordi nation, according to Dr. Vaill, took place about 1725. It would seem that the relations between the people and their pastor were not altogether harmonious, for, in June, 1733, we find that the town directed a Committee "to go and discourse with Mr. Treat concerning his uneasiness." Mr. Treat's dismission took place the following year. Rev. James Bridgham succeeded him. He was ordained June 9, 1736, and continued in the ministry forty years. A curious fact, as to the manner in which his salary was to be raised, may be here recorded. March 23, 1736, a Com mittee was appointed to meet with Mr. Bridgham, touch ing the rise and fall of money, grain, &c, who reported the following prices : Indian corn 5s. per bushel, wheat 10s., rye 7s. 6d., peas 8s., oats 3s., malt 6s., flax Is. 4d. per pound from the swingle, pork 6d. per pound, beef 4d., butter 12d., day labor one half of the year at 5s. and the remainder 3s. One-third of the salary after the rate of silver at 27s. per oz. "Accepted that the above particu lars be at ye market price in Brimfield." Mr. Bridgham died here Sept. 17, 1776, at the age of 69. He was so infirm in the latter years of his life, as to be unable to dis charge his pastoral duties. He was succeeded by Rev. Nehemiah Williams, who was ordained Feb. 9, 1775. Mr. Williams continued in the ministry here for nearly 22 years. He died in the midst of his usefulness, Nov. 26, 1796, and was followed to his grave with the regrets of his people. Rev. Clark Brown was chosen his successor, who was ordained June 20, 1798, and dismissed Nov. 2, 1803. His relations with the people were not of the most pleas ant character.- Rev. Warren Fay was the next pastor. He was ordained Nov. 2, 1808, and was dismissed at his own request, June 26, 1811. Rev. Joseph Vaill, D. D., was Mr. Fay's successor. He was ordained Feb. 2, 1814. After having remained connected with the church for twenty-one years, he applied for dismission which was granted Sept. 13, 1834. His successor was Rev. Joseph Fuller, who was installed March 11, 1835, and was subse quently dismissed at his own request, in 1837. The par ish in the fall of that year invited Rev. Dr. Vaill, who had 34 CHESTER. taken charge of a society in Portland, to resume his for mer relations with the people, with which request he com plied, and was settled Nov. 1, 1837. On the 19th of October, 1841, Dr. Vaill, on his own application, was dis missed. Rev. George C. Partridge was called by the society, Dec. 21, 1841, to fill the vacancy, and accept ed. Feb. 24, 1847, this relation was dissolved, at the request of Mr. Partridge. On the 12th Dec, 1849, Rev. Jason Morse was settled as the pastor of the church, and at this time occupies that relation. The people of Brimfield are very largely devoted to agricultural pursuits, and manufacturing is carried on only to a limited extent. Messrs. Hartwell & Whitney manu facture brown sheetings, using 80,000 pounds of cotton annually, valued at $9,000, and employing 25 hands. The amount of production is 250,000 yards per annum, and the value, $18,000. The mill has been in existence since 1819, but it has been in the hands of the present firm only about one year. James J. Warren manufactures leather, using up annually $50,000 worth of stock. The works have been in operation for ten years, and employ hands ranging from 6 to 40, depending on the time of year and state of business. The population of the town in 1850, was 1,444, an increase of ten in ten years. CHESTER. Of the ten townships sold at auction by order of the General Court on the 2d of June, 1762, the present town ot Chester formed No. 9. The purchaser was William Williams, and the price paid, £1,500. The first settlement occurred about this time. The settlers were mostly Irish, of whom the Gordons, Henrys, Hollands, Moores, Hamil- tons, Elders, Quigleys, and Bells were prominent. Among those of American birth who settled in Chester at'an early period were two brothers-Stephen and Timothy Lyman of Northampton. An Englishman of the name of Toogood was also a settler of note. The descendants of the most of these families are still found within the bounds of the town. On the 31st of October, 17G5, the town wl ¦ porated with the name of Murrayfield. A Cong^egatS Church was organized on the 20th of December 1?69 CHESTER. ' 35 and on the same day, Rev. Aaron Bascom was ordained as its pastor. Mr. Bascom was a native of Warren, and a graduate of Harvard University in 1768. He died in 1814, at the age of 68 years, and in the 45th year of his ministry. The first Church in Chester was the victim of great and severe personal divisions, which extended to the formation' of opposing parties where there should ever be unity. Some years subsequent to the conclusion of the Revolu tionary war, this state of things arose from a personal dif ference existing between the pastor and Dr. Martin Phelps, one of the prominent members of his church. The matter was finally carried into politics, the Doctor leading the Democratic host, and Mr. Bascom being the most distin guished representative of the Federal side. These two men were the leaders of the town. Dr. Phelps was a graduate of Yale College in 1776, of respectable talents, and of untiring zeal in whatever he undertook. After the formation of tl^e new political organizations, he represented Chester for several years in the Legislature. Professionally he stood high, in the community and among medical men. He lived in Chester until 1838, when he died at the age of 82 years. He left a large family of children, of whom were the late Sheriff Samuel Phelps of Ware, and Mrs. Martha Mann, now of Troy, N. Y., whose writings and literary attain ments have won for her distinguished consideration. Of the family of Mr. Bascom, three sons, Samuel Ashley, John and Reynolds, graduated at Williams College. Sam uel Ashley was a teacher for some years at the South, then was in the book business in New York, afterwards went to Ohio, and died there in 1830, at the age of 50. John be came a minister, settled in the State of New York, and died in 1828, at the age of 43. His son John was ap pointed tutor in Williams College in 1852. Mary, his daughter, was recently principal of the Girl's High School, Northampton. Reynolds was a minister, and died at the South in 1828, at the age of 34. Asahel Wright, a mem ber of the Hampden bar, and the only lawyer ever perma nently located in Chester Center, married one of Mr. Bas- cpm's daughters. Mr. Wright died in 1830, and his son Henry, a graduate of Yale, served as a professor in Knox- ville College, Tenn., for several years. 36 CHESTER. Out of the feud existing between Mr. Bascom and Dr. Phelps is said to have grown the Baptist Church enterprise, recorded in the American Baptist Register to have been organized in 1812. Dr. Phelps withdrew from the ^ Con gregational Church, either voluntarily °r by compulsion, and with others joined in the formation of the Baptist Church, of which elder John Grant became the first min ister Elder Abbott was his successor, and held tlie pas toral office for several years. The next regular pastor was Rev. Silas Kingsley, a native of Becket, whose ministra tions continued for some twenty-five years. In 1852, the church numbered 33 members. Murrayfield was changed by legislative act to Chester, on the 21st of February, 1783, and comparatively recent causes have operated to establish villages in different parts of the town, and contributed much to give the town enter prise, population and importance. The location of Chester Village, as it is called, a point favored by a conjunction of Railroad privileges with extensive water power, presents some anomalies worth a brief description. It would seem as if some point of attraction there had gathered the cor ners of everything around. The Western Railroad makes a corner with Westfield River there, and four towns, viz : Chester, Montgomery, Blandford and Norwich originally had their corners there, and the village and its surrounding property has been within four different town jurisdictions. Many amusing stories are told of the perplexities that have attended the course of justice in consequence of this mix ing up of town lines, and county jurisdictions. One house stands partly in Hampshire and partly in Hampden County, a location that happily solved one matrimonial difficulty, and allowed one pair to marry, who otherwise would have been obliged to put off the event for a day. Chester Village was formerly known as " Falley's X Roads," (more corners it will be seen,) and that was the former name of the post office. The South East corner of Chester, the North East corner of Blandford and the South West corner of Norwich here meet. In 1842 or 1843, an effort was made to form a town, with Chester Village for its center, by taking portions from five towns viz : — Blandford, Chester, Norwich, Montgomery and Rus sell. Two or three meetings were called for this purpose CHESTER. 37 but so much opposition was raised by people within the limits that the plan was abandoned. In 1849, the project was started again. A petition was signed by a majority of the voters living within the limits of the proposed new town, praying for the change ; money was raised and a survey made. The petition and the survey were for warded to the Legislature of 1850, but the matter was passed over to the succeeding General Court. In 1851, the battle was fought. The friends and enemies of the project were heard before the Committee, the Committee reported favorably to the petitioners, but the matter was voted down in the Legislature by a decided majority. But the causes of discontent remained. For the sake of convenience, a united school district from three towns had been formed. The people of the corners of Blandford, Chester and Norwich had built a school house within the limits of Blandford, about three rods from Chester line, and ten rods from the line of Norwich. In 1852, the project was started of annexing the territory embraced in this school district with other territory necessary to make a proper line, to the town of Norwich. The friends of this measure pleaded in its behalf the difficulty of manag ing the school, thus supported by different towns, the practical nullification of all police regulations by the proximity of separate jurisdictions, &c. A Blandford constable attempting to serve a process would suddenly find his customer in Chester, or if the delinquent desired to get out of the county, he had only to go six or eight rods further, and get behind the town line of Norwich. This matter was brought before the Legislature, and that body, in 1853, granted the prayer of the petitioners. — But discontent was left in the district, which has been removed by the change of the name of Norwich to Hun tington. These manifold causes of disturbances have not interfered materially with the prosperity of the village, which, during the past ten years, has trebled in the num ber of its buildings and population. Within eight years, the people of the village have taxed themselves $10,000, or more, for the erection of public buildings, and for relig ious and charitable purposes. Real estate and rents are held high for a country village, and a good degree of thrift is enjoyed. 4 38 . CHESTER. To resume the thread of ecclesiastical history cut off by the death of Mr. Bascom : Rev. Samuel M. Emerson, son of Rev. John Emerson of Conway, and a graduate ot Williams College in 1810, was ordained as Mr. Bascom s successor Feb. 1, 1815. Mr. Emerson did not enjoy firm health, and was dismissed Dec. 10, 1817. He died "at Heath, July 20, 1841, at the age of 55 years. Rev. Ru- fus Pomeroy, his successor at Chester, was a native of Southampton, and a graduate of- Williams College in 1808. He was installed Nov. 20, 1819, and dismissed June 27, 1827. He now resides in Otis. Rev. Saul Clark of Southampton, a graduate of Williams College in 1805, was installed as Mr. Pomeroy's successor Nov. 11, 1829. He was dismissed in 1833, and died at East Haven in 1849, aged 69 years. Rev. Alanson Alvord was ordained at Chester Nov. 18, 1834, and dismissed Feb. 7, 1838. He is now preaching in Vermont. Rev. S. W. Edson preached as stated supply about three years after the departure of Mr. Alvord. Rev. Francis Warriner, a native of Springfield, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1830, was ordained in Oct. 1841, and dismissed June 22, 1847. Rev. David Breed of New Haven became his successor, February 17, 1853, and still remains in office. The church now has 70 members. At the village known as Chester Factories, a Congrega tional Church was organized on the 13th of November^ 1844, and numbers at the present time about 30 members. The church has never had a settled pastor. Rev. Hubbard Beebe preached there every alternate Sabbath for one year. Rev. P. K. Clark preached half of the time from 1846 to 1848. Afterwards, Rev. Dillon Williams preached all the time for one year, and Rev. John C. Strong has since preached there as stated supply. In 1800 and 1801, Methodist classes were formed in Chester numbering nearly 100 members, under the labors of Ebenezer Washburn and Billy Hibbard, who preached at the house of Capt. Alexander, about two miles South of Chester Factories. The region was then embraced in 'Old Granville Circuit," and in 1802, other preachers were on the circuit, but after this, the classes gradually declined, and there was no preaching for several years From 1819 to 1842, Rev. Messrs. Andrew McCune, Sam' CHESTER. 39 uel Eighing, John Nixon, Jefferson Haskell, Erastus Otis, Leslie, Estin, Mayo, Ward, Shepard, Nichols, Hawks, Moulton, Lewis, Cushman, Niles, and Shedd were on the circuit. At the latter date the people of Chester Facto ries were generally Baptists^ In 1843, Rev. A. A. Farr, became the pastor at that "village, and the church was transferred to the Troy Conference. The same year a union church edifice was built, and while the Methodist Society were in occupation, Rev. Messrs. Kinsman Atkin son, S. Mattispn, and A. C. Hand were the preachers. The accommodations becoming too small, the Methodists built a church by themselves, which was finished and ded icated in 1847, the church, in the meantime, having gone back into the New England Conference. About the time of the building of the house, the Wesleyans and Baptists ceased to have preaching. The succession of pastors fol lowing Mr. Hand, were Rev. Messrs. J. B. Bigelow, A. S. Flagg in 1846, I. Marcy in 1847 and 1848, Jarvis Wilson in 1849, Woodbury in 1850, G. E. Chapman in 1851 and 1852, and E. Stuart Best in 1853. In February, 1854, the church building was blown up by powder, in revenge for certain temperance movements in which the members were engaged. Rev. Daniel Wait was stationed there in May, 1854. The meeting house was repaired and re opened for public worship" on the 6th of August, 1854. The membership of the church is about 50. In Chester Village a Congregational Church was organ ized on the 26th of August, 1846, and it has now about 60 members. Rev. P. K. Clark's alternate labors were , here for two years, when he became the stated minister of the church, and continued such until 1852. In December, 1853, Rev. Townsend Walker, of Monterey, a graduate of Williams College, in 1839, was installed as the pastor, and is still in office. A Methodist Church edifice was erected at Chester Vil lage, in 1836, and was dedicated in December of that year. The church organization had existed for many years, pro bably since about 1812. From the commencement up to the time of the building of the meeting house, circuit preaching— at first once in four weeks, and later once in two weeks — was all that the church enjoyed. After build ing the church, Rev. Cyrus Culver, an old man from the 40 CHESTER. New York Conference, preached for two or three years. His successors have been Rev. Messrs. Moulton, Lewis, Robbins, McLouth, Father Taylor, and William W/oiHa young man,) the latter supplying the pulpit for a penoa. oi two years, Wm. A. Braman, Clark and Marcy. The So ciety is not prosperous at the present time. Chester has been somewhat noted for its hard political fights, and the degree of personal and partizan feeling which has characterized them. In 1824, these were car ried to such an extent that two returns were made to the Legislature, by two different sets of Selectmen, by one of which it appeared that Silvester Emmons was elected Representative, and by the other, that Asa Wilcox was thus elected. The election of each was contested by the friends of the other. The Report of the Committee was to the effect that a legal town meeting, held on the 1st of March, was illegally adjourned, a fact which vitiated all subsequent proceedings, by that organization. A part of these proceedings were the election of Forbes Kyle, Sam uel B. Stebbins and John Hamilton as Selectmen, and Horace Smith as Constable of Chester. This board of Selectmen certified to the election of Silvester Emmons as representative at a town meeting held in accordance with a warrant issued by them to Constable Horace Smith, but Horace Smith not being legally constable, and the select men not being legally chosen, " Silvester Emmons is not entitled to a seat in this house." Asa Wilcox was declared entitled to his seat. His credentials were based on the facts that at a meeting of the inhabitants of Chester, warned by Martin Phelps, Jr., constable, pursuant to a warrant issued by Isaac Whipple, James Nooney, Jr., and Charles Collins, as selectmen, at the request of Asa Wilcox and eleven others, that board of selectmen was re-elected ; and the re-elected selectmen testified to the election of Asa Wilcox as representative. The Report of the Committee was made at the May session of the Legislature, and referred to the January session, but it seems not to have been acted upon. In 1852, Samuel Henry was returned a member from Chester. His election was controverted on the ground that the selectmen, whose duty it was to assort and count the votes, called others, not sworn, to their aid, and that all the votes given in were not taken from CHESTER. 41 the_ envelops. It was admitted that Mr. Henry had a majority of the votes cast, and the Committee did not deem the irregularity sufficient to deprive him of his seat. Some of the men of note, born and living in Chester, have already been noticed. Among others is Prof. James Nooney, late of Hudson College, Ohio, and more recently, under James K. Polk, one of the civil engineers on the Mexican Boundary Survey. Prof. Nooney is a native of Chester, and graduated at Yale in 1838. Rev. Reuben Tinker and wife, for ten years missionaries to the Sand wich Islands, were natives of Chester. Rev. Timothy Lyman, a grandson of one of the first settlers of that name, and a graduate of Amherst College, in 1844, is now a mis sionary in Iowa. Joseph Lyman, a younger brother of Timothy, graduated at Yale in 1850, and is now in the pro fession of law in Wisconsin. Hon. James Bell, now of Monson, Me., is a native of Chester. He graduated at Amherst in 1832, and is now in the profession of law. He has .younger brothers in the profession of medi cine — graduates of Berkshire Medical College — viz : — Ar- temas, now of Southampton, William C, now of Middle- town, Ct., and Cyrus, now of Feeding Hills, West Spring field. These, with Dr. William O. Bell, now of North Becket, are the descendents of the first settlers of the town, of that name. Dr. Wm. R. Elder was a graduate of Berkshire Medical College, and Dr. Joseph C. Abbott, of the Castleton Medical School, both natives of Chester. Dr. Anson Boies, a native of Blandford, married two daughters of Rev. Aaron Bascom in succession, and was the physician of Chester for a number of years. He died in 1820. Prof. Emmons, now of Albany, N. Y., was the successor of Dr. Boies, and after a residence of some years, removed to Williamstown. Dr. T. K. DeWolf established himself in Chester in 1832, and has practiced his profes sion there a longer period, in an unbroken succession of years, than any other practitioner since the incorporation of the town. The water power of the town is abundant, and is pretty thoroughly employed. John J. Cook manufactures brown sheetings, using up in his establishment 80,000 pounds of cotton, 100 cords of wood, 2,000 pounds of starch, and 250 gallons of oil, annually, of an aggregate value of $10,000. 42 CHESTER. He employs forty hands, producing 350,000 yards of fabric of the value of $27,800. The concern has been in opera tion fifteen years.— Benjamin Little manufactures 660,000 feet of hard wood lumber, and 30,000 feet of white-wood into 12,000 bedsteads annually. Cost of stock, $8,639 , hands employed, 28 ; sales last year, $31,137 ; value ot buildings, machinery, &c, $10,000. He has also a tan nery and sawmill, in the first of which he makes 20 tons of sole leather annually, and in the latter, 500,000 feet of lum ber. These establishments are on the middle branch ot Westfield river, about two and a half miles South of ISorth Chester, on the road to Chester Village. Mr. Little has been laborious, enterprising and liberal, and enjoys the prosperity and esteem which those qualities command. — The Greenleaf and Taylor Manufacturing Company at Chester Village, consume 400 tuns of rags per annum, valued at $32,000, in making 250 tuns printing paper, val ued at $55,000. They employ 25 hands, and have been in operation nearly one year. — William Fay, at Chester Factories, uses $1,400 worth of lumber annually, in mak ing 1,800 bedsteads, valued at $4,000. He employs four hands, and has been operating five years. Roland Lewis of Chester Village manufactures 25,000 feet of pine lum ber, valued at $600, into sash, blinds and doors annually, the value of which is $2,000. His mill has been in opera tion but a year, and his operative force is four men. — Cope- land and Co. of Chester Village make planes and joiners' tools, using annually $6,000 worth of stock, employing 16 men, with an annual product of $15,000. This concern has been in operation for twelve years. — Alfred Copeland of Chester Village manufactures 400,000 feet of lumber, and five tuns of iron ware and malleable iron into bed steads, annually, the stock being valued at $7,000, and the production, $24,000. He employs fifteen hands, turns out 9,000 bedsteads, annually, and has operated eleven years. — C. W. Hannum of Chester Village (in the lines of Hun tington) manufactures axes and other edge tools. He uses annually eleven tuns of iron, two tuns of cast steel, and two tuns of grind-stones, valued in the aggregate at $2,000. His establishment has been in operation twenty- five years, employs four hands, and produces 450 dozen axes, besides other edge tools, valued at $5,000. — Bartlett CHIC0PEE. 43 and Williams of Chester Village use up $3,000 worth of stock annually, and employ 45 hands, in the manufacture of baskets, the whole amount of production being valued at $22,000. The concern has been in operation three years. The population of Chester proper, in 1840, was 1,412; in 1850, 1,485. The amount of taxes raised for 1854 was $3,800, of which $800 was for schools. There are four teen school districts in the town, and 82 miles of roads. CHICOPEE. Chicopee is a new town, formed from the north part of old Springfield ; yet it is one of the most important towns on the Connecticut. The first settlement of its territory occurred very early, on what is known as Chicopee street, probably within four years from the date of the first set tlement at Springfield in 1636. Japhet and Henry Chapin, sons of Deacon Samuel Chapin, a member of the first board of magistracy in Springfield, were the first settlers of Chicopee. These Chapins had numerous offspring, and for a long period almost the entire population living on the present territory of Chicopee, were their descendants, or were connected with them. It is a noticeable fact that the Chapin families gave birth to sons almost exclusively, for several generations, so that the name has been propagated in almost an unparalleled degree. On the Chicopee river, (written " Chickuppe,"" Chickapy," " Chickabee," &c, at first,) the first cultivation commenced near its mouth, in 1645. A settlement at "Skipmuck," a locality about a mile East of Chicopee Falls, commenced about the beginning of 1660J mostly on the South side of the river. The scattered settlers flew to Springfield when endangered by the Indians, and for nearly a century their business and church connections were entirely in the mother town. In 1750, the first parish in Springfield being about to build a new church edifice, the people in the North part of the town, on both sides of the river, moved for and secured incorporation as the fifth, or Chicopee par ish of Springfield. On the 7th of May, 1786, Stephen Horton, Gad Horton, Phineas Stedman, Ariel Cooley, Dudley Wade, Josiah Hitchcock, Ebenezer Morgan, Israel Chapin, Samuel Steb- 44 CHICOPEE. bins, and Stephen Hitchcock, gave a lease m perpetuo of two acres of land and the water privilege^ on the > bourn side of Chicopee river at Skenungonuck Falls (Chicopee Falls) to James Byers and William Smith of Springfield, on condition that they should erect on the premises within two years, a furnace, or iron works of some kind, lire conditions were complied with, and a blastfurnace for the manufacture of iron hollow ware, was erected by said Byers and Smith, but was not very extensively worked until the property passed into the hands of Benjamin Belcher, Abi- fah Witherell and William Witherell, in June, 1801. In 1805 Mr. Belcher purchased the right to the whole prop erty, 'and continued the business until 1822, when, m Au gust of that year, he disposed of the water privilege and the land on which the village of Chicopee Falls now stands. The furnace was considered a work of no small magnitude in those days. The ore from which the iron was obtained, was, for a long time, dug from the lands in the immediate vicinity, or but a few miles distant. The first two settlers at this place, were Stephen Wright and Levi Hitchcock, who had lived there for some time previous to the erection of the furnace, and owned much land in the vicinity. They sold most of their land to Mr. Belcher, and removed from the place. Mr. Belcher was a native of Easton, Massachusetts, and removed with his family to this place in 1801^.. He established an iron foundry, and prosecuted the business until his death, which took place Dec. 17, 1833, at the age of 68. His widow still survives him at an advanced age. The business was successfully continued by his sons, until Nov. 1846. Castings for various kinds of machinery are still made at this place, but to a less extent than formerly. The manufacture of ploughs and other agricultural implements is carried on extensively here by Whittemore, Squier and Co. The Massachu setts Arms Co. have also here extensive shops for the manufacture of revolvers and other fire arms, sewing machines and machinery of various kinds. The business of this company is increasing from year to year, under the superintendence of Timothy W. Carter, and they now give employment to about 75 hands. The company obtained an act of incorporation in 1850, and have a capital of $70,000. CHICOPEE. 45 Oliver Chapin was the first settler on the North side of Chicopee river at this point. He came with his family in April, 1801, and resided there until his death, which occurred in March 1852. In the year 1806, he sold the privilege on that side of the river to William Bowman, Benjamin Cox and Lemuel Cox, on which they erected a paper mill, where they continued to manufacture paper 15 or 16 years, when they disposed of their interest to Messrs. Chauncey Brewer and Joshua Frost of Springfield, who continued, the business five or six years longer, when it passed into the hands of David Ames. "While it remained in the hands of the previous owners, the paper was made by hand, but to a considerable extent considering the times, and the manner in which the work was performed. After it became the property of Mr. Ames, machinery was soon introduced, which greatly facilitated the manufacture. Mr. Ames died in Springfield August 3d, 1847, at the advanced age of 87 years. His sons, David and John Ames, carried on the same business at this place till 1853, the water privilege having been sold by David Ames senior to the Chicopee Manufacturing Company, who are the present owners. During 1853, the buildings were thoroughly repaired, and a portion of the mill rebuilt. New and im proved machinery has been introduced, and the manufac ture of printing paper commenced by John Valentine, who became the lessee of the water privilege. The land and water power on the south side of Chicopee river at Chicopee Falls> was purchased in 1822 by Jona than Dwight, Jr., of Springfield, for himself and his brother Edmund Dwight, of Boston, who subsequently associated other gentlemen of Springfield and Boston with them. In January, 1823, they obtained an act of incorporation, under the name of the Boston and Springfield Manufac turing Company, with a capital of $500,000. Jonathan Dwight, Jr., was their first president, and Joseph Hall, Jr., their first agent. In the spring of 1823, the work of mak ing a dam and canal, and laying the foundation of a cotton mill was commenced. This mill was completed in 1825, and,in the same year, a second one was commenced. The company extended its purchases of land and water power, so as to embrace the falls below, at Cabotville, and the principal part of the land on which the present village is 46 chicopee. now built. In 1826, a third mill and a bleachery were erected. In 1828, the name of the corporation was changed to that of the Chicopee Manufacturing Company. In 1831, preparations were made, and the work ot erect ing a fourth mill was commenced, and an addition ot $100,000 to the capital of the company was granted by the Legislature. In 1835, by an act of the Legislature, the company were authorized to make a further addition of $100,000 to their capital stock, making it $700,000, at which it now stands. The company -have four mills, hav ing enlarged one of them during. 1853, which contain nearly 700 looms, and more than twenty thousand spindles. Mr. Hall resigned the agency of these mills June 1, 1827. Samuel Henshaw succeeded him, and continued till Decem ber 1st, 1832. Lewis Ashmun performed the duties of agent for the succeeding six months. Benjamin Day was appointed agent June 1, 1833, and resigned the office December 1, 1834. Timothy W. Carter succeeded him, and continued in office nearly twelve years, till his resig nation July 1, 1846, when Ezekiel Blake, was appointed his successor. In 1809 or 1810, a small mill was erected near the upper dam, above the grist mill, on the south side of Chic opee river, at Cabotville, by William, Levi and Joseph Chapin, citizens of the town, (the former of whom is now living,) in which they put two carding machines and two spinning frames, of 48 spindles each. They carried on a limited business, buying cotton at about eleven or twelve cents per pound, and manufacturing yarn, of which cloth was made by hand-looms, among the different families of the town. This fabric they sold at 33 to 42 cents per yard. The introduction of imported goods, after the close of the war, reduced the price so much, that they were not able to compete with foreign manufactures, and they finally aban doned the business in 1815 or 1816. In 1831, the property of the Chicopee Manufacturing Company, at the "lower privilege," as it was then called, was set off, and sold to a new company, formed the same year, composed mostly of the stockholders of the old com pany, and incorporated under the name of the Springfield Canal Company, with a capital of $90,000. John Chase was chosen agent of this company, and under his superin- chicopee. 47 tendence the water power in this place was brought into use, and a machine shop for the manufacture of cotton machinery was erected the same year. In 1832, the Cabot Manufacturing Company was incorporated, with a capital of $400,000, and in the year following, the first mill went into operation. Robert E. Bemis was appointed agent, and commenced his labors April 1, 1834. The capital stock has beeii increased to $500,000. The two mills erected by them contain nearly 15,000 spindles, and more than four hundred looms. About 300 females and 100 males are employed. They consume 3,000 bales of cotton, and produce 4,000,000 yards of cloth annually. In 1836, the Perkins Mills were incorporated, with a capital of $400,000, which subsequently was increased to $500,000. They have two mills which contain between four and five hundred looms, and 15,000 spindles, where they manufacture drillings, printing cloths and shirtings, consuming annually 1,410,000 pounds of cotton, producing 4,325,000 yards of cloth, and employing about 430 opera tives. Elias Davis commenced his services as agent, in the spring of 1837, and resigned in January, 1842. Rufus Whittier succeeded him, and continued in office until his death, which took place April 7, 1852. By an act of the Legislature, passed during the session of 1852, the Cabot Manufacturing Company and the Perkins Mills were united in one company, bearing the latter name. In consequence of this arrangement, R. E. Bemis resigned his agency Au gust 1, 1852. The first agent of the united company was Cornelius W. Blanchard. He remained till January 1st, 1853, and was succeeded by Daniel Hussey, who continued only three months. George D. Lund, his successor, com menced his labors April 1, 1853. In 1841, the Dwight Manufacturing Company was incorporated, with a capital of $500,000, which, in 1843, was increased to $700,000. Sylvanus Adams, the present agent of the company, commenced his labors January 1, 1841. This company have three mills, one of them being 200 feet long, 50 feet wide, and six stories high, and in its form and internal arrangement, a superior structure. These mills contain 786 looms, and 28,576 spindles, employing about 800 hands. They manufacture coarse and fine 48 CHICOPEE. goods,' some extra fine and wide shirtings, and- consume 2,000,000 pounds of cotton, and produce 5,600,000 yards of cloth annually. In July, 1829, Nathan P. Ames commenced the cutlery business at Chicopee Falls, in the blacksmith shop of the Chicopee Manufacturing Company, with nine workmen. In 1830, contracts were made with the Government for furnishing swords for the army and navy, and the number of workmen was increased, from time to time, until, in 1833, they amounted to 25 or 30 men. In 1834, the Ames Manufacturing Company, having been incorporated, commenced operations in their new shop, erected at Cab otville the preceding year, with a capital of $30,000, and employed about 35 men. Nathan P. Ames was appointed agent. In 1841, they purchased the property owned by the Chicopee Falls Company, consisting of the shops, ma chinery, dwelling houses and water power occupied by them at Chicopee Falls, for the manufacture of saws, and various kinds of tools and cutlery, and their capital was increased to $75,000, and the number of workmen to 100. In 1849, this property at Chicopee Falls was sold by them to the Massachusetts Arms Company, and a?new company incorporated for the purpose of manufacturing fire-arms, machinery, &c, &c. In 1845, the Ames Manufacturing Company purchased the property of the Springfield Canal Company at Cabotville, and increased their capital to $200,000. In 1840, Mr. Ames went to Europe, in connection with a Board of Officers of the Ordnance Department of the United States. The object of his visit was to obtain more extensive information in relation to the manufacture of the different branches of cutlery and tools, and by visiting the different armories in Europe, to acquire the means of improving in the manufacture of arms for our Govern ment. He returned in May, 1841. In consequence of protracted ill health, he relinquished the active duties of the agency in the autumn of 1845. He gradually de clined in health, and died April 23d, 1847, at the age of forty-four, much lamented by the entire community. In 1846, James T. Ames, his brother, was appointed agent of the company, and still continues in that office. When the company was first organized, the business consisted prin- chicopee. 49 cipally in manufacturing cutlery, and furnishing swords for the Government, but in 1836, a foundry was erected for casting bronze cannon which has been in operation since that time. The same furnace was successfully employed for a short time in casting church bells. In 1845, an Iron Foundry was built, in which about fifty men were em ployed. In 1851, the company commenced the manufac ture of plated ware, which they are now successfully pros ecuting. This branch of business furnishes employment for about 100 hands. The business of the company now consists in the manufacture of cotton machinery, heavy tools, iron and brass castings, and swords and bronze can non for the United States Government, rich swords for presentation, and swords for the market, together with gilt and plated ware in great variety. In the various branches of their business they employ about 250 men. In the years 1675 and 1677, the General Court passed several laws for the regulation of society, and the promo tion of good morals, by directing tythingmen to be ap pointed in each town, who should each have the inspection of ten or twelve families, and prosecute all transgressions of the laws within their several districts. Such officers were chosen in the town of Springfield, their districts as signed them, and their duties enjoined by the County Court. While it appears that particular effort was made to guard the morals of the people, it is evident there was much less attention given to common schools. The defect in common school education for the first forty years after the town was settled, is apparent in the number of persons who could not write their names, and the very great num ber of bad writers and spellers. From the commencement of the last century, provision has been made for supporting public schools, and the interest in the cause of education has steadily increased from year to year until, in 1847, (the year preceding the separation of Chicopee from the town of Springfield) the appropriations for this object reached the sum af $14,582. The inhabitants of Cabotville, comprising School Dis trict No. 4, in the town of Chicopee, early made liberal provision for the encouragement and support of common schools, and have manifested commendable interest in the cause, in the erection, from time to time, of neat and com- 5 50 chicopee. modious school houses. In 1834, they erected a b"c.k school house on School street, at the expense of $2,000. The large brick edifice located on Grape street, in the Eastern part of the village, where the higher branches ot education are taught, was commenced in 1841, and com pleted in the year 1842, at a cost of $11,000. John Chase, a citizen of the town, generously contributed one thousand dollars towards the completion of the house, the erection of fences, and ornamenting the grounds. Nathan P. Ames made a donation of a large, fine-toned bell. The house was opened in July, 1842. Charles P. Ames, a graduate of Dartmouth College, was the first preceptor. He was much esteemed as an instructor, and highly valued as a citizen, and his sudden removal by death, October 19, 1842, at the age of 26, was sincerely lamented. Calvin S. Pennell, a graduate of Waterville College, succeeded him as principal of the school, and continued until March, 1847, when he removed to Charlestown, to take charge of the Grammar School in that city. He was suc ceeded by William W. Mitchell, who commenced his labors March 4, 1847. In 1845, an extensive philosophical, chemical, and astronomical apparatus was purchased for the use of the high school, at a cost of $800, which was promptly met by private, individual subscriptions. In 1845, the inhabitants of School District No. 6, which embraces the village of Chicopee Falls, erected a very handsome and commodious brick school house, at a cost of $7,0(',0. It is one of the best constructed edifices of the kind in the vicinity. Much skill and taste are manifested in the internal arrangements, the complete finish, and the thorough workmanship of the building throughout. It stands on a beautiful eminence overlooking the village, and is an ornament to the town, and an evidence of the deep interest felt in the' cause of education by the inhabitants of that district. The house was opened January 7, 1846, by a public meeting of the citizens, and an address by Hon. Oliver B. Morris of Springfield. Samuel Alvord was the first preceptor, and continued till December, 1848. His successor was William Torrance, a graduate of Am- S,^ T1,10 remTained, only one term, and left in iviaicn, 1849. Alonzo Leland, a graduate of Brown Uni versity, succeeded him, and continued till October, 1850 chicopee. 51 when he removed to Oregon. Mr. Alvord, the first Prin cipal of the school, at the urgent request of the district, again assumed the charge, and remained till March, 1853. He was succeeded by Charles Barrett, who remained one year, and left in March, 1854. His successor was Philip D. Hammond, an under-graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Ct. In 1845 and 1846, new brick school houses were erected in three of the districts lying North of the Chicopee river. The principals in the high schools of the town receive from seven to eight hundred dollars, and assistant female teach ers from $200 to $250 per year. The town is divided into eight school districts. The number of scholars in the town, May 1st, 1853, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, was 1,388. There are eleven school houses in the town, and twenty-two schools maintained during the year, in which .are employed 30 teachers. .The amount invested in school houses, school apparatus, &c, &c, is estimated at $35,000. The cause of education has progressed in this town from year to year, till it has become one of the most prominent objects of attention and regard, the annual ap propriations for it being more than $8,000, which is a larger sum than is raised by the town for all other purpo ses. The act incorporating the Congregational Society in Chicopee-street was passed June 10, and the Society organized July 30, 1751. The church was constituted in September, 1752, and was composed of about twenty mem bers. The present number is about 85. Rev. John Mc- Kinstry was the first pastor of the church, having been ordained as such on the day of its organization. He was released from preaching by a mutual council in 1789, but continued as the acting pastor of the church until his death, which took place November 9th, 1813, he having sustained the relation of pastor sixty-one, and, per formed the active duties of the ministry thirty-seven years. The church and society remained without a pastor until April 28, 1824, when the Rev. Alexander Phcenix was ordained their pastor. He was dismissed by an Ecclesias tical Council October 7, 1835, and Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright was installed by the same council. He remained until April 24, 1839. Rev. Eli B. Clark, the present pas- 52 chicopee. tor, succeeded him, having been ordained October 16,1839. The present house of worship was erected in the year 1825. " „,. The First Baptist Church was constituted at Onic- opee Falls, November 28, 1828, consisting of seventeen members. The Society was organized April 14, l»o^. For nearly five years, this church had no settled pastor, but enjoyed the labors of Rev. N. Branch, Rev. Alvan Bennett, Rev. Lewis Bolles, Jr., and Rev. Asahel Chapin. " Rev. Moses Curtis, the first pastor, was installed July 14, 1833, and dismissed May 15, 1835. Rev. Joseph M. Graves was recognized as pastor of the church November 6, 1836, and dismissed January 28, 1838. Rev. Robert F. Ellis was ordained pastor of the church September 19, 1838, and dismissed March 15, 1845. Rev. Robert C. Mills succeeded him in June, 1845, and remained until May 7, 1848, when he removed to Salem, Mass. Rev. Rufus K. Bellamy, commenced his labors October 1, 1848. The church now numbers 150 members. Their house of worship was erected in the summer of 1832, dedicated in November of the same year, removed to its present loca tion in 1850, and there enlarged and thoroughly repaired. The First Methodist Episcopal Church and Society is located at Chicopee Falls, and no definite infor mation respecting its origin and early history can be given, no correct records having been preserved. It is supposed the church was gathered about the year 1822. Their present house of worship was dedicated in June, 1842, and the present number of members is 128. The Second Congregational Church, located at Chic opee Falls, was organized July 3d, 1830, and consisted of thirty-three members ; its present number is 145. The Society was organized October 11, 1832. This church, for several years, was aided by the Home Missionary Society, and enjoyed the labors of Rev. George Nichols. Rev. Dorus Clark, formerly of Blandford, was installed as their first pastor, March 4, 1835, and was dismissed November 4, 1840, and Rev. Ebenezer P. Rogers was ordained and installed their pastor. He remained until April 10, 1843, when he was regularly dismissed, and removed to North ampton. Rev. Frederick A. Barton was installed -pastor of the church, September 13, 1843, and dismissed November CHICOPEE. 53 2 1846. Rev. S. S. N. Greely labored with them as sta ted supply for four years. Rev. William Wright their present pastor, was installed February 25, 1852. ' The Third Congregational Church was constituted October 16, 1834, consisting of ten males and eight fe males. The society was organized March 2d, 1835 Rev Sumner G. Clapp of Enfield, Mass., was installed pastor of the church April 26, 1837, and labored with them with great efficiency and success nearly thirteen years. He was dismissed January 22d, 1850, and became the pastor of the Second Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury, Vt. Rev. George A. Oviatt, the present pastor of the church, was installed October 15, 1850. The church now numbers 180 members. Their house of worship was erected in 1836- 7, and dedicated September 9, 1837. Nathan P. Ames, a benevolent member of the society, paid from his own funds, for the erection and completion of the house, more than $5,000, being at that time- one-half of his whole es tate. The second or Central Baptist Church and Soci ety- — This society was organized December 2d, 1834, and the church, consisting of seventeen members, was con stituted August 5, 1835. Their house of worship, which is a brick edifice, was erected in 1838-9, and dedicated February 7, 1839. Rev. Pierpont Brocket was their first pastor, and was installed December 4, 1836, and remained with them until April 2d, 1838. Rev. Jonah G. Warren, their second pastor, was ordained February 7, 1839, and continued with them ten years, when, in February, 1849, he removed to Troy, N. Y. He was much beloved by his people, and highly valued by the community at large. He was succeeded in the pastorate of the church by Rev. Ben- ajah Cook, of Jewett City, Ct., who commenced his labors July 15, 1849, but in consequence of ill health he was re leased from his charge September 29th, 1850, when he returned to Jewett City, where he died February 10, 1851. Rev. C. Billings Smith of Maiden, Mass., commenced his labors as pastor of the church January 1, 1851. He re mained with them till October 1, 1852, when he removed to New York city. Rev. Warren Lincoln, the present pas tor, has labored with them since April 1, 1853. The church has at the present time 240 members. 5* 54 CHICOPEE. Universalist Church and Society.— The Society was organized February 27, 1835, and the church, com posed of tlnrty-nine members, was constituted October ¦ w, 1840. This church and society have enjoyed the labors of the following preachers, viz :— Rev. Charles Spear, from March 1835 to March 1836; Rev. W. M. Fernald, from 1836 to 1838; Rev. A. A. Folsom, from 1838 to 1843 ; Rev. George W. Gage, from 1843 to 1844; Rev. Samuel Bennett, from 1844 to 1846; Rev. Zenas Thomp son, from 1846 to 1848 ; Rev. W. R. G. Mellen from Oc tober, 1848, to July, 1851 ; Rev. Uriah Clark, from Sep tember, 1851, to October, 1852. Rev. C. H. Webster commenced his labors October 1, 1853. The Unitarian Society was legally organized March 16, 1841. Rev. F. A. Whitney officiated as their pastor for a short time. Rev. Charles A. Farley succeeded him, and under his ministry the church was gathered, consisting of sixteen members, which was regularly constituted No vember 21, 1841. Rev. John A. Buckingham was the first pastor, installed October 12, 1842. He resigned his charge at the expiration of one year. Their house of worship, which is a neat brick edifice, was erected in 1842, and dedicated October 12, of the same year. Rev. Craw ford Nightingale, their second pastor, was installed May 14, 1845, resigned in April, 1851, removed to Bridgeport, Conn., and is now pastor of the Unitarian Church in Gro- ton, Mass. His successor, Rev. Ephraim Nute, Jr., com menced his labors October 1, 1851. The church at present numbers about 60 members. Methodist Episcopal Church and Society. — This church was organized in August, 1838. A legally organized society was formed in 1839, but proving to be ill adapted to the Methodist economy, it was soon aban doned and became extinct. The number of members' of the church at the time of its organization was eighteen ; the present number, 176. Rev. Edmund S. Potter was their first preacher : he labored with them two years. His successors were as follows, and in the order designated, viz: Rev. Mosely Dwight, two years ; Ephraim Scott, one year; Benj. F. Lambord, one year; Daniel K. Bannister two years ; Loramus Crowell, two years ; James Porter' two years ; Rev. L. R. Thayer, two years; William Rice' CHICOPEE. 55 Jr., two years. Their house of worship was erected in 1839, and enlarged and much improved in 1845. The Episcopal Society, or Grace ChurcrT, was or ganized April 6, 1846, with eighteen members. Rev. Henry W. Lee of Springfield had charge of it for a short time. Their first rector was Rev. Charles R. Fisher, who commenced his labors in May, 1846, and resigned the rec torship in August following. Rev. Andrew Croswell suc ceeded him, and continued until May, 1849. Rev. Caleb Dow officiated as rector, from August 16 to September 23, when Rev. E. F. Remington accepted the rectorship, and remained with the parish until April 21, 1851, when their house of worship was closed. November 6, 1853, the house was re-opened, and Rev. Edward Jessup of Westfield is at present the officiating rector. The number of communicants is now about 30. Their house of wor ship was completed in March, 1848, and consecrated May 24, 1848. In the year 1838, a" Roman Catholic Church and Society were gathered, and in 1840, their house of wor ship, which is a brick edifice, was erected ; and was enlarged and improved in 1848. Rev. John Brady was the first pastor, and was released in 1841. Rev. John D. Brady, the second pastor, commenced his labors in 1846; and con tinued until his decease in October, 1848. He was suc ceeded in November following by Rev. James A. Strain. In September, 1850, he left town, and his successor, Rev. W. A. Blenkinsop, the present pastor, commenced his la bors in November of the same year. The society is com posed wholly, or nearly so, of the foreign population, and has greatly increased, from year to year. They have re cently purchased a lot, on which they are about to erect a large and magnificent church. The town of Springfield rapidly advanced in wealth and importance, until it became the center of a large inland and river commerce. Its natural and artificial advantages ren dered it one of the most important commercial depots on Connecticut River. The Western Railroad was opened for travel from Worcester to Springfield in 1839, and to the city of Albany in 1842. The Hartford and.Spring- field Railroad was completed and opened for public travel in December, 1844, and the Connecticut River Railroad 56 CHICOPEE. from Springfield to Northampton, December 13, 1845 ; and from thence to Greenfield in 1846. A branch Railroad from Cabotville (now Chicopee) to Chicopee Falls, was opened in September, 1846. The following will serve to show the rapid increase of the town:— In 1791, the popu lation was 1594; in 1810, 2767 ; in 1820 3914; in 1880, 6784; in 1840, 10,985 ; in 1845, 14,703 ; m 1848, 19,189. The increased business of the town brought within its limits a dense population, so that it became very incon venient for the inhabitants to meet in one body, to transact their annual town business. At the November election in 1847, there were 2460 votes polled, almost reaching the number of the whole population in 1810. In January, 1844, the inhabitants of the village of Cabotville petitioned the Legislature to be set off from the town of Springfield, and incorporated into a new town. This measure met with strong opposition from other parts of the town. The matter was referred to a committee, but they were not called together by the parties interested, to view the prem ises, and, therefore, never reported to the Legislature. In January, 1848, a petition was sent to the Legislature, ask ing for an act granting the town of Springfield incorpora tion as a city. This was strongly opposed, on the ground that the municipal government of a city would be far more expensive, and its benefits could not be equally enjoyed by a population living on a territory so extended. This movement, on the part of the inhabitants in the center of the town, had the effect to revive the effort of the inhabi tants of the North part, to obtain an act of incorporation as a new town, and a petition signed by over seven hundred taxable persons in Cabotville and vicinity, was sent to the Legislature, praying that the territory embraced within the limits of the districts designated Cabotville, Chicopee Street and Willimansett, might be incorporated as a new town, by the name of " Cabot." This was strongly op posed, on the ground that the territory would be too lim ited, and leave the old town in bad shape. It was then proposed to submit the question where the dividing line should be drawn, to the Legislature. A committee of the Legislature visited the town for the purpose of an exami nation, and held a public session at the Town Hall in Springfield. The different parties appeared before them, CHICOPEE. 57 with their consent, and after hearing their various argu ments and pleas, they reported in favor of a division of the town, including the village of Chicopee Falls in the new town. The inhabitants of Chicopee Falls village, by their coun sel before the committee, and by their representative in the Legislature, Timothy W. Carter, opposed any division of the town, except such as would include in the new town the village of Indian Orchard. The representative in the Legislature from Cabotville, Silas Mosman, Jr., advocated the division of the town, and having draughted a topograph ical chart, was enabled to present to the Legislature a clear view of the town of Springfield; with the relative position of each of the villages in the town. The Legislature were readily convinced that the interests of all parts of the town would be promoted by a division, and by a large vote, April 25, 1848, set off from the town of Springfield the territory embraced in the villages of Cabotville, Chicopee Falls, Chicopee street and Willimansett, and passed an act incorporating the same as the new town of Chicopee, which received the signature of the Governor, April 29, 1848. An unsuccessful effort was subsequently made to have the territory lying east of it, to Ludlow and Wilbraham line, annexed to the new town of Chicopee. The meeting for the organization of the municipal gov ernment of the new town was held May 17, 1848. The meeting was called to order by R. E. Bemis, prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Nightingale, Timothy W. Carter was elected moderator, and Wm. L. Bemis, clerk. Mr. Car ter, in taking the chair, made an appropriate address, in which he alluded to the differences of opinion that had prevailed, exhorted to future harmony, and expressed the hope and anticipation that the new town would be worthy of the old one, of which she had so long formed a part. At a subsequent meeting, the town voted to raise by tax $13,645, for town expenses for the year, $7,400 of which was for schools. At the time of the division of the town, Springfield con tained 19,189 inhabitants. Chicopee, at the date of its in corporation, had within its limits real and personal estate to the amount of $3,301,613. The population, (of which only three were colored) was 7,861 ; number of children 58 GRANVILLE. between four and sixteen years old, 1,671 ; number of tax able polls„l,761. In 1850, the whole number of families in town was 1,337; individuals 8,319, of whom 3,513 were males and 4,806 females. The valuation of real and per sonal estate the same year was $3,413,707; in 1853, $3,553,933. The amount of money raised by tax in 1854 was $13,500. In this sum, provision was made to pay the balance of the debt of the town. In 1850, gas works of a capacity for manufacturing 60,000 cubic feet of gas per day were constructed, under the superintendence of James T. Ames, at the center of the town, and the mills at that point, with the churches, stores, and many private dwellings, are now lighted with gas. The works cost $28,000. The construction of near ly all the shops, mills and dwellings at Chicopee center, has been the work of Charles McClallen, a citizen. In 1830, within the limits of school district No. 4, there were only twenty families where there is now a population of over 5,000 souls. GRANVILLE. The territory of Granville, at first called Bedford, was sold byToto, an Indian chief, in 1686, to James Cornish, who, with William Fuller, sold it in 1713 to Atherton Mather. Mr. Mather sold it with other lands in 1718 to a set of proprietors who had their purchase confirmed to them by the General Court in January, 1739. The terri tory was incorporated as a district Jan. 25, 1754. The length of Granville, at first, was 15 miles, breadth 7 miles on the Western boundary, and 5 on the Eastern, the con tents being 41,193 acres. In the allotments of land, 2,073 acres were appropriated to public uses. The first settler was Samuel Bancroft of West Springfield. He may be regarded as having been the patriarch of Granville. He was a facetious, kind hearted and industrious man, slightly below the medium hight, and some now living can recall his appearance, especially on the Sabbath, when, in his antique dress, triangular cocked hat, and bush wig, he inspired the reverence of all beholders. His wife was Sarah White, a descendant of one of the one hundred who landed on Plymouth Rock. In 1735, he built his first, rude log cabin, near a small rill in the North East school GRANVILLE. 59 district, not far from the site of the first school house. The cellar is still to be seen. A few years afterwards, he pre pared a large house of thick, hewn plank, as a refuge for his neighbors in case of Indian invasion. This was some thirty rods South of the mansion where he and some of his descendants, to the third generation, subsequently lived and died. Some remnants of the plank, after the lapse of a century, are now in a state of preservation, but no vestige of the locality of this early fort can now be seen. Mr. ' Bancroft was of the first board of selectmen in Granville, and, in 1775; was chosen representative to the General Court, assembled in Watertown. In the first half of the present century, as many as 89 persons bearing his name were inhabitants of East Granville, whose characteristics were industry, intelligence and integrity. Following Mr. Bancroft, the next settlers were Daniel Cooley, Jonathan Rose, Samuel Gillett, Thomas Spelman, John Root, Ephraim Monson, Phineas Pratt, Peter Gib bons and Samuel Church. The longevity of the early set tlers was remarkable. The ancestor of the Spelmans died in 1767, aged 93. She was from Wales, and left home with a hank of wool upon her finger, as if just from the spinning wheel. The ancestor of the Cooleys (from Le- land) died at 90 ; of the Gibbonses, at 92 ; of the Churches, at 95 ; and of the Roses, at 103. The manner in which several of them came to their end was remarkable. Sam uel Gillett fell dead in the field — the first death in Gran ville. Samuel Bancroft went to bed in health, and died before morning in 1788. Jonathan Rose perished in his burning buildings, 1768. Ephraim Monson, while manu facturing potash, being engaged to a late hour of the night, slipped into the boiling cauldron. He leaped out, but died in a few hours, Sept. 21, 1780. Daniel Cooley died by a wound, in 1781. The first house in the Second Parish of Granville was built of stone, by Dea. David Rose, with the capacity of a fort, in case of attacks by the Indians, but no one ever per ished by the tomahawk in Granville, though the people passed through much fearful apprAension. In one in stance, a child was born in the night, without a candle being lighted in the house, from fear of lurking savages. To the list, of early settlers already given, may be added 60 GRANVILLE. those of the following, who emigrated from Durham, Ct : Timothy Robinson, Noah Robinson, Dan Robinson, Phin eas Robinson, Ebenezer Baldwin, Amos Baldwin, Aaron, Ebenezer and Daniel Curtiss, Samuel Coe, David Parsons, Daniel Parsons and Levi Parsons. The third parish in Granville (now Tolland) was not settled until 1750. The early inhabitants of Granville were characterized by in telligence and great physical strength. It has been humor ously stated that in early times several teams were sent to Westfield for cider, and that while the courteous people were furnishing facilities for loading it, Timothy Robinson took the barrels and laid them in at the end of the cart, while Thomas Hamilton threw them in over the wheel. In the " Old French War," an enlistment was called for at Granville, and it is stated that four men were tent-mates in the war, who, when they returned, settled in the same vicinity, and died respectively at the ages of 82, 90, 86, and 89. In the memorable struggle for independence, the patriotic fathers of Granville were imbued with a full meas ure of the enthusiasm and spirit of the times. As early as 1774, a town meeting was holden, and a committee appointed, " to inspect the debate subsisting between the mother country and the colonies." At a subsequent meet ing, the committee reported resolutions as follow, which were unanimously adopted : " 1. Resolved. That King George III is our rightful sover eign and king, and that we will, at all times, bear all alle giance due unto him. " 2. That the inhabitants of this, his Majesty's Province, and the other colonies in America, are justly entitled to all the rights, liberties and privileges that the inhabitants of Great Britain are entitled to, which rights, liberties and priv ileges are in a particular manner confirmed to the inhabitants of this Province by charter, and that we would humbly re quest and confidently challenge these rights, liberties and privileges to us belonging, as free and natural born English subjects. "3. That it is our opinion that the aforesaid acts of Parlia ment [Stamp act &c] are calculated to perplex and enslave this, his Majesty's frees and loyal province, and are destructive oi our invaluable liberties and privileges; and have a mani fest tendency to alienate the affections of his Majesty's faith ful subjects, and are m the highest degree oppressive and unconstitutional. GRANVILLE. 61 " 4. That in order to obtain redress from the difficulties and calamities in which we are so deeply involved by the aforesaid acts of Parliament, it is our opinion that some uni form and constitutional resolves be agreed upon, for a univer sal-rule to be observed throughout all the colonies, the con struction of which we refer to the wisdom of the General American Congress, soon to meet. And we would humbly offer to their consideration, that it is our opinion that a sus pension of all commerce with Great Britain, under proper regulations, and a covenant engagement of non-importation and non-consumption of their manufactures, to be solemnly subscribed by the people, will be the most likely means to produce the desired effect. And that such non-importation and non-consumption agreement, is neither unwarrantable, hostile, nor treacherous, or contrary to our allegiance due to our king; and that it is the indispensable duty of every person who would reserve to himself and posterity the inestimable blessing of liberty, by all constitutional ways and means in his power, to endeavor to avert the much dreaded conse quences of those arbitrary and oppressive acts. "5. That we greatly applaud the patriotic zeal of the mer chants and other inhabitants of Boston, and especially the vigilance and assiduity of their committee of correspondence ; and although we, approve of the sentiment and spirit of their covenant presented to us to subscribe, yet we are of opinion the same is rather premature and too precipitate, as it is a matter of the utmost importance to the British American colonies, and requires the most serious consideration, fearing it will breed "discord among the inhabitants, and that a divis ion of sentiment may be destructive of the good effect. We propose, therefore, and rather choose to defer the subscription thereto, but wait the determination of the American Congress. And do as christians promise and pledge our faith, that what ever constitutional determination and resolves shall be agreed upon and published by them, as a general rule of observance by all the provinces, we will subscribe to, and in all particu lars abide by. A faithful adherence to this, we make no doubt, may be the happy means to reduce the ministry to a sense of their duty, ami restore unto us our rights, and harmoniously unite us to our mother country, and be the lengthening out of the tranquillity of the British Empire. " 6. That we do abhor all unconstitutional riots and tumultu ous assaults upon the person or estate of any one who is per sonally in the execution of his own lawful business, but will to the utmost of our power endeavor that peace and good order be maintained. " 7. That there be a committee of correspondence to corres pond with other committees in this and the neighboring colo- 6 62 GRANVILLE. nies, and give due information of all infringements upon our rights and liberties. " 8. That a letter of construction be written by the com mittee of correspondence, in behalf of this district, to the inhabitants of the town of Boston, to assure them of our firm attachment to the common cause, and promise faithful assist ance in all constitutional ways, to encourage to a firm and steadfast perseverance in all the ways of well doing. " 9. That the above resolves be entered on the district book of records." The names of the committee reporting these resolutions were Col. Timothy Robinson, Dea. Luke Hitchcock, Lieut. Samuel Bancroft, Nathan Barton, John Hamilton, Dr. Josiah Harvey, and Hon. Oliver Phelps. The devotion of the town to the cause of the country was no less in practice than in profession. In March, 1775, £50 was raised to encourage fifty men to enlist as minute men. In May, 1776, a return was made of a military company in Granville, belonging to the 5th regiment of Massachusetts Militia, of which John Mosely of Westfield was Colonel. This company was commanded by Capt. William Cooley. Edmund Barlow was 1st Lieutenant, Samuel Bancroft, Jr., 2d do., Richard Dickinson, Joel Strong and Samuel Wil liams, sergeants; Joel Bancroft, clerk; Samuel Stiles, drummer; Timothy Spelman, fifer; and John Cooley, Thomas Gillett and James Coe, corporals. The company numbered 73 men, with 73 guns, 2 bayonets, 4 swords, 680 flints, and 5 1-2 pounds of powder. The strength and flower of the town were under enlistment, and many were m actual service. As many as fourteen perished in the army. Isaac Chapman, a pious and excellent young man, left his youthful and beautiful wife with one child, a babe ?f ns£ months, and joining the army, fell at Ticonderoga in 1777. Deacon Luke Hitchcock, a volunteer at Crown Point, died at New Lebanon on his way homeward, at the house of Mr. Douglass who took him in for the ni^ht. Enos Howe died at New London. John Bartlett, who was in Capt. Cooley s company, was at White Plains, and in the action at that point took aim at one of the lio-ht horse who was rushing towards him, but his gun missing fire the enemy, with a broad sword, split his head open^the 'two parts fallmg upon his shoulders. Two Granville men fell at Stone Arabia. GRANVILLE. 63 Money was liberally raised for the support of the army. In March, 1778, it was voted to raise £144 6s. 6d., to pay for articles purchased for the soldiers. In October 1778, £200 were raised to support those families whose heads were in the Continental Army. In 1781, it was voted to raise £756 3s. 4d., silver money, as a bounty to raise sixteen men to serve in the Continental Army three years. Within the territory of Granville, thirty-three persons have received the honors of College, and many sons of the town have risen to distinction without a liberal educa tion. Hon. Oliver Phelps was a servant boy — afterwards a dish pedler. While in this business, a wag offered to purchase 100 feet of dishes, and pay in brush fence. He measured him off the ware, and they separated. He left his account for collection, and the wag was compelled to pay the silver or gold instead of brush fence. In Gran ville, he was commissary, for supplying provisions for the American Army. He received a letter from Washington as follows : " The comfort and even the life of the Amer ican Army is owing to the seasonable supply of provisions from your hand, for which accept my grateful acknowl edgments." He was elected a member of the Governor's Council in Massachusetts. In company with Nathaniel Gorham, he purchased the Genesee country, and opened it for settlement, and was afterwards a member of Congress, from a district in New York. He died in Canandaigua. Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the colored preacher, was brought up by Deacon David Rose. He got his education in the chimnfcy corner, by the light of pine knots, instead of can dles. The Deacon required him to read a sermon, on Sat urday evening, at family worship. One evening he slipped in one of his own sermons, and the deacon was greatly delighted and edified. He inquired very earnestly, " Lem uel, whose work is that which you have been reading ? Is it Davies's sermon, or Watt's, or Whitefield's ?" It was the deacon's impression that the sermon was Whitefield's. Haynes blushed and hesitated, but confessed, " It is Lem uel's sermon." At the age of 27, in spite of caste or color, he was a licensed preacher of the Gospel. No man could collect a fuller audience or interest them more than Lemuel Haynes. President Dwight listened to him in New Haven 64 GRANVILLE. with great interest. He preached with great success and acceptance in Granville, and many desired to settle him. A majority, on account of his color, were opposed. When Rev. A. J. Booge was called in, some of Mr. Haynes' friends tauntingly inquired, "Do you call this white preach ing ?" After a long life of great usefulness and extensive influence, he died at Granville, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1833, aged 80 years. Rev. Gordon Hall was born in the third parish in Gran ville, (now Tolland,) April 8, 1784. He was valedictory orator at Williams College in 1808. He was a pioneer in American foreign missions, and has been unsurpassed in talents or real worth. He died in India, March 2d, 1826, aged 42, leaving one son, who is now minister in North ampton. Hon. Isaac C. Bates, born January 23, 1779, was vale dictory orator at Yale College in 1802, and was pronounced by President Dwight " the Addison of the age" in the beauty of his style of writing. He was thrice returned as repre sentative in Congress, from his native district. In 1845, in the United States Senate, he delivered a convincing and impassioned speech against the admission of Texas. He sank down, and lived but a few days. He was brought to Northampton, where he had his home, and where he had spent his professional life, for burial. In his printed speeches and addresses, he has left some of the finest speci mens of forensic discussion and beauty of composition. He died, aged 68 years. Hon. Timothy Rose was born in Granville, June 1, 1762. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and a deacon in the church. His great work was that of con ducting the colony from Granville, Mass., to Granville in the center of Ohio. Like William Penn, he was the in strument of planting a colony, which for enterprise and moral excellence, is one of the first towns in the West. The town of Granville, Ohio, contains a college, two flour ishing academies, and nearly one-fourth of the population are professors of religion. He was a judge, and died November 26, 1815, aged 50, leaving a character which will be remembered in all future time. _ Hon. John Eaton Mills was born in Granville, third nar- isn, (now Tolland,) October 14, 1796, and in 1814 he was GRANVILLE. 65 a few months in the Granville Classical School. In Sep tember, 1815, he went to Canada, and was a resident in Montreal. He possessed talejit of a high order, and by untiring perseverance and attention to business, he was in the enjoyment of a handsome competency. Every benevo lent enterprise received his generous and cordial support. He was Mayor of the city of Montreal, and discharged the duties of this high office to the perfect satisfaction of even his political opponents as well as friends. He died of typhus fever, November 11, 1847, aged 52 years, and his funeral was conducted with great pomp. Hon. Anson W. Parsons was born in Granville, Septem ber 1, 1799, and now resides in Philadelphia. He is in the strictest sense a self-made man. At the age of 15, having finished his common school education, he was sent one term to Westfield Academy. The next six years he taught school, devoting what time he could to the Latin language. The last ye,ar of his professional studies was with Judge Gould of Litchfield, when, in 1826, he was ad mitted to the bar, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. He literally trimmed the midnight lamp, and soon stood among the first in his profession. He has been Senator in Penn sylvania, also Judge in the twelfth judicial district ; and afterwards Judge of Oyer and Terminer for the city and county of Philadelphia, but has retired from office to his profession at the bar. He is regarded as a man of great excellence and moral worth, and a friend to the benevolent enterprises of the day. The first church in Granville was probably organized in 1747, when Rev. Moses Tuttle, a graduate of Yale Col lege in 1745, became the pastor. His wife was one of ten daughters of Rev. Timothy Edwards of East Windsor. She was as strange and wayward as her relatives were estimable and excellent. When Mr. Tuttle asked the con sent of the father to marry his daughter, he replied, " I shall not forbid it, but you cannot live with her." " Why," inquired Mr. Tuttle, " is she not a Christian ?" "I hope so," replied Mr. Edwards, " but grace may live where you cannot." When the wedding day arrived, Connecticut river was impassable. On his arrival at the house of the bride, a little after the day appointed, she refused to see him. At length she consented to an interview, with a par- 6* 66 GRANVILLE. tition between. Said she, " why did you not come upon the day agreed upon ?" " The high flood in the river ren dered it absolutely impassable," he replied. "That s no excuse at all," responded the lady. The father s predic tion was fully verified. He had a comfortless home. Mr. Tuttle was a good man, and was dismissed from his Gran ville charge in 1754. He died at Southold, L. I., in 1785, aged 65 years. Two of his daughters died in the poor- house. Rev. Jedediah Smith, a graduate of Yale in 17o0, was ordained pastor of this church in 1756. He was an im pressive preacher, and in a revival of religion under his ministrations in 1757, as many as thirty persons were added to the church. His views subsequently became " Stoddardean," and excited the decided opposition of many members of his church. He had a stormy time for years, but was not dismissed until April 16, 1776. Mr. Smith was hostile to the Revolutionary cause! and sailed with his nu merous family, one son excepted, for Louisiana. In going up the Mississippi, he was attacked with a fever, and in a delirium leaped overboard. He was rescued, but soon died, September 2, 1776, at the age of 50 years. He was buried on the banks of the river at a point which was subsequently swept away, " so that no man knoweth of the place of his sepulcher unto this day." His descendants are among the most respectable people of the South-west. Rev. Timothy M. Cooley, (who still lives, and who com municates the facts of this history of Granville,) was a na tive of Granville, and preached his first sermon there April 30, 1795, and after a long and peaceful ministry, preached his farewell sermon in the same pulpit in 1854, the old pulpit at his request having been transferred from the old houge in which he commenced his labors to the new one in which he closed them. Within two months after his ordination, February 3, 1796, a fund of $5,600 was raised for the permanent support of the ministry. On retiring from the pulpit, the parish harmoniously voted him one half of the proceeds of the fund during life. He re ceived the degree of Doctor in Divinity from Hamilton College, and now, in his 83d year, uses the pen with a steady hand and a clear head. The membership of the church he has so recently left is 88. GRANVILLE. 67 The Second Church in Granville was organized Novem ber 17, 1781, and Rev. Aaron J. Booge was installed 4as its pastor, November, 1786. His six-years ministry was closed by dismission. His license to preach was taken from him by a Presbytery in New York. He left the parish much divided. Rev. Joel Baker of Conway, a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1792, was ordained over the church June 23, 1797. He proved to be an excellent pastor, though not a powerful preacher. His parishioners, as years grew upon him, gave him to understand that it was their wish that he should retire from the ministry. This unexpected, movement inflicted a wound upon his feelings and his health, which hastened him to his end. He fell peacefully asleep, September, 1832, at the age of 66 years. The people afterwards deeply regretted the course they had pursued. Rev. Seth Chapin, a graduate of Brown University in 1808, was installed in Mr. Baker's place, January 17, 1833, and was dismissed January 1, 1835. He was followed by Rev.v Henry Eddy, a graduate of Yale in 1832, who was ordained February 16, 1836, and dismissed September 25, 1839. He has since changed his profession and become a physician. Rev. Calvin Foote, a graduate of Middlebury College in 1814, was installed in 1§41, and dismissed in 1847. Rev. Henry B. Smith, a native of Westfield, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1843, was ordained July 22, 1847, and dismissed November 4, 1851. The church numbers 74 members. A Baptist Church was formed in Granville February 19, 1791. In 1808, the church numbered 88 members. They had preaching occasionally until 1798, when Elder Miner moved in, and supplied them nearly twenty years. He was a good man, and died in Granville, November 10, 1820. Rev. Silas Root was ordained June 5, 1817, and died September 13, 1846, aged 63 years. Rev. G. D. FeK ton is the present pastor. The formation of the Baptist Church, was in consequence of the adoption of the Stod dard principle in the Congregational Church. The admis sion of persons to the communion without evidences of piety, was offensive to the purest and best portions of the church. A number of them consequently withdrew, and held separate meetings on the Sabbath. They styled them selves "separates," and maintained their stand for about 68 HOLLAND. thirty years. An act of excommunication was passed against five of the number, which greatly widened the breach. At length, a number of orthodox and spiritual members were formed into a Baptist Church, which has now subsisted nearly three quarters of a century. From the purity of the air and water in Granville, it has always been a healthy town, and remarkably favorable to longevity. From an accurate bill kept in East Gran ville, for half a century, it appears that one in thirty of the population reached the extreme age of 90 years. Dis tressing sickness and mortality have not, however, been wholly excluded. In 1777, as inany as 37 died of " camp distemper," in the East Parish, in the space of two months — about 5 per cent of the whole population. Small pox prevailed in 1776, 1784-5 'and 1796. Spotted fever, with mortal effect, prevailed in 1812. When the town was new, it produced splendid fields of wheat and the finest pasturage. The productions now are rye, oats, buckwheat, corn, and potatoes of a quality far superior to the growth of the plain. In the early history of the territory, the forest abounded with the noblest game. A deep valley from the North to the South divides the town. The mountains are respectively named " Sodom," which is on the Eastern boundary, "Bald Mountain," " Bad- luck" in the center of East Granville, (so named by a par ty of unsuccessful hunters,) " Sweatman's Mountain," the highest peak furnishing a view of nearly 40 steeples in the valley of the Connecticut, and "Liberty Hill," so called from the fact that a liberty pole was erected there during Revolutionary times. The population of Granville in 1840 was 1,284 ; in 1850, 1,220 ; decrease in ten years, 64. HOLLAND. The proper town history of Holland is brief, while the early history of the territory which it covers is given in the history of Brimfield, of which town it formed a part, rulrV 17qT ln™rP°ratio11 as * town, on the 25th of Feb- nrevLJv i T «xlstenoe as a d«trict, a few years . L 5th S tTT^™^ b6-en wcorP°™ted as such on ine dtn ot July, 1783. Previous to this for a HmQ ;f formed the East parish of South Brimfield ' The first Con. HOLLAND. 69 gregational Church was organized on the 13th of Septem ber, 1765, and at present consists of 47 members. Rev. Ezra Reeve of Long Island, a graduate of Yale College in 1757, was ordained the first minister of the church, on the day on which that body was organized. He continued in Holland until April 28, 1818, when he died, in the 85th year of his age. Rev. Enoch Burt was the next pastor. He was a native of Longmeadow, and graduated at Nassau Hall, Princeton, in 1805. Early in life he was an ingen ious and skillful machinest. After leaving college, he la bored as a missionary at the West, until about 1820, when he returned, and was installed at Holland on the 19th of May, 1821. He was dismissed March 5, 1823, and is still living at Manchester, Ct. From this time until 1832, the church was without a pastor and without a stated supply. In that year, Rev. James Sandford, a graduate of Brown University in 1812, and in 1830 and '1831 the pastor of the churchin Gill, removed to Holland, and labored in the church as stated supply until 1846. After he left, Rev. Benjamin Ober became ihe stated supply, and continued his labors until 1850. t On the 3d of December, 1851, Rev. Alvah C. Page, a graduate of Amherst College in 1829, and a native of Hawley, was settled as the pastor of the church. He was dismissed in 1853, and is now located in Stafford, Ct. Mr. Page was ordained as pastor of the church in Norwich, in T.835. His connection with that church was brief. In 1837, he was settled in that part of Tyringham now covered by the town of Monterey, and left there in 1843. Intermediately between this date and that of his settlement in Holland, he labored in New Hamp shire and at Pelham, Mass. A Baptist Church was gathered at Holland in 1817. The society built a meeting-house in 1819, and continued to have preaching, the greater part of the time, until 1848, when the church and society became so small that they could, not sustain a minister. The territory of Holland was settled in 1720. Among the more prominent names of early settlers, were those of Blodgett, Lyon, Holloway, Belknap, Cram, Nelson and Bond. From the first, the people of Holland have been almost exclusively farmers. Cotton fabrics, to a small ex tent, were at one time manufactured there, hut now the 70 HOLYOKE. leading industrial interest, aside from farming, is the man ufacture of boots and shoes. About 3,000 pairs of boots and 10,000 pairs of shoes are made annually. The town is divided into four school districts, and in 1854 appropriated $200 for school purposes. A small fund, the donation to the town for the benefit of schools, of a Mr. Holloway, yields an annual interest of $13 33. The total amount of money raised by tax in 1854, for all pur poses, was $853 90. The territory of Holland covers six teen square miles. The length of its roads is 32 miles; and the number of its ratable polls, 111. The population in 1840 was 436 ; in 1850, 467 — increase in ten years, 31. HOLYOKE. The new town of Holyoke was originally embraced within ¦ the boundaries of old Springfield, and, at a later day, within the limits of West Springfield. On the 7th of July, 1786, the part of West Springfield now embraced in Holyoke was incorporated as the Third Parish of West Springfield, and was called " Ireland," and " Ireland Par ish," from the fact that several Iris v families were the first settlers of the territory, though there is no record of the date of their settlement. In 1787, the Baptists commenced building a meeting house, but, owing to the political troubles of the time, and to other causes, they did not fin ish it for occupation until 1796, when it became jointly the property of individual Baptists and Congregationalists. The first Congregational Church was organized on the 4th of December, 1799, consisting of nine male members. In 1825, it had 43 members, and in 1854, 60 members. In 1812 the church edifice was extensively repaired, and for many years the Baptists and Congregationalists used the church in common, the Baptists being in the majority, and occupying the church in the greatest proportion. The church of the latter denomination, however, was not or ganized until October 5th, 1803, when Rev. Thomas Rand, a graduate of Brown University in the same year, was constituted the pastor. During the period of Mr. Rand's "jT?17' extendinS t0 a quarter of a century, there were added to the church 264 members, viz: by baptism 243, by experience 14, and by letter 7. During the same pe riod, there were dismissed from the church 62 members HOLYOKE. 71 18 died, 15 were excluded and two dropped, making 97. This number taken from 264 leaves 167 as the number of members in the church on the 5th day of October, 1828, the close of the 25 years of Mr. Rand's ministry. Since that, date, the church has been served by eight different pastors and several other ministers for short periods, as follow : — Rev. Richard Taggart, for eight months, who baptized two persons ; Rev. David Pease, who preached as a sup ply for several weeks, and baptized eleven persons ; Rev. Henry Archibald, from August 1830 to August 1832, who baptized ten persons ; Rev. Hosea Howard, who preached several weeks, and was ordained here to the work of mis sionary in Burmah, April 1st, 1834. As the fruit of a protracted meeting he baptized 22 persons. He spent six teen years as teacher in Maulmain ; Rev. Ira Hall, settled in May, 1835, and died June 2d, 1838, who baptized 46 persons ; Rev. Horace Doolittle, settled August, 1838, and dismissed March, 1842, — having baptized 21 persons; Rev. Dwight Ives who labored for a time in a protracted meeting, and baptized three persons ; Rev. J. L. Brown who served the church as pastor from August 23, 1842, to April 5, 1846 ; Rev. Joel Kenney who preached from Au gust 1st, 1846, to. May 9, 1847; Rev. Asahel Chapin who labored from December 4, 1847, to June 17, 1849, and baptized twenty-two ; Rev. Mark Carpenter, the present pastor, who was installed January 1, 1850, and since his connection with the church has baptized five. During the quarter of a century since Mr. Rand's min istry, there have been added to the church 201 members, viz : by baptism 142, by letter 53, by experience 3, and by restoration 3. During the same period, there were ex cluded from the church 20, died 71, dropped 16, 29 left, and 145 were dismissed, making 265, which exceeds the additions by 64. The church has consequently diminished to the number of 102. The average amount realized by Father Rand for his salary was $220 annually. He made up the deficiency in his income by teaching, and cultivating a small farm. His successors have enjoyed the use of the parsonage, and $400 a year. Of those dismissed from this church, 35, (in July, 1826,) went to form the Baptist Church in Northampton. In 1828, thirteen entered into 72 HOLYOKE. the formation of the Baptist Church at Chicopee Fall*;. In 1849, sixteen went to form the Second Baptist Church in Holyoke. In 1852, 11 joined the Baptist Church at Galena, 111. In fact, the church has been a kind of " mother church" during its comparatively long history. The Congregational Church had no settled pastor for many years. The first was Rev. Hervey Smith of Gran- by, a graduate of Williams College in 1819, who was in-, stalled as the first pastor in 1833. Mr. Smith's health broke down in a few years, and he was dismissed in 1840. On the 24th of February, 1841, Rev. Gideon Dana, a graduate of Brown University in 1830, was installed over the church, and was dismissed May 7, 1844. On the 7th of May, 1846, Rev. Simeon Miller, a native of Ludlow, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1840, was. ordained pastor of the church, and still remains in that office. The town of Holyoke, though insignificant in its begin nings, has, within a few years, assumed importance as the seat of some of the most gigantic industrial operations thus far entered into in New England. The falls of the Con necticut, at South Hadley, wash Holyoke on their Western side. Here, for many years, a cotton factory of compara tively small dimensions was furnished with power by the diversion of a portion of the waters of the Connecticut into a canal, and while inferior water powers were seized upon and improved all over New England, this fall, to the extent of sixty feet, of the entire waters of the largest of New England rivers, was neglected. This was not because the eligibility of the power was unappreciated, but be cause the work of improving it was so great. In 1847, several Boston gentlemen became interested in the matter, and at the succeeding session of the Legislature, obtained an act of incorporation, with the name of the Hadley Falls Company, "for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a dam across Connecticut River, and one or more locks and canals in connection with the said dam ; and of creating a water power to be used by said corpora tion for manufacturing articles from cotton, wool, iron, wood and other materials, and to be sold or leased to other persons and corporations, to be used for manufacturing or mechanical purposes, and also for the purposes of naviga tion. The men named in the act were Thomas H. Per- HOLYOKE. 73 kins, George W. Lyman and Edmund Dwight. The cap ital stock of this corporation was fixed at $4,000,000, to be divided into shares of $500 each, authority being given to hold real estate not exceeding in value $500,000, exclusive of improvements. The new company bought the entire property and franchise of the " Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Connecticut River," and purchased the fish ing rights above, and 1,100 acres of land, on the promon tory described by the bend of the river opposite the lower terminus of South Hadley Canal. The first matter to be attended to, was the construction of a dam. This was com pleted in 1848, and was constructed upon so poor a plan, or in so poor a manner, that it was swept away within a few hours after the gates were shut. In the summer of 1849, the company proceeded to the erection of the dam which now stands — one of the proudest triumphs of art over the powers of nature. The structure of this dam is thus described: — " Its length is one thousand and seventeen feet — about one fifth of a mile. At the ends are abutments of heavy mason ry, the amount in both being nearly thirteen thousand perches. Between these abutments it is composed of heavy timbers, the smallest being twelve inches square, which are built up in such a way as to present on the upper side a surface of plank inclined at an angle of 21 deg. 45 min. to the water of the river. The timbers which cross the river transversely are supported by other timbers at right angles -with them, which are arranged in a hundred and seventy sections, six feet apart. The ends of these timbers, parallel with the course of the river, are spiked to the solid rock, at the bottom of the channel, with one-and-a-quarter inch iron bolts, of which there are nearly three thousand. Four millions of feet of tim ber are contained in the structure, all of which, being under water, is protected from decay. Gravel was filled in, and well pounded down at the foot of the dam, which is still fur ther protected by the addition of a mass of concrete. As the timber work went up, the whole foundation, ninety feet in extent, and all the open spaces, were packed solidly with stone to the height of ten perpendicular feet. The planking of the upper portion of the dam was doubled to a thickness of eighteen inches of solid timber, all tree-nailed, spiked, and strongly bound together. The rolling top, or combing, was then covered with sheets of boiler plate, placed side by side, and extending the whole length of the dam. The graveling in the bed of the river begins seventy feet above the dam, 7 74 HOLYOKE. and is continued over thirty feet or more of its sloping sur face, which is ninety-two feet in length from the foot to the crest of the dam. During the construction of the dam, the water was allowed . to flow through gates in it sixteen by eighteen feet, of which there were forty-six in all, when the work was finished. At twenty-two minutes before one o'clock in the afternoon of October 22, 1849, the engineer gave the- signal, and half of the gates were closed ; another, signal im mediately followed, and the alternate gates were also closed: — the river ceased its flow until its waters, gradually collect ing, rose upon the face of the dam, and finally fell in a broad sheet over its crest." This magnificent structure has withstood the severest tests, and now, after having supported the almost incalcula ble weight of the greatest freshet ever known in the Connecti cut, shows in dry weather, by the thin sheet of water that falls along every inch of the dam, that it has settled in no place to an extent appreciable by the unassisted eye. The water power acquired by this dam is unparalleled in America, if in the world. The fall is so great as to allow of the water being used twice by mills on two different levels, and thecanals have been constructed for the fulfillment of this design. The water is conveyed into the grand canal at the Western end of the dam by thirteen gateways. The sides of the canal are built of solid masonry, 140 feet apart at' the bottom, 144 feet at the top, and designed to contain 22 feet in depth of water. At a distance of 1,013 feet from the commencement of the main canal, the canal which sup plies the upper level of factories branches off, and is de signed to be continued about a mile and a quarter. " This canal, for the supply of the mills of the upper level, is of the same dimensions as the canal leading from the dam at the point where it diverges from it ; but the width is grad ually lessened, at the rate of one foot of width for every hundred feet of length, as it continues Southwardly, since he quantity of water to be conveyed will be diminished by the consumption by the mills. It is generally designed for fifteen feet depth of water. At the extreme Southern end it will be eighty feet wide. The water from the upper canal, passing through the mills of the upper level, and moving their machinery, falls into .a race-way of the same d sTance°nf T *? Ca?al^nd running Parallel with it at a distance of four hundred feet from it, but on a level twenty HOLYOKE. 7 Jj feet below that of the upper canal. By this race-way the water, which has once been used in the mills on the upper level, is brought back again to a point near the margin of the river ; whence it is designed to be conveyed by the lower canal, nearly two miles in "length, along the bank of the river, at the distance of about four hundred feet from it ; affording sites for another series of mills. The water from the lower canal, passing through the mills on the lower level, falls back directly into the river." The Hadley Falls Company built two mills on the upper level of water power, with blocks of boarding houses sufficient for the accommodation of employes. The dimen sions of these mills are 268 feet in length by 68 feet in width, each being five stories high. No. 1 has 18,432 spindles for No. 14 yarn, and No. 2 has 30,700 spindles for No. 80 yarn, the two mills employing an aggregate of 1,000 operatives. The Hadley Falls Company built an immense ly large machine shop, the whole structure being 448 feet in length, and giving employment to upwards of 300 hands. The foundry in the rear of this building is 160 feet by 60, and the blacksmith shop 200 feet by 48. Every variety of machinery needed on the spot is procurable at this establishment. On the first of January, 1854, the Hadley Falls Company was divided, on a basis of convenience and financial advantage, the two mills becoming the property of a new corporation, called the Lyman Mills, which also holds the boarding houses. The remainder belongs to the old company, which retains its old name, — that is, the Hadley Falls Company still own the dam, canals, machine shop, gas-works, land, &c. The capital stock of each company is $1,500,000. The Hampden Mills is the name of a corporation, for which the Hadley Falls Company built a cotton mill on contract in 1853. The building is 198 feet in length and 70 feet in width, with adjoining buildings, having an aggregate length of 338 feet. The mill will run 10,000 spindles, and employ 300 operatives. The Parsons Paper Company have just erected and prepared a mill for the manufacture of first class writing papers. The main building is 116. feet in length by 50 feet in width, with three stories besides the basement and attic, and two wings, each 70 feet long, respectively 45 and 76 holyoke. 26 feet in width. It is one of the most thoroughly built mills in the United States, and is furnished with the best and most costly machinery. The capital stock of the company is $60,000, and this is to be increased. The head of this company, and the man from whom its name is derived, is J. C. Parsons of West Springfield. The Hadley Falls Card and Wire Works, carried on by Woods and Brother, manufacture cotton and wool cards. As stock, they use' up annually 6,500 sides of leather, and 35,000 pounds of card wire, valued, in the aggregate, at $26,500. They employ nine hands, and pro duce 35,000 square feet of cards annually. N. Clark and Company manufacture card, piano-forte and broom wire, consuming annually, in the manufacture, 80,000 pounds of coarse wire, valued at $10,000. They employ five hands, and have been in operation two and a half years. The amount of annual production is 40,000 lbs. card-wire, 6,000 lbs. piano-forte wire, and 34,000 lbs. broom wire, valued at $14,310. Edmund Whitaker manufactures Weaving Reeds, pro ducing annually $1,200 worth. The arrangements for the supply of pure, soft water, from the Connecticut river, are made upon a large scale, A large reservoir is built upon the highest point of land in the village, of the capacity of 2,000,000 gallons, into which the water is forced by pumps, driven by water. The water of the reservoir is 72 feet above the top of the dam, and has sufficient head to force itself over the roof of the highest mills upon the upper level. In short, through the agency of the Hadley Falls Company, the ground work has been laid for the great city, which, sooner or later must occupy Holyoke. Nothing in the future can be more certain, than that Holyoke will become, under a more prosperous and permanent phase of the manufacturing interest in this country, which must ultimately arrive the largest inland city of New England, counting its thousands of population by fifties if not by hundreds. The prophecy may not be strictly " history" now, but it will be, in good time. On the 14th of March, 1850, the town of Holyoke was incorporated, embracing the entire Northern part of West Springfield, and the first town meeting was held on the 22d LONGMEADOW. 77 of the same month. On the following first of May, the population numbered 3,713. The , Second Congregational Church was organized on the 24th of May, 1849. On the following 20th of Sep tember, Rev. Asa C. Pierce, a native of Hinsdale, and a graduate of Amherst in 1843, was ordained as pastor of the new church. Mr. Pierce resigned, and was dismissed June 9th, 1851, and is^iow pastor of the church in North- ford, Ct. Rev. Richard Knight, an Englishman, was in stalled April 20, 1853, and still remains the pastor. The society has built a beautiful house of worship, and enjoys encouraging prospects. The Second Baptist Church was organized June 24, 1849, with 42 members. The first pastor, Rev. Asahel Chapin, formerly pastor of the First Baptist Church, and a native of the town, was a constituent member of the church. He resigned on the first Sabbath in May, 1852, to accept an appointment from the Home Missionary Soci ety, to labor at Galena, 111. Rev. James French succeed ed him, commencing his labors on the last Sabbath in Jan uary, 1853. Mr. French is the son of Rev. Jonathan French, D. D., of Northampton, N. H. The number re ceived into the church after its constitution, previous to the settlement of the present pastor, was 39 ; since his settle ment, 49. The Society is now making arrangements to erect a church edifice on the corner of Crescent and Race streets, to cost $12,000, exclusive of land and the house furniture. LONGMEADOW. Longmeadow is one of the cluster of towns originally embraced within the territory of Springfield. The first settlement was commenced about 1644, — eight years after the settlement of Springfield, — by Benjamin Cooley, George Colton (known in the old records as "Quartermaster Col- ton,") and John Keep. The Cooleys, Coltons and Keeps of this section of the country — a numerous progeny — are all descended from these men. The first settlement was on the bank of the river, on the "long meadow" proper, known at that time by the Indian name of Masacksick. In 1703, the settlers, moved by the fact that they were in danger of overflows, petitioned for the privilege of moving . 7* 78 LONGMEADOW. back from the river, and building on the hill, half a mile Eastward. Their prayer was granted, and the town voted to give them "the land from Pecowsic Brook to Enfield bounds, and from the hill Eastward of Long Meadow, half a mile further Eastward into the woods." For a period of seventy years, or thereabout, the people of Longmeadow held their civil and church relations in Springfield. The locality slowly increased in population until February 17th, 1713, when, there being about 40 families, they were incor porated as the " Third Parish of Springfield." The town experienced serious troubles during King Philip's War, the particulars of which have already been recounted. [Vol. 1, page 107.] In April of the next year after the incorporation of the parish, the people voted "to proceed in building a meeting house; and that the said house should be built 38 feet square, if the timber already gotten would allow it ; or if the timber should be too scant, to make it something less." The house was not ready for occupation before the early part of 1716. In March, 1715, they voted to give a call to Mr. Stephen Williams, a son of Rev. John Wil liams of Deerfield. Subsequently they agreed to give him £200 settlement, and £55 salary for five years, and then to increase it by the addition of five pounds a year, until it should be raised to £70. Mr. Williams ac cepted the call and the conditions, and was ordained Oct. 17, 1716. The ordaining council brought together a com pany of venerated contemporaries whose names will for ever shine upon the early records of the region viz •— Rev. John Williams of Deerfield, Rev. William Williams of Hatfield, Rev. Solomon Stoddard of Northampton Rev Edward Taylor of Westfield, and Rev. Daniel Brewer and Rev. John Woodbridge of Springfield, the latter being the first pastor of the church established on the West side of the river. Rev. Mr. Williams of Hatfield preached the sermon on this occasion. Mr. Stephen Williams was born at Deerfield May 14, 1693, was graduated at Harvard College in 1713, taught school in Hadley for a year, and went to Longmeadow Nov. 4, 1714, to preach as a candi date. After his settlement, he served as a chaplain in three campaigns m the old French and Indian wars? Dart- mouth College bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor in LONGMEADOW. 79 Divinity, in 1773. After a long life of great usefulness, he died on the 10th of June, 1782, in the 90th year of his age, and the 66th year of his ministry. Rev. Mr. Breck of Springfield preached his funeral sernnjn. [For inter esting incidents of Mr. Williams' early life, see vol. 1, p. 150.] In 1766, the parish voted to build a church 56 feet in length, and 42 feet in width. The posts to support the galleries were to be 25 feet high. The steeple was to be 14 feet square and 54 feet in hight. The house was not finished until three years afterwards. Longmeadow furnished its troops and its commanders for the French wars. Among the monuments in the an cient graveyard, there are two which respectively bear the following inscriptions ; " In memory of Capt. Isaac Colton, who died Jan'y 23rd 1757, in his -57th year. Capt. I. Colton had a military genius, commanded a company at Louisburg, in 1745, was respected and useful at home ; was a man of prayer. — Isa. 31:3. ' For behold the Lord doth take away the Captain ' " "How art thou fallen in the midst of the battle; Ovary pleasant hast thou been." "In memory of Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt, who. was slain in the memorable battle of Lake George, Sept. 8th, 1755, when his Colonel and other brave officers fell, yet a signal victory was obtained over the enemy. Mr. Nathaniel Burt was a deacon of this church, an exemplary Christian, a man of public spirit and a good soldier, well beloved at home and in ye army. A concern for pure religion caused his going into ye military service. He died in his 45th year. 2 Chron : 35 and 25. ' And Jeremiah lamented over Josiah.' " The death of Lieut. Burt seems to have been a marked event in the town. He was the prominent man of the time, in Longmeadow, next to the minister, Dr. Williams, who was at Lake George in the capacity of chaplain, while his deacon was in more dangerous service. Dr. Williams wrote the letter which informed the people of the death of Lieut. Burt, and it arrived on Sunday afternoon, just as the people were assembling for worship. The event, .with all its incidents, was celebrated by the local poet, Jonathan Stebbins, a cordwainer and scribe, and extensively known in his day as " Clark Stebbins. The poem was printed on 80 LONGMEADOW. a "broad-side" at the time, and probably had a large cir culation. * *The following extracts are from the original, in Mr. Stebbins' hand writing :— " When I my weary limbs for rest reposed, And downy "slumbers scarce my eyes had closed, Imagination wild drest up a scene Of frightful images, and war between. Doleful Ideas of Wounds and Blood and Death, And Thundering Cannons' Boar and fiery breath, With Doleful Shrieks and Groans of friends and foes, And Pillars of Sulphurious flame arose ; Unintermitted sound of guns with spears Half deafened my now all-attentive Ears. Anxious to know what might be the event, To a small distant Eminence I Went, When I beheld the Plain was overspread Both with the Living, Wounded and the Dead. Commanders of each rank fell to the ground, And Loyal soldiers scattered all around. 0 ! then, Said I, my friend I fear is fell 1 He'll venture far, I know his courage -Well. Fearless of death, he'll face the Gallic foe, Nor turn his back upon the sword or bow ; Nor all the tawny tribe with Hellish Yell Shall daunt his Mind or Make His Courage fail. My mind oppressed thus : Straight I awoke, And the Wild Scene and painted vision broke. Yet the nocturnal dream so filled my mind With anxious fear of what was still behind, That every flying breath of Northern air Seemed to Encrease, but not allay my fear. At length a Courier the sad tidings brought Of a most bloody battle Lately fought, Between New England Troops and Gallic foe, Which spread the Plain with a Promiscuous woe. But yet no certain Tydings we Could hear, Which held us in suspense Twixt hope and fear, Until a Reverend Letter Past the Plain With the sad, mournful news Brave Burt was slain. Struck with Surprize, the whole assembly stood, Drowned in silence and a Briny flood. His Consort Dear Just heard the awful sound, And sighed, and groaned, and sunk unto the ground Methought I heard her silent thus complain : 'Alas ! my joy is gone, my dear is slain ! Must I no more His Smiling face Behold, LONGMEADOW. 81 Since the death of Dr. Williams,' a ^period of time has elapsed but a little longer than that during which he ful filled the office of pastor, and his pulpit has been occupied by six different pastors. The first in the succession was Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, a graduate of Yale in 1783. He was ordained at Longmeadow Dec. 17, 1785. Mr. Storrs discharged the duties of his office with much profit to his people, and reputation to himself, for a period of about thirty-four years, or until October 3, 1819, when he suddenly died. Rev. Dr. Osgood of Springfield preached his funeral sermon. His ministry, though brief when com pared with that of Dr. Williams, was long, compared with that of his successors ; and the two combined cover about a century of the history of the church. Rev. Bax-1 ter Dickinson, a native of Amherst, and a graduate of Yale in 1817, succeeded Mr. Storrs, March 5th, 1823, and Nor loving tender arms gently unfold? Nor one kind word sweet look, nor soft embrace, Between us now no more forever pass V " No common life was taken when he fell, No pen of mine his real worth can tell. When stood surrounded with a Martial Band His mien Bespoke him fit for high command ; Stately in body, of a manly form, Fit to strike terror, or the passions warm, Facetious, Plesent, Innocent and Grave, His Lightest airs showed something in him brave, Airy but Prudent, merry but not Light, Quick in discerning and in judging Right, Where he engaged, was faithful to his trust, In Reasoning Cool, Strong, Temperate and'just, No friend to Slander, a sworn foe to Spight, Nor quarrelsome, but strong enough to fight " Wherever he was intimately known, His Gifts and Graces eminently shown ; View him in his'Domestick Life, and Care — Perhaps he shown as Bright as any Where. flfr Tip Tp TP "W * ^f»* ™? * ^* " The muse is not so blind but she can see He was not from all imperfection free, But must Beg Leave most humbly to Declare That such united virtues are but rare." 82 LONGMEADOW. was dismissed October 20, 1829. Dr. Dickinson is now one of the Secretaries of the American and Foreign Chris tian Union. Rev. Jonathan B. Condit of Hanover, N. J., succeeded him, was dismissed Oct. 4, 1835, and was fol lowed by Rev. Hubbard Beebe of Richmond, a graduate of Williams College in 1833, who was ordained Oct. 18, 1837, and dismissed March 21, 1843. Rev. Samuel Wol- cott, for a few years previously engaged as a missionary, by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis sions, was ordained as pastor of the Church in Longmead ow in 1843, from which he was dismissed Dec. 27, 1847. Rev. John W. Harding, the son of Rev. Sewall Harding, of Waltham, and a graduate of Yale in 1845, is the pres ent pastor of the church, whose membership is 183. A Congregational Church was organized in East Long meadow on the 22d of April, 1829. The first pastor was Rev. Calvin Foote, who was installed April 15, 1831, and dismissed July 8, 1835. He was followed by Rev. Martin Tupper of Stafford, Ct., a graduate of Nassau Hall in 1826. Rev. William E. Dixon of Enfield, Ct., a graduate of Williams College in 1833, was installed over this church on the 14th of October, 1852. The church has 105 'mem bers, and a Sabbath School numbering 72. The manufacture of buttons was commenced in Long meadow in the Spring of 1848, upon a small capital, by Dimond Chandler. In 1849, Nelson C. Newell and his brother, Samuel R. Newell, became connected with Mr. Chandler as partners, and the business was continued un der the firm of D. Chandler & Co. The business grad ually increased until 1854, when it amounted to $50,000 per annum, and gave employment, when in full operation, to 40 hands. The concern manufactures 400 gross of but tons per diem, cutting for their covers 100 yards of cloth, costing from 26 cents to $3 a yard. The annual cost of stock is $25,000. In 1838, the manufacture of gold spectacles and gold and silver thimbles was commenced by Dimond Chandler, who gradually increased his business until its vearly amount was from $15,000 to $20,000. He continued the business until 1847, when he sold out to Jacob Colton and Gilson D. Hollister. There are now four establishments where gold and silver spectacles are manufactured. Sum- LUDLOW. 83 ner W. Gates employs nine or ten hands, and produces about $15,000 worth annually. Messrs. Ferry & Colton have recently commenced the business, with hands suffi cient to produce about $8,000 worth annually. Samuel Burbank has also recently commenced the business, and produces about the same amount per annum. Jacob Col ton is now the only one who is manufacturing gold and sil ver thimbles, in connection with spectacles, and is engaged in a very successful business. In 1851, the school house in the center of the place, known as the " first district school house," was burnt. In the autumn of 1853, a new one was built, at a cost, (with the lot) of $3,000. At the same time, a new chapel was built for the first church, at a cost of $3,000, which is said- to be the best chapel in the county. Longmeadow has be come the residence, within the last twelve years, of a con siderable number of men of wealth and leisure, and is largely represented abroad, in the wirld of. letters, by names of which she may well be proud. The Coltons all originated in Longmeadow. The amount appropriated for schools in Longmeadow, for 1854, was $1,502 ; amount of town tax $2,784. The population of the town in 1840 was 1,266 ; in 1850, 1323 ; increase in ten ysars, 57. LUDLOW. Ludlow was originally a part of Springfield, and its set tlement was commenced about 1750. The names of the settlers were Aaron Colton, James Sheldon, Shem Chapin, Benjamin Sikes, Capt. Joseph Miller, and Ebenezer Bar ber. These men belonged mostly in Springfield, and when they settled, only removed to the outskirts of Springfield. Capt. Miller entered upon the territory in 1751, and settled upon the banks of the Chicopee River, where his descend ants still reside. Ebenezer Barber settled in 1756, on the place at present occupied by David L. Atchison. Joshua Fuller settled in 1767, on what has been known as the Dorman place, adjoining the farm of Simeon Jones. When the inhabitants had increased to 200, or 300, they were, at their urgent request, incorporated as a district, Feb. 28, 1774. The locality was known as " Stony Hill" originally, and took the name of Ludlow, upon its incorpo- 84 LUDLOW. ration as a district. So rude was the country at that time, that the oldest inhabitants of the town remember when nearly all its present roads were built. The Chicopee River forms the Southern boundary of the town, and, in its course of three or four miles, presents several excellent water privileges. The largest of these is at the falls of Wallamanumps. The water here descends 42 feet in a distance of 100 rods, and the falls, with their wild and precipitous banks, form some of the finest scenery on the river. These places were favorite resorts of the Indians, and the relics of their rude agriculture and savage warfare may be found, almost at any time, in the immediate vicinity. Just below the falls of Wallamanumps, the river, in its tortuous course, forms a peninsula of a few acres of woodland, elevated about seventy-five feet above the water, the extremity of which has always been known by the name of " Indian Leap." The story (entirely legendary) is that a party of Indians, being surprised in this secluded spot, by their enemies, and finding no way of escape, leaped over the precipice, and perished in the foaming stream and among the rocks below. Here, too, upon this peninsula, is supposed to have been the encampment of the 600 Indians who burnt Springfield, the night succeeding that event, and- where those who went after them " found twenty-four fires and some plunder." [See Outline History — vol. 1, p. 97.] The abrupt extremity of this strip of land is composed of red sandstone, large quantities of which have been quarried by the Indian Orchard corporations. The first district meeting in Ludlow- was held in March, 1774, at the dwelling house of Abner Hitchcock, near where Simeon Pease now lives. The first business of the organization was to secure the services of a minister of the Gospel. Measures were also taken to find the middle of the district, for the purpose of locating a meeting house,— an edifice which was not erected until 1783. It stood a few rods East of the present Congregational house of worship, and was erected at a cost of $1,500, exclusive of many of the materials, and much of the labor, furnished gratuitously by the inhabitants. This meeting house was occupied as a place of worship until 1841,— a period of nearly sixty years, when it was removed a few rods Northward, where it now stands, being used mostly for town business. The LUDLOW. 85 present commodious house was erected in 1840, at an ex pense of $4,000, was dedicated Jan. 20, 1 841, is the property of the Congregational Society, and was built by voluntary contributions. Though an infant corporation, Ludlow was as actively engaged in the Revolutionary cause as its neighbors. The expenses of the district, the first year, were £32, — £20 of which was expended in the purchase of ammunition. The Committee of Correspondence and Safety was composed of Aaron King, Oliver Chapin, Joshua Fuller, Joseph Mil ler and Joseph Hitchcock. Capt. Joseph Miller, one of this committee, was chosen to represent the town in the pro vincial Assembly at Concord, and served the town for sever al years as its representative in the provincial Congresses and the General Court. Some of those who served in the army are incidentally named in the vote, " to pay Serg. John Johnson, Serg. Ezekiel Fuller, Samuel Scranton and Samuel Warriner, Jr., £12, silver money, for services in the army ; also £6 to Joseph Hitchcock, for the same pur pose." Many others are known to have served, though the population at that time was only about 200. The following are samples of votes passed at this period : " Voted to raise the sum of $11,500 to purchase grain to pay the three and six-months soldiers, in addition to their State wages ; also to raise £6,343 10s. to purchase beef for the State. — Voted to raise a sum of money sufficient to buy beef, shoes, stockings, shirts and blankets for the soldiers." " Voted to instruct the building committee to procure a suf ficient quantity of rum to raise the meeting house." The meaning of the following vote, passed in 1789, is not obvious, and it will form a pleasant riddle, of local in terest : " Voted that the following persons, be allowed to spend their money to the best advantage, viz. : Jonathan Bartlett, Jonathan Bartlett, Jun., Timothy Root, Joseph Brooks, Joseph Brooks, Jr., and Thaddeus Brooks. Also that the following persons might spend their money by themselves, viz. : Nathan Munger, Joshua Clark, EbenezerClark, and others in that neighborhood." The first Congregational Church in Ludlow was organ ized in 1789. Public worship had, in the meantime, been maintained since the incorporation of the district. Previous 8 86 LUDLOW. to the building of the meeting house, religious meetings were held at James Kendall's dwelling, situated several rods South of where Roger Chandler now lives, and occa sionally at Samuel Scranton's, in the East part of the town. . The original number of church members was small, probably le°ss than fifteen, which, in a few years was reduced one-half; and for twenty-five years there were but few additions. The first pastor was Rev. Antipas Steward, who was ordained Nov. 27, 1793 ; the town agreeing to pay him $200 and 30 cords of wood annually. He was a native of Marlboro', a graduate of Harvard in 1760, was dismissed in 1803, and died in Belchertown March 15, 1814, at the age of 80. Many anecdotes are still related of him, illustrative of his peculiarities, both in and out of the pulpit. Mr. Steward had no regular successor until Deo. 8, 1819, when Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright was ordained. Among those of different denominations who supplied, meantime, were Rev. Alexander McLean and Bishop Hedding. Mr. Wright was a native of Westhampton, and a graduate of Williams College in 1814. In consequence of his impaired health, a colleague, Rev. David R. Austin, was ordained May 1, 1833. In October, 1835, Mr. Wright ' was dismissed, and during the same autumn, Mr. Austin was dismissed, to become principal of Monson Academy. He now resides hi Norwalk, Ct. Rev. Alonzo Sanderson was ordained in his place, Jan. 2, 1839. He was a native of Whately, and a graduate of Amherst in 1834. He was dismissed in March, 1843, and was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Tuck, who was ordained Sept. 6, 1843, on which occasion Rev. Dr. Tyler of East Windsor Theological Seminary preached the sermon. Mr. Tuck is a native of Kensington, N. H.. a graduate of Amherst in 1840, stud ied theology at Andover and East Windsor, and still remains in office. The church now numbers 150 members. Its deacons have been Jonathan Bartlett, Lemuel Keyes, Jonathan Clough, David Lyon, Job Pease, Stephen Jones, Benjamin Sikes, Oliver Dutton, Joseph Miller, Ashbel Burr, Alva Sikes, Elisha T. Parsons, Oshea Walker. At the time of the formation of the church, the first church in Springfield presented it with a communion ser vice of pewter, on which was marked " Springfield 1st ch. LUDLOW. ¦ 87 1742." The Ludlow church used it until 1846, when a bequest of $75 from Abner Cady enabled them to sub stitute new furniture in its place. The old service is still kept as an invaluable relic of the past. At the incorporation of the town, a strip of land run ning through it, from East to West, was reserved for the support of the ministry. About 1804, this land was sold for $2,265. This sum was subsequently increased to $2,500, the interest of which is annually appropriated «-to the preaching of the gospel. The First Congregational Parish came into exclusive and undisputed possession of these funds in 1837, after a protracted lawsuit with the town, which sought for possession of the funds, to devote to secular purposes. The Second Congregational Church in Ludlow is located at Jencksville, a manufacturing village. It was organized June 24, 1847, by persons mostly from the first church, numbering 28. Rev. Wm. Hall,- Jr. of New York was ordained as the first pastor, Jan. 20, 1848, but, in conse quence of the failure of the manufacturing company on which the village was dependent, and the suspension of all business, he resigned the same year. The church has been very much reduced by removals, and no other pastor has been settled. Regular worship has been maintained, , however, during the greater part of the time. The meeting house at Jencksville was built by the man ufacturing company, as a union house, and dedicated Dec. 25, 1845. During the first year, it was occupied exclu sively by the Methodist Society. Afterwards, being un willing to share the house with the Congregationalists, or preferring to have a house which they could call their own, they built the second Methodist meeting house which they have since occupied. Rev. D. D. Fisk, of Wilbraham, was one of the first Methodist ministers who preached in Ludlow. The bless ing that attended his labors led to the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church there, in the spring of 1827. Rev. Isaac Jenison succeeded him, and being a carpenter as well as preacher, assisted the church in the erection of the present meeting house. Since Mr. Jenison,_the follow ing preachers have been appointed to the station, or em ployed by the church, mentioned in the order of their sue- 88 LUDLOW. cession : Rev. Messrs. A. Wait, Samuel Davis, Salmon Hull, C. D. Rogers, Amasa Taylor, Philo Hawks, C. Vir gin, James Nichols, Campbell, J. W. Dadman, (in 1842,) Wm. Clapp, (in 1843,) Fleming, (in 1844,) Asa Barnes, (in 1845,) Ephraim Scott, (in 1846,) L. B. Clark, (in 1847,) John Cadwell, (in 1848 and 1849.) In 1850, Rev. Wm. R. Stone was appointed by the New England Conference to this church, but his presiding elder cManged his appointment, and his place was filled two years by Mr. Stoddard. Rev. James Mowry followed Mr. Stoddard two years. In 1854, Rev. Kinsman Atkinson was appointed to this station, where he now labors. The church numbers sixty-five members. The Sabbath School numbers 58. The physicians of Ludlow have been Drs. Miller, Per- cival, Trask, Wood, EUis, Elijah Caswell, R. G. W. Eng lish and W. B. Alden, the latter of whom is the principal resident physician at the present time. The inhabitants are mostly devoted to agriculture. In the winter, many of them are engaged in cutting wood, and transporting it to market. About 3,000 cords are thus disposed of, while as many grow annually. There are four saw mills in town, three grist mills, and two sash and blind factories. It is estimated that the sewing done by females, in the manufacture of stockinet into drawers and undershirts, amounted to $2,500 during 1854. This busi ness is carried on principally under the superintendence of Mrs. Dr. Alden. The cotton manufacture was carried on largely in former days at Jencksville. The village derived its name from Benjamin Jencks, the agent of the manufacturing corpora tion, which received its charter as early as 1814. From this date until 1821, the company did a limited business in the manufacture of cotton warps, which were sent into families to be made into cloth, with woolen " filling." The individuals named in the act of incorporation were Benja min Jencks, Washington Jencks, and Joseph Bucklin, and they seem to have carried on business at first more as part ners than as a corporation. On the 31st of December, 1821 the proprietors met and organized, according to the act of incorporation, as the Springfield Manufacturing Company. This company carried on a large business in MONSON. 89 the manufacture of cotton goods until July 14, 1848, when it failed for a large amount. The mills have stood nearly idle ever since, though the mortgagees have recently revived business in them to some extent. Jacob S. Eaton is- the owner of a mill in the South- Western part of the town, in which wool is carded, and satinet manufactured. Ludlow has been noted for the longevity of its inhabi tants. In 1848, there were 22 persons in the town over 80 years of age, and six over 90. Two persons have died within three years, of the ages respectively of 97 and 98. Two hundred weekly newspapers are taken in the town, 75 of which are strictly religious. The following Congregational clergymen have originated in Ludlow : Rev. Orin Sikes, settled successively in Mer cer, Me., and Bedford, where he died in 1852 ; Rev. Chauncey D. Rice, settled successively at Granby, and East Douglas, Ct. ; Rev. Simeon Miller, a graduate of Amherst in 1840, settled at Holyoke; Rev* D. B. Jones, now settled at Ritchie, Va. Hon. Gilbert Pillsbury, at present a representative of Hampden County in the State Senate, is a resident of Lud low. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, and was for several years distinguished as a teacher. The town contains ten school districts ; school money raised in 1854, $800 ; no groggery, and no lawyer ; justices of the peace, E. T. Parsons, George Booth, Charles Alden, Eli M. Smith, John P. Hubbard ; tax for all purposes in 1854, $3,707 08 ; town debt, $840 ; square miles of territory, 24.. Population in 1840, 1,365 ; in 1850, 1,140 ; decrease in ten years, (owing to cessation of man ufacturing operations,) 225. MONSON. Monson was originally a portion of Brimfield, and the earliest history of its territory will be found fully given under the sketch of that town. The first settlement in the Eastern part of the present territory of Hampden County was made in Monson, by Richard Fellows. His place of residence was on the farm now owned by Major Morgan. The General Court granted him 200 acres of land, on con dition that he would keep a house of entertainment for travelers between Springfield and Brookfield. The road 8* 90 MONSON. then lay South of the Chicopee river. Mr. Fellows lived on the place but a short time, when he returned to Spring field, probably through fear of the Indians, as some farm ing tools, which it is supposed he buried, were found many years afterwards in ploughing a field which belonged to the farm. Though he did not fulfill the conditions of his grant, yet he held and sold the land which subsequently came into the possession of Governor Hutchinson's family. About one-ninth of the proprietors of Brimfield settled on the present territory of Monson. The first settlers were Samuel King, Benjamin Munn, John Keep; John Atchin- son, Robert Olds, Mark Ferry, Daniel Killam, Obadiah Cooley and Samuel Kilborn. These all came from the river towns, and they were followed by several other pro prietors soon afterwards. The permanent settlement com menced as early as 1715, and the population gradually increased until 1760, when, on the 25th of April, it was ' incorporated as a district of Brimfield. Governor Pownal bestowed upon Monson its name. At this time, Monson contained 49 families. In the month of August, following the incorporation, a district meeting was held, at which the necessary officers were chosen, and a day of fasting and prayer appointed. A civil and religious community commencing its existence in such a manner, could not fail to be prospered and blessed. Among the first acts of the new corporation was one to make provision for the public and stated worship of God. In 1761, they began to make arrangements for building a meeting house. The land on which the church was built, in the center of the district, was purchased of Col. Jonathan Dwight of Springfield and Simeon Dwight of Warren, (then Western.) The church was finished, so that the ordaining services of the first pastor were held in it, June 23d, 1762. At that time, the whole number of inhabitants did not exceed 350. Previous to this, they had employed candidates, and held public worship in private houses. Among their candidates was Simeon Strong, afterwards one of the judges of the '•Supreme Court of the State. To aid them in building their meeting house, the General Court granted them lib erty to assess a tax of two pence an acre on all the land in the district, for two years. This house stood until 1803, when it was demolished, and a new one erected, which is MONSON. 91 still occupied by the Congregational Society. No other organized religious society existed in town until 1798. In that year " persons comprising the First Baptist Society were set off." The Congregational Church in Monson was organized June 23, 1762. It consisted of twelve male and about the same number of female members. The names of the male members were Thomas Stebbins, Josiah Keep, Samuel King, Benjamin Munn, Josiah Bliss, James Grow, Joseph Craft, Joseph Colton, John Davidson, Nathaniel Rogers, Nathaniel Munn, David Warren. They were all members of other churches — the largest number being from Brim field, where they had previously attended meeting, and car ried their dead for burial. On the day of the organization of the church, the Council ordained the first pastor, Rev. Abishai Sabin. Mr. Sabin was a native of Pomfret, Ct., and graduated at Yale College in 1759. He was dis missed on account of ill health, July, 1771. He died in Pomfret, 1782. He was succeeded on the 23d of June, 1773, by Rev. Jesse Ives, a native of Meriden, Ct., and a graduate of Yale College in 1758. He remained in office 32 years and a half, or until December 31, 1805, when he died, at the age of 71. Rev. Alfred Ely, D. D., a native of West Springfield, and a graduate of New Jersey Col lege in 1804, was ordained over the church in Monson, Dec. 17, 1806. Dr. Ely is still the senior pastor of the church. August 2d, 1843, Rev. Samuel C. Bartlett of Salisbury, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1836, was settled as colleague pastor with Dr. Ely. April 7, 1846, he was dismissed, having accepted an appointment to a professorship in Western Reserve College. Mr. Bartlett is now settled at Manchester, N. H. Rev. Charles B. Kittredge of Mount Vernon, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1828, succeeded Mr. Bartlett as colleague pastor, Oct. 21, 1846, and was dismissed in June, 1853. During his ministry, which continued about seven years, the additions to the church were 59. In the interval between the ordination of Mr. Bartlett and the installation of Mr. Kittredge, 18 were admitted to the church by Dr. Ely, who, since his ordination, has officiated as sole pastor of the church for about 37 years. His connection with the church for half a century needs but a year or two of 92 MONSON. completion. When he was ordained, the church consisted of 111 members, and under his active pastorate, 815 perr sons were received into the church. A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Mon son url825, numbering eight or ten members, and meeting for the first few years of its existence in school or private houses, without stated ministrations of the Gospel. In 1831, a small meeting house was erected, about a mile from the village, but the church was still unable to sustain a sta tioned preacher. In 1850, the society erected a larger and better house of worship, since which time the church has largely increased. The present membership is about 80. Since it became a regular station, the following pastors have ministered to the church : Rev. Wm. B. Olds, Rev. J. W. Dadman, Rev. C. Noble, and Rev. J. Paulson, the present pastor. In 1768, a Baptist Church was constituted in the North- Eastern part of Wilbraham, now called the North Village. Two years subsequently, Rev. Seth Clark was ordained their pastor. In 1779, they built a large and commodious house, but for some cause not now apparent, the church experienced an early decline. At the first anniversary of the Sturbridge Baptist Association, in 1802, the church re ported 228 members, and the same number appears on the minutes until 1807, when the body is reported to have " lost its visibility." While this church existed, about 25 of its members, residing in the South-East part of Wilbraham and the South- West part of Monson, united together, as the Second Baptist Church in Wilbraham, and received fellow ship July 2d, 1794. In 1815, its name was changed to that of the Wilbraham and Monson Baptist Church. In 1800, the church had united with the Danbury (now Hartford) Association, and in 1805, with the Sturbridge Association, where it now remains. The society of this church was formed on the 13th of September, 1811. At this time and up to 1817, they had no house for public worship. In the latter year, a meeting house was built in the Western part of the town of Monson, which the church and society still occupy. On the 26th of April, 1845, the name of the church was changed to " The Monson and Wilbraham Bap tist Church." At the time the church was constituted, Rev. bamuel Webster was the pastor. He was succeeded in MONSON. 93 1799 by Rev. Stephen Shepherd, who labored with them about half of the time for a period of ten years. In 1808, Rev. Alvin Bennett, then a licentiate, commenced preach ing a part of the time, and on the 31st of January, 1810, was ordained their pastor. He continued in office 26 years, or until January 31st, 1836. During his ministry the church was in a very flourishing state, and a large number were added to its communion. In April, 1837, Rev. Amos Snell became the pastor, who continued only until 1840. From this time to the spring of 1845, the church enjoyed only occasional preaching, when Rev. U. Underwood be came the pastor. He was succeeded in 1847 by Rev. J. M. Hunt, who continued in office until 1849. In April, 1853, Rev. J. C. Foster, then a licentiate, commenced his labors, and was ordained as pastor of the church on the 17th of September following. The church now numbers 83 members, and is engaged in the erection of a new and beautiful house of worship. The church and congregation are made up from both Wilbraham and Monson, as the name of the church would indicate. In the Revolutionary War, Monson took a very active part. In the record of their doings, it appears that " their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality." They made grants of money and provisions for the army which must have cost great self-denial. The town offered bounties to those who would enlist in the army, of ten, twenty, and even thirty pounds, previous to the great de preciation of continental money. Grants of provisions for Boston and its vicinity, and clothing for the soldiers, were also made. The town sent clothing to Philadelphia by a special messenger, and paid the messenger for his time and expenses. Almost all the able-bodied men went into the army, some for brief periods and others for the whole war. A representative of the town always appeared in the con ventions and congresses of the period. Their minister went as chaplain in the army, for six months and a year at a time. The Declaration of Independence is spread out on the old records, and the vote for " Independency" was unan imous. Monson was originally one of the favorite hunting grounds of the Indians. A great many arrow-heads have been picked up on the hills, and a stone pestle with whidh 94 MONSON. they mashed their corn has been found. Some years since, the remains of an Indian, as was supposed, were dug up in the valley South of the Chicopee River. He was of large size, buried in a sitting position, with a gun and bottle of liquor, supposed to have been rum. The gun was much injured by rust. At the time of the incorporation of the town, not more than three schools were sustained for a part of the year. In March, 1765, only £10 were granted for schools, and in 1771, £25 for the same object. In the latter year, the town was divided into nine school districts, and yet, in 1777, only £35 was granted for schooling. There are now 15 school districts, and the amount raised'for schools in 1853 was $1,600, in addition to $2,300 appropriated for building and repairing school houses. Monson Academy was incor porated in 1804. [See vol. 1, p. 494.] Monson contains about 54 square miles of land, and has for its Southern boundary the town of Stafford in Connec ticut. A narrow valley runs the whole length of the town, from Stafford to Palmer on the North, diversified by rich meadow, ridges of sand, and small boulders. The New London, Willimantic and Palmer Railroad passes through this valley. East and West of this are hills, running North and South, which possess a productive soil, suitable for grazing and tillage. That on the West hills rests on gneiss, popularly known as granite, more or less removed from the surface, and of fine quality. Large quantities of this rock are quarried for masonry and monuments, and sent abroad from the quarry of Wm. N. Flynt, who carries on the only quarry of note in the town. Through the center of this valley, its head near the line of Stafford, runs Chicopee brook Northward, and empties into Chicopee river. On this stream are seven factory buildings in and near the cen- - ter of the town. About a mile North of the center are two mills, only one of which is in operation, and this a beautiful stone mill for the manufacture of cotton, owned and worked by the Monson and Brimfield Manufac turing Company. This Company was incorporated in 1810, employs about 40 hands, and produces fabrics amounting to $30,000, annually. The Monson Woolen Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1812, and has one mill in operation, MONSON. 95 the product of which, in 1853, was $65,000 worth of sati nets. In the summer of 1853, the company erected anoth er large and beautiful mill which has not yet gone into op eration. They employ at present about 30 hands. South of this, stretching nearly a mile on the same stream, are three mills of considerable size, owned by the Hampden Cotton Manufacturing Company. This company was incorporated in 1814, and employs about 100 hands. The product in 1853, in woolen fabrics, was $200,000. On the same stream are also grist, saw and shingle mills. Among the'manufactories in the town is one for making ladies' bonnets, owned and carried on by Merrick & Fay. They employ 150 hands, and work up $500 worth of stock per day. Rogers & Co., merchants, manufacture men's overalls, shirts and drawers, to the amount of $300 worth, per week. D. D. Moody employs from seven to nine hands in manufacturing gold and silver-bowed spectacles, producing from $10,000 to $16,000 worth annually. N. P. Barton carries on the manufacture of till ware, to a considerable extent. S. Toby has an extensive tannery. Since the year 1806, the inhabitants have increased from 1,500 to about 2,500. At that time, and for several years afterwards, the whole population of Monson were employed in farming, and it is still the leading industrial interest of the town. The amount of money raised last year by the town for all purposes was $6,100. The number of taxa ble polls is 570. The amount of the town debt, April 1st, 1853, was $1,512. The center village of Monson is beautifully situated. The valley and the stream, the hills on the right and left, and the rising grounds in the center when covered with the green foliage of summer, and contrasted with the neat white buildings of the inhabitants in their irregular posi tion, exhibit to the eye a scene of beautiful and varied per spective which no one who loves Nature, when mingled with the works of men, can be weary in surveying. Monson has recently become the seat of one of the most interesting, of the public charities of the Common wealth. The Legislature of 1852 passed an act authoriz ing the Governor to appoint three Commissioners, whose duty it should be to select three sites for buildings, for the accommodation of State paupers, each to be of a capacity 96 MONSON. to accommodate 500 inmates. One of these was to be lo cated " West of the town of Brookfield." The Commis sioners appointed by the Governor were David Perkins of Fall River, Edward L. Keyes of Dedham, and James L. Maguire of Lowell. The site selected by these gentlemen for the Western establishment was in the Northern part of Monson, commanding a view, and within one mile, of Pal mer Depot. The site is a pleasant one, though a warmer, dryer soil, and a different exposure, would have been pre ferable in a sanitary point of view. Upon this spot, in 1853, the Commissioners caused to. be erected a wooden structure of the specified capacity, and on the 13th of De cember, the same year, Dr. Samuel D. Brooks of South Hadley was appointed the Superintendent of the new in stitution. The building, however, was not fully comple ted, and was not opened for the reception of inmates until May 1st, 1854. They came in slowly at first, but on the 1st of July, the institution had 410 inmates, and on 1st of August, 435. In the winter months the number swelled to nearly or quite 800, though 500 is probably a good healthy standard. The paupers that have been received into the Monson establishment are, from their youth, a very interesting class. About 300 of the number are less than fifteen years of age. Full one hundred of this number are less than one year old, and 200 are less than ten years old. The larger proportion of these are boys, and attend a school kept in the building by Henry W. Stickney, which numbers 170 pupils. This school is of the most interest ing character. In demeanor, in general quickness of ap prehension, and in musical talent, they seem no whit be hind boys of a corresponding age in the public schools. The government established in this school — mild, firm and paternal in character — is but a branch of that which, under the administration of Dr. Brooks, prevails throughout the whole establishment. The work which the officers of the establishment have before them is, and is regarded, as much a missionary work, as a business of feeding and clothing, on an economical scale, a collection of unfortunate mortals. Every day the inmates are called together for prayers, and the Sabbath is observed with public worship and instruction. A resident chaplain has been appointed. MONSON. 97 A walk through the institution affords rare instruction to the student of humanity, and its unfortunates. In the walk, we pass through a room containing fifty little orphan children, comfortably and neatly dressed, who, with their little pranks, appeal to us for a smile. Then we pass through what is called the "mothers' room," where there are thirty-five infants, some of them with sweet, sad little faces. We are pointed to three little innocents, lying in one crib, and are told that they are all foundlings or or phans. We pass through the rooms appropriated for hos pitals — the fever hospital, the lying-in hospital, the conval escent hospital — each with its unfortunate occupants, yet all kindly cared for. This department is under the charge of Dr. William A. Griffin, the Physician and Assistant Su perintendent of the institution. From the hospitals, we pass into the rooms devoted to the old men and old women — into the lodging rooms, &c, with gratification in the or der and neatness that reign throughout. The cooking room, and the accommodations for feeding the multitude, are, of course, on a large scale. This de partment is under the immediate charge of Royal Cutler, a man well qualified for the post.. Three barrels of the best wheat flour are consumed daily. Beef is eaten at the rate of 200 pounds at the meal, and seventy gallons of milk are used every day. The regular round of dishes varies somewhat with the season, those articles being chosen which are supposed to be best adapted to the preservation of sound health. Beef soup, with potatoes and bread, is served for dinner twice a week ; corned beef, bread, and rice and molasses twice ; fish, with rice and bread, twice, and beans, pork and bread, once. The supper for adults is always made of chocolate and bread, with gingerbread twice a week, while bread and milk, or crackers and milk, are served to the children. The children have the same for breakfast, with an occasional addition of rice and mo lasses, while coffee is substituted for chocolate, for the use of adults. The bread for adults is composed of two parts of good wheat flour to one of corn meal, while that for children is made of wheat flour alone. The best quality of food is found to be the cheapest, in every point of view. Good' health is preserved by it to a remarkable degree. Since this institution went into operation, only seven deaths 9 98 MONSON. have occurred, and these were of old people mostly ; while the sickness among the children has, without doubt, been less than among the same number taken indiscriminately from the population around. The sanitary and dietetic system followed demonstrates its own excellence. It is known, and it may as well be recorded, that the alms house system now established by the State was re garded upon its establishment, as an experiment of doubt ful practicability and expediency. In consequence of -this, "or in pursuance of a most short-sighted economy, the es tablishment at Monson has been built of wood. It is an immense pile of lumber, liable to rapid decay, and, of course, exposed to the accident of fire. It is too evident that those who had the management of the matter did not comprehend the principle which lies at the basis of the es tablishment, or grasp the policy which that principle de manded. The State is bound to take care of its own un fortunates, and to take care of them in that way which shall conduce the most to the good of both parties. The paupers, as they have hitherto been managed, axe kept and made paupers. Pauper .children have grown up paupers, without the influence of a kindly family system of govern ment, without regular religious instruction, and without a general elevating influence being exerted upon them. In this establishment, a system is pursued which will fit the unfortunate children of the State to become supporters of and not burdens to the State. The system is one of re ducing pauperism, by cutting off its natural generation. It is, in this respect, and for this reason, that the State Pau per Establishment should be cherished as one of the most beneficent of the institutions of the Commonwealth. The building, we have said, is of wood, and cost, with its furniture, $80,000. It consists of a middle part, four stories high and forty-five feet square, devoted to the use of the Superintendent and his family, and to the other offi cers of the institution. The apartments are spacious and convenient. To the right and left of this part spread two wings,_75 feet long and 37 wide, to the point where a right angle is formed in the rear by wings of the same width, that run back from the front wings to the distance of 129 feet each. This would leave an open court in the rear 120 feet across from wing to wing. This space is occupied in MONTGOMERY. 99 the rear by a wing extending 70 feet at right angles with the Eastern line. The court is thus nearly inclosed, afford ing a fine play-ground for the children, and bringing the rooms and movements of the paupers within the survey of the superintendent's office, which occupies the back part of the central building. Good water works have been pro vided, and pure water is obtained in any quantity. At tached to the establishment is a farm of 185 acres, and around the building a board fence has been erected, in closing about five acres of land. Of this farm, fifty acres are woodland. The arrangements for warming this im mense building have been made so poorly that it takes about 200 tuns of coal, and from 300 to 400 cords of wood, annually, to keep it warm and do the cooking. A heavy steam boiler for the whole establishment would have been more efficient and economical. The class of paupers at Monson is made up mostly of the hopeful and the hopeless. They are children, or per fect wrecks of humanity. Of the entire number of men only ten are able, to do any work, and the best of these are insane, who have received such treatment as to make them quite useful. The prudential affairs and general interests of the insti tution are under the supervision of a board of three in spectors, viz : — Josiah Hooker of Springfield, Alvin Smith of Enfield, and Alonzo V. Blanchard of Palmer, who hold monthly meetings at the institution, and meet with the in spectors of the other institutions semi-annually. The State has reason to congratulate itself on securing the man agement that has made the Monson institution so success ful in the brief past, and so promising for the future. MONTGOMERY. This is a small and thinly populated town, originally in cluded mostly within the boundaries of Westfield, being a part of the portion known as the " New Addition." The exact date of its settlement is not known. It was incorpo rated as a town Nov. 28, 1780. On the 30th of January, 1797, a Congregational Church, numbering but five male members, was formed. Rev. Seth Noble, son of Thomas Noble of Westfield, was the first pastor, and was installed Nov. 4, 1801, and dismissed September 16, 1806. Mr. 100 MONTGOMERY. Noble was not a liberally educated man, but he was a di vine of a good degree of talent, and some not unpleasant peculiarities. His fondness for the tune Bangor was the cause of that name being bestowed upon that city m Maine. He was preaching at that point when the town was incor porated, and went to Boston in behalf of the people to present their petition for incorporation. The petitioners wished the name to be " Sunfield," but he struck out that word, and inserted Bangor, and Bangor it remains. He died in Ohio in 1807. For a long period after Mr. Noble's dismission, the church in Montgomery seems to have been without a pas tor, as he had no regularly constituted successor until No vember 13, 1822, when Rev. John H. Fowler was in stalled. He was a graduate of Yale College in 1790, and practiced law for several years, previous to entering the clerical profession. He died March 13, 1829. Rev. Sol omon W. Edson, a native of Wilbraham, was ordained in October, 1832, and dismissed June 22, 1836. He has re linquished preaching on account of ill health, and now re sides on a farm in Westfield. Rev. Caleb Knight of Lis bon, Ct., a graduate of Williams College in 1800, was in stalled over the church in Montgomery on the day of Mr. Edson's dismission, and was dismissed May 22, 1839, since which time the church has been without a regular preach er. The church is small, having only 24 members. The church and society raise $100 per annum for preaching, and the Home Missionary Society give them another hun dred, with which they are enabled to hire preaching half of the time. The Methodists have a neat house of wor ship on the opposite side of the street from the Congrega- tional Church, and have preaching half of the time. The buildings are occupied alternately, the two churches and societies meeting as one congregation, and thus furnishing an example of fraternal Christianity worthy of all com mendation and imitation. Montgomery lies wholly upon the mountain, and its land is broken, rough and rocky. The people are entirely de voted to agricultural pursuits. The population in 1840 was 656 ; in 1850, 401 — showing a decrease in ten years of 255. There are five school districts in the town, and the money raised in 1854 for the support of schools was PALMER. 101 $300. The whole amount raised by tax was $800. This does not include the tax for roads, which is " worked out." The town produces good cattle, beef, butter and cheese, and sends off annually a large product of these articles, as well as of wood, bark and lumber. Mt Tekoa, in the South East corner of the town, on the border of Westfield, is a high elevation, to which the young people of the latter place often resort, for the purpose of surveying the broad, rich and varied landscape, extending beyond the Connec ticut. PALMER. The line marked by the passage of the Chicopee river through the town of Palmer, early bestowed upon that tract the name of " The Elbows." On this tract, as early as 1727, settlements were made by a considerable colony of emigrants from the North of Ireland, on grants from the proprietors of Lambstown, now Hardwick, and it is stated that John King made a settlement some ten years earlier. The settlers were the descendants of a colony of Protest ants which migrated from Argyleshire, in Scotland, and settled in the North of Ireland about 1612. They emi grated to this country in 1718, and were the first Presby terians in the country, and received no small degree of persecution from the Congregationalism , on their arrival. The validity of their title was not admitted by the General Court, and in 1732, the settlers petitioned as follows : "To His Excellency, Jonathan Belcher Esq., Captain Gen eral and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesties Prov ince of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, The Honor able His Majesties Council, and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, May 31, 1732. <;The petition of the subscribers dwelling and residing on a tract and parcel of land lying and situate between Springfield ;ind Brookfield, Brimfield and the land called the Equivalent land and Cold Spring, Humbly Sheweth— ¦'That they are sensible the said land belongs to the said Province, yet the reason why your petitioners entered on the said land was as follows: Some from the encouragement of Joshua Lamb, Esq and Company, that the said land belonged to them, and that they would give to such of your petitioners as entered thereon under them u. good right and title to such a part thereof as they respectively contracted for. Yet, not withstanding, your petitioners are now sensible that the said 9* 102 PALMER. Lamb & Co. have no right to the said land, and that the same will prove greatly to your petitioners' damage — that as to such as hold UDder them without relieved by your Excellency and Honors— and that others of your petitioners entered on from necessity, not having wherewith of their own to provide. Yet nevertheless your petitioners are duly sensible that they de serve your discountenance. But confiding in the reasons of fered, they humbly request your compassionate consideration — that they may be put under such regulation as may have a tendency to promote the flourishing of religion, &c. "Therefore your petitioners most humbly pray, that your Ex cellency and Honors would take the premises into your wise consideration, and either grant them the said tract of land or put them under such restrictions and regulations as in your consummate wisdom shall be thought most reasonable, and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. 'James Dorchester, Joseph Wright, Bernard McNitt, Daniel Fuller, Andrew Mackie, James Shearer, James Stevens, Dan iel Killam, David Spear, Thomas Little, Samuel Doolitfle; James Brakenridge, Robert Harper, William Shaw, John Har vey, John Bemon, Duncan Quintin, Isaac Magoon, Isaac Ma- goon, Jr., Micah Tousley, Elijah Vose, Elisha Hall, Alexan der Tackel, Robert Farrell, Joseph Fleming, Aaron Nelson, John Henderson, David Nevins, Joseph Brooks, Robert Ne- vins, Humphrey Gardner, Nicholas Blancher, William Craw ford, Samuel Nevins, John Gerish, Samuel Shaw, Andrew Rutherford, Daniel Parsons, James M'Clenathan, James Lam- berton, Thomas M'Clenathan, Robert Thompson, Joseph Wright, Jr., Samuel Brooks'' : 12 other names not to be read. In answer to this petition, the General Court voted that Col. Alden and James Bradford, with such others as the Governor and Council should appoint, be a committee to repair to the land in question, " view the situation and cir cumstances thereof," and report. The Committee attended to their duty, and reported at the next session, as follows : " We find the land petitioned for to be a tract of land com monly called the Elbow tract, lying near Springfield and the Equivalent lands, containing 17,014 acres, (viz : contents of five miles square, and 1,014 acres over,) exclusive of particu lar grants taken up and laid out within the same, bounded and included within the lines and boundaries of the adjacent land, as hereafter laid down, viz :— Easterly, in part, upon the West line of Brookfield township ; from the North West cor ner the hne runs South 2 deg. West to the river called Qua- boag alms Chicopee river, thence bounding on Brimfield township, as the said river runs, Easterly in part and South- PALMER. 103 erly, and in part Westerly so far down said river as to where the South end line of a tract of Equivalent land called Cold Spring township crosses, or skirts the said river; thence bounding Northerly on the said line as it keeps East by the needle of the surveying instrument, to the South East corner of said tract or township, which is the mouth of Swift River: thence bounding Westerly in part on the said tract, or town ship, of Equivalent land, as the river runs, to where the South line of another tract of Equivalent land, containing 10,000 acres, belonging to John Read, Esq., strikes up^or runs from said river — thence bounding Northerly upon said line as it runs East, and by North, to the South East corner of said tract, being a heap of stones by the root of a great red oak tree, fallen close by one on the West side of a run of water, about 18 rods Southerly of the river called the Ware River; thence bounding Westerly on the East line of said tract, as it runs North by the needle, until an East line there will strike the North East corner tree of Brookfield." The committee also reported that they found the land composed of " high hills and valleys, the hills very poor and mean, the valleys pretty good." The tract lay in a broken form, taken up by individual grants in the best lo calities, and the settlers were found very much distressed and perplexed in their affairs, their settlements and claims interfering with each other, and everything being in a con fused condition. They found that there had entered, set tled, and were about settling, about 80 persons, many of whom had built houses, and made other improvements. Forty-eight of these were induced to settle by Joshua Lamb & Co., who claimed the tract by purchase of the In dians, while the rest of the number held regular deeds of conveyance from the Company. The Committee recom mended, considering the condition of things, that certain families whom they named should have their lots confirmed to them. Then follow specific grants to eighty-five differ ent persons, with the condition of the payment into the colonial treasury of £500 in two years, and the sum of £67 lis. 9d. immediately, the same being the charges and expenses of the committee. They were also required to build a house for public worship, and settle a minister within two years. Thus were Palmer and its first great difficulties settled. Those who will follow the boundaries, as given by the committee, in the passage of their report 104 PALMER. quoted, will perceive that other adjoining towns now em brace portions of the " Elbow tract." A church was formed in Palmer as early, probably, as 1730, the form of Government being Scotch Presbyterian. The first preacher in the settlement was Rev. Mr. Kilpat- rick, who preached five Sabbaths. Rev. Mr. Weld fol lowed him, and preached three months. Rev. Benjamin Dickinson preached six months, and was followed by Rev. John Harvey, who, after preaching four years, and assist-: ing in the formation of a church, was settled as the pastor. The following is a copy from the proprietors' records, giv ing a history of the ordination of the first minister : " On the 5th day of June, Anno Pom. 1734, the Rev. Mr. John Harvey was ordained the first minister of the church of the Elbow settlement. The ordination was performed by the delegates of the Reverend Presbytery of Londonderry, upon a scaffold, standing or the plain, on the East side of the meadow called Cedar Swamp Meadow, within Mr. Harvey's lot. The Rev Mr. Thomson of Londonderry preached the sermon, and the Rev. Mr. Moorhead gave the charge." Mr. Harvey was dismissed' in 1748, as the result of a difficulty between him and his church, based on a scandal which connected his name unworthily with one of the fe male members of his flock, and was followed in Novem ber, 1753, by Rev. Robert Burns, whose connection with the church was dissolved two or three years afterwards, in consequence of an unhappy controversy that sprang up between him and his charge. It would seem that the Pal mer church and congregation were peculiarly fiery and captious, if not fretful and quarrelsome in those early times. On the 23d of August, 1754, a vote was passed in district meeting which showed that between the retirement of Mr. Harvey and the ordination of Mr. Burns, preach ing had been enjoyed, over which there had been another quarrel, for reasons which the following record will dis close : " At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of this District, Legally Convened and assembled at ye Public Meeting House in said place, ye Meeting being opened, Andrew Rutherford was chosen Moderator. On the third article in ye warrant for said Meeting, voted that Mr. Kniblows be allowed foure pounds, Sixteen Shillings, which is eight Shillings, Lawful money PALMER. 105 for each Sermon he Preached on Sabbath Days, in this Dis trict, Except three Sermons which we can prove he preached olh-r men's works. Andrew Rutherford, Moderator. A true Entry pr. Sam'll Shaw, Junr., town clerk." The foundation of the dam for the first saw mill was laid at the North East corner of Potaquotuck pond, September 8, 1730, and the " Potaquotuck saw mill" was raised on the succeeding 14th of October. In the language of the proprietors' records : — " And on the 5th day of March next after, the saw mill first went. On the 13th day of Decem ber, 1732, the said mill was Burnt Down, and it stood af ter it was raised two years and 2 months, wanting one day, and after it first went, it stood but one year, nine months and eight days. The second saw mill at Potaquotuck Pond, Rebuilt on ye same spot. It was first Raised on the 8th day of October, 1733, and first went on the 6th day of November, 1734, and on ye 29th day of April, 1736, it was undermined by ye water, and Brooke down, after it had stood two years, six months, and 21 Days, and after it first went, one year, 5 months, and 23 days. The third Saw Mill at Potaquotuck Brook, rebuilt on a new Spot. It was raised on Monday the twentieth day of September, 1736, and first went on ye Fifth Day of May, A. D. 1737. The first Grist Mill was raised October 26th, 1737,- and first went, Jan'y ye 2d, 1737-8." The proprietors made arrangements for building their church as early as August, 1733, and a place was selected and money voted for that object. The people, however, were as much divided on the subject of meeting houses as pastors, and differed so widely in their plans for its loca tion that the site was changed several times. Then, to make a final settlement of the matter, the proprietors, at a meeting held Feb. 10,1735, voted "that every person, proprietor or grantee, shall enter with the clerk, or bring in his vote therein, naming a spot to set the meeting house on, and that the two spots which shall be the highest in nomina tion, snail be put to a lot, for a final determination." This vote was carried out, when " it appeared that a spott on ye knowl near Crawford's house, and a spott on ye East side of Cedar Swamp Brook, on ye North side of ye road neer where Wm., Kelson's hay-stack stood, were the two spots highest in nomination." The papers for " the lott" we«-e 106 PALMER. then prepared, and Rev. John Harvey sent for, to draw the lot ; who, after solemn prayer, performed that service, and thus settled another important matter. The locality thus decided upon was that on which the church at Palmer Center now stands. About 1748, the name of Kingstown seems to have been adopted as the designation of the Elbow tract, and it is thus entered on the records, but on the 30th of January, 1752, the tract was incorporated as a district, with the name of Palmer. The people of the new district felt the spirit of the years preceding the Revolution, in common with the other settlements, and in district meeting assembled voted " that this district will by all prudent means endeavor to dis countenance the use of foreign superfluities, and to en courage the manufactures of the whole continent in general, and of this province in particular." On the 13th day of June, a warrant was issued, warn ing the inhabitants to assemble at " the public meeting house," on the 17th. The second article of the warrant reads as follows : " To advise and instruct the representa tive of this town, whether, should the honorable Congress, for the safety of the colonies declare them independent of Great Britain, they, the said inhabitants, will engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measures, agreeable to and in compliance with the resolve of the General Court." The, action taken on the 17th was stamped with the courage and patriotism of the times. Even the orthography in which the action is perpetuated is indepen dent to a remarkable degree, and the King's English is more thoroughly abused in the record, than- his most oppressive acts. Palmer furnished its proportion of men and means for the war, and performed its part towards securing that independence for which it made so prompt and early a declaration. Resuming again the thread of ecclesiastical history, we find that June 17, 1761, Rev. Moses Baldwin was installed over the church in Palmer, as the successor of Rev. Robert Burns. He, like his predecessors, went through the most serious trials, but he lived long with his people, and was not dismissed until June 19, 1811. He died Nov. 2, 1813, at the age of 81. Rev. Simeon Colton, a native of Long- PALMER. 107 meadow, and a graduate of Yale College in 1806, was ordained over the church on the day of Mr. Baldwin's dismission. It was about this time that the church changed its form of. Government, and became Congregational. Mr. Colton was dismissed in 1821, and was followed in the pulpit by Rev. Henry H. F. Sweet, who was ordained Nov. 9, 1825. Mr. Sweet died in 1827, at the early age of 31. Rev. Joseph K. Ware, a native of Conway, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1824, was ordained in his place Dec. 12,1827. He was dismissed March 16, 1831. Rev. Sam uel Backus, a graduate of Union College in 1811, succeed ed Mr. Ware, and was dismissed May 4, 1841. Rev. Moses K. Cross, a graduate of Amherst in 1838, was ordained as the pastor of the Palmer church in February, 1842. He was dismissed April 1, 1849. He was follow ed by the. present pastor, Rev. Sylvester Hine, who was installed Nov. 19, 1851. The church now numbers 101 members. The Second Congregational Church in Palmer is located at " Palmer Depot," an important village that has sprung up around a station of the Western Railroad. It was organ ized April 1, 1847. Rev. Thomas Wilson of Paisley, Scotland, a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1844, was ordained as the first pastor, Feb. 29, 1848. He was dismissed April 14, 1852. The church numbers a member ship of 87. The First Baptist Church in Palmer was originally organized in the South part of Belchertown, under the name of the " Belchertown and Palmer Baptist Church," on the 16th of November, 1825. The meeting house in which the church worshipped was occupied in common by this people and a Methodist society. The church and society erected their present church edifice at the village of Three Rivers, during 1832, and occupied it in January, 1833. The name of the church was then changed to the " Baptist Church in Three Rivers." The number of orig inal members was 24 — 11 males and 13 females. The number reported to the last association was 111. The sue cession of pastors has been as follows : Rev. Messrs. Alvin Bennett, Henry Archibald, Tubal Wakefield, David Pease, John R. Bigelow, Prosper Powell, N. B. Jones, Chester Tilden, Joseph Hodges, Jr., Sanford Leach, Addison Parker 108 PALMER. and Levi H. Wakeman, who is the present incumbent of the pastoral office. The Second Baptist Church in Palmer is located at the Depot Village. The public recognition of the same, and the installation of Rev. Samuel A. Collins, its first pastor, took place on the 29th of September, 1852. Under the charge of Mr. Collins, the prosperity of the church was such that a commodious and beautiful house of worship was erected by the society during the summer and autumn of 1853, and dedicated Feb. 29, 1854. The church cost $5,000. Owing to insufficiency of salary, Mr. Collins retired from his charge in the succeeding April, since which time the church has been without a settled pastor. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Three Rivers was organized in 1833, under Rev. A. Taylor, consisting of ten members. Mr. Taylor was succeeded by Rev. H. Perry. In 1837, a house of worship was erected, and Rev. fi. Moulton appointed to the pastoral charge. He was followed in 1838 and 1839 by Rev. Wm. Gordon, who, in 1840, was succeeded by Rev. T. W. Gile. Up to 1841 the society divided the labors of the pastor with a society in Belcher town, but in that year it became a station to which Rev. J. Nichols was appointed preacher. He remained two years, and was succeeded by Rev. D. L. Winslow, who was fol lowed by Rev. J. Cadwell. In 1844, the church numbered 130 members. Mr. Cadwell was succeeded in turn by Rev. Messrs. Amos Binney, Daniel Chapin, C. L. McCurdy, J. L. Mowry, Nathaniel J. Merrill, and — Morgan, the present pastor. On the 23d of January, 1847, a church was formed at Thorndike village, by members of this church, enjoying at first the pastoral services of Rev. N. E. Cob- leigh. The membership numbered 32, which, in 1848, had been doubled. Mr. Cobleigh was followed by Rev. W. M. Hubbard, and he by Rev. Mr. Atkins. As the resolution of a series of difficulties passed through by the Thorndike . organization, the two societies came together during the present year, and now form one large church with about 300 members. The double congregation sustain public worship at the town hall, located between the two villages. The manufacturing interest of Palmer is quite impor tant, its fine water-power being well employed. A. V. Blanchard & Co. manufacture scythes, wheel-rims, and PALMER. 109 plough-handles, employing from thirty to forty hands. Their scythe manufacture has been in operation 30 years, and their wood-bending business about two years. They turn out annually, in scythes, a product of $18,000 ; plough- handles, $8,000 ; wheel-rims, $10,0u0. The number of scythes made annually is 2,000 dozen. In addition to this, Messrs. Blanchard & Co. construct annually about $2,000 worth of machinery for turning, bending and polishing plough-handles. — The Boston Duck Co. manufacture cot ton duck, and employ 450 hands in the business. They consume annually 2,400,000 pounds of cotton, at a cost of $340,000. The amount of production is 2,250,000 yards, of the value of $575,000. The concern has been in opera tion six years.— In 1837, the Thorndike Manufactur ing Co. erected a stone cotton mill, and put it in operation the same year. In 1846 and 1847 they erected a second mill, and in both these establishments are now occupied about 500 hands. No. 1 mill manufactures shirtings 34 incnes wide, of No. 40 yams, and No. 2 mill is engaged in the production of bed-ticks, denims and stripes. The amount of cotton consumed annually is about 3,120 bales, valued at $175,000. The amount of annual production is 4,500,000 yards, valued at $390,000.— The Palmer Man ufacturing Company commenced operations in 1832. They employ 170 hands in the manufacture of printing cloths, who turn out 5,500 yards per day, valued at $275. The amount of cotton consumed annually is 281,000 lbs., valued at $36,000. Their mill is of the capacity of 10,000 spindles. There are 13 school districts in the town, and there was appropriated for the support of public schools, in 1854, the sum of $3,766 32. Of this, $525 was appropriated for the support of a high school, to be kept two terms at Thorndike village, one at the Depot, and the other at Three Rivers. Of the grand sum, $3,525 was raised by tax, while the in come of the school fund was $191 82, and of the Merrick Fund, $49 50. The whole number of scholars in town is 818. The valuation of property in 1854 was 1,267,907, and the amount of taxes raised, $8,953 21. The population of Palmer in 1840 was 2,150 ; in 1850, 3,896 ; increase in ten years, 1,746. 10 110 RUSSELL. RUSSELL. Russell has a brief history, and is among the new and small mountain towns of Western Hampden. It was orig inally a part of Westfield, and belonged to that portion of it called " New Addition." This addition to the town of Westfield was granted by the Legislature, in answer to a petition of the people of that town, who wished for the land on account of its stone. The first settlers upon the tract were two brothers of the name of Barber, and a Mr. Gray. "They lived upon the road leading from Westfield to Blandford, by Sackett's and up the mountain, then called Glasgow mountain." The town was incorporated, February 25, 1792. It lies wholly upon the mountain range that runs through Western Massachusetts, and near its geo graphical center there is a pond, some two miles in circum ference, well stocked with fish, from which a brook flows that, uniting with another from Blandford, forms a water- power for the operation of several saw-mills. The town affords excellent pasturage for cattle, and sends to market large quantities of wood, hemlock-boards, &c. During the Revolutionary War, the road leading from Springfield to Albany entered Russell near the South-East corner, over " Glasgow mountain." On this mountain, which Dr. Hitchcock calls " Little Tekoa," a black serpen tine rock is found, which has been quarried to some extent. It contains so much iron that when pulverized it is sensitive to the influence of the magnet. There is diffused through the rock, however, a brittle, straw-colored mineral that pre vents it from receiving a good polish. A Congregational Church was organized in Russell on the 1st of November, 1800, by Rev. Joseph Badger of Blandford, consisting of 15 members. It never-had a set tled pastor. From 1820 to 1826, the Home Missionary Society of the county expended $50 a year for preaching, and the occasional services of a minister were enjoyed .for the first thirty years after the organization of the church. The church is now extinct, as is also a Methodist Church, formed later. These two bodies united in building a meet ing house near the pond above alluded to, but the building is now seldom used. The only record of the first Baptist Church in Russell consist of the articles of faith and covenant adopted by that RUSSELL. Ill body. It is entitled, " The religious covenant and articles of -faith and practice of the Second Baptist Church in Westfield, Mass., begun June 6, 1786, now under the care of Elder Ebenezer Stowe, ordained over said church No vember 28, 1787." Owing to causes which are not recorded, the church was dissolved about 25 years after its organiza tion. On the 18th of July, 1816, another Baptist Church was formed, consisting of 36 members, many of whom had belonged to the previous organization. The first minister was Rev. Asa Todd, who was ordained in 1816. He was followed in 1825 by Rev. Amasa Clark, dismissed in 1833 ; Mr. Clark by Rev. Mr. Child in 1833 ; Mr. Child by Rev. J. M. Whipple in 1842, dismissed in 1844 ; Mr. Whipple by Rev. J. M. Phillips in 1844, dismissed in 1846 ; Mr. Phillips by Rev. George Gunn in 1846, dismissed in 1848 ; Mr. Gunn by Rev. M. H. Rising in 1849 ; he by Rev. Les ter Williams in 1851 ; who was dismissed in 1853. Rev. J. C. Carpenter, the present pastor, became connected with the charge the same year. A house of worship was built by the first organization noticed, in 1791. The present church occupied it until 1823, when it was burnt by an in cendiary. Another house was built in 1826, on the same site. In 1853, a house was built in another location, finished neatly and furnished with a bell and organ, at a total cost of $2,300. Three hundred and twenty persons have been connected with the present church since its formation, and 100 belong to it at the present time. Reuben A. Chapman, Esq., of Springfield, a gentleman of sterling reputation as a lawyer and a citizen, originated in Russell. His sister, Mrs. Clarissa C. Armstrong, whose husband is now minister of Public Instruction in the Sand wich Islands, was also a native of Russell, and there, in the feeble church whose candle has now gone out, received the religious instruction which has made her a useful foreign missionary. The population of the town, in 1840, was exactly 1000. In 1850, it was 532, showing a greater decline of popula tion in ten years than any other town in the county. The facilities of travel, and the opening of new avenues of business tell very powerfully upon the sterile mountain towns. One hundred and five of the present population are between the ages of five and fifteen years. There are seven school districts in the town, and there was raised for 112 SOUTHWICK. the support of schools, in 1854, the sum of $300. The valuation of property in 1850. was $167,528, being an in crease of $70,000 in ten years, notwithstanding the remark able decline in population. SOUTHWICK. Samuel Fowler became the first settler within the terri tory of Southwick in 1734. That territory was then within the boundaries of Westfield, and remained thus until Nov. 7, 1770, when it was incorporated as a district, with the present name, probably with regard to its relation in posi tion to the mother town. The records of its early days are very scanty and unsatisfactory. Mr. Fowler located himself in the North part of the town, then called " Pov erty," with reference to the lightness of the soil in that. locality. After the town had somewhat advanced in set tlement, but at what date it does not appear, it was the scene of a singular project, the marks of which are still apparent. At the Southeast corner of the town, breaking the Northern line of the State of Connecticut, and bound ing on the East a strip of Massachusetts territory that descends into that State, there is a pond containing an area of about six hundred acres. The project was conceived of draining this pond, for the sake of the rich land which it was supposed could be formed from its bed. This work was actually undertaken by a company in England, for whom Joseph Forward acted as agent. It was supposed that this body of water could be drained more cheaply than the land around it could be cleared. The canal was actually commenced, leading in a Northerly direction towards Westfield, and its mark is familiar to this day with the residents of the region. The project was never com pleted, doubtless because it was found entirely impractica ble. A Congregational Church was organized on the 17th of August, 1778. On the succeeding 27th of October, Rev. Abel Forward was ordained as its pastor. " He was a faithful minister, and a good man." He lived with his charge until the 15th of January, 1786, when he died at the age of 38 years. The early records of the district have been lost. The book of records, still extant, in part, came accidentally into the possession of a young woman who did not know its SOUTHWTCK. 113 value, and its first leaves were devoted to the uses of a scrap book before its discovery and recovery. A portion of the records of revolutionary times is, however, left, and shows that the people were possessed with the true spirit of the times. On the 14th of March, 1775, there was a vote to supply the district with one barrel of powder and 150 pounds of lead. At the same date, it was voted " to give Amos Loomis nine shillings for seeping the met ing hose, and feching water for crisning." April 20, 1775, it was voted to raise twenty-five minute men, and to pay them according to the recommendation of the provincial Congress. It was also voted that they should " rig their guns upon the. town's cost that an't able to rig their own guns, and the cost to be taken out of their wages." There is no record of the marching of the minute meh, but a vote on the 24th of April to raise £7 10s. " to send to the men who are gone to Boston as minnet men," is sufficient upon that point. James Smith was appointed to go to the com pany, which, it appears, was under the command of Capt, Fowler, " to carry the money, Smith to lose his time and the town to bear his charges." On the 29th of May, it was voted to choose a delegate to go to the Colonial Con gress, and also that the town treasurer should have the money that was collected by James Campbell to pay into the provincial treasury, the collector and town treasurer being saved harmless on the town's guaranty. This sum amounted to £39 18s. Noah Loomis, Silas Fowler, Wil liam Moore, John Kent, Deacon Norton, Solomon Stevens and Ephraim Griffin were the Revolutionary Committee of Correspondence. For the year 1775, the district, or town, as it constantly calls itself in the records, though it was not incorporated as such until 1779, voted to raise £15 for schooling, and not to dismiss the " Baptes" from their minister rate. By examining the map of Massachusetts, it will be seen that a small tract of land in Southwick descends into Connecticut, and breaks the direct line of boundary between the States. It appears that originally this tract was larger, extending laterally to the width of the town, and was divided by the pond already described. This tract was claimed by Connecticut, and the reason why it does not belong to that State is not apparent ; but since 1800, the 10* 114 90UTHWICK. portion on the West side of the pond has been left to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. A Mr. Moore, living on the tract in question, received a warning to a militia train ing in Connecticut, but refused to appear, denying that he was within the jurisdiction of that State. The case was carried into the Connecticut Legislature, which decided it on the side of the delinquent. It appears also that the people living on the East side of the pond chose to stay in Connecticut, from the difficulty of getting across the pond to do their business in Southwick, while those on the other side wished to remain in Massachusetts, because the pond was between them and their voting place in Connecti cut. Accordingly, the tract on the West side, about two miles square, was left to Massachusetts, while that portion of the town of Southwick on the East side was allowed to remain in the sister state. To illustrate the changes that have taken place in this tract, we give the following statement : Some thirty years ago, or more, a will was brought from Southwick to Spring field, to be proved, of a man who was born on this tract of land, and had lived to old age and died upon the same spot ; but during this time he had lived in two States, three counties, and four towns. He was born in the town of Westfield, county of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts. Then the tract was thrown within the town of Simsbury, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut. It was subsequently embraced withing the lines of Granby in the same state and county. The next change threw it into Southwick, which subsequently was embraced in the county of Hampden. Thus was a man who never left the place of his birth, a citizen of two states, a voter in four towns, and a resident within three counties. Rev. Isaac Clinton, the successor of the first pastor, Mr. Forward, graduated at Yale College in 1786, and was ordained at Southwick, January 30, 1788. Mr. Clinton was noted as the author of a treatise on baptism, and for the faculty of making money from a small salary. In 1803, the dysentery prevailed in Southwick, and the most of his family died in a single week. He was dismissed from his charge Dec. 2d, 1807, and died atLowville, N. Y., in 1841, at the advanced age of 82 years. Rev. Dudley D. Rossiter, a native of Stonington, Ct, and a graduate of SOUTHWICK. 115 Middlebury College in 1813, was ordained as Mr. Clinton's successor in January, 1816. He preached but one Sabbath after his ordination, on account of a sudden failure of his health. He was dismissed March 25th of the following year, and subsequently became a merchant in Boston. Rev. Calvin Foote, a native of Colchester, Ct., and a graduate of Middlebury College in 1814, was ordained in his place Feb. 2d, 1820, and dismissed May 26, 1830. During his ministry, the old meeting house which stood half a mile South of the village was destroyed by fire, and a new one, which has recently undergone extensive re pairs, was erected in the village in 1824. Rev. Elbridge G. Howe of Paxton, a graduate of Brown University in 1821, after serving several years as a missionary at the West, was installed over the Southwick church Feb. 26, 1831, and dismissed May, 23, 1832. Rev. Thomas Fletcher of New Ipswich, N. H., was installed at Southwick, Feb. 7, 1838, and dismissed October 21, 1845. His health was poor when he was dismissed, and continued to fail until he died at Southwick, Dec. 4, 1846, at the age of 58 years Rev. Henry Cooley of West Springfield was ordained Dec. 2, 1846, and was dismissed at his own request, January 31st, 1853. The church has 98 members, and a fund of $1,000. In April, 1806, the members of the Baptist Church in Suffield, living in Southwick, met for the purpose of con sulting upon the project of being set off into a distinct church. The decision was favorable to the project. For the purpose of constituting the new church, a council con vened at Southwick, on the 28th of June, in the same year, at the house of Augustus Pease. There were pas tors and delegates present from the churches in Suffield, Granville and West Springfield. The record reads : " First made choice of Elder Jesse Wightman moderator, brother Daniel Bestor, clerk. After prayer to God for direction, by Elder Hastings, then proceeded to business by calling on the brethren and sisters for their reasons why they wished such an event to take place among them, and hap pily found their views and motives to appear gospelwise." The church was then constituted, and Elder Hastings gave them the hand of fellowship, " as a church in gospel order, and in sister relation with the Baptist churches composing 116 SOUTHWICK. the Danbury Association." The names of the members thus constituted were Timothy Noble, Sally Noble, Betsey and Ruth Noble, Jonathan and Hannah Hays, Abner and Elizabeth Johnson, Josiah, David, Mehitabel and Deborah Kent, Eunice and Rachel Rising, Erastus Bill, Rachel Bellamy, Eunice Stiles, Elizabeth Kent, Mehitabel Loomis, Chloe Booth and Dolly Campbell. The records of this church have been kept in a, very singular manner. They seem to consist of nothing but business. The settlement of a minister, or the_ dismissal of one, is not recorded, but the vote to invite him, is, and the only way of ascertaining whether an invitation is ac cepted is in finding out whether his name is subsequently mentioned as the pastor. We shall therefore give the votes, and such information as they convey. On the 17th of December, 1807, it was voted to invite Elder Niles to " improve his ministerial gifts" in Southwick. Mr. Niles' name is not subsequently mentioned, but in 1811, we have the mention of " our Elder Bennett Pepper." Then occurs a jump in the records to the 29th of November, 1824, when it was voted to invite Elder Augustus Boles to preach as a candidate for settlement. On the 7th of December — the next month — " Elder Silas Root" was the moderator of the church meeting. On the 30th of Jan., 1825, Elder John D. Hart was dismissed from the church in Lansing- burgh, N Y., and recommended as a faithful minister to the church in Southwick. Nov. 4, 1826, Elder Hart was dismissed by a vote of the church. On the 4th of Septem ber, 1826, Elder Jeremiah Bridges, was invited to the pastoral charge, and subsequent votes show that he was settled. Mr. Bridges seems to have been the pastor for the greater part of the time until 1839, when it was voted to hire Elder Charles Willet. May 2, 1840, Mr. Willet was formally chosen to the pastoral office. On the 31st of May, 1845, it appears that he had resigned his charge. On that day, it was voted that he be dismissed, and that Rev. Charles Farrar be received as a member of the church, and elected as the pastor. April 30, 1846, Mr. Farrar's resignation was accepted. Aug. 30th, 1846, Rev. Ralph H. Maine is mentioned in a board of delegates to the association, and Aug. 22, 1847, Rev. R. Russell is mentioned in the same connection. May 12, 1849, Rev.- SOUTHWICK. 117 Alfred Gates is mentioned as the moderator of a church meeting. On the 22d of March, Rev. Z. S. Wilds tendered his resignation as pastor. The church has now no settled minister. The records of this church show the existence, through its whole history, of the most remarkable series of disciplinary measures touching individual members that can be imagined. In fact, the mass of the volume is devoted to a record of the means instituted to reclaim the wander ing, and rid the church of the unworthy. The Methodist church in Southwick was organized in 1816, by Rev. David Miller, consisting at first of six mem bers. It was at that time, and for several years after wards, connected with the New York Conference. The preachers that have labored in the church have been mul titudinous, as follows : In 1817, Billy Hibbard, Smith Day ton; 1818, Coles Carpenter and T. Clark; 1819, Coles Carpenter and Julius Field; 1820, Billy Hibbard and Robert Seney; 1821, Andrew McCain, Samuel Eighing and Cyrus Culver ; 1822, Samuel Eighing, Henry Hatfield and Cyrus Culver; 1823, Gershom Pierce and Nathan Rice ; 1824, Gershom Pierce and C. F. Pelton. During this year, the new house of the Congregationalists was built. The change in the location displeased those of the members who lived near the old structure, and they with drew and built a house further South. They were unable to maintain preaching, however, and the house came into the occupation of the Methodists. In 1825, the preachers were Smith Dayton and Asa Bushnell; 1826, David Mil- ler%nd Peter C. Oakley; 1827, Elbert Osborn, C. F. Pel- ton and Cyrus Culver; 1828, Elbert Osborn, Luther Mead and Cyrus Culver ; 1829, Smith Dayton and Asa Bush nell ; 1830, the same. In 1829, the church was set off to the New England Conference. In 1831, the preachers were David Leslie, Henry Mayo and Otis Wilder; 1833, Thomas W. Tucker and J. D. Bridge ; 1834, Ephraim Scott and J. D. Bridge ; 1835, Ephraim Scott and Samuel Palmer; 1836 and '37, Amasa. Taylor; 1838 and '39, Wm. Taylor; 1840, Asa Niles; 1841, John Cadwell; 1842, David L. Winslow. During this year, the church was made a regular station. In 1843, the preacher was Wm. Fleming ; in 1844, Homer Clark ; 1845, E. W. Jack son ; 1846, T. G. Brown ; 1847, J. B. Bigelow and J. De 118 SPRINGFIELD. Voe. Since this time, preaching has been occasional. Rev. E. Scott has preached more or less. The records, of the Methodist Church show a present membership of 62, but that number is probably too large. The town of Southwick is in possession of a school fund of $15,618 01, being the amount realized from sales of real estate bequeathed to the town for school purposes, by Richard Dickinson. This fund very nearly supports the schools of the town. Half of the income from this fund goes to support a grammar school, or academy, free to all the inhabitants of the town. The remainder is appropria ted to the district schools. The people of Southwick are mostly devoted to agricul tural pursuits. Some fifty years ago, a powder mill was established in the town, which has been continued under various proprietors to the present time. It is now carried on by Theron Rockwell who occupies four hands in the manufacture, working up annually $18,000 worth of stock, and producing 250,000 pounds of powder, of the value of $25,000. The variety of powder manufactured is mostly that used for blasting purposes. There are a few small cigar factories, the largest of which is carried on by Wm. R. Brown, who employs ten or twelve hands in the busi ness. In 1854, the town raised by tax for general expenses $1,000, and $800 for highways and bridges ; also $100 to be appropriated where necessary, to supply any deficiency in the school fund. The population of Southwick in 1840 was 1,211 ; in 1850, 1,165 ; decrease in ten years, 46.' SPRINGFIELD. The early history of Springfield is the early history of Western Massachusetts, and has been recorded with such a degree of detail in the Outline History as to demand little else here than a brief recapitulation, the addition of the ecclesiastical history of the town, and a notice of its present manufactures. [Vol. 1, p. 22 to 44.] Springfield was the first town settled in the Connecticut Valley within the Massachusetts patent, having been settled in the Spring of 1636. The planters were from Roxbury, and their first minister was Rev. George Moxon, who commenced his la bors in the town in 1637, during which year, probably, SPRINGFIELD. 119 the first church was organized. Mr. Moxon had received Episcopal ordination in England. • He was dismissed at his own request in 1652, and was followed in 1661 by Rev. Pelatiah Glover, a native of Dorchester. Mr. Glover labored in the place until his death which occurred March 29, 1692, when he had arrived at the age of 55 years. Rev. Daniel Brewer, an Englishman by birth, and a graduate of Harvard University in 1687, suc ceeded Mr. Glover, and was ordained May 16, 1694. He died on the 5th of November, 1733, in the 66th year of his age, and the 40th of his ministry. Rev. Robert Breck, of Marlboro, son of Rev. Robert Breck, an eminent minister of the same place, and a graduate of Harvard University in 1730, was ordained in Mr. Brewer's place on the 26th of January, 1736, and continued in the office until April 23, 1784, when he died, in the 71st year of his age and the 49th of his ministry. [For a full account of Mr. Breck's settlement, see Vol. l,p. 199.] Rev. Bezaleel Howard of Bridgewater, a graduate of Harvard in 1781, was ordained the pastor of the church, April 27, 1785. He retired from the active duties of the ministry in 1803, in consequence of ill health, but lived to the advanced age of 83, dying in December, 1836. Rev. Samuel Osgood, D. D., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1805, was ordained the pastor of the church, January 25, 1809, and continued in office for a pe riod of 45 years, when, in 1854, he retired from active pulpit duties. November 15th, the same year, Rev. Henry M. Parsons of East Haddam, Ct., was ordained as his col league, and now occupies that relation. The history of this church is the most remarkable, in one particular, of any' church in the State. The church has been in exis tence 217 years, and was the 14th formed in the colony of Massachusetts Bay ; it has had a regular pastor with very brief, intervals, during the whole period, and yet, the whole list of its pastors (leaving out Mr. Parsons,) num bers but six, the average of pastoral labor to each minister having been about 36 years. Many a church, one-tenth as old, has had as many pastors. Such longevity in so diffi cult and important a place, is rare. Dr. Osgood still lives, and his services are in active demand, and undiminished supply, among the neighboring congregations. The old church now numbers 412 members. 120 SPRINGFIELD. The Second (orthodox) Congregational Church, located on what, is known as Springfield Hill, was organized Jan. 8, 1833. Rev. Abraham C. Baldwin was the first pastor, and was ordained on the following 4th of December. He was dis missed January 8, 1839, and was succeeded by Rev. Eze kiel Russell of South Wilbraham, who was ordained on the following 15th of May. His dismission took place in 1849. Rev. Samuel W. Strong of Somers, Ct., a gradu ate of Yale in 1843, was ordained March 27, 1850, and was dismissed in consequence of ill health in 1852, since which no pastor has been settled. The church refitted and entirely remodeled their meeting-house during 1854, and February 22, 1855, it was re-dedicated, with appropriate services. The South Congregational Church was organized March 23, 1843, and Rev. Noah Porter, Jr., of Farmington, Ct., became its first pastor. He was dismissed January 5, 1847, that he might accept a call to the professorship of moral philosophy and metaphysics in Yale College. Rev. Samuel G. Buckingham was his successor. Mr. Bucking ham was a graduate of Yale in 1833, and was first settled at Millbury. He was installed over the South Church, January 16, 1847, and still remains in the pastoral charge. The church numbers 267 members. The North Congregational Church was organized Octo ber 28, 1846, consisting of 23 members. Rev. Raymond H. Seeley, a graduate of the University of New York in 1839, was installed as its first pastor, on the 1st of March, 1849. The meeting-house of the church was dedicated on the evening of the same day. The present number of members is upwards of 150. The formation of the Unitarian Church and Society in Springfield grew out of the disaffection of a part of the First Congregational Church with the instructions and doctrines of Rev. Dr. Osgood. The off-shooting of this branch from the orthodox stem was a noteworthy event, and was attended by circumstances of sufficient interest to call for a ' somewhat extended notice. On the 15th of June, 1815, a petition of the disaffected was presented to the Legislature, setting forth a statement to the effect that the general tenor of Dr. Osgood's ministrations had changed since he preached as a candidate, and for several months SPRINGFIELD. 121 afterwards, and that, in consequence, they were dissatisfied with his teachings ; and praying for an " act of incorpora tion, as the second society of the first parish in Spring field." They also prayed that a part of the funds of the first parish might be assigned to them, in equitable propor tion. This petition was signed by 54 individuals. The Legislature directed an order of notice to the parish, to appear and show cause, at the Winter session, why the prayer of the petitioners should not be granted. On the 24th of December following, there was a meeting of the First Parish, to take into consideration the petition of the aggrieved, " and adopt such measures thereon as the parish should think best." The meeting was a stormy and un pleasant one. Many grievous words and hard speeches were uttered, and the majority were disposed, somewhat overbearingly, to make use of their power. There were many, however, who were more tolerant, and were sincere ly desirous of reconciling the difference that existed« Rev. Bezaleel Howard, the former minister, was very desirous to prevent a division, and submitted a conciliatory address, in writing, as he was not able to utter it, but the majority voted that they would not hear it read. It would seem that the aggrieved were willing to remain in the parish, provided Dr. Osgood should be dismissed, and a minister secured in whom all should be agreed ; and at this meeting, they presented an address which was formally entered on the parish records. In this address, they state that the rea son why they had petitioned to be formed into a second religious society is that they " cannot profit by the Rev. Mr. Osgood's ministry." They deemed it useless to state the cause of their loss of confidence in their minister, pro fessed a wish to remain in the parish, and expressed con fidence that, were the parish vacant, it might be united in the selection of another minister. If, however, the major ity deemed the labors of Dr. Osgood more acceptable and profitable than those of any other man could be, they would make no request for his dismissal. They closed by throw ing the responsibility of dividing the parish upon the ma jority, and expressing the hope that the parish would unite, in case of separation, on some just and equitable mode of dividing the parish funds; The meeting appointed a com- 11 122 SPRINGFIELD*. mittee, made up equally from each party, but they could not agree to any report, and never reported. This result was foreseen, and the seceders began to take measures for the future. Jonathan Dwight made the fol lowing proposition, viz., that he would build " a meeting house of such dimensions and elegance as they should direct, wholly at his own expense, and present the same to them as a free gift, provided they would establish an ample fund for the permanent support of a minister." So gener ous a proposition was of course accepted, and the subscrip tions to the fund were very generously made. Two of these were $2,500 each, one was $2,000, another $800. Out of 41 subscriptions, there were only five less than $100, and but a few so small as that. In 1819, an addi tional petition from 64 individuals, was presented, praying for the act of incorporation, and on the 15th of February, of that year, the petition was granted, and they were in corporated as the " Second Congregational Society in the First Parish in Springfield." Rev. Bezaleel Howard was a member of the new society, and assisted in its organiza tion. This was the origin of the present Unitarian Church and Society in Springfield, as well as the origin of their present house of worship. It was a time of very great excitement and party feeling, and gave rise to serious family and social divisions. The church edifice was ready for occupation in September, 1819, and on the 12th day of October, 1820, Rev. William B. O. Peabody, D. D., was ordained over the church and society as their pastor. Mr. Peabody con tinued in office until he died, an event which took place on the 28th of May, 1847, in the 48th year of his age, and the 27th of his ministry. On the 9th of February, 1845, Rev. George F. Simmons was installed in his place. Mr. Sim mons remained in this connection until 1851, when he was dismissed, and on the 30th day of December, 1852, Rev. Francis Tiffany, a native of Baltimore, was ordained as pastor of the church, and still remains in that relation. The first Methodist preachers, of whom we have any record, in Springfield, were Rev. M. Rayner, Rev. H. Smith, and Rev. Hope Hull, who preached here in 1796 and 1797, holding meetings occasionally in private houses, and gathering a, small church of fifteen or twenty members. SPRINGFIELD. 123 This little body was diminished subsequently, by removals and death, until, at last, the circuit preachers discontinued their visits. In July, 1815, a Methodist Church was or ganized at the Upper Water Shops, consisting of eleven - members. This was connected with what was then called the Tolland Circuit of the New England Conference, and was visited by a circuit preacher once in four weeks, the meetings being held in private houses or school houses. Springfield became a regular station of the New England Conference in 1819, and has so continued since. In that year, Rev. Daniel Dorchester was appointed preacher at the Upper Water Shops, and meetings were held alternately in that village and at the Armory Chapel, on Springfield Hill. In 1820, the " Asbury Chapel" was erected at the Water Shops, the church then consisting of 77 members. Rev. Messrs. M. Fifield, T. C. Pierce and J. W. Hardy were successively appointed preachers at this house. In 1823, the Union Street Church was erected, and to the new house the old organization was transferred, though meetings were still occasionally held at the Water Shops. Mr. Hardy was succeeded in the pastoral charge by Rev. Messrs Timothy Merritt, D. Dorchester, D. Webb and O. Scott. In 1830, under the labors of Mr. Scott, a great re vival took place, in which more than 100 persons were ad ded to the church. Rev. T. C. Pierce again took the pas toral charge, from 1830 to 1832, when Rev. H. H. White was appointed to the station, assisted by Rev. S. Benton, and Rev. M. Dwight. At this time preaching was maintained both at the Union Street Church and Asbury Chapel, and another revival took place in which about 150 persons pro fessed the Christian hope. In 1835, the society was divided, and a separate organization was maintained at the Water Shops until 1844. The preachers at Asbury Chapel during these years were successively, Rev. Messrs. E. Blake, H. H. White, J. D. Bridge, W. H. Richards, E. Potter, J. Fleming and E. A. Manning. Rev. B. Otheman had charge of the Union Street Station, at the time of the divi sion, and he was succeeded in the pastoral charge from 1837 to 1844, by Rev. Messrs. A. D. Merrill, W. Livesey, C. K. True, J. Rice, M. Staples and D. Wise. At this time, the church on Pynchon street was erected, and the organization of Asbury Chapel broken up. From 1844 124 SPRINGFIELD. to the present time, the preachers at the Union Street Sta tion have been the following : — Rev. Messrs. R. S. Rust, G. Landon, W. R. Clark, J. W. Mowry, F. Griswold, M. Dwight and C. P. Bragdon. There are now, in this church, 124 members in regular connection, and 26 .probationers. The Pynchon Street Church was gathered and -organized in October, 1844, and consisted of about 40 members. Their first meetings were held in Worthington Grove. The church edifice was dedicated in March, 1845, and Rev. J. Haskell was the first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. G. Landon, during whose pastoral charge an extensive re vival took place, and the church was much strengthened. Since 1847, the preachers at this station have been as fol lows :— From 1847 to 1849, Rev. Mark Trafton ; from 1849, to 1851, Rev. LA. Savage ; from 1851 to 1853, Rev. J. D. Bridge, who was succeeded by Rev. F. H. Newhall, the present pastor. Considerable additions have been made to the church, and it numbers at present 240 members, in regular connection, and 60 probationers. The church edi fice has recently been enlarged and improved. In the year 1817, Rev. Titus Strong, Rector of St. James' Church in Greenfield, officiated several times in Springfield for the benefit of a body of resident Episcopal ians. During that year, through the agency of Col. Ros- well Lee, Superintendent of the United States Armory, a chapel was prepared in one of the buildings belonging to the Government, and set apart for divine worship by Rev. Mr. Strong. Services were occasionally held in that place, for a number of years, by various clergymen. In Septem ber, 1838, the church asked for a missionary from the Mas sachusetts Board of Missions, and Rev. Henry W. Lee was appointed, his labors commencing on the 28th day of October following. The Town Hall was used as the place of worship. The organization of Christ Church was effected on the 30th of November, 1838, and in March, 1839, it was voted to proceed immediately to the erection of a house of worship. On the 1st day of April, 1840, the consecration of the church took place, and on the following day, Rev. Henry W. Lee was instituted as the rector. Mr. Lee con tinued in the rectorship of the parish until the 1 8th of No vember, 1847, when he resigned. On the 18th of May, 1848, Rev. Henry W. Adams was installed in the place SPRINGFIELD. 125. of Mr. Lee, by Bishop Eastburn. He resigned the rector ship October 22d, 1849, and on the 22d of January, 1850, Rev. A. N. Littlejohn was instituted as the rector. Mr. Littlejohn's connection with the church was brief, ending July 16, 1851. On the 14th of January, 1852, Rev. Wil liam Spencer Child was instituted as the rector in his place, and still remains in that relation. The church edifice was enlarged, remodeled, and greatly beautified in 1851, at an expense of about $6,000. The first Baptist Church in Springfield was constituted in 1811, consisting, at the date of its formation, of nineteen members. The church struggled for many years in feeble ness and poverty, holding its meetings in school or private houses, until 1821, being supplied occasionally during this time with preaching by Elders Rand, Hubbard, Niles, Saw yer and Atwell. In the above year, a church edifice was erected, near the Upper Water Shops, of the dimensions of 26 by 36 feet. In 1832, Rev. Allen Hough was chosen the first pastor, the church then numbering 50 members. Here the church worshipped for about ten years, under the pastoral care of Messrs. Hough, Nicholas Branch and Ben jamin Putnam. The society grew, and it was found neces sary to erect a larger~house, which was done on the corner of Maple and Mulberry Streets. In 1846, the town having greatly increased in population, it was decided to build a new house on a more central location. The new house on Main Street was completed, and dedicated in September, 1847, and since that time the church has been much pros pered. The church now numbers nearly 400 members. The following are the names of the pastors in succession : — Rev. Allen Hough, Rev. Joseph Hough, Rev. Nicholas Branch, settled in 1827 ; Rev. Benjamin Putnam, settled in 1830 ; Rev. Dwight Ives, 1 836 ; Rev. Hiram A. Graves, 1838 ; Rev. J. W. Eaton, 1840 ; Rev. Humphrey Rich ards, 1843 ; Rev. Minor G. Clark, 1846 ; Rev. E. E. Cum- mings, 1850 ; Rev. George B. Ide, D. D., 1853. St. Benedict's Church, (Roman Catholic,) is located on Union Street, and was dedicated in April, 1847. The first pastor was Rev. G. T. Riorden. The number of persons attending service at that time was about 8 Op, including those coming from the small towns in the vicinity. J. J. Doherty (neither Reverend nor reverent) succeeded Mr, 11* 126 SPRINGFIELD. Riorden, and remained some three years. The present pastor, Rev. M. Blenkmsop, was appointed in the summer of 1851, and the number now belonging to the parish is upwards of 3,000. Mr. Blenkinsop also officiates at St. Matthew's, Chicopee ; St. Mary's, Northampton ; St. Wil liam's, Ware ; and at Holyoke, Greenfield, Amherst, West- field, .Chester Factories, Thorndike, Three Rivers, Palmer Depot, Monson, Indian Orchard, &c. A lot has been pur chased on Worthington Street, between Chestnut and Spring, for the site of a new church. The lot cost $3,500, and a building is to be erected upon it at a cost of $25,000. A Universalist Society has been in existence in Spring field for some thirty years, but no house of worship was built until 1844. Rev. D. J. Mandell became the pastor of the church and officiated for a year or two. He was followed successively by Rev. A. A. Folsom, Rev. R. P. Ambler, (now a spiritualist) Rev. J. W. Ford, and Rev. J. Twiss, who is the present pastor, and under whose auspi ces the society has increased in numbers, and achieved a- prosperity which it has not known for many years. No one cause, if we except, perhaps, railroads, has con tributed so much to the material prosperity of Springfield, as the U. S. Armory, established within its limits. In the time of the Revolution, the town was a recruiting post, af terwards a depot for military stores, and then a place for repairing arms. The first shops were on Main Street, and among them was a laboratory for cartridges, and other fire works. The oldest record in the armory relates to the work done in this laboratory. It is a record of the work done during the month of April, 1778, and shows that about forty men were engaged in the business. The pro duct of their work during the first week was 7,584 car tridges. The footing of the second week is torn off. The third week footed up 11,077 cartridges, and the fourth week, 15,700. Not far from the date of this document, the works were removed to the Hill, where, enlarged and per fected, they are legitimately the-subject of the world's ad miration, and the nation's pride. The act establishing the armory was passed by Congress in April, 1794. The es tablishment since that time, has been under the following superintendence : — SPRINGFIELD. 127 1st Superintendent, David Ames, from 1794 until October 31st, 1802. 2d Superintendent, Joseph Morgan, from November 1st, 1802, until October 31st, 1805. 3d Superintendent, Benjamin Prescott, from November 1st, 1805, until August 31, 1813. 4th Superintendent, Henry Lechler, from September 1st, 1813, until January 15th, 1815. 5th Superintendent, Benjamin Prescott, from January 16th, 1815, until May 31, 1815. 6th Superintendent, Lt. Col. Roswell Lee, from June 1st, 1815, until August 25th, 1833. 7th Superintendent, Lt. Col. George Talcott, acting, until October 31st, 1833. 8th Superintendent, John Robb, from November 1st, 1833, until April 15th, 1841. 9th Superintendent, Lt. Col. J. W. Ripley, from April 16th, 1841, until August 16th, 1854. 10th Superintendent, E. S. Allin, acting, from August 17th, 1854, until October 18th, 1854. 11th Superintendent, Gen. James S. Whitney, who com menced his term of office October 19th, 1854. Col. Talcott was in temporary charge of the armory during Col. Lee's last sickness, his death occurring on the date which we have given as that* of the expiration of his term of office. Col. Lee belonged to the army, and was ordered to repair to Springfield on the 8th of May, 1815. This was during the last war with England. He arrived and took command on the 1st of June. On the 15th of June, a part of the army was disbanded, and Col. Lee was appointed Superintendent, as above stated. We have before us what is styled a contract book, used in 1799, in which the hands employed engaged to work for certain terms of time for certain wages. We copy verba tim, the agreement, signed by all the hands : " We the subscribers do hereby severly promis and ingage to work for the Goverment of the United States of America, in the public factory at Springfield, or as the public service may require, one year from the dates of our respective inlist- ment, and dates annextto our respective names, hereof, unless sooner discharged under the superintendancey of David Ames, and such officers as may be appointed in said factory by the authority of said government, and faithfully, dilligently and constantly serve the aforesaid United States as armorers to the utmost of our abilities, for the interest of the aforesaid United 128 SPRINGFIELD. States, and will, during the term aforesaid, conduct ourselves soberly honestly and industriously, and will yeld full and ready obedience to all orders we may receive from time to time for the goverment of the artificers and apprentices em ployed by the United States, and will make good all damage of whatever kind the public may sustain by our not fully complying with the terms of this inlistment, and we severly ingage to do the quantity of labor within the terms and at the wages as annext to our respective names, which wages are to be paid as shall be furnished by the United States for that puipose '' The first man who signed this agreement made his mark. The second signature was by proxy. The wages ranged from $7 50 per month to $25, while $13 and $15 were the ruling prices of labor among the workmen. The contrast between the condition of the armory then and now is cer tainly a gratifying one. The history of the armory has been one of development. Ingenuity has perfected ma chinery, order has produced efficiency, and taste has evolved beauty in every department. The arsenal, the offices, and the principal manufacturing and storing buildings of the armory are located on Spring field Hill, and overlook the Connecticut Valley at a charm ing elevation. What is denominated the Middle Arsenal occupies the highest point of land in Springfield, that point being above the average level of Connecticut River, at Springfield, 159 40-100 feet. The level of Connecticut, River at this point is 40 feet above tide water, making the site of the arsenal 199 40-100 feet above tide water. The armory is situated in latitude North 42 deg. 6 min. 10 sec, and in longitude 72 deg. 35 min. 12 sec. Its time West of Greenwich is 4h. 50m. and 20s. ; West of Boston, 6m. 4s. (less a fraction.) The heavier operations of the armo ry are effected in another part of the town, known as the " Upper," " Middle," and " Lower Water Shops" — works strung along upon the water power furnished by Mill Riv er. The land on the Hill, owned by the U. S. Govern ment, amounts to 72 acres and 2 rods ; at the Upper and Middle Water Shops, 19 acres and 66 rods ; at the Lower; Water Shops, 10 acres 102 rods ; total land owned by the Government in Springfield, 102 acres and 10 rods. The principal building is the new arsenal. This is 200 feet long by 70 wide, and three stories high, each story being SPRINGFIELD. 129 sufficiently capacious to contain 100,000 muskets. The store house, the offices and work shops are extensive build ings, and with the dwelling houses of the officers, also owned by the Government, inclose a large square, laid out with well kept gravel walks, and beautiful trees. On the Hill, and at the Water Shops, the Government own 16 dwelling -houses. The number of men employed in the armory is about 400, at an average of about $40 per month, money earned at piece-work almost exclusively. The great improvements made in the machinery within the past twelve years are the result of the ingenuity of Mr. Cyrus Buckland, one of the finest mechanics in America, which is equivalent to saying that he is one of the best in the world. The manufacture of the musket involves 400 separate operations, and a majority of the men employed perform but one of these. Such is the system pursued that every musket made, in its minutest parts, is the fellow of every other musket, so that its parts would interchange with those of its fellows with entire facility. A complete per cussion musket weighs ten pounds, lacking a small frac tion. The following is a statement of the manufacture of muskets during every year since the establishment of the armory : Muskets. 7,2797,199 13,01512,00012,000 13,200 13,000 13,200 14,00014,00015,00015,500 14 500 15.500 16 500 16,500 16 200 13.60012 400 14,000 In addition to these muskets, there have been manufac-. tured, since the Armory was established, 250 rifles, 1,000* Fiscal Fiscal Years. Muskets. Years. 1795 245 1815 1796 838 1816 1797 1,028 1817 1798 1,044 1818 1799 4,595 1819 1800 4,862 1820 1801 3.205 1821 1802 4,858 1822 1803 4,775 1823 1804 3,566 1824 1805 3,535 1825 1806 2,018 1826 1807 6,692 1827 1808 5,870 1828 1809 7,070 1829 1810 9,700 1830 1811 12 020 1>-31 1812 • 10,140 1832 1813 6,920 1833 1814 9,585 1834 Fiscal Years. Muskets, 1835 13 000 1836 13 500 1837 to 31st Dec. 14 500 1838 " (i 15,000 1839 " u 10,000 1840 to 30th Sept. 6,967 1841 " C( 10 700 1842 " u - 9 720 1843 to 30th June, 4,601 1844 " li 7,690 1845 " u 12,077 1846 " c; 14 265 1847 " u 14,293 1848 " u 15,018 1849 " cc 15,216 1850 " a 18,155 1851 " u 21,000 1852 " a 19.800 1853 " if 14,. 00 1854 " otal, 11,000 Grand 1 629,660 130 SPRINGFIELD. pistols, 1,202 carbines, 8,660 musketoons, 4,806 cadets' arms, 18 model muskets, and 16 model pistols and rifles. In 1850 and 1851, 113,406 muskets were altered, in their locks, from flint to percussion, involving an amount of la bor equal to the manufacture of 7,630 muskets. From 1809 to 1822, inclusive of those years, and exclusive of 1811 and 1812, nearly 50,000 muskets were repaired, in volving labor equal to the manufacture of 11,540 muskets. The musketoons have all been made since 1847. There is much of interest connected with the armory that could easily be told did not the lack of space for it forbid. A splendid iron fence, 8 feet 8 inches high, has been erected on the Southern and Western sides of the Govern ment grounds on the Hill, which adds much to the elegant appearance of the whole establishment, and tends to make it still more a matter of local pride, and still more in con sonance with the character of a national institution. The improvement of the grounds, like much of that which has been effected in the operation of the works themselves, has been accomplished by Col. Ripley, the late military super intendent. The other manufactures of Springfield are varied and numerous. The American Machine Works were organized in 1847, by a few gentlemen, all practical mechanics of ahigh order, with a capital of $19,000. The works, ever since their commencement, have been under the management of P. B. Tyler, as president and superintendent, and have been eminently successful. The company has now a capi tal of $80,000, and a surplus of over $40,000. The lead ing articles manufactured are stationary steam engines and boilers, Tyler's direct action steam cotton presses, steam saw mills, both circular and vertical, cordage machinery, mint and coining machinery, &c. Employment is given to 150 hands. The stock used annually is as follows : — 650 tuns of coal, 100 tuns Waterford moulding sand, 950 tuns pig iron, 300 tuns bar iron, 6 tuns cast steel, 150 tuns boil er plates, 9 tuns rivets, 4 tuns copper, and 3 tuns block tin. The amount of production is upwards of $225,000 annually. Eliphalet Trask manufactures iron castings, working up annually 11,000 tuns of iron valued at $45,000. He em- SPRINGFIELD. 131 ploys 25 men, who produce 800 tuns castings, worth 000." This foundry has been in operation 18 years. T. W. Wason carries on a foundry for casting car and locomotive wheels. In this manufacture he consumes 592 tuns of coal, and 1,600 tuns of iron annually, of the aggre gate value of $84,262. The foundry has been in opera tion three years, and employs 28 hands. The Agawam Foundry is a new concern, started by Messrs. Harris & Birnie, on the 1st of February, 1854. The foundry is established for general work, with special reference to railroad bridge and machinery castings. The rate at which stock has been consumed would amount in one year to about 1,400 tuns of pig iron, and 250 tuns of coal, valued in the aggregate at $60,000. The concern employs 25 hands, who produce castings of the value of about $100,000 annually. Stone & Harris manufacture bridge-bolts, and machinery, consuming annually 400 tuns of bar and cast iron, and em ploying 30 hands. The concern has been in operation for eight years. The value of annual production is $55,000. Amos Call manufactures dividers, compasses, callipers, punches, pocket squares, bevils and guages, using up an nually 10 tuns of iron and two tuns of steel, of the aggre gate value of $4,000. He employs 23 hands, has been engaged in the business ten years, and produces an annual amount of articles valued at $10,000. Wright & Co. are manufacturers of car-axles, connec tion rods, and wrought iron shafting. They have been in operation five years, and consume annually in their busi ness 460,000 lbs. of scrap-iron, 225,000 lbs. billet iron, 896,000 lbs. Cumberland coal, 72,000 lbs. fire sand, and 6,000 fire bricks, valued in the aggregate at $18,000., Nine hands are employed, and produce annually $27,500 worth, or 476,500 lbs. of manufactured articles. T. W. Wason and Company are the largest manu facturers in the town. The articles manufactured are passenger, baggage, freight and hand cars. In this manu facture, Mr. Wason has been engaged for eight years. The present company was formed about a year since. The number of hands employed is 156, and these work up annually an amount of stock valued at $196,435. This stock is mostly as follows : 3,000 car wheels, 350 tuns of 132 SPRINGFIELD. bar iron, 285 tuns cast iron, 196 car axles, 1,200 gross screws, 55,650 feet of trimmings, 200 casks of nails, 929,000 feet of lumber, 24,400 rubber springs, 5,000 yards of crim son plush, 10,000 lbs. curled hair, 1,250 lbs. glue, 1,700 panes of German glass, 8,800 lbs. of mixed paint, 400 gallons of varnish, 150 packs of gold leaf, 17,500 lbs. Babbit boxes, 2,000 lbs. cotton waste, 512 tuns of coal, and 1,200 gallons of oil. The amount of annual produc tion is 50 passenger cars, 7 baggage car*, £00 freight and 25 hand cars, the aggregate value of which is $295,000. James Warner is engaged in the manufacture of War ner's patent rifles and pistols. The number of hands employed ranges from 25 to 50. Arms are manufactured at the rate of from 2,000 to 3,000 annually, valued at between $40,000 and $50,000. Mills and Carpenter manufacture stationary and portable steam engines, employing 25 hands, and producing annually engines to the value of $50,000. The concern has been in operation three years. Cheney Bigelow manufactures sieves and wire cloth, using up annually about 16 tuns of wire, 600 pounds of hair, and 2,500 dozen hoops, handles, &c. The value of the stock consumed is about $5,000, the number of hands employed, 18. The concern has been in operation 12 years, and the annual product is 40,000 feet of wire cloth, 2,500 dozen sieves of different kinds, with varying amounts of different descriptions of wire work, valued at $10,000. Harris and Colton employ 60 men in the manufacture of doors, sash and blinds, and use up annually in this man ufacture 1,300,000 feet of lumber, valued at $45,000. The concern has been in operation five years, and produces annually 30,000 doors, 10,000 window sash, and ..8,000 blinds, valued in the aggregate at $75,000. A large amount of lumber for building purposes is also planed at the same establishment, and comes within the labor of the above number of hands. Bailey, Salisbury and Company manufacture doors, sash and blinds, using up annually in the manufacture 846,520 feet of lumber, valued at $25,395. The number of hands employed varies from 30 to 35. The number of doors turned out in 1853 was 15,460, besides sash and blinds, valued in the aggregate at $60,000. SPRINGFIELD. 133 J. G. Chase and Company occupy from 20 to 25 hands in dressing lumber. The concern with its predecessors has. been in operation eight years. The India Rubber Web Manufacturing Company make shoulder-brace webbing, elastic and inelastic, cotton and silk " elastics," and cotton and silk cords and braids of various kinds. There are employed in the concern six men and boys and twenty girls. They have been in ope ration about ten years. Kibbe, Crane and Company employ forty hands in the manufacture of confectionery in all its branches. They use up annually in this manufacture 250 tuns of sugar, 30,000 lbs. of gum arabic, 6,000 lbs. almonds and pea-nuts, 40,000 wood and paper boxes, 8,000 bushels of charcoal, and 75 tuns of hard coal. The concern has been in ope ration, with occasional changes in the constituents of the firm, fifteen years, and produces annually 300 tuns of candy. D. H. Ripley and Company are manufacturers of check ed cassimeres and doe-skins. They consume annually 52,000 lbs. of wool, valued at $25,000. The number of hands employed ranges from 35 to 40, who turn out weekly 1,500 yards of fabric, valued at 75 cents per yard, and amounting, by that average, to the annual product of $58,500. John R. Hixon manufactures boots and shoes, occupying from 40 to 50 hands in the business, and using annually from $15,000 to $20,000 worth of stock. The amount of production is from $20,000 to $25,000. The concern has been in operation one year. . R. G. Shumway and Company manufacture jewelry. Their concern has been in operation four years, employing 50 hands, consuming annually $40,000 in stock, and pro ducing $100,000 worth of manufactured articles. The Springfield Locomotive Works, carried on by Blanchard and Kimball, manufacture locomotives and stationary engines, and machinists' tools, using annually 664 tuns of iron, valued at $78,000. The establishment employs 140 hands, has been in operation two years, and turns out two locomotives per month. The value of the an nual manufacture, in all its branches, amounts to $228,000. David Smith has been engaged in the manufacture of 12 134 springfikld. carriages for twenty-seven years. He now employs twenty- five hands, who turn out $16,000 worth of carriages, of various descriptions, annually. The Hampden Paint and Chemical Company manu facture chrome green, chrome yellow, lead-colored, free stone and buff paints, and Glauber and Epsom salts and magnesia. One hundred tuns of the various kinds of paints are calculated as the annual product, valued in the aggregate at $20,000. The men of eminence originating in Springfield have been few. Many note-worthy men have been residents of the town, but their birth-place chanced to be elsewhere. Hon. George Bliss was a lawyer of much eminence, whose memory still remains with many, now living in his native town and State. He was born in Springfield on the 13th of December, 1764, and graduated at Yale College in 1784. He studied law with his father, Moses Bliss, Esq., and was admitted to practice as an attorney in 1787. During the Shays Rebellion, he was a law student, but entered with zeal and vigor into the cause of the government, by en listing as a private in a company of volunteers. He be came a member of the Massachusetts House of Represen tatives in 1800, of the Senate in 1805, and was repeatedly elected to those, stations subsequently. He was for many years a member of the board of visitors of the Andover Theological Institution, and a trustee of Williams College. His religious standing is indicated in the fact that he held the office of a deacon in the old Congregational Church. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him in 1823, by Harvard University, about which time he retired from active professional duties. Mr. Bliss was also a member of the memorable Hartford Convention, which forms so prominent a feature of the political history of New Eng land. He was deeply studied in the law, and a thorough worker — untiring in industry and indefatigable in research. A notice of •him, in a number of the American Jurist in 1830, says : " In his whole bearing as a. jurist, and in all his various relations at the bar, he was eminently distin guished by fidelity, integrity, honesty of purpose, and high, moral purity. His manners wore the semblance of auster ity ; yet such was not his temperament. The appearance arose entirely from his being habitually a man of thought- SPRINGFIELD. 135 fulness. His conversation was full of instruction, enlivened with interesting anecdotes and occasional sallies of wit." Mr. Bliss has left behind him two historical pamphlets of great local value, one being a history of Springfield ; the other a history of the Hampshire Bar. He died at Springfield on the 8th of March, 1830, at the age of 65. Col. John Worthington, one of the most prominent and note-worthy men who ever lived in the town, was a native of the place. He was born Nov. 24, 1719, was educated at Yale College, where he graduated in 1740 and remained as tutor for three years, read law about a year with Gen. Lyman, of Suffield, St., and commenced practice in 1744 in his native town. He was a man of great influence in the town, and of wide practice in his profession. He was King's Attorney, or public prosecutor for Old Hampshire county, and was held in as high esteem by the colonial authorities as by his fellow townsmen. The following copy of a letter, now in possession of Josiah Hooker, Esq., ¦of Springfield, in the hand writing of Gov^Hutchinson, will show how highly he was esteemed by the latter. It will be remembered that the letter was written while Ber nard was Governor — in fact during the year in which he was recalled, and the administration left in the hands of Hutchinson : "Boston, 28th Febr. 1769. "Dear Sir: In conversation with the Governor, a few days ago, about the Attorney General's place which will be vacant in a short time, it was agreed that I should write to you, and propose to you to accept of it, provided a salary not less than £200 sterling a year should be annexed to it. I could not give any great encouragement to the Governor, because it is necessary an Attorney General should live at or near Boston, and I know your attachment to that foggy, unhealthy air from Connecticut River, which if you do not remove, will shorten your days, but as it was possible, I thought it best to make the proposal. If you can bring yourself to be willing, the Gover nor will immediately represent to Lord -Hillsborough the ad vantage the Publick will receive from it, and will try to obtain 300 instead of 200 a year. I will add my little interest, though I doubt not his recommendation would be sufficient. If the attempt for a salary should fail, it cannot be expected you should take the place, though I fancy there is more in it than is generally-known, or Sewall would not be so fond of it. It will not be discovered by me, and I should think, not by the 136 SPRINGFIELD. Governor, that such a proposal had been made to you. I shall be glad to secure an answer as soon as you have delib erated. " I am Yours Sincerely, Tho. Hutchinson. "To the Honorable John Worthington, Esq., Springfield." This plan was never consummated, but the consideration which Col. Worthington received from the government was doubtless the cause of a leaning to toryism which subse quently made him unpopular with the patriotic masses. He evidently endeavored to act the neutral, but his sym pathies had been made too apparent by his action in the Legislature. It is a forcible commentary on the spirit of the times that this man, so long honored and revered, suffered the humiliation of being forced inside a ring of whigs in the open air, in his own town, and there made to kneel, and ask forgiveness for his toryism. From the time of the interruption of the courts in 1774, Col. Worthington retired from practice, but lived to the good old age of 81 years, dying in 1800. His law library is now in the pos session and office of Josiah Hooker, Esq., who inherited it through his father, Judge Hooker, a student and nephew of Worthington. It was one of the best law libraries of its times. There have been others of more or less note, whose na tive place was Springfield, and among these may be men tioned the names of Col. Thomas Dwight, who was a member of Congress from his native district, and Dr. Wil liam Harris, who, after his removal from Springfield, be came the President of Columbia College, New York. Among the more prominent objects of interest in Spring field — and that object, certainly, which is charged with the tenderest and strongest associations — is the Cemetery, — without doubt the most beautiful burial place of its area in the country. Although located close to — nay, even in the city, it is so secluded that its existence would not be sus pected by the stranger. It embraces 35 acres of land. On a portion of it the forest trees still grow, and even now Nature vies with Art in producing one of the most charm ing combinations of .hill and valley, stream and fountain, trees and flowers, slopes and terraces and winding footpaths and open carriage-ways, imaginable. The Cemetery is SPRINGFIELD. 137 owned by a set of proprietors who sell the lots to private purchasers. These proprietors were organized on the 9 th of May, 1841, with the name of " The proprietors of the Springfield Cemetery." The first officers chosen were Rev. W. B. O. Peabody, President ; Elijah Blake, Treas urer ; Lewis Warriner, Secretary ; Chester Harding, Philip Wilcox, George Dwight, Joseph Weatherhead, George Ea ton, Samuel Raynolds, and Walter H. Bowdoin, Trustees. The land appropriated to the purposes of the cemetery was consecrated by appropriate services on Sunday, Sept. 5, 1841. The exercises were of a very interesting character. Prayers were offered by Rev. Mr. Staple and Rev. Mr. Lee, hymns composed for the occasion by Rev. Mr. Pea body were sung, a most touching and beautiful address was delivered by Mr. Peabody, and the benediction was pro nounced by Rev. Dr. Osgood. Mr. Peabody was greatly interested in the enterprise, and could not have worked with more earnestness in its behalf had he known that he was preparing for himself and the tenderest and dearest of his family an early resting place. On the 8th of September, the ladies of Springfield held a fair for the benefit of the Cemetery, and realized receipts amounting to more than $1,300, the net proceeds being upwards of $1,100. In sub sequent years, fairs were held for the benefit of the same object, but none of them were so successful as this. By an arrangement with the First Parish, the ancient burial ground of the town was conveyed to the proprietors of the cemetery, on condition that they would cause the whole ground to be dug over, to the depth of six feet, and every vestige of the bodies buried there removed to the cemetery, with the grave stones belonging to them. This work was accomplished during the summer of 1848, under the super vision of Elijah Blake. It was estimated that all that re mained of 2,000 persons was thus removed. The burials commenced on the old ground in 1641. The yard was thus 207 years old. The spot where some of the best known men of the town were interred had become obliterated. There was no stone to tell where Capt. Holyoke, or Lieut. Thomas Cooper, or the venerated Glover, slept. The ground is now occupied by buildings, and by the track of the Hart ford and Springfield Railroad. The cost of the land now owned by the proprietors of 12 * 138 TOLLAND. the Springfield Cemetery has been $ 6,05 6 96. It has been very largely taken up by purchasers, who have adorned their lots with a finely varied and never inferior taste. The present officers are George Bliss, President ; Lewis Gor- ham, Clerk and Treasurer ; George Dwight, Wm. Hatfield, Benjamin Day, Elijah Blake, James Brewer 2d, T. J. Shep herd and James B. Rumrill, Trustees ; George Dwight and S. S. Day, Auditors. The valuation of taxable property in Springfield for 1854 was as follows : — real estate, $5,146,490 ; personal, $2,615,760; total, $7,762,250. Appropriations forthe year: for city expenditures $40,912 50, county tax $7,785 57, state tax $3,327, total $52,025 07. The whole number of polls is 3,654, which rate at $1 65 ; and the rate of taxa tion is sixty cents on the $100. The amount appropriated for schools was $15,240. The population of Springfield in 1850 was 11,330, since which it has considerably increased. In 1840 the population was 11,013, but since that time Chicopee with her 8,000 inhabitants has been set off, being about the amount of increase in the ten years. TOLLAND. Tolland is one of the small, new towns of Western Hampden, and was formed from Granville. The first set tlement was made in 1750. Among the first settlers were James Barlow, Samuel Hubbard, Moses Gough, Titus Fowler, David Fowler, and Robert, Thomas, James and John Hamilton. Tolland consists of what was, at first, the third or West parish of Granville, and was called West Granville until June 14th, 1810, when it was incorporated as a town. The town is mountainous, and the hill on which the meeting-house stands is supposed to be the highest in the latitude, lying between the Connecticut and Housatonic rivers. The Catskill mountains are visible from this eleva tion. Tolland, like the other mountain towns, is a good grazing region, and many of the farmers send to market large quantities of butter and cheese. The products of the forests are hemlock boards, bark, shingles, and some timber, but the woodlands are so far from market that wood is not sent off at all. There are some manufactures from wood turned out, a good deal of maple sugar made, and there is one tannery in the town of considerable importance. WALES. 139 There are a few Methodist and Baptist families in the town, but there is no church, except the Congregational, which was organized in 1797, and over which, January 23, 1798, Rev. Roger Harrison was ordained as pastor. He was dismissed February 18, 1822, but continued his resi dence in the town until his death, which occurred August 31, 1853, when he had arrived at the age of 84 years. Mr. Harrison was postmaster, town clerk, a representative of the town in the Legislature two or three years, and filled various town offices of importance. It was in this part of Granville that Rev. Gordon Hall, the missionary, was born, he making his profession of religion during Mr. Harrison's ministrations, and commencing with him his preparation for college. The church depended on stated supplies after Mr. Harrison's dismissal, until July 12, 1843, when Rev. Alonzo Sanderson, a native of Whately, and a graduate of Am herst College in 1834, was installed over it. He was dis missed from it May 5, 1852. Rev. Franklin D. Austin, a native of Becket, and a graduate of Union College, was ordained in his place June 28, 1853. The present number of members of the church is 99. The population of Tolland in 1840 was 587 ; in 1850, 573 ; loss in ten years, 14. The number of children be tween five and fifteen years of age is 95. The number of school districts is 8, and the amount of money raised an nually for the support of schools is $250. WALES. The territory of Wales formerly belonged to Brimfield. On the 18th of September, 1762, the Southern part of the old town of Brimfield was incorporated as the district of South Brimfield. The tract thus incorporated was 4 miles wide, North and South, and 6 1-2 miles long, East and West, and included the territory now embraced within the towns of Wales and Holland. The Western part of this tract, after the incorporation of Holland, constituted the town of South Brimfield. On the 20th of February, 1828, the name of the town was changed to Wales. This change was sought, partly for the advantage of having a shorter name, and partly to acknowledge the gratitude entertained by the citizens of that place towards one of their number —James Lawrence Wales — who had. long been a promi- 140 WALES. nent and very useful resident of the place, and in whose last will and testament, then known to have been made, there was inserted a clause, bequeathing to the town some $2,000. This legacy, after his death, came into the pos session of the town. There were settlers in that part of Brimfield now cov ered by Wales as early as 1730, and probably not much earlier than that. Among the first settlers were families of Moultons, Mungers, Needhams, Johnsons, Jordans and Hoveys. The three first named, and probably all these families, were from Salem. Tradition has it that the first dwelling erected within the limits of the town was by. John Moulton. This house stood a few rods distant from the Northwest end of the pond, (a natural body of water in the town covering 150 acres,) and was constructed for the double purpose of a dwelling house and a fort, by which latter name it was known. This precaution was of course taken for defense against the Indians, of whose depreda tions in the town, however, there is no account. Among the older families which have been numerous in the town are the Gardners, who emigrated from Palmer about 1740 ; the Shaws, from Grafton about 1750 ; the Rogerses^ from Windham, Ct, and the Greens from Tol land in the same State, about 1750 ; the Fisks from Hamp ton, Ct., about 1760 ; and the Waleses from Union, Ct., about 1765. A Baptist Church, the first, or among the first of that order, founded in this section of the State, was established in Wales in 1736, containing, at the start, about 30 mem bers. This was the first religious organization in the place, and it has continued to be the principal one from that to the present time. Ebenezer Moulton, one of the first set tlers, was chiefly instrumental in starting this enterprise, and was one of its first members. He was not at that time a professed public teacher, but he was subsequently set apart for this vocation. On the 4th of November, 1741, he was ordained pastor of the church, which office he con tinued to fill until 1763, when he removed to Nova Scotia. He afterwards returned, and died within the field of his old ministry. Rev. James Mellen succeeded Mr. Moulton, and officiated as pastor of the church for about five year?. The next pastor of the church was Rev. Elijah Codington. WESTFIELD. 141 He was ordained November 11, 1773, and retained the pas toral office 53 years. The successors of Mr. Codington have been Rev. Messrs. Joshua Eveleth, John M. Hunt, Tubal Wakefield, George Mixter, Warren Cooper, Volney Church, S. R. Allard, H. H. Hazleton and Asa A. Robin son, the latter being the present pastor. A Methodist Church was established in 1830. Rev. Horace Moulton was the first preacher, and it was through the efficiency of his efforts and labors, mainly, that the Church was organized. The successors of Mr. Moulton have been Methodist Circuit preachers, mainly, viz : Rev. Messrs Enoch Bradley, Amasa Taylor, Otis Wilder, Jo seph Lewis, Charles Virgin, William Gordon, Thomas W. Gile, Henry S. Shedd, Rufus P. Buffington, Spencer Tiles- ton, William A. Clapp, James Wilson, John Rickets and Daniel Atkins. The people of, Wales are mostly engaged in agricultural pursuits, There are, however, two satinet mills, with two sets of machinery each, employing in all about 55 hands, and producing an aggregate of 230,000 yards of finished goods annually. About 40,000 pairs of boots and shoes, principally the latter, are made in the town annually. Wales, for several 'years past, has raised by taxation, for the support of public schools, the sum of $400 annually. In addition to this sum, . a small amount is annually fur nished for the same object by voluntary contributions. The population of the town in 1840 was 718 ; in 1850, 705 ; decrease in ten years, 13. WESTFIELD. The preliminaries of the settlement of Westfield and the settlement itself have found a somewhat detailed, and, per haps, sufficient statement in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, p. 64-67.] It is required therefore, only to record such matters of interest as remain. To recapitulate briefly : Westfield was permanently settled in 1666, and incorpora ted in 1669. Among the early settlers were George and Isaac Phelps, Thomas Dewey, Thomas Noble, John Pon der, John Gunn and John Moseley of Windsor, Ct., John Root of Farmington, John Ingersoll of Northampton, and David Ashley of Springfield. Mr. John Holyoke of Springfield was also among the early settlers. He preached 142 WESTFIELD. about six months in 1 667. From 1 668 to 1671, Mr. Moses Fisk, subsequently settled at Quincy, officiated as pastor. No church was formed, however, until August 27, 1679. Rev. Edward Taylor was the first pastor. He commenced his labors in 1671, but his settlement and the organization of the church were delayed for several years, in conse quence of the disturbances connected with King Philip's war, a full account of which is given in the Outline History. [Vol.l,p. 113-119.] Mr. Taylor was ordained on the day of the organization of the church, and preached, as was then the custom, his own ordination sermon. He was something of a physician, and ministered as well to the diseases of the body as of the soul. Some of Mr. Taylor's descend ants still hold land once owned by him. He died June 24, 1728, at the age of 87 years. The boundaries of Westfield at one time included South wick, which continued a part of it until November 7, 1770, when it was incorporated as a district. Russell was taken from that part of Westfield called the New Addition. This part was obtained from the General Court in answer to a petition for " larger accommodations,'' the people needing it for a stone quarry. Most of the materials for founda tions and cellar walls were brought from this place. The town records are instructive of the nature of the business of the times, the peculiarities of the people, and the manner of conducting affairs. March 4, 1695, the town granted to Thomas Noble the liberty of the pines one half a mile square, to make "roysum" for three years. Similar grants were made at the same meeting to Nathan iel Lee, John Shepard and Samuel Allen. In 1716, Wil liam Loomis had liberty to collect turpentine from 400 trees on " brook hill," by paying two shillings a hundred. Jonathan Phelps, John Fowler and Samuel Hanchet had liberty " to tend 400 boxes near Northampton hounds." Samuel Loomis had liberty to set 400 boxes for turpentine near "hundred acres." In 1719, it was voted that the new meeting house should not be where the old one was ; and that it should be built " barn fation," with a " bell coney" in the middle of it. In 1721, it was voted that the pews next the pulpit should be highest in dignity. The next year it was voted that persons should be seated in the meeting house according to their age and estate, and WESTFIELD. 143 that so much as any man's estate is increased by his ne groes, " that shall be left out." If a man lived on a hired farm, "or hath obtained his property by marrying a wid ow, it shall be reckoned only one-third," that is, he shall have only one-third as much dignity as if he owned his farm, or had acquired his money by his own industry. In 1701, it was voted that all boys, from 6 to 20 years of age, should pay the schoolmaster, ¦ whether they should attend school or not. In 1720 it was voted to leave "the con cern of hiering a wrighting schoolmaster with the select men." Widow Catharine Noble was the first female school teacher in the town. In 1725, it was voted to give her " 25 shillings a month to teach school, so long as the town sees cause to improve her in that capacity, or she sees cause to keep it." The records of the town during the time of the Revo lution have been lost, so that the votes passed at that time are not to be known. The people, with few exceptions, were earnestly devoted to the cause of independence. Among the names of the many faithful men furnished to the country by Westfield in the time of the Revolution, that of Gen. William Shepard stands pre-eminent. He possessed only such a common school education as was ob tainable 100 years ago. In 1754, he was a private soldier in the army, engaged against the French and Indians. In 1758, af the age of 21, he became Lieutenant of a com pany in his native town, and the next year was made Cap tain. In 1775, he received the commission of a Lieut. Colonel, and in the Revolution saw much active service. He assisted in bringing the troops off from Long Island, was at- Saratoga when Burgoyne capitulated, fought at the battle of Monmouth, and was, during the Revolution, in 21 other engagements ; and established a high character for bravery, sound judgment and humanity. The distin guished part acted by him in quelling the Shays Rebellion has been related in full, in the history of that unfortunate and mischievous affair. [Vol. I, p. 261-265.] For six years he represented his native district in Congress, and died in 1817, at the good old age of 80 years. To resume the thread of the ecclesiastical history of Westfield : Rev. Nehemiah Bull, a native of Long Island, and a graduate of Yale, in 1723, was ordained^ as colleague 144 WESTFIELD. pastor with Mr. Taylor Oct. 26, 1726. He died April 12, 1740, at the age of 39 years. Rev. John Ballantine, a na tive of Boston, and a graduate of Harvard in 1735, suc ceeded Mr. Bull, June 17, 1741. Mr. Ballantine's mother was a descendant of Governor Winthrop. He died Feb ruary 12, 1776, at the age of 60 years. He was succeeded in the pulpit Nov. 21, 1781, by Rev. Noah Atwater, who labored there until his death, which occurred January 26, 1802, when he had arrived at the age of 50 years. Mr. Atwater was a man of peculiar traits of character. He was very systematic in all that he did, never preached the same sermon twice, always kept a stock of sermons on hand that he had never preached, and always, prepared his sermons for the Sabbath early in the preceding week. He always rose before the sun, even in summer. He was a man of considerable science, kept a rain-guage and ther mometer, and received a premium for an essay on the can ker-worm, in 1793. Rev. Isaac Knapp, a native of Nor folk, Ct., and a graduate of Williams College in 1800, was ordained pastor of the church on the 16th of November, 1803, and preached until 1835, when his health became impaired. He died July 6, 1847, at the age of 73 years. Rev. Emerson Davis, a native of Ware, and a graduate of Williams College in 1821, after having served one year as tutor in that institution, and fourteen years as the prin cipal of the Westfield Academy, was ordained as Mr. Knapp's colleague June 1st, 1836. Mr. Davis received the degree of D. D. from Harvard in 1 847, and is still the pastor of the church, which contains the large number of 425 members. It is a noteworthy fact that each of the ministers of this church has spent his entire ministerial . life in its service. The church has never dismissed a min ister, or called a council to settle a difficulty. A Baptist Church was organized in 1784, which, in a few years, became extinct. A new church was organized iri May, 1806. Its pastors were Rev. A. Hawks, Rev. C. Green and Rev. D. Wright. In 1833, a portion of this church seceded, and organized anew. The church of 1806 has since become extinct. That of 1833 has had for its pastors Rev. Messrs. Smith, Wright, Bestor, Van Leon, Colburn and Perkins. The 'present pastor, Rev. John Al den, graduated at Amherst in 1831, and has been in West- WESTFIELD. 145 field since 1849. The number of members is about 165. A Baptist Church was also organized in the Northern pari of the town, near the confines of Montgomery, in 1819. The church possesses a meeting house, but the congrega tion is small, and preaching is enjoyed only a part of the time. The first society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Westfield was gathered in 1794. It belonged to the Gran ville circuit, and was successively in charge of Rev. G. Roberts, as presiding elder, Rev. Joshua Taylor (still living in Portland, Me., and the oldest Methodist preacher in the United States,) and T. Dewey, circuit preachers. The number of members must have been exceedingly small, as it appears from the records that the amount collected for the support of the preachers for one quarter was three shil lings, old currency ! This society was located in what is known as the " West parish," and had no regular organiza tion until 1806. The first Methodist Society in the present village of Westfield was formed in 1812, but no preacher was stationed there until 1836, when the church was regu larly organized, and Rev. P. Townsend became the first preacher. The first house of worship was erected in 1832, on Main street, and was occupied until 1842, when the present spacious house was built, at an expense of about $11,000, including the organ and bell. Mr. Townsend was succeeded by Rev. W. Smith in 1838, Rev. B. McLouthin 1839, Rev. E. Scott in 1841, Rev. J. Hascall in 1843, (un der whose labors the present house of worship was built,) Rev. Mark Trafton in 1845, Rev. H. V. Degen in 1846, Rev. M. Trafton in 1847, Rev. M. Raymond in 1848, (elected principal of Wilbraham Academy in 1849,) Rev. G. F. Cox in 1849, Rev. J. H. Twombly in 1851, Rev. Wm. Butler in 1853, and by Rev. Mark Trafton, the present pastor, in 1854. The church now numbers 250 members, and is in a prosperous condition. The Society at " Hoop- pole," or the West Parish, are now under the pastoral care of Rev. E. Scott, have a neat house of worship, and num ber about seventy-five members. Until within 50 years, the people of Westfield were entirely devoted to agricultural pursuits, but within the last thirty years, much attention has beeg bestowed upon manufactures. The leading branch of manufacture is that 13 146 WESTFIELD. of whips, of which a greater number are made than in any other town in the Union. There are upwards of thirty estab lishments where whip-making, to a greater or less extent, is carried on. Many of these are large, first class concerns. We notice the leading manufacturers in this, as in other branches of producing industry. Dow and Gillett occupy 100 hands in the manufacture of whips and whip-thongs. Their concern has been in operation fifteen years, and produces the value of $55,000 annually. — J. and R. Noble manufacture whips, lashes and cigars, using up annually $25,000 worth of stock. They employ 100 hands, have been in operation twenty years, and produce annually the value of $50,000. — Wm. Provin and Company manufacture whips, employing twenty hands, consuming $8,000 worth of stock annually, and producing 2,600 dozen whips, of the value of $25,000. The concern has been in operation five years. — H. Harrison and Com pany are engaged in the manufacture of whips very largely. They employ 350 hands, consuming annually stock to the value of $75,000, and producing" an annual value of $150,000. The establishment has been in operation twen ty-five years. — J. R. Rand and Company make whips, whip-thongs, harnesses, bell-cords, &c, employing in their business 50 hands in the shop, and 20, out. The establish ment has been in operation twenty years, and produces annually the value of $60,000. — King and Avery manu facture 5,200 dozen whips annually, employing ten hands, consuming $3,286 worth of stock, and producing the value of $8,000. The concern has been in operation two years. — H. R. and J. L. Plympton manufacture hay-cutters, and have commenced the manufacture of a patent bedstead, of peculiarly ingenious construction. The value of stock consumed last year was $9,000. The establishment has been in operation four years, employs 20 hands, and pro duces the value of $15,000 annually. — J. and T. Kneil manufacture cigars, fine-cut chewing and smoking tobacco, and snuff, consuming annually $20,000 worth of stock, employing 33 male and 20 female hands, and producing annually the value of $40,000. The amount of tobacco consumed is about 80 tuns annually, while the production amounts to a trifle more than 2,000,000 cigars, and upwards of forty tuns of chewing and Smoking tobacco and snuff. — WEST SPRINGFIELD. 147 Jessup and Laflin manufacture fine writing paper, styled " ledger," or " flat" paper, for binders. They consume an nually 234 tuns of rags, valued at $37,'440, while the other materials used, such as sizing, coloring, alum, &c, cost $6,550 a year. They employ 37 hands — 12 men and 25 girls. They turn out an annual amount of 186 tuns of finished paper, valued at $75,000. The concern went into operation in 1851. — R. Loomis and Company consume $8,000 worth of stock annually in the manufacture of whips. They employ fifteen hands, have been in operation two years, and produce 3,000 dozens of whips annually, valued at $20,000. — Monroe, Brownson and Company manufacture whips and lashes. Their concern has been in operation five years, employing 30 hands, and annually pro ducing the value of $30,000. — Wm. A. Johnson has, for several years, been engaged in the manufacture of church organs, employing in that business from seventeen to twenty hands. His concern is one of the most successful, thus far, and certainly one of the most promising organ manufactories in the country. — H. B. Smith and Company have for nine months employed 17 hands in dressing lum ber, and in the manufacture of iron castings. Westfield has, for many years, been noted for the number and the quality of the fat cattle it sends to market. It is doubtful whether any town in the State equals it in this branch of production. The debts of the town amount to $3,530. The amount usually raised by taxation is from $8,000 to $10,000 per annum. The valuation "of the property of the town, in 1850, was $1,563,758. The population in 1840 was 3,640 ; in 1850, 4,010 ; increase in ten years, 370. The average number of deaths in the town during the last ten years has been 69 per annum, and of births, 100. The number of school districts in the town is 20. Seven of these have an aggregate of only 118 scholars. The whole number of children Between the ages of five and fifteen is 950. The amount raised for schools is $3,000 annually. [Of the Westfield Academy and the State Normal School, an ac count may be found in Vol. 1, pp. 492, 493.] WEST SPRINGFIELD. The early history of West Springfield is embraced in that of Springfield. It will be remembered that the first 148 WEST SPRINGFIELD. house built by white men in Western Massachusetts was built within the present boundaries of West Springfield, in 1635, and that the builders, Woodcock and Cable, having been informed that the place was subject to overflows, re ported the fact, and secured the laying out of Springfield on the East side of the river. Settlements on the West side commenced in 1654, or 1655. Previous to that time, the land had been cultivated, and allotments made of its territory to the residents of the Eastern bank of the river. In the years above mentioned, grants were made of house lots on " Chicopee Plain," to Francis Pepper, Anthony Dor chester, Samuel Terry, Hugh Dudley, John Dumbleton, Miles Morgan, John Stewart, Obadiah Miller and Simon Sackett. Thomas Cooper and Abel Leonard settled on the South West side of Agawam river, about the year 1660. A short time subsequently, Thomas Merrick was there also, and, within a few years afterwards, grants of house lots were made at various points. At first, all the church and municipal relations were on the East side of the river. In 1673, the population on the West side had become so considerable that they presented a petition to the town, praying that, in consequence of their great trouble in cross ing the river, to attend public worship, and the meetings of the town, a boat might be provided at the expense of the town for their accommodation. In 1695, when num bering 32 families, and upwards of 200 individuals, they petitioned the General Court for the privilege of inviting and settling a minister. In the following year, the General Court " ordered that the said petitioners be permitted and allowed to invite, procure and settle a learned and ortho dox minister, on the West side of Connecticut river, to dispense the word of God unto those that dwell there, and that they be a distinct and separate precinct for that pur pose." It was subsequently ordered that the inhabitants of the East side should pay £50 towards building their meeting-house, but its payment was tardy, and it is not ap parent that the sum was ever paid, except in part. The church was organized in June, 1698, and Rev. John Woodbridge of Killingworth, Ct., a graduate of Harvard College in 1694, was constituted its first pastor. He died June 10, 1718, at the age of 40 years, much esteemed by his clerical brethren, and greatly beloved by his flock. The WEST SPRINGFIELD. 149 first meeting-house was erected in 1702. The dimensions of this structure were 42 feet square upon the ground, and 92 feet in height. " There were three roofs. On the first, there was a steep hip-roof, on each side of the building, presenting to the view a gable end. The second story seems to have been without the projections, and the third similar to the first. Each succeeding story was smaller than the one which preceded it, and the highest came to a point, surmounted by an iron rod which supported a huge vane of sheet iron, on which were cut numerous devices, and the date of the house. Above this was a weathercock. The windows were of diamond glass, set in lead." The architect of this unique building, as singular in its inter nal arrangements as in its external conformation, was John Allys of Hatfield. The drum was used for summoning the people to the house of worship until as late as 1743. In that year, a bell was procured which was broken and re-cast in 1761. The same bell has since been broken and re-cast, and, transferred from the old structure to the pres ent house in 1802, it still performs its appropriate func tions. The old church, though superseded, was allowed to stand until 1820, when it was torn down. It is to be re gretted that this quaint old specimen of church architecture was not allowed to stand until it should fall of itself. On the 23d of February, 1774, West Springfield was incorporated as a town. This was done at the request of the first parish of Springfield ; against the wishes of the incorporated, and the remonstrance of the town itself. The legislation of the State can hardly furnish to history a more curious and singular incident. The first burial ground opened in West Springfield was the gift (if the tradition be correct,) of a man named Fos ter. In the first days of the settlement, the burials were all made on the East side of the river, on the old Spring field burial ground. The oldest monument to be found in the West Springfield grounds are those of Nathaniel Dwit, who died November 1, 1711, and of Deacon John Barber, who died June 27, 1712. After the death of Mr. Woodbridge, in 1718, the parish employed a Mr. Hobart and a Mr. Pierpoint to preach for them, with reference to a settlement. Mr. Hobart remained but a short time, and Mr. Pierpoint declined the invitation 13* 150 WEST SPRINGFIELD. to settle which was tendered to him. In January, 1720, Mr. Samuel Hopkins was invited to the pastorate of the church, and was ordained on the 1st of June in that year. He died suddenly in October, 1755, in the 62d year of his age, and the 36th of his ministry. Mr. Hopkins was a native of Waterbury, Ct., and married a daughter of Rev. Timothy Edwards of East Windsor, Ct, by whom he had four children. One of his daughters married Col. John Worthington of Springfield, and one of his sons became a minister at Hadley. During his life he wrote 1,500 ser mons. He wrote and published the. first history of the Stockbridge Indians ever compiled. The title of his book was : " Historical Memoirs, relating to the Housatunnuck Indians ; or an account of the methods used for the propa gation of the Gospel, among that heathenish tribe, under the ministry of the Rev. John Sergeant, with the character of that worthy missionary, and an address to the people of this country." On the 25th day of August, 1756, Rev. Joseph Lathrop, a native of Norwich, Ct., and a graduate of Yale in 1754, was ordained as pastor, in the place of Mr. Hopkins. Dr. Lathrop was one of the most remarkable divines that ever spent their life in the Connecticut Valley. His ministry was a very long one, extending to upwards of sixty years. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College in 1791, and by Harvard in 1811. In 1793, he received an offer of the professorship of Divinity at Yale College, but declined it. He wrote 5000 sermons in sixty- five years, seven octavo volumes of which have been pub lished, besides about thirty occasional discourses. During the long ministry of this much honored divine, there were 1,266 baptisms of children whose parents were members of the church, and 513 persons were admitted to his church, by letter and profession. Besides these, about 100 joined the church upon what was called the half-way covenant. In March, 1818, Dr. Lathrop requested that he might be provided with a colleague, and on the 25th of August, 1819, Rev. William B. Sprague, now of Albany, was ordained as such, and it is stated that he has already published more single sermons and volumes than his predecessor. He re ceived the degree of D. D., both from Columbia College and Harvard University. Dr. Sprague was a native of WEST SPRINGFIELD. fr51 Andover, graduated at Yale in 1815, and is still active in a field of great usefulness, as the pastor of the First Pres byterian Church in Albany. He was dismissed at West Sfringfield in 1829. Rev. Thomas E. Vermilye of New York was ordained in his place, May 26, 1830, and was dismissed in 1835, to become pastor of a Dutch Reformed Church in Albany. In 1838, he received the degree of D. D., from Rutger's College. Rev. John Hunter, also of New York, succeeded him, and was installed August 25, 1835, and dismissed March 28, 1837. He had been a pas tor previously, having been settled at Bridgeport, Ct. Rev. A. A. Wood of Leominster, a graduate of Amherst Col lege in 1831, was ordained in Mr. Hunter's place De cember 19, 1839, and dismissed August 28, 1849, to be come pastor of the Pearl Street Church, New York. Rev. Henry M. Field, son of Rev. Dr. Field of Stockbridgc, and for several years pastor of a Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, was installed as pastor of the church, January 30, 1851, and was dismissed November 20, 1854. Rev. T. H. Hawks was ordained in his place March 7, 1855. The parish has a fund of about $5,000. The trustees also hold the "Ashley fund," the annual income of which, about $200, is given to feeble churches in the town. In 1727, five persons, viz : John, Ebenezer, and Abel Leonard, William Scott and Thomas Lamb, residents of West Springfield, were baptized by immersion. In 1740, they, with several who had joined them, were formed into a church, with Rev. Edward Upham for their pastor. They belonged principally in that part of the town known as Feeding Hills. In 1748, Mr. Upham resigned his charge, and removed to Newport, R. I. Several years after he left, his church joined with others of a different denomina tion, in forming a new church, with Rev. Silvanus Gris- wold for their pastor, the agreement being that those who wished it should be baptized by immersion by the pastor, while they would receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Sup per at his hands. Mr. Griswold continued his labors until 1781, when he retired, although he occasionally supplied the pulpit until 1818. He died December 4, 1819, in the 87th year of his age. In 1772, the original Baptist preach er, Mr. Upham, returned and resumed his public labors, drawing off from the church its Baptist constituents. He 152 WEST SPRINGFIELD. continued there until his death, in 1797, at the age of 87 years, when the Baptist Church became extinct. This part of the town, embracing also that part called Agawam, was set off as the sixth parish of Springfield in 1757. In 1774, it became the second parish in West Springfield. The church of which Mr. Griswold was pastor was organ ized on the 10th of November, 1762, and Mr. Griswold was constituted the pastor on the 17th of the same month. In 1800, the second parish was divided by an act of the Legislature, Agawam and Feeding Hills thus endeavoring to build up separate religious interests. The old meeting house, which had been located between the two villages, was removed to Feeding Hills, and the Agawam branch built them a house in 1803, though no church was regular ly organized until September 1, 1819, at which time the old society at Feeding Hills was re-organized, and both adoptecfthe same confession of faith. On the 17th of Oc tober, 1821, Rev. Reuben S. Hazen, a native of West Springfield, was ordained as the pastor of these churches in conjunction, preaching at each place on alternate Sab baths. In 1830, he relinquished his charge of the Feed ing Hills branch, and removed his entire relations to that at Agawam, where he remained until he was dismissed in 1843. Rev. Henry Smith was installed at Feeding Hills in 1830, and left in 1833. Rev. Horatio J. Lombard of Springfield was installed in his place in 1834, and was dis missed the next year. Rev. Calvin Foote was pastor from 1836 to 1839. Rev. Dillon Williams was ordained June 30, 1841, and was dismissed May 19, 1848. He was suc ceeded Oct. 18, 1853, by Rev. Stephen D. Ward. This church has now 85 members. After the retirement of Mr. Hazen from the Agawam Church, Rev. Ralph Perry of Manchester, Ct, received a call, and was ordained over the church January 3, 1844. He was dismissed in 1846, in consequence of ill health, but having subsequently recov ered his health by travel, he was re-installed Dec. 28, 1847, and still remains the pastor. The church has 118 mem bers, and the parish (the Third Parish of West Spring field) has a fund of $4,300, given by Capt. Allen. A fourth Congregational Church was organized in West Springfield Jan. 10, 1850, at the village of Mittineaque, WEST SPRINGFIELD. 153 over which Rev. Henry Cooley was ordained February 24, 1853. In 1790, a number of members of the Baptist Church in Westfield, residing at Agawam, had liberty to form a distinct church in that village, and were dismissed from their Westfield connection for that purpose. Their names were John Porter, Stephen Bedortha, Jonathan Purchase, Earle Bancroft, Margaret Purchase, Molly Worthington, Mary Porter, Martha Purchase, Abigail Palmer, Eleanor Bedortha and Roxana Bancroft. They met on the 23d of February, 1790, and adopted their church covenant. On the 28th day of the following September, Rev. Jesse Wightman was ordained as the pastor of the new church. Considerable additions were soon afterwards made to the church, but the number does not appear on the records. From 1799 to 1814, forty-eight persons were added, nearly all by baptism. In 1814, serious difficulties arose in rela tion to singing, the introduction of new tunes having de barred many of the church members from performing, as was their wont, in that portion of religious service. This disturbance was so great that many withdrew, and the com munion was suspended for several months. In 1815, they voted to forget and forgive, for the sake of the suffering cause, and soon afterwards a revival finished the work of reconciliation. On the 20th of September, 1817, Mr. Wightman died, having ministered to his flock during twenty-seven years. He was succeeded on the 13th day of May, 1819, by Rev. John Grant, and he, in turn, in 1823, by Rev. Thomas Barrett. In 1826, as the fruits of a revival, twenty-eight persons were added to the church. In 1829, Elder Barrett resigned, and was succeeded in the spring of the next year by Rev. Erastus Andrews. Elder John W. McDonald succeeded him, and was dismissed in 1835, when Rev. Pierpont Brockett was chosen in his place. Mr. Brockett was dismissed at the close of the year, and was succeeded on the 1st of January, 1837, by Rev. Matthew Bachelor, who retired March 29, 1840. Rev. Wm. A. Smith commenced preaching immediately afterwards, and remained one year. He was succeeded in October, 1841, by Rev. Lester Lewis, who left, September, 1846, and was succeeded in March, 1847, by Rev. John Cook, who retired in 1848. Rev. Asa A. Robinson was 154 WEST SPRINGFIELD. ordained, February, 1849, and left in April, 1853. Rev. Thomas Dowling succeeded him, but left in 1854, and the church is now without a pastor. Meetings were commenced by the Methodists in West Springfield, at the center village, in 1841, when Rev. J. Hascall became their preacher. Their meetings were held in the town hall. He was soon afterwards succeeded by Rev. James Mudge, and during the ministry of the latter, in 1843, a church edifice was built. Mr. Mudge was suc ceeded by ministers in the following order : Rev. Messrs. Freeman Nutting, H. M. Nichols, J. L. Gridley, Daniel Arms, John Cadwell, and A. W. Paige. In the autumn of 1852, the church was removed to Mittineaque Village. The membership of the church has never exceeded 75. The present preacher in charge is Rev. Mr. Goodwin. A Methodist Church was organized in Agawam in 1844, and a house of worship erected during the same year. Among the pastors who have been in charge over the church are Rev. Geo. W. Green and Rev. Ephraim Scott. The manufacturing interest of West Springfield is not very large, though it possesses a few important establish ments. The Agawam Canal Co., with a capital of $400,000, manufacture cotton sheetings to the amount of 3,200,000 yards annually. They employ 450 hands. The mills were erected in 1847 and 1848, and commenced operations in November of the latter year. Wells South- worth was the first superintendent of the mills, and was succeeded by Gilman Jaquith, who at present fills that office. Chester W. Chapin is secretary and treasurer. — The Southworth Manufacturing Co. employ 80 hands in the. manufacture of every variety of fine writing,papers. They have been in operation 15 years, consume 300 tuns of rags per annum, and produce annually the value of $125,000. — Norton and Sykes manufacture satinets and flannels, employing from eight to ten hands, who produce $6,000 worth annually. — Homer Ely-and Cotton Ely have each an extensive tannery, with a large annual product of the heavier grades of leather. As late as the year 1783, there were living on the hanks of the Connecticut, in West Springfield, a remnant of the Stockbridge tribe of Indians, and on that spot the fire of the wigwam, in the Connecticut Valley, went out. Their WILBRAHAM. 155 wigwam stood in the center of a grove of button-wood trees, about twenty rods East of Charles Ely's spacious mansion house. The cabin was built of drift wood, and was raised and finished the same day. They depended for a living mainly upon hunting and fishing, though they occasionally made baskets and brooms. These people are still remembered by some of the aged residents of the town. Their names were Samuel Robbin, Molly Robbin, Joseph Robbin, Joshua Robbin, Phebe Robbin, John Pete, Molly Pete and Lucy Pete. Two sons of John Pete died young. They all died at last, by drinking too much of the white man's rum. When one of Pete's boys died, Dr. Lathrop made a prayer at the wigwam, and with some persons' who knew the father of the child, walked to the ancient burial ground. Pete thanked his friends, and added — " my boys always serve me just so." The amount of money raised in West Springfield, in 1854, for town expenses, was $4,990 ; amount appropriated for schools, $1,800. The town owes a debt of about $4,000. The number of school districts is 18. The population in 1840 was 3,707 ; in 1850, 2,968. This diminution is solely attributable to the loss of Holyoke, a new town formed entirely from its territory in 1850. The aggregate popu lation of the two towns in 1850 was 6,681, showing an in crease, in ten years, upon the old territory, of 2,874 in habitants. WILBRAHAM. On the 18th of June, 1684, the English high court of chancery declared the colonial charter of Massachusetts forfeited. The issue of the quo warranto, in 1683, had warned the colonists against the measure, and led them to prepare themselves against its effects. The annulment of the charter would, of course, annul the proceedings that had taken place under it, but, in order to make the act palatable to the colonists, the process contained a provision that the private rights of individuals should be preserved. At this time, Springfield possessed a large amount of com mon and undivided lands. In order, therefore, to secure these ' lands, the town voted, in 1685, though they dated their action in the previous year, that all the lands on the Eastern boundaries of the town should be granted to the then inhabitants of the town, in certain proportions. These 156 WILBRAHAM. lands constituted what were called the " outward commons," and the separate allotments of the land were not completed until as late as 1740. The land was apportioned in nar row and inconvenient strips, and in such a manner as to show that the laying out was only entered into at first as a measure of immediate safety. The present town of Wil braham, then called " Springfield Mountains," was formed from the territory thus laid out. Although the land was originally deemed unfit for settlement, it afterwards became desirable, and it is stated that the settlement was greatly delayed by the manner in which the land was laid out. The first settlement occurred in 1730. In that year, Nathaniel Hitchcock of Springfield went upon the terri tory, and sowed two acres of wheat, and built a cabin for his family. In May, 1731, he moved his family to his new home, and lived there one year alone, with no neighbor nearer than Springfield street. In 1732, Noah Alvord mov ed his family there, and he and Mr. Hitchcock lived there another year. In 1733, Daniel Warner and four others settled there, with their families, and were followed the next year by Nathaniel Warriner, and several others, whose names are not recorded. In 1741, the number of families upon the ground had risen to twenty-four, when they were set off as the 4th parish of Springfield. The names of the twenty-four settlers thus incorporated were Nathaniel Hitchcock, Noah Alvord, Daniel Warner, Nathaniel War riner, James Brewer, David Merrick, Daniel Parsons, Sam uel Warner, David Warriner, Samuel Bartlett, John Jones, Samuel Brooks, Joseph Wright, Daniel Lamb, Abel Bliss, Phinehas Chapin, Jonathan Ely, David Jones, Moses Burt, Nathaniel Bliss, Samuel Stebbins, Thomas Merrick, Aaron Stebbins and Stephen Stebbins. Immediately after their incorporation, they proceeded to settle a minister. They wished to give a call to Rev. Noah Merrick of Springfield, but dared not do it without advice. Accordingly, they hired two of their number to go to South Hadley, where the neighboring ministers had, for some purpose, assembled, to get their consent. The desired approbation was obtained, and entered on the records, as if their proposed action would not be legal with out it ! The parish immediately voted to give Mr. Merrick a call. He accepted the invitation, and was ordained in WILBRAHAM. 157 June, 1741. A question arose in the ordaining council which probably never had a precedent, or an affiliated suc cessor. The question was, whether a church could be con stituted with only six members. That number was all that was presented, out of which to form a church, and it was resolved by this august body that six members did not, and could not, constitute a church, and that there must be seven. Here was an awkward stop to the proceedings. At last, a man presented himself who had made up his mind to join the church, and was waiting only for the ordination, to make his application. The council deter mined that they could admit him, which they did, and joining him with the other six, constituted the charmed and mystic number thus obtained, as the first church in Wilbraham. The reasons on which this unique decision is based, have not been recorded, The ordaining exercises took place in a barn. Mr. Merrick continued in the rela tion thus established until his death, which occurred Dec. 22d, 1776. Wilbraham was incorporated as a district June 15, 1763. It did not legally have the privilege of sending a repre sentative to the General Court until the adoption of the new constitution in 1780. In the " Memoirs of the town of Wilbraham," (a manuscript discourse delivered in 1831, by Samuel F. Merrick, the son of the pastor, now lodged in the town clerk's office in that town,) it is stated that " the name [of Wilbraham] was very grievous to the then in habitants, and we can hardly be reconciled to it yet." In what manner, or by what means, the name was fastened upon the district, it does not appear. The district of Wilbra ham continued to vote with Springfield, when it voted at all, for nine years, without ever having a representative selected from within its limits. At this time West Spring field still belonged to, and voted in, the old town. The West Springfield people were, in fact, in the majority, when the Wilbraham people were left out. For many years, the people living on the East and West sides of the river re spectively had joined harmoniously in electing a man from each side, each year. The West side people at last became a little overbearing, and assumed some dictation. They, in fact, proposed to drop Col. Worthington, the East side member, from the ticket. This was in 1772. The East- 14 158 WILBRAHAM. siders, however, out-generaled them. They sent out to the people of Wilbraham, and told them that if they would all come in, and vote for Col. Worthington, they would all vote for a man to be selected from Wilbraham, as the second man on the ticket, and thus knock the West-siders out altogether. The day of election came, and the West-siders were over in full force, but they were found frequently asking the question : " what are ali these Wilbraham people doing here to-day ?" Such a turn-out had never been seen before. The turning of the ballot-boxes at night explain ed the whole affair. Col. Worthington and John Bliss, Esq., of Wilbraham were elected. The next year, West Springfield was made a town, and a continuation of this kind of sport thus put a stop to. The old town was still entitled to two representatives, and Worthington and Bliss were elected the two succeeding years. After the com mencement of the war, Wilbraham sent a representative on its own responsibility, and its right, under the circum stances, was suffered to pass without question. The adop tion of the constitution in 1780, as we have before stated, settled the matter. There were never any Indian depredations in Wilbra ham, but there was once a very serious alarm. A Mr. Kibbe, one Sunday afternoon, before sunset, went into the woods after his cow, and took his gun upon his shoulder. Before he returned, two reports of a gun were heard. Soon afterwards, he appeared, in great consternation, and reported that an Indian had fired at him, and put a bullet through his shirt, and that he then fired at the Indian, but could not tell whether he hit him or not. The whole popu lation were called out, and scoured the woods in every direction, but neither "hide nor hair" of Indian could be found. At last, one man took it upon himself to examine the perforated shirt, and ascertained that if the holes in it were made when upon the owner, there must be correspond ing holes through his body. But those were J not to be found, They had been duped, and the rascal confessed his sins. He had fired at some game, without thinking how the gun would sound on Sunday, and that he should have to render an account for it. So he took off his shirt and shot it, and then went home - and fabricated his Indian story. WILBRAHAM. 159 Wilbraham, now so much noted for its educational ad vantages and institutions, was very niggardly in its appro priations for educational purposes in early times. The first year after the incorporation of the district, they voted only $50 for schools. One year subsequently, they voted only $23 50, and never exceeded an appropriation of $100 until after the Revolution. In 1770, the ministry and scho.pl lands were disposed of for a considerable Sum, and in 1780, Deacon Nathaniel Warriner died, leaving a lega cy of £400, one half for the benefit of the ministry, and one half for the benefit of schools. Deacon Warriner had previously given to the church its sacramental furniture. At the close of the war, the ministry fund amounted to $1,500, and the school fund to $1,000. When, subsequently, the town was divided into two parishes, the ministry fund was' also divided. In 1748, the 1st parish built a meeting house. The successor of Mr. Merrick, in the ministry, was Rev. Joseph Willard, of Stafford, Ct. He was a graduate of Harvard University in 1784, and was ordained May 3d, 1787. He was dismissed Feb. 11, 1794, and was succeed ed Aug. 16, 1797, by Rev. Ezra Witter of Lisbon, Ct., a graduate of Yale College in 1793. He was dismissed May 31, 1814. Rev. Ebenezer Brown of Brimfield, a graduate of Yale in 1813, was ordained in his place March 3d, 1819. /After a ministry of eight years, he was dis missed in June, 1827, since which time he has been settled in Prescott and North Hadley in this State. Rev. John Hyde of Franklin, Ct., was installed at Wilbraham in April, 1828, and dismissed in January, 1832. He was suc ceeded by Rev. Israel G. Rose of Coventry, Ct., in the same year, who remained three years. Rev. John Bowers of Dudley was ordained in his place Dec. 31st, 1837, and still remains the pastor. The church now has 202 mem bers. The South Church, (second parish,) in Wilbraham, was organized in 1785. The parish itself was formed in 1782, and a meeting house built in the following year. Rev. Moses Warren, a graduate of Harvard University in 1784, was ordained as the first pastor, on the 3d of September, 1788, and continued in that relation until his death, which occurred Feb. 19, 1829, — a period of 40 yearss He was 160 WILBRAHAM. succeeded in the December following his death, by Rev. Lucius W. Clarke of Mansfield, Ct, who continued the pastor only until Dec. 13, 1832. Rev. James A. Hazen. was his successor Jan. 30, 1839. He was dismissed June 22d, 1849, and was succeeded by Rev. Hubbard Beebe, who was dismissed in 1852. Rev. E. S. Skinner of Pitts burgh, N. Y., was ordained May 19th, 1853, and still re mains the pastor. The church now has 102 members. In 1768, a Baptist Society was formed, and a church constituted in the Northeast part of the town, and Rev. Seth Clark was ordained the pastor in 1770. Mr. Clark died in September, 1813, at the age of 90 years. The church built a house in 1779, and flourished for a consid erable time, but it at last became extinct. Of a Baptist Church formed in the South parf of the town, an account will be found in the history of Monson. [Vol. II. p. 92.] Rev. Melzies Rainer preached the first sermon ever preached by a Methodist minister in North Wilbraham, in 1790, at the house of Charles Brewer. There had been occasional preaching before this in the South jjarish, but so bitter was the feeling against them, that they dared not visit the North parish, till this year, and then only under a pledge from several persons that they should be protected from assault. In that parish, a church was organized in 1791, and Rev. Messrs. Rainer and Smith were appointed to the charge of it. In 1824, this church was erected into a separate station, and has been under the charge of the following ministers : Phineas Peck, Isaac Jennison, T. W. Tucker, N. B. Spaulding, R. Ransom, J. Porter, H. V. Degen, F. Nutting, C. Adams, N. E. Cobleigh, C. Baker, Z. A. Mudge, S. Cushing, and G. Haven. Ten or twelve ministers held a session here in 1794, being the whole number of Methodist Episcopal clergymen then preaching in Connecticut, Vermont, Western Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, and with 18 or 20 associates, convened at Lynn the same year, occupying the whole territory of New Eng land. The same conference assembled here in 1827, and numbered about 100 clergymen. Six conferences and a large portion of two other conferences, numbering in all about 800 ministers, now supply nearly a thousand churches in the same territory, with regular ministerial service. We subjoin a few notes for the gratification of the WILBRAHAM. 161 curious : Comfort, daughter of Daniel Warner, was the first child born in the town. Widow Elizabeth Cockril of Boston died April 26, 1741. This was the 4th death, and the first burial in the town. The others had been carried to Springfield for burial. Potatoes were unknown in the town until 1754, and then only one peck were brought into the place. Rats were unknown in the town until a Mr. Chapin brought home a sack of wool from Providence, in which the vermin had taken refuge and passage. The first corn mill was put in operation in 1762, previous to which year the people resorted to Springfield to get their corn ground. The first church bell was rung in September, 1802. The first carding machine was started in August, 1803. The first brass clock was brought into the town about 1789. Gad Lamb brought the first plaster of Paris into the town about 1789. The first buffalo robe was brought from Montreal in 1805, and cost but 30 shillings. On the 7th of August, 1761, occurred an event which has been celebrated in song. It is doubtful whether any piece of American doggrel has been so fortunate in the term of its perpetuation. It relates to-the death of Timothy Mer rick, from the bite of a rattlesnake, and has been added to and modified, until the versions of it are numberless. The verses are said to have been written by a young woman to whom the unfortunate man was engaged to be married. A grave stone still marks the spot where he sleeps, but the ballad, of which the following is an authentic copy, pre served in the family, bids fair to outlast the marble : " On Springfield mountains there did dwell A likeley youth was known full well Lieutenant Merrick onley son A likfeley youth near twenty one. " One friday morning he did go in to the medow and did mow A round or two then he did feal A pisen serpent at his heal. " When he received his deadly wond he dropt his sythe a pon the ground And strate for home wase his intent Calling aloude still as he went. "tho all around his voys wase hered but none of his friends to him apiere 14* 1 62 WILBRAHAM. they thought it wase some workmen calld and there poor Timothy alone mst fall. " So soon his Carfull 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 withe 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 greate concern Where he had ran across the corn unevin tracks where he did go did apear to stagger two and frow. " The seventh of August sixty one this fatull axadint was done Let this a warning be to all to be prepared when god does call." A history of the Wesleyan Academy in North Wilbra ham will be found in the paper on Education, vol. 1, p. 495. Among the sons of Wilbraham who have distinguished themselves, Pliny Merrick, a son of the first clergyman, deserves mention. He was a lawyer by profession, and in that profession was decidedly a man of distinction. While yet a young man, he represented his native town in the Legislature. His professional life was spent in Brookfield. He was the father of the present Judge Pliny Merrick of Worcester. John Bliss, who has already been mentioned in connec tion with the first legislative representation of the town, was a man of great influence, and of high native talent. He was born in 1727, was a self-taught man, an ardent whig in the Revolution, a member of the provincial Con gress, a representative in the Legislature for many years, a Senator, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, a colonel of militia, and held numerous other offices of trust and responsibility. He died in 1809. Oliver B. Morris, a native of Wilbraham, was born in 1782. At the age of nineteen, he removed to Springfield, and, after his admission to the bar, commenced there the practice of law. In early life, he represented the town of WILBRAHAM. 163 Springfield in the Legislature for several years. He was appointed Judge of Probate in 1829, and has filled that office with great acceptance for a period of twenty-five years, and still fulfills its duties. Judge Morris was a ferandson of John Bliss. He has been much distinguished for his knowledge of the early history of the region of his home, and probably possesses a larger fund of geneologi- cal information, particularly relating to the leading families in the Valley, than any man living. The whole amount of money raised by taxation in Wil braham, in 1854, was $6,653 ; amount appropriated for schools, $1,550. The number of school districts is twelve. The population of Wilbraham in 1840 was 1,8'46 ; in 1850, 1,852 ; increase in ten years, six. HISTORY OF the towns OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. AMHERST. Amherst was originally a part of Hadley. At a legal town meeting in Hadley, March 4, 1700, it was : " Voted by the town that three miles and one quarter East ward from the meeting house, and so from the North side of Mount Holyoke unto the Mill river, shall lye as common land forever, supposing that the line will take in the new swamp. " Voted that the rest of the commons Eastward shall be laid out in three divisions, that is to say, between the road leading to Brookfield and the Mill river, notwithstanding there is liberty for the cutting of wood and timber so long as it lieth unfenced ; there is likewise to be left between every division forty rods for highways, and what will be necessary" to be left for highways, Eastward and West through %very division is to be left to the discretion of the measurers, and every one to have a proportion in the first and second division, ana every one to have a proportion in the 3d division, and every house holder to have a £50 allotment, and all others who are now the proper inhabitants of Hadley, 16 years old and upwards, to have a £25 allotment in said commons." In accordance with this order, the most of this land was laid out in April, 1703, by Capt, Aaron Cook, Capt. Nehe- AMHERST. 165 miah Dickinson and Mr. Samuel Porter, town measurers. The precise date of the settlement of these lands is not known. A Mr. Foote, probably from Hatfield, is said to have built a shanty in the East part of the town prior to 1703. The location was a little North of the East Parish Meeting House. He chose the spot, thinking that he could subsist there by hunting and fishing, but failing to do so, he left, and, in commemoration of his folly, the East part of the town was for many years called " Foote-folly Swamp." On the 5th of January, 1730, the town of Hadley appoint ed men to lay out a burial place for the " East inhabitants." In 1731, these inhabitants wer 193 became interested in the New York Evening Post, with which paper he still maintains his connection. As a poet, he has been, for many years, admitted to be the first among Americans. It is enough that, with his contemporaries, Dana and Longfellow, he is ranked among the first. His productions are marked by great simplicity and chasteness of language, pure morality, a genial and gentle philosophy, and a well tempered imagination that finds its scope within the range of a common comprehension. Jn 1774, the town chose three of its most prominent cit izens as the Revolutionary Committee of Correspondence, and voted to purchase a barrel of powder and fifty pounds of lead, as town stores. The town furnished its proportion of men for the Revolutionary War. In 1832, there were nine or ten residents who drew a pension. At the present time there is but one of the number left, viz. Daniel Tim othy, who, during the war, was known by the name of "Teague," which is the name given him in his pension certificate. He was born January 7, 1755, and was thus 100 years old on the 7th of January last. He was in service during the war. At the present time, the manufactories of Cummington are rather small. There were formerly two cotton facto ries and four or five woolen mills. The cotton factories have become extinct, and but two small woolen factories remain in operation, which get off annually about 40,000 yards of coarse satinets. There are four tanneries in town, which manufacture 250 tuns of sole leather annually. Four scythe-stone manufactories send to market 4,500 gross of that article yearly. There are also several estab lishments for the manufacture of clothes-frames, and other wooden wares, six saw-mills, to two of which is attached broom handle machinery that turns out annually 50,000 broom handles ; and seven stores, which do an aggregate yearly Ibusiness of from $40,000 to $60,000. From 40 to 50 tuns of corn meal and about 1,000 barrels of flour, over and above the local production, are annually consumed in the town. In 1853, $1,000 was raised for the support of highways, and $1,800 for schools, paupers and contingent expenses, which, with the State and county rates, make the tax some what heavy for a town containing but about 310 polls. 17 194 EASTHAMPTON. There are ten school districts in town. The amount ap propriated for their support in 1853 was $800. This sum is less than $100 to a district, and beyond this not much interest is taken in educational matters. About twenty years since, a commodious building was erected, and named the "Academy." It was well supported for a few years, but it finally ran down, and the structure has since been converted into a dwelling house. Cummington has numerous water privileges, and while its agricultural interests must necessarily suffer by remote ness from railroad facilities, the loss can be more than coun terbalanced by establishing manufactures and building up home markets. The population in 1840 was 1,214; in 1850, 1,207 ; decrease in ten years, 7. EASTHAMPTON. The territory of Easthampton was originally embraced within the bounds of Northampton. It was upon this ter ritory, in a locality known by the Indians as Pascommuck, and still retaining that name, that in 1664 the Indians had liberty to build a fort, where they remained until they joined the forces and fortunes of King Philip. It must have been about the time that this fort was built that the first English settler planted himself within the limits of the town, for " John Webb, who died in 1670, had built a log house at that place, and had resided there a few years." The particular place alluded to was Nashawannuck, a lo cality in the tewn which still retains the Indian name. The next portion of Easthampton that received settlers was on the North side of the Manhan river, near the pres ent central village. The first building erected there was probably a saw-mill. Liberty to erect a saw-mill there was granted by Northampton in 1674. In 1686-7, the town gave Samuel Bartlett liberty " to set up a corn mill upon Manhan river, below the cart-way, on the falls of the riv er." The mill was probably built soon afterwards, but it is not known how early a dwelling house was erected. In 1705, Samuel Bartlett gave his son Joseph the mill, and the land around it. The French and Indian Wars that prevailed in the first years of the 18th century doubtless delayed the settlement very greatly, and Joseph Bartlett, the owner of the corn mill, is recorded as the- first perma- EASTHAMPTON. 195 nent settler in this part of the town, although he did not remove to the Spot until some twenty years or more after the mill came into his possession. Jonathan Ulapp, his nephew, probably lived with him about this time, and when Bartlett died, in 1755, he left the most of his property to the Clapps, though some of it went to his brothers, on the condition that each should pay £4 8s. lid. to the first es tablished church that should celebrate divine worship and ordinances within half a mile of his dwelling house. This sum was afterwards paid. Mr. Bartlett kept the first pub lic house of entertainment. He was licensed in 1727, and kept the house for nearly twenty years afterwards. When ever the settlers enjoyed preaching, the services were held in his establishment. David Bartlett, a brother of Joseph, built a house fifty or sixty rods North-west of the present residence of La Eayette Clapp. This house, which has remained standing until within a few years, was a small pox hospital during the Revolutionary War, and within it died Col. Hosford of the army, as well as Rev. Mr. Hook er, the successor of President Edwards at Northampton, of this terrible disease. The meadows above and below the grist mill were appropriated by Northampton for the benefit of schools, and in 1744 the town sold the Upper School Meadow to Dea. Stephen Wright and Benjamin Lyman, who removed to their purchase soon afterwards. That part of the town designated as Pascommuck was settled about 1700, and this year is usually given as the date of the first settlement of the town* Five families went in and settled near each other, at or near the East end of «Mt. Tom. Their names were Moses Hutchinson, John Searl, Benoni Jones, Samuel Janes and Benjamin Janes. Their village was destroyed by the Indians in 1704, and nineteen or twenty persons slain. Benjamin Janes escaped to Northampton, and started out a troop of cavalry, under Capt. John Taylor, which, however, secured no other result than the death of their captain, and the slaughter of such as had been made prisoners. Elisha Searl, a captive lad, saved his life by manifesting a dispo sition to accompany the Indians. He went to Canada, embraced the Catholic faith, and became so much attached to Canadian and Indian life that when, many years after wards, he returned to the scene of his early home, it was 196 EASTHAMPTON. with great difficulty that he was persuaded to remain and adopt civilized for savage life. Samuel Janes, the wife of Benjamin Janes, and the wife of John Searl, escaped with their lives, after having been dealt with, either with the tomahawk or the scalping knife. The first settlers in the Western part of the town were Samuel and Eldad Pomeroy and their sons, about 1732. In 1760, John Han- num and Eleazer Hannum were located where their de scendants now reside. As early as 1750, Joseph and Titus Wright were established in the North part of the town. At that date, the families settled at Pascommuck were Eliakim Clark, Jonathan Janes, Joseph Searl, Eben ezer Ferry, Elisha Searl, Samuel Janes, Widow Wharton, John Brown, Noah Clark, Jr., and Daniel Alexander. In 1773, an effort was made to have the present terri tory of Easthampton formed into a district. The territory was then embraced partly within the lines, of Northamp ton and partly within those of Southampton. Northamp ton favored the project, but Southampton opposed it, and although the Legislative Committee to whom it was re ferred reported in its favor, the opposition above alluded to, and the diversion of attention to the Revolutionary struggle, delayed the matter for several years. The sub ject came up again in 1781 and 1782, when Northampton voted to set off the district, and, as it embraced one-eighth of the inhabitants of the town, also voted to give the pro posed new organization that proportion of the public prop erty of the toWn. The opposition of Southampton still delayed the matter, and it was not until the 17th of June, 1785, that the district was incorporated. The number of inhabitants thus set off from Northamp ton was about 300. On the 13th of November, 1785, for ty-six persons were dismissed from the Northampton church, in order to form a new church in the new district Others, a few months afterwards, were dismissed for the same object. Fifteen families, embracing 26 church mem bers, were set off from Southampton. The church was organized on the 17th of the succeeding November, at the house of Capt. Joseph Clapp. Rev. Payson Williston was the first pastor, and was settled August 13th, 1789. Mr. Williston was born at West Haven, Ct,, in 1763, graduated at Yale College in 1783, and labored with great accept- EASTHAMPTON. 197 ance with his church until October 17, 1833, when Rev. William Bement, a native of Ashfield, and a graduate of Dartmouth- College in 1828, was ordained as his successor. He labored faithfully and successfully in the ministry until April, 1850, when he was dismissed at his own request. Rev. Rollin S. Stone, a native of Canton, Ct., and a grad uate of Yale College in 1832, was installed as Mr. Be- ment's successor, October 8, 1850. In 1852, a second Congregational Church was organized, of which Rev. Mr. Stone became and still remains the pastor. In March, 1853, Rev. A. M. Colton became the pastor of the First Church, and still remains in that relation. Several citizens of Easthampton, or, rather, several then residing within its present limits, were in the battle near Lake George, "September 8, 1755, in connection with the Hampshire regiment, which suffered so severely on that occasion. Eliakim Wright, son of Stephen Wright, was among the slain. Lemuel Lyman, son- of Benjamin Ly man, was saved from a fatal wound by his bullet pouch, which checked the bullet that struck him. The pouch is still preserved in the family of one of his numerous de scendants. It is not known how many of the people were engaged in the war of the Revolution. Among them were Capt. Joseph Clapp, Quarter Master Benjamin Clapp, Dr. Stephen Woods and his sons Daniel and David, John Clapp, Benjamin Lyman, Stephen Wright, Jr., David Clapp, Levi Clapp, Eliakim Clark, BarziUai Brewer and Willet Chapman. Dr. Wood died in service at West Point, David Clapp never returned from the war, and Messrs., Brewer and Chapman both died in the army. Moses Gouch, who was brought up in Easthampton, served through the war, and was suddenly killed in that town in 1797. Twenty-one of the sons of Easthampton have received collegiate honors, fourteen of whom have become preach ers. Their names, and brief statistics therewith connected, follow, as they are given in Luther Wright's historical sketch of Easthampton : Azariah Clark, graduated at Williams College in 1805; studied Theology ; was ordained and settled in the ministry at Canaan, N. Y., and after many years dismissed ; and in 1830 removed to Colebrook, Ct, where he died as pastor 17* 198 EASTHAMPTON. in 1832, aged 54. — Job Clark graduated at Williams Col lege, 1811 ; was a physician many years in Westfield, then removed to Ravenna, Ohio. — Elam C. Clark graduated at Williams College, 1812 ; was ordained pastor of a church in Providence, R. I., April 1824; dismissed February, 1825 ; taught school in Greenwich, and- Suffield, Ct, and died at the last named place, February, 1837, aged 48. — Theodore Clapp graduated at Yale College, 1814 ; studied Theology ; was ordained aud settled as pastor of the First Congregational church in New Orleans, which relation he still sustains. — Solomon Lyman graduated at-Yale College, 1822; settled in the ministry at Keeseville, N. Y., after wards at Poultney, Vt., then removed to Easthampton. — Sumner G. Clapp graduated at Yale College, 1822; ordain ed and settled in the ministry at Enfield, afterwards at Cabotville ; and then removed to St Johnsbury, Vt. — Luth er Wright graduated at Yale College, 1822 ; tutor several years in that college ; licensed to preach the gospel ; after wards employed as associate principal of the Ellington School, Ct. ; then ^'principal of Leicester Academy, and- more recently of Williston Seminary; and now of a private Classical School/— Sylvester Clapp graduated at Union College, 1823 ; was ordained and settled in the State of Maine ; and also employed as principal of an Academy. — Silas C. Brown graduated at Union College ; was ordained and settled in the ministry in Western New York. — Fran cis Janes graduated at Williams College, 1830 ; ordained and settled in the ministry in the State of New York. — Theodore L. Wright entered Yale College, 1825 ; remain ed between one and two years ; left owing to ill health ; received, 1833, the honorary degree of A. M. from Yale College ; employed in teaching some years as principal of the Hartford City Grammar School; and removed after wards to Wisconsin. — Thornton W. Clapp graduated-at Williams College, 1835 ; was Professor of Mathematicsin Washington College, Miss. ; was licensed to preach the gospel in the Episcopal Church, and preached some years ; and then was employed as teacher. — Edmund Wright graduated at Williams College, 1836 ; was Home Mission ary for many years in Western Missouri ; recently was stationed as pastor in St. Louis, and was Secretary of the Home Missionary Society of that State. — Josiah Lyman EASTHAMPTON. 199 graduated at Williams College, 1836; was a licensed preacher; afterwards principal of an Academy in Vermont, and then of the Academy at Lenox, where he still re-ides. — Addison Lyman graduated at Williams College, 1839j, removed to Illinois, where he has been employed both as a preacher and principal of an Academy.— Jabez B. Lyman graduated at Amherst College, 1841 ; studied Theology ; resided some years in Germany, as a student in one of the Universities ; returned, and has been em ployed as principal of a Female .Seminary at Abbeville, S. C. — Russet M. Wright graduated at Williams College, 1841 ; studied Theology ; employed as teacher in Willis ton Seminary, and is now principal of an Academy in Georgia. — Elijah H. Wright graduated at Amherst College, 1842 ; is now employed in the medical profession in Georgia. — Horace Lyman graduated at "Williams College, 1842 ; now a Home Missionary in Oregon. — William S. Clark graduated at Amherst College, 1848; employed in teaching for two years in Williston Seminary, and is now a professor in Amherst College. — Lyman R. Williston graduated at Amherst College, 1850; and has since been employed as teacher, in Williston Seminary. The leading industrial interest in Easthampton has been agriculture, until within a few years, and Son make spectacle cases and oil drippers to the amount of $ 1 ,000 annually. Emmons Putney employs three hands, in turning out $500 worth of button-moulds yearly. The population of Goshen, in 1840, was 563 ; in 1850, 515 ; decrease in ten years, 48. GRANBY. Granby, with South Hadley, originally formed the South or second precinct of Hadley, the first settlement and early history of which will be found in the history of South Hadley. The 2d parish of South Hadley was incorpora ted in 1762, the split being the result of a long contest in regard to the location of the meeting-house. A meeting house was erected in what is now called the West parish in Granby about 1762, on a spot near the present resi dence of Mr. Levi Smith, and near the- South end of a tract of swamp or meadow land, called by the first settlers " Pitchawamache." (An Indian name now contracted to " Pitchawam," and supposed to be the only Indian name preserved in the town.) The meeting-house was built on land given by Samuel Moody, but Mr. Moody neglected to give a deed of the land, and it was conveyed to the town, after his death, in compliance with his known purpose, by his sons Samuel, Thomas Hovey, Elisha, Reuben, Simeon and Enos. The deed was dated " the 10th day of Jury, in the ninth year of His Majesty's reign, Anno Domo, 1769," and ori the same day, James Smith gave to the town, by deed, one acre of land, for the purpose, as expressed in the deed, " of accommodating them with a convenient place for bury ing the dead." A child of the first settled minister was the first buried in this ground, which is still the principal burial place in the town. The original church edifice was erected, and the church organized, in 1762, and in October of that year, Rev. Simon Backus of Norwich, Ct, was settled as the pastor. Mr. Backus was a graduate of Yale College in 1759. On the 11th of June, 1768, the 2d parish of South Had ley was incorporated as a town, with the name of Granby. The place of public worship was not changed, and -here 208 GRANBY. Mr. Backus continued until March, 1784, when he was dismissed. He died about 1829, at the age of- 87 years. He was succeeded in February, 1790, by Rev. Benjamin Chapman of Plainfield, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1784, who was dismissed in January, 1797. Rev. Elijah Gridley of Berlin, Ct., a graduate of Yale College in 1788, succeeded him in the following May. In 1820, during the ministry of Mr. Gridley, it became necessary to build a new meeting-house, but the question in regard to location became a subject of contenton between the Eastern and Western portions of the town, which re sulted in the erection of two meeting-houses, and, of course, a division of the church and the parish. Those persons who occupied the meeting-house, living farthest East, became, or remained, the- first, parish, while the seceders, who occu pied the West irijeeting-house, became the second parish. A council was tailed, which effected a division of the chrirch also. The East church comprised 144 members, and the West church, 130. Mr. Gridley, adhering to that portion of the church which was connected with the second parish, was dismissed by the first parish, and retained by the second, until his death, which occurred in 1834. Rev. Eli Moody was 'settled as colleague of Mr. Gridley in 1830. Rev. Chester' Chapin was settled over the East church and parish in 1822, and dismissed in 1829. Rev. Joseph Knight, who succeeded him, was installed in 1830. In 1836, a project for uniting the two societies was consum mated. Most of the members of the West, or Second Parish, agreed to leave their own place of worship, and unite with the first or East parish, upon the understanding, as the principal condition, that Rev. Eli Moody should be the minister of the union church and parish. This, of course, resulted in the dismission of Rev. Mr. Knight the same year (1836).- A few members of the second parish, who refused to come into the union arrangement, retained the property of the second parish, and that organization is still in existence. They do not sustain preaching, and, at this time, there is no church organization connected with the West parish. Rev. Eli Moody was installed as pastor of the first par ish immediately after the union, in 1836, and dismissed, on GRANBY. 209 account of ill health, in 1839. Rev. James Bates succeeded Mr. Moody, and was installed in 1840, and dismissed in 1851. Since that time the parish has been destitute of a settled minister. The meeting-house of the first parish was thoroughly repaired in 1853, at an expense of two thousand dollars. A small Methodist church was organized in the North part of the town in 1850, and still preserves its organiza tion. Preaching has been sustained there most of the time. Most of the inhabitants of Granby are engaged in agri cultural pursuits. The soil is fertile, and most of the farm ers are wealthy. About 1812, there were four distilleries in the town, each consuming, when in operation, from 30 to 40 bushels of grain in a day. But the multiplicity of distilleries, and the temperance reformation, made the busi ness unprofitable, and it was wholly abandoned. The farm ers, who were apprehensive that the price of grain might be diminished by this measure, have had the satisfaction of seeing it steadily advance, with a corresponding ad vancement of wealth, intelligence and influence. The manufacturing interest in Granby is limited. A small stream passes through the North part of the town, on which are situated a number of manufacturing- establishments. In 1836, Samuel Ayres, Jeriel Preston and Levi Taylor established a woolen factory, where a successful business was prosecuted, under the superintendence of Levi Tay lor. Mr. Taylor, whose death occurred in 1849, was a native of Granby. He was a man of great energy, exer ted a commanding influence in his native town, was several times selected to represent his fellow citizens in the State Legislature, and had the honor of representing the County of Hampshire in the State Senate two years. Since his death, the manufacturing business has been continued by Ayres & Aldrich, who are doing a business of about $65,000 annually. Samuel Ayres, of the above named firms, is a native of Granby, somewhat advanced in life, has long enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his fellow townsmen,, and is one of those whom they have delighted to honor. Israel Clark has been for several years engaged in the manufacture of satinet. In 1850, he re-built his estab- 18* 210 GRANBY. lishment, and increased his business. He now employs a capital of about $10,000. Anson Brown and Frederick Taylor are the proprietors of a paper mill, and are doing a profitable business. Near the center of the town is a public common, con taining between five and six acres of land, which was do nated to the first parish, as follows : In 1821, John Monta gue, who has since died, gave to the first parish, by deed, three acres of land, to serve as the location of a meeting house, and a common. In 1845, Joseph Montague, the only son of John Montague, gave by deed, for the purpose of enlarging the common, an additional piece of land con taining about two acres and a half. In 1840, the .first par ish built a parsonage, directly opposite their meeting-house, at an expense of about $1,500. In 1841, a building to be used as a lecture fpom and high school, was erected on the parish common, North of the meeting-house, and is now held by the parish.! During the AnWican Revolution, the inhabitants of Granby were not lacking in patriotism and devotion to the common cause. The record of the time places them in an enviable position in this respect. The following are some of the votes passed at that time : " Voted, Sept. '20, 1774, to increase the town stock of ammunition, and provide the town with a, sufficiency of arms. " Voted, That the Treasurer shall pay the money, which was proportioned to this town, to bear the expenses of the committee appointed to go to the Continental Congress at Phil adelphia. " Voted, And made choice of Mr. Phineus Smifii to appear at the Provincial Congress, to be holden at Concord on the second Tuesday of October, 1774, to hear, consider and deter mine, on all such matters and causes, as shall then be thought necessary in this critical, dark and distressing day. "Voted, June 20, 1776, that we, of this town, will support the independence of the American Colonies, with our lives and fortunes : Provided the American Congress shall declare these Colonies independent of the kingdom of Great Britain." As evidence of the vigilance of the inhabitants, see the following vote : " Voted, Feb. 15, 1775, to call Capt. Eastman, Lieut. Eleazer Nash, and Ensign, Experience Smith, to account to GREEN WIC1 211 the town for their conduct in holding commissions which they received under Gov. Hutehinson, and which have since been established to them by Gen. Gage, who is now endeavoring to enforce the late acts of Parliament on the Province of Mas sachusetts Bay.'' It is but justice to the memory of these men to say that, although they refused to resign their commissions, they appeared in open town meeting, and declared it was their intention strictly to observe the advice, direction and re solves of the Continental Congress, and that they had no desire, intention or design, to act from any authority by virtue of their commissions, and, further, that they never would. The vote, taken by yeas and nays, upon the ques tion whether what they had said was satisfactory to the town, was decided in the negative. The records abun dantly show that the burdens and expenses of the war were borne by the people of Granby with zealous and pa triotic devotion. In 1770, the town voted to raise twenty pounds for the support of schools, and to expend it in u hireing school marsters." In 1854, $850 was raised for the support of schools. The number of school districts is nine. The population of the town in 1840 was 950 ; in 1850, 1,013 ; increase in ten years, 63. GREENWICH. This township is situated in a valley, skirted on either side by a range of hills, and watered by the East and West branches of Swift river, which afford several fine mill seats. The average length of the town - is about six- miles, from North to South, and the average width, about two and a half miles, from East to West. The main divisions of the town are known as Greenwich Plain and Greenwich Vil lage. The town exhibits several natural features that attract the eye of the traveler, and afford a fine diversity of landscape. Numerous ponds are scattered over its surface. Mount Pomeroy and Mount Liza lift their pecu liar conical forms, about a mile and a half apart, each hold ing company with the tradition that gave it its name. Mount Pomeroy received its name, it is said, from a com bat which a man of that name had with a bear upon its territory, and Mount Liza perpetuates a part of the name 212 GKEENWICH of Elizabeth, the name of an Indian captive who was buried there. The two branches of Swift river present a singular anomaly in some parts of their course. For a considerable distance, the East branch runs towards the North, and the West branch towards the South, the space between them being only about 15 rods. The East branch discharges its waters into Moose pond. The outlet of this pond unites with the West branch, and passes on to the Chicopee River. On the land of Mr. D. Blackmer are two rocking boulders, that have received public notice. The are of many tuns in weight, and rest upon a flat rock. A slight degree of power applied by lever serves to put them in motion. The original Indian name of the territory, embraced in the town, was " Quabbin." On the 30th of June, 1732, the General Court granted seven townships of land, six miles square each, to the descendants of the soldiers who destroyed the Narraganset fort, on the 19th of December, 1675. The number of soldiers was 840. This gave a township of six miles square to each 120 soldiers. These townships were granted on condition that each township should settle at least 60 families on its territory within seven years after the grant, settle a learned, Orthodox minister, and lay out a lot of land for him and one for the school. If these conditions were not complied with, the grant was to be void. On the 6th of June, 1733, the pro- orietors met on Boston Common, at 2 o'clock in the after- loon, when they voted that the grantees should be divided nto seven societies, one township to be given to each society. Narraganset township No. 4 was first laid out in New Hampshire, but the committee reported that it was not fit for a settlement. Accordingly, on the 14th of Jan uary, 1737, the General Court granted to the proprietors )f No. 4 the territory of Quabbin, in exchange for the New Hampshire township. After surveying Quabbin, it was found to contain considerably less than six miles square. So the Court granted a tract of land lying West of, and adjoining to, Hatfield, sufficient to make up the full amount of territory to which the grantees were entitled. This tract is now embraced within the boundaries of Chester field. In pursuance of a warrant properly issued, the proprie- GREENWICH 213 tors of Quabbin met on the 14th of May, 1740, at the house of Edmund Taylor. At this meeting they voted to build a meeting house 40 by 30 feet in ground dimensions, and 20 feet between joints. It was subsequently altered to 35 by 45 feet, but the house was not finished until 1745 or 1746, because boards could not be procured, as there was no saw mill in the settlement. The house was built upon, or near, the spot where Capt. N. Powers' house now stands. Each proprietor was taxed forty shillings to defray the expenses of building the house, and ten shillings to defray the expenses of preaching for twelve months. Rev. Pelatiah Webster, the first minister, was settled December 20, 1749. He was a graduate of Yale College in 1746, and was dismissed in October, 1755. He -was succeeded by Rev. Robert Cutler of Cambridge, a graduate of Har vard College in 1741, who was installed Feb. 13, 1760, and who died February 24, 1786, at the age of 68. Mr. Cutler was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Blodgett of Stafford, Ct, who was settled November 8, 1786, and who died November 26, 1833, at the age of 76. Rev. Joseph H. Patrick was settled as colleague pastor November 17, 1830. He was a native of Warren, and a graduate of Brown University in 1817. Rev. Edward P. Blodgett is the present pastor. • The first saw mill and grist mill were built about the year 1745, near, or on the spot where David Allen's mills now stand, at Greenwich village. The first settlement was commenced about the. year 1732, by families of the name of Gibbs-, Hynds, Powers, Rogers, Cooley and Patterson. This statement of the first settlement is confirmed in the inscription on a tombstone now standing in the town : " Here lies, entombed beneath the ground, The first man born within this town ^ Faith in his Savior he professed : We tru3t in Him he's now at rest." Mr.. Patterson, the man alluded to, died April 19, 1811, at the age of 79 years, and was consequently born in 1732. These settlers were principally from Brookfield and Con necticut, though Felt states that the town was settled by a colony from the North of Ireland. The settlement may have been mixed, and both statements thus correct. 214. HADLEY. Greenwich was originally a considerable resort for Indians, as is testified by their rude arrows and implements, as " the plough-share turns them out," but no depredations upon the whites, of importance, were ever effected by them. In the Revolutionary struggle, Greenwich was not back ward in furnishing its proportion of men and munitions of war. The town, however, took quite an active part on the side of Shays in the rebellion which bears his name. The records show that, at the close of the insurrection, fifty citizens of the town found it necessary to take the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth. In Greenwich village there is considerable manufactur ing business carried on. There are a scythe factory, two saw mills, one grist mill, and two fork and rake factories. There are other mills in various parts of the town, of less importance. The plating business is carried on to a con siderable extent a Greenwich Plain by Messrs. Douglass and Dank, who employ ten hands. The population of the town in 1840 was 850 ; in 1850, 811 ; decrease in ten years, 39. HADLEY. Hadley is one of the old, mother towns of the Connecti cut valley, and has a long and interesting history. A large mass of information concerning its settlement, and its con nection with the Indian wars, has already been given in the outline history, [vol. 1, p. 54 — 58,] and no repetitions will be indulged in, further than to give unity and coherence to the narrative. The settlement was commenced in 1659 by a company of persons residing in Hartford, Wethers- field and Windsor, in Connecticut. The company held a meeting at the house of Nathaniel Ward, one of the com pany, in Hartford, on the 18th of April, 1659, where 59, and one set down as " not fully engaged," signed an agree ment for their mutual regulation and government, pledging themselves to remove to the plantations " purchased of • the Indians at Nolwotogg on the East side of Quonnecticot, beside Northampton," as early as the 29th of ^September of the following year ; to pay their several proportions of the land purchased, as well as for the purchase of Hockan- um, (which had been mortgaged by the Indians to Joseph HADLEY. 215 Parsons of Northampton ;) to raise all common charges by assessments upon the lands taken up by the company, and not to sell their land until they had lived in the town for three years, and, afterwards, to none but such as the town should approve. It was also agreed that those who went up within three weeks from that, time should have their choice in lots, provided they took them together. On the 22d of November, 165,9, a committee of seven, chosen for the purpose, made an assessment of £180, to pay for land, and the minister's maintenance. Twenty of the sixty persons who signed the agreement to settle at Hadley did not settle there, and only 13 took their places. Land on the West side of the river (now Hatfield) had been purchased, and six of the planters set tled there, while 47 settled upon the East side, to the latter of which home-lots were allotted, containing about eight acres each. These lots were arranged on each side of a street 20 rods wide, and were occupied on the West side, commencing at the North end, as follow : Samuel Gard ner, Chilleab Smith, Joseph Baldwin, Robert Boltwood, Francis Barnard, John Hawkes, Richard Church, Henry Clarke, Stephen Ferry, Andrew Warner, John Marsh, Timothy Nash, John Webster, (ex-deputy governor of Connecticut,) Wm. Goodwin, John Crow, Samuel Moody, Nathaniel Ward, William Markham, Joseph Kellogg. On the East side, coihmencing at the same end, the allotments were as follow : Wm. Pixley, John Taylor, John Ingram, N. Nichols, (lots of two acres each lying along the river, and now all swept away by the river,) Wm. Partrigg, Thomas Coleman, Samuel Smith, Philip Smith, Richard Montague, John Dickinson, Samuel Porter, Thomas Wells, John Hubbard, (sequestered lot,) Mr. Russell, (the minis ter,) John Barnard, Andrew Bacon, Nathaniel Stanley, Thomas Stanley, John White, Peter Tilton, Wm. Lewis, Richard Goodman ; Wm. Westwood and Aaron Cooke, (together,) Thomas Dickinson, Nathaniel Dickinson and Mr. Russell, senior. None of the lots on the West side of the street are in the possession of the families to which they were originally allotted. On the East side three families yet remain on the lots of their ancestors, lived on by them nearly two centuries ago. They are the descend ants of Richard Montague, Samuel Porter and John White. 216 HADLEY. The first town meeting was held at the house of Andrew Warner, October 8, 1660. " The first thing inquired," says the record, was, " who are inhabitants according to order in this place." It was voted that all who might set tle on the West side of the river, should be one with those on the East side, in matters both ecclesiastical and civil. The salary paid their pastor, Rev. John Russell, was £80 per annum. The sum was afterwards reduced to £70, and, still later, raised to £90. As inhabitants increased, the laying out of land became an important matter, and in 1661, the town adopted a by-law that all their lands should be laid out by two common measurers, who were to set stakes front and rear, with the initials of each man's name upon his stake, and to keep a true record of their doings. Three pence per acre was voted as a compensation for their services. Samuel Smith, Jr., and Peter Tilton were the first chosen. The original street is now known as West street, and has always been the most thickly settled part of the town. In 1773, the original width of the street was reduced to 18 rods, and there has probably been some further reduc tion since. The land at North Hadley and Hockanum was laid out much earlier than that further East. In 1683, the middle street, or that on which the town hall, and the First Congregational Church now stand, was laid out. The lots contained about six acres each, and the street was to be twenty rods wide, but it is now much narrower. On the 4th of March, 1700, it was voted that three miles and one-fourth Eastward from the meeting house, and extending from Mt Holyoke Northward about five miles, to Mill river, should lie as common land forever, and it was not until the 10th of May, 1731, that this vote was reconsidered. It was then decided to divide it among the then inhabitants, and apportion it according to the number of polls and the real estate assessed to each, in the pre ceding January list, for the payment of town debts. In dians, mulattoes, negro servants and polls, in the list, were " esteemed" at £3 each. They thus passed from the pos session of the town into the hands of proprietors, by and among whom they were laid out in seven divisions, about the years 1742 and 1743. These lands were known as the "Hadley Inner Commons," and this designation is still HADLEY. 217 retained in many of the deeds conveying them in sale. They were surveyed by Nathaniel Kellogg, and the record of the divisions, with the names of the individuals among whom they were divided, and the plans of four divisions laid down on parchment, are still in existence. On the 7th of May, 1673, the General Court defined the boundaries of the town as "extending from vthe meet ing house five miles up the river, five miles down the riv er, and from the meeting house six miles Eastward." In. 1682, the inhabitants petitioned the General Court for an addition to their bounds Southward, which was granted in May, 1683, and four miles square added to the town, to be bounded West by the Connecticut river. By referring to the Outline History, [vol. 1, p. 55,] it will be seen that this latter grant covered only the ground as it was laid out originally by the first committee, which extended South erly " to the head of the Falls above Springfield." In cluding the lands on the West side of the river, it will be seen that Hadley once contained the present towns of Hadley, Amherst, South Hadley, Hatfield, Granby and a part of Whately. Besides the reduction of the limits of the old town by the incorporation of the towns mentioned, the town has been further reduced at four several times since the incorporation of Amherst, by setting off land to that town, viz : John Dickinson and others with about 70 acres of land, at the North East part of the town, in 1789 ; Elias Smith, with that part of his farm lying in Hadley, in 1811; John Nutting and others with a large tract of land at the South East corner of the town in 1812, and about 1,000 acres at the North East corner in 1814. The "Ox-bow" in Hockanum meadows, cut off by the flood of 1840, was annexed to Northampton in 1850. Most of the mill sites were granted by the town to indi viduals or companies at an early date. The first grist mill was built on the West side of the river, now Hatfield, in 1661, by Goodman Meakins, and the town promised to do all their ordinary grinding there, provided said Meakins should attend to the terms of the covenant entered into, " and make good meale." But it was found quite burdensome to those living on the East side of the river to carry their grain across, and, accordingly, in 1662, the town hired 19 218 HADLEY. Thomas Wells and John Hubbert to carry their grain across the river, and return it when ground. For this pur pose, they were to call upon the inhabitants every Tuesday and Saturday, who were to have their bags filled and marked. The carriers received 3d. per bushel for their services, to be paid in wheat at 3s. 6d. per bushel, or In dian corn at 2s. 3d. In 1667, the people voted their desire to have a mill on the East side, and the matter resulted in the building of a mill on Mill river, at North Hadley, prob ably the same year. William Goodwin, aided by the town, built this mill, and it was the second grist mill in the town. The third grist mill site, on Fort river, was taken up and built upon by Edmund Hubbard and others, about 1750. The last two are now the only grist mills in the town. Grants for saw mills were made on Mill river, Fort river, Stony river and Bachelor's river, (the last two in South Hadley). A condition, sometimes enjoined, that " they shall saw to the halves when they saw other men's logs" would not be objected to now, probably, except by those who are owners of " other men's logs." The early inhabitants were firm friends of general edu cation. They made provision for the education of all the children in the town, and measures were occasionally in stituted to invite or compel their attendance. In 1676, it was voted that the selectmen and their successors, annu ally, should take a list of all children from six years old to twelve, which should "be compellable, if not sent to school, to pay annually according to, and equally with, those that are sent ; * * * * and from six years old to continue till twelve at school, except they attain a ripeness and dexterity in inferior learning, as writing and reading, which shall be judged by the school master." A portion of the town lying Easterly of Mt. Warner, was, for a long time, called Partridge, Partrigg or Patrick Swamp, though there is but little swamp there. In the old records it was written "Partrigg Swamp," and it probably took its name from Samuel Partrigg, a distin guished man, both in the town and county, who had a grant there. The name of the locality was changed to Plain- ville about 1830. Extracts from the old records will best illustrate the HADLEY. 219 habits of the people and their manner of doing business. March 4, 1660, it was " voted that whosoever leaves open ye gate, or ye rails or bars, that leads into ye meadow, shall forfeit to ye town 2 shillings and six-pence for every such offense. If they be left open by boy or girl, ye mas ter or parents shall pay ye penaltie." June 11, 1661, it was " voted that Goodman Montague shall be a common hayward for ye town this year, and he is to have twelve pence for every beast, hog or shoate, and 2 shillings for every horse or mare that he bring out of ye meadow, and 1 shilling 8 pence for every score of sheep." March 24, 1674, it was "voted that whoever shall run any race, or inordinately gallop any horse, mare or gelding, in any of ye streets belonging to this town of Hadley, shall pay for every such default 3 shillings 4 pence a person." May 3, 1693, it was voted "that all Heds from 16 year old and upward shall work one day each year at ye hieways, and in ye next place he that hath 20 acres of medow'land, to worke one day for his land, and soe proporshonly for gra ter or lesser quantities." On the same date it was voted, "that all Heds from 14 yere old and upwards shall worke one day annually when called out by ye selectmen, to cut brush or clean ye comons in ye month of June." The two last formed part of a code of by-laws, presented to the Court in Springfield, and by it approved September 26, 1693. The brush were cut to prevent the Indians from skulking behind them. March 5, 1693, it was "voted by ye towne that no man carri or sell any timber out of ye towne." This vote* was taken on account of the scarcity of timber, consequent upon the frequent burning over of the plains. February 6, 1723, the town stated that " whereas it is judged as prudenshall by ye inhabitants of our town to have carts made wider, therefore, voted: That whatsoever parson or parsons shall be found to go with his or their extrees of their carts less than four foote from one shoulder of their extrees to the other, after the 20 of March Ensuing, shall forfeit as a fine to the towne five shillings for every such offence." March 6, 1738, " voted to raise in the next towne tax £62, to be given to Mr. Hezekiah Porter of Farmington, bone-setter, in considera tion that he come and settle in Hadley and continue with 220 HADLEY. us ; and in case he settles in Northampton or Hatfield, then £52 of said money to be given him." - During the Revolutionary War, and while the irritating and exciting events preceding it were transpiring, the in habitants of the town shared largely in the spirit which animated the great majority of the American people. It was voted, May 29, 1772, "that the Representatives of this town be instructed, and they are hereby instructed, to use their utmost influence and power in the next session of the General Assembly, that our grievances may be made known to His Majesty, that the same may be re dressed." But independence does not appear at first to have been the expectation or desire of the people, and they attributed the origin of their difficulties to " evil minded persons," who misrepresented them at the British Court All efforts for redress failing, however, and new grievan ces arising, they became fully prepared for the separation. In 1774, the town built a powder house, purchasing four half barrels of powder, and offering a bounty for those who would spend half a day a week, for fifteen weeks, in "learning to train." On the 30th of May, 1776, it was voted to sustain the American Congress if it should declare the colonies independent. The Connecticut river, bounding the town on the West, is crossed from the center of the town to Northampton by a covered toll bridge, and by a ferry, from Hockanum. A ferry at the North part of the town crosses to Hatfield. At the North end of the West, or principal street, the river bears off to the West, and, taking a circuit of several miles around the great meadow, somewhat in the form of an ox bow, returns to the South end of the street, leaving the distance across the neck something less than a mile. For - a great number of years, the river has been wearing into the bank on the upper side of this neck, which is the North end, both of West and Middle streets. The town has re peatedly, in its corporate, capacity, aided in arresting i-s encroachments. One of the earliest instances was in 1730, when it was voted that every man in the town should work one day on the river bank, " to keep it from wearing." In 1846, the Legislature, upon petition of the inhabitants, granted to the town $2,750, to aid in defense against the riv er, upon condition that an equal sum should be raised for HADLEY. 221 the same purpose by the town, and by the individuals more immediately exposed. The terms were complied with, and the money was principally expended in driving piles near low water mark, and filling in with brush and stones. By this means, the wearing has been arrested. The bank, at this point, has probably been worn away not less than 75 rods since the settlement of the town. During some of the highest freshets, upon the river, West street, for nearly or quite its Southern half, has been covered with water, filling cellars and doing other damage. The water was riever so high as during the great freshest of 1854. It set back ten or fifteen rods North of Academy street, from which point Southward the street presented an unbroken sheet of water. Carriages could not cross the street on the road to Northampton, and the water-between West and Middle streets, in the road to Amherst, was two or three feet deep, both East and West of the Academy. Dikes were thrown up at the North end of the streets, but the overflowing of the river was not entirely prevented at that point, and a slight current, for some hours, ran across the neck between the streets. There was nothing of this kind in the "Jefferson Flood" of 1801. The materials for the history of the first church are ex tremely meager. No church record is in existence of an earlier date than 1766, and the first two ministers probably kept no records. Those kept by Mr. Williams and Dr. Hopkins previous to 1766, were burnt that year, with the dwelling house of the latter. The church was organized in 1659, probably before the first members left Hartford and Wethersfield. Their first minister, Rev. John Rus sell, came with them. He died after a ministry of 33 years, December 10, 1692, in the 66th year of his age. He was a man of great decision of character, and acknowl edged as a governor by his people. His house was for sometime the home of the two regicide judges, Goffe and Whalley. The second minister, Rev. Isaac Chauncey, was ordained in the latter part of 1695, or the early part of 1696. He died May 2, 1745, aged 74. He continued in the active exercise of his ministry only about 45 years, but received his support until his death. In January, 1738-9, it was voted " to hire a minister to assist ye »Rev. Mr. Chauncey, our Pastor, in the work of the ministry a quar- 19* 222 HADLEY. ter of a year or longer." After this year his labors ceased, probably on account of growing infirmity. His successor, Rev. Chester Williams of Pomfret, Ct.,. was ordained in the latter part of 1740, or the early part of 1741, and died October 13, 1753, aged 36. Mr. Williams was a member and the scribe of the Ecclesiastical Council that met at Northampton, June 22, 1750, and dismissed Rev. Jonathan Edwards from the pastorate of the First Church in that town. Accompanying the call to Mr. Williams to settle in the ministry, were votes offering a ten-acre house lot " for him, his heirs and assigns forever, and three hundred pounds in money." This was his " settlement." His salary, during the life time of Mr. Chauncey, was £140 in money and the use of certain lands, or £30 in money at his election ; and after the death of Mr. Chauncey, £180 annually, with the use of the land, or £30 at his option. His salary was to be made equal to silver at 28 shillings per ounce, and a sufficiency of fire-wood to be annually provided. In his answer, he expresseclhis fearsthat this provision might riot prove ample enough for his support, but signified his ac ceptance, trusting the honor of the town to provide more liberally if there should be need. Mr. Williams was suc ceeded by Rev. Samuel Hopkins, D. D., (son of Rev. Samuel Hopkins of West Springfield,) who was ordained February 26, 1755, and died March 8, 1811, in the 57th year of his ministry, aged 81. His mother was a. sister of President Edwards, and he was himself a cousin of Rev. Samuel Hopkins, D. D., of Newport, the father of the Hopkinsian system. Dr. Hopkins married the widow of his predecessor, Mr. Williams. Five of her daughters (the eldest, Martha, was the child of Mr. Williams, and was very young at her father's death) " were married to the five following clergymen : Dr. Emmons of Franklin, Dr. Spring of Newburyport, Dr. Austin of Worcester, Rev. Leonard Worcester of Peacham, Vermont, and Rev. William Riddel, settled first in Bristol, Maine, — -afterwards in Whitingham, Vermont. These five divines, all of them clear thinkers, were all firm disciples of Hopkins (of New port). Their wives also were intelligent theologians of the Hopkinsian school. Few men could cope with them in argument. Dr. H. also had another own daughter, mar- HADLEY. 223 ried to a gentleman, who, at the time of his marriage, was prepared and expecting to preach the gospel ; but ill health prevented his doing so more than a few times." In his call, Mr. Hopkins was offered two hundred pounds lawful money, settlement, an annual salary of sixty pounds, to be governed by the necessaries of life, the improvement of all precinct lands, and his firewood. In his answer, he expressed doubts of the sufficiency of the annual salary, and proposed that after two years, six pounds, thirteen shillings and four-pence be added to it. The precinct voted to comply with his suggestion, with the following curious provision : " That the annual Salary shall rise or fall in the Nominal Sum, as the Eight Articles hereafter mentioned shall rise or fall from the Prizes now agreed upon by Mr. Hopkins & the Committee : viz. The Advance by the Wholesale Merchant on English Goods, being now One Hundred & Seventy Pounds lawful money for One Hundred Pounds Sterling ; The Hus bandman's Labour in Summer, Two Shillings per Day; Men's Shoes Six Shillings per Pair; Wheat four Shillings per Bushel ; Eie Two Shillings & Eight Pence per bushel ; In dian Corn Two Shillings per bushel; Fall Beef One. Penny, Two Farthings half farthing per Pound, & Pork Two Pence Two farthings per Pound, (in the Town of Hadley or County of Hampshire) And that each Eighth Part of the Salary is to rise, or fall, as Each of the said Articles shall rise, or fall : That is to say, One Eighth by One Article & another Eighth by another Article/ and so on." Under his ministry, 303 persons were added te the church, between 1766 and 1805. Many of these were admitted without professing conversion. In his half cen tury sermon, preached in 1805, he laments, with much feeling, that his long ministry had been so little blessed in the conversion of souls. Rev. John Woodbridge, D. D., a native of Southamp ton, and a graduate of Williams College in 1804, was or dained as colleague of Dr. Hopkins June 20, 1810, and remained pastor of the church until September 15, 1830, when he was dismissed to take the pastorate of the Bow ery Presbyterian Church in New York city. During Dr. W.'s ministry, the church enjoyed several revivals. The most remarkable occurred in 1816. It is still spoken of as " the great revival." During thatyear, 187 persons were 224 HADLEY. received into the church. During the twenty years of his labors, 405 were admitted. — Rev. John Brown, D. D., a graduate of Dartmouth College, was installed March 2, 1831, and died March, 1839. Several revivals occurred during his pastorate. Forty-seven persons were admitted to membership, the first year, and 112 during the rest of his ministry. — Rev. Francis Danforth, previously pastor of a church in Winchester, N. H., was installed Dec. 11, 1839, and dismissed February 2, 18'42. Within this pe riod, the house of worship erected in 1806, was removed from its location in the middle of the West street, a quar ter of a mile Eastward, to Middle street. There it was fitted and dedicated anew. — Rev. Benjamin N. Martin, a graduate of Yale College, succeeded Mr. Danforth. He was ordained January 19, 1843, and dismissed June 9, 1847. Under Mr. Martin's ministry, 37 were added to the church. Rev. Rowland Ayres, the present pastor, a na tive of Granby, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1841, was ordained January 12, 1848. Forty-two have been^added to the church during the present pastorate. The number of members now on the catalogue is 188. It will be seen from the above that this church has been in being nearly two centuries. Its present pastor is the ninth. In 1810, its fourth pastor was alive; and its fifth still survives. All the ministers who have died, save one, rest in the midst of those whom they served. The Second Religious Society was organized October 26, 1831, with 24 members. Its house of worship is loca ted at North Hadley, between three and four miles from that of the First Church, to which its members had previ ously belonged. Rev. Samuel M. Worcester, D. D., of Sa lem, then professor of Rhetoric and Oratory in Amherst College, became the first supply, and preached in a hall fitted up for that purpose. He was the principal means of building up the society. Rev. Philip Payson succeeded Dr. Worcester, and preached about three years. The meeting house was built in 1834, and dedicated in the Au tumn of that year. The first settled pastor was Rev. Eben ezer Brown, a graduate of Yale College in 1813, who was first settled in Prescott. He was installed April 8, 1835, and left in the Spring of 1838. He is now a minister in Illinois. For about two years after the dismissal of Mr. HADLEY. 225 Brown, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. David L. Hunn. The second pastor was Rev. Warren II. Beama^n, of Wen dell, a graduate of Amherst College in 1837. He com menced preaching in the Spring of 1840, was settled Sep tember 15, 1841, and is the present pastor. . Since the church was constituted, 211 persons have been connected with it, 110 of whom have been added during the ministry of the present pastor, and 130 of whom still remain con nected with the church. During 1854, a spire was put upon the meeting house, the pulpit re-modeled, the walls of the church painted in fresco, the house painted, and a new mode of warming introduced. The Russell, or Third religious Society was organized in 1841, with about 100 members. The meeting house is located on the East side of West street, not far from the site of the residence of Rev. John Russell, the first minis ter, from whom the Society takes its name. Rev. John Woodbridge, the first and present pastor, was installed February 16, 1842. The meeting house was built the same year, and dedicated on the 3d of November. John Webster, who took a leading part in the settlement of the town, was buried in the center burying ground, and a monument, with the following inscription, marks the spot: '¦' To the memory of John Webster, Esq, one of the first settlers of Hartford in Connecticut, who was many years a magistrate or assistant, and afterwards deputy governor of that colony, and in 1659, with three sonti, Robert, William aud Thomas, associated with . others in the purchase and settle ment of Hadley, where he died in 1665, this monument is erected in 1818, by his descendant, Noah Webster of Am herst." Samuel Porter, son of Samuel, was the first male child born in Hadley. He became sheriff of the county, and died in- 1722. It may be added that the commission of Justice of the Peace has been held in the Porter family, from the settlement of the town to the present time. Ben jamin Colt, a blacksmith, is said to have been the first ax and scythe maker in the county. He was grandfather of Col. Colt, of pistol notoriety. Samuel Porter, born April 15, 1765, represented the town 15 years in the Legisla ture, and was also member of the Senate and the Govern- 226 HADLEY. or's Council. Eleazer Porter, son of Eleazer, born 1728, graduated at Yale, 1748, made Justice of the Quorum 1777, and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in De cember of the same year, which office he held about twenty years: died May 27, 1797. Jonathan Edwards Porter, son of Eleazer, graduated at Harvard 1786 ; commenced the practice of law 1790, was distinguished in his profes sion, counsel for Halligan and Daly who were tried and executed for the murder of Marcus Lyon ; shot himself in Ithica, N. Y. Elisha Porter, brother of Judge Eleazer, born February 9, 1742, commanded a regiment in the early part of the Revolutionary War, was sheriff of the county for about 20 years, died May 29, 1796. Charles P. Phelps, graduated at Harvard 1791, has long been a prominent man in the town, has been Senator, and filled many other offices of public trust ; is now an inhab itant. — Giles C. Kellogg, son of Giles C, graduated at Yale 1800, admitted to the bar 1804, practiced until De cember, 1817, instructor in Hopkins Academy about 7 years, represented the town ten years in the Legislature, chosen Register of Deeds for Hampshire County in 1833, and continued in that office between twelve and thirteen years ; still an inhabitant. — Moses Porter, a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1820, Representative four years, is said to have settled more estates than any other man in Hampshire county : died May, 1854. — Joseph Smith, for the past two years has been one of the Senators from Hampshire county. — Hadley has furnished to the country some men of distinction. Among them may be mentioned the following: — John Porter, son of William, graduated at Williams College 1810, commenced the prac^ tice of Law in Auburn, N. Y., has been a member of both branches of the New York Legislature, has held the office of Surrogate, and is now the President of a manufacturing company in Auburn. — Worthington Smith, D. D., a grad uate of Williams College in 1816, is now President of Burlington College, Vt. — Parsons Cooke, D. D., a gradu ate of Williams College in 1822, settled in Ware village 1826, settled over the First Church in Lynn 1836, where he is now pastor, founder of the New England Puritan, and now senior editor of the Puritan Recorder. — Rev. Jeremiah Porter, born 1804, a graduate of Williams in HADLEY 227 1825, prominent as a home missionary, for a while mission ary at Green Bay, where he is now a settled pastor. — Col. Joseph Hooker, son of Joseph, a graduate at West Point, distinguished in the Mexican war, chief of Pillow's staff, commissioned as \Colonel in California, where he now re sides, having resigned his commission and retired, upon a competence, from military life. — William Porter, late dis trict attorney, a graduate of Williams in 1813, commenced the practice of law in Lenox, removed thence to Lee, where he died in 1852. — Charles P. Huntington, son of Rev. Dan, a graduate of Harvard in 1822, now a promi nent member of the Hampshire bar, resides in Northamp ton. — Rev. Frederick Dan Huntington, son of Rev. Dan, a graduate of Amherst in 1839, pastor of South Church, (Unitarian) Boston. There is no practicing lawyer in Hadley, and has not been for twenty years. The following physicians have practiced in the town — perhaps a few others : John Westcarr was the first, came to Hadley some time after 1663, died in 1676; William Squier ; John Barnard, settled in Hadley about 1708, was the only physician in the vicinity, died in 1726 ; Richard Crouch, a native of the Isle of Wight, came some time previous to 1750, died about 1762 ; Giles Crouch Kellogg, adopted son of Dr. Richard Crouch, born in Hadley, grad uated at Cambridge 1751, commenced practice of medicine soon after, died August, 1793 ; William Porter, born 1763, devoted much of his time to mercantile pursuits, traded. in the same store in Hadley for 60 years, and at his death in 1847, at the age of 84, left a larger estate than any previ ously left in town; Seth H. Rodgers came in 1796, prac ticed about ten years, died in Connecticut about 1808; Reuben Bell, a native of Warren, Mass., came about 1804, accumulated a large estate in the practice of his profession, died February, 1851, aged 72 ; Josiah Goodhue, a native of Dunstable, Mass., practiced until somewhat advanced in life in Vermont, was eminent in his profession, especially as a surgeon, at one time President of the Pittsfield Medi cal Institution ; Edward Dickinson, native of Hadley, for a while partner with Dr. Goodhue, left town about 1833, and is now a physician in Peoria, 111. ; Watson Loud, came about 1833, practiced 5 or 6 years, and is now at the 228 HADLEY. West ; Philemon Stacy, practiced about nine years ; Wil liam C. Bailey, Warren McCray, Moses Porter, William Huntington, Stephen G. Hubbard, now in New Haven, Ct. ; Addison Peck, now in California; Elam C. Knight, came in 1849, practiced about a year; William Lester, came in 1846, practiced about 3 years ; B. F. Smith, re moved to Amherst, and is now a partner with I. H. Tay lor ; Franklin Bonney, son of Oliver, studied medicine at Dartmouth, commenced practice 1847, is the only prac ticing physician now in town. From the settlement of the town, the majority of the in habitants have been devoted to agriculture, for which pur suit the town is one of the best in the State. In the pro duction of broom corn, and the manufacture of brooms, it has been the first in New England for many years. The number of brooms manufactured in 1845 was 599,369. The same year the town produced 503,859 lbs. of broom brush, 26,696 bushels of Indian corn, 485 bushels of wheat, 7,270 bushels of rye, 9,223 bushels of oats, and 10,082 bushels of potatoes. Since that time, the production of broom corn has probably decreased, owing to its production at the West, and its cheap transportation to Eastern markets. There are no manufactories of cotton or wool in the town. Fort River, in the South part of the town, has two, and Mill River, in the North, has three mill sites, where manufac turing of various kinds is carried on. Samuel and Elihu Dickinson, occupying the upper site, on Fort river, in Fort river district, have a new saw mill, in which they manu facture annually from 200,000 to 300,000 feet of lumber, turning works and shop where from 4,000 to 5,000 chil dren's wagons are made, and a tannery where 560 hides are cured. The lower site is occupied by West, Smith & Co., for sawing lumber, grinding grain and plaster, and manufacturing paper. A powerful steam engine is em ployed, in addition to their water power. The lumber mill of Joseph Adams & Sons, occupying the upper site on mill river, about two miles North-wester ly of Amherst College, in Plainville district, is the most extensive establishment of the kind in town. Between 5 and 600,000 feet of lumber are annually manufactured from logs, by two saws, one circular and the other upright. A lath machine turns out about 100,000 feet of strip lath, HATFIELD. 229 and three or four other circular saws and a jig saw, are used for various purposes. The establishment also em braces a planing machine, felloe machine, for making piece felloes, turning works and apparatus for steaming and bend ing wheel rims. The middle site on mill river, at North Hadley, is occu pied by the grist mill, plaster mill and saw mill of Smith & Granger, and the wire manufactory of Horace Lamb. The grist mill has three run of stones, and does a good custom business. From 100 to 150 tuns are annually ground in the plaster mill. The saw mill has an upright and circular saw for logs, in which are annually manufac tured from 4 to 500,000 feet of lumber. A lath machine is also connected. In the wire factory, from 8 to 10 tuns of broom wire are annually made, besides an amount of plated and piano wire, varying from year to year according to demand. The lower site on mill river, near the Connecticut, is occupied by a saw-mill with two upright saws, owned by Rufus Scott. There are ten school districts in the town, and the amount appropriated for their support in 1854 was $1,500 ; for a high school in connection with the Academy, $600 ; and for a high school at North Hadley, $300. The total amount raised by tax, for all purposes, except highways, was $7,452 71, and the rate of assessment was $6 30 on $1,000 of property; 469 polls $1 50 each. The town's share of the county tax was $1,321 56. The highway tax, usually paid in labor, was $700. The population of Had ley in 1840 was 1,840 ; in 1850, 1,941 ; increase in ten years, 101. HATFIELD. The first portion of the history of Hatfield will be found in the history of Hadley, of which it originally formed a part. With Hadley, it was settled in 1659, and, although it was municipally and ecclesiastically a portion of Hadley, it began at an early day to transact certain kinds of busi ness independently, in what were denominated " side meet ings," the " side" having reference to the opposite side of the river from tho center of jurisdiction. The incon veniences resulting from the necessity of ..crossing the 20 230 HATFIELD. river, to attend meetings, were felt from the first, and when the population had been somewhat increased, in the passage of a few years, they gave rise to a controversy which, at last, resulted in the establishment of the town of Hatfield. Petitions and manifestoes, almost without number, were sent to the General Court from both sides. A petition of the West side people, dated May 3, 1667, is a document as inlstructive as it is curious, and is copied entire, in which they show : " That, whereas it has pleased God to make you the fathers of this Commonwealth, and it hath pleased the Lord, by your great care and diligence under him, to continue our peace and plenty of outward things, and in a more especial manner the chiefest and principal of all, the Gospel of peace,- with the liberty of his Sabbaths, which mercies your humble petitioners desire to be thankful unto God and you for, that you are so ready and willing for to help those that stand in need of help, which hath encouraged us your humble peti tioners for to make this our address, petition and request, for relief in this our present distressed state and condition. '' First, your petitionersj together with their families within the bounds of Hadley town, upon the West side of the river, commonly called by the name of Connecticut river, where we for the most part have lived about 6 years, and have attended on God's ordinances on the other side of the river, at the appointed seasons that we could or durst to pass over the river, the passing being very difficult and dangerous, both in Summer and Winter, which thing hath proved and is an oppressive burden for us to bear, which, if by any lawful means it may be avoided, we should be glad and thankful to this honored court to ease us therein, conceiving it to be a palpable breach of the Sabbath, although it be a maxim in law : nemo debet esse judex in propria causa, yet, by the Word of God to us, it is evidently plain to be a breach of the Sab bath : Ex. xxxv : 2 ; Levit. xxiii : 3, yet many times we are forced to it; for we must come at the instant of time, be the season how it will. Sometimes we come in considerable numbers in rainy weather, and are forced to stay till we can empty our canoes, that are half full of water, and before we can get to the meeting house, are wet to the skin. At other times, in Winter season, we are forced to cut and work them out of the ice, till our shirts be wet upon our backs. At other times, the winds are high and waters rough, the current strong and the waves ready to swallow us — our vessels tossed up and down so that our women and children do screech, and are so affrighted that they are made unfit for ordinances, and HATFIELD. 231 cannot, hear so as to profit by them, by reason of their anguish of spirit: and when they return, some of them are more fit for their- beds than for family duties and God's services, which they ought to attend. " In verity and brevity, our difficulties and dangers that we undergo are to us extreme and intolerable ; oftentimes some of us have fallen into the river through the ice, and had they not had better help than themselves, they had been drowned. Sometimes we have been obliged to carry others when they have broken in, to the knees as they have carried them out, and that none hitherto hath been lost, their lives are to be attributed to the care and mercy of God. "There is about four score and ten persons on our side the river, that are capable of receiving good by ordinances, but it is seldom that above half of them can go to attend, 'what through the difficulty of passage and staying at home by turns and warding, some being weak and small which, notwith standing, if the means were on .our side the river, they might have the benefit of the ordinances which now they are de prived of to the grief of us all. Further, when we do go over the river, we leave our relatives and estates lying on the out side of the colony, joining to the wilderness, to be a prey to the heathen, when they see their opportunity. Yet, notwith standing, our greatest anxiety and pressure of spirit is that the Sabbath, which should be kept by us holy to the Lord, is spent with such unavoidable distractions, both of the niind and of the body. And for the removing of this, we unani mously have made our address to our brethren and friends on the other side of the river, by a petition that they would be pleased to grant us liberty to be a society of ourselves, and that we might call a minister to dispense the word of God to us/ but this, by them, would not be granted, although, in the month of June, in the year 1665, it was agreed and voted, at a town meeting, that when the West side had a call of God thereto, they might be a society of themselves. We sent a second time to them, entreating that according to said agree ment they would grant our request to put it to a hearing, but they will not, so that we, your humble petitioners, have no other way or means, that we know of, but to make our hum ble address to this honored court for relief, in this our dis tressed state', humbly praying this honored court to vouchsafe your poor petitioners that favor as to be a society of ourselves, and have liberty to settle a minister to dispense the ordi nances of the Lord unto us, which we hope will, be for the furtherance of the work of the Lord amongst us, and for our peace and safety. Not that we desire to make any breach among the brethren, for to attain our desires, nor yet to hinder the great work of the Lord amongst us, but that which we aim 232 HATFIELD. at is the contrary. Thus, committing our cause to God and this honored court, and all other your weighty affairs, we leave to the protection and guidance of the Almighty, which. is the prayer of your humble petitioners. " TJiomas Meekins, Sr,, Wm. Allis, John Coule, Sr., Isaac Graves, Richard Billing, Wm. Gull, Samuel Belden, John Graves, Daniel Warner, Daniel White, John Welles, Nathan iel Dickinson, Jr. Eleazer Frary, Samuel Billing, Samuel Dickinson, Thomas Meekins, Jr., Samuel Kelog, Barnabas Hinsdell, John Allis, Obadiah Dickinson, Samuel Gillet, John Field, John Coule, Jr., Ursula Fellows, Mary Field." The last two signatures were by the widows of Richard Fellows and Zachariah Field, who owned estates left them by their husbands, recently deceased in the settlement Besides them, John White, Jr., and Stephen Taylor had died. The names of John Coleman', Benjamin Wait, Sam uel Allis and Philip Russell do not appear on the list of signatures, but they must have been residents then, or very soon afterwards. These comprise the names of all the residents of the place, at or about that period. There were " four score and ten souls," capable of receiving good from the " ordinances," and this number doubtless covered - every one but those who were invalid, or extremely young. Of the causes and elements of the controversy, the petition itself is sufficiently instructive, without further illustration. The people were determined to provide themselves with preaching, whether a division were effected or not. In a side meeting, held Nov. 6, 1668, a committee was chosen to provide a boarding place for a minister during the win ter, and to arrange for his comfortable maintenance. On the same day, a committee was chosen to draw up a-list of all the timber suitable for building a meeting house 30 feet square, to proportion out the work to each man, and to call on men to fall timber, or do any other work in connection with the project. On the 21st of November, the " side" chose Thomas Meekins, Senr., William Allis and Isaac . Graves a committee to procure a minister. On the 17th of May, 1669, the side voted, or "manifested," as they formed their action, that they were willing to call Rev. Hope Atherton to the ministry, and the committee -above mentioned were authorized to offer him £50 a year, as salary. Mr. Atherton had doubtless been preaching on trial for some months. The first reference to the forma- HATFIELD. 233 lion of a new town occurs in the record of a meeting held Dec. 16, 1669, when a committee was chosen to go over the river, to see about disposing of the land yet undis posed of on the West side, or to compass that end " by making us a town of ourselves." On the 11th of \ May, 1670, the long struggle was concluded by the incorpora tion of Hatfield as a town, and then the people went on "unobstructedly in their work. On the succeeding 25th of November, Mr. Atherton having accepted the call extended to him, the town granted to him the ministerial allotment in the meadow, and a homelot of eight acres, and voted to build for him a sufficient dwelling house, and to allow him £60 a year as salary, two thirds to be paid in good mer chantable wheat, and one third in pork, with this provision : " If our crops fall so short that we cannot pay in kind, then we are to pay him in the next best pay we have." Cer tain sums were also to be returned to the town in case Mr. Atherton did not remain as long as he lived. The first town meeting was held August 8, 1670. The other important facts in the organization of the town, [See vol. 1, p. 69,] in relation to the connection of Hatfield with the Indian wars, [See vol. 1, pp. 105, 126, 134,] and with the Shays rebellion a century later, [See vol. 1, pp. 231, 237,] have all been narrated in the Outline History." On the 14th of February, 1670, a committee was chosen to view a piece of ground for a burying place, upon the plain " near to Thomas Meekins' land, and the Southwest side of mill river." This was before the formation of the town, and the " side" agreed that it should be 20 'rods long Easterly and Westerly, and 8 rods", Northerly and South erly. This is the locality of the present old burial ground. The date of the formation of the church is not precisely known. It is given generally as 1670, but we find that on the 21st of January, 1671, a fast was held in view of the great work of " setting up the ordinances ;" also that, on the 26th of the same month, the town voted that all the members of other churches who were residents should "be those to begin in gathering the church," and that they should have power to choose three persons, to make up nine, to join in the work. There were thus but six actual church members in .the town. That the church was organized and the minister ordained within a few days after this there is 20* 234 HATFIELD. little doubt, and this would throw the date of the organiza tion among the first days of 1671. Hatfield, from the first, manifested a decided disposition to look after its own interests, and it looked after them well. At a later day, in 1695, the town secured a grant of land six miles long and three miles wide, which was entirely divided up among the inhabitants, and which, at present, with little if any variation of boundary, forms the town of Williamsburg. By purchase of the Indians, the original boundaries of Hatfield contained both that town and Whately. The life of Mr. Atherton was brief. He never fully re covered from the hardships endured in the retreat from the memorable Fall$ Fight, [See vol. 1, p. 125,] he acting as the chaplain of the expedition, and becoming lost 'on his way home. He was a son of Humphrey Atherton of Dor chester, and had for brothers and sisters the nominal rep resentatives of all the graces and virtues, viz. ; Rest, In crease, Thankful, Consider, Watching and Patience, his own name being Hope, — latinized into " Sperantius," in the Harvard University catalogue, of which institution he was a graduate in 1665. He died in June, 1679. He was succeeded by Rev. Nathaniel Chauncey, of Scituate, a graduate of Harvard in 1661. He was the son of Charles Chauncey, the second president of Harvard College. Mr. Chauncey remained the pastor until his death, which oc curred November 4th, 1685. Rev. William Williams, of Newton, a graduate of Harvard College in 1683, was the next minister, and was settled in 1686. Mr. Williams mar ried Christian, daughter of Rev. Solomon Stoddard, of Northampton, by whom he had a family of distinguished sons, and after a long pastorate, died August 31, 17(41. During the year previous to his death, Rev. Timothy Wood- bridge, a graduate of Yale College in 1732, was installed as his colleague. The following inscription is on his tomb stone : " In memory of Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, for thirty years the pastor of "the Church of Christ in the town of Hatfield. This man of God who called on the Lord out of a pure heart, followed after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness ; apt to teach, charitable and gentie to all men, departed this life on the 3d of June, 1770, in the 58th year of his age." Mr. Woodbridge's successor HATFIELD. 235 was Rev. Joseph Lyman, D. D., of Lebanon, Ct, who grad uated at Yale in 1767, and was ordained March 4th, 1772. He had been previously a tutor in Yale College, and was subsequently an original member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and President of the same. He was an ardent patriot in the Revolution, and a man of great influence and ability. He died March 27th, 1828, and was succeeded by Rev. Jared B. Waterbury of New York, a graduate of Yale in 1822, who was settled January 10th, 1827, and dismissed February 24th, 1829. Rfev. Levi Pratt, of Cummington, a graduate of Amherst College in 1826, was ordained June 23d, 1830, and dis missed May 9th, 1835. Rev. Henry Neill, a graduate of Amherst College, was ordained in his place April 16th, 1840, and dismissed April 15th, 1846. Rev. Jared O. Koapp, the present pastor, was his successor, and was in stalled December 11th, 1850. The second meeting-house was erected in 1750, and the corner stone of the present structure laid May 23d, 1849. This is and has been the only church organization in the town. In the Revolutionary struggle, many influential men in the town sympathized with the mother country, but they were decidedly in the minority. At a town meeting held on the. 12th of August, 1775, it was voted that Col. Israel Williams, Mr. William Williams, Capt. Elijah Allis, Lt. Samuel Partridge, Lt. Daniel Billing, Ensign Elijah Dick inson and Reuben Belden, or any other persons in the town whom the Committee of Correspondence and Safety might suspect of being inimical to their country, should be requested to sign a declaration, renouncing and condemning the authority of Gen. Gage, and promising to join the coun try in the defense of its rights and liberties. It was also voted that if these" men should refuse to sign the declara tion within seven days, they should be proceeded against by the committee, in accordance with the recommendation of the Provincial Congress, and that the town would assist the committee if, it needed assistance. At a town meeting held June 24, 1776, it was voted to instruct their represen tatives to advise the delegates in the provincial Congress, from this colony, thaj, should they declare the eolonies, in dependent of Great Britain, the people of Hatfield would sustain them with their lives and fortunes, To recount 236 HATFIELD. the sacrifices made by Hatfield in the Revolutionary crisis would be but a repetition of a glorious story, already many times told, in regard to its neighbors. Among the natives of Hatfield who have perpetuated their names by their deeds, Oliver Smith has, without doubt, taken the best care of his. He was born in Jan uary, 1776, and by a remarkable faculty for money making, amassed an immense fortune in his quiet native village — larger than any other man who has lived there. He died on the 22d of December, 1845, in the eightieth year of his age, leaving an estate inventoried at $370,000. His wril, of which Austin Smith was made the sole executor, de voted the large mass of this property to various charitable uses, to be managed by a board of three trustees to be chosen by electors, themselves elected annually, one each, in the towns of Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield, Amherst, Williamsburg, Deerfield, Greenfield, and Whately. To this board of trustees was committed $200,000, to be held until it should amount to $400,000, and at the end of that time, to be divided into three funds — one of $30,000 for an agricultural school in Northampton, one of $10,000 for the American Colonization Society, and one of $360,000 for other purposes. The Agricultural School Fund was to ac cumulate until sixty years after his decease, and then be devoted to the establishment of " Smith's Agricultural School." The income of the Colonization Fund is to be paid over annually to the Colonization Society. The fund of $360,080 is to be devoted to indigent boys, indigent female children, indigent young women, and indigent widows,- within the towns above specified, under certain conditions, which are almost uniformly wise, and which be tray, in the testator, a keenness of observation and a sound ness of judgment that mark him as something much higher than a simple man of money. In fact, his project is a mag* nificent one, and very thoroughly elaborated. Hatfield has been noted, almost from the earliest times, for the number and excellence of its fat cattle, as an annual production. Its reputation in this respect extends back more than 150 years. There are about 500 head fattened every year. With the sister town of Hadley, it also pro duces large quantities of broom corn, much of the stock being worked up in the town. The number of brooms HUNTINGTON. 237 turned out in 1853 was 530,400; brushes, 211,200 ; tuns of broom corn used, 360. The value of the stock used is $70,860; value o»production, $120,080. There are 90 hands employed in 13 manufa.'%gjies. There is also a man ufactory of husk mattresses, were about $4,000 worth of material was used in 1853. The number of school districts in the the town is five, including a double district in the central village. In 1854, $1000 was raised for the support of schools. The total amount of taxation was $3,500. The town covers an area of, 20 square miles,. and has 240 ratable polls. .Population in 1840, 915 ; in 1850, 1,071 ; increase in ten years, 156. HUNTINGTON. Huntington was originally a part of Murrayfield, which township formed No. 9 of the ten townships sold by order of the General Court in 1762. The principal part of old Murrayfield is now Chester. The first settlement upon the territory of Huntington was made about 1760, by an Indian family of the name of Rhodes, who planted them selves about two miles above the Pitcher Bridge (so called) on Westfield River. Afterwards came Wm. Mil ler, who settled still further North, near the South line of Worthington. Caleb Fobes settled near "Norwich Bridge," (so called) and, in 1767, John Kirkland and oth ers, from Norwich, Connecticut, came in, and, with such numbers and-influence, that the name of their old resi dence was transferred to the new, and retained until 1855, when it was changed to Huntington, as will hereafter be noticed. Religious meetings were first held on the Sabbath, at the house of Mr. Caleb Fobes. The first meeting house was subsequently erected, about ten rods South-easterly of the present one. The first Congregational Church was organ ized in July, 1778, by Rev. Messrs. Jonathan Judd of Southampton, Jonathan Huntington of Worthington, and Aaron Bascpm of Chester. It consisted of the following persons : William Miller and Elizabeth his wife, Samuel Knight and Betsey his wife, Thomas Converse and wife, John Kirkland, Samuel Warner, Joseph Park, Jonathan Ware, John Griswold, Edmund Bancroft, and a few others whose names are not preserved. John Kirkland and Jon- 238 HUNTINGTON. athan Ware were appointed the first deacons of the church. No pastor was settled for several years. The first was Rev. Stephen Tracy of Norwich, Ct,«a graduate of the College of New Jersey '^tt770. He was installed May 23, 1781, and was dismisso4 January 1, 1799. He was succeeded October 17th, of the saise -voar, by Rev. Benja min R. Woodbridge of South Hadley, 3, graduate of Dart mouth in 1795. He resigned June 28, 1831. His suc cessor was Rev. Samuel Russell of Bow, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1821. He was settled September 3, 1832, and dismissed January 1, 1835 ; and died on the 27th of the same month. Rev. Alvah C. Page, a graduate of Amherst in 1829, succeeded him, and was settled January 1, 1835, the date of Mr. Russell's dismissal. He was dis missed July 20, 1836, and was succeeded February 23, 1842, by Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright, who was dismissed in May, 1848, and is now chaplain of the State Alms House in Monson. Rev. John R. Miller, formerly of Williams burg, and now of Suffield, Ct., was installed in Mr. Wright's place on the day of his dismissal, and was dismissed De cember 19, 1853. Rev. John H. M. Leland of Amherst, the present pastor, was settled June 15, 1854. Huntington was incorporated as, a district with the name of Norwich June 29, 1773. A copy of the act of incor poration describes its boundaries, (in language about as intelligible as the lines indicated,) as follows : " Beginning at the South-west corner of ingersoll's Grant, so called, and thence extending on the West line of said Grant, until it comes to Lot No. 1 in the second division of lots owned by John Chadler brg. from thence a Straight line to the South West corner of Lot No. sixteen, and from thence, running on -the East line of said lot, and on the East lines of lots No. fifteen, twenty-eight and twenty-nine, until it comes to the South West corner of Chesterfield." The settlement had just been organized into a district when the Revolutionary period came on, yet among the first votes recorded are those relating to preparations for throwing off the rule of the mother country. The terrible orthography with which these votes are clothed can hardly add interest enough to them to repay the trouble of tran- cription, but the first is copied verbatim et literatim : HUNTINGTON. 239 " The Proseding of Norwich in forming their Military Com pany, and choice of^officers. Norwich September 28, 1774. " At a Laguel Meeting of the Inhabitants of Norwich, after a Moderator ware chosen, the Resolves of the County Con gress were read. " Voted that it was Proper at this Critical Day to form into a Military Company for learning the Art of Military. 2 ly, Voted that the sixth of October be the Day Purposed, and that Capt. Ebenezer Geer be desired to atend to Lead us to the choice of Military Officers, the above votes ware past. " test John Kirtland " Clark of Norwich." Accordingly, on the 6th day of October, the inhabitants met, and 36 individuals signed an agreement to form them selves into a " Militar Artillery Company," and to treat the officers whom they might choose " with proper respeet, as if put in by authority." John Kirkland, the district clerk, was chosen captain, David Scott Lieutenant, and Ebenezer King, Ensign. A Committee of Correspondence was chosen Jan. 3, 1775, in compliance with the request of the Provincial Congress. Among the instructions given to this Committee was the following : " said Committee are further enjoined by this body to take all possible methods to suppress disorder, and that every person shall be fairly heard before he is condemned, that we may enjoy our interest and property Pesably and live as Christians." The votes responding to requisitions for supplies are in the usual number and form. During the Shays Rebellion, a party of insurgents visited the town, and took Capt. Samuel Kirkland prisoner, and marched him off towards Northampton, but finally released him. In 1853, the old town of Norwich received an important addition to its territory and population at Chester Village, for the particulars of which the reader is referred to the history of Chester, vol. II. pages 36 and 37. The annex ation of this territory was the result of a long struggle, and many who were thus thrown within the lines of old Norwich were not satisfied with the name of the town. Accordingly, in 1855, a successful effort was made to have the name changed to Huntington, in honor of Charles P. Huntington of Northampton, and the bill changing the name was signed by Gov. Gardner on the 9th of March, of that year. 240 MIDDLEFIELD. The manufacturing establishments of Huntington are mostly embraced by that portion which -comes within the limits of Chester Village, and which are, for convenience, noticed in the history of Chester, to which town they origi nally belonged. The town is almost entirely agricultural in its industrial pursuits, the land being particularly adapted to grazing. E. and T. Ring of Knightsville employ 15 hands in the manufacture of willow wagons, children's sleds, &c. Moses Hannum employs five hands in the manufac ture of axes, with a product of 300 dozen annually. The number of school districts in the town is 7. The amount raised by tax in 1854 was $2,200, of which $600 was appropriated for schools, and $450 for highways. The population of Huntington in 1840 was 746 ; in 1850, 757 ; increase in ten years, 11. The population has since been increased by the addition of a portion of Chester. MIDDLEFIELD. Prior to the year 1783, the present town of Middlefield comprised a part of several towns. Hence, the date of the first settlement within its limits is not positively known, but it was probably about the year 1773, when two families — Rhodes and Taggart — made the first clearing. They were soon followed by other families, the land being bought and settled principally by emigrants from Connecticut. Among the early settlers were John Ford, Samuel Taylor, Solo mon Ingham, Thomas Bolton, James Dickson, Zera Wright, Malachi Loveland, Amasa Graves, Thomas and Enos Blos som, Uriah Church, David Mack, William Church, Elisha Mack, Ephraim Sheldon, Eliakim Wardwell, James Noon ey, Samuel and John Jones, and John Newton. The disadvantages arising from living so remote from the center of the respective towns to which the inhabitants be longed, induced them early to take measures for an act of incorporation. Col. David Mack, having well defined, in his own raind, the boundaries of a new town, called a meet ing at his house, to consider the subject. He offered to undertake the business of obtaining an act of incorpora tion on this condition : if successful, the town should refund his expenses. The enterprise proved successful, and the South-west corner of Worthington, the North corner of Murrayfield, (now Chester,) the North-east corner of Beck- MIDDLEFIELD. 241 et, the South side of Partridgefield, (now Peru,) a part of Washington, and the land called Prescott's Grant, were, by an act of the Legislature, incorporated into a town called Middlefield, March 12, 1783. At the time of Shays' Insurrection, many of the people favored the movement. A requisition was sent to Capt. David Mack, (afterwards Colonel,) to appear at Spring field with a certain number of his men, and join the Gov ernment forces. He accordingly drafted his men, and gave orders for their appearance at his house the next morning, prepared to march ; but, in the meantime, the company appointed new officers, and declared in favor of the insur gents. Early on the morning appointed for marching, they surrounded and entered his house, declaring him a " pris oner of war." Capt. Mack, after exerting himself to the utmost to persuade the men to desist from their course of folly and treason, asked for a furlough of three days, which they granted. At their request, he wrote it, and having procured the signatures of the newly appointed officers, he put the interesting document in his pocket, and hastened to Springfield. On his arrival, he immediately repaired to head quarters, and presented himself to Gen. Shepard, to whom he exhibited his furlough. After examining it, Gen. Shepard said : " Capt. Mack, as you have no men to fight with, you may go home ; we shall immediately attend to the men who have signed this paper." They were soon arrested and placed in Northampton jail. Another inter esting incident connected with the insurrection will be found recorded in vol. 1, p. 267. The first town meeting was held at Col. Mack's house. At this meeting, the sum of £30 was raised " to support the gospel," and the meetings were held in Col. Mack's house, or barn. As yet they had no settled minister. In 1791, the first meeting house was erected. William Church and Malachi Loveland were the builders. This was con sidered a great undertaking by the mere handful of set tlers, and drew heavily upon their purses; but, believing it their duty to erect a house of worship, they set their hands to the work, and erected a commodious and substantial church. They were that season blessed with great pros perity. A most abundant harvest followed, and the people were often heard to say that they believed themselves no 21 242 MIDDLEFIELD. poorer for their sacrifice of money and labor. This was for many years the only house of worship in the town, there being but one Society, which was of the Congrega tional order. On the 3lst of October, 1792, the first min ister, Rev. Jonathan Nash of South Hadley, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1789, was ordained, the people happily unit ing in his settlement. He was dismissed from his pas toral charge over the Congregational Church at his own re quest, on account of age and infirmities, July 11, 1832, and the same day Rev. Samuel Parker was ordained. Mr. Parker was a native of Ashfield, and a graduate of Wil liams College in 1806. He was dismissed at his own re quest, May 23, 1833. Rev. John H. Bisbee of Chester field, a graduate of Union College in 1831, was ordained February 20, 1834, and dismissed at his own request in 1838. June 18, 1839, Rev. Edward Clark was ordained, and dismissed at his own request in 1852. June 28, 1854, .Rev. Moody Harrington, the present pastor, was installed. The first deacons of the Congregational Church were Mal achi Loveland and Daniel Chapman. The Society has a fund of $2,000, $1,500 of which was the gift of the late David Mack, and $500, the gift, by will, of Sarah Dick son. In 1847, the Society, at considerable expense, re modeled and thoroughly repaired their house of worship. The Baptist Society was organized July 23, 1817. The first pastor, Rev. Isaac Childs, was ordained June 10, 1818, and dismissed in 1828, at his own request Rev. Erastus Andrews was ordained May 20, 1829. Cullen Townsend was ordained June 29, 1831. He was succeeded by the following pastors : — Rev. Henry Archibald in 1832, Rev. Isaac Hall in 1836, Rev. Orson Spencer in 1837, Rev. Farando Bestor in 1841, Rev. Volney Church in 1848. Rev. Orlando Cunningham, the present pastor, was settled in 1850. The Society, though small at first, has been steadily increasing in numbers, and is now in a prosperous condition. In 1846 it erected a new and commodious house of worship. David Mack was the first merchant in the tgwn. He went twice a year to Westfield, to purchase an assortment of goods, the greater portion of which he transported home upon the back of his horse. Those who have read the tract entitled "The Faithful Steward," will recognize the MIDDLEFIELD. 243 name of this man. He was a man whose means of early education were so limited that he attended school with his own children, and spelled in a class with his six-years-old son, who was once very proud of "getting above his father." He began life extremely poor, yet he amassed a goodly wealth, nearly all of which he expended in carrying forward works of benevolence. He became a man of great influence, was much in public office, and died, at last, full of years and honors, at the age of 94. His integrity was never questioned, his christian character was always re vered, and so pure an example was his life that, in the form of a narrative, with the above title, it has been diffused in immense numbers, through the agency of the American Tract Society. The soil of Middlefield, though not well adapted to till age, is well suited to grazing. Much attention has been paid to the raising of fine wool, and no pains or expense have been spared to perfect the quality of the staple. The number of fine wooled sheep kept is about ten thousand. A good deal of attention is also paid to the rearing of fine cattle. No efforts have been spared in this department, and the native breed has entirely disappeared, by numerous crossings with thorough bred stock. The first grist mill was built by Mr. John Ford, about the year 1780. The first woolen mill was built by Uriah Church Jr., about the year 1821. Previous to this, there was a mill for dressing woolen cloth, owned by Ambrose Church. Several years subsequently, a woolen mill was built by Amasa Blush, who, in connection with his sons, manufactured broadcloth for a number of years. In 1844, a woolen mill was built by William D. Blush, and the man ufacture of cloths was carried on for several years by dif ferent persons. In 1850, the mill was totally destroyed by fire. In 1849, a woolen mill was built by U. Church and Sons. At present, there are two woolen mills in operation, i owned by S. U. Church & Bro's. who manufacture about 65,000 yards of broadcloth annually. In 1845, the first paper mill was built, by John Mann. The article manu factured was coarse wrapping paper. In 1851, a new mill was built on the same site, by Buckley, Brothers, of New York city, by whom the business is still carried on. One tun of the best wall paper is manufactured daily. , 244 NORTHAMPTON. In the Eastern section of the town are two extensive quarries of soap-stone. These are owned by the Metro politan Soapstone Company, of New York city, incor porated in 1853, with a capital of $200,000, which has lately been increased to $300,000. About one hundred tuns per week are sent to market. As fire 3tone, it has re markable qualities. It is principally sent to New York, where it is used for building and a variety of other pur poses. [See vol. 1, p. 370.] The number of school districts is eleven ; amount of money raised for the support of schools, $500 ; amount raised to repair highways, $600. Of persons who have obtained notoriety in the scientific and literary world, Prof. Ebenezer Emmons of Albany, N. Y., a native of Middle- field, stands foremost. Middlefield possesses advantages for manufacturing, there being many excellent water-power privileges unoccupied. There is neither town or society debt. The population of the town in 1840 was 1,395 ; in 1850, 692 ; decrease in ten years, 703, a falling off to be accounted for by the fact that in 1840 there was quite a large population of Irish,— laborers on the Western Rail road who left the town as soon as the construction of that road was completed. NORTHAMPTON* The history of the settlement of Northampton has been given in full detail in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, pp. 45-53.] At the time it was settled, it formed with Spring field the whole of Western Massachusetts, so far as civil ized life was concerned. A brief recapitulation of early events is all that will be attempted in opening the history. A petition was presented to the General Court for liberty to plant, and the liberty was granted to plant Nonotuck, in 1653. The place was settled in the following year. The land was purchased for the settlers, of the Indians, by John Pynchon of Springfield. In 1655, the new plantation elected " townsmen," or selectmen. The first meeting house was erected the same year, and was used for meetings until 1662, when it was converted into a school house, and a new meeting house of larger dimensions erected in its place. In 1665, the first board of -magistrates, consisting of William Holton, Thomas Bascom and Edward Elmore NORTHAMPTON. 245 was appointed by the General Court. Mr. Eleazer Mather of Dorchester was ordained as the first pastor on the 18th of June, 1661. The original petitioners for liberty to plant and settle at Nonotuck were Edward Elmore, Richard Smith, John Gil bert, William Miller, John Allen, Richard Wekley, James Burnham, Matthias Foot, (or Trott,) Thomas Root, Wil liam Clark, Joseph Smith, John Stedman, Jonathan Smith, Wm. Holton, Robert Bartlett, John Cole, Nicholas Ackley, John Webb, Thomas Stedman, Thomas Bird, Wm. Janes, John North, Joseph Bird and James Bird. Of these, only eight ever settled there, viz., Elmore, Miller, Root, Clark, Holton, Bartlett, Webb and Janes. At a proprietors' meeting held at Springfield, Oct. 3, 1653, only ten of the petitioners were present, but in place of the missing ones were ten new men, who had joined, or proposed to join, the company, viz., Giles Whiting, William Felle, George Alex ander, John Bailey, John King, Thomas Bascom, Henry Curtis, John Broughton, Wm. Hannum and Thomas Grid- ley. But of these, only six or seven settled at Nonotuck; Within the first four years of the existence of the settle ment, the following individuals, who have descendants still living in the town, came in : Robert Bartlett, Richard and John' Lyman, James Bridgman, Thomas Bascom, Thomas Root, Alexander Edwards, Samuel Wright, Wm. Miller, John King, Isaac Sheldon, Samuel Allen, Joseph Parsons, Wm. Hannum, Wm. Hulbert, Nathaniel Phelps and John Stebbins. In the succeeding four years, (from 1658 to 1662,) came Edward Baker, Alexander Alvord, Rev. Eleazer Mather, Wm. Clark, Henry Woodward, Enos Kingsley, Aaron Cook, John Strong, Medad Pomeroy, Jonathan Hunt and John Searle. After these came Pre served Clap, Israel Rust, Rev. Solomon Stoddard, Robert Danks, Samuel Judd, Thomas Judd and Mark Warner. Mr. Mather, the first minister of Northampton, died on the 24th of July, 1669. He was succeeded by Rev. Solo mon Stoddard. Mr. Stoddard was born in Boston, in 1643, and graduated at Cambridge in 1662. His ordina tion at Northampton took place Sept. 11, 1672, where he preached for nearly 55 years before he had a colleague. He was a man of great learning and influence, and made his mark upon the theological mind and policy of the day. 21* 246 NORTHAMPTON. He was the champion of the " Stoddardean doctrine," which^doctrine, in brief, was that the Lord's table should be accessible to all persons not immoral in their lives, that the power of receiving and censuring members is vested ex clusively in the elders of the church, and that synods have power to excommunicate and to deliver from church cen sures. His views in regard to the Lord's Supper were the basils^of a religious controversy that was felt throughout New England, and on one side or the other nearly every minister placed himself, and defended his position. He married the widow of his predecessor, and by her had a son, Col. John Stoddard, who in his time stood the foremost man in Western Massachusetts, and of whom a more par ticular notice will be given. Mr. Stoddard died Feb. 11, 1729. Rev. Jonathan Edwards [of whom a notice has already been given in the history of the Stockbridge Indians, vol. 1, pp. 168-9,] was settled as colleague pastor with Mr. Stoddard Feb. 15, 1727. Mr. Edwards was a native of East_Windsor, Conn., and a graduate of Yale College in 1720. After the death of Mr. Stoddard, he became the sole pastor, and continued thus until June 22d, 1750, when he was dismissed. The causes operating to bring about his dismissal were his opposition to the promi nent doctrine of his predecessor, and certain disciplinary measures to which he had resorted, and to which his church was unaccustomed. His dismission produced a wide com motion among the churches. His religious and philosophi cal works are an enduring monument to his eminent genius and piety. At Northampton, he was a most successful minister. The fourth minister of Northampton was Rev. John Hooker, a descendant of Rev. Thomas Hooker of Hart ford. He was a native of Farmington, Ct, and a graduate of Yale College-in 1751. He was settled at Northampton, Dec. 5th, 1753. After a ministry of about 23 years, he died Feb. 6th, 1779, at the age of 48. " He was an able minister, of uncommon suavity of temper and the most engaging manners." Both he and Mr. Edwards died of the small-pox, the former in New Jersey, and the latter in a small-pox hospital in Easthampton. Mr. Hooker was succeeded by Rev. Solomon Williams, who was a native of East Hartford, Ct., and a graduate of Yale College in NORTHAMPTON. 247 1770. He was settled June 5th, 1778, and died Nov. 9th, 1834, at the age of 82, having been a pastor 56 years. It is a singular fact, and one which is doubtless without a parallel, that the great grandfather, the grandfather, the father and the son — Mr. Williams himself— each preached his half century sermon. In the latter part of his life, he was assisted by several colleagues, but while he was sole pastor he received more than nine hundred members into the church, a fact which of itself testifies alike to his emi nent faithfulness and success. Rev. Mark Tucker, D. D., was installed as the colleague of Mr. Williams, March 10th, 1824. Dr. Tucker was a native of the state of New York, and a graduate of Union College. He was dismissed Aug. 16th, 1827, and now resides in Wethersfield, Ct. He was succeeded Sept. 11th, 1828, by Rev. Ichabod S. Spencer, D. D., who was then installed as the colleague of Mr. Williams, but he remained only until March 12, 1832. He is now settled in Brooklyn, N. Y. Rev. Joseph Penney, D. D., succeeded Dr. Spencer, as the colleague of Mr. Williams, June 5th, 1833, and was dismissed Nov. 24th, 1835. Dr. Penney was a native of the North of Ireland, was educated at Glasgow, and now resides in Michigan.- Rev. Charles Wiley of New York, was ordained as the pastor of the church, Nov. 8th, 1837,' and resigned his pastorate in February, 1845. Rev. E. Y. Swift,- of Chillicothe, Ohio, was invited to succeed him, Oct. 7th, 1845, and resigned Sept 15th, 1851. His suc cessor was the present pastor, Rev. John P. Cleaveland of Providence, who was settled in the early part of 1853. In 1824, movements were commenced, looking to the separation of the Second Congregational or Unitarian So ciety from the First Church and Society. The first time this body held separate worship was on the 5th of Decem ber, 1824, when Rev. Mr. Peabody, of Springfield, preached. On the following Sabbath, Rev. Mr. Hunting ton of Hadley performed that office. The 2d Congrega tional Society was organized Feb. 22d, 1825, and Judge Hinckley, Christopher Clarke and Judge Howe were cho sen a committee to engage the services of Rev. Edward Brooks Hall, for the succeeding six months. He had been preaching for them then, since January. At the same time, measures were taken to build a meeting house. -On 248 NORTHAMPTON. the 22d of June following, the society invited Mr. Hall to become the pastor. He accepted the call, but was not in stalled until Aug. 16th, 1826, having beeh obliged to spend the winter at the South on account of ill health. The new house of worship was dedicated Dec. 7th, 1825, Rev. Henry Ware, of Boston, preaching the dedicatory sermon. Mr. Hall was dismissed at his own request, Dec. 23d, 1829. During his ministry, a flourishing church and so ciety was built up. On the 9th of November, 1831, Rev. Oliver Stearns was ordained in his place, and was dismissed March 31st, 1839. Rev. John Sullivan Dwight succeeded him March 20th, 1840, and his connection with the society was closed during the summer of 1841. Rev. Rufus El lis was ordained June 7th, 1843, and his ministry extend ed through a period of ten years. He was dismissed May 1st, 1853, having been settled during a longer period than any of his predecessors. Since his- withdrawal, the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. Dr. Ingersoll, of Keene, N. H. One hundred and eighteen have been admitted to mem bership in the church. Dr. Hall was settled in Providence soon after he left Northampton, where he still remains. Rev. Mr. Stearns is the pastor of a church in Hingham, Mr. Dwight is editor of the Musical Review, and the first musical critic in America, and Rev. Mr. Ellis is pastor of the First Church in Boston. Among those originally con nected with the society were Judge Hinckley, Judge Jo seph Lyman, Judge Howe, Judge C. E. Forbes, Hon. J. H. Ashmun, Christopher Clark, C. P. Huntington, Eben ezer Hunt, and other gentlemen of mark and eminence. The Edwards Church, orthodox Congregational, was organized Jan. 17th, 1833, and on the 29th of the same month, Rev. John Todd, a native of Rutland, Vt., and a graduate of Yale College in 1822, was installed as the first pastor. The church was formed by a body going off from the first, or old church, consisting of 42 males and 51 females. Dr. Todd remained only until Sept. 26th, 1836, .when he was dismissed, to take charge of a church in Philadelphia, from which he subsequently removed to Pittsfield in this State, where he still remains, maintaining the character of one of the most distinguished divines in Western Massachusetts. He is widely known by his pub lished works, which have been numerous, and particularly NORTHAMPTON. 249 by his Student's Manual and Index Rerum. He was suc ceeded by Rev. John Mitchell, a native of Saybrook, Ct., who was installed Dec. 7th, 1836. Mr. Mitchell was a graduate of Yale College in 1821. After laboring through some years of feeble health, he was dismissed Dec. 20th, 1842, and went abroad. The result of his observations in foreign travel was embodied in two extremely well writ ten volumes, entitled " Letters from over Sea." Mr. Mitchell was succeeded by Rev. E. P. Rogers, pas tor of the Congregational Church at Chicopee Falls, who was installed May 16th, 1843, and dismissed November 24th, 1846. He is now the pastor of a church in Phila delphia. Rev. George E. Day, of Marlboro, was his suc cessor, and was installed Jan. 11th, 1848. He was dis missed May 7th, 1851, to accept of a professorship in Lane Seminary, in which office he still remains. Rev. Gordon Hall of Wilton, Ct, son of the well known missionary of the same name, was installed in his place, June 2d, 1852, and is the present pastor. The church numbers about 380 members. The corner stone of the house in which the church and society worship was laid July 4, 1833, and the building finished during that year. St. John's Church-(Episcopal) was organized in 1826, and then* church edifice built in 1829. The first rector was Rev. M. Griswold, son of Bishop Griswold, and the second, Rev. Joseph Muenscher. Rev. Messrs. Silas Blaisdell, Clement Jones, J. C. Richmond, Leach, Conolly, Sunderland, Newhall, Foxcroft, Chaderton, and others, offi ciated for a short time each, from about 1831 to 1836, but no one of them was regularly installed as the rector of the church. From September, 1836, to January, 1837, the church was seldom open for religious services. January, 1838, Rev. David S. Devans was instituted rector. He was succeeded, April, 1841, by Rev. Orange Clark, who was succeeded in turn in Oct 1843, by Rev. Henry Bur roughs. In November, 1852, Rev. J. P. Hubbard was instituted the rector, and is still in office. The present number of communicants is 70. In 1822, there was not within twelve miles of North ampton, going in any direction, a Baptist church : at least, such is the statement of the book of records of the Bap tist society in Northampton. In August of that year, Mr. 250 NORTHAMPTON. Benjamin Willard entered the town as an agent of the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society. He was enter tained in an old house occupied by two men as tenants, whose wives were members of a Baptist church in West Springfield. In this house, the only one accessible to a Baptist minister, Mr. Willard preached a few times. He visited a few families, obtained Dr. Stebbins as a general agent for the Baptist Magazine, and attracted some atten tion. In January, 1823, Mr. Willard visited Northamp ton again, and in the course of seven weeks preached in more than thirty different places in the town. In the fol lowing April, he was present again, and three persons were immersed, as the first fruits of his work. Mr. Wil lard preached at the water side to more than 1,000 per sons, who had never witnessed a similar scene. Through much opposition, that had the semblance, if not the sub stance, of persecution, the brethren struggled on, until April 30, 1824, when a Baptist society was organized, con sisting of eleven members. A church was formed July 20, 1826, consisting of forty members, fourteen males and twenty-six females. A new meeting house was opened on the 8th of July, 1829. Mr. Willard continued to be the pastor of the church for several years, though often absent for months on missionary labors. Sometimes, months passed, without the meeting house being once opened for preaching. Mr. Willard resigned his pastorate on the 25th of February, 1838. Elder Abel Brown, Jr., commenced preaching Feb. 23, 1840, and was succeeded May 16, 1841, by Elder William M. Doolittle. Elder Doolittle died Feb. 13, 1842, and was succeeded by his brother, El der Horace Doolittle, in the following March. The pres ent pastor, Rev. D. M. Crane, commenced his labors in April, 1846. A Methodist church was formed about eight years since, under the ministrations of Rev. Mr. Marcy. The society has been prosperous, and possesses a neat and convenient house of worship. There is also a Roman Catholic church in the town, erected about ten years since. About 1840, a society of Fourierists, or a community after some of the philosophically approved patterns, was formed in the Western part of the town. There were men of ability and honesty in it, but its basis was a dream and its end a NORTHAMPTON. 251 failure. The experiment of a few brief years served to dissolve its attractions and scatter its constituents. A history of the County Congress held in Northampton, in the time of the Revolution, has already been given, with other incidents in the connection of the town with that struggle. [Vol. 1, p. 216.] The town was a large contrib utor of men and means toward the success of the Revolu tionary cause. Bounties were offered for enlistments, and even donations, taken up from house to house, in addition to the contributions made in compliance with frequent gov ernment requisitions, for the benefit of the suffering sol diery. The families in the town, deprived of their support by the absence of 'their husbands, fathers and brothers, were taken care of generously. In 1775, the following in dividuals were selected as the committee of correspondence, inspection and safety : Joseph Hawley, Robert Breck, Ezra Clark, Josiah Clark, Jacob Parsons, Col. Seth Pomeroy, Elijah Hunt, Ephraim Wright, Elias Lyman, Elijah Clark, Capt. Joseph Lyman, Quartus Pomeroy, William Phelps, Caleb Strong, Jr., and Dr. Levi Shepherd. One of the above committee, Col. Pomeroy, was a distinguished officer in the Revolution. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was appointed a brigadier, June 22, 1775. He died at Peekskill, in February, 1777. Major Jonathan Allen of Northampton was at the battle of Saratoga, and served in the Revolutionary army for several years. He was ac cidentally shot while deer hunting, January 7, 1780, at a time when he was visiting his home on a furlough. Major Allen had four brothers, three of them ministers, all of whom were distinguished in the Revolution. Northampton has been the home of many eminent men. Among the natives of the old town three stand prominent ly out as deserving a place in history, viz. Col. John Stod dard, Major Joseph Hawley, and Governor Caleb Strong. Col. John Stoddard was the son of Rev. Solomon Stod dard, and was born about the year 1681. He was a grad uate of Harvard College in 1701, but was not looked upon as possessing great talents, until he began to appear in pub lie life ; but from that time, he grew rapidly in the public estimation, until he held a stronger influence over the people than any other man living at that time in the com monwealth. In 1713, he was sent as commissary to Que- 252 NORTHAMPTON. bee, to negotiate the redemption of persons taken from New England. Gov. Hutchinson says : "he shone only in great affairs," while " inferior matters were frequently carried against his mind, by the little arts and crafts of minute politicians, which he disdained to defeat by counter work ing." An anecdote is related of him in " Dwight's Trav els," which very forcibly illustrates the prominent stand he occupied. Once, when Governor Shirly had a party dining with him, a servant came into the room, and informed the Governor that a gentleman at the gate wished to speak with him. " Ask the gentleman to come in," said the Gov ernor. " I did, sir," said the servant, " but he said he could not stay." The company were not a little surprised, nor less indignant, at behavior which they thought so disre spectful to the chief magistrate. " What is his name T said the Governor. " I think," said the servant, " he told me that his name was Stoddard." "Is it?" exclaimed the Governor, rising ; " Excuse me gentlemen, if it is Col. Stoddard, I must go to him." In the civil aud military affairs of his native town and county, he stood at the head, forming one of that great trio, which had John Pynchon of Springfield for its first member, and Samuel Partridge of Hatfield for its second, and which ruled, or led, Western Massachusetts through an entire century of its history. Col. Stoddard died at Boston, June 19, 1748, in the 67th year of his age, and his funeral sermon, preached by President Edwards, ascribes to him the highest native gifts of mind, a peculiar genius* for public affairs, a thorough political knowledge, great purity of life, incorruptible principle, and sincere piety. " Upon the whole," says President Ed wards, " every thing in him was great, and perhaps there was never a man in New England to whom the denomina tion of a great man did more properly belong." Major Joseph Hawley was born at Northampton in 1724, and graduated at Yale College in 1742. , After he left col lege, he studied divinity, and was a preacher for several years, though he never was settled in the ministry. He officiated as a chaplain in the provincial army, and was at the siege of Louisburg. It was after this that he studied law, and commenced practice in his native place. Of his eminence as a lawyer, and of his high character as a man, a statement has already been given. [Vol. 1, pp. 183- NORTHAMPTON. 253 4-5.] Major Hawley was the son of Lieut. Joseph Haw ley, who, in 1722, married Rebecca, daughter of Rev. Sol omon Stoddard. Her sister married Rev. Timothy Ed wards, the father of President Edwards, who was thus the cousin of Major Hawley. Major Hawley's grandfather was also Joseph, a man of education, who graduated at Harvard College in 1674, in a class of only three. Major Hawley married Mercy Lyman in 1752, but he left no issue. He had a brother, Capt. Elisha Hawley, who was killed at Lake George in 1755, and whose loss he deeply deplored. Such was his knowledge of political history, and of the principles of free government, that, during the disputes between Great Britain and the colonies, he was regarded as standing among the foremost in ability and in fluence, of the advocates of American liberty. Though repeatedly chosen a member of the Governor's Council, he refused the place, preferring a seat in the House of Repre sentatives, where his distinguished patriotism and bold and manly eloquence gave him a commanding position. He was first elected a member in 1764. At the close of 1776, he became afflicted with hypochondria — a tendency of his temperament— and retired from public life. Maj. Hawley was very active in effecting the removal of President Ed wards from his charge in Northampton, a course which he greatly regretted in later years. Of his hypochondriacal tendencies, as well as of the determined and high toned spirit that formed the real staple of the man, a good illus tration is preserved in a story told by the late Judge Ly man of Northampton, who studied law in his office. Gov ernor Strong, it appears, was his associate in the provincial Congress, and when, on one occasion, he returned from Boston, he found Major Hawley at home and extremely melancholy, under the apprehension that if the Revolution ary cause should fail, he should be hung. " No," replied Strong, " they will not probably hang more than 40 men, and you and I shall escape." Roused by the low estimate thus bestowed upon his opposition, Mr. Hawley rejoined, " I would have you to know, Sir, that lam one of the first three /" The next day he made a flaming patriotic speech before the town. He died in March, 1788, at the age of 64.- " Hon. Caleb Strong, LL. D., was born January 9, 1745. He was the son of Lieut. Caleb Strong, who died in 1766, 22 254 NORTHAMPTON. and great-great-grandson of John Strong, the first ruling elder of the church in Northampton. Mr. Strong gradua ted at Harvard University in 1764, and pursued his legal studies under the direction of Major Hawley. In 1774, he was chosen to represent the town in the Provincial Con gress. He was much in public affairs, and, in the intervals of repose, pursued his professional business and studies with such success, that, in 1776, he was appointed county attorney, an office which he held for 24 years. He repre sented the town in the convention for devising and adopt ing a Constitution, and was one of the committee appointed by that body to draw up a plan for a Constitution, to be submitted to the people. In 1780, he was a member of the Council, and in that year was appointed a delegate to Con gress, an appointment which he declined. In 1787, he was a delegate in the convention which framed the present Constitution of the United States. In 1788, he was elected U. S. Senator in the first Congress under the new Consti tution, and again in 1793, but, tired of public life, he re signed before the expiration of his term of office. He then considered his public career closed, but in 1800, the people of the Commonwealth called him to the chief magistracy. As a proof of his high standing, where he was" personally the best known, it is a fact without parallel, that seven or eight towns, of which Northampton is the center, gave not a single vote against him. He was elected?JGrovernor for seven successive years. He then retired to his home, de termined never to be drawn from it again. In the troubles that followed this period, the people began again to turn to their old Governor, and, much against his wishes, he was re-elected in 1811. The story of his connection with the war of 1812 has already been told. [Vol. 1. pp. 323-4- 5-6-7-8.] After holding the office for four years, Gov. Strong retired, and for the last time, from the duties of public office. As a lawyer, a legislator, a chief magistrate, a men and a christian, Governor Strong stood high, incor ruptible and without reproach. Many question the sound ness of his opinions and the justice of his policy in his op position to the General Government, in the last war with England, but none doubt that these opinions were conscien tiously conceived and held, or that his policy was honestly NORTHAMPTON. 255 pursued. He died suddenly, at his residence in Northamp ton, November 7, 1819, in the 75th year of his age. These three men and their noble memories are the jew els of Northampton, but perhaps another name should be added to them, although it is less directly associated with Northampton than these. Judge Simeon Strong, son of Nehemiah, was born March 6, 1736. His father removed when he was young to Amherst. He graduated at Yale in 1756, and had the honor, after graduation, of receiving the premiums instituted by the learned and generous Dean Berkley. He studied theology, and had repeated invita tions to settle in the ministry, but he declined them all on account of pulmonary difficulties. He then read law with CoK Worthington of Springfield, and commenced practice in 1761. He soon rose to great eminence, standing at the head of the Hampshire Bar. In 1800 he was appointed one of the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court of Mas sachusetts, a station for which he was eminently fitted. He died, greatly lamented, Dec. 14, 1805, aged 69 years. Nothing has contributed more, unless its long line of christian teachers be excepted, to make Northampton the seat of intelligence and good society that it is, and has been, than its schools. In these, an early beginning was made. In 1663, a school master was to receive £6 and his charges for tuition, for teaching the children of the settle ment In 1687, the grammar school master had a salary of £20 and tuition fees. In 1725, the salary of the school master was £45. Northampton was one of the earliest towns in the State to reform and elevate its system of pub lic schools, and took the initiative in those improvements which have done so much in the elevation of popular edu cation within the last twenty years. The number of lib erally educated men turned out by Northampton has been very large. It is stated that before 1821 one hundred of the young men of the town had received a liberal educa tion. Since that time, the number has been very large, — too large, with the others, to be enumerated in this history, even were the statistics readily accessible. The number of professional and literary men who have made North ampton their home has been equally large. None of the learned professions have been without eminent ornaments, 256 NORTHAMPTON. but many of these are appropriately mentioned in the his tories of the towns which gave them birth. For several years following 1835, Northampton was the center of an excitement which, in its kind, is believed to have been without a parallel in the country. It was con nected with the introduction of the culture of the mulber ry, and the manufacture of silk. Samuel Whitmarsh, a gentleman of great enterprise and enthusiastic tempera ment, was the leader in the speculation, and demonstrated the sincerity of his views by becoming to a certain extent their victim. He formed a company, with a heavy capital, bought a large farm, and erected a mill of the most dura ble construction. He erected also a large cocoonry upon his own garden. The variety of the mulberry known as the moras muUicaulis was introduced, and commanded fab ulous prices. Small plants were sold for almost their weight in gold, and there was hardly a garden in North ampton but rejoiced in these treasures. From this point the fever spread, until it embraced all parts of New Eng land where the mulberry could be grown. The affair at last assumed a national importance, and sage calculations were based on the introduction into America of a new branch of industry. The bubble swelled and still expand ed, from year to year, radiant with golden hues and rain bow tints, until, with hardly a premonition, it burst, and the mulberry only stood to remind the fortunate of their gains, and the unfortunate of their losses — nay, in some cases, of their ruin. The sanguine hopes of Mr. Whitmarsh and the thousands who, with him, were interested in the enter prise of silk growing, were all swept away. The only lasting effect, so far as the silk interest was concerned, was the introduction into the town of the manufacture of sew ing silk from foreign stock. This has been and is still car ried on by several establishments. A few years since, Mr. Ruggles, a colored man, and blind, opened a small water-cure establishment at Florence Village, about two miles west of the court house, and found himself well patronized. Since that time the water-cure establishments in the town have multiplied, and the town has become a great resort for the disciples of Preissnitz and pure water. There are three establishments now open and in successful operation, viz. : one carried on by Dr. NORTHAMPTON. 257 Charles Munde, a German, at Florence village ; one at Springdale, by Dr. E. E. Denniston, and one on Round Hill, by Dr. Halsted. Northampton is somewhat largely engaged in manufac turing, but the following are the only returns received: The Greenville Manufacturing Co., at Florence village, manufacture cotton cloth, employing 75 hands and pro ducing 700,000 yards annually, of the value of $50,000. The concern has been in operation 8 years. — Caleb Loud, (Loudville) manufactures paper, machinery and lumber, using annually in his paper business 100 tuns of rags and ropes, and materials in the other branches of his business which, in the aggregate, amount to $7,000, and producing 75 tuns of paper, valued at $15,000 ; machinery, $2,500 ; lumber (40,000 feet,) $800. He has been operating 8 years, and employs 11 hands. — Abells & Co. manufacture lumber, doors, sash and blinds, consuming annually 1,500,- 000 feet of lumber, of the value of $40,000, and employ ing about 20 hands. The concern has been in operation five years. — Warner & Suydam manufacture sewing silk, consuming annually 5,000 lbs. of raw silk, valued at $25,000, employing 15 hands, and producing finished sew ings of the value of from $35,000 to $40,000. The mill was built in 1842, by J. Conant & Co., and for a consider able period since that time, was carried on by Warner, Holland & Co. — W. E. Hayes & Co., have for one year employed 20 hands in the manufacture of stationary steam engines and general machinery. — B. Bass uses up or " curls" annually 100 tuns of corn husks, of the value of $1,200, for mattresses. He employs 4 hands, has been in operation 3 years, and turns out yearly a production of 65 tuns, valued at $3,900. — White & Hawks manufacture enameled cloth. They have been in operation one year, employing 25 hands, consuming stock to the value of $32,400, and producing 180,000 yards of finished goods, valued at $65,000. The total amount of taxation in Northampton, for town purposes, in 1854, was $17,090 ; appropriation for schools, $5,500. There were 1,264 polls in 1853. The popula tion in 1840, by the state census, was 3,672 ; in 1850, 5,194 ; increase in ten years, 1,522. 22* 258 PELHAM. PELHAM. The territory of Pelham originally formed a portion of the " Equivalent Lands," an account of which is given in the history of Belchertown. It was sold by the state of Connecticut to Col. John Stoddard and others of North ampton, and was at first popularly denominated " Stod dard's Town." The lands, while in a wild condition, were much injured in timber and soil by the burnings to which they were subjected by hunters, and by those on the Con necticut, who, by this means, secured a favorite pasturage for their cattle. This burning was prosecuted for some time after the settlement of the town, and, in fact, until a committee was chosen by the town to prosecute the offend ers. When the town was purchased, the first settlers were mostly residents of Worcester. They had formed a com pany for the purpose of purchasing a part or the whole of a township to settle upon, and sent forward Robert Peebles and James Thornton, as a committee to make arrangements for them. They. examined Stoddard's Town, and made a contract with Col. Stoddard for the purchase and speedy settlement of the territory. This contract was- made on the 26th day of September, 1738, and arrangements were immediately made to organize the proprietors, and take possession of the lands. The company numbered 34, and a deed was given on the 1st of January, 1739, to all of them, naming each, and the proportions of land which each should hold. The territory seems to have been divided into sixty parts, and while one proprietor had but one sixtieth, another had five sixtieths, according, doubtless, to what they had paid of the purchase money. The first meeting of the proprietors was held in Worcester, at the house of Capt. Daniel Haywood, Feb. 26th, 1739, when a committee was chosen to survey the town, and lay out sixty-one home-lots. This indicates that the number of proprietors had been increased, as a lot was laid out for each proprietor, and one for the first settled minister. In the following May, the proprietors met again, at the same place. The surveying committee made their report, and the proprietors drew for their lots. At this meeting it was " voted that the sum of £15 be allowed and paid towards making a road to the meeting house, (so called,) and from PELHAM. 259 thence to East Hadley, (viz.) a bridle road." All subse quent meetings 4of the proprietors were held in Worcester, until Aug. 6th, 1740, when a meeting was held at the house of John Ferguson, in the new township, named by the proprietors " Lisbon," otherwise " New Lisburne." By this name, with its variations and various spellings, it was known until the incorporation of the town with its present name. Pelham was incorporated as a town, January 15, 1743, and the first town meeting was held on the succeeding 19th of April. The name was undoubtedly given in honor of Lord Pelham of England, who passed through the state about that time, and " thereby hangs a tale," or rather sev eral tales. One is that, in acknowledgment of the honor thus conferred, Lord Pelham presented the church with a bell, which was allowed to remain in Boston until it was sold for freight and storage. Another is that it was pur chased by the Old South Church in Boston, of the Pelham Church. Both stories are improbable. One thing is cer tain : the bell, if bell there was, never arrived in Pelham. The ancestors of the settlers of Pelham were Irish Presbyterians. In the agreement between Col. Stoddard and the original Committee, occurs this passage : " It is agreed that families of good conversation be settled on the premises, who shall be such as were the inhabitants of the kingdom of Ireland or their descendants, being protestants, and none to be admitted but such as bring good and un deniable credentials or certificates of their being persons of good conversation, and of the Presbyterian persuasion as used in the Church of Scotland, and conform to the dis cipline thereof." August 6, 1740, it was " voted to build a meeting house, to raise £100 towards building it, and choose a committee to agree with a workman to raise the house, and provide for the settling of a minister." Subsequent to this, £220 were raised, in two instalments, for the erec tion and completion of the structure. April 19, 1743, a meeting was held at the meeting house, and May 26, of the same year, measures were taken " to glaze the meeting . house, to build a pulpit, and underpin the house at the charge of the town." In this house, the public school was kept for several years. In 1755, the town " voted to build three school houses, one at the meeting house, one at the 260 PELHAM. West end of the town, and one on the East hill." As in most of the new towns of the region, it wa* several years before the meeting house was thoroughly finished. In 1818, it was removed a few feet from its original location, and thoroughly repaired. A Rev. Mr. Johnson of Londonderry was first called to settle as pastor, but the call was not accepted. In the summer of 1742, Rev. Robert Abercrombie commenced preaching in Pelham, and a Presbyterian church was organized in 1743. Mr. Abercrombie preached the most of the time until March 5th, 1744, when a call to settle permanently was extended to him. He accepted the call, and was ordained on the succeeding 30th of August. The sermon was preached by Rev. Jonathan Edwards of North ampton. Mr. Abercrombie was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was there educated. He was a profound scholar, and possessed a library surpassed by few in its time, which is now in the possession of one of his descend ants. The date of his dismissal is not recorded. He was succeeded by Rev. Richard C. Graham, Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, Rev. Thomas Oliver, Rev. Elijah Brainard, Rev. Winthrop Bailey, Rev. Frederick Janes, and Rev. A. C. Page. The church has now no settled pastor. The distance of the residence of those who settled in the Eastern part of Pelham brought about a division of the people, and that part of Pelham with a portion of New Salem, was incorporated as the East Parish of Pelham, on the 28th of June, 1786. The subsequent history of this parish will be found detailed in the history of Prescott. A Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the West part of the town about 1830, and in that year both the Congregational and the Methodist churches built for them selves convenient and beautiful houses of worship. The people of Pelham were on the right side in the Revolution. November 3d, 1773, they addressed the Bos ton committee in a strain of which the following extract is an illustration. " We are not at present much intimidated with that pompous boasting on the other side of the waters, viz : that Great Britain could blow America into atoms." They voted their acquiescence in, and support of, a declar ation of independence, fourteen days before independence was declared, and throughout the war furnished from their PELHAM. 261 slender resources their proportion of men and means for its prosecution. Pelham has been the scene of sundry notorious adven tures and events. The Shays Rebellion is associated with the town, both as the residence of its leader, and the quar ters, at one time, of a large body of insurgents. A full account of this will be found in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, pp. 267-8-9-70-71 ; also, 292-3-4.] Pelham was the scene, not far from the same period, of the pastoral labors of that most notorious impostor, counterfeiter and scoundrel, Stephen Burroughs. He was subsequently an inhabitant of the Hampshire county jails. It is generally' supposed that he wound up his life as a Roman Catholic priest in Canada. One of his sons still lives in Montreal, and there for many years a daughter was the principal of a famous Catholic school, both of whom maintained a high and honorable character. An attempt was made in the winters of 1852 and 1853 to have the Western portion of the town set off to Amherst. The movement did not succeed, and in the winter of 1854, the town voted its willingness to surrender its charter of incorporation, and become portions of adjoining towns — a vote which is believed to he without a precedent in the Commonwealth. A petition was made to the Legislature in accordance with this vote, but it failed of success, and Pelham is thus in existence against its wilj. Among those originating in Pelham, who have adopted a professional life, are Ithamar Conkey, now a resident of Amherst, and for many years Judge of Probate for Hamp shire County ; and Dr. Daniel Thompson and Dr. James Thompson, brothers, and partners in professional business at Northampton. The Messrs. Southworth, the well and widely known paper manufacturers of West Springfield, were also natives of Pelham. "The usual amount of money raised annually in the town by taxation is $1,500, of which $450 is appropriated for schools. Palm leaf hats are the principal articles manufactured in the town, though, of manufactories proper, there are none. The population in 1840 was 1,000; in 1850, 872 ; decrease in ten years, 128. 262 PLAINFIELD. PLAINFIELD. Plainfield was originally included within the boundaries of Cummington. The earliest settler upon its territory was Thomas Mclntire. He settled in 1770. Other early settlers were Mr. Dunton, Mr. Walker, Andrew Cook, John Streeter, Stephen Smith, Eliphalet White, Isaac Joy, Ebenezer Colson, Andrew Ford, Caleb White and Samuel Streeter. This part of the town of Cummington was set tled with comparative rapidity, so that, on the 16th of March, 1785, Plainfield was incorporated as a district of Cummington. It was not incorporated as a town until June 15th, 1807. The first district meeting was notified and warned by Isaac Joy, in pursuance of a warrant issued by Nahum Eager, Esq., of Worthington. The meeting was held at the house of Simon Burroughs, July 25, 1785, when Ebenezer Colson was chosen moderator, and the fol lowing officers were elected : Joshua Shaw, district clerk and treasurer ; Ebenezer Colson, John Packard and John Cunningham, selectmen y Isaac Joy and John Packard, tythingmen; and John Streeter, deer-reeve. About this time, came on the Shays Insurrection. Several of the Plainfield people espoused the cause of the rebellion, but soon becoming convinced that they were in the wrong, they took and subscribed the oath of allegiance. On the 22d of March, 1790, the district " voted to raise twenty pounds for schooling, the ensuing year," and, on the following 5th of April, voted to build a school house in each district. On the 4th of February, 1794, Joseph Clarke and Jonar than Beals, with their families, and all the lands lying North of a direct line from the South East corner of Plainfield to the South West corner of Ashfield, belonging to the territory of Ashfield, were annexed to the district of Plainfield, and on the 21st of June, 1803, one mile of the Southerly part of Hawley was also annexed to Plain- field. The vote to petition for the incorporation of the town was taken May 15, 1806, and the incorporation ef fected, as has already been stated, on the 15th of June, 1807. Previous to the incorporation of Plainfield as a district, the people attended church in Cummington. In the Au gust following the incorporation, it was voted, in district PLAINFIELD. 263 meeting, to raise £14 to hire preaching for that year, and on the 31st of August, 1786, a church was constituted, consisting of fourteen members. May 14, 1787, the dis trict voted to call Mr.. James Thompson to settle in the ministry, offering in specified articles, a yearly salary of £60. Mr. Thompson declined the invitation. On the 23d of May, 1791, a spot of ground was agreed upon as a site for the first meeting house, and on the suc ceeding 27th of October, it was voted to build a house, fifty-five and a half feet long and forty-two feet and a half wide. November 23d, Caleb White, John Cunningham, James Richards, Andrew Cook and John Hamlin were ap pointed as a committee " to procure materials, and carry oa the building of said meeting house, in such a manner as shall be most advantageous to the district, according to their best discretion." On the 23d of April, 1792, it was " voted that the owners of pews in the meeting house pro cure rum to raise said building." Owing to the limited means of the district, this building was not finished until 1797. On the 15th of June of that year, it was publicly dedicated, two sermons being preached on the occasion — one by Rev. Aaron Bascom of Chester, and one by Rev. John Leland of Partridgefield, now Peru. On the 8th of March, 1791, the church voted to give Rev. Moses Hallock an invitation to settle in the ministry, and the district followed on the 14th of the same month with a unanimously confirmatory vote, and agreed to offer him ninety pounds as settlement, and " forty-five pounds a year for the first two years, then to increase five pounds a year until it amounts to sixty pounds, there to remain." Mr. Hallock declined the invitation, on account of infirm health. Notwithstanding this, the church voted on the 8th of March, 1792, to renew the offer. It was this time ac cepted, and on the 11th of the succeeding July, he was ordained. Mr. Hallock was born at Brookhaven, L. I., February 16, 1760. Before commencing study, he spent some time in the Revolutionary army. He was a gradu ate of Yale College, in 1788, and labored with his Plain- field flock until his death, which occurred July 17th, 1837 — a period of fifty-five years — when he had arrived at the age of 77. During his ministry, there were several reviv als of religion in his church. One day, in 1790, 17 per- 264 PLAINFIELD. sons joined the church. In 1798, 31 persons joined the church, 24 persons "adorning the alley at one time." Thirty-four persons were admitted to the church on the first of May, 1808, 26 on the succeeding 3d of July, and 29 on the 4th of November, 1827. On the 2d of March, 1831, Rev. David Kimball was settled as colleague pastor with Mr. Hallock, and closed his ministerial labors in Plainfield in January, 1835, though he was not regularly dismissed by an Ecclesiastical Coun cil until, September 27, 1837. Mr. Kimball was a native of Hopkinton, N. H., and a graduate of Yale College in 1818. On the day of his dismission, Rev. Dana Goodsell was installed in his place, but he remained in Plainfield only two years, and was dismissed September 25, 1839. Rev. Wm. A. Hawley was his successor, and was installed July 21, 1841. His pastoral connection was dissolved on the 6th of October, 1847, his labors having ceased on the previous 1st of July. On the day of his dismissal, Rev. H. J. Gaylord was installed in his place, and at the same time, Rev. David Rood, a graduate of Williams College, was ordained as a missionary of the American Board. Mr. Gaylord's connection with the church and society was dis solved September 9, 1851. Rev. David B. Bradford was installed in his place June 10th, 1852, and was dismissed in May, 1854. A Baptist Society was formed in the Eastern part of the town on the 25th of February, 1833, the first meeting having been called by Asa Thayer, in pursuance of a war rant issued by Nehemiah Richards, Esq., of Cummington. The church was organized on the 18th of June, 1833, El der David Wright acting as moderator pf the Ecclesiasti cal Council. The society subsequently built a meeting house, but they have never had a settled pastor. Several ministers have, from time to time, been hired by the year. The names of those thus hired are Elders Alden B. Eggles- ton, Nathaniel McCullock, Samuel S. Kingsley, Wm. A Pease, A. H. Sweet and James Clark, who is now preach ing for the Society. In the quiet society of Plainfield lived one man whose life exemplified the Christian graces to such a degree, that a simple narrative of it, written by Mr. William A. Hal lock, has been for many years an active agency in the ex- pEainfield. 265 tension of Christianity. " The Mountain Miller," which stands side by side with " The Dairyman's Daughter" and "The Sheperd of Salisbury Plain," had its original in Plainfield, in the person of Deacon Joseph Beals. Dea con Beals was a native of Bridgewater, and removed with his ' family to Plainfield in 1779. Some ten years after wards, he became a true Christian, and consecrated all his powers to the Christian work. His devotedness to the ser vice of his master was almost without example. He died July 20, 1813. The pious traveler stops to cull the flow ers that grow around the spot associated with his residence, and to drink of the spring where he so often paused in passing between his house and mill. The narrative tract of which he furnished the subject, was first published by the American Tract Society in 1831, and within one year, 140,000 copies were printed, the whole edition amounting to 168,000. In 1833, the work was carefully revised, and another edition of 168,000 copies printed. The tract has been multiplied since, almost indefinitely. It has been translated into various languages, and published and mul tiplied in foreign countries. The author received $50 for writing the tract, which he generously devoted to the diffu sion of the tract itself. Plainfield has no strictly Revolutionary history, as, dur ing the revolutionary period, it was embraced within Cum mington, but its list of pensioners, as given in Jacob Por ter's history of Plainfield, published in 1834, shows that the people were actively upon the patriotic side. The names there given are Lemuel Allis, Joseph Barnard, Ebenezer Bisbee, John Campbell, Vinson Curtis, Ebene zer Dickinson, James Dyer, Joseph Gloyd, Rev. Moses Hallbck, Jacob Nash, Philip Packard, Whitcomb Pratt, James Richards, Josiah Shaw, Samuel Streeter, Josiah Torrey and Caleb White. The most important private school ever taught in Plain- field was a small one under the charge of the reverend pastor Hallock. Upwards of 300 young men enjoyed its privileges. Mr. Hallock possessed a wide popularity, as a manager and educator. Among those who in early life received the benefits of this school were William Cullen Bryant, the pOet ; James Richards, Jonas King, Pliny Fisk, Levi Parsons and William Richards, all foreign mis- 23 266 plainfieli). sionaries ; William H. Maynard, Jeremiah Humphrey Hallock, James Hay ward, the well known civil engineer, and Sylvester Hovey, once the professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Amherst College. Among the graduates of literary institutions, the following are the principal of those who have originated in Plainfield: James Richards, a graduate of Williams College in 1809, one of the originators of the American Board of Commis sioners for Foreign Missions, and one of its earliest mis sionaries to India, who died^at Tillypally in Ceylon, Aug. 3, 1822 ; Cyrus Joy, a graduate of Williams College in 1811, subsequently a practitioner of law in Northampton^ and Plainfield, from which latter place he removed to Fhilv adelphia ; William Allen Hallock, a graduate of Williams College in 1819, who assisted in the formation of the American Tract Society in New York, in 1825, and was its first Corresponding Secretary and General Agent ; Ge rard Hallock, a graduate of Williams College in 1819, and an editor in succession of the Boston Telegraph, the Bos ton Recorder, the New York Observer and the New York Journal of Commerce ; William" Richards, a graduate of Williams College in 1819, who arrived at the Sandwich Islands in 1823, as a missionary of the American Board, where he died November 7, 1847, at the age of 54, his fa tal disease being the result of mental labor while acting as privy councilor and prime minister to the King of those Islands. — (Several years prior to his death he, with a na tive of the Islands, visited the United States, England and France, for the purpose of obtaining from those govern ments the recognition of the Independence of the Islands, and was entirely successful in his mission.) — Tilly Brown Hayward, a graduate of Brown University in 1820 ; Aus tin Richards, a graduate of Amherst College in 1824, or dained as pastor of a church in Francestown, N. H., No vember 7, 1827 ; Erastus Dickinson, a graduate of Amherst College in 1832 ; Isaac Newton Lincoln, a graduate of Williams College in 1847, and now a professor of lan guages in that institution ; David Rood, a graduate of Wil liams College in 1844, and now a missionary in South Africa. No man can read the history of Plainfield without the impression that few other towns in the Commonwealth PRESCOTT. 267 have had so wide and so constantly increasing an influence upon the cause of Christian missions. Few are the cler gymen, in a quiet country town, who have been so influen tial in pouring out upon the world, into the broadest chan nels of Christian beneficence, such floods of kindly power as Rev. Moses Hallock — blessings on his memory ! There are ten school districts in Plainfield, for the sup port of which, in 1853, $600 was appropriated. A private school, for a term of eleven weeks, is usually taught in the town every autumn, in which instruction is given in the higher English branches, and the languages. Several of the school districts have district libraries, and all of them Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. The leading industrial interest of the town is agricul ture. There is one grist mill in the town, formerly owned by the Mountain Miller, Deacon Joseph Beals, and now owned by Dexter White. Capt. James Cook and Elbridge King each own a saw mill, at which broom handles are turned in considerable quantities. A. Streeter & Son, Levi N. Campbell and William J. Shattuck each own a saw mill. Kingman Thayer and Lyman K. Thayer each have a manufactory of tubs, pails and butter-boxes. Mer- ritt Jones, Ezra, Jason, Jeremiah, and Joshua R. Tyrrell each manufacture butter and other boxes, in small quanti ties. The town built a town hall in 1847, and the Congrega tional Society a new meeting house in 1846. The town contains 21 1-2 square miles- of territory, has at least fifty miles of roads, and 203 ratable polls. The amount of money raised in 1853, by tax, was, for the support of schools, $600 ; for the poor, $450 ; for highways, $800 ; incidental expenses, $200 ; aggregate, $2,050. The pop ulation of Plainfield in 1790 was 458 ; in 1800, 797; in 1810, 977 ; in 1820, 936 ; in 1830, 983 ; in 1840, 926 ; in 1850, 813. PRESCOTT. A township of land, equal to six miles square, was granted to sixty proprietors, resident in Salem, on the 31st of December, 1734, and an additional grant of 4,000 acres was made June 17, 1742. This territory subsequently became New Salem, and is now mostly located within the 268 PRESCOTT. county of Franklin. Jeremiah Meacham was the first settler upon this grant, in 1737. The grant " equal to six miles square" was laid out in an oblong form, extending North and South nearly ten miles. The additional grant of 4,000 acres was added to the North end of the town ship, which made it about thirteen miles long. This form of territory was extremely inconvenient for those living at the extremities. Many attempts were made to have the town divided, but they were not successful until the 28th of January, 1822, when a tract about three miles long was cut off from the South end of the town, and, ad ded to the East Parish of Pelham, was incorporated as a town, with the name of Prescott. Prescott is thus the youngest town in Hampshire County, and has but a brief history. The name of' the first man who settled upon the present territory of Prescott is not known. The part taken from Pelham was probably settled first, as there were 40 families in Pelham in 1742, a date when New Salem had just begun to receive settlers. When Prescott was incorporated, the church in the East parish of Pelham had become nearly or quite extinct, but it was re-organized January 15, 1823, and even then could count but twelve members. The ministers of the original church, thus revived, were Rev. Matthias Cazier, a gradu ate of the College of New Jersey in 1785, and Rev. Se bastian C. Cabot, a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1797. After the re-organization of this church, no minister was settled for several years. On the 27th of October, 1827, Rev. Ebenezer Brown of Brimfield, a graduate of Yale College in 1813, was installed as pastor. During his min istry, an extensive revival was enjoyed, and the church greatly enlarged. Mr. Brown was dismissed March 25, 1835, and was succeeded by Rev. Job Cushman, who was installed on the succeeding 27th of October. Mr. Cush man remained four years, and was dismissed in October, 1839. Rev. Francis Wood was installed in October, 1839, and dismissed in November, 1846. The church then remained several years without a pastor. On the 23d of February, 1853, Rev. S. B. Gilbert was installed as pas tor, but did not remain in that relation an entire year, hav ing been dismissed January 25, 1854. Prescott is divided into five school districts. The amount SOUTH HADLEY. 269 of money raised by tax in 1854, for schools, was $350. The total amount of taxation for all purposes was $2,050. The town contains about 24 square miles of territory, about 50 miles of *oads, and numbers 153 ratable polls. The leading industrial interest of the town is agricul ture. Beef, pork, butter and cheese are produced in con siderable quantities. The females of the town braid large numbers of palm-leaf hats annually. The population of Prescott in 1840 was 781 ; in 1850, 702 ; decrease in ten years, 79. SOUTH HADLEY. The territory included within the present towns of South Hadley and Granby was originally a part of Hadley, and. covered about 24,000 acres. On the 25th of January, 1720, at a meeting of the inhabitants of Hadley, it was voted to divide all the land belonging to the town, on the South side of Mount Holyoke, according to the list taken the same month to defray town charges. A few families settled within the present limits of South Hadley the next year. South Hadley became the 2d or South precinct of Hadley, and the first precinct meeting was held March 12, 1733, when Daniel Nash was chosen clerk, and John Taylor, John Alvord and Samuel Smith were elected assessors. Among the names of the early settlers, these, and those of White, Moody, Preston, Montague, Ingram, Gaylord, Church and Kellogg seem to be the most promi nent. The present burial ground in the central village of South Hadley was laid out in 1728, and near the center ofr it may still be seen a stone with the following inscrip tion:. "John Preston Dy'ed on March ye 4, 1727-8, aged 41 year, and the first here buried." In 1733, the precinct voted " to plaster and ceil the meeting house up to the plates." The frame had been put up a year or two previous, but the structure was not finish ed until 1737. There were nine pews in the body of the house, and a gallery was subsequently erected. This structure still remains, and is occupied as a dwelling house on the North side of the common. In 1749, the precinct voted to " have a sigh for meeting on the Sabbath." A conch shell was procured, for the blowing of which John 33* 270 SOUTH HADLEY. Lane was to be paid as the assessors should agree with him. " The old conch" is still in existence. For a few years after the first settlement of South Had ley, the people attended meeting in Hadley, and at what date, a new church was formed does not appear. The first minister Vvas Rev. Grindall Rawson. He was a native of Mendon, and a graduate of Harvard College in 1728. He was settled Oct. 3, 1733, and was dismissed in 1741. At a precinct meeting, held March 23d of that year, it was " voted that whereas ye Rev. Grindall Rawson hath, in a public manner, withdrawn from 33 of the brethren of his church, whereby he hath not only gone contrary to the minds of a greater part of the church, but hath virtually withdrawn from the major part of the precinct, it is the mind of the precinct that Mr. Rawson is no longer our minister, and that Ephraim Nash, John Nash and Sarg't John Smith be a committee to acquaint him that we have no further service for him in the office of a gospel minister, and that we expect he will refrain from any public acts in that office in future.-' A council was called which recom mended a separation, but Mr. Rawson still continuing to officiate, a committee was appointed to prevent his enter ing the meeting house, unless he would abstain from preach ing. Tradition says that the committee stopped his month with a handkerchief, and forcibly carried him out of the house. The people then voted to raise £10 to defend the committee who had done the violence, but as no legal steps were taken in the premises, that sum was devoted to the payment of those who assisted in obtaining the settlement of Rev. John Woodbridge, who succeeded Mr. Rawson, and was settled April 21,1742. Mr. Woodbridge was a native of West Springfield, and a graduate of Yale Col lege in 1732; 3.6 On the 2d of March, 1738, the precinct voted " to build a school house 23 foots long and 18 foots broad, and 7 foots between joints." This building was not completed until 1747. The precinct was incorporated as a district in 1753. In pursuance of a warrant issued by Eleazer Porter, Esq., the first district meeting was held on the the 3d of April of that year. Daniel Nash was chosen clerk; Samuel Smith, Thomas Goodman, Dea. John Smith, Dea. John Smith, Jr., and Luke Montague, selectmen. The first SOUTH HADLEY. 271 meeting house becoming too small to accommodate the in creased population, the preoinct, in 1750, voted to build a new structure, 25 feet long, and 45 feet wide, to be set as near theold one as possible. The vote locating the house was subsequently reconsidered, and the location was not finally settled until after having more than fifty precinct and district meetings. At last they agreed to decide the matter by lot. The lot was cast, and then a portion of the people refused to abide by it. A council of ministers was called, who decided that the lot was of a sacred nature, and that they did not see how it could be properly depart ed from. Thus, after a struggle of thirteen years, the house was located where the first vote placed it. The dissatisfaction growing out of the matter ended in the for mation of a new parish, in 1762, whose following history will be found in the history of Granby. After Granby was incorporated as a town, (in 1768,) the division line between the two jurisdictions became "a bone of conten tion," and was several times altered by the legislature. The line of 1762, between the parishes, was superseded by the Goodman line (so called) in 1781. This was a straight line, running within about a half a mile of the West meet ing house in Granby, giving Granby 14,643 acres of land, and leaving to South Hadley only 9,363 acres. The per manency of this line, however, depended upon the will of the two towns, for, by the act establishing it, any one, in either town, living upon the line, had a right to belong, with his estate, to which town he might choose, by making a return of his name, and his estate to be removed, into the secretary's office, on or before the first day of January then next following, which time was subsequently prolong ed to April, 1783. In June, 1824, the line was establish ed as a permanent one, and in January, 1826, the Legisla ture appointed a committee, consisting of George Grinnell, Jr., of Greenfield, Micah M./ Rutter of Middlesex county, Nathaniel P. Denny of Leicester, Wm. Perry of Leomin ster, and William B. Calhoun of Springfield, to examine the premises, and report ; and, in accordance with their report, the present boundary line was established. The committee say in their report : " It is somewhat difficult- to say which town is the gainer or loser in territory by this line, though they believe the balance is in favor of South 272 SOUTH HADLEY. Hadley." The present boundary lines of South Hadley are as follow : On Connecticut river, 6 miles and 296 rods; on Hadley, 3 miles 202 rods ; on Amherst, 170 rods ; on Granby, 6 miles, 239 rods ; and on Chicopee, 2 miles, 156 rods. . Mr. Woodbridge remained the pastor of the church until his "death, Sept. 10th, 1783. Rev. Joel Hayes was ordain ed as colleague pastor with Him Oct. 23d, 1782, and, hav ing preached to his flock for more than forty years, was dismissed in 1823. He was succeeded Feb. 24th, 1824, by Rev. Artemas Boies of Blandford, a graduate of Williams College in 1816. He was dismissed Nov. 18, 1834, and was succeeded July 8, 1835, by Rev. Joseph D. Condit of Han over, N. J., a graduate of the College of New Jersey in 1826. Mr. Condit remained until he died, Sept. 19th, 1847. Rev. Thomas Laurie was settled in his place in June, 1848. He remained but a short time, and was suc ceeded by Rev. E. Y. Swift, who is the present pastor. In 1791, Col. Ruggles Woodbridge offered to give the town a bell, on condition that the town would build a steeple. The offer was accepted, and the steeple erected. The church was torn down in 1844, and the present beau tiful edifice was erected the same year. A second Congregational Church was organized (at the Canal Village,) August 12, 1824, and a meeting house was built in 1834. The first pastor was Rev. Flavel Griswold, a graduate of Yale College in 1821. He was settled Dec. 3, 1828. On the 10th of August, 1832, he was suceeeded by Rev. Wm. Tyler, of Attleborough, a graduate of Brown University in 1809. December 4, 1839, Mr. Tyler was succeeded by Rev. Wm. W. Thayer, and he, Dec. 13, 1843, by Rev. Leander Thompson. The present pastor. Rev. P. H. Snow, was installed Feb. 3, 1852. A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at South Hadley Falls in the Autumn of 1827, and a meeting house built in the Autumn of 1832, in which many preachers have officiated, in accordance with the practice of the de nomination. South Hadley was warmly on the side of the country in the Revolutionary struggle. In May, 1775, it united with Granby in sending two representatives — Phineas Smith and Noah Goodman — to the provincial Congress at Water- SOUTH nADLEY. 273 town, and directed them to carry with them to the Con gress their firearms and ammunition. The following inter esting extract from the records of the town is given verbatim et literatim, as being alike a, literary curiosity, and a hap py illustration of the spirit of the town and the times ; " To the Committee of Correspondence at Boston Gent'm Your Pamphlet being Read in a rigilar Meeting of the Inhab itants of South Hadley the Meeting took the contents into Consideration and appointed a Committee of seven men to consult and report to the Meeting at a proposed adjournment what improper for this District to do Respecting the premises ; at a Legal Meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the District of South Hadley held by adjournment on the 18th day of January 1773 the abovesaid Committee Reported an answer to the Town of Boston touching the matters in which they Invited the several towns to shew their Sentiments Said report is as follows " Gent'm the proceedings of the Tov;n of Boston under the Present Exigencies : we Esteem very Laudable and worthy of a Metropolis : we Concur in general with your Sentiments in Stateing the rights of the Collonists & Provinces and of the Infringements of those Rights we hold fast our Loyalty to our Sovereign, j'et we grone under our burdens but doi not Dispair of Redress, if the importunity of a poor Widow may move an unjust Judge to avenge her, how much more may we hope for redress by frequent application to a Gracious King. The Wheel of Providence often Crushes oppressors, and they are made to fall into the Pit which they diged for others. For Freeborn Loyal Subjects intending and Really accomplishing the Design of Enlarging their Kings Domin ions to be kept under a MILITARY GUARD will naturally and unavoidably Create Such Resentments and Indignation in the minds of the Subjects, as is no ways Consistent with the Honour of a Prince Governing a free people ; Indignity Cast oh a Person or a people creates great resentments in the Sufferer; Prohibiting Sliting mills is Simelar to the Philis- tians Prohibiting Smiths in Israel when they had subdued them and Shews that we are Esteemed by our Brethren in Grate Briton as a sort of Vassals to them ; What if Some impudencies have hapned in time past and Some Exception able proceedings have been perpetrated when we were almost Desperate and Ruine at the Door : What man will not Sudenly throw out his arme to prevent his Neighbor from thrusting his Finger in his eye; even although his arme might hapen to Strike the face of his Superior ; must we be therefore alwais after Stigmatized as traitors on that account Not to be tedi- 274 SOUTH HADLEY". ' ous, We Esteem our Selves embarked in the same Botom with the rest of our Neighbors, and we are willing to have it known ; and Transmited to Postarity ; that we Esteem our Selves Burdened and are willing to join in all proper Consti- tutionel measures to obtain Relief; our Representative being Elected by Joint Ballot by several other Towns with us we Canot with Good propriety give him instruction without con sulting with the other Electors which we have not yet had opportunity to do ; but we are willing this letter may be com municated to him, whereby he may be acquainted with our Sentiments. " The question being put whether the foregoing report be accepted it unanimously passed in the affirmative; and there upon it was ordered, that the Same be Entered in the District Book and that the Town Clerk Transmit a Coppy thereof Signed by him to the Committe of Corispondance in Boston. SILUS SMITH Moderator." The name of Ruggles Woodbridge, already mentioned, is among the proudest associations of the town. He was a man of great wealth, was a Colonel in the Revolution, and for many years exercised a commanding influence in the town. He was the oldest son of Rev. John Wood- bridge, and lived until March 8, 1819", when he died at the good old age of 80 years. Col. Woodbridge had a brother, however, whose pecu liarities and eccentricities fairly stamped him as a remark able man. He had the peculiarity of never calling a thing by its proper name. For every name or nearly every one, and for every phrase, he used a synonym of his own in vention. He was never inconsistent with himself, in this matter. He never blundered into correct speech, neither was he ever betrayed into it. His name was .(Eneas, and he was familiarly called "Uncle Enos." For yes, his synonym was " isn't it likely ?" — for no, " it isn't likely." With him a cow was a " stripper," a hog a " pen-thing," a blacksmith, " an iron one," &c. When young, he was sent upon an errand to borrow some rye flour and some yeast, which he obtained by asking for " common truck and stuff to h'ist it with." He at one time hailed a young man, and addressed him as follows : " Here young dad, tell old dad that his strippers are all in the magistrate's ears." The young man addressed bore the name of Medad, his father, that of Eldad, and the cows were in the cornfield of SOUTn HADLEY. 275 Col. Lamb, a justice. The town is full of stories of this most eccentric man. . If all were collected they would fill a volume of themselves. He had generous traits of char acter, and shrewd points that betrayed no ordinary insight into human nature. He maintained his character to the very last, and died January 6, 1832, aged 79 years. Hon. Samuel F. Vinton of Ohio, Phineas White of Ver mont, and Judge Simeon Nash of Ohio, were natives of South. Hadley. The aggregate of manufactures in South Hadley- is large, for a town of its population. G. A. Smith & Co. manufacture wrapping paper, consuming annually 300 tuns of material, valued at $11,000. They employ twelve hands, have been in operation eighteen years, and produce annually 225 tuns of paper, valued at $15,000. — J. N. Hastings manufactures window sash, blinds, doors, and the trimmings for window blinds, consuming 125,000 feet of lumber, and two tuns of iron annually, valued at $4,000. He occupies from ten to twelve hands, has been operating for twenty years, and produces the annual value of from $8,000 to $10,000.— Congdon, Weld & Co. manufacture lumber and boxes, using annually 500,000 feet of lumber, employing ten- hands, and producing an annual value of $7,500. They have been in operation three yearsT — Nash & Josselyn use 40 tuns of stock, valued at $5,600 annually, in the manufacture of cotton mops, wicking and batting. They employ seven hands, and have been in operation two years. '¦ The annual product is 600 dozen mops, and 60,000 lbs. of batting, valued at $9,300. South Hadley Canal Village had its birth in the estab lishment of the canal around the Falls in the Connecticut River, at that point, of which a full account is given in the Outline History, and in which also an account of the shad fishery at that point is given. [Vol. 1, p. 303 top.310.] Various important mills, fed by the waters of the canal, have been maintained for manyyears. The more impor tant manufacturing establishments now in operation are the two following: - Glasgow Mills, established five years since, occupying 450 hands in the manufacture of ginghams, of which 2,500,000 yards are produced annually, of' the value of $275,000. — Carew Paper Company, manufacturing fine writing paper, employing 53 hands, 276 SOUTHAMPTON. consuming 200 tuns of white rags annually, of the value of :$35.,0.00, and other materials valued at $10,000, and producing 35,000 reams of paper, valued at $80,000. This company has been in operation six years. The population of South Hadley in 1840 was 1,422 ; in 1850, 2,082 ; increase. in ten years, 660. SOUTHAMPTON. Southampton was originally contained within the boun daries of Northampton. The first settlers of its territory were from Northampton. The first notice of the place on record relates to a meeting of the proprietors, held on the 10th day of March, 1729-30, which was an adjourned meeting from the 19 th day of the previous January. At this meeting, the question was put "whether the proprie tors would divide the land, beginning at the hill over Man han (river) upon the West side of the county road, and to extend beyond Whiteloofe brook, so far as our old bounds went, in such form and manner as to be suitable (together with the additional grant that now belongs to the town) to make a precinct or town, and the division to be made to and amongst the original or ancient proprietors, their heirs or assigns, or any that hold by purchase under-the ancient or original proprietors, or their heirs." The record of this meeting is signed by the committee appointed to make the division, viz : Hon. John Stoddard,- Ebenezer Pomeroy, Deacon John Clark, Hon. Joseph Hawley, and Ensign Ebenezer Parsons. The committee divided the lands, and allotted them to thirty individuals, on certain conditions pertaining to their occupation and improvement of them within a specified time. The Northampton town records notice " the new settlement" on the 22d of December, 1732, when John Baker and Moses Lyman were appointed "to layout a highway over the branch of the Manhan river, at or near Pome.roy's meadovfc," for its accommoda tion. Southampton was originally the Second Precinct of Northampton, and was first named as such on theNorth- ampton records, Sept. 14, 1739. In 1732, Judah Hutchinson and Thomas Porter became the first' permanent settlers. Mr. Hutchinson built his house near where now stands the house of Joel T. Clapp. Thomas Porter settled a few rods North of Elisha Ed- SOUTHAMPTON. 277 wards' house. Fourteen settlers arrived in the year fol lowing, viz : Nathan Lyman, Phineas King, Joseph Clark, Ebenezer Kingsley, Nathaniel Searl, John Clark, John Wait, Ichabod Strong, Waitstill Strong, Samuel Danks, Stephen and Elias Root, Moses Wright and Ezra Strong. During the three or four succeeding years, fourteen addi tional settlers came in, viz : Jonathan Bascom, Samuel Burt, Roger Clapp, Aaron Clark, Elisha Clark, Jonathan Clark, Ebenezer French, Eleazer Hannum, Elias Lyman, John Miller, Noah Pixley, Israel Sheldon, Noah Sheldon and Stephen Sheldon. The Second Precinct was not regu larly incorporated until July 23d, 1741. The first precinct meeting was held at the house of Phin eas King, September 21, 1741, when the following officers were chosen : Ebenezer Kingsley, moderator ; Phineas King, clerk ;, Waitstill Strong, Ebenezer French and Aaron Clark, assessors ; Stephen Sheldon, collector. John Clark, Ebenezer Kingsley and Phineas King were appointed a committee to obtain a preacher of the gospel. Among the preachers who were employed in 1737, and for one or two years subsequently, were Mr. David Parsons, the first min ister settled in Amherst, and Mr. John Woodbridge of West Springfield, who was settled in South Hadley in 1742. In 1737, Northampton voted that a part of the tax levied upon the inhabitants of the new precinct should be applied towards building their meeting house, a structure which was not completed for several years afterwards, when a special committee was chosen to " dignify" the seats and pews, dignity being " in the compound ratio of age and prop erty." The first minister in Southampton was Rev. Jonathan Judd, of Waterbury, Ct, a graduate of Yale- College' in 1741. He had preached a few Sabbaths in the Spring of 1743, when he received a call to become the pastor, and was duly ordained on the 8th day of June in that year. The sixty-three 'members of the church organized at the same time comprised nearly every adult within .the pre cinct. For settlement, Mr. Judd had 200 acres of land, £100 old tenor in money, and £125 in work ; and for sal ary, £130 in money per annum, for three successive years, and then to be increased £5 a year until it amounted to £170. 24 278 SOUTHAMPTON. From the first settlement of the town until Quebec was reduced in 1759, the people lived in great fear of the In dians. Mr. Judd's house was palisaded, and a watch tower, communicating with the house by a window, was erected at the West end of his house. Jonathan Bascom's house seems also to have been fortified. In 1748, so frequent had been the alarms in consequence of occasional murders by the Indians, that the whole population forsook their set tlement, and retired to Northampton, Mr. Judd, however, returning to his relatives in Suffield. On the 19th of the following July, seven families returned, and kept garrison during the Summer, and in the Autumn, they were followed by nearly all the settlers. This year was marked by se vere affliction to the whole settlement. Superadded to the war, and as a consequence of it, came famine, while disease and death contributed their share to the general distress. Ezra Strong, Noah Sheldon and Moses Wright, original settlers, died. So scarce was food for animals that bundles of hay, on the backs of horses, were transported to the set tlement from Northampton. The limits of the settlement were much increased in 1749, by the " division among the proprietors of 3,000 acres of land called the " additional grant." This land was bounded by Westfield on the South. The peace de clared between France and England this year stimulated settlement and building, and the new precinct went on pros perously. In 1752, Northampton declared its willingness that the precinct should be erected into a district, and on the 5th of January, 1753, it was incorporated as such, by the General Court. The name of Southampton occurs for the first time on the town records, March 5, 1753, and the first legal district meeting was held on the 19th of the same month. The last French war reproduced the old alarms, but no damage was done. Ten men belonging to the dis trict were in Col. Williams' regiment, at the time he fell near Lake George, and two of them — Eliakim Wright and Ebenezer Kingsley Jr., were slain. Nathaniel Loomis and Joel Clapp were in Fort William Henry when that work was surrendered to the French and Indians by capitula tion, and barely escaped with life, from the treacherous and diabolical outrages that followed. The first notice in the records, of revolutionary times, SOUTHAMPTON. 279 occurs in 1768, and' is a communication from Rev. Mr. Judd, in which he states that if the struggle shall come be tween the colonies and the mother country, he will unite with a committee for the reduction of his salary to as low a point as can reasonably be thought proper. Samuel Burt and Aaron Clark were delegates to the Northampton Convention, and Dea. Elias Lyman was chosen delegate to the Provincial Congress which met at Concord on the 11th of October, 1768. A Committee of Correspondence was appointed, consisting of Jonathan Judd Jr., Samuel Burt, Elias Lyman, Aaron Clark, Jonathan Clark, Timothy Clark, Samuel Pomeroy, Samuel Clapp and Israel Shel don. Minute men were raised, and money voted to hire instruction for them in the military art, and to pay them ninepence a time for six half days while they were learn ing. Noah. Burt was one of the most efficient and prompt men in the town, in entering into the great work of the day. The signal gun found Mr. Burt in his field engaged in ploughing. He immediately took one horse from the team, told his boy to look after the other, and hastened on his way. His wife, with such help as she could command, managed the farm, and in the harvest season, she, with her daughters, entered the field, sickles in hand, and by perse vering toil, cut and secured the grain. Mr. Burt was away from home during most of the Summer, and the succeed ing Winter. His farm was large, and after the close of the war he found himself, with his neighbors, involved in the pecuniary distresses of the period. His friend, at this time, was Caleb Strong of Northampton, afterwards Gov ernor of Massachusetts, who lent him half a bushel of sil ver dollars. A committee was chosen to carry out the advice of the Congresses in regard to the selling of im ported goods. Nine days after the battle of Lexington, the district voted to pay for two-thirds of the provisions for Capt. Lemuel Pomeroy's company, and a committee of nine was appointed to collect the provisions, and dispatch them by team. For several years after this, the records teem with votes upon questions connected with the great struggle then in progress. In 1781, the town voted to raise £200 in silver or gold, and £4,000 in continental money " towards raising our quota of soldiers." In those days, the trades and professions were not 280 SOUTHAMPTON. crowded as now. Committees were even raised to procure the settlement of a doctor, and the erection of a black smith's shop. Mr. Sylvester Woodbridge had a regular call to settle in the town as physician. Towards the close of the century, Mr. Judd became in firm, and unable to continue the active discharge of his professional duties. He died on the 28th of July, 1803, after a ministry of sixty years, in the 84th year of his age. Mr. Judd was regarded throughout the period of his min istry with the profbundest veneration. He was affable in personal intercourse, respectable in pulpit talents, and Stoddardean in his theological views. He was successful in his ministry, and had the satisfaction of seeing his church built up and strengthened, from year to year, and occasion ally refreshed by marked revivals. The whole number that joined the church, during his active services, was 442. The number of baptisms that occurred during his ministry was 1,034 ; number of deaths in town, 440 ; births, about 1,550. Samuel Wait, aged 19, was the first individual who died in the town. On the 26th of August, 1801, Rev. Vinson Gould was settled as colleague pastor with Mr. Judd. He was a na tive of Sharon, Ct., and a graduate of Williams College in 1797. He was dismissed on the 5th of January, 1832, after a ministry of thirty-one years. He was succeeded by Rev. Morris E. White, of Ashfield, a graduate of Dart mouth College, who was ordained on the 20th of June the same year. Mr. White was dismissed at the close of 1852, and was succeeded in 1854 by Rev. Stephen C. Strong of Northampton, a graduate of Williams College in 1845. The Methodists, who had previously maintained a church organization, erected a handsome and convenient church edifice in 1844. Their preachers have been numerous, in accordance with the usages of their denomination. The present occupant of their pulpit is Rev. Franklin Fiske. Southampton has been somewhat remarkable for the number of educated professional men she has furnished to the country, as is seen in the following list of graduates, the majority of whom were born in Southampton, and all of whom lived there before going to college : Jonathan Judd, a graduate of Yale College in 1765, merchant in Southampton; David Searl, a graduate of SOUTHAMPTON. 281 Dartmouth College in 1784 ; Rev. Ashbel Strong, a grad uate of Williams College in 1801, removed to Delaware; Rev. Lyman Strong, M. D., a graduate of Williams Col lege in 1802 ; Rev. Sylvester "Burt, a graduate of Williams College in 1804 ; Rev. John Woodbridge, D. D., a gradu ate of Williams College in 1804 ; Martin L. Hurlburt, a graduate of Harvard University in 1804; Rev. Saul Clark, a graduate of Williams College in 1805 ; Theodore Pomeroy, M. D., a graduate of Yale College in 1808 ; Rev. Samuel Ware and Rev. Rufus Pomeroy, graduates of Williams College in 1808 ; Rev. Thaddeus Pomeroy, a graduate of the same in 1810 ; Rev. Isaac Parsons, a grad uate of Yale in 1811 ; Rev. William Strong, a graduate of Williams College in 1811 ; Rev. Federal Burt, a grad uate of the same institution in 1812 ; Rev. Sylvester Woodbridge, a graduate of Williams College in 1813 Rev. Rufus Hurlburt, a graduate of Harvard in 1813 Rey- Noble D. Strong, a graduate of Middlebury in 1813 Rev. Aretas Loomis, a graduate of Williams in 1815 ; Jus tin W. Clark, a. graduate of Harvard in 1816 ; Rev. Mc- dad Pomeroy, a graduate of Williams in 1817 ; Rev. Chandler Bates and Rev. Lemuel P. Bates, graduates of Williams in 1818 ; Rev. Philetus Clark, a graduate of Middlebury the same year ; Rev. Erastus Clapp, a gradu ate of Union in 1822 ; Rev. Jairus Burt and Rev. Bela B. Edwards, graduates of Amherst in 1824 ; Rev. Abner P. Clark, a graduate of Yale in 1825 ; Rev. Ralph Clapp, a graduate of Amherst in 1825 ; Joseph B. Clapp and Rev. Jeremiah Pomeroy, graduates of Amherst in 1829 ; Alvan W. Chapman, M. D., a graduate of Amherst in 1830 ; Gideon Searl, a gradtaate of Union in 1830 ; Rev. Jesse L. Frary, a graduate of Amherst in 1831 ; Edward R. Thorp, a graduate of Hamilton in 1831 ; Israel W. Searl and Mahlon P. Chapman, graduates of Amherst in 1832 ; Rev.-- Philander Bates and Rev. Rufus C. Clapp in 1833, Daniel Gould in 1834, and Rev. Sereno D. Clark, Rev. Justus L. Janes and Rev. Lemuel Pomeroy, in 1835 ; Rev. Lewis F. Clark, a graduate of Amherst in 1837 ; Rev. Wm. H. Sheldon, a graduate of Yale in 1837 ; Spencer S. Clark, a graduate of Amherst in 1839 ; and J. C. Searle and H. L. Edwards, the former of whom graduated at Am herst College hi 1842 and the latter in 1847. 24* 282 WARE. On the 23d of July, 1841, the people of Southampton celebrated their centennial anniversary, the address being delivered by Rev. B. B. Edwards, a native of the town, and professor in the Andover Theological Seminary, who passed from among the living in 1852, at the age of 49. He was a man much interested in local history, and his address delivered on that occasion is an invaluable legacy to the town of his birth. The number of school districts in Southampton is seven, and the amount of annual appropriations for schools, $600. Nine-tenths of the population of the town are farmers, although the land generally will not compare with that more immediately upon the river. There are about a dozen saw mills in the town, at which large quantities of lumber are prepared, and sent to the neighboring towns. A manufactory ot port monnaies has recently been started, employing a large number of hands. The amount of money raised by tax in 1854, for all pur poses, was 3,190 12. The town owes no debt, and has on deposit, of surplus revenue, $2,587 20. The town lines are extremely irregular, but the territory will average about five miles square. The number of ratable polls is 314. The population in 1840 was 1,158 ; in 1850, 1,120 ; decrease in ten years, 38. WARE. Ten thousand acres of land covering the whole of the Western portion of the present town of Ware were part of the Equivalent lands (see Belchertown) conveyed to John Reed by Connecticut, soon after 1713, as Trumbull says, " for less than one farthing ]*r acre." Five hun dred acres in the South East corner of the town, where the village now stands, were granted in 1673, to Richard Hollingsworth, of Salem, in consideration that his father was the first builder of vessels in the Colonies, although the grant was not located until 1715. One thousand four hundred and forty-three acres in the North East corner of the town, were granted to settlers in 1733, whose descend ants occupy portions of it at the present time. These sev eral tracts cover nearly the whole of the territory included within the present boundaries of the town. The territory of Ware suffered, in company with sev- WARE. 283 eral of its neighbors, by being burned over by the Indians, as a means of securing game. Brookfield was settled at an earlier date than Ware, and the people were accustomed to use the Ware lands for pasturage, and to burn them over to improve the grazing. So bare became the country that the people of Warren, on coming to the top of " Coy's hill," could discern a stray beast anywhere in the whole valley. The first settlements took place on the Hollings- worth Grant. Capt. Jabez Olmstead emigrated from Brookfield, probably in 1729, and builtmills upon the falls. He built a house a little East of where the Bank now stands, which was afterwards known as the " Great House," and was kept as a tavern. The house was stand ing when the first movement was made for the erection of factories in 1813, and the well of the house is still in use. Jacob Cummings came soon afterwards, from Killingly, Ct., and settled on a tract at first laid out to Stewart South- gate, the clerk of the proprietors of " The Elbows." (Pal mer.) Isaac Magoon was the first settler in the South East corner of the town, on lands that then belonged to the proprietors of the Elbows, whose grant covered all the land in Ware except Reed's manor, the Hollingsworth grant, the grant of 1443 acres in the North East corner of the town, and small tracts since added to the town from Brookfield. In 1742, when there were but thirty-three families in the territory, they petitioned the General Court to be erected into a town. The Committee appointed to exam ine into the circumstances of the place, reported against them, but recommended that, as they were a weary dis tance from any place of worship, they should be freed from taxes in all other places, and be allowed to support the gospel themselves. They were, accordingly, erected into a precinct, Dec. 7th of that year, and the first precinct meeting was held March 15th, 1742-3, at the house of Jabez Olmstead. Jacob Cummings was the moderator, and4he and Edward Ayres and Joseph Simons, were cho sen Precinct Committee, and Joseph Post, clerk. It was voted to raise £10 6s., old tenor, to pay the committee, surveyor and chainmen, and to raise £40 to hire preaching with. On the 5th of May, 1743, the precinct voted to hire Mr. Dickinson to preach until the £40 should be ex- 284 WARE. pended. In 1744, £60 were raised, and several candidates employed. In Nov., 1745, Rev. Henry Carey was invited to settle, but declined the call. At an early date in the history of the precinct, efforts were made to erect a meeting-house. In 1748, "it was voted to build a house 40 by 35, 18 feet posts, to pay 12 shillings old tenor for common laborers, eighteen shillings for team and cart." This vote was subsequently recon sidered, and, in September, 1750, it was voted to build a house 30 by 25 'feet, 15 feet posts. It was also " voted to raise the sum of £30 13s. 4d., lawful money, to defray the charges of building and covering the meeting-house — £20 13s. 4d., to be paid in labor and covering and slitwork, pro vided that every free-holder will pay to the Committee or collector the labor or materials his due proportion, that he shall be assessed, upon suitable notice, and £4 to procure nails for the meeting house." Jacob Cummings, Joseph Scott, Edward Aylres, Samuel Allen and John Taplin, were chosen building (Jommittee. The house was probably never very thoroughly finished. In March, 1750-51, it was " voted to ordain the worthy Mr. Grindall Rawson in this precinct on th!e second Wednesday in May next." Mr. Rawson was /promised £100 as settlement, and as salary £45 for the/first two years, with an addition of £3 the third year, and £4 for each year thereafter until it should amount to £60. He was ordained on the 8th of the month designated' in the vote. Mr. Rawson was a graduate of Harvard College in 1741, and seems to have been a man of eccentric parts. " Traditional accounts represent him as a man of little seriousness, comeliness or refinement." Whatever may have been the fact, disaffection with him was soon manifested. A vote was passed May 12, 1752, only a year after his settlement, " to reconsider the vote giving Mr. Rawson a call, and for paying the salary and settlement." The collectors refused to collect the taxes for the payment of his salary, and others were chosen in their stead, by special leave granted by the Governor and Coun cil. Mr. Rawson asked for a dismissal Jan. 30, 1754, and the next year was settled in Yarmouth. Judging from the specimens of his literary performances that are left on record, in the form of letters, his acquirements were in ferior to those of a majority of the ministers of the day. WARE. 285 After Mr. Rawson's dismission, there does not appear to have been any regular preaching for several years. Rev. Ezra Thayer was ordained Jan. 10, 1759. Up to this date, the church had no confession of faith, and the ordain ing council .presented one which was adopted. The church itself was formed May 9, 1757, though under what auspices it does not appear. Mr. Thayer continued the pastor until Feb. 12, 1775, when he died. During his ministry, 79 were received into the church in full communion. He was a graduate of Harvard College in 1756. Oct. 12, 1785, he was succeeded by Rev. Benjamin Judd, who, on account of divisions among the people in regard to him, remained only until Sept. 28, 1787, when he was dismissed. Rev. Reuben Moss of Cheshire, Ct, a graduate of Yale College in 1787, was ordained June 12jf\*>792. He re ceived £150 as settlement, and £80 as\iaary. He con tinued the pastor until his death, which occurred Feb. 17, 1809, — more than 16 years. Mr. Moss was a good man," and a man of industry and ability, and exerted a strong influence in the forwarding of religious and educational affairs. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Ware, Oct. 31, 1810, who, aftermost acceptably discharging the duties of his office, was dismissed on account of ill health, July 18, 1826. Mr. Ware was a native of Conway, and a graduate of Williams College, in 1808. July 19, the day of his dismissal, Rev. Augustus B. Reed, a ' native of Rehoboth, and a graduate of Brown University in 1821, was installed in his place. He was dismissed on account of feeble health, June 5, 1838, and was succeeded Sept. 19, of the same year, by Rev. Hervey Smith, who was dismissed in 1840. Rev. William E. Dixon of Enfield, Ct, was ordained Jan. 14,- 1841, and dismissed May 26, 1842. He was succeeded by Rev. David A. Coburn of Thompson, Ct., who was ordained Sept. 2-1 st, the same year, and was dismissed April 17, 1854. The church is now without a pastor. In 1825, a new Society was formed in the new village that sprang up that year on the Eastern border of the town. April 12, 1826, the church was organized, and Rev. Parsons Cooke of Hadley was ordained the first pas tor, June 21st of that year. During the same year, a large and commodious house of worship was built, which was 286 WARE. remodeled in 1846. Mr. Cooke gathered 350 members into the church during his ministry, and retired April 13, 1835. Rev. Cyrus Yale was installed June 11, 1835 ; dismissed Aug. 3, 1837. Rev. Jonathan E. Woodbridge of Worth ington, a classmate of Mr. Cooke in Williams College, suc ceeded him, and was settled May 2, 1838. He was dis missed Dec. 27, 1840, to become one of the editors of the New England Puritan, m connection with Mr. Cooke. Rev. Nahum Gale of Auburn, Mass., a graduate of Amherst College in 1837, succeeded Mr. Woodbridge June 28, 1842. He was dismissed in June, 1851. Rev. Theron G. Colton, a graduate of Yale College, was installed Sept. 1851, and is still the pastor. A Baptist Church was formed in the village in 1846, over which P-"-. Amory Gale, a graduate of Brown Uni versity, was oldained, Nov. 11th, of that year. He was dismissed in the winter of 1850, and was succeeded in September, 1850, by Rev. Mr. Bullard, who remained two years. In April, 1853, Rev. George E. Fuller became the pastor, and is now in office. A Unitarian Society was organized Sept., 1 846, and a house of worship dedicated in June, 1847. Rev. George S. Ball was Ordained Sept., 1847, and dismissed Oct., 1849. Rev. George T. Hill was installed pastor in Sept. 1852. and is now in office. A Methodist Church has been ministered to by a suc cession of preachers. Rev. Nelson Spaulding is the pres ent pastor. The Catholics have recently erected the largest church in town. Ware was incorporated as a town Nov. 25, 1761. It received its name from the weirs or wears that were con structed in Ware river, to aid in taking salmon. These gave the stream the name of Wear river, and the river gave its name to the town, the present orthography of the name being a corruption of the original. The first town meeting was held March 9, 1762, when William Braken- ridge was chosen clerk, Samuel Sherman, Wm. Braken- ridge, John Davis, Jacob Cummings and Judah Marsh, selectmen and assessors, and Jacob Cummings, treasurer. March, 1775, Wm. Brakenridge was chosen delegate to the Provincial Congress, and May 1st, of the same year, WARE. 287 it was voted to choose three men to attend the Congress in turn, the town paying their expenses. The men chosen were Mr. Brakenridge, Joseph Foster and Deacon Thomas Jenkins. The inhabitants of Ware, as the records prove, wer.; not behind their neighbors in the sacrifices made to secure success to the struggle of the Revolution. The town sympathized to a considerable extent with Shays in the rebellion which bears his name, and chose delegates to the County Conventions that were held at that time, to consult upon the matter of public grievances. In Ware, as in many other towns in the Commonwealth, it was the custom, instead of hailing all new comers as a welcome accession to the strength of the community, to warn them to depart, lest they should became a charge to the town. In March, 1765, the town allowed William Bell 12 shillings for warning out several and- carrying out some. In 1790, the constable was directed to warn 51 per sons, whose names were given, to depart from the limits of the town, with their children and all under them, within fifteen days. The first vote on record in regard to schools was the following : " Voted to Devid ye Peraish into two parts for a scool and flat Brook to be ye deviding Line." Joseph Scott was appointed "to take care" of the West part, and Wm. Brakenridge of the East. At the first town meeting, it was voted to divide the town into four quarters, or dis tricts, and to " Raies twelve pounds for Skoling ; also that Eatch Quarter shall Skole out there part within the year or be forfit." In 1785, it was voted to divide the town into six districts, and determined where the school houses should be located. The amount of school money was increased from year to year until 1854, when it reached $2,600. Ware river, the (Nenameseck of the Indians,) furnishes a fine water power to the town, which has been fully taken advantage of. At Ware Village, the #tream falls seventy feet in less than that number of rods, and it was here that in 1730, Jabez Olmstead erected his mills. His heirs sold the property to Isaac Magoon, from whom it passed to his son Alexander, in 1765. In April, 1813, the mills and 400 acres of land around them were sold by James Magoon, a grandson of Alexander, to Alpheus Demond and Thomas 288 WARE. Dewey, for $4,500. Mr. Demond rebuilt the dam, repair ed the saw and grist mills, and started two carding ma chines. The conclusion of the last war with England in terfered with the prosperity of the factory enterprise, and in April, 1821, the property, with all its improvements, was sold to Holbrook & Dexter of Boston, for about $15,000. It then became the property of a company of Boston capi talists, called the Ware Manufacturing Co., who completed a mill commenced by Mr. Demond. In 1823, the woolen mill, about one-third its present size, was built, and in 1824, a large mill was erected, to take water from the upper fall. The company was incorporated in 1823, with a capital of $600,000, but its plans were not successful, and it never made a dividend. In 1829, its property was transferred to the Hampshire Manufacturing Co., at a nom inal value of $300,000, and this capital was subsequently increased to $400,000. In the financial crash of 1837, the company failed, and in August, 1839, the cotton mills passed into the hands of the Otis Manufacturing Co. In June, 1845, the long mill, built in 1824, was burnt, and the new company, which already had commenced the erection of a stone mill 200 feet long, immediately erected another of the same dimensions, upon the site of the old one. These are still in operation, and, with the old cotton mill and the small one near it, run 20,000 spindles, consume 1,600,000 lbs. of cotton annually, and give employment to about 650 hands. The capital of the Otis company is $500,000, and they have been very successful. In 1845 and 1846, they built two new mills — one of brick and the other of granite. In 1841, Gilbert & Stevens, from Andover, purchased of the assignees of the Hampshire Co. the woolen mill and the other property on the South side of the river. They started the old mill, and in the Summer of 1846, erected a new stone mill, 80 feet by 50, and five stories high. Each mill contains 7 sets of machinery. Their mills consume 400,000 lbs. of wooi annually, make about 700,000 yards of flannel, and employ 225 hands. A division of the prop erty has been made, Mr. Gilbert taking the new stone mill, Mr. Stevens retaining the old one, which he has considera bly enlarged. The manufacture of straw goods was commenced in . Ware in 1832, by John B. Fairbank, was afterwards car- WAKE. 289 ried on by Avery Clark, and is now prosecuted by Lorenzo Demond, who employs usually about one hundred girls in sewing them. C. E. &; H. S. Blood have also opened a shop, employing as many girls in making similar goods, which are mostly for New York dealers. The professional and liberally educated men who have originated in Ware, or were residents when educated, are the following : William Bowdoin, son of William, lawyer, for many years a resident at South Hadley Falls ; Rev. Emerson Davis, D. D., son of Dea. Enos, a graduate of Williams College in 1821, now minister in Westfield ; Rev. John Dunbar, son of John, graduate of Williams College in 1832 ; Isaac Wethrell, son of Thomas, graduate of Am herst College in 1832 ; Rev. William Paige Davis, son of Benjamin, graduate of Union College in 1833 ; Joshua Pearl, son of John M., graduate of Yale College in 1836 ; Rev. Porter H. Snow, son of Dea. Eli, entered Amherst College in 1833, and after spending three years there, en tered the senior class in Union College, and graduated in 1838; Rev. Loranus Crowell, (Methodist) son of Joshua, graduate of Wesleyan University at Middletown, Ct, in 1840 ; Rev. Thomas S. Norton, son of Allen, graduate of Amherst College in 1840 ; William Spell, son of Thomas, graduate of Amherst College in 1840; Rev. Loring B. Marsh, son of Foster, graduate of Yale College in 1840 ; Rev. Samuel H. Allen, son of Chester, graduate of Am herst College in 1841 ; Aaron Walker, son of Aaron, do., do. ; David Gould Sherman, son of Thomas, graduate of Yale College in 1841 ; Daniel L. Shearer, son of John, graduate of Yale College in 1842; Dr. John Hartwell, son of Joseph, graduate of Amherst College in 1843 ; Rev. Samuel D. Marsh, son of Foster, graduate of Yale Col lege in 1844; Charles Demond, son of Alpheus, graduate of Williams College in 1844 ; Elbridge Pepper, son of John, graduate of Amherst College in 1853. The town debt of Ware is $ 6,800. incurred for the purchase of a farm for the poor, in part, and partly for the town hall. The valuation of real estate for 1844 was $1,030,283 ; personal, $258,350 ; total, $ 1,288,633. The amount raised for schools was $2,600 ; highways and new roads, $2,200 ; payment of town debt (in part) and interest, $1,680; con tingencies, $1,500 ; paupers, $800, which, with the state 25 290 WESTHAMPTON. and county tax, makes the assessment $11,155 34, for the year. The population in 1840 was 1,955 ; in 1850, 3,568, (state census) ; increase in ten years, 1,613. The town now ranks second in the county in population and valua tion. WESTHAMPTON. Settlements in the Westerly part of the town of North ampton, began to be made in, or about, the year 1767. From this.time to the time of the incorporation of this sec tion into a separate town, now known as Westhampton — a period of about eleven years — very little can be said of it, it being a secluded part of Northampton, and almost without historical data. From memoranda made by Rev. Enoch Hale — the first minister of the town — it appears that in Nov., 1767, Lemuel Strong — eldest son of Lieut Noah Strong — was born, supposed to be the first child born within the limits of the present town of Westhampton. At the end of 1779, about sixty families were in the town, generally young and small, containing, in all, perhaps a few more than three hundred souls. The pioneers in the settlement were principally emi grants from Northampton, some from Southampton, and the balance, almost without exception, from other places within the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay. In those days of puritanic simplicity — though less than a cen tury ago — the enterprise of removing from adjacent towns, to this, then almost an unbroken forest, was esteemed by those interested in it, to be an effort of scarcely less mag nitude than an emigration, at this day, from New England to Iowa or Minnesota. Many a grist of precious bread stuff — as tradition has it — was borne on the shoulders of these first settlers, over the whole distance — -seven to ten miles — between this place and Northampton, where, "at that time, was the nearest mill accessible. In the year 1778, the inhabitants of the Westerly part of the town of Northampton, apprehending themselves of sufficient numbers and abilities, petitioned the General Court to be incorporated into a separate town. In accord ance with the prayer of the petition, an act of incorpora tion was passed Sept. 29,1778, "that the Westerly -part of the said town of Northampton, separated by a line four WESTHAMPTON. 291 miles Eastward from the West line of said town of North ampton, and parallel thereto, be incorporated into a sepa rate town, by the name of Westhampton." By this same act, Caleb Strong, Esq., — known at a later period as Gov ernor Strong — was " authorized and required to issue his warrant," calling a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of said town, to choose such officers as towns are authorized by law to choose, and transact other such matters as' shall be expressed in said warrant. Such a warrant was accordingly issued, in pursuance of which a meeting was held at the house of Nathan Clark, Nov. 19, 1778, and Caleb Strong was chosen moderator; Sylvester Judd, clerk ; Dea. Martin Clark, treasurer ; John Smith, Capt; Wm. Bartlett, and John Baker, selectmen ; Abner Claflin, constable ; John Smith, warden ; Azariah Lyman, tythingman ; John Parsons and Ephraim Wright, survey ors of ways. At the first annual town meeting for the choice of offi cers, held in March, 1799, Gideon Clark was elected to the office of town clerk, which office he held, by re-election, from year to year, until the time of his decease in 1814 — a period in all, of thirty-five years. This circumstance, while it has contributed, in no small degree, to furnish the town with a record, at once correct, uniform, and easy to be traced, during that series of years, demonstrates the superiority of the practice over that of frequent change, as pursued by many towns in later years, and furnishes a lasting memento of the value and fidelity of Mr. Clark as a recording officer. In the convention for forming the Constitution of the Commonwealth, in 1780, Westhampton was represented by Sylvester Judd ; and by Rev. Enoch Hale, in the cgnven- tion of 1820. Probably as great and permanent an influ ence for. the good of the town was exerted by these two individuals, in their time — each in his respective sphere of action — as by any other two men who have ever been in habitants of the place. Among the early settlers of West hampton were a considerable number of men who bore arms in their country's defense, some for a longer, and some a shorter period, in the war of the revolution. Sev eral of them lived to witness the gratitude of' their coun try for their services, and to participate in its bounty. But 292 WESTHAMPTON. they are all numbered with the generations that are past — not one of them now survives. It is a fact worthy of notice, that, in the first meeting for the organization of the town, by the choice of officers, the only other business transacted was to provide for the establishment, maintenance and enjoyment of the institu tions of religion. It was voted that Messrs. Martin Clark, Azariah Lyman and Sylvester Judd, be a committee to procure Mr. Hale — after his present term of engagement expires — or some other person, to preach, and to provide for meeting one-half the time at the house of Nathan Clark, and the other half at the house of Azariah Lyman. To fix upon a locality on which to erect a meeting-house, appears to have been an affair of great and protracted diffi culty. It was not until 1785 — more than six years after the incorporation of the town — that a house for public worship was erected, and this was not completed and fin ished, with all its appurtenances, until four years after that time. So sharp was the contention in regard to the location of the house, that, for a time, a division of the town was se riously threatened.. But, though the record of those times plainly indicates that the revered fathers of the infant town were subject to like passions with other men, it also proves that they did not " forsake the assembling of themselves to gether," regularly and statedly, for the purpose of public worship. Here they could meet on common ground. Here they did meet. They were emphatically a church-going community. And to this fact, doubtless, under God, is owing, in a great degree, the peace, harmony and unanim ity, which, to so great an extent, have prevailed in the town, from those days to the present time. The Church of Christ in Westhampton was organized Sept. 1st, 1779, by the aid of Rev. Jonathan Judd of Southampton, and Rev. Solomon Williams of Northamp ton ; and Reuben Wright and Martin Clark were chosen deacons. Rev. Enoch Hale — the first pastor of the church — was ordained Sept. 29th, 1779. The ordination services were performed in Ebenezer French's barn, fitted up, as it best might be, for the occasion. An exact list of the first members of the church cannot be given, that record having been destroyed, with many other valuable papers, at the burning of Rev. Mr. Hale's WESTHAMPTON. 293 house, in the autumn of 1816. The number of commu nicants, including those who were such at the time of or ganization, and those who united very soon after, by pro fession, was about fifty. Large additions were made to the church in 1789, so that in about ten years from its com mencement, it numbered more than 1 60 members. There, has been but one church in the town from the time of its settlement, with the following exception. In 1828, a portion of the members of the church declared their secession from its jurisdiction, and, together with other persons in Westhampton, and the neighboring towns, formed themselves, under the guidance and direction of Rev. John Truair, into ah organization called "Union Church." For a time, the prosperity and success of this new church were apparently commensurate with its zeal. It was not long, however, before its meteoric light began to wane, and in a few years, there were not left data suffi cient to mark the place where, or the time when, the light went out. The meeting house, of which mention has been made, was taken down in 1816, and its place supplied by a new house of more ample dimensions, — 70 by 52 feet — under the architectural supervision of Capt. Isaac Damon of Northampton, and at that time, said to be one of the best church edifices in all the small towns of Western Massa chusetts. This house was consumed by fire in February, 1829. The church and society, weakened by the secession of a portion of their members, and their commodious and beautiful house in ashes — did not sit down in despair. On the same day of the burning of the house, and before re tiring from its smouldering ruins, to their homes, measures were adopted preliminary to re-building. And during that year, the meeting house now standing was erected, on the same foundation as the one burnt — only, in length, ten feet less. The architects were the late Major Caleb Loud of Westhampton and his sons. Rev. Enoch Hale, the first pastor of the church in West hampton, died January 14, 1837, at the age of 84 years, and in the 58th year of his pastoral connection with the church. He was a native of Coventry, Ct, and brother of Capt. Nathan Hale, who, in the war of the Revolution, so nobly offered' his life — a sacrifice on the altar of his qoun' 25* 294 WESTHAMPTON. try's liberty. Rev. Horace B. Chapin, then recently of South Amherst, was installed as colleague pastor with Mr. Hale, July 8, 1829, and was dismissed, at 'his own request, in May, 1837. He then labored, for a time, in Canada, from which field he was compelled to retire, on account of the political disturbances and rebellion in that province. He was afterwards settled at Lewiston Falls, Me., where he died in October, 1840, of an acute disease, at the age of forty-eight years. Rev. Amos Drury was installed pas tor of the church, June 28, 1837. He had previously held pastoral relations in West Rutland and Fairhaven, Vt. He died at Pittsford, Vt, July 22, 1841, at the age of 48 years, while on a visit to his friends in that place. The fourth pastor of the church — Rev. David Coggin — a native of Tewksbury, Mass., was ordained May 11, 1842, and died of consumption, April 28, 1852, aged 35 years. His bereaved and afflicted people will long cherish, in fond recollection, a grateful sense of his virtues as a man, and his fidelity as a pastor. Rev. Andrew Bigelow, late of West Needham, was installed as the pastor of the church March 2d, 1854, and still remains in office. Few churches, it is confidently believed, have enjoyed a succession of more faithful, godly and devoted ministers than this. The town of Westhampton is divided into nine school districts — a number quite too large, whether considered in reference to the economical expenditure of the money raised for educational purposes, or the number of children to be educated. The amount of money raised for schools, and appropriated for the payment of teachers, is $450. Of manufacturing establishments, in the general accept ance of the term, and of mines, there are none, though both exist immediately on the borders of the town. Granite is abundant, but the quarrying of it is- not prosecuted as a regular and permanent business. The principal industrial pursuit is agriculture. It is one of the smallest towns in Hampshire County, considered both in regard to population and valuation. Occupying a position intermediate between the plains which skirt the valley of the Connecticut, and the mountains lying to the Westward of them, the moun tainous features are strongly predominant, and, as a whole, it is by far better adapted to grazing than tillage. This town has, during the past half century, furnished its full quota of Western emigrants. WESTHAMPTON. 295 The following persons, natives of Westhampton, have received college degrees: Rev. Jonathan Fisher, 1792, Harvard, settled and died in Maine ; Tertius Strong, 1799, Williams, died 1802,— aged 24 ; Rev. Levi Parsons, 1801, Williams, resides at Marcellus, N. Y. ; Hon. Nathan Hale, 1804, Williams, editor Boston Daily Advertiser; Rev. William Fisher, 1805, Williams, died at Allensville, la., April 19, 1840; Justus Kingsley, 1809, Williams, died soon after graduating ; Rev. Justin Edwards, D. D., 1810, Williams, late President of Andover Seminary ; Hophni Judd, 1812, Williams, studied law, died 1818 ; Calvin Montague, 1814, Williams, a physician ; Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright, 1814, Williams ; Epaphras Clark, 1815, Wil liams, a lawyer in Enfield ; Rev. Dorus Clarke, 1817, Wil liams, lives now in Eastern part of the state ; Anson Hook er, 1819, Williams, a doctor at Cambridge : Edward Hook er, 1820, a lawyer, died in Ohio in 1843 ; Rev. Tertius S. Clarke, 1824, Yale, at Penn Yan, N. Y. ; George Burt, 1825, Amherst, a lawyer, died at the South ; Rev. Orange Clarke, D. D., Harvard, lives in California ; Rev. Lyman Clarke, D. D., Trinity, lives in Waterbury, Ct. ; Levi F. Claflin, 1826, Williams, teacher, lives in Dayton, Ohio j Rev. Calvin Clark, 1832, Williams, agent for home mis sions in Michigan ; Rev. George Lyman, 1837, Amherst, lives at Sutton ; Rev. Sylvester Judd, 1836, Yale, died at Augusta, Maine ; Chauncey P. Judd, 1840, Yale, lawyer at Reading ; Zenas M. Phelps, 1839, Williams, teacher in New York ; Rev. Jonathan S. Judd, 1839, Williams, lives at Whately ; Rev. Dexter Clapp, 1839, Amherst, lives at Salem; Rev. Melzar Montague, 1841, Williams, lives at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin ; Rev. Enos J. Montague, 1841, Williams, at Summit, Wisconsin ; Rev. Luther Clapp, 1841, Williams, at Wawatosa, Wisconsin ; Samuel W. Fisher, 1841, Williams, at Westhampton ; James Brewer, 1842, Williams, somewhere out West ; Rev. Anson Clark, 1845, Williams ; Rev. Charlas H. Norton, 1847, Williams, North Becket ; Rev. Justin Parsons, 1849, Williams, missionary at Salonica. Total of college graduates, 34 ; of whom 20 are ministers, and 6, lawyers. Sylvester Judd, (son of Sylvester,) the editor and ¦pror. prietor of the Hampshire Gazette, from 1822 to. 1835, was a native of Westhampton. Since his retirement from, the 296 WILLIAMSBURG. Gazette, he has been engaged almost uninterruptedly in antiquarian researches, and has collected and recorded an immense mass of information concerning the early history of Massachusetts, and its multitude of municipalities. Probably no man now living in the United States has ac complished an equal amount of labor in a similar field. The materials in his possession have a permanent, intrinsic value, equal to the labor they have cost. Mr. Judd now lives in Northampton, and, in the enjoyment of a hearty old age, purchased by a life of temperance, pursues the researches, which are alike his labor and his recreation. The amount of money raised by tax for all purposes is $2,200; number of square miles, 24; ratable polls, 165; miles of road, about 40. The population in 1840 was 75-2 j in 1850, 636; decrease in ten years, 116. WILLIAMSBURG. This town is formed from " Hatfield Addition," or " Hat field Three-Mile Grant," a tract six miles long and three miles wide, granted by the General Court, in 1795, to the inhabitants of Hatfield, and entirely divided up among them. The present boundary lines of Williamsburg are almost entirely identical with those of the original grant. The date of the settlement is not known, but settlement, to any considerable extent, did not probably take place many years before the incorporation of the territory as a district, which event took place April 24, 1771. The first district meeting was held on the following 6th of May, in pursuance of a warrant issued by William Williams, Esq. Samuel Fairfield was chosen moderator of this meeting ; John Nash, clerk and treasurer of the district ; Amasa Frost and Thomas Warren, constables ; Joshua Warner, Josiah Dwight and John Nash, selectmen and assessors ; Jonathan Warner and Joshua Thayer, wardens ; Abel Thayer, Abijah Hunt, Mather Warren and Elisha Nash, surveyors of highways ; Richard Church and Russell Kel logg, tythingmen ; Jesse Wild and Joseph Cary, fence- Viewers ; Jonathan Warner, clerk of the market ; Andrew Gates and Downing Warner, deer-reeves ; Joshua Thayer and Joseph Tory, hog-reeves ; Josiah Hayden and Amasa Graves, field drivers, and Levi Ludden, surveyor of hoards and shingles. ' This is a long list of officers, but it will in- WILLIAMSBURG. 297 form us of the names of the principal settlers at that time, as well as of the multiplicity of offices. At a meeting held May 13, 1771, it was voted to raise £20 for preaching, before the next March meeting. Other votes were passed at this meeting, giving "the proprietors of the school house" two-thirds of the cost of building it, deciding to repair it so that it might serve as a place for public worship, and providing a conch shell, and a salary of 15 shillings to Lieut. Joshua Thayer for blowing it to call the people together, and for keeping the school house in order. This shell is still preserved as a precious memo rial of the past. In 1772, 95 polls were taxed, while seven were exempted from taxation. This shows a considerable population. The following names fill the assessment list for that year : Russell Kellogg, Elijah Wait, Joshua Warner, Jonathan Warner, George Andrews, William Dunton, Benjamin Blanch - ard, Joseph Tory, William Stephenson, Joel Warner, Paul Warner, Downing Warner Jr., Smith Kennett, Mather War ren/Joseph Warren, Abner Cole, Samuel Fairfield, Amos Truesdell, John Wait, Samuel Day, John Nash, Elisha Nash, Willfam Reed, Asa Thayer, Richard Church, John Meekins, Samuel Hontanton, Daniel May, Joseph Cary, John Bur roughs, Silas Billings, Seth Tubbs, Daniel Hollis, William Bodman, James Smith, Simeon White, Thomas Lothing, Enoch Thayer, Ezra Strong, Thomas Warren, Seth Pomeroy, Josiah Pomeroy. John Miller, Seth Graves, Perez Graves Si las Graves, James Porter, Thomas Fenton, Caleb Conant. Jesse Wild, Josiah Hadlock, Joshua Thayer, Andrew Gates, Asa Ludden, Ezra Ludden, Thomas Flow, Josiah Dwight, Anson theesman Samuel Patridge, Simeon Burroughs, David Bur roughs, Lucy Hubbard, Ebezezer Hill, Iohabod Hemenway, Abijah Hunt, Jcsiah Hadlock Jrrr Hezekiah Reed, Gaius Crafts. George Dunn, Thomas Kance, Ebenezer Paine, Thomas French, Lemuel Barber, Abel Thayer, Thomas Fenton Jr., Benjamin Reed, Joseph Ludden, Lucy Ludden, Thomas Spatford, Jonathan Wolcott, Jonathan Wolcott, lr, Thomas Meekins, Amasa-Graves, Seth Hastings, Nehemiah Cleaveland, William Guilford, Asaph Wales, Eleazer Root, Aaron Hemen way, James Ludden, Seth Ludden, Asa Brown, Joseph Janes, James Janes, William Fenton, Thomas Beebe, Thomas Lo- ring, Moses Cirley, Josiah Hayden, Thomas How, Amasa Frost, Nathan Frost, Sampson Hill, Alexander Miller, Samuel French, Jacob Paine, Levi Ludden, Samuel Bagley, Edward Curtis, James Bangs, William Wales, Isaac Phinney, and Benjamin Hadlock. 298 WILLIAMSBURG. The late Ira N.. Fairfield, who died December 2, 1850, in the 86th year of his age, was the first male child born in Williamsburg. He was a son of Capt. Samuel Fair field, who kept a tavern in the Western part of the pres ent village of Haydenville. Ensign Josiah Dwight kept another public house about three miles west of him, on the road to Albany, and between those points, embracing the present site of Williamsburg village, was a stretch of dark, dismal, swampy ground, known as " The Cellars.' Though poor in worldly goods, the people made early provision for building a meeting house, for the support of the gospel, and for the establishment of schools. During the war of the Revolution, they took an active part on the side of liberty, fh furnishing men, provisions and clothing for the army. On the 15th of July, 1776, it was voted " to raise money to give to the nine soldiers to encourage them to join the ^continental army in Canada, £6 each." June 4, 1777, Joel Wright was hired as a soldier during the war, for £36 10s., and Samuel Dewey, for three years, for £30. August 27, 1777, it was voted to raise money enough to hire seven men to continue as soldiers for 3 years, or during the war, and £300 was raised for that purpose. August 29, 1778, it was voted to raise money to pay three soldiers, viz: £14 per man, and to raise £30 for another soldier. Votes of this kind, are numerous, and constantly recurring, during the period of the war. From 1771 to 1780, there appears to have been an in crease of population from Martha's Vineyard, Braintree, Northampton, Hadley, Sunderland and, perhaps, other places. The last district meeting was held December 11, 1775, and the first town meeting, February 12, 1776. In 1780, the number of polls had risen to 131 ; in 1793, to 245 ; but in 1800 it had fallen to 228, in consequence of emigration to the West. In 1830, the polls had risen to 271. The valuation in these years was as follows : In 1780, £2,304 7s. ; in 1793, £29,174 3s.; in 1800, $108,013 ; in 1830, $330,013. Up to this latter date, but little man ufacturing had been done in the town, except in the busi ness of ax-making. For several years following 1812, Messrs. J. Hannum, S. Hyde, and L. Hitchcock, and oth ers, made 3,000 axes per annum. The number of polls in WILLIAMSBURG. 299 1848 was 352 ; valuation, $548,258 ; polls in 1853, 446 ; valuation, $735,952 32. The First Congregational Church in the District of Wil liamsburg was organized July 3d, 1771, and was composed of the following persons : Thomas Nash, Thomas Warren, John Nash, Jonathan Warner and wife, Amasa Frost and wife, Joseph Cary and wife, Richard Church and wife, Jesse Wild and wife, Elisha Nash and wife, Samuel Fair field and wife, Josiah Dwight and wife, Joshua Warner and wife, and Hezekiah Reed — in all, 22. Amasa Frost and Joseph Carey were chosen deacons. The first pastor of this church was Rev. Amos Butler, who was ordained July 14, 1773. He died October 13, 1777. Asandstone slab was erected to his memory, which, in after time, was broken — tradition says — by a stroke of lightning. The in scription had become almost illegible, when some friendly hand traced and copied it, and procured a respectable mar ble stone to stand in the place of the old one. The inscrip tion is as follows : "This monument is sacred to the memory of the Revd. Amos Butler who was born at Hartford: settled the first gospel minister in this town ; sustained the ministerial char acter with uncommon dignity and usefulness four years, and rested from his labors October 13, 1777, in the 30th year of his age. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they hear if one rose from the dead." Rev. Joseph Strong, a graduate of Yale College in 1749, was settled in Mr. Butler's place December 26, 1781, and died January 1st, 1803. His epitaph reads thus: " To the memory of Rev Joseph Strong who died Jan. 1, 1803, in the 76th year of his age and the 52d of his ministry. Naturally possessed of great self-command, a correct judgment and a penetrating mind; he was eminently qualified for ruling a church, and silencing opposers. By a faithful examination of the Scriptures, he acquired a thorough knowledge of their truths, and in his discourses taught them with perspicuity and force. His ministry, by a divine blessing, was crowned with remarkable success." Rev. Henry Lord, a graduate of Yale College in 1801, was ordained June 20, 1804, and labored at Williamsburg for 30 years, or until his death, which occurred November 22, 1834. Mr Lord was a faithful minister, and lived the sermons to which he gave utterance. His oldest son, Rev. 300 WILLIAMSBURG. Chester Lord, died November 8, 1834. His first sermon was his last Rev Charles Lord, the only other son and child of Mr Lord, is now a pastor in Madison, Wisconsin. Rev William Lusk of Chenango, N. Y, a graduate of Union College in 1822, succeeded Mr Lord, and was installed January 20, 1836. He was dismissed, February 7, 1840, and was succeeded by Rev David E. Goodwin, (from the East Windsor Seminary,) January 13, 1841. He died May 2, 1842, at the early age of 31, and was much la mented. Rev M. G. Wheeler was installed in his place October 18, 1842, and dismissed March 1,1846; and he, in turn, was' succeeded by Rev. Samuel C. Wilcox, February 10, 1847, who was dismissed November 14, 1849. Rev. Edward W. Root was ordained October 23, 1850, and remains the pastor. The Sunday School attached to this church has 147 scholars, 625 books in library, and takes 43 copies of the Well Spring and 25 of the Child's Paper. Seth Dwight, son of Josiah Dwight, one of the original members of the church, married a daughter of Rev. Joseph Strong, and they were the parents of Rev. H. G. O. Dwight, missionary to Constantinople. A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized and a meeting house built, in 1832, at which time the place be came a regular station. Previous to this, it was a part of tlie Hampshire Circuit, and received the ministrations, among others, of Rev. Ephraim Scott and Rev. J. D. Bridge. In 1833, Rev. D. Leslie occupied the station) 1834 and 1835, Rev. E. M. Beebe ; 1836 and 1837, Rev. William Smith ; 1838 and 1839, Rev. George May ; 1840, Rev. J. A. Merrill ; 1841, Rev. Benjamin McLouth ; 1842 and 1843, Rev. Moseley Dwight; 1844 and 1845, Rev. F. P.Tracy; 1846, Rev. John H. Twombly ; 1847, 1848 and 1849, Rev. E. S. Potter; 1850, Rev. Wm. Butler; 1851 and 1852, Rev. H. M. Nichols; 1853, Rev. H. M. Bridge. The number of scholars in the Sabbath School is 100, vol umes in library, 375, Sunday School papers taken, 41. In Haydenville, a manufacturing village of Williams burg, a Congregational Society, numbering 60 members, was organized March 19, 1849. Their phurch edifice was subsequently built, at an expense of about $13,000, of which Mr. Joel Hayden, a wealthy and generous member, paid about $9,000. Thechurch was organized still later. WILLIAMSBURG. 801 Rev. Edward Sweet, the first pastor, was ordained in March, 1851, and dismissed March 7, 1854. He was suc ceeded on the following 14th of June, by Rev. E. W. Cooke". Quite an extensive manufacturing business is carried on in Williamsburg. Henry Wells manufactures bench and moulding planes to the number of 53,040 per. annum, val ued at $24,000.— Downing W. Graves manufactures an nually the value of $37,000 in buckles, cast iron and tin faced buttons, moulds, &c. A paper box manufactory car ried on in connection with this establishment produces from 6,000 to 10,000 boxes per week.— Willisson and Wm. E. Thayer make screw drivers, chisels and other varieties of hardware, of the annual value of $10,000, and of different varieties of cabinet furniture, $5,000 worth. — A. E. Lyman manufactures for New York and Philadelphia, iron-teeth garden rakes and children's rakes, hoes and spades, to the amount of from $8,000 to $10,000.— Hitchcock & Sears manufacture cast steel socket-chisels of the annual value of $2,500. — Levi M. Graves and George E. Lamb, tan ners and curriers, turn out annually $10,000 worth of leather. — W. S. Pierce & Co. manufacture 75,000 yards of satinet, and Nathaniel Sears, 10,000 yards of flannel annually. — V. Abell works up 3,000 lbs. of wool annually, into stocking yarn and frockings. — O. G. Spelman manu factures 800 to 1,000 gross of wooden buttons and moulds per day.— In the village of Haydenville, John A. Root, (late Root & Kingsley) carries on a furnace, at which he turns out yearly $12,000 worth of castings. — Hayden (Joel) and Sanders run a mill, with 4,000 spindles, in the manufacture of cotton sheetings, of which they turn out annually the value of $80,000. They also manufacture brass goods to the value of $50,000 per annum. — The man ufacture of gold pens was commenced at this point in the autumn of 1846, by J. & J. Hayden. Dawson, Warren & Hyde purchased the interest of the Messrs. Hayden in 1849, and have since gradually extended their business. Their pens, by their many excellent qualities, find a ready market throughout the United States, and their concern is doubtless the largest manufactory of gold pens in the Union. The town, county and state taxes of Williamsburg for 26 302 WORTHINGTON. 1853 were $3,635 31, (for ordinary expenses) and $1,000 was raised for schools. The number of school districts in the town is 9, scholars 337 ; miles of roads 40, which have cost the town, including bridges, $1,000 per mile; and which now cost the town $1,000 a year for repairs. There are 24 bridges over Mjll river and its branches. The number of square miles in the town is 26. The population in 1840 was 1,289; in 1850, 1,534 ; increase in ten years, 245. WORTHINGTON. Of the ten townships sold at auction in Boston on the 2d of June, 1762, the present town of Worthington occu pies the territory of No. 3. The township was sold to Aaron Willard for £1,860. Subsequently, but at what date it does not appear, the township passed into the pos session of Col. John Worthington of Springfield, and Major Barnard of Deerfield. The settlement was com menced in 1764, and progressed much more rapidly than in the majority of the towns in its vicinity, — so rapidly, in fact, that, at the commencement of the present century, the town contained more inhabitants than it does at the present time. The names of those who are denominated the first settlers are numerous, but they were probably several years in accumulating. They are as follow : Nathan Leonard, Samuel Clapp, Nathaniel Daniels, Nahum Eager, Dr. Moses Morse, John Kinne, Ebenezer Leonard, Thomas Clemmons, Benjamin Bigelow, Thomas Kinne, John Watts, Ephraim Wheeler, Mr. Collamore, Alexander Miller, Joseph Marsh, Amos Frink, Abner Dwelly, Jeremiah Kinne, Stephen and Davis Converse, Phinehas Herrick, Joseph Pettengill, Joshua Phillips, Gershom Randall, Daniel Gates, Asa Cottrell, Asa Burton, Zephaniah Hatch, Nathan Branch, John Buck, Timothy Meech, Samuel Crosby, Daniel Morse, Daniel Morse, Jr., John Skiff, James Benjamin, Beriah Curtis, Jonathan Prentice, Samuel Morse, James Wybourn, Israel Hofon, Col. Ebenezer Webber, Samuel, Robert and Amos Day, Joseph and Isaac Follett, Stephen Fitch, Ezra Cleaveland, Samuel Buck, Edmund Pettengill, James and John Kelley, Isaac Herrick, Joseph Prentice, John Patridge, Seth Sylvester, Amos Leonard, Elijah Gardner, Joseph Dewey, Luke WORTHINGTON. 303= Boney, Daniel Bronson, Asa Spaulding, Hezekiah Maheu- ren, John Howard, Thomas Hall, Joseph Gardner, Miner Oliver, Constant Webster, Joseph Geer, Samuel Tower, Nathaniel Collins, Reuben Adams, John Drury, Matthew Fenton, James Bemis, Moses Buck, Thomas Buck, Samuel Pettengill, Noah Morse, Nehemiah Proughty, Seth Porter, Stephen Howard, Mr. Hickey, Elihu Tinker, Wm. Burr, Jonas Bellows, Jonathan Eames, Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Rice, Mr. Ford, Samuel Wilcox, Rufus Stone, Moses Ashley, Joseph French, Samuel Converse, Thomas Butler, Simeon Lee, Samuel Taylor, Samuel Clay, Nathan Morgan, Lewis Church, John Ross, James Tomson, Lewis Porter, Moses Porter, Joseph Lee, Alexander Chillson. The settlement was so rapid that, in 1768, the town was incorporated with the name of Worthington, in honor of Col. Worthington, one of its proprietors, whose liberality to the settlers in building for them a church and a grist mill, at his own expense, and in assigning generous lots for ministerial and school purposes, well earned the distinction. At the time of the incorporation of the town, the limits of its territory, as defined in the bill, extended to the Par- tridgefield line on the West, and to the North Branch of the Westfield river on the East, while the Northern and Southern lines were nearly as they exist at the present day. In pursuance of a warrant issued by Israel Williams, Esq., July 11, 1768, the first town meeting was held on the first day of August, Capt. Nathan Leonard, moderator. Nathan Eager was chosen town clerk, Capt. Nathaniel Daniels, Capt. Nathan Leonard and John Kinne, select men; Benjamin Bigelow and Thomas Kinne, wardens; Thomas Clemmons, constable and leather sealer; Samuel Clapp and Dr. Moses Morse, surveyors of highways; Nahum Eager and Ephraim Wheeler, fence viewers; John Watts, tythingman. At a subsequent meeting, Amos Frink and Ebenezer Webber were chosen deer-reeves. The fol lowing, in relation to the first roads laid out, is from James C. Rice's history of Worthington : '• Among the first of the roads that were surveyed by the town was one which, in the fertile imaginations of the select men, was called ' the direct road through Worthington to Bos- ton and Albany.' This road was laid out, so as to connect with the Chesterfield road, at the 'gate,' and, running West, 304 WORTHINGTON. to lead by the farms now owned by Mr. Harrington and Mr. Drury, till it reached the ' Buffington place,' where stood, at that time, the inn of Alexander Miller. From this place it was laid out directly North, till it passed the house of Mr. Tilson Bartlett, and then it was continued North and West, passing through a part of Peru and Windsor, till it intersected a road which led more directly to Pittsfield. Subsequently this road was changed, so as to lead directly to the inn of Capt. Nathaniel Daniels from 'The Corners.' This change was made by the town, so as to prevent any travel by the house of Alexander Miller, who favored the cause of Great Britain, and to secure the same to Capt Nathaniel Daniels, who was a zealous patriot. In after years, ' to make the road rn^re straight and direct,' the town laid it out over what is now call ed Snake Hill. The second road of importance which the town surveyed led from Cummington to Chester. This road extended through Cole-street, and passed the inn of Captain Daniels and the Buffington place, till it intersected a road near where Mr Alden Curtis now lives ; and from there cross ed directly to Middle river, where it continued on the banks of that stream till it reached Chester. During these two years, the town laid out and surveyed twelve cross-roads, all of which, except two, have become obsolete, as it regards travel. On the 17th of April, 1770, the town voted to raise '£45 for repairing the highways, and to pay for men's labor on the road, 3s. per day, for that of a yoke of oxen, Is. and 6d., for use of a plow, 8d.' Previous to the year 1768, there was scarcely a road in town ; all journeys, at that time, were per formed over trails, or paths marked by cut or girdled trees." In Revolutionary times, Worthington, like most other towns, undertook to prescribe the prices of labor, provisions and staple-goods. On the 28th of June, 1774, a town meeting was held, in view of the threatening aspect of political affairs, when Capt. Ebenezer Leonard, Nathan Leonard, Nahum Eager, Nathaniel Daniels, Thomas Kinne and Moses Morse, were chosen a committee "of correspon dence. Through this committee, the committee of safety in Boston was promised the earnest co-operation of the town. Soon afterwards, all the soldiers in the town were ordered to meet for the purpose of choosing military officers. The action of the town upon revolutionary matters has no record, for the three years succeeding 1774, but other sources show that Worthington and Ashfield turned out the large number of 71 minute men, who marched to Cam bridge upon the Lexington 'alarm, under Capt. Ebenezer WORTHINGTON. 305, Webber of Worthington, whose lieutenants were Samuel Allen and Samuel Bartlett, both of Ashfield.f ~ From this time, throughout the war, Worthington was actually drained of its resources, in men and means, for the support of the Revolutionary cause. * In 1780, a requisition made upon the town for horses, found the people without the required number, and even then they voted to give the security of the town for the price of the horses, if they could be found elsewhere. Between 1779 and 1782, such was the num ber of men in the army that not more than ten or twelve men, out of more than seventy families living in the town, attended the church on the Sabbath. The following names of those who served in the war have been preserved, but these evidently cover but a part of the number : Samuel Dewey, Barnabas Clapp, Lemuel Clapp, Isaac Clapp, Stephen Clapp, , Gershom Randall, Samuel Buffington, ^Nathaniel Daniels, Jr., John Daniels^Samuel Daniels, Dan Daniels, Jeremiah Kinne, Samuel Cole, Daniel Goodman, Gershom Brown, John Harvard, David Woods, ,Samuel Follett, Jonas Leonard, Asa Cottrell, Nicholas Cottrell, Samuel Pettengill, Elisha Brewster, Richard Briggs, Israel Burr, Roger Benjamin, Asa Jackson, Sylvanus Parsons, Moses Buck, Samuel Kingman, Alexander. Kingman, Ephraim Parish, Timothy Meech, Asa Benjamin, John Stone, Nahum Eager, Lott Drake, Jonathan Ring, Rufus Marsh, Joseph Marsh, Jr., Joshua Morse. Col. Worthington, (probably associated with the other original proprietor or proprietors,) erected a church in 1764, near the site of the house of the late John Watts. The house was not fully finished ; in fact, it was but a rough affair, with such poor accommodations that the old people took chairs with them to church, to give them toler able ease in sitting out the service. In 1780, the house was remodeled, by placing in it a regularly constructed pul pit, two deacons' seats, four seats on each side of the broad aisle, and by laying the gallery floor and stairs. In May, 1791, it was voted to have the house taken down, moved, erected, and every way finished. This was done, and in 1825, after a long controversy, the church now worshiped in by the original society was erected, and took its place. The first school house, built of logs, was erected in 1773, near the site of the present dwelling house of John Adams 26* 306 WORTHINGTON. The people of Worthington seem to have acted with liber ality, in relation to schools, from the first. In 1771, the town voted to raise £10, in silver money, for the support of schools. This sum was gradually increased, from year to year, until, at the commencement of the present centu ry, it had reached £60 a year. For the first seven years after the settlement of the town, the people depended on temporary supplies for preaching. No church was organized until April 1, 1771, when the following were constituted the first church in the town : Thomas Kinne, Ebenezer Leonard, Nathaniel Dan iels, Thomas Clemmons, Ephraim Wheeler, Jonathan Huntington, Hannah Kinne, Lydia Marsh, Nathan Leon ard, Benjamin Bigelow, Moses Soul, Samuel Converse, Edmund Pettengill, Priscilla Benjamin, Anna Williams, Grace Buck, Sarah Pettengill, Sibyl $)lton, Meribah Converse, Sarah Huntington, Bigelow, Eunice Morse, Joseph Marsh, Israel Holton, David Jewett, James Bemis, Elizabeth Bemis, Eleanor Soul, Dorothy Daniels and Abigail Maheuren. The first pastor of this church was Rev. Jonathan Huntington, who was ordained June 26, 1771. He was a native of Windham, Ct., and was pro bably a graduate of the college of New Jersey in 1759. He died on the 11th of March, 1781, aged 48. After his death, the church remained for several years without a pastor. The second pastor was Rev. Josiah Spalding of Plainfield, Ct, a graduate of Yale College, in 1778. He was installed Aug. 21, 1788, and remained pastor only until 1794. He was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan S. Pomeroy of Fairfield, Ct., who was settled Nov. 26, 1794, and remained the pastor until 1832, a period of 38 years. He died at Feeding Hills, June 4, 1836. During his ministry, the church was visited with marked revivals in 1808, 1819 and 1827. Rev. Henry Adams of Worthington, a grad uate of Amherst College in 1828, was settled Dec. 25, 1 833, and was dismissed in 1838, on account of ill health. Rev. John H. Bisbee, the present pastor of the church, was settled in December, 1838. About 900 have been connected with the church since its organization, and 226 remained on the 1st of July, 1853. The following individ uals have been deacons of the church : Joseph Marsh, Joshua Phillips, Rufus Marsh, Ebenezer Niles, Charles WORTHINGTON. 807 Starkweather, Daniel Pierce. Normand Allen, Nathan Leonard, Jonathan Brewster, Ezra Leonard, Asahel Pren tice, Azariah Parsons, Asa Marble, Lyman White, and Schuyler R. Wilbur. In 1828, a Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the South-eastern part of the town, and a congregation gathered from Worthington, Chesterfield, Norwich and Chester. A meeting house was erected, and, for several years, the church was supplied with preachers from the conference. The church at last changed its organization and connection, and is now Wesleyan, and manages its own affairs. Recently, the society has erected a new and more commodious house of worship, and has been much prospered. In 1848, a Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the North-western part of the town, and soon afterwards a house was erected for its accommodation. It is connected with the Troy conference, and the congregation comes mostly from Worthington and Peru. Among the noteworthy men who have resided in the town were Dr. Moses Morse, Hon. Ezra Starkweather, Jonathan Brewster, Jr., Azariah Parsons and William Ward. Dr. Morse was an Englishman, and was educated at Cambridge in England. He was a flagrant tory in the Revolution, and was for that reason recalled from the Gen eral Court, and censured by the town, on the 14th of Jan uary, 1777. Hei was a strong-minded, " crossed-grained" man, and though repulsive to many, was often honored with offices of importance. Dr. Starkweather was a man of decided intellectual eminence, who removed from Pres ton, Ct, to Worthington, in 1785. He represented the town in the Legislature during six years, was a member of the Senate from 1803 to 1813, inclusive, and also in 1815-16 and 1817. He was also a member of the Con stitutional Convention of 1820. He was a man of the highest and best influence in all town affairs, and died July 27, 1834. Mr. Brewster and Mr. Parsons were men who served the town in humbler capacities, but left a most honorable memory for their sound counsels and many good deeds. Mr. Ward represented the town in the House, and the county in the Senate, of the State Legislature, and was postmaster under eleven administrations, He 308 WORTHINGTON. was elected representative in 1851, and died on the 20th of December, the same year, greatly honored and pro foundly lamented. There are 11 school districts in the town, for the support of which $500 was raised in 1854, exclusive of town and state funds. An academy was established in 1836, and flourished for about ten years. Other schools have come into competition with it, and it has at last been torn down. A select school, during three months of the year, is still continued. Much is doing at the present time in the erection of better school houses. District No. 1 has erected a double building, 30 by 44 feet, and two stories high, with a fine hall for lyceums, &c. Agriculture is the leading business of the people. The oldest manufactory of importance is that formerly owned and carried on by E. and T. Ring, and now by the firm of Fuller, Weeks and Co., at Ringville. They make children's wagons, which are sent into almost every State in the Union. The work is all done by machinery. They employ 15 hands, work vup annually 80,000 feet of beach and maple timber, and turn out 25,000 wagons per annum. Ethan C. Ring manufactures bench and moulding planes, produc ing $5,000 worth annually. Messrs. Stevens, in the East ern part of the town, are largely engaged in the manu facture of wooden ware — mostly sieve-hoops. Horace Cole, a man of much enterprise, has recently invested $20,000 in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and already employs fifty hands. The inmates of the House of Cor rection, at Northampton, are also in his employ, he having contracted for their services for five years. A factory for the prosecution of the same business has been erected by a joint stock company, of which J. M. Burr is the presi dent. Cole and Parish, E. C. Porter and S. Brewster and Son are the firms of three thriving mercantile houses. The total amount of taxation in 1854 was $2,575. The population in 1840 was 1,185; in 1850, 1,144; decrease in ten years, 41. HISTORY OF THE TOWNS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY. ASHFIELD. Ashfield is situated in the South Western part of the county of Franklin, eighteen miles from the county seat, and at an elevation of sofne 1,200 feet above the waters of the Connecticut. It was originally called Huntstown, in honor of Capt. Ephriam Hunt, of Weymouth, who was sent out by order of the Government, in the year 1690, as commander of a company, selected from that town and vi cinity, to aid in the reduction of Montreal and Quebec. So confident were the colonies of success in this war, that no express provision had been made for the payment of the troops. But, after encountering numerous hardships, disasters and severe suffering, they returned, failing in their object, and receiving no recompense, except bills of credit issued by the colony of Massachusetts, as a substi tute for money, and of little value in their hands. After a delay of forty-six years, those bills were redeemed, so far as this company was concerned, by granting them, their heirs and legal representatives, a tract of land within the limits of this town. In the conditions of the grant, express provision was made for the early settlement of the town, 810 ASHFIELD. the erection of a meeting house, the settlement of a learned and orthodox minister, and for common schools. By a committee of the General Court, sixty-three lots, called " Rights," containing from fifty to sixty-three acres each, according to the quality of the land, were set off, and num bered, to be disposed of as follows : One right to be given to the first settled minister, one for the use of the ministry, one for the use of common schools, and the remaining sixty rights to be divided by lot among the officers and privates of the company. The grantees, or proprietors, organized at Weymouth, March 13th, 1738, and July 24th, 1739, met again at the same place, and drew lots for their respective rights; and again May 28th, 1741, when they passed a resolve, that a bounty of £5 should be paid to each of the first ten of their number who should take actual possession of his right, build a house, and bring under cultivation six acres of land. But it does not appear that any of the original proprietors had the hardihood to settle in what was then a howling wilderness, and their rights were sold, from time to time, as opportunity' offered, and in many cases for only a little more than was sufficient to pay the taxes that had accumulated upon them. The first settler was Richard Ellis, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who planted himself about 1745. He felled the first tree, and built for himself and family a log house, in the North Eastern portion of the town. He was soon fol lowed by Thomas^Phillips, from Easton, whose sister Ellis had married. He built a log house about one-half mile North of Mr. Ellis. A third family soon joined them, — that of Mr. Chileab Smith, from South Hadley. Other families joined them from different portions of the country, from time to time, so that, by the year 1754, after the lapse of nine years, they numbered from ten to fifteen fam ilies, and nearly one hundred souls. They had labored and toiled, as none but the pioneers of the forest know how to labor and toil, to obtain a comfortable support for their families, up to this year, which was memorable for the breaking out of fresh hostilities between the French and English; and savages were again let loose upon the de fenseless inhabitants. In the month of June, of the next year, a party of men, at work near Rice's fort in the upper ASHFIELD. 311 part of Charlemont, were attacked by a body of Indians, and two of their number killed, and two taken prisoners. As soon as the news of this massacre reached the settlers, they hastily collected such things as they could transport on horseback, abandoned their houses and lands, and fled, with their families, to the older settlements on the Connec ticut. After the lapse of about three years, they returned, and built a fort around the house of Mr. Smith, for the common defense. The fort was nine rods square, and built of logs, of sufficient size to be bullet proof, set three feet in the ground and rising twelve feet out. This fort had but one gate, opening to the South. Into this fort they retired at night, and barricaded it to be safe from the enemy. Upon its roof was constructed, of logs, a tower, of sufficient size to hold six men with arms. They re mained in this condition about one year, laboring by day, and keeping watch by night, when they solicited and ob tained, from the authorities of the colony, a company of nine soldiers, under command of Sergeant Allen, who was under the general command of Col. Israel Williams. This company continued with them, , protecting them by day while at their labors, and watching over them by night, for nearly two years, until the close of the war. The Indians were never seen in the vicinity of their fort but once, and then, finding them so well guarded they did not molest them. They continued increasing gradually, in population and prosperity, until June 11, 1765, when the town was incor porated with the name of Ashfield. The warrant, to call the first meeting, under the act of incorporation, was issued by Thomas Williams, Esq., of Deerfield, and directed to Samuel Belding, clerk of the town. The first town offi cers under this act were, Benjamin Phillips, town clerk ; David Alden, treasurer ; Chileab Smith, Moses Fuller and Thomas Phillips, selectmen. The first representative cho sen was Capt. Elisha Cranston, in 1775, to represent the town in the assembly to be convened at Watertown, Bos ton being then in the hands of the British. They took an early an active part in the war of the Rev olution. The following preamble, and resolutions, drawn up as early as 1774, and signed by Benjamin Phillips and 812 ASHFIELD. sixty-four other citizens, will show something of their spirit : — " We, .the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Ashfield, from a principle of self preservation, the dictates of natural conscience and a sacred regard to the constitution and laws of our country, which were instituted for the security of our lives and property, do severally, and mutually covenant, promise and engage with each other and all of us : " 1st. That we profess ourselves subject to our sovereign Lord, the King, and hold ourselves in duty bound to yield obedience to all his good and wholesome laws. " 2d. That we bear testimony against all the oppressive, and unconstitutional laws of the British Parliament whereby the chartered privileges of this Province are struck at and cashiered. "3d. That we will not be aiding, nor in any way assisting in any trade with the island of Great Britain, until she with draw her oppressive hand, or until a trade is come into by the several colonies. " 4th. That we will join with our neighboring towns in this province, and sister colonies in America, in contending for and defending our rights, and privileges, civil and religious, which we have a just right to, both by nature and by charter. " 5th. That we will make preparation that we may be equipped with ammunition, and other necessaries at town cost, for the above purposes. " 6th That we will do all we can to suppress petty mobs, trifling and causeless." In August, 1774, the town voted to send an agent to Al bany to purchase guns and ammunition, at the expense of the town. Notwithstanding the pressing embarrassments under which they labored at this period, we find them, at one time, voting a lot of coats to the army ; at another, of fering a bounty to such as might enlist from among them to serve in the war, and, at another, voting a sum of money to purchase provisions for the famishing army. In 1779, the town voted to pay the soldiers enlisted from among them, for nine months, in addition to the bounty paid By the General Court, forty shillings per month — the value of money to be regulated by corn, at 2s. 6d. per bushel, rye at 3s. 4d., and wheat at 4s. 6d. In 1780;, the town voted to give, by way of encouragement, to any who should enlist in the army for three years, twenty calves — said calves to be procured the following May, and kept at the ASHFIELD. 313 expense of the town, until the three years had expired. In 1781, the town voted to raise ninety silver dollars, to purchase the amount of beef that fell to their share, for the army. Such was the spirit which animated the fathers of this town during the time " that tried men's souls." , The war of the Revolution ended, and peace entire pre vailing, the people devoted themselves to the labors of the field, free from all danger of molestation. They cleared away the forest, cultivated their lands, and increased in population and prosperity. By the enterprise, persever ance, diligence and economy of its inhabitants, this town continued to hold, and still holds, a position among the most populous, wealthy and enterprising towns situated on the mountains. The greatest number of inhabitants was in 1820: 1,748. The ecclesiastical history of the town is coeval with it3 first settlement. The first church (Congregational) was organized with fifteen members, Feb. 22, 1763. The first meeting house was raised in 1766. The second And pres ent house of worship of the Congregational society was built in 1812. An incident connected with this house seems worthy of notice. Col. John Ames of Buckland had contracted to build the house for a stipulated sum. When he had nearly completed it, he went out very early one morning in June, back of the house, and committed suicide, by opening the jugular veins with a chisel. The fear of sustaining heavy loss, and, perhaps, some degree of insanity, were supposed to be the causes which led him to this melancholy act. A Baptist church was organized in the north part of the town in 1761, and a house of wor ship built. In 1831, the society built their present meet ing house. In 1820, an Episcopal society was formed, and in 1829 a church, called St John's, was erected on the plain, the central place of business. The Universalists have a society and a meeting house about one mile and a half East of the plain, on what is called the Flat. The Congregational church has had eight pastors. The first, Rev. Jacob Sherwin, was ordained Feb. 23d, 1763: dismissed May 17, 1774. The second, Rev. Nehemiah Porter, was installed Dec. 21, 1774, and died Feb. 29, 1820* aged 99 years, 11 months and 7 days. He was able to enter the pulpit in his one-hundredth year, and give the 27 314 ASHFIELD. address to the people at the ordination of his colleague. Rev. Alvan Sanderson, the third pastor, was installed as colleague with Mr. Porter, June 22, 1808. _ He died June 22, 1817.- Having no family, he bequeathed his property nearly as follows : to the church in Ashfield, to purchase a bible, $20 ; to the religious society with which he had been connected, for the support of a Pedo-Baptist Con gregational minister, $400 ; to the Hampshire Missionary society, $200 ; to the- American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, $300. The remainder, consisting of $1,500 or $2,000, he committed to the care and man agement of a board of trustees, for the continuance of a school which he had commenced under favorable auspices, and it continued under the direction of this board, by the name of Sanderson Academy. The fourth pastor was Rev. Thomas Shepard. He was ordained as colleague with Mr. Porter, June 16, 1819, and dismissed May 8, 1833. Rev. Mason Grosvenor, the fifth, was installed May 9, 1833, and dismissed.July 16, 1835. Rev. Burr Baldwin was settled as sixth pastor, April 20, 1836, and dismissed Sept., 1838. Rev. Sereno D. Clarke was the seventh pastor, and was ordained over the church June 11, 1840, and dismissed April 22, 1851. Rev. Wm. H. Gilbert, the present pas tor, was installed Dec. 3, 1851. The first regularly constituted church in the town was of the Baptist order. It was organized July, 1761, with nine members, and in August following, Rev. Ebenezer Smith was ordained as pastor. In May, 1768, Nathaniel Chapin and 17 others sent a petition to the General Court, setting forth that they were Ana-Baptists, and praying to be exempt from taxation for the support of the Congrega tional ministry. After repeated and persevering efforts, during which they were subject to many trials, the peti tion was granted. Mr. Smith was dismissed in 1798, and his brother, Rev. Enos Smith, ordained as his successor. He continued as pastor about forty years. Several have succeeded him, but the prevalence of Perfectionism among them has reduced them to a small and feeble state. Rev. Lot- Jones, Rev. William Withington, Rev. Mr. Humphrey, Rev. Silas Blaisdale, Rev. Mr. Pierson,,ReV. Mr. Stone, Rev. Mr. Downing and Rev. Mr. Cleveland, have successively officiated in St. John's Church. ASHFIELD. 315 The amount of money raised for the support of schools is not in proportion to the avails of the industry of the town. There are fifteen school districts, and about 400 scholars between the ages of five and sixteen years. Eight hundred and fifty dollars raised by tax for the year 185S, and, in addition, $56 57 from certain school lands, with $76 10 from the state, constitute the amount expended in the town for common school education. A select school is usually maintained one quarter in the year, in the Sander son Academy, which, at the present time, is in rather a dilapidated condition, but efforts are now maturing to re pair it, and put it in good condition for school purposes. The amount of property invested in school houses is small, in proportion to the wealth of the town. The, appraised value of her school houses would not exceed $3,000. Agriculture is the leading interest. The soil is of that hard and rocky nature, which is found generally on the slopes and plains, and in the valleys of the Hoosac moun tain, and is better adapted to grazing than tillage. The farms in general are well cultivated, and yield very good rewards. Wool, lambs, neat stock, horses, butter, cheese and maple sugar, are the chief articles of export. Corn and oats are rarely raised beyond individual wants* Pota toes, to some extent, are an article of commerce, and are usually, of good quality. The want of ample water power has prevented capital of much amount from being invested in manufacturing enterprises. Saw mills are erected on the streams, and considerable timber is sawed during the season of high water, and carried to other places for sale. There are, within the limits of the town, fourteen saw mills worked by water power, and one by steam power, the lat ter being in operation most of the year. There are sev eral establishments for manufacturing broom handles which are in operation only about one half of the year. There is one plane factory, on a moderate scale, and one for manu facturing yankee notions in general — mincing knives, pill boxes, &c., owned by N. & S. Gardner. There are also two tanneries. This town is the native place, and residence in early life of seventeen ministers of the orthodox congregational or der : Rev. Rufus Bement, recently settled in Tiffin City, Ohio, is now lecturing on Egypt, where he spent two years 316 ASHFIELD. in traveling ; Rev. Wm. Bement of Elmira, N. Y. ; Rev. John Cross of Illinois ; Rev. Anson Dyer, who was em ployed as teacher and laborer by the American Board among the Choctaw Indians, from 1820 to 1828, was or- flained as an Evangelist in West Hawley, April 21, 1831, and was deposed from the ministry for " unministerial con duct," March 26, 1834 ; Rev. Alvah Lilly, in the employ of the American Home Missionary Society in Wisconsin ; Rev. Elijah Paine, who ranked high among his acquain tances as a scholar, a theologian, a man of sound judg ment, correct principles, fervent piety, and unimpeachable integrity, died, as pastor of the church in West Boylston, Nov. 13, 1834; Rev. John C. Paine of Gardner; Rev. William P. Paine of Holden ; Rev. Melzar Parker of Wisconsin; Rev. Samuel Parker, who made an ex ploring tour under the direction of the American Board, through Oregon, in 1835-6 and 7, an account of which he published in a volume of 37 1 pages, now resides in Ithica, N. Y. ; Rev. Charles S. Porter, recently called from the Church of the Pilgrims in Plymouth to South Boston ; Rev. Free man Sears settled at Natick, Jan 1, 1806, died June 30, 1811; Rev. Oliver M. Sears, settled in Dalton, Sept. 29, 1847, died Oct., 1853 ; Rev. Preserved Smith, died in War wick, Aug. 15, 1834, as pastor of a Unitarian church ; Rev. Preston Taylor of Sheldon, Vt. ; Rev. Morris E. White, ordained at Southampton, June 20, 1832, now resides in Northampton ; Rev. Francis Williams, ordained in East- ford Parish, Ashford, Ct, Sept. 22, 1841. In May, 1826, a casualty occurred which produced a profound sensation in the town. Five individuals were drowned in the pond West of the Plain, while engaged in washing sheep, viz : Dea. Aaron Lyon, aged 63, Arnold Drake, 28, William, son of Dea. Lyon, 18, William and Robert Grey, 15 and 12, sons of Eli Grey. It was a beautiful morning when they left their homes, with the full expectation of returning again to their families at night, but night found them wrapt in the sleep of death. One remarkable fact noticed, was, that not one of them, after sinking the first time, ever rose, till his body was brought up by others. Although Dea. Lyon's body was under water only fifteen minutes, yet all efforts to resuscitate him proved unavailing. In a fit of merriment, while under the BERNARDSTON. S17 influence of ardent spirits, which at that time were consid ered necessary on such an occasion, six of their company seated themselves in a log canoe, with two sheep, for the purpose of a short sail. On reaching deep water, about eight or ten yards from the shore, the canoe dipped, filled, and went under. The amount of taxes raised in Ashfield for all purposes in 1853 was $4,423. In 1849, 60,000 pounds of maple sugar were produced in the town. The territory covers 38 square miles and 281 1-2 acres, and is traversed by 75 miles of roads. The population in 1840 was 1,579; in 1850, 1,521 ; decrease in ten years, 58. BERNARDSTON. On the 18th of May, 1676,- occurred what has been known as " The Falls Fight." Capt. Turner, with a com paratively small body of men, fell upon and destroyed hundreds of Indians at the Falls in the Connecticut river, since known as Turner's Falls, in honor of the commander of the day. Tb-6 retreat from this massacre was accom plished with great difficulty, and with a sad loss of life, Capt. Turner himself being among the victims. It was not until sixty years after this event, namely, on the 21st of January, 1736, that the General Court acknowledged the important and perilous service rendered on this occa sion, by an appropriate grant of land. It then granted to the survivors of the fight, and the descendants of the others, a township which was called, in honor of the fight on which the grant was based, " Falltown," and which has since been incorporated with, the name of Bernardston. The following are the names of the grantees : " Joseph Atherton, Deerfield, only son of Hope Atherton ; Nathaniel Allexander, Northampton, Nathaniel Alexan der ; Thomas Alvard, Middleton, eldest son of Thomas Alvard ; John Arms, Deerfield, son of William Arms ; John Baker, Northampton, son of Timothy Baker ; Sam uel Bedortha, Springfield, son of Samuel Bedortha ; John Field, Deerfield, descendant, James Bennett ; John Barber, Springfield, son of John Barber; John Bradshaw, Medford, John Bradshaw; Isaac Burnap, Windham, son of John Burnap ;:Samuel Clesson, Northampton, descendant, Peter Bushrod ; Samuel Boltwood, Hadley, son of Samuel-Bolt-, 27* 318 BERNARDSTON. wood ; Samuel Bardwell, Deerfield, son of Robert Bardwell ; John Hitchcock, Springfield, descendant, Samuel Ball ; Stephen Belden, Hatfield, son of Stephen Belden ; Rich ard Beers, Watertown, son of Elnathan Beers ; Samuel Beldin, Hatfield, Samuel Beldin ; Preserved Clapp, North ampton, son of Preserved Clapp ; Thomas Chapin, Spring field, son of Japhet Chapin ; Samuel Crow, Hadley, son of Samuel Crow ; Joseph Crowfoot, Wethersfield, descendant, Joseph Crowfoot ; William Clark, Lebanon, son of Wil liam Clark ; Noah Cook, Hadley, descendant, Noah Col- man ; Benjamin Chamberlain, Colchester, Benjamin Cham berlain ; Nathaniel Chamberlain, descendant, Joseph Cham berlain ; Samuel Cuniball, Boston, son of John Cuniball ; John Chase, Newbury, son of John Chase ; William Dick eson, Hadley, son of Nehemiah Dickeson ; Samuel Jellet, Hatfi eld,, descendant, John Dickeson; Benjamin Edwards, Northampton, son of Benjamin Edwards ; Joseph Fuller, Newtown, Joseph Fuller ; Samuel Field, Deerfield, son of Samuel Field ; Nathaniel Foot, Colchester, son of Nathan iel Foot ; John Flanders, Kingston, son of John Flanders ; Isaac Gleason, Enfield, son of Isaac Gleason ; Richard Church, Hadley, descendant, Isaac Harrison ; Simon Grover, Maiden, son of Simon Grover ; -Samuel Griffin, Roxbury, son of Joseph Griffin; John Hitchcock, Spring field, son of John Hitchcock ; Luke Hitchcock, Spring field, son of Luke Hitchcock ; Jonathan Hoit, Deerfield, son of David Hoit ; Jonathan Scott, Waterbury, descend ant, John Hawks ; Eleazer Hawks, Deerfield, son of Elea zer Hawks ; James Harwood, Concord, son of James Har- wood ; John Dond, Middleton, descendant, Experience Hindal; Samuel Hunt, Tewksbury, Samuel Hunt; Wil liam Janes, Lebanon, son of Abell Janes ; John Ingram, Hadley, son of John Ingram ; Samuel Jellet, Hatfield, sod of Samuel Jellet ; William Jones, Almsbury, son of Rob ert Jones ; Medad King, Northampton, son of John King ; Francis Keet, Northampton, son of Francis Keet ; Martin Kellogg, Suffield, son of Joseph Kellogg ; John Lee, West- field, son of John Lee ; John Lyman, Northampton, son of John Lyman ; Joseph Leeds, Dorchester, son of Joseph Leeds ; Josiah Leonard, Springfield, son of Josiah Leon ard ; John Merry, Long Island, son of Cornelius Merry ; Stephen Noble, formerly of Enfield, descendant, Isaac BERNARDSTON. 319. Morgan ; Jonathan Morgan, Springfield, son of Jonathan Morgan ; Thomas Miller, Springfield, son of Thomas Mil ler ; James Mun, Colchester, James Mun ; Benjamin Mun, Deerfield, son of John Mun ; John Mattoon, Wallingford, son of Philip Mattoon ; John Nims, Deerfield, son of God frey Nims ; Ebenezer Pumroy, Northampton, son of Me- dad Pumroy ; Samuel Pumroy, N. H., son of Caleb Pum roy ; Samuel Price, Glastenbury, son of Robert Price ; Samuel Preston, Hadley, descendant, John Preston ; Thom as Pratt, Maiden, son of John Pratt ; John Pressey, Alms- bury, son of John Pressey ; Henry Rogers, Springfield, son of Henry Rogers ; John Read, Westford, son of Thom as Read ; Nathaniel Sikes, Springfield, son of Nathaniel Sikes ; Nathaniel Sutliff, Durham, son of Nathaniel Sut- liff ; Samuel Stebbins, Springfield, son of Samuel Steb bins ; Luke Noble, Westfield, descendant, Thomas Steb bins ; Ebenezer Smead, Deerfield, son of William Smead ; Joseph Smith, Hatfield, son of John Smith ; James Stephen son, Springfield, son of James Stephenson ; Thomas Sel- don, Had dam, son of Joseph Seldon; Josiah Scott, Hat field, son of William Scott ; John Salter, Charlestown, son of John Salter ; William. Turner, Swanzey, grandson of Capt. Turner ; Benjamin Thomas, Strafford, son of Ben jamin Thomas ; Joseph Winchell, Jr., Suffield, descendant, Jonathan Tailer ; Samuel Tyley, Boston, son of Samuel Tyley ; Preserved Wright, N. H., son of James Wright ; Cornelius Webb, Springfield, son of John Webb ; Jonathan Webb, Stamford, son of Richard Webb ; John Wait, Hat field, son of Benjamin Wait ; Eleazer Weller, Westfield, son of Eleazer Weller ; Thomas Wells, Deerfield, son of Thomas Wells; Ebenezer Warriner, Enfield, son of Joseph Warriner ; Jonathan Wells, Deerfield, Jonathan Wells ; Wm. Worthington, Colchester, son of Nicholas Worthing ton ; John Scott, Elbows, grandson of John Scott ; Samuel Colby, Almsbury ; Irgal Newberry, Maiden." The township granted to these individuals was about six miles square, and, at that time, contained not an inhabitant. The first, meeting of the proprietors was held at North ampton, Jan. 27, 1736, six days after the grant had re ceived the Governor's signature. At this meeting, Eben ezer Pomeroy was chosen moderator and clerk, and it was voted that a committee be chosen to examine the traet, and 320 BERNARDSTON. have it surveyed. At a meeting held at the same place,in the succeeding October, it was voted to lay out the land into fifty-acre home-lots to each proprietor, and the mead ow land on Fall river into five-acre lots. In May, 1737, another meeting was held at Northampton, when it was voted that there should be 100 members of the company,- and each proprietor should draw for his lot. There were but 97 proprietors, and the remaining lots were to be ap propriated, two to the ministry, and one for school purposes. During this year, it was also voted that, of the 97 proprie tors, 60 should settle on the land, and the remaining 37 should pay £18 towards the building of a meeting house, and the settlement of a minister. The first settlement commenced probably in .1738. The first four houses built were by Maj. John Burk, Samuel Connable, Lt. Ebenezer Sheldon, and Dea. Sheldon. At a meeting of the proprie tors held at Deerfield, in June, 1739, it was voted to build a meeting house " 50 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 23 feet between joists." This house was built in the summer of that year. In October, 1740, £20 was voted for the sup port of preaching, the ensuing winter. The first meeting of the proprietors held in the town ship was on the 23d of September, 1 f41, at the house of Lieut. Sheldon, when it was voted to invite Rev. John Norton to settle in the ministry, and that he have £200 as settlement, half in money.and half in work, and a salary of £130 for the first five years, afterwards to be increased £5 a year until it should amount to £170. Mr. Norton, who was a native of Berlin, Ct, and a graduate of Yale College in 1737, was ordained at Deerfield, Nov. 25, 1741,- and a church was organized on the same occasion. Rev. Mr. Ashley of Deerfield preached the sermon. The ser mon was printed, and a copy of it is still preserved in the rooms of the Antiquarian Society at Worcester. In con sequence of the unsettled state of the times, growing out of the French and Indian wars, Mr. Norton's connection with his people was dissolved , in 1745, . after which he served as chaplain in Fort Massachusetts,, .from .which \ he was taken a prisoner to, Canada. He subsequently.returu-j ed and settled in, Chatham, Ct. From 1744 to 17.50,. Fall- town was either : abandoned, or the people lived , in their forts, and, small in numbers, contented themselves with BERNARDSTON. 321 simply supporting and defending themselves. From 1750 to 1761, there was no settled minister in the place, though there was occasional preaching. The people were still harrassed by the French and Indians wars, and even the women were in some cases necessitated to bear arms in defense of their dwellings. In 1760, Moses Scott and Samuel Connable were grant ed £27, to build a bridge " across Fall River at the saw mill," which was the first bridge built in the town. Rev. Job Wright of Easthampton, a graduate of Yale College in 1757, was settled over the Falltown church in July, 1761. Mr. Wright continued in office until March 13, 1782, when, on account of the financial troubles of the time, he was dismissed. Previous to 1762, the township, including the present towns of Bernardston and Leyden and a part of Coleraine, had been known as Falltown. March 6th of that year, it was incorporated with the name of Bernardston, in honor of Bernard, then provincial governor of Massachusetts, an honor of which he was altogether undeserving. The first town meeting was held May 11, 1762, Joseph Allen, moderator. At an adjourned meeting, Maj. John Burk was chosen town clerk, (an office which he held for 22 years in succession,) and John Burk, Remembrance Shel don and Moses Scott were chosen selectmen. Major Burk became the first representative of the town in 1764. In 1772, a committee, consisting of Capt. Joseph Root of Montague, Nathaniel Dwight of Belchertown and Capt. William Lyman of Northampton, was chosen to see where the meeting house should stand, as it had been determined to move it. They determined it should be moved from its original location, on the south end of " Huckle Hill," to a point nearly half a mile further South, and it was moved accordingly, in December of that year, by men alone, Mr. Samuel Connable "having the whole ordering of the affair." The first vote on record appropriating money for schools was passed in December, 1770, when £6 was thus voted. In January, 1773, £10 was raised for schooling. The first school house was built in 1783. In 1775, the population of the town had reached proba bly about 500 souls. The growth of the town had been 322 BERNARDSTON. slow and painful, yet, when the Revolutionary period came on, the people were found as ready as their stronger and more prosperous neighbors to do their duty. On the Lex ington alarm, many left their homes and fields for the East, and in May, 1775, it was voted to raise 16 men for the continental army, in addition to those already in the ser vice, at Cambridge. There were less than half a dozen tories in the town. In 1778, Bernardston voted £50 boun ty to any who would enlist. Similar votes are frequent upon the records. The town had its committee of corres pondence and safety, consisting of Capt. E. Burnham, Capt. Joseph Slate, Caleb Chapin, Aaron Field and Daniel Newcomb. Before this committee, Joseph Orcutt was brought and tried, for altering a 6d. bill to a £6 note. He was convicted and ordered to receive 30 lashes on the bareback. The constable, Samuel Connable, upon whom the task of whipping was imposed, declined it, (although the most skillful mechanic in the region,) and Lieut. Eze kiel Foster administered the flogging. In 1779, it was voted to set off 2,576 acres of land, a tract lying West of Green River, to Coleraine. This was in accordance with the wishes of the residents of the tract, and the Legislature passed an act the next year in corres pondence with the vote. March 12, 1784, the town was again reduced by setting off the district of Leyden. In 1782, the town (to its honor be it spoken)voted to release the Baptists from the minister tax. In 1791, the meeting house was taken down, and again removed, in order to be more centrally located for the accommodation of the inhab itants. In 1799, the first census was takeif, by Daniel Sax- ton of Deerfield. The town then contained 108 families and 691 inhabitants, while the district of Leyden contained -991, exactly 300 the most, a preponderence which it has not maintained. In 1789, a Baptist society was organized. In 1790, their first meeting house was built, and Elder Hodge, their first minister, was ordained the same year. He remained about ten years. Elder Rogers was the supply for a few years subsequently, and Elder Green was the next settled minister, retiring from his labors there about 1823. The1 Baptists built a new meeting house in 1817, and again in the summer of 1851. The dedication of the latter occur red Dec. 10th of the same year. BERNARDSTON. 323 The third minister of the Congregational church was Rev. Amasa Cook of Hadley, a graduate of Brown Uni versity in 1776, who was ordained in December, 1783. He ministered to the church for a period of 22 years, and was then dismissed, May, 1805, on charges of immoral conduct. Rev. Timothy F. Rogers of Tewksbury, a grad uate of Harvard College in 1802, was settled in his place, Sept. 20, 1809. In the summer of 1824, the meeting house was rebuilt by Maj. Orra Sheldon, and was dedicated Jan. 12, 1825, the sermon of the occasion having been de livered by Mr. Rogers. In 1850, it underwent thorough repairs and modification, and was dedicated anew Oct. 31st, 1850. Mr. Rogers was a Unitarian, and under his minis try the church became mostly attached to his views, and has continued since in the same faith. Mr. Rogers died Jan. 26, 1847. Rev. Azariah Bridge was installed as his colleague, Feb. 18, 1846, and preached his farewell sermon March 31, 1850. Since then, the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. Thomas Weston and Rev. Wm. W. Hebbard. The Second Congregational Church was organized Jan. 13, 1824, with 15 members. The first meeting house of this church was erected in 1831, and the second in 1846, on the site of the first one. The first pastor settled was Rev. Vinson Gould of Southampton. He was installed pastor Oct. 30,- 1833, and was dismissed Dec. 21, 1836. He was succeeded, Dec. 21, 1836, by Rev. Bancroft Fowler, who was dismissed Dec. 31, 1838. His successor was Rev. Frederic Janes of Northfield, who was installed Nov. 4, 1840, and dismissed Nov. 9, 1843. Rev. Charles Kendall of Westminster was installed in 'his place Jan. 24, 1844. He has not been in pastoral duty at Bernardston since Dec, 1853. A Methodist class was formed in Bernardston in 1799, and the church was organized July 1, 1852. Among the preachers who have supplied them are Rev. Messrs. Brom ley, Ward, J. S. Day, John Beckwith, Horace Smith and Randall Mitchell. The Methodists built a new church in the spring of 1852. The Universalist society in Bernardston was organized June 19, 1820, and its preachers have been Rev. Messrs. John Brooks, Aurin Bugbee, R. S. Sanborn, Wm. S Bal lon, Orrin Perkins, and Hymen B. Butler. The church 324 BERNARDSTON. edifice of this denomination having been thoroughly re paired in the summer of 1852, was re-dedicated Dec. 22d of that year. The men of note who have lived in Bernardston have been sufficiently apparent in the course of the history." A few professional and literary men have originated in the town, the most prominent of whom was Hon. Samuel C. Allen. He was born Jan 5, 1772, and graduated at Dart mouth College in 1794. He was ordained as a Congrega tional minister at Northfield in 1795. Disliking his pro fession, he was soon afterwards dismissed, and, having studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1801. He prac ticed in New Salem several years, represented that town four years in the House, and the county three years in the Senate of the State Legislature, and, in 1817, was elected to Congress, and represented his district in six successive Congressep. He was subsequently a member of the Gov ernor's Council. He bore the character of a high-toned man, an honest and fearless politician, a sound lawyer, and a true Christian. Hon. Henry W. Cushman, still a resident of Bernards- ton, was born in that town Aug. 9th, 1805. He received the most of his education at the common school, and at the age of 18, entered Capt. Partridge's well known literary and military academy at Norwich, Vt, where he pursued his studies for about two years. From this institution, continued under the name of the "Norwich University," he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts in 1827. He has five times represented his native town in the Legislature, was a member of the State Senate in 1844, was the Lieut. Governor of the State in 1851 and 1852, and has sustained for a great length of time the most re sponsible town offices. Mr. Cushman has been eminently a useful man. His unvarying industry and energy are felt in every cause to which he may lend his efforts. He has written much for the periodical press, has a taste for historical research and compilation, and adorns a business life by valuable literary labor. Bernardston is almost exclusively an agricultural town. It has a manufactory of scythe-snaths, by Temple & Green, who make from 12,000 to 15,000 per annum ; and supports 2 grist mills and six saw mills. The rate of taxation has BUCKLAND. 325 always been low. There are 6 school districts, for the support of which there was raised by tax, in 1854, $500. There is a school fund of $716, and the people contribute annually, in board and wood, $150 or $200. The popula tion in 1840 was 924; in 1850, 977; increase in ten years, 53. BUCKLAND. The territory of Buckland consisted originally of a tract of land known as " No Town," and a part of Charlemont The first settlements were made in the Charlemont part, on the Deerfield River, and in the South part of the town. Among the first settlers were Capt. Nahum Ward and a Mr. White. They were followed by emigrants from Deer field, Leominster and Lancaster, and from Stafford, Ct Others, still, were from Rhode Island. The first child born in the town was Jonathan, son of Capt. Nahum Ward. Before a church was formed, these pioneers were accus tomed to attend meetings on the Sabbath in Charlemont, where Mr. Leavitt preached. It was the common practice of men, with their wives, to attend meetings there, walking six miles and back every Sabbath throughout the year. On their way, they were under the necessity of crossing Deer field River, and there the venerable matrons would disen cumber themselves of their shoes and stockings, and ford the stream, going and returning. When the water was high, they crossed in a rude canoe, while a bridge of ice served them in the winter. Buckland was incorporated April 14,1779, but no church was organized until Oct., 1785, when a Congregational church was formed, with 18 members. The first meeting house was built in 1793, a structure which was displaced in 1846 by a new one. Previous to the settlement of a min ister, the people were supplied by Rev. Jacob Sherwin of Ashfield and Rev. Jonathan Leavitt. Previous to the erection of the meeting house, the religious meetings were held in a barn. The first pastor was Rev. Josiah Spauld- ing, who was installed Oct. 15, 1794. Mr. Spaulding was a native of Ashfield, and a graduate of Yale in 1778. He was one of the best men, and one of the best ministers, in the county, and his memory is still held in great love and reverence. He died while in the pastoral office in Buck- 28 326 BUCKLAND. land, on the 8th of May, 1823, in the 73d year of his age. He was succeeded Feb. 4, 1824, by Rev. Benjamin F. Clarke of Granby, a graduate of Williams in 1820. After preaching in Buckland about 15 years, Mr. Clarke was dismissed May 2, 1839, and was succeeded Jan 1, 1840, by Rev. Preston Cummings of Seekonk, a graduate of Brown University in 1822. He was dismissed Dec. 31, 1847. His successor was Rev. Asa B. Smith, the present pastor of the church. Mr. Smith was a native of Williamstown, Vt, and a graduate of Middlebury in 1834. There is a small Baptist Church in Buckland, which seems to have had its origin on the 22d of July, 1789, when ten individuals belonging to the Baptist Church in Ashfield " were delegated to form a branch in Buckland." There were Baptists among the first settlers, who located themselves about two miles South-easterly of the center of the town. Notwithstanding this early movement, and the early presence of Baptists, no permanent church organiza tion seems to have existed until Nov. 21, 1828. In 185-3, the church numbered 26 members. The following have been the pastoral supplies : Rev. Messrs. Linus Austin, James M. Coley, Benjamin F. Remington, John K. Price, Amherst Lamb, Alden B. Eggleston, P.P. Sanderson, James Parker and James Clark. The Methodist Society existed many years as the part of a circuit, but the date of the organization of the church is not known. It was probably not far from 1820. The list of preachers' that have supplied the church is the fol lowing: — Rev. Messrs. Ibri Cannon, Orrin Peir, Henry Hatfield, John Nixon, Samuel Avery, John J. Matthias, Moses Ammadon, Robert Travis, J. B. Husted, Alexander Hulin, Elias Crawford, John Luckey, John Parker, Hiram H. White, William Todd, Joel Knight, Noble Shepard, Philo Hawks, Ziba Loveland, Erastus Otis, Otis Wilder, Windsor Ward, Daniel Graves, Simon Pike, Wm. Gordon, Oakes, C. C. Barnes, Wm. Taylor, E. K. Avery, S. Drake, Leonard Frost, Proctor Marsh, Porter R. Sawyer, Henry S. Shedd, George W. Greene, Homer W. Clark, Moses Palmer, A. G. Bolles, Solomon W. Johnson, Solomon Cushman, George E. Chapman, A. S. Flagg, M. Lef- fingwell and Austin F. Herrick. The Methodists; have a good meeting house, and sustain regular preaching. CHARLEMONT. 327 The records of the town of Buckland are made up of little else than the common town business, and present no points of special interest to the public. The town made early provision for schools, in which an increasing interest has been felt from year to year until, now, it ranks in the second class of towns in the county, in the amount appro priated of school money per scholar. The old school houses have been displaced by more commodious and re spectable edifices, and the best teachers are selected instead of the' cheapest, as formerly. From Buckland has gone out one of the purest, highest and most important influences of the day. It was the birth place of Mary Lyon, the founder of Mount Holyoke Fe male Semiriary. A notice of her will be found in connec tion with the description of that institution in the second part of this work. [Vol. 1, pp. 489-90-91.] That her active and devoted mind was the initial point of an influ ence greater and better than that of any other woman who ever lived in Western Massachusetts, none will doubt who contemplate the mass of educated, cultivated and christian ized mind that passes into society every year from the walls of the institution associated forever with her name and memory. Buckland is mostly an agricultural town. There is one important manufactory within its limits, that of Lamscfn & Co., who produce cutlery of the annual value of $200,000i Wm. B. Caswell has a tannery that produces annually $15,000 worth of leather; Orrin Pratt makes yearly $4,000 worth of wooden ware, and Franklin Ballard $3,500 worth of the same article. . The valuation pi real and personal estate in 1854 was $350,000. The amount raised for schools the same year was $845 75, being $2 50 for every scholar between the ages of 4 and 21 years. In addition to this amount, $123 is realized from the interest of a school fund and the con tributions of the State. .. The population in 1840 was 1,110 ; in 1850, 1,049 ; decrease in ten years, 61. CHARLEMONT. : Charlemont is fourteen miles long from East to West, lying mostly on the North side of Deerfield river, and va rying in width-from one to three miles, the boundaries of 328 CHARLEMONT. its width being very irregular, and determined principally by the points of the hills between which it lies. The allu vial flats upon the river furnish the arable portion of the land, 'the hills being devoted to grazing. The river and the flats are 800 or 900 feet below the average level of the country on the North and South. This valley was once, doubtless, a lake, and it is certain that for many ages the river has' run over the ledges North of Shelbume Falls, which are 100 feet above its present level. The flats are mostly on the North side of the river, where are also the houses of the inhabitants, and the road. The latter winds through some of the most beautiful and picturesque scen ery to be found in New England. The projected railroad from Greenfield to Troy is laid along the banks of this river, and the Eastern terminus of the proposed Hoosac Tunnel is located at the point where the river road leaves the level, and commences to climb the mountain. The territory of Charlemont forms one of three town ships given to the town of Boston by the General Court, June 27, 1735. The other plantations granted were Cole- raine and Pittsfield ; Charlemont being named " Boston plantation No. 1." The General Court reserved 500 acres for the first minister, 500 acres for the support of the min istry, and 500 for the support of schools. Boston conveyed the township to John Reed, July 14, 1737, and Reed sold to Chickley and Keyes. The following, preserved among many old papers in possession of Elias Taylor, Esq., which will be further cited in this history, will show the dates of subsequent sales : " The contents of a deed from Gershom Keyes to William Ward, dated 27th January, 1742: The one moiety or half part of a certain township called Charlemont, lying on Deerfield river, in the county of Hampshire, it being the whole I pur chased of John Reeri, as mw appear by a deed of sale bear ing date the 14th day of December, 1737, and recorded at Springfield the 30th day of the above December. Excepting my part of all that is sold to Mr. Thomas Hancocks, Capt. Rice, John Stearns, and to a number of other persons as may ap pear by their deeds recorded at Springfield." The proprietors' books have been destroyed by fire, and many of their doings thus lost beyond recovery. The fol lowing is a copy of a notification for the first proprietors' CHARLEMONT. 329 meeting in Charlemont Their previous meetings had been held in Lancaster and Worcester: "Whereas, the Great and General Court, on the 1st of De cember current, upon the petition of Moses Rice, of a place called Charlemont, in the County of Hampshire, being Bos^ ton township No. 1, in behalf of himself and others, did vote a tax of one penny per acre, lawful money, to be laid upon all the land in the within named township, (the public lands only excepted) for the space of three years next to come, and that the money so raised shall be improved for the following pur poses, viz., For finishing the meeting house already agreed and engaged to be put up in said Township, for support of preaching, Encouraging the building of Mills, and for laying out and clearing Highways and other roads there, and in such manner and proportion as the Proprietors of the lands there shall order and determine at their meetings for such purposes called and held. And the said court did also empower the said Moses Rice to call a meeting of said proprietors, to be held in said Township, at some reasonable future time, (by posting up notifications of the time and place, and purposes of holding the same, at said Charlemont, and at Lancaster in the County of Worcester,) and that the Proprietors so met have power to choose a Clerk, Treasurer, Assessors and Col- lectbrs, and all other officers necessary for the assessing, levying and collecting said tax from time to time, and to agree upon and determine the disposition of the money raised by said tax as they shall see meet, only for purposes aforesaid, and to agree upon any proper method of calling meetings for the future. These are therefore (by virtue of said order of court we thereto impowering) to warn and give notice to the Proprietors of said Charlemont, that they meet at said Charle mont, at the house of Moses Rice on Wednesday, seventeenth day of January next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, then and there to act upon the particulars aforesaid, and agreeable to the power given them by said court. "Moses Rice." "December 9, 1752. The names of those appointed to office at this meeting were Moses Rice, Othniel Taylor, Joseph Wilder, Jr., Eleazer Hawks, Gershom Hawks, Dea. Israel Honghtonj Jonathan White and Aaron Rice. It was voted to give Aaron Rice £170, old tenor, in part payment for building a corn mill in the town, and provision was made for future action on the same subject, when Mr. Rice should finish his mill, provided be would agree to keep it in repair for ten years, and grind for the proprietors, " taking one 16th 28* 330 CHARLEMONT. part for toll, and no more." It was also voted to appro priate $100, old tenor, of the year's tax, to pay for preach ing. Aaron Rice gave a bond to fulfill the conditions of the appropriation in regard to the mill, May 30, 1753, a document which is still in existence, and from which the following is extracted : " The condition of the above obligation is such that, where as, the proprietors of said town have agreed with Aaron Rice to build a corn mill, and a saw mill, and to keep them in good repair for the space of ten years, and to grind' for a six teenth and no more, also to saw boards for the proprietors at the same rates as they do at Deerfield, for the space of ten years, the proprietors voted to give said Rice £40 lawful money, and a complete set of saw mill irons." This mill has continued in operation until the present time, and has done most of the grinding for the " proprie tors" for 100 years, taking " the sixteenth and no more." It appears by sundry orders that the proprietors furnished themselves with preaching at once, though a church was not formed for some years. Rev. C. M. Smith preached £40 worth, as appears by his order on the committee, dated Hatfield, Oct. 24, 1753. Rev. Mr. Treat and Rev. Mr. May preached 4 days each, in 1754. A bill of Moses Rice was allowed June 26, 1750, amounting to £4 4s. for "keeping the ministers" — Mr. Smith, Mr. Dickeson, Mr. May and Mr. Treat. The Rice and Taylor families were the first, and most important settlers. They bad more property than the oth ers, and secured the best situations. Capt. Moses Rice was bom in Sudbury, Mass., Oct. 27, 1694, married Sarah King of the same town Nov. 16, 1719, wrent to Charle mont about 1747, and took with him seven children : Sam uel, (born 1720,) Abigail, Aaron, (born 1724,) Dinah, Sylvanus, Tamar, and Artemas, (born 1734.) Capt. Rice was about 53 years old at the time of emigration, and his children ranged from 27 to 13 years old. The deed from Gershom Keyes to Capt. Rice, recorded in Springfield in 1741, is the earliest deed on record, to any settler of Charlemont. The trials to which the first settlers were subjected by the Indian difficulties of the period have been briefly recorded in the Outline History. Capt. Moses Rice and Phineas Arms were killed on their meadow, June 11, CHARLEMONT. 831 1755. The traditionary account of this event, among the people of Charlemont, is, that several persons were work ing in a corn field on a very warm day, that the Indians discovered them from the hill on the North, and saw where they had placed their arms, and that they came down the ravine by the brook, concealed by the bushes, between the laborers and their house, and fired upon them when at the end of the rows, farthest from their arms. Mr. Arms died in the corn. Capt. Rice fell, and was carried up the brook half a mile, and scalped, dying in the evening. Ti tus King, supposed to have been a .brother-in-law of Moses Rice, was taken captive, and carried to Canada, from whence he returned by way of France, though he did not settle again in Charlemont. Asa Rice, a grandson of Capt. Rice, about 13 years old, was riding a horse to har row between the corn rows. The horse was frightened Ijy the firing, and ran. The boy hid, but the Indians found him and took him to Canada. He at last returned, and settled in Charlemont, always retaining a vivid recollection of this startling event of his boyhood. The settlers did not leave the place, and the Indians did not return. Aaron Rice, the son of Moses, was 23 years old when he- came into the town, and he lived longer in the town than any of the first settlers. It was with him that the early grist and saw mill contract was made, and some still remember Dea. Rice as one of the best and most useful inhabitants of the town. He lived with his wife 54 years, reared 11 children, and died Dec. 2, 1808, at the age of 84. Othniel Taylor purchased 1,000 acres of land at the East end of Charlemont, one half being in what is now Buckland, Nov. 1, 1742, of Phineas Stevens of Deerfield, for which he paid £1,010, old tenor. The Taylor families of the second generation made several good farms of this land, and two farms, one on each side of the river, owned by the third and fourth generations, are equal to any in these towns. The large old house on the Charlemont side of the river, built more than eighty years ago, in which have lived and died six generations of the Taylor family, is now occupied by three generations of the same name and family. Capt. Taylor was born in Deerfield, in 1719, and was a grandson of John Taylor, one of the early set- 332 CHARLEMONT. tiers of Northampton. He married Martha Arms of Deerfield, in 1743, and died in 1788, his wife dying in 1802. He probably removed to Charlemont in 1750, for his three eldest children were born in Deerfield, and his fourth, Enos, was born in Charlemont, Feb. 3, 1751. This was the first child born in the town, so far as the records show. The children of Othniel were Samuel, Mary, Lem uel, Enos, Othniel, Tertius, Martha, William, Rufus, Lu- cinda, Tirzah, Dolly, and Lydia — in all thirteen, every one of whom lived to old age, the youngest dying at 66, and the oldest at 92. Their average age was 77 years, and their aggregate ages 1,000 years ! The account book of Capt. Taylor, commenced in 1760, still exists, and some names have a frightful array of charges against them for " Rhum," "Flip," "Toddy," "Sider," &c. At the present time there is neither " Rhum" nor drunkard in the East part of the town. In 1762, there is a charge of tavern expen ses to Capt. Samuel Robinson and family, on their way to Bennington, Vt. Tradition says that Mrs. Robinson wept over her dismal prospects at this time, and yet, her son Moses, who was with her then, became the first governor of Vermont, and her family was among the richest in the State. Charlemont was incorporated June 21, 1765, including at that time two thirds of the present town of Heath, and a part of the town of Buckland. It was a great effort with the settlers to build a meeting house so respectable that it might properly be called the House of God. Torn pieces of paper, preserved in the garret of the Taylor House, show something of the action of the people of Charlemont in this matter, especially con nected with the project of building a house on the hill side, near, or within, the present bounds of Heath. In a war rant for a town meeting "near the meeting house frame," issued June 26, 1754, it being the second proprietors' meet ing, occurs the following article : " to receive accounts from any persons who have done service for the proprietors, especially the accounts of the committee for building the meeting-house." At the meeting it was " voted that Mr. Dicks be notified to cover the roof of the • meeting-house with boards and shingles, and board the gable ends." " Voted and accepted of land for a lot for the first minister CHARLEMONT. 333 that shall be settled in said town, to lay South of lot No. 2, on Hancock's farm, and to be 200 rods long and 80 rods wide." A warrant was issued July 10, 1761, for a meeting to take measures for the speedy inclosure and covering of the meeting-house, and on the 2d Thursday of April, 1762, a meeting was held to choose a committee " to finish the meeting-house, and to give them their instruction." In a warrant for a meeting to be held June 27, 1762, occurs this article : " to choose a committee to see that the outside of the meeting-house be covered, if the former frame will do. If not, to set up a new frame, and cover it, and see how far they will proceed towards the finishing." The following agree ment to build a new meeting-house is dated the same day : " Know all men by these presents that I, Thomas Dick, of Pelham, in the County of Hampshire, Innholder,For and in consideration of a former obligation I gave to Mr. Othniel Tay lor, Treasurer of Charlemont, to build a meeting-house in Charlemont, do by these presents covenant and engage to set up a frame in said town, in the place where the old frame now stands, it being 35 feet by 30, and 18 feet post, to cover the outside with chamferred boards and the roof with boards and shingles, and to put up weather boards, to lay the lower floor with boards on sleepers or joice well supported, and to com plete the same, workman like, by the last day of September next. Otherwise, on failure thereof, to pay said Treasurer 26 pounds for the use of said Proprietors. Thomas Dick. " N. B. The proprietors are to find boards, nails and shin gles, and rum for the raising." The lot for the minister was secured to Rev. Jonathan Leavitt ; that for the ministry is not mentioned in the later doings of the proprietors, while that for schools still yields the town a few dollars annually. A new house of worship was completed in 1794, by the town and parish, which was sold in 1852, and the timber used in the construction of dwelling-houses at Shelburne Falls. The people of the town worshiped in this house for nearly 50 years. When Rev. Joseph Field, one of the ministers of the town, became a Unitarian, some of the people built a large and handsome church a mile East of the center, where Mr. Field preached a few years, but the people never had a settled pastor, and the house is not now occupied. There are now in the valley four pretty churches : in the town village, the 1st Congregational and the Metho- 334 CHARLEMONT. dist ; five miles East, the 2d Congregational ; between this and the village, the Unitarian. The date of the organization of the first church in Charle mont is not known. Rev. Jonathan Leavitt was its first and only pastor, for it became defunct in a few years. The church was probably formed in 1767, when Mr. Leavitt was installed, and was probably considered disbanded when he was dismissed, April 15, 1785. June 6, 1788, a new church was formed with 16 members. Rev. Isaac Babbitt was settled as the pastor, February 24, 1796, and dismissed June 7, 1798. He was a native of Easton, Ct., and a grad uate of Dartmouth in 1783. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Field of Sunderland, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1792, on the 4th of December, 1799. After remaining the minister for about 23 years .and a half, he was dismissed, on account of conversion or perversion (a word for each side) to Unitarianism, July 10th, 1823. Rev. Wales Tileston of Williamsburg, a graduate of Union College in 1822, was ordained in his place March 16, 1825, and dismissed March 22, 1837. Rev. Stephen T. Allen of Heath, a graduate of Amherst in 1833, was his successor, and was ordained as pastor, April, 1838, and was disnjissed on the 24th of the following April, having been connected with the charge but a year. Rev. John D. Smith was ordained in his place November 20, 1839, dismissed August 11, 1844, re-settled over the same church June 21, 1848, and re-dismissed May 19, 1852. Mr. Smith was the son of the late eminent Dr. Nathan Smith of New Haven, and brother of the late Dr. James M. Smith of Springfield. The church in 1853 had 87 members. The Third (the present Second) church was organized in the East part of the town, August 6, 1845. Its first and only meeting-house was built in 1847. The church origi nally consisted of 43 members. Rev. Moses H. Wilder of Winchendon was installed as the first pastor, March 17, 1847, and dismissed Oct. 3, 1848. He was succeeded Feb ruary 13, 1850, by Rev. Aaron Foster of Hillsboro, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1822. The church in 1853 had. 80 members. The Baptist church in Charlemont was .formed about 1791. The following preachers have supplied the desk: Rev. Messrs. John Green, Wheeler, Palmer, Ebenezer CHARLEMONT. 335 Hall, Samuel Carpenter, Nathaniel Rice, McCulloch, James M. Cooley, Darius Dunbar, David Peace, Benj. F. Rem ington, R. P. Hartley, S. Bentley, M. J. Kelley, James Parker and Hervey Crowley. In 1853, the church had 57 members. Methodist classes were formed in 1828 and 1831. For some time the Methodists in the town were connected with those in Rowe. Since the church was formed, (date not known,) the following have been the preachers : Rev. Messrs. Samuel Eigmy, John Nixon, A. Hulin, E. An drews, J. B. Husted, E. Crawford, J. C. Bontecou, S. W. Sizer, Wm.-Todd, O. C. Bosworth, Wm. Ward, H. Moul ton, E. P. Stevens, S. Heath, D. K. Bannister, Wm. Kim- . ball, C. Haywood, W. Willicutt, L. Wing, J. W. Lewis, W. Taylor, E. Bugbee, E. K. Avery, C. C. Barnes, P. Marsh, L. Frost, P. R. Sawyer, D. Mason, G. W. Green, Moses Palmer, Wm. Bordwell, E. A. Manning, Ichabod Marcy, A. Taylor, A. A. Cook, D. K. Merrill and Wm. Penticost. Charlemont had its revolutionary soldiers. Col. Hugh Maxwell, who lived in that portion of the town now within the bounds of Heath, was a distinguished officer in that struggle. He was an Irishman by birth, and was lost at sea, on a passage to England. The pensioners of the town are Jonathan Howard, Martin Rice and Josiah Pierce, the latter of whom was at the laying of the corner stone of the Bunker Hill monument. Othniel and Tertius Taylor, sons of Othniel, served through the war. Tertius obtained a Lieutenant's commission, and was at the battles of Stony Point, King's Bridge, White Plains and Saratoga. Othniel served as Captain, and after the war was Colonel of the militia. Subsequently he removed to Canandaigua, N. Y., and after passing through many reverses and vicissitudes, died at that place in 1819', at the age of 66, the youngest of that remarkable family. The lawyers of Charlemont have been Joseph Bridg- man, Sylvester Maxwell, Emory Washburn, (late Gov ernor of Massachusetts,) Joseph P. Allen and Edwin H. Porter. The physicians have been Moses Heaton, Stephen Bates, George Winslow, Wm. R. Bates, Stephen Bates, Jr., Merritt F. Potter, David B. Hawkes and Ashman H. Taylor. The following are among the natives of Charle- 336 COLERAINE mont who have graduated at colleges : Rev. Jededi^h Bush- nell, Sylvester Maxwell, Rev. Roswell Hawkes, Rev. Sam uel Leonard,' Constant Field, Rev. James Ballard, Stephen Bates, Joseph White, Joseph Hawkes, Rev. Daniel Rice, Dr. M. F. Potter, Rev. Theron M. Hawkes, Wm. Legate. Notwithstanding this somewhat numerous list, no pastor, no lawyer, no native graduate, and but one physician has a grave in Charlemont In the Constitutional Convention of 1780, Charlemont was represented by Dea. Aaron Rice ; in 1820, by Capt. Asahel Judd ; in 1853, by Rev. Aaron Foster. > The total taxation of Charlemont for 1853 was $3,801, of which $600 was appropriated for schools. The num ber of ratable polls is 277. The territory covers upwards of 24 square miles. The Post office was established in 1816. The population in 1840 was 1,181 ; in 1850, 1,188 ; increase in ten years, 7. COLERAINE. On the 27th of June, 1735, the larger part of the terri tory of Coleraine was granted, with two other townships, to the town of Boston, in answer to a petition of the inhab itants of that town, setting forth the facts of their paying about one-fifth of the Colony tax annually, the great amount of money expended by them for schooling, and the large amount paid annually for the support of the poor. Coleraine was the second of these townships, and was first called " No. 2," or " Boston township, No. 2." The first settlement was made in 1732, by two brothers — Andrew and John Smith, who had been residents of Deerfield. Be coming dissatisfied with the people of that town, they re moved beyond its limits, and built their house on the farm now occupied by William Coombs. They lived at their new home about two years, and then, in consequence of the Indian troubles, abandoned it, and did not return until after the grant to the town of Boston, when they, with others, become permanent settlers. The first inhabitants of Coleraine were mostly of that class of men known as the " Scotch Irish." Some of them emigrated from the province of Ulster, in 1719 ; others did not leave Ireland until about the time of the settlement of the town, in 1736. Many of them lived in Londonderry, N. H., and some in COLERAINE. 337 Woburn, Stow, Roxbury and Pelham, in this State, after their arrival in America, before they settled in Coleraine. They were a robust set of men, six feet or more in hight, with frames of corresponding size ; possessing con stitutions capable of great endurance, and fitted for any emergency. There seems to have been one exception, in the person of John Newman, who was very small in stat ure, but who possessed great personal courage. It was said of him that he would not turn from any wild animal that crossed his path. At one time, in passing over one of the high hills, he saw a catamount in a tree, and having no gun, he armed himself with a good cudgel, climbed the tree, succeeded in killing the catamount, took him on his back, and carried him to the house of Lieut. Pennell. As early as 1738, the settlers chose a committee to man age the affairs of the settlement. Among their first acts was one, setting apart a lot for ministerial use, and appro priating certain sums to be expended annually in improv ing said lots. In 1741 and 2, the proprietors built the first meeting house, on one of the highest pieces of land in the town, near the North- West corner of the old burial ground. In 1742, they entered into a contract with James Fairser- vice to build a grist-mill, they paying a part of the ex pense. This mill was the first built in town, and was loca ted on the place where L. Lyon's mills now stand. It was burned by the Indians in one of their marauding incur sions, about 1757. On the 29th of June, 1740, was born the first white child in town, — Martha, daughter of Hugh and Martha Morrison. The first white male child was Abraham, son of John and Sarah Pennell, born March 21st, 1741. The first warrant for a meeting of the settlers was issued by Thomas Wells on petition of Andrew Smith, John Clark, James Barry, Alexander Herroun, Alexander Clark, John Pennell, Samuel Clark, Matthew Clark, Hugh Henry, John Henderson, James Clark, William Clark, Thomas Cockran, and Robert Hunter. These were some of the first settlers. It became necessary at an early period of the settlement to guard against the wily savage. Three forts were built, which many times saved the people from a horrid death, or a more horrid captivity. The Indians usually kept at 29 338 COLERAINE.* a good distance from the forts, seldom coming within gun shot of them. The inhabitants were always on the look out for them, and were not often surprised. A party of Indians at one time (1746) appeared on the highlands about one hundred rods East of the house of Matthew Clark. Mr. Clark hastened at once, with his family, con sisting of a wife and several children, to Fort Lucas, which was the nearest place of safety. Clark kept in the rear of his family, and kept the Indians at bay till they arrived at the fort. He was so hard pressed by the savages that he was obliged to secrete himself under a bridge, where he was discovered and shot. This occurred on the 10th of May, 1746, near the house now occupied by Mr. Josiah Haynes. The same fact less circumstantially stated will be found in the Outline Histo ry. About the same time that Clark was shot, a Mr. Mills was shot and killed near his own door ; and it was also supposed that a woman of the name of Pennell was taken captive by the Indians. She was seen by some of the set tlers near the close of the day, passing along the road, but she did not return home, and no trace of her was ever found. ' Not long after this affair, one of the settlers was surprised that his cow did not return, as usual. He took his gun, and went in the direction where he supposed he should be most likely to find her. After traveling awhile, he heard her bell, but thought it sounded strangely. He could hear it ring very rapidly for a minute, and then en tirely cease. He passed along cautiously, occasionally hearing the bell, and getting near the sound, until he saw an Indian, sitting upon a rock, the bell in one hand and his gun in the other. The Indian rang the bell, and then laid it down, and commenced pecking the flint in his gun, and, while in this aot, the settler shot him. He imme diately fled to the fort, and having obtained suitable assist ance, returned to the spot, but no Indian was to be found. They tracked him some distance by the blood, but soon lost all trace of him. It was supposed, as the savages were always careful that their dead should not fall into the hands of the whites, that his companions found his dead body, and carried it away during the settler's absence. In the last French and Indian war, in 1756-7-8-9, there were a number of soldiers from this town who belonged to COLERAINE. 339 a company known as " Rodger's Rangers." Some of them were at the battle of Quebec, when Gen. Wolfe was killed. Among these were John Bolton and David Morris. The Indians were more troublesome to the settlers of Coleraine in this war than in the previous one. They had constantly to keep a watch, and at times did not consider it safe to go beyond the limits of the settlement. Fort Morrison was situated in the Northerly part of the town, on the interval, not far from North river. At a short distance West of the fort was a mountain, rising quite abruptly to the hight of several hundred feet. Upon the side of this mountain, the Indians were frequently to be seen, and from here they could see many of the homes of the settlers. On one oc casion, the people in Fort Morrison became satisfied that the savages were in the vicinity of that fort, and, as was customary, they sent two men, Capt. John Morrison and John Henry, to notify the people in the other forts. The savages seeing them leave the fort, sta"rted in pursuit, and fired upon them, breaking Morrison's arm. The Indians by their horrid yells and fierce gestures frightened a horse which happened to be in their way. The horse took the same path that Morrison and Henry had taken, and when he came up to them, Henry, without saddle or bridle, mounted him, and assisted his wounded companion to get on behind. ' By letting the horse manage affairs himself, he soon carried them out of the way of the enemy, and safely arrived with them at Fort Lucas. The savages failing to get the scalps of Morrison and Henry, went to the house of Morrison, set fire to it and his barn, and de stroyed them. Early in 1759, they again made their appearance on the hill West of the fort. From their post of observation the movements of the people about the fort could plainly be seen. One day, several men left the fort, and the savages believing if nearly defenseless, when night came, attempted to take it. There were but three men in the fort, Maj. Willard from Deerfield, Dea. Hurlburt and Joseph McCown or McCowen. Maj. Willard was wounded soon after the attack, so that he was unable to render any assistance. Some of the women in the fort melted their teapots and made bullets, others of them loaded the guns, and the two men fii*ed so fast that the savages were led to believe that 340 - COLERAINE, the fort was full of men ; and to confirm this belief the more, Dea. Hurlburt, who was a large and powerful man, and who had a voice of thunder, would cry out to the Red Skins, to "come on" as they were "ready for them." Much of the night was passed in this kind of fighting, until, finally, the savages concluded that they must adopt some other means to accomplish their purpose. They went to one of the barns in the vicinity, and piled upon a cart a load of swingling tow, believing that by keeping the load in front of them, so as to protect them from the guns of the fort, they might, with safety, place it in immediate con tact with it, and then, by setting it on fire, they would burn the fort and those in it, or compel them to surrender. Day light coming before the Indians got their load to their fort, and not deeming it safe to go within gun-shot of the whites after this time, they relinquished their intentions, and with drew into the forest. Early in the attack, Maj. Willard caused the children to be warmly clad, not doubting that before morning they would be in the hands of the savages, and on their way to Canada. Soon after this night conflict, Joseph McCowen, wife, and a son six months old, were sur prised, and taken prisoners by the Indians. Mrs. McCowen was a corpulent woman, and before the close of the first day's march she became so much exhausted as to be unable to reach their camp for the night. The savages permitted her husband to go back and remain with her a short time, but would not allow him to assist her, in reaching the camp. He was soon compelled to leave her, and, as soon as he turned his back, the savages buried their tomahawks in her head. He was taken to Canada, and, after a few years, re turned to the home of his early life. The child was kindly cared for by the savages, and was sold to a French lady who adopted him as her own. The father was permitted to see him occasionally, as long as he remained in captivity. After the close of the war, Mr. McCowen went to Canada to procure his child, but was unable to find him. He again returned to Coleraine, and soon learned that his boy, who had grown to be a tall lad, had been secreted, and kept from his sight. Another attempt to reclaim his child proved equally fruitless. After the close of the Indian war, many persons who had left Coleraine, for places of greater security, returned to ftOLERAINE. 341 ieir homes, and others came into town in such numbers lat, in 1767, about ninety farms were occupied, with about >ur hundred acres of land subdued for tillage, about the 3,me number of acres for pasturing; and mowing land nough to yield five hundred tuns of hay annually. Some f the settlers who came from Roxbury brought with them few negroes, who were slaves until the war of the Revo- ition. The inhabitants of the town took a very firm and ecided stand at the commencement of that struggle. At a town meeting held August 2, 1773, a committee ras chosen to draft a preamble and resolutions, and in an- tver to a communication from the town of Boston, they say : " Although we are an infant settlement, we look upon our berties as dear to us as if we were the oldest in the province, nd do, with the most sincere regard, acknowledge the vigi- ince and care discovered by the town of Boston, respecting ublick rights and liberties — would inform you that this town o and will heartily concur with you in all salutary, constitu- onal, proper measures for the redress of those intolerable rievances which threaten us with total destruction. We rould ever esteem ourselves obliged to the town of Boston, le capitol of this province; may she rejoice in perpetual rosperity, may wisdom direct her in all her consultations, lay her spirited prudence render her a terror to the enemies f our Constitution, and may every town and every colony in ,merica be awakened to a sense of danger, and unite in the lorious cause of liberty ; may this land be purged from evil nd designing men, that want to bring slavery on a loyal and utiful people to his Majesty, and may righteousness be ex ited,' that God Almighty may be our God, as he was the God f our forefathers, and may we be possessed with virtue, re gion and publick spirit, which warmed and animated our ncestors. We conclude with expressing our gratitude to all lat have been instrumental in bringing to light things that ave been hid, and hope by uniting we may stand," Almost all the able bodied men were engaged more or 2ss of the time in the war of the Revolution, and the jwn taxed itself almost beyond endurance, for the further- nce of the cause of liberty. At the commencement of the war, the men who went ram Coleraine joined companies from other towns. In 777, a company of artificers was raised in town, with ohn Wood as captain, and John Bolton as first lieutenant. ?his company, was soon stationed at West Point, The 39* 342 COLERAINE. officers received their commission September 6, 1777. Capt. Wood received his discharge, after the expiration of a few months, when the command devolved on Lieut. Bol ton. He was one of the best practical mechanics in this part of the colony. He had also men who had served in the French and Indian wars, and it was by his influence thai, the company was raised. After about two years, his men became discontented. They were badly clothed, and otherwise uncomfortable. They told their commander that his promises to them were not fulfilled, and that they must leave him, unless some thing could be done to render them more comfortable. Bolton, engaged with his whole soul in the cause of free dom, and, confident that his country would not let him suffer for any sacrifices he might make, left the camp on furlough and returned to Coleraine, where he possessed a valuable property. He raised by bond and mortgage all the money he could, took it with him to West Point, and paid it to his men. He was chief engineer in the construc tion of all the works at West Point ; also in building the Croton River Bridge,' and in throwing the chain across North River. Bolton, with his company, remained at West Point until the close of the war, when they received their discharge ; but, being Massachusetts soldiers, they were not paid off, and they were obliged to get to their homes as best they could, some of the way by begging, after going half starved, and enduring more from hunger and exhaustion than they had at any time during the war. After various hardships, they arrived at Coleraine, where the most of them had good and comfortable homes. Not so with the commander. He arrived at his home only to be driven with his family from it, a wanderer upon the face of the earth. After a time he gathered the little fragments of his property that were left, and emigrated to New York, where he resided with some of his children. He was a man of ardent temperament, and was always inclined to look on the bright side of things, until old age began to come on, which, with poverty, and the thought of his un requited sacrifices for his country, made him melancholy and moodv for a few years before his death, which occur red in 1807. Capt. McClellan, with a company mostly from Coleraine, COLERAINE. 343 was at the battle of Stillwater. He was on several occa sions chosen to perform perilous duty. After the battle of Stillwater, General Burgoyne sent forward a company of artificers, protected by a strong guard, to prepare a way of retreat. It became necessary for the American com mander to have those works, so far as they had been com pleted, destroyed. Captain McClellan, and his company were chosen to perform this duty. Under cover of night, they went and destroyed a bridge which the enemy had erected. On their return to the American camp, they passed a house in which Captain M. conjectured a part of the guard sent forward by Gen. Burgoyne might be station ed. He placed his men around the house, so that no one could escape, and then ordered two of them to fire at the door; upon which a company of 31 men came out. A battle ensued in which all of the enemy were killed save two, who were taken prisoners. These two afterwards joined the American army, and Capt. McClellan's company ; and when he returned to Coleraine, they came with him. The name of one was Harris, the other, Bond, — father of James Bond, recently of Heath. Capt McClellan, for many years, was one of the principal men of the town. He was a man of sterling integrity, kind and affable man ners, and was beloved by all who knew him. Col. William Stevens, an active spirit in the great drama of the Revolution, was for a number of years a resident of Coleraine. Previous to the commencement of the war he lived in the vicinity of Boston. On one occasion, he was in the town, when some British officers were in structing a company of men in the art of firing heavy ordnance. Young Stevens was very inquisitive to know how much a gun should be elevated to carry a given dis tance. After answering his questions for some time, one. of the officers remarked to another that perhaps they were not doing right, in instructing the little Yankee, as he might soon be pointing the guns at them. His fears prov ed well founded. Young Stevens entered the service, and was connected with that arm of defense which was his favorite, the artillery. It is said of him that he was one of the best shots with heavy ordnance in the American army. He continued in the service until the close of the war, when he returned to Coleraine, and engaged in mer cantile pursuits. 344 COLERAINE. The people of Coleraine, in consequence of the extreme distress in which they found themselves at the close of the Revolution, furnished many active sympathizers to the Shays Rebellion. The present Congregational Church in Coleraine was originally Presbyterian, and was doubtless formed in 1750. The change to the Congregational mode of government was made Dec. 9, 1819. Rev. Alexander McDowell, the first pastor, was ordained Sept. 28, 1753. He was a grad uate of Harvard, though a native of Ireland. He was dismissed in 1761, on account of intemperance, and was succeeded June 1, 1769, by Rev. Daniel McClellan. He was born in Pennsylvania, but received his education in Edinburgh, Scotland. He died while in the pastoral office, April 21, 1773. Rev. Samuel Taggart was ordained in his place Feb. 9, 1777, and died in Coleraine, April 24, 1825, at the age of 71. He represented his district in Congress for 14 years succeeding 1804, and it is recorded of him that he read his Bible through every winter he was in Washington. He was a man of strong mental powers, and noted eccentricities of habit and character. He was succeeded Aug. 5, 1829, by Rev. Aretas Loomis, who was dismissed March 9, 1836, and who was succeeded May 3,, 1837, by Rev. Horatio Flagg, who remained until May 23, 1848. Rev. Cyrus W. Allen was installed in his place Feb. 28, 1849, and dismissed Nov. 23, 1852. The First Baptist Church in Coleraine was formed Sept. 5, 1780, with 19 members. In 1853, it had 96 members. The pastors have been Rev. Messrs. E. Smith, Obed War ren, John Green, R. Freeman, Thomas Purrington, George Witherill, James Parsons, George Robinson, J. M. Pur rington, Joseph Hodges, Francis Smith, Milo Frary, An thony V. Dimock, and William E. Stowe. The Second Baptist Church was formed in 1786, and, in 1853, had 30 members. Rev. Edmund Littlefield preach ed 18 years, and Rev. Edward Davenport supplied them, more or less, for about 35 years. Fifteen Baptist preach ers have originated in Coleraine. A Methodist class was formed in 1832, and the follow ing preachers have ministered to the church ; Rev. Messrs. J. D. Bridge, E. Mason, Freeman Nutting, D. E. Chapin, H. P. Hall, John Cadwell, W. A. Braman, A. S. Flagg, W. M. Hubbard, and Middleton. COLERAINE. 345 Coleraine was incorporated June 30, 1761, and was named in honor of Lord Coleraine of Ireland, to which fact is attached the usual legend of a bell, sent by him in acknowledgment, which, with the uniform bad luck in all those cases, never reached its destination. In 1779, that part of Bernardston lying West of Green River was an nexed to Coleraine, which, with a gore of land added at the North, makes the town territorially one of the largest in the county. The people are mostly engaged in agricultural employ ments. There are 14 sawmills, that manufacture 1,500,000 feet of lumber annually, the most of which is consumed in the town. There are five mills for making broom-handles, two for making wash-boards, one for lather-boxes, one for wagon-shafts, one for boring-machines, one boot factory, one sash, blind and door factory, one iron foundry and one tannery. The first cotton mill built in the county was put in operation in Coleraine, by Warren P. Wing and others, in 1814. For a few years, cotton was spun in the mill and woven in families, in the vicinity. Shattuck and Whittin now operate the mill, and make 1,000,000 yards printing goods annually. In 1828, Joseph Griswold, Jr., went into Coleraine, and commenced making sash, doors and blinds. Two or three years afterwards he added the manufacture of augers, gimlets and shaving boxes to his business. In 1832, he built a mill, and filled h; with machinery for making printing cloths, and, in 1835, the second mill for the same purpose. The property in 1840, passed into the hands of the Griswoldville Manufacturing Company, in which Mr. Griswold is the principal owner, and of which he has since been the agent. Nov. 7, 1851, one of the mills was burnt. In 12 working days, another mill, 80 feet by 40, was put up and ready to receive its machinery, — an exhibition of the energy of Coleraine's most enterprising man. This company make 2,000,000 yards of printing cloths annually. Coleraine contains 1.9 school districts. For the support of schools, the town annually appropriates about $1,200, and the people give in board, fuel, &c, about $700 more. Population in 1840,1,930; in 1850, 1,764; decrease in, ten years, 166. 346 CON WAT. CONWAY. ¦ The territory of Conway originally belonged to Deer field, and had no settlers previous to 1763. During that year, Cyrus Rice became the first settler, and his daughter Beulah, born the next year, was the first child born in the town. Other early settlers were Israel Gates, Ebenezer Allis, Consider Arms, Elias Dickinson, Jonathan Whitney, Thomas French, Israel Wilder, Elisha Amsden, Solomon Fields and John Boyden, whose son» John, now living, was the first male child born in Conway. Deerfield, Grafton, Barre, Leicester and Rutland furnished the first settlers. On the 16th of June, 1767, " Southwest," as it was known, was incorporated as a town with the name of Conway. The first town meeting was held at the house of Thomas French, Aug. 24, of the same year, when Thomas French, Consider Arms and Samuel Wells were chosen selectmen, and Consider Arms, clerk. At a meeting held at Joseph Catlin's, three weeks later, measures were taken to procure preaching, and " to purchase law books." A committee was also appointed to find the center of the town, with refer ence to building a meeting house. The committee made a report, at a subsequent meeting, which was " excepted," but it was not until after much contention, and the passage of nearly two years, that the site was fixed upon, — about 80 rods South of the present Congregational Church. December 28, 1767, the first appropriation was made for a public school, to be kept five months by " a dame," which dame, Ebenezer Allis, Nathaniel Fields and Benja min Pulsifer were instructed to provide. There was no school house until. 1773, when one was built a few rods Northeast of the meeting house. The annual appropria tion of money for schools, for the first 6 or 8 years, was about £10. In 1774, £30 were voted, but the next year no appropriation was made, doubtless in consequence of the war. This is the only instance, however, of failure to provide annually for schooling. The amount has been in creased, from year to year, until, in '1854, the appropria tion amounted to $1,200 for public schools, with an addi tional provision for scholarships in the Academy, bestowed upon the most deserving pupil selected from the common schools. The town is divided into 15 school districts. CONWAT. 347 A select school has been maintained in the town for many years, and was taught through 29 terms, by John Clary. In 1853, a handsome building was erected by subscription, and is now occupied by a large and flourishing school. The first meeting house, to which reference has already heen made, was erected during the Summer of 1769, but remained for a long time unfurnished, except with a pulpit and a pew for the family of the minister. The internal arrangements of the house were not completed within 20 years. As the house was not warmed, a lodge was con structed within a short distance, at which a prodigious fire was kept on Sundays, that was resorted to in the morning and at noon. Previous to the erection of the building, the town meetings were usually held at the houses of Jonathan Whitney (near where Charles Parsons now lives) and Capt. French ; while the religious meetings were held at the houses of Jonathan Whitney, Nathaniel Field and Joseph Catlin. The first minister settled in Conway was Rev. John Em erson, who was ordained as the pastor of the Congrega tional Church December 21, 1769. The church itself was organized July 14, 1768, with 32 members. Mr. Emer son was a native of Maiden, and a graduate of Harvard in 1764. He died while in the pastoral office in Conway, June 26, 1826, at the age of 81. During his life, he ad mitted 580 persons to his church, wrote about 3,500 ser mons, followed 1,037 of his people to the grave, and, in fifty years, administered baptism to 1,219 subjects. Rev. Edward Hitchcock, D. D., LL. D., was ordained pastor June 21, 1821, and was dismissed October 25, 1825. He was born in Deerfield May 24, 1793. After his dismission from Conway, he became professor of Chemistry and Nat ural History in Amherst College, and held the professor ship for twenty years, or until 1845, when he was chosen president of the Institution. He resigned the presidency in 1854. In his elaborate works on geology, he has taken the lead of all American writers. Rev. Daniel Crosby of Hampden, Me., a graduate of Yale in 1823, was his- suc cessor, and was ordained Jan. 21, 1827. He was dismissed July 24, 1833. He was succeeded June 19, 1834, by Rev. Melancthon G. Wheeler of Charlotte, Vt., a graduate of Union in 1825, who was dismissed August 18, 1841. Rev. 348 CONWAT. Samuel Harris was settled in his place December 22, 1841, and was dismissed February 11, 1851. Mr. Harris was a native of East Machias, Me., and graduated at Bowdoin College in 1833. He is now pastor of the South Church in Pittsfield. : Rev^ George A. Adams was ordained as his successor September 18, 1851. He was a native of Cas- tineiMe.,graduated at Bowdoin in 1844, and is still in office at Conway. The Baptist Church in Conway was organized October 3, 1778, with 29 members, dissolved March 24, 1819, and re-organized June 12, 1820. Among the preachers who who have supplied the church are Rev. Messrs. Adam Hamilton, Amos Shevi, John Leland, Asa Todd, Calvin Keyes, Josiah Goddard, Himes, Grant, Phineas Pease, Abbott Howe, Wm. H. Rice, David Wright, Henry H. Rouse, Joel Kenney, P. P. Sanderson, Richard Lentil* C. A. Buckbee, M. Byrne, and Phineas Pease, the second time. The first meeting house was erected in 1790 or 1791,upon, or near, the site recently occupied by the Conway Tool Co., from which it was removed to the site of the present struc ture, which replaced it in 1840. The church now numbers 105 members. AMethodist class was formed May 18, 1852, and was re organized in September, 1853. Their preachers have been Rev. Wm. F. Lecount and Rev. A. S. Flagg. The first notice of Revolutionary proceedings in the town occurs August 5, 1774. Captain French, Deacon Wells, Robert Oliver, Matthew Gould, and Consider Arms, were chosen a committee to prepare an answer to the Bos ton Committee of Correspondence. They forwarded to Boston the following: " Having read and considered the letters sent us from Bos* tori, respecting the rights of the colonies, and the infringe ments of those rights, we fully agree vvith you that those rights and privileges are invaded, and of this province in par ticular. We shall join with you in all lawful and salutary measures for the recovery of those i inestimable privileges, wrested from us, and firmly to secure those that remain; for we are sensible that, should we renounce our liberties and privileges, we should renounce the quality of men and the rights of humanity. We fully pay our proportion of money desired by the General Court, in order to the support of the Hon. Committees of Congress, greatly relying and depending on their resolutions." CONWAT. 349 Consider Arms, afterwards a tory, was chosen delegate to the provincial Congress, convened in Concord in Octo ber, 1774, though it is probable that he did not attend. In September of the same year, a committee of 13 was chosen, with power to " regulate mobs" for fourteen days, and with instructions to report in regard to the proper measures to be taken. This committee consisted of Samuel Wells, Joel Baker, Thomas French, Jonas Rice, Oliver Wetmore, Cyrus Rice, Consider Arms, Robert Oliver, James Dickin son, Israel Gates, Josiah Boyden, Elisha Clark and Alex ander Oliver. This committee subsequently made a report, of which the following is a copy : " 1st. Resolved, that the Committy have power to Inspect, Judge and Determine with respect to ye conduct of any per son or persons that shall Do or speak anything that tends to Hender uniting of the people, in opposing ye King's laws, yt Infringes on our Rights Contrary to our Charter ; that when any complaint shall be presented to sd Committy against any person or persons, sd persons shall appear before said com mitty, and Upon Having good evidence, they shall have pow er to appoint a certain competency of punishment to be in inflicted on them, not exceeding the Punishment of contempt and neglect, sd punishment to be ordered by the sd committy. " 2d. Resolved, yt the sd Committy nor no other person shall not have liberty to go out of this town, except it be to assist amob in the General Good Cause, in prohipiting persons tak ing or holding commissions under the present constitution, ex cept it be for their own particular business. "3d. Resolved, with regard to the late acts of Parliament, we look upon them to be unconstitutional, tirrannical and op pressive, tending in their opperation to the Total Subversion of our natural and Chartered Rights; Do look upon it our duty from a regard to the true interests of our Selves, our country and posterity, to oppose ye sd cruil acts in every vertious manner, to prevent their taking place, and we hereby manifest our Readiness and Resolution, Reather than submit to them, that we will resist them, even to the shedding of blood." Measures were taken to procure supplies of powder, lead, flints, bayonets, &c, and a committee chosen " to enforce the American Association." On the 24th of May, 1776, it was voted, (86 to 6,) to sustain the Continental Congress in a declaration of independence, should such a measure be taken. August 27, 1777, it was " voted to proceed in 30 350 CONWAT. some measures to secure the Enemical persons called Torys amongst us." It was voted at the same time " to draw a line between ye continent and Great Britain." We quote from the record : " Voted that all those persons that stand on the line of the continent take up arms, and go on, hand in hand, with us, in carrying op the war against our unnatural enemies. Such we receive as friends, and all others treat as enemies. Voted the Broad ally be the line and the South end of the meeting house be the continent, and the North end the British side. Then moved for Trial and found six persons to stand on the British side, viz : Elijah Billing, Jonathan Oaks,, Wm. Billing, Joseph Catling, Joel Dickinson and Charles Dickinson. Voted to set a gard over those Enemical persons. Voted that the town clerk Emediately desire Judge Marther to issue out his warrants against those enemical persons, returned to him in a list heretofore." There were probably 20 tories in the town, but they were not active, and no severe measures were instituted against them. Their arms were taken away, but soon res tored, and, in one instance, where this was not done, the man recovered payment for his musket. The records teem with the usual votes for supplies, and for the raising of men for the war. The first grist mill was built in 1774, by one Sharp, about 20 rods below the site of the present one. Each person bolted his own grist, in a hand-bolt. Eighty rods lower, on the same stream, Aaron Hayden erected a fulling mill, about 1780. Seventeen years later, his brother, Dr. Hayden, added an oil mill. At that time the oil meal was thrown into the river. In 1810, the establishment went into' new hands, and a new building was erected for mak ing broadcloths. — This business was ruined by the impor tations at the close of the war. The concern changing owners twice more, was converted into a cotton mill, and is now under the control of Gardner Dickinson, as a seam less bag manufactory, He is making 100,000 bags per year, worth $25,000, uses up 120,000 lbs. cotton annually, and employs 30 hands. The Conwat Manufacturing Compant was incor porated in 1837, with a capital of $60,000. It makes 300,000 yards clqtii annually, worth $210,000, employs 60 hands, uses 200,000 lbs. wool, and pays for labor, $18,000. DEERFIELD. 351 Half a mile North of the village, is a cotton mill, built in 1842, occupied by Henry B. Whitton, where 300,000 yards printing cloth are made annually, worth $15,000. Mr. Whitton employs 20 hands. Gen. James S. Whitney and Charles Wells own a mill, erected in 1846, for the manufacture of seamless cotton bags, where they make 156,000 bags per year, worth $40,000. They employ 35 hands. The South River Cutlert Compant was incorpo rated in 1851, with a capital of $40,000. They employ 135 workmen, and turn out annually finished work valued at $100,000. Forty years ago, there were six distilleries in town, making cider brandy. This branch of manufacture is now abandoned. The Conway Bank, with a capital of $100,000, com menced operations in September, 1854. The Conway Stock and Mutual Fire Insurance Company commenced business Aug. 1, 1849. It has a guarantee capital of $50,000, cash funds, $34,000 ; deposite notes, $84,000. For many years Rev. Mr. Emerson had the only pleas ure carriage in town — a chair. Robert Hamilton built the first one-horse wagon in town, about 1800, and Dr. Ware the first one-horse sleigh, about the same time. Mr. Ham ilton supposed himself the inventor of the one-horse wagon, and believed that his was the only one in America. The first inhabitants wore breeches of tow cloth, and checked linen shirts, put on clean for Sunday. On their, way to church, they carried their shoes in their hands, until within the proper distance, when they put them on, removing them when walking home. The young ladies who pre tended to be in the fashion, wore dresses of red flannel, or, more commonly, " butternut color," tied around the waist with a black ribbon, and gathered at the neck with a green one — absolutely without adventitious materials from polar seas or Southern plantations. The population of Conway in 1776 was 905 ; in 1840, 1,394; in 1850, 1,788. It is now probably upwards of 2,000. DEERFIELD. The history of Deerfield extends back to 1663, when Eliot, the apostle to the Indians, obtained a grant from the 352 deerfield. General Court of 2,000 acres of land, now within the bounds of Natick, as a permanent settlement for his Indian converts. This tract was then within the boundaries of Dedham, and, as a compensation to the proprietors of that town, the General Court gave them 8,000 acres of unlocated land, any where they might choose, within the colony. The Dedham proprietors having entered into this agreement^ sent out a committee to explore the country, and make a selection for the location of the grant. Their exploration extended over the Western part of the county of Middle sex, and the Eastern part of the county of Worcester, but they were not satisfied with the land they found, and thus reported. Soon after this, the selectmen of Dedham were informed that there was some very good land, about 12 miles North of Hadley, where the 8,000 acres might be located ; whereupon they dispatched John Fairbanks and Lieut. Daniel Fisher " to discover, the land, and examine it." They reported favorably, and urged that it should be taken possession of under the grant, as early as possible. The town then chose a committee to repair to Pocomtuck, (the Indian name of the locality,) and to cause the 8,000 acres to be located there. In 1665, this committee em ployed Maj. Pynchon of Springfield to draw the boundary line of the tract, which he did, as follows : commencing near Deerfield river, a little West of the present Cheapside bridge, he continued Southerly nearly on a line now defined by the Connecticut River Railroad to the Hatfield line, thence Westerly on the Hatfield line (which was about a mile and three quarters South of the present South line of Deer field) to the foot -of the Western hills ; thence, Northerly, in a course parallel to those hi]ls to Deerfield river, near " Old Fort ;" thence on the river, to the point of departure. This tract was purchased of the Indians by Major Pynchon, and conveyed in four deeds, the consideration for the sale being £94 10s. paid by the people of Dedham. In the Outline History, this grant is stated to have been made in 1669, but it would seem that the action of the General Court upon the matter that year was simply confirmatory. In 1672, it was discovered that the survey had encroached upon Hatfield, to the extent of one mile and three quarters, through the width of the grant. In accordance with a pe tition of the people of Hatfield, the General Court that deerfield. 358 year established the South line of Deerfield where it this day remains. As a compensation for the loss thus sus tained by the Deerfield people, the General Court granted them a tract on the North of the original grant, bounded as follows : from the mouth of Green river East one mile, and West one mile, North from each terminus three quar ters of a mile, then directly across, inclosing a tract two miles long and three quarters of a mile wide. For the remainder, a line was begun on Deerfield river at the mouth of Plain Swamp brook, (just West of Cheapside bridge,) and run on an East line to the great river, (Con necticut) and then extended on a South line two miles. It will be observed that only the North and East line§ are given, and it may be inferred that the design was to run the South line from the point named on Connecticut river, to the original Pocomtuck grant. A further grant was made in 1673, when, in answer to the petition of the in habitants, the General Court granted them such an addition of territory to the original 8,000 acres, as should make a township seven miles square, " provided that an able, or thodox minister within three years be settled among them, and that a farm of 250 acres be laid out for the country's use." The same act appointed Wm. Allis and others to lay out the (farm, admit inhabitants, grant land, and order all their prudential affairs " till they shall be in a capacity of meet persons among themselves to manage their own affairs." May 28, 1712, in answer to a petition of Rev. John Williams in behalf of the town, praying that the bounds of the town might be extended Westward nine miles into the Western woods, or " as far as Northampton and Hatfield do," that extent of land was granted. At the same time the islands in the Connecticut opposite the town were granted to Mr. Williams and his heirs forever. These four grants covered 63 square miles, and included the territory now covered by Deerfield, Greenfield, Gill, Shelburne and Conway. Ashfield and Whately also are indebted to Deerfield for small portions of their ter ritory. The first white settler in Deerfield was probably Samp son Frary. He built the first house at the North end of the main street, facing the South, in 1670, or 1671. The number of original proprietors of Pocomtuck was 27, and 30* 354 deerfield. all but five of them were from Dedham. At their first meeting held in Dedham, June 23d, 1670, a committee was chosen " to procure an artist, upon as moderate terms as may be, to lay out the lots at Pocomtuck to each proprier, tor, according to their lawful interest in each sort of land, to appoint the highways and lay out a place for the meet ing-house, the church officers' lot," &c. The plan adopted by this committee, for laying out the house lots, and Main Street, was as follows, as it appears on the town records : " 1st. For the situation of the town plot, it shall be on that tract of land beginning on the Southerly side, at a little brook called Eagle brook, so to extend Northerly to the bank at Sampson Frary's cellar, so to run from the bank fronting the meadow land, Easterly to the mountain. " 2d. There shall be a street laid out, six rods in breadth, about the middle of this tract, running North and South, on both sides whereof the house lots shall be laid out, one tier of lots on said street Easterly, and another Westerly, the measure of the house lots to begin on the West range, at the North end. " 3d. There shall be three highways laid out, one at each end of the town (street) three rods in breadth, running Easterly to the mountain, aud Westerly into the meadows. Another running from the middle of the town (street) Easterly into the woods and Westerly into the meadows." The interval land was divided into two parts, known to this day as the First and Second Divisions. These were so subdivided that each proprietor should have a just share of each. If the best parcel in the first division fell to his lot, he was to have the poorest — that is, the most remote and inaccessible — parcel, in the second division. During the long period of the Indian, and French and Indian wars, Deerfield suffered more, perhaps, than any other town in the Commonwealth. The events of that period, in their connection with the early history of Deer field, have been fully narrated in the Outline History, and even a recapitulation of them Here would be a useless repe tition. [See vol. 1, pp. 84; 88 to 94; 135-6; 141-2; 148 to 157 ; 175-6.] They were drawn almost entirely from Gen. Hoyt's "Antiquarian Researches," and Rev. John Williams' " Redeemed Captive," both of them Deer field productions ; and are deemed sufficiently full and re liable. King Philip's war drove the settlers from the town, and though, at its close, they returned, no order for its re- deerfield. 855 settlement was passed by the General Court until 1682, which is the year given as the date of the incorporation of the town. In 1703, occurred the destruction of the town, and the slaughter or captivity of its inhabitants by a force of French and Indians, under Major Hertel De Rouville. The "Bars Fight" occurred in that part of Deerfield known as " The Bars," in 1746. The first meeting-house in Deerfield was doubtless built of logs, on a site now unknown. In 1694, it was voted to build a house " of the bigness of Hatfield house," and £140 were raised for the purpose. This house received the wor shipers in 1698. The people were seated by the selectmen according to their age, estate and dignity. This house stood a few rods West of the present brick church, and escaped the conflagration of the town in 1703-4. In 1728, the town voted to repair the meeting-house. In the follow ing year, a vote was passed to build anew, and a committee was chosen to procure cake and drink for the raising. This new building stood on the common, the front being nearly on a line with the West side of the street. In 1767, it was voted to build a steeple, at the North end of the meeting house, to be adapted to the body of the house " in the same proportion as the Northfield steeple is to the body of that house." In 1768, it was voted "that if any generous dis posed persons are willing to shingle the meeting-house at their own expense, they have full, free and ample liberty." This house stood until 1824, when the present brick church was built, at a cost of about $6,000. No record of the organization of the First Church has been preserved. Rev. T. Packard, Jr., in his*history of the churches and ministers of Franklin county, says that it is supposed that it was formed May 17, 1686 ; but in the New England Geneological Register, vol. 6, page 74, occurs the following, in a copy of a diary kept by Judge Sewall, under the date of October 17, 1688: "Church gathered and Mr. John Williams ordained at Deerfield." This is the most reliable record to be found. Mr. Williams was born at Roxbury, December 16, 1664, and graduated at Harvard in 1686. The Outline History has already made us acquainted with his character, and the principal events of his life. After his return from captivity, he preached at Boston a sermon from the text : " Return unto thine 856 deerfield. house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee." In connection with this, tradition has preserved this char acteristic anecdote of him. After preaching the sermon, he had something like a call to settle in the ministry in Boston, or its vicinity, but he replied : " I must return and look after my sheep in the wilderness." He did return, and labored with his flock until June 12, 1729, when he died. The second pastor of this church was Rev. Jonathan Ashley, who was ordained November 8, 1732. Mr. Ash ley was a native of Westfield, and graduated at Yale in 1730. In the controversy that prevailed in New England during his ministry, he was opposed to President Edwards, on the question of the qualifications for church member ship, and was a tory in the Revolution, occasionally intro ducing politics into his sermons. During the 48 years of his ministry at Deerfield, he officiated in 249 marriages and 1,009 baptisms, and admitted 392 members to his church. His Sabbath exercises were usually long and wearisome, though Rev. John Taylor, his successor, says of him that "he had a discriminating mind, independence of feeling, and was a pungent and energetic preacher." He died in the pastoral office at Deerfield, August 28, 1780. Rev. John Taylor of Westfield, a graduate of Yale in 1784, succeeded him, February 14, 1787, and was dismissed on account of the failure of his voice, August 6, 1806. Mr. Taylor was a conscientious believer in Calvin and the Westminster divines, and labored with zeal to impress his views upon his people. Many of them, however, were repelled, more perhaps by the confident and authoritative manner in which his views vfere urged, than by the doctrines themselves. They absented themselves from public worship, and the effect seems to have been to produce in the people a wish for a successor who should entertain sentiments deemed more liberal. During his ministry, 138 were admitted to the church, and 186 were baptized. He also solemnized 152 marriages. The fourth pastor was Rev. Samuel Willard, D. D., of Petersham, a graduate of Harvard College. He preached in Deerfield first, in March, 1807, and, in May of the same year, received a call from the church to settle in the min istry. He accepted the call, but a council, of which Rev. Roger Newton, D. D., of Greenfield, Was moderator, and DEERFIELD. 357 Rev. Theophilus Packard of Shelburne, scribe, voted " that they could not proceed to separate Mr. Willard to the work of the Gospel ministry." The people were not satisfied, invited Mr. Willard to preach longer, then gave him another invitation to settle, and he was ordained by a coun cil called from the Eastern part of the State, September 22, 1807. Mr. Willard was thus over the whole town, except a few Baptist families. Some years afterwards, however, the parish was divided, in accordance with the wishes of those living in the Southern part. A number of members who were dissatisfied with Mr. Willard with drew, and joined other churches, in the neighboring towns. Mr. Willard was a Unitarian, and the church has since be longed to that denomination. At the close of 1818, his sight became impaired to such a degree that he has not since been able to read or write, and, in 1832, his sight was wholly lost. He continued to preach until the 22d anni versary of his settlement, when, in accordance with his re quest, his pastoral connection with the church was dis solved. Dr. Willard has been a busy writer and compiler of books, chiefly educational. He still resides in Deerfield, in the enjoyment of a serene old age, a happy example of patience and trust, and -the subject of universal love and reverence. Rev. John Fessenden was his successor, and was ordained May 19, 1830. He was a graduate of Harvard in 1818. Dismissed March 31, 1840, he was succeeded July 21, 1841, by Rev. D. B. Parkhurst, a graduate of Yale in 1837. The settlement of Mr. Parkhurst was hailed with deep joy, which soon, however, gave place to mourning. He preached but four days and a half, and died of consumption, Feb ruary 1 6, 1 842. He was succeeded by Rev. James Blodget, a graduate of Harvard in 1841. Mr. Blodget was ordained January 17, 1844, but his health was poor, and he was for mally dismissed June 1 6, 1845. He died just a month after this, at Lexington, whither he had gone in the Spring. Rev. John F. Moors, a graduate of Harvard in 1842„was ordained in his place January 28, 1846, and is still in office. The present Orthodox Church in Deerfield, as distinguished from the Orthodox Congregational churches in South Deerfield, was organized June 2d, 1835, with 18 members. Their meeting-house was built in 1838. For the first few 358 DEERFIELD. years, preaching was supported partly by charitable aid. The first settled pastor was Rev. Henry Seymour, who was settled March 1, 1843, and dismissed March 14, 1849. Mr. Seymour was a native of Hadley, and a graduate of Am herst in 1838. He was succeeded by Rev. Alfred E. Ives, September 5, 1849. Mr. Ives was a native of New Haven, a graduate of Yale in 1837, and is still in office at Deer field. The First Congregational Church in South Deerfield was organized June 30th, 1818, with 80 members, and built its meeting-house in 1821. The first pastor was Rev. Ben jamin Rice of Sturbridge, a graduate of Brown University in 1808, who was installed February 10, 1819, and dis missed June 31, 1827. He was succeeded October 3d, of the same year, by Rev. Tertius S. Clarke of Westhampton, a graduate of Yale in 1824. He was dismissed April 1, 1883, and was succeeded November 25, 1835, by Rev. Wm. M. Richards of Hartford, a graduate of Williams in 1832, who remained until September 6, 1843. Rev. Abraham Jackson of Carver was installed in his place October 22, 1845, and was dismissed- June 7, 1847. He was succeeded September 4, 1850, by Rev. Moses K. Cross of Danvers, a graduate of Amherst in 1838, who was dismissed April 30, 1854. The second church in South Deerfield, called the " Mon ument Ohurch," was organized January 25, 1848, with seven members. Its meeting-house was built in 1848. The present number of communicants is about 80. The present pastor, Rev. David A. Strong, was the first, and was settled March 21st, 1849. Mr. Strong is a native of Had- dam, Ct, and graduated at Williams, in 1845. The Baptist Church in Deerfield was organized in that part of the town called Wisdom, February 26th, 1787, and in 1792, the church voted itself " The First Baptist Church of Christ in Deerfield and Shelburne." August 24, 1832, the church was divided, and March 25th, 1833, the Deer- fieldvbranch took the name of the Baptist Church of Deer field. Among the preachers who early supplied the church were Rev. Messrs. Beckwith, Green, Cole, Hamilton and Bennett. Since then, the following preachers have sup plied the Baptists at Wisdom : Rev. Messrs. Tristram Al- DEERFIELD. 359 drich, Austin, Orra Martin, Dalrymple, George B. Bills, Milo Frary and W. A. Pease. The Methodist Church at South Deerfield was organized in the spring of 1843. The following have been the preach ers : Rev. Messrs. F. A. Griswold, W. A. Braman, L. B. Clark, R. P. Buffington, C. A. Perry, John Smith, W. F. Lecount and W. M. Hubbard. In the Revolutionary struggle, the two parties in Deer field were nearly balanced as to numbers, property and weight of character. By the town records, it appears that now the whigs, and now the tories, were in the majority. Mr. Ashley was a tory, as has already been stated, and when the whigs were in the majority, they refused to vote him his fire wood. It would appear that the town answered to the requisitions made upon it, by the usual votes. The men of note who have originated in Deerfield have been many, but only a few can be noticed. Rev. Stephen Williams, D. D., the first minister of Longmeadow, was a native of Deerfield. Rev. Aaron Williams, son of Rev. John, graduated at Harvard in 1719, and was a minister in Waltham until his death in 1751. John Williams Esq., graduated at Harvard in 1769, was a very useful man in forwarding plans of public improvement, was a member of the state Senate and of the Governor's Council, and be queathed his money to the amount of nearly $10,000, to Deerfield Academy. Mr. Williams was a tory in the Rev olution, came near being mobbed by his own townsmen for it, and in 1782 was indicted for sedition. He died in 1816. Ephraim Williams < Esq., an eminent lawyer, a profound scholar, and the first reporter of the decisions of the Su preme Court, was born Nov. 19, 1760, and died Dec. 27, 1835. Major Salah Barnard, Col. Daniel Field, and Ma jor Seth Catlin were all useful and noteworthy men, in. their day. Gen. Epaphras Hoyt, whose published Anti quarian Researches have been largely drawn upon in this work, was a native of Deerfield, and has bequeathed an invaluable historical legacy to the State and country. One of the most noteworthy characters in the early his tory of Deerfield was a colored woman, known as " Luce Bijah." She was the slave of Ebenezer Wells, and was noted for her wit and shrewdness. Her house was the constant resort of the boys, to hear her talk. She removed 360 DEERFIELD. with her husband and children to Vermont, and purchased a tract of land, the title to which proved imperfect. A suit was brought to dispossess her, and she argued her case against Stephen R. Bradley and Royal Tyler, (afterwards Chief Justice of Vermont.) Judge Chase, who held the court, said that Luce made a better argument than he bad heard at the bar of Vermont. Luce was a poetess, and commemorated in verse the event of the " Bars Fight," [See Vol. 1, pp. 175-6.] as follows : " August 'twas the twenty-fifth, Seventeen hundred forty-six ; The Indians did in ambush lay, Some very valient men to slay, The names of whom I'll not leave out. Samuel Allen like a hero four. And though he was so brave and bold, His face no more shall we behold. Eleazer Hawks was killed outright, Before he had time to fight, — Before he did the Indians see, Was shot and killed immediately. Oliver Amsden he was slain, Which caused his friends much grief and pain. Simeon Amsden they found dead, Not many rods distant from his head. ' Adonijah Gillett we do hear Did lose his life which was so dear. John Sadler fled across the water, And thus escaped the dreadful slaughter. Eunice Allen see the Indians coming, And hopes to save herself by running, And had not her petticoats stopped her, The awful creatures had not catched her, Nor tommy hawked her on her head, And left her on the ground for dead. Young Samuel Allen, Oh lack-a-day ! Was taken and carried to Canada." Among living men of eminence, originating in Deerfield, may be mentioned Dr. Stephen W. Williams, now a citizen of Laona, Illinois, Richard Hildreth, author of an excel lent History of the United States, President Hitchcock of Amherst, Bishop Williams of Connecticut, Amariah Chand ler D. D., of Greenfield, and Rodolphus Dickinson. A large number of the natives of Deerfield have received a DEERFIELD. 361 liberal education, but no accurate list of them has been kept. The grandfather of Dr. Stephen W. Williams, men tioned above, th^e father, and that gentleman himself have, in succession, practiced medicine in Deerfield more than 100 years, as follows : Dr. Thomas Williams, 36 years ; Dr. William S., 42 years, and Dr. Stephen W., more than 40 years. Deerfield has enjoyed good schools. In 1698, the town voted to build a school house 18 by 21 feet, and to raise £20 annually for twenty years, but the vote was not car ried out. In 1703, the sum of £10 was raised. In 1710, the town voted to give Jonathan Richards £25 for school ing the children. In 1732, the town voted to hire a dame for Green River. In 1788, £80 were raised, of which £40 were appropriated to "the street," £10 to Bloody Brook, £9 to Wapping, £8 to Mill River, £5 to Wisdom, and £5 to Great River. In 1853, the town raised $1,634 50 for schools. Deerfield is almost exclusively devoted to agriculture, to which its soil is admirably adapted. In South Deerfield, Luman Pease manufactures annually 1,500 gross of port monnaies, employing from 30 to 40 females, and 8 or 10 males. From 500 to 600 gross of wallets are also made yearly, employing from 10 to 15 hands. The whole value of stock consumed yearly is about $40,000. Mr. Pease also employs from 20 to 30 females in stitching collars, of which he sends to market from 4,000 to 5,000 yearly. He also manufactures palm leaf hats, to the amount of some hundreds of dozens annually. — Messrs Arms Brothers make port monnaies and pocket books, employing 250 persons (125 males and 125 females,) and, in busy seasons, giving employment to ,100 or 1-50 more women and children, who take wallets to their houses to stitch. They produce 170 dozen port monnaies daily, or 50,000 dozen yearly, and 20,000 pocket books and wal lets, the proceeds of which amount to $180,000 a year. The stock consumed is valued at $95,000. A portion of the labor is performed by the inmates of the House of Cor rection at South Boston. — There are about 25,000 brooms made in the town annually. At the time of the destruction of the town, the popula- 31 362 ERVING. tion of Deerfield was about 280 ; in 1763 it was 737 ; in 1800, 1,531 ; in 1830, 2,003 ; in 1840, 1,934 ; in 1850, 2,421. ERVING. " Erving's Grant," as the tract was originally and for many years called, which constitutes the town of Erving, and forms a portion of other towns in the vicinity, was purchased of the province in 1751, by individuals who sold it to John Erving of Boston, to whom the grant was confirmed by the General Court, Jan. 22, 1752. It was originally about 12 miles long and two miles wide. - The territory now covered by Erving was settled about 1801, by Col. Asaph White, of Heath, who built a log house in the wilderness. Mr. White was the constructor of the 5th Massachusetts Turnpike, kept a public house, and erected a dam across Miller's River, and built a saw mill in -1803. Erving has very little history that is interesting or im portant. The population has always been small, though it is now increasing. The town was not incorporated until April 17, 1838. In 1820, the first school house was erected, and in this building, all the religious meetings were held, when such meetings were held at all, until 1842. Previous to 1832, no religious organization existed in the place. Rev. Dan iel Goddard, a Baptist preacher belonging in Wendell, oc casionally supplied preaching from 1818 to 1830. A Con gregational Church was formed Sept. 19, 1832, with 15 members, and their meeting house was built in 1842. Rev. Josiah Tucker was the first and only pastor, and he was pastor, not only of this church, but of that at Irvingsville, in the town of Orange. He was dismissed from both places, Aug. 7, 1844. After that, the church depended upon supplies. Rev. Mr. Hayward, a Methodist minister, preached in the house during 1853. In 1854, the house was sold at auction for $500, on account of the embarrass ment of the proprietors. In 1835, a branch of the South Orange Baptist Church was formed in Erving, which became extinct in 1839. They never had a settled minister. A Universalist Society was formed in 1836, which also became extinct in 1848. Erving is becoming an important lumber region. There GILL. 363 are now five saw mills in the town, which turn out 1,200,000 feet of lumber annually; one chair factory, carried on by Hale & Gould, that produces 160,000 wood-seat chairs per annum, and a pail factory, operated by W. B. Wash burn & Co. that produces 100,000 pails a year. J. T. Trask manufactures 47,000 gross of matches annually, and Washburn, Stone & Co. make $30,000 worth of pianos annually. The town is divided into four school districts, and there was raised for schools in 1854, $350 ; for high ways, $400; and for general town charges, $650. The population in 1840 was 294; in 1850, 465 ; increase in ten years, 171. The present population is about 500. GILL. Gill lies in the great bend of Connecticut river, in Franklin county, bounded North by Bernardston and West Northfield, East by Connecticut river, separating it from Northfield, South by the river, separating it from Monta gue, and West by Greenfield, the line being Fall river. It was originally a part of the territory of Deerfield, and, later, a portion of Greenfield, which, together with that part of Northfield known as " Grass Hill," was incorpo rated Sept. 28, 1793, and named in honor of Lieut. Gov. Moses Gill, who gave the people the nails and glass for their first meeting house, a bible for the pulpit, and their communion service. The date of the first settlement is not known. Col. Seth S. Howland, one of the oldest inhabitants now living, says that his grandfather, (great-grandfather probably, and per haps an ancestor still further removed,) had commenced a clearing, and the erection of a log house, prior to the " Falls Fight," but was compelled to abandon his labors, and return to old Deerfield \for a term of years, on account of the hos tility of the Indians. It would appear, therefore, that an attempt to settle was made about that time. Among the names of the first settlers were the following : Howland, Childs, Combs, Sprague, Warner, Sage, Gains, Wrisley, Hosley, Thornton, Brooks, Bascom, Ballard, Bates, Sever ance, Field, Munn and Roberts. The fact that many of these early settlers were soldiers of the Revolution, shows that no settlement of any consequence took place until nearly a century after the Falls fight. The first church in 364 GILL. Gill was not organized until after 1790, while the first meeting house did not begin to be occupied until 1798, and was not finished until 1805. The famous " Falls Fight" [vol. 1, pp. 175-6,] took place upon the Gill shore, on the 18th of May, 1676. Tra dition says that King Philip once wintered, when a price was set upon his head, near the border of Gill, upon a hill overlooking Bennett's meadow, in West Northfield. The hill is to this day known as "Philip's Hill," and a very ancient pine upon its summit bears the marks of a (his ?) camp-fire upon ' its trunk and roots. Gill was a favorite home for the poor " Orphans of Providence." The plough of the farmer often turns up from their long rest the crumbling bones of the hunter and warrior ; and many Indian relics are found along the river districts, and the- course of the brook which winds its way through the cen ter of the town. These relics are arrow heads, stone pestles, fragments of rude pottery, pipes, stone hoes, beads, fish-spears, tomahawks, stones worn into grooves in dress ing bow strings, &c, &c. Mr. J. D. Canning has in his possession a broken pipe and a copper tomahawk, which were unearthed, together with the gigantic skeleton of an Indian, by Mr. Horace Burrows and others, a few years since, while repairing the highway in the river district. The skeleton soon crumbled. The copper tomahawk doubtless belonged to a warrior renowned in his day and race, and was probably brought from the region of Lake Superior. The principal attraction of the spot, for the Indians, was the immense quantities of shad and salmon procurable at the Falls. Since the settlement of the whites, the best fishing place on the river was at the Falls. " All in the merry month of May, When snowy shad trees blossomed gay, To show the fishermen the time When fish were plentiful and prime," The fishing business was prosecuted with vigor at the falls. The old-time " election days" — the last Wednesday in May — usually brought together a large collection of fishermen and buyers of fish, idlers and lookers-on. Old men describe the gatherings at these times as similar to the GILL. 365 cattle shows, musters, &c, of the present day. Games of chance, trials of skill, feats of strength, &c, were the order of the day, and there was noise and tumult from other fluids than those that tumbled over the falls. The early church records have been lost. In the diary of Rev. Roger Newton of Greenfield, occurs the following entry : "May 22, 1796, voted, members of this church reL siding in Gill, might with others form themselves into a church, by themselves, in that place." The peculiar form of this entry would seem to show that there was no regu lar church organization in the town previous to that time, and the church was probably formed during that year. The meeting house, to which allusion has already been made, was dedicated Nov. 20, 1805. The house was remodeled and refitted in 1848. Before the settlement of a minister, Rev. Zephaniah Swift, Rev. Jesse Edson of Halifax, Vt., and Rev. Joel Baker of West Granville, in turn minis tered to the people. The first pastor was Rev. John Jack son. He was ordained June 10, 1798. He was a native of Petersham, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1792. He was dismissed Oct. 10, 1801. Rev. Jabez Munsell, a grad uate of Dartmouth in 1794, succeeded him, May 26, 1802, and was dismissed May 28, 1805. June 11, 1806, Rev. Josiah W. Canning of New Braintree, a graduate of Wil liams College in 1803, was ordained in his place, was dis missed June 11, 1827, preached as stated supply from 1832 to 1839, when, Sept. 24th of that year, he was re-settled. He performed pastoral duty until Sept. 6, 1846, when he was disabled by a shock of the palsy. He died in 1854^ his pastoral connection with the church not having been dissolved. And here it is pleasant to record the virtues of one so recently gone, while they are yet fresh in memory. Mr. Canning was a fine scholar, and, in former years, was accustomed to have his study filled with young men fitting for college, or the various professions, many of whom have risen to eminence. His dignity and modesty, always prom inent traits in his character, did not exceed his worth as a man, his purity as a christian, or his devotedness as a min ister of the gospel. After the dismission of Mr. Canning, in 1827, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. F. S. Whiting and Rev. James Sand ford, the latter of whom was settled as the pastor of the 31* 366 GILL. church Dec. 25, 1829. He was dismissed April 21, 1831. Rev. William Miller of New Braintree, a graduate of Am herst in 1842, was settled Feb. 21, 1849. He was dis missed June 4, 1850, and Rev. Edward F. Brooks was installed in his place, June 25, 1851. Mr. Brooks was a native of Halifax, Vt., a graduate of Washington College, Pa., and is still the pastor. The Methodist church in Gill was formed in 1823, and the following is the list of the preachers who have supplied it: Rev. Messrs. John Nixon, Alexander Hulin, Elisha Andrews, John B. Husted, F. W. Sizer, James C. Bonte- cou, William Todd, O. E. Bosworth, Windsor Ward, Hor ace Moulton, E. P. Stevens, Daniel Bannister, Wm. Kim ball, C. Hay ward, Wm. Wilcutt, Lyman Wing, Asa Niles, Culver, S. Heath, A. Latham, Philo Hawks, John Tate, Wm. Gordon, David Todd, Ichabod Marcy, H. Clarke, John Ricketts, W. A. Clapp, Charles Barnes, Moses Stod dard, Leonard Frost, D. L. Winslow, Homan Church, Jarvis Wilson, J. W. P. Jordan, Solomon Cushman and Horace Smith. Gill opens a rich field for the explorations of the geolo gist, which has been occupied in a measure by Dr. Hitch cock, Dr. Deane and Mr. Marsh. In the vicinity of Turn er's Falls, at the " horse-race," and other localities, tracks of birds and early animals have been discovered in the sandstone, specimens of which have found their way to the geological cabinets of the old world. Near the ferry, above the Falls, on lands of Mr. T. M. Stoughton, the kite Mr. Marsh, the self-taught man of science and the enthusiastic collector of natural curiosities, obtained some of the finest specimens of his now dispersed cabinet. These tracks are also found on the farm of Mr. Roswell Field, about three-fourths of a mile above the last mentioned lo cality. Stationer's black sand, of the finest quality, is also obtained at one or two localities on the river. The sympathies of many of the people of Gill were strongly on the side of the insurgents in the time of the Shays Rebellion. Two of the three men shot at Spring field, at the time of the attack upon the Arsenal, were were from Gill, viz : — Ezekiel Root and Ariel Webster. The town is divided into six school districts, and the old, dilapidated school houses are rapidly giving place to neat GREENFIELD. 367 and convenient structures. The amount appropriated for school purposes in 1854 was $500. The leading industrial pursuit is agriculture, for which the territory is admirably adapted. There are many water privileges, but few of them have been improved. Ballard & Janes have a saw mill, with a pail factory attached, which produces 100,000 feet of lumber, and 40,000 pails per annum. John Arms is the proprietor of another saw mill, which saws 75,000 feet of lumber per annum. E. A. Bates has a small cotton batting factory, which turns out 150 lbs. of that product daily. About 3,000 dozen palm leaf hats yearly are the product of female industry. Gill has not made a great noise in the world through the lips of eminent natives, but a Gill boy laid the cap stone of Bunker Hill monument, a Gill boy built the first hotel at Saratoga, and Gill boys were the only volunteers, from the county, in the last war with Great Britain. It has given birth to two poets, whose graceful verse has adorned the pages of the Knickerbocker Magazine, and other lead ing periodicals, viz : E. W. B. Canning, at present a resi dent of Pittsfield, and Josiah D. Canning, still a resident of Gill, and familiarly known to the public as " The Peasant Bard." E. W. B. Canning graduated at Williams College in 1834. The amount of money raised in Gill by taxation, in 1854, was $1,000. The town owes no debt, has 172 rata ble polls, contains 19 square miles of territory and 37 miles of roads. The population in 1840 was 778 ; in 1850, 741 ; decrease in ten years, 37. GREENFIELD. The territory of Greenfield was originally a part of Deerfield, being then called Green River. Jan. 15, 1738-9, the inhabitants of Green River petitioned the town of Deerfield to be set off as a separate parish, which was re fused. The request was renewed, and a question having arisen as to the dividing line, at a town meeting at Deer field April 2d, 1753, it was voted "that Col. Oliver Partridge, Doct. Samuel Mather, and Lieut. Ebenezer Hunt be desired to consider and determine where ye dividing line shall be between ye town and ye proposed district on the North side of Deerfield river ;" and " to act and determine 368 GREENFIELD. as if there had been no votes of the town previous to this with regard to said lands or district with respect to the boundaries." This committee met and viewed the lands, April 10th, attended by a committee of two from the old town and two from the proposed district, and made a re port dated April 12, 1753, which was accepted at a town meeting in Deerfield, April 13. This report determined " that a line be run as far Northward as the line known by the name of ' eight thousand acre line,' to run from Con necticut river West to the West end of the first tier of lots which lie West of the seven mile line, &c." This is the present line between Greenfield and Deerfield. The report goes on to state : " We further judge it reasonable that ye lands lying in a certain meadow- or interval which lies North of Deerfield river, which is known by the name of "Cheapside, which belong to Timothy Childs, Jr., and David Wells, who dwell in said proposed district, shall pay taxes to said district when setoff. ***** We further judge it reasonable the same proportion of county tax laid on the town of Deerfield hereafter be paid by the said district when set off as was levied upon the inhabitants and rata-" ble estate in the limits of the district for the last tax, and that the said district have the improvement of one>half of the sequestered lands in the said town of Deerfield, being North of Deerfield river." At a town meeting in Deer field, December, 1753, a committee was appointed to divide the sequestered land or the income of it, North of Deer field river, with the minister and people of Greenfield. The charter of Greenfield, granted June 9, 1753, after bounding the town according to the report of the commit tee, and investing it " with all the Privileges, Powers and Immunities that towns in this Province do or may enjoy, that of sending a representative to the General Court only excepted," enacts '¦' that the lands in a certain interval or meadow called Cheapside, which do now belong to Timothy Childs, Jun. and David Wells shall pay their taxes to said district of Greenfield so long as they are owned by any persons living within said district ; and again : " Provided also that the said District shall have the improvement of one half of the Sequestered Lands on tho North side of Deerfield river, until there shall be another district or parish made out of the said town of Deerfield." The char- GREENFIELD. 369 ter, as will be seen, in those provisions did not follow the report and award of the committee, the committee having fixed'no limitation of time, when Greenfield should cease to have the taxes from Cheapside, or the improvement of one half of the sequestered lands. In 1767, the district of Conway was made out of Deerfield. In 1768, the charter of Greenfield first appears on the town records. And at a town meeting at Greenfield, March 25, 1768, it was voted "to take the best advice we can get with respect to our holding or keeping the sequestered lands for the use of the ministry in Deerfield, and if we can have proper encouragement, to stand a trial in the law for the same." Three days afterwards, a town committee was raised in Deerfield to take advice respecting an attempt to regain these sequestered lands. At a town meeting in Greenfield, August 1, 1768, it was voted "to stand the suit with respect to the sequestered lands ;" and May 29, 1769, a committee was chosen " to prefer a petition to the General Court to make a new uct with regard to our being set off from ye town of Deerfield, said act to be made agreeable to the report of the committee that was mutually chosen by the town and us for that purpose, said report being ac cepted by the town and district." It will be seen from the above various votes that a con troversy had arisen between Greenfield and Deerfield re specting the sequestered lands, and the variation in the pro visions of the charter of the town, from the terms of the award of the committee mutually agreed upon by the par ties. How this variation happened to be made, we cannot now certainly determine, but we know by tradition that it led to many violent disputes between the inhabitants of the two towns, and in one instance, at least, to an actual affray, where rakes and pitchforks were freely used in a contest for the possession of the crops upon the lands in question. It is also certain that the committee intended that there should be no such limitation to the improvement of the sequestered lands, as that provided in the charter of the town ; since, on December 29, 1770, they drew up and signed a certificate as follows : , " Whereas, we the subscribers were appointed by the town of Deerfield, in the year 1753, to consider and determine in what manner the district of Greenfield should be set off from 370 GREENFIELD. the town of Deerfield, and among other things to determine what part of the sequestered lands in Deerfield the said dis trict, when set off, should be entitled to, and for what term of time, which article we took under consideration as by our report appears, and we did determine that it was reasonable that the said district should have the improvement of the one half of the said sequestered land lying North of Deerfield river, with out limitation of any time, &c, and now being desired to sig nify the understanding we then had of the affair — we do now say that it was our design and intent that the said district should forever thereafter hold and improve part of the said lands, and having seen the act of incorporation of the district of Greenfield, and the limitation therein made with respect to the improvement of the said sequestered lands, which we freely declare is entirely contrary to what was our intent and meaning. " Oliver Partridge, Samuel Mather, Ebenezer Hunt. "December 29, 1770." But the intention of the committee, could not, of course, avail against the express language of the charter, which, seems to have been overlooked by the inhabitants of Green field until the year 1767 ; and, accordingly, the town of Deerfield prevailed in several suits of trespass, which it commenced against persons in Greenfield, who had entered upon the lands and carried away the crops. These suits were defended by the town of Greenfield, and were finally settled January 10, 1771, by the payment of £40. The subject of the desired change of boundary was kept before the General Court until Feb. 2, 1773, when, upon a petition of the Greenfield committee, a preamble and reso lution were adopted in the House of Representatives, con taining the following language : " Whereas, it appears that the town of Deerfield did originally grant the lands in the petition mentioned for the support of the ministry in said town. And the said town did consent that the district of Greenfield should have one half the same, on the North side of Deerfield river, there being then but one minister, and they expecting there would soon be another settled in said Greenfield. Resolved, that the district of Greenfield ought to hold their proportion of the sequestered or minis try land aforesaid." In council, on the next day, the above were read, and unanimously non-concurred in. No further action appears to have been taken upon this subject until 1782, when it was again brought before the- GREENFIELD. 371 town, but without any decisive steps being taken. It then rested until 1836-7, when a viewing committee of the Legislature made a unanimous report in favor of the pro posed change (Sen. Doc. 1837, No. 5,) which was, never theless, defeated. The same question was embraced in a petition presented to the Legislature of 1850, by residents of the disputed lands, but the petition was withdrawn with out a hearing upon it, with an intimation by the petitioners that it would be presented to a future Legislature. Of the modern history of this controversy, which has always to some extent alienated the people of Greenfield and Deer field from each other, and which appears to be not yet finished, we have purposely abstained from speaking at length. When the news of the battle of Lexington reached Greenfield, the people assembled on the afternoon of the same day, and formed a company of volunteers upon the spot, choosing Benjamin Hastings captain. Hastings, how ever, became himself second in command, yielding the first rank to Capt. Timothy Childs, who, he modestly said, was a man of greater experience than himself. Aaron Davis was then chosen ensign, and the next morning the company marched for Cambridge. During the whole war of the Revolution the people of this town took an active interest in its progress and success, as is abundantly shown by the numerous records of votes choosing committees of corres pondence and safety, approving the confederation of the United States, raising money for ammunition and food, and hiring men for the army, as well as by their prompt per sonal obedience to the calls for reinforcements. It was not until the meeting of the first Legislature under the Constitution of Massachusetts, which assembled in Octo ber, 1780, that Greenfield first became entitled to a repre sentative. In 1802, the town was visited by a pestilence which destroyed 57 persons during the year. September 24, 1753, after taking the advice of several ministers with respect to the fitness of Mr. Edward Billings for the work of the ministry in Greenfield, the town voted to give him a call, which was accepted. In 1760, a meet ing-house was built fifty feet by forty, and in 1761, a call was given to Mr. Roger Newton, which was accepted; Mr. Billings having died, but in what year is not known. In 372 GREENFIELD. 1813, the town invited Rev. Gamaliel S. Olds to settle as colleague with Mr. Newton, and Mr. Olds so acted until 1816, when he was dismissed. In December, 1816, Mr. Newton died, aged 79, after a ministry in this place of fifty- six years. Rev. Sylvester Woodbridge was ordained as minister in 1817, and dismissed in 1823 ; in 1832, Rev. Amariah Chandler, the present minister of the 1st Society, was ordained. The old meeting-house on the plain, a mile North of Greenfield Village, was taken down in 1831, and the present meeting-house at Nash's mills was built. There was a division of the original society about the time of the death of Mr. Newton, and the new society built their meeting-house in 1819. For a time this society had the services of Rev. Dan Huntington, now of Hadley. Their settled ministers have been Rev. Messrs. Charles Jenkins, from 1820 to 1824 ; William C. Fowler, 1825 to 1827 ; Caleb S. Henry, 1829 to 1831 ; Thomas Bellows, 1833 to 1834 ; Samuel Washburn, 1837 to 1841 ; Lorenzo L. Langstroth, 1843 to 1848 ; George C. Partidge, 1848 to 1854. The 3d Congregational Society (Unitarian) separated from the 2d society in 1825. Their ministers have been Rev. Winthrop Bailey, from 1825 to 1835 ; Rev. John Parkman, Jr., 1837 to 1839 ; since which .time several ministers have preached as stated supplies. Their meet ing-house was built in 1837. The Episcopal Society was formed in - 1812. Titus Strong has been the rector since 18l5. Their church was built in 1814, and rebuilt in 1847. The latter is a sub stantial stone edifice, equaling in the beauty of its finish and internal decorations, any in Western Massachusetts. The Methodist Society was formed in 1835. Their preachers have been Rev. Messrs. Paul Townshend, B. Ransom, L. C. Collins, C. Barnes, I. B. Bigelow, I. Marcy, J. Mudge, R. Kellem, S. Marcy, J. Nickols, D. Ames, J. Paulson, and Linus Fish. The Baptist Society was formed in 1852, and have pur chased a place for a church. The preachers have been Rev. Joseph H. Seaver and Rev. Wm. F. Nelson. In 1753, the pay of persons that had done service for the district, in school teaching, was fixed at two shillings a GREENFIELD. 373 day for Summer, and one shilling and fourpence a day for the Fall. In 1763, it was voted to hire a school all the year round; and in 1767, the town was divided into seven school districts, £20 being raised as school money. At present, $3,246 are raised for school money by the town, and there are 10 public schools with fourteen teachers. A high school with 50 scholars, established under the statutes of the State, is taught by Luther B. Lincoln. The Green field Institute for the education of Young Ladies, incorpo rated in 1843, under the charge of the Misses Stone, main tains its high reputation. In 1763, the population of Greenfield was 368 ; in 1830, it was 1,550 ; in 1840, it was 1,758 ; in 1850, it was 2,580 ; and at present it is somewhat over 3,000, and is rapidly increasing. The town contains two banks, the Greenfield and the Franklin County, each with a capital stock of $200,000, an Institution for Savings with deposits to the amount of $300,000, two Insurance Companies, the Franklin Mutual and the Greenfield Stock and Mutual, a Horticultural Asso ciation, &c, &c. , The Green River Cemetery Company was organized May 26, 1851, and its present officers are Henry W. Clapp, President, and Henry B. Clapp, Treasurer. The Ceme tery is situated within the limits of Deerfield, upon a hill which overlooks the village of Greenfield, half a mile to the North, and is laid out with much taste and elegance; and will in a few years be one of the most beautiful of the rural cemeteries of New England. In 1850, a Fire Department was organized in this town, and at present there are two large and effective fire com panies, two fire engines, and a well disciplined Hook and Ladder Company, with appropriate implements. There are several ample reservoirs in different parts of the village. Amongst the manufacturing establishments, the following are the most prominent : The Green River Works, for the manufacture of Cutle ry, established in 1834, by John Russell, its present head, on the Green River, at about a quarter of a mile North of its present situation. The buildings were destroyed by fire in 1836, and were rebuilt and enlarged the same year, where 'they now stand, a few rods below the dividing line 32 374 GREENFIELD. between Greenfield and Deerfield. Within a few years, the business and the buildings have been much increased, and at the present, table cutlery, and butcher and shoe knives to the amount of $300,000 are annually manufac tured by 300 men and boys ; with an annual consumption of 100 tuns of cast steel, 180 tuns of Granadilla wood, 5/0 tuns of ebony, 50 tuns of cattle horns, 16,500 lbs. of ivory, 150 tuns of hard coal, 1 5,000 bushels of charcoal, 175 tuns of grindstones, and other articles in like proportion. Cut lery of their manufacture is found all over the United States. The present proprietors are John Russell, Nathan iel E. Russell, and Henry B. Clapp. The Greenfield Manufacturing Company was incorpo rated in 1832, with a capital stock of $80,000, which is now held equally by Charles H. Mills and Co. of Boston, and Theodore Leonard of Greenfield, Mr. Leonard being the Treasurer of the Company and manager of the estate lishment. It manufactures black doeskins exclusively, and turns out about 140,000 yards annually, worth from $150,000 to $175,000, consuming about 150,000 lbs. of wool, mostly of the finer quality of Saxony, and employ ing 120 operatives. Its goods are manufactured with great care, and are well known to the trade in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, which are its principal markets. The mill is a substantial stone building, 100 feet by 45, four stories high. It has, besides, a smaller stone building, used in the finishing processes, a dye house, machine shop, wool house and other buildings, with five sets of machinery. The situation is upon Fall River, at a beautiful and romantia spot surrounded by high hills, and near Turner's Falls. The Greenfield Tool Company removed, to this place in 1851, from Conway, where it was first organized inl850. Its present officers are George W. Potter, President, and Hop kins Woods, Treasurer. There are two buildings, each two stories high, and 200 feet long, besides a range con taining the store room, blacksmith's ' shop, &c, of still greater length, which, with other smaller buildings, cost some $33,000 besides the land ; all situated on the Con necticut River Railroad, a short distance above Greenfield village. It employs 80 hands, all Americans, and makes about $80,000 worth of joiners' tools annually, ana> with GREENFIELD. 375 its recent additions to machinery will probably make a larger amount in future ; consuming at present 120,000 feet of beech timber a year, with some $3,000 worth of foreign woods. Its metals are all manufactured on the premises from the raw material, except plane-irons. The goods manufactured are sold in Australia, California, South America, the West Indies, the Canadas, and in all of the United States. Messrs. S. and F. Boylston manufacture annually $12,000 to $15,000 worth of baby wagons, gigs and car riages of every description, varying in price from $1 50 to $130. This is a new branch of business in this region, and is prosecuted by the Messrs. Boylston, and R. E. Field, with an energy well calculated to supply the in creasing demand. The following are' some of the men of note now dead, who have lived in Greenfield : Roger Newton, the minister of the First Congregational Society, from 1761 to 1816. Isaac Newton, a nephew of Roger Newton, and a man of much benevolence, came to the town in 1770, and died in 1834, aged 75. Caleb Clapp, a gentleman of the old school, an officer in the Revolution, and a friend of Wash ington. Thomas Chapman, a native of England, and the father of Rev. Dr. Geo. T. Chapman and Henry Chapman. William Coleman, a native of Boston, and for many years before his death the editor of the New York Evening Post, the friend of Hamilton, and the partner of Burr, lived in Greenfield during his early life, and many beauti ful elms, planted by him, which still adorn the village, bear witness to his taste and public spirit. Jerome Ripley, the father of Franklin Ripley, and of George Ripley, now of the, New York Tribune, died Dec. 25, 1838, at the age of 84, an honored resident for 49 years. Jonathan Leavitt Judge of Probate and of the C. C.JPleas, died in 1830. Richard E. Newcomb, Judge of Probate, from 1821 until his death in May, 1849.- Elijah Alvord, a member of the Constitutional Convention'in 1820, the father of James C. Alvord, and of Daniel W. Alvord, and clerk of the courts from 1819 till his death in Sept., 1840. James C. Alvord, beyond all question one of the most brilliant and promis ing men in the state, elected member of Congress in 1838, but died at the age of 31, in Sept., 1839, before taking his 376 GREENFIELD. seat Daniel Wells, late Chief -Justice of the C. C. Pleas, who died in June, 1854. Dr. John Stone, born in 1763, came to Greenfield in 1787, and removed to Springfield about 1819, where he died in 1838, aged 75. Dr. Alpheus F. Stone, brother of the foregoing, practiced medicine here from 1*805, until his death in August, 1851. Dr. Amariah Brigham, late of the Insane Hospital at Utica, N. Y, lived here from 1821 to 1831. Thomas Dickman, already noticed in the history of the newspaper press, as the printer of the first newspaper here. Dexter Marsh, the collector of the fossils of Connecti cut River, died April 2, 1853, aged 47. A brief sketch of the history of these fossils will be proper in this place. A discovery, indicating that birds and other animals in habited the earth during the deposition of the New Red Sand-stone of the Connecticut River, was made in 1835, in the South-west part of Montague. Their footprints are impressed upon the strata of this rock, in a very perfect state of preservation. The importance attached to these vestiges, lies in the fact, that they reveal the existence of air-breathing, warm-blooded animals, in a period of the earth's antiquity, immensely remote. The discovery of such indications of the higher grade of animal life so low down in the geological series, conflicted with established doctrines, and there was not a geologist in this country, or in Europe, who would admit the manifest conclusion at first drawn from these eloquent inscriptions. The first practical observer of these foot-marks, and the discoverer of the fact that they were the foot-marks of birds, -was Dr. James Deane of Greenfield ; and it was by his efforts, through the means of descriptions, plaster casts, &c, that the attention of eminent scientific men was drawn to the subject. Dr. Edward Hitchcock of Amherst gave them the first thorough scientific investigation, and first publish ed the discovery to the scientific world. He pursued the investigation of the subject with such care, such nice intelligence, and such thorough method, as forever to iden tify his name with the discovery and the philosophical con clusions of which it forms the basis." At a later day the subject attracted the attention of Mr. Marsh, who pursued it with extraordinary vigor and suc cess. Although the gentleman did not possess the advan- HAWLEY. 377 tages of education, yet by untiring activity, and by the acuteness of his judgment, he has been justly regarded as the Hugh Miller of the New Red Sandstone. He was sus tained by a singular enthusiasm until, by discovery upon discovery, he contributed a collection of inestimable value to this single department of paleontological science. His cabinet contained the record of innumerable birds, reptiles and fishes ; a record of unmistakable truth, that three classes of the animal kingdom flourished in affluent abun dance during the sandstone era of the world. At his exe cutor's sale in Sept., 1853, this magnificent collection real ized nearly three thousand dollars, a significant evidence of its appreciation by the scientific public. Mr. Marsh originated in Montague, but lived in Greenfield for many years previous to his death. HAWLEY This town, named in honor of Hon. Joseph Hawley of Northampton, received its first settlers about 1770. Their names were Capt. Samuel Hitchcock, Daniel Burt, Reuben Cooley and Noah Strickland. Subsequently there came in Nathaniel Parker, Noah Cooley, Zebedee Wood, Arthur Hitchcock, Joel Cooley, Thomas King, Timothy Baker, Abel Parker and Joseph Bangs. The town was incorpo rated February 7, 1792, and the organization took place in the April following. One school district in the North part of the town bears the name of " Bozrah," its settlers coming from a locality in Connecticut, of that name. It may be mentioned here that another, near the center of the town, bears the name of " Pudding Hollow," from the fact that two women living there, in the early times, matched themselves in the endeavor to make the largest pudding. One of the interesting reminiscences of the early settle ment relates to the presence, in the town, one winter, of Col. Ethan Allen, who brought with him a drove of hogs, that they might fatten themselves on beach-nuts. The town has neither Indian nor Revolutionary history, and the narrative of its important events is very brief. The territory covered by the town formed No. 7 of the series of ten townships sold at auction by the Government, June 2, 1762, and was sold to Moses Parsons for £875. To whom Parsons sold, does not appear. 32* 378 HAWLET. The First Church was formed September 16, 1778, with 20 members. They built their first meeting house in 1794, their second in 1824, and their third in 1847. This church has been the scene of frequent and powerful revi vals. In 1816, no less than 118 persons were added to the church. The first preacher was Rev. Jacob Sherwin of Ashfield, and the first settled minister, Rev. Jonathan Grout, who was ordained October 23d, 1793. He continued to be the pastor until his death, which occurred June 6, 1835. "Mr. Grout was a native of Westboro', and gradua ted at Cambridge in 1790. The following epitaph is in scribed upon his grave-stone : " This stone was erected by the first parish in Hawley, to the memory of the Rev. Jonathan Grout, who departed this life June 6, 1835, in the 73d year of his age, and the 42dof his ministry. He was the first minister in Hawley. Great unanimity among his people prevailed during the ministry of this devoted servant of Christ." Rev. Tyler Thacher of Princeton, a graduate of Brown University in 1824, was installed as colleague pastor with Mr. Grout May 14, 1834. He was dismissed January 31, 1843, and was succeeded October 3, 1849, by Rev. Henry Seymour, whose name will be found mentioned in the his tory of the Orthodox Church in Deerfield. Mr. Seymour is still the pastor. The Second Congregational Church is located in West Hawley. August 24, 1825, 43 members of the First Church were organized into this new body, which built its first meeting house the same year, and its second in 1847. The church has had but two pastors, and has been without a settled ministry during 16 years of its existence. The first minister was Rev. Moses Miller of Heath, for a long time pastor of the church in that town. He was settled May 20, 1840, and was dismissed October 20, 1846. Rev. John Eastman, the present pastor, was a native of Amherst, and was installed Nov. 11, 1847. Hawley has given birth to a long list of Congregational preachers, briefly enumerated and noticed as follows : Rev. Oramel W. Cooley, a graduate of Williams in 1841 ; Rev. Marshall L. Farnsworth, a graduate of Union in 1825 ; Rev. Thomas A. Hall, a graduate of Williams in 1838; Rev. Urbane Hitchcock, a graduate of Williams, in 1806; HEATH. 879 Rev. Jonas King, D. D., a graduate of Williams in 1816, subsequently missionary to Jerusalem, and now the cele brated missionary of the American Board in Greece ; Rev. Foster Lilley Jr., a graduate of Williams in 1838 ; Rev. Alfred Longley, son of Hon. Thomas Longley, did not graduate ; Rev. Moses M. Longley, brother of the pre ceding, a graduate of Oberlin in 1842 ; Rev. Isaac Oakes, a graduate of Williams in 1820 ; Rev. Alvah C. Page, a graduate of Amherst in 1829 ; Rev. Jeremiah Taylor, a graduate of Amherst in 1843 ; Rev. Rufus Taylor, a grad uate of Amherst in 1837 ; Rev. Timothy A. Taylor, a graduate of Amherst in 1835. Besides these, several who removed to Hawley in their boyhood became Congregational clergymen. Three Methodist preachers also originated in the town, viz : Revi Judah Crosby, Rev. Silas Leonard, and Rev. Proctor Marsh. There are 11 school districts in Hawley, and the amount appropriated for schools in 1854 was $500. The average time during which schools are -kept, in the several districts, is five months in the year. Hawley is almost exclusively an agricultural town. There is one tannery, owned by Henry Howes, who gets out $5,000 worth of hides a year. Other articles manu factured are broom handles, lather boxes and palmJeaf hats. There ar'e beds of iron ore in West Hawley, and there was formerly a forge and furnace there, but the works have been abandoned, from the lack of facilities for getting the iron to market. - Gen. Thomas Longley, an important man in Franklin County during his life time, was, from his boyhood, an in habitant of Hawley. He died in September, 1848, at tlie age of 74. The amount of money raised by tax in 1854 was $2,000. The amount of the town debt is $600, number of square miles in the town, 30, ratable polls, 218. The population in 1840 was 931 ; in 1850, 861 ; decrease in ten years, 70. HEATH. Heath is one of the mountainous towns of Franklin County, bordering on Vermont, with Charlemont at the South, Coleraine on the East, and Rowe on the West. The first settlement in Heath took place in what was a part of 380 HEATH. Charlemont at the time, and the early part of the history of the larger portion of Heatli'is contained in the history of Charlemont. Fort Shirley was built in the Northeast part of Heath in 1744, as one of a line of works insti tuted for protection against the Indians. Near its site, is still seen the grave of a young girl who died there, during its occupation. Jonathan Taylor, one of the selectmen of Charlemont in 1765, seems to have been the first settler of what is now Heath. About three-fourths of a mile East of the present center, he found a tract of land that appeared to him to have the characteristics of meadow land, and there he built his log house. The floor was made of . split logs, the roof of hemlock bark, and the chimney of stones, laid without mortar. But Mr. Taylor found his meadow a cold swamp, and was unable for years to raise any rye or corn. He obtained his grain at Deerfield, and carried it home on his shoulders. On one excursion, while returning with a bushel of meal on his shoulders, he followed a deer which was impeded by the deep snow, and which turned upon his pursuer, when Mr. Taylor sprang upon his back, and cut his throat with a knife. Mrs. Taylor, putting a just value upon one of the gifts of her sex, became appre hensive, from her seclusion, that she sliould become unable to converse with her own sex, and' so used to go out, and hold conversation with the trees. In this manner, she re tained her conversational powers, which are represented to have been remarkable. Soon after Mr. Taylor's settlement, Col. Jonathan White settled in the South part of the town, and Wm. Buck, West of Mr. Taylor. About 1765, a road was built from Deerfield River to Heath center, and East, to Mr. Taylor's. The first settlers, for many years, belonged to the Charle mont Church, the meeting house being located in what is now Heath. In 1789, this meeting house was removed to the center of Heath, and was there used until 1833. Among the settlers who entered Heath previous to 1776, were Col. Hugh Maxwell and Lieut. Benjamin Maxwell. They emigrated from Bedford. The enterprise of settlement had just come to assume an encouraging aspect, when the Revolutionary period com menced. The great struggle bore very hardly upon the people. The requisitions for money made upon the town, HEATH. 381 were responded to with the upmost difficulty. The settlers were largely young men, and, notwithstanding the fact that they had young families depending upon them, they obeyed the call of their country, to assist in fighting its battles. Among those who were prominent in the Revolutionary cause was Col. Hugh Maxwell. He had seen service be fore. He was in the battle near Lake George under Col. Williams, and at the capture of Fort William Henry. It was owing to his influence that there was not a tory in Heath. In the Spring of 1775, he was appointed Lieu tenant of a company of minute men, and marched with the company to Cambridge, on the Lexington alarm. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill, and received a ball through his right shoulder. When the field was lost, he proceeded some distance through a shower of bullets, picked up his coat, and followed the retreating army off the hill. He never entirely recovered from his dangerous wound. He returned to the army, however, fought at Trenton, Prince ton and Saratoga, and was with the suffering army at Mor- ristown and Valley Forge. He was actively engaged dur ing the war, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. With the assistance of a few disabled soldiers sent home from the army, the inhabitants of Heath were compelled to eke out their poor livelihood ; and the sufferings and priva tions which they were obliged to endure, required a hero ism equal to that which impelled their natural supporters to join the army. The only marriage consummated in Heath during the war was that of a young man who, on the day of his marriage, shouldered his musket, and marched for the army. About 1777, a long series of difficulties commenced be tween Rev. Mr. Leavitt and the people of Charlemont. Some thought Mr.- Leavitt preached Arminianism. His political sentiments were generally disliked. He did not seem to share in his people's zeal for the Revolution. On one occasion, Rev. Mr. Jones of Rowe came to, deal with Mr. Leavitt for his religious, or political heresies. Mr. Jones, armed with a bayonet fastened to a rake's tail, marched at the head of his parishioners, who were also armed, but what success they met with does not appear. The chief difficulty with Mr. Leavitt arose, however, in relation to his salary. Owing to the depreciation in the 382 HTEATH. value of paper money, Mr. L,eavitt was unwilling" to re ceive his salary at the rate originally agreed upon. Sev eral town meetings were held, and after repeated attempts to effect a settlement, the town voted to shut up the meet ing house. The constable was accordingly stationed at the door, and Mr. Leavitt was prevented by force from enter ing. He then preached in the school house on the hill, for five years, to a number of friendly families. After the in corporation of Heath, Mr. Leavitt sued the towns of Heath and Charlemont. The first trial before Judge Dana re sulted in favor of the towns, but the decision of Judge Dana was reversed by the Supreme Court, and Mi-. Leavitt recovered five hundred pounds for preaching in the school house, and two hundred pounds for loss suffered from the depreciation of paper currency. These sums were col lected of the inhabitants, some of whom had never heard Mr. Leavitt preach. Many families were deprived of their only cow, which was taken to pay their share of the tax. At the close of the war, the soldiers in the army re turned home, and many new settlers arrived. The people on the hill had been for some time desirous of being set off in a new town, and, in 1784, Col. Maxwell was chosen to attend the General Court, at Boston, and to obtain a divis ion of the town. The new town was incorporated Feb. 14, 1785, including a tract of unincorporated land lying on the North, and called " the Green and Walker grant," from the names of two New York men who purchased it. The town was named Heath, in honor of Gen. William Heath of Roxbury, who assisted in obtaining the charter, and who was an old friend and fellow soldier of Col. Maxwell. The first town meeting was held March 21, 1785, at the South School house. Hugh Maxwell was chosen modera tor ; James White, clerk ; Col. Hugh Maxwell, Col. Asaph White and Dea. John Brown, selectmen. The town raised, for the first year, £20 for necessary charges, £30 for high ways, and £15 for a school. They voted the same year to build another school house, which was located in the pres ent center of the town. In less than a month from the organization of the town, (April 15, 1785,) a church was organized, consisting of 35 members. There was only one family in town which did not belong to this religious society. They employed Rev. HEATH. 383 Mr. Church, a native of Sunderland, to preach for a time, and he was succeeded by Mr. Whipple and others. The first settled minister was Rev. Joseph Strong, who was or dained Oct. "27, 1790. He was a native of Granby, Ct., and a graduate of Yale in 1784. He was dismissed June 10, 1803. The people had become dissatisfied with him, and " invited him to leave," which he did, for a considera tion of $200, driving his cattle before him, his wife and daughter riding one horse, and his children and goods fol lowing in a wagon. His successor was Rev. Moses Miller of Worcester, a graduate of Brown University in 1800. He was settled Dec. 26, 1804, and continued in office until April 21, 1840. Rev. Calvin Butler was settled as Mr. Miller's colleague Oct. 31, 1838, and was dismissed March 17, 1840. Mr. Butler was a native of Pelham, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1834. Rev. Samuel M. Emer son was settled as the fourth pastor Sept. 16, 1-840, and died after a ministry of ten months, July 20, 1841, aged 55. He was a son of Rev. John Emerson of Conway, and a graduate of Williams in 1810. Rev. Josiah Fisher of Bluehill, Me., a graduate of Bowdoin in 1828, succeeded Mr. Emerson Sept. 7, 1842, and was dismissed Aug. 27, 1845. Rev. Alpheus Graves, a native of Sunderland, was settled in his place, June 18, 1851. j Owing to some diffi culty attending the settlement of Rev. Josiah Fisher, a second church was organized Feb. 8, 1844, but it never had a settled pastor, and was incorporated into the first church in 1846. A Baptist Church was organized in Heath, Sept. 9, 1801, which has been supplied by the following preachers : Rev. Messrs. Bemus, Montague, Smith, Long, Carpenter, Hibbard, Stephen Barker, George Wetherill, Mansfield, Brace, Davenport, Wilson, Arad Hall, Lamb, George Rob inson, Linus Austin, Nelson Branch, McCuUoch, Anthony Case, Phineas Perrin, B. Fisk, S. C. Chandler, M. -Frary, Remington and Anson Stearns. A Unitarian Church was formed in 1825. It has never had a settled pastor, and, for some time past, has not had stated preaching; The following preachers have at differ ent times supplied the church: Rev. Messrs. Winthrop Bailey, Dan Huntington, Henry Coleman, Joseph Field and Dr. Samuel Willard. 384 HEATH. m About 1832, the town seems to have attained its highest prosperity. The population was about 1,200. The first church numbered 316 members, with a Sabbath school numbering over 500 members, and both the church and school were the largest in the county. Select schools were sustained, which drew • together numbers of young men from the neighboring towns. Among the most successful teachers was Hon. Whiting Griswold, now of Greenfield, who taught for several seasons a large and flourishing school. The town produced school teachers by the score. Besides supplying itself with teachers, it one year supplied forty teachers to the adjoining towns. For the highest prosperity of the town, for the encouragement of the cause of education, and for instilling life and ambition into the young, no man did so much as Rev. Moses Miller. Let his name be cherished and venerated ! Since that day, emigration has done its work in Heath, as it has in most of the mountain towns. The first physician within the present territory of Heath, was Dr. Joseph Lathrop, who went from West Springfield in 1780, to which place he returned after practicing a few years on the mountains. Dr. Stephen Bates came in soon after, and remained a few years. In 1799, Dr. Benjamin Dickinson, and soon afterwards Dr. Elijah Heaton, settled in Heath. In 1805, a violent epidemic prevailed, in which both were unsuccessful, and about this time both left the town. Miss Anne Maxwell, to whose manuscript history of Heath the writer is indebted for many important facts, states that Dr. Dickinson had a son who became insane, from disappointment in love, and who " would sigh and groan, and talk to himself with involuntary laughter." ."This sorrowful case," adds the same authority, "was the only one ever known in the place." In 1806, Dr. Joseph Emerson became the principal physician of the place, and continued such until his death, in 1842. He was eminent in his profession, upright and highly intelligent as a man, and very useful as a citizen. His death was widely and deeply lamented. Following him, the physicians have been Drs. Simeon Strong, Samuel Reed, AshmamH. Tay lor and Cyrus Temple, the latter of whom is the present physician. Among men of eminence who have originated in Heath, LEVERETT. 885 e are Hon. Jonathan Leavitt, Judge of the Court of Com mon Pleas ; Hon. William W. Snow, late member of Con gress from New York ; Hon. Sylvester Maxwell of Charle mont, and Rev. Joshua Leavitt of New York, successively lawyer, clergyman and editor. Six lawyers, six clergymen, six editors and sixteen physicians originated in Heath. Sixteen natives are graduates of colleges. From twenty to thirty professional men have found their wives in Heath. Total taxes for 1853, $2,375 ; appropriated for schools (9 districts) $600 ; amount of town debt about $2,000 ; number of ratable polls, 155 ; square miles of territory, 27 ; miles of roads, 80; population in 1840, 904; in 1850, 779 ; decrease in ten years, 125. LEVERETT. About 1750, settlements were commenced in different parts of the present town of Leverett by Nathan Adams, Moses Graves, Solomon Gould, Elisha Clary, Joseph Clary, Joel Smith, Moses Smith, Jeremiah Woodbury, Joseph Hubbard, Isaac Marshal, Jonathan Hubbard, Richard Montague, — Wilde and Absalom Scott. Montague' settled in the North part of the town, Adams, Joel Smith, Gould and Graves in the South part, Elisha and Joseph Clary at the foot of Cave Hill, Jonathan Hubbard in the Eastern part, and Joseph Hubbard on the farm now owned by Sawyer Field, near the East side of the fish pond. The latter was probably the first settler in the town. Josiah Cowls, Jonathan Field, Stephen Ashley and Jonathan Field, 3d, settled soon afterwards on Long Plain, in the South West part of the towh, and Joseph Bartlett on " Brushy Mountain." Leverett was originally a part of Sunderland, and a petition of its residents laid before that town at its March meeting in 1773, praying for liberty to be set off into a new town, for the common lands within its boundaries, and an equitable proportion of the town prop erty, doubtless contained the names of all who were then settled within the present boundaries of Leverett. These were Jonathan Hubbard, Moses Graves, Nathan Adams, John Keet, Jonathan Field, Wm. Field, Jonathan Field, Jrv Jonathan Field, 3d, Stephen Ashley, Josiah Cowls, Seth Field, Joseph Clary, Joseph Clary, Jr., Elisha, Clary, Jonathan Graves, Daniel Smith, Absalom Scott, Jeremiah 33 386 LEVERETT. Woodbury, Joel Smith, Solomon Gould and Moses Keep. The town was incorporated March 5 th, in the following year, and the first town meeting was held on the 24th of that month. Wm. Billings was moderator, by appoint ment of the incorporating bill. Joseph Clary, Jr., was chosen town clerk, and Moses Graves, Joseph Clary, Jr. and Stephen Ashley, were elected selectmen. At a meeting held March 31, £15 were raised for preaching, £10 for schooling, and £20 for highways. On the first Monday in the following September, a meeting was held at Mr. Hubbard's barn, and a vote passed to build a meeting house, and a committee chosen to take charge of the build ing. The dimensions were to be 40 feet by 50, or, " as large as the Whately meeting house." Forty pounds were voted for the purpose of building, and a vote passed to allow two shillings a day for work upon the frame. At a subsequent meeting, the vote to raise £40 was reconsidered, when it was determined to raise the necessary funds from the sale of the common lands. The following is a record of votes passed June 5, 1775 : " Voted we provide meat and peas, or beans and some cake if needed for raising-dinner or dinners. " Voted we have three barrels of cider. " Voted we make 14 bushels of cake for raising said meet ing house, meaning any man whoever provides ye above articles for raising is to keep a particular account of ye same, to settle with ye committee appointed for ye meeting house work, and have his credit and pay for ye same." October 13, 1776, the first town meeting was held in the meeting house, and a vote passed to settle a minister in the place, and to " invite Mr. Hayes to preach as a can didate." Mr. Hayes was subsequently invited to settle, but declined the call, and was settled for many years at South Hadley. The church itself was organized in 1774, and its first settled pastor was Rev. Henry Williams of Stonington, Ct. He was installed November 10, 1784, and died November 27, 1811, aged 66. December 9, 1812, Rev. Joel Wright of Milford, N. H, a graduate of Dart mouth in 1809, was installed as his successor, and was dis missed January 26, 1820. He was succeeded October 30, 1822, by Rev. Joseph Sawyer of Wendell, a graduate of Williams in 1813. He died after a ministry of 45 days, LEVERETT. 387 December 14, 1822, at the age of 30. Rev. Jonas Col- burn was settled as the fourth pastor January 21, 1824, and dismissed April 4, 1832. He was a native of Dracut, and a graduate of Middlebury in 1817. Rev. Freegrace Reynolds was installed in his place, December 5, 1832, and dismissed March 21, 1837. He was a native of Somers, Ct, a graduate of Yale in 1787, and was succeeded Feb ruary 12, 1840, by Rev. David Eastman of Amherst, where he graduated in 1835. He is still the pastor. The Society built a new meeting kouse in 1838. The First Baptist Church, situated in the North part of the town, was organized in Montague, July 16, 1767. As the church increased, the center was removed towards Leverett, and in 1791, the name was changed to the " Bap- fist Church of Leverett," though by common consent, it is- now called the "Baptist Church of Leverett and Mon tague." The membership is quite large. Since 1791, the preachers have been Rev. Messrs. Simson Combs, Elijah Montague, Elias McGregory, Aaron Burbank, N. B. Jones, B. F. Remington, Samuel Everett and Baxter Newton. Their first meeting house in Leverett was commenced in 1794. Their second was built in 1835. A free will Baptist church was organized in Leverett in July, 1835, called the " Freewill Baptist Church of Lqv- erett and Shutesbury." It was re-organized July 3, 1841, and has been supplied with preaching by Rev. Messrs. Luther Pierce, Austin B. Wood, Horatio Flower, Jacob D. Couliard and John B. Ball. A Unitarian Society existed for some years in Leverett, and was supplied by Rev. Messrs. Dan Huntington, Henry Coleman, John A. Williams, Frederick D. Huntington and Mr. Clarke. A Universalist Society was organized in North Lever ett, October 5, 1835, with 13 members, which has enjoyed the successive ministrations of Rev. Messrs. S. Davis, J. H. Willis, N. C. Hodgden, C. W. Mellen, J. Baker, M. B. Newell, 0. W. Bacon and O. Perkins. September 29, 1774, the people of Leverett chose Rich ard Montague, Moses Graves, Jeremiah Woodbury, Joseph Clary and Stephen Ashley a committee " to lend their minds in writing to the Provincial Congress." January 26, 1775, it was voted to adhere strictly to the resolves of 388 LEVERETT. the Continental Congress, and to allow the minute men nine-pence a day " for training once a week till March meeting." At the same time, Elisha Clary, Jonathan Field, 3d, and Jonathan Field, Jr., were chosen a Com mittee of Safety, " to see to it that the resolves of Con gress are strictly adhered to." January 10, 1777, it was " voted unanimously we risque our lives and fortunes in defense of our rights wherewith God and Nature hath made us free." The record of the votes taken subsequent to this period, presents no novelties. The people were patriots, and voted the required supplies, the payment of their soldiers, &c. Dr. Silas Ball served in the army as surgeon. He was at Cambridge and West Point, and was afterwards a man of extensive practice in his profession. He died in 1807, at the age of 53. Richard Montague served as Major in the -army. Like many other towns which were truly patriotic in the Revolution, Leverett seems to have been in favor of the insurgents at the time of fhe Shays Rebellion. It sent delegates to the mal content conventions, and a good supply of recruits to the insurgent forces. Gideon Lee, son of Gideon, was a native of Am herst, and removed to Leverett when a boy. In 1776, the father was in the American army, and was stationed at Ticonderoga. He returned to Leverett soon afterwards. Early in life the son was apprenticed to Jonathan Keet, a shoemaker, with whom he lived until he was about nineteen years old, when he left, and soon after wards went to Worthington, where he, with another man, commenced th- shoemaking and tanning business. He subsequently removed to the city of New York, where he became an extensive dealer in leather, was mayor of the city for several years, and a representative of the city for one term in Congress. Retiring from business, he settled at Geneva, where he died about 1840. Martin Field, an eminent lawyer, late of Newfane, Vt., was the son of Seth Field, one of the first settlers of Leverett. Abiel Buck- man and Tilly Lynde, both of whom are, or have been, judges of the Courts in the State of New York, were natives of Leverett, and " self-made men." Agriculture is the leading branch of industry. Lumber ing is carried on to a considerable extent by the following LETDEN. 389 individuals, the annual products of whose mills are stated in connection with their names : Horatio N. Watson, 100,000 feet of lumber ; Watson and Rice, 100,000 do. ; same firm, 100,000 shingles ; Ezekiel Wales, 100,000 do.; Sanford Pierce, 100,000 feet of lumber ; A. and S. Dud ley, 100,000 do. ; Gerry Moore, 75,000 do. ; Dexter Moore, 200,000 do. ; Ira Wood, 100,000 do. ; same, 200,000 shin gles; Richardson, 100,000 feet lumber ; same, 150,000 shingles ; Orus Ball, 50,000 feet of lumber. The amount of. charcoal annually taken to market from the town is about 55,000 bushels. Graves and Hatch manufacture annually 10,000 hoes of a superior quality, and 30,000 sets of scythe-snath mountings. Graves and Sons also manufacture 65,000 sets of the latter article yearly. Lucius Nutting manufactures annually 600 scythes, and 1,500 hoes, and Silas Morgan 600 hoes and 600 scythes. Nathan Fitts has a tannery which produces 1,500 tanned hides yearly, and Dwight Graves another that produces 1,000. Field and Hubbard made 2,000 yards of satinet, frocking and flannel, and 600 lbs. yarn annually. There are 8 school districts in Leverett, and 222 ratable polls. Amount of tax raised in 1854, $1,953, of which $600 was appropriated for schools. In addition to the whole money tax, $700 was voted to be paid in labor on the highways of which there are 42 miles. The popula tion in 1840 was 896; in 1850,921 ; increase in ten years, 25. LEYDEN. On the 12th of March, 1784, the present town of Leyden was set off from Bernardston, and incorporated as a dis trict of that town. The first district meeting was held on the 26th of the following month, in pursuance of a warrant issued on the 22d, by David Smead, Esq., of Greenfield. Alpheus Bartlett was elected District Clerk, and Samuel Guild, treasurer ; Capt. Agrippa Wells, Charles Packer and Lieut. Reuben Shattuck were chosen Selectmen and Assessors, and Capt. John Adams was appointed constable and collector, with a salary of £8 Is. yearly. The history of the early days of the territory of Leyden is, of course, identical with that of Bernardston. Its settlers were most- 33* 390 LEYDEN. ly from Connecticut and Rhode Island, and a few from Seekonk and Rehoboth. In October, 1784, Lieut. Joseph Eason was chosen to represent the district at a convention held at Deerfield, on the subject of a division of the county. In 1785, an ar ticle was inserted in a warrant calling a district meeting, " to see if they will build a meeting house for. the town's benefit, and if so, what measures they will take, and where they will sit it." There had been no meeting house built upon the territory up to this period. The records of this meeting do not show what action was taken upon the article. In 1788, it was voted by the inhabitants to purchase a burial ground for the district, and also " that a meeting house might be built by subscription." At this time, the Baptists were holding religious meetings in dwellings and school houses, and it may be stated, in connection with this fact, that there never was a Congregational Church organ ized in the town. The Baptist church was organized July 5, 1780. In 1796, it was voted to raise £350 for the purpose of building a meeting house, and a committee was chosen to carry the vote into effect. At a subsequent meeting, the site was agreed upon, and the dimensions of the house determined, but in August of the same year, it was " voted to recon sider all votes that have been passed respecting the meet ing house." Nevertheless, a meeting house appears to have been built in 1797, by individuals. Then jhe people voted to raise $1,000 to purchase the structure, but recon sidered their action a few weeks afterwards. This church edifice passed into the possession of the Baptists. The Baptist Church was formed under the ministrations of Elder Joseph Green, who continued his services until his death, which occurred Jan. 11, 1796. The following ex tract from the records of the district will tell us of the advent of his successor : " Elder Asa Hebard and family came to Leyden from Putney, Vermont, and took the pas toral care of the church and people of said Leyden, April 21, 1798." Elder Hebard continued in his charge until his death in 1830. At his death, or about that time, the church became extinct, and it is said that not one of the Baptist persuasion now resides in the town. A few years before the commencement of the present cen- LEYDEN. 391 tury, the Methodists commenced holding meetings in dwell ings, barns and groves, but no church organization was effect ed until May, 1810. It is of the Episcopal form of govern ment, and now owns a church edifice in connection with the Wesleyan Methodists and the Universalists, which structure was erected in 1841. The following have been their preachers : Rev. Messrs. Daniel Bromley, Joseph Fairbanks, Elisha Ware, C. C. Barnes, Samuel Ruth, A. Latham, David I. Winslow, J. Tate, Philo Hawks, Wil liam Gordon, David Todd, Ichabod Marcy, J. S. Clarke, Rufus P. Buffington, J. W. Mowry, and Randall Mitchell. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in 1842, and now numbers about 45 members, the membership be ing about equal to that of the Episcopal Methodists. Rev. John Tate, mentioned among those who have supplied the other Society, was their first preacher, and he was follow ed by Rev. David DeWolf, who, in 1853, still remained in office. Under the ministrations of Rev. Matthew Hale Smith, a Universalist Society was organized in Leyden, in 1830, but the organization was continued only two or three years. Leyden was the residence of the founder of the sect known as the " Dorrelites," the history of which we draw from Packard's Ecclesiastical History of Franklin County. William Dorrel, the founder of the sect, was an English man, who died in Leyden, Aug. 28th, 1846, at the age of 94. He was a private under Burgoyne, at the time of his surrender, and probably became a resident of Leyden be tween 1790 and 1795. He taught that there was a Messiah for every generation, and that William Dorrel was the Messiah for the generation in which he lived ; that life should not be taken under any circumstances, a doctrine which placed his disciples in wooden shoes, and impelled them to use tow cloth harnesses, bellows, &c, that strict honesty should be practiced in the various business of life, &c. The sect which he founded held their property in common, and, in their religious exercises, drank, danced and listened to lectures from their entirely illiterate leader. He had learned the Bible by hearing it read by his wife, was intemperate, and, after his sect had fallen in pieces, stated, in reply to a question propounded to him, that he 392 LEYDF.N. had not been sincere in his professions, but made them that the Scripture might be fulfilled : " That in those days there should arise false Christs," &c. Rev. John Taylor of Deerfield visited Dorrel in 1798, and communicated the result of the interview to the Greenfield Gazette. The views attributed to him in this communication are the most crude and inharmonious imaginable. Like the majority of religious errorists, he believed in promiscuous sexual intercourse, and there was abundant evidence that his teachings were of the vilest and most debasing character. The explosion of the sect was accomplished entirely by physical force. At one of his meetings, Ezekiel Foster of Leyden attended as a spectator, and when Dorrel, in his harangues, dwelt upon his mysterious powers, and stated . that no arm of flesh could hurt him, Foster, a man of giant frame, disgusted with his imposture, stepped up to him and knocked him down. Dorrel, almost senseless, attempt ed to rise, but received a second blow, at which he cried for mercy. Foster promised forbearance on condition that he would renounce his doctrines in the hearing of his con founded . dupes. This he promised, and he fulfilled the pledge, and further told them that his object had been to see what fools he could make of mankind. Dorrel died very poor. Leyden was incorporated as a town Feb. 22, 1809." At this date, the population numbered about 1,000, having out stripped the old town of Bernardston, of which it was for merly a part, but since that time, its population has de creased, while Bernardston has advanced. Leyden is strictly an agricultural town, and its soil is well adapted to grass and most kinds of grain. The pro ducts for market are mostly beef, pork, wool, butter and poultry. The amount of taxation for 1854 was $2,050, of which there was appropriated for schools $400. A select school is taught in the Autumn months at an ad ditional expense of about $110. There are five school districts in the town, and about 18 square miles of territo ry. There are three grist mills in the town, four saw mills, and three small broom handle establishments. The popula tion of Leyden in 1840 was 646 ; in 1850, 669 ; increase in ten years, 23. MONROE. MONTAGUE. 393 MONROE. Monroe is a new town, and the smallest and most thinly populated in Franklin County. A settlement was com menced in the territory about 1800, by Daniel Caneday of Coleraine. He was followed shortly afterwards by Ebene zer Howard, Samuel Gore and Daniel Gore. Others of the early settlers were Benjamin Ballou, Nathan Ballou, Martin Ballou and Rev. David Ballou. February 21, 1822, the town was incorporated, consisting of an unincor porated tract called " The Gore," and a part of Rowe. The town was organized in the succeeding April, and was named in honor of President Monroe. With Leyden, it has never had a settled Congregational minister, these two being the only towns in Franklin County of which the same may be said. The only religious society that ever existed there was the Universalist. No church has ever been organized in the place, and no house for public wor ship has ever been erected. The Universalist Society was organized about 1810, and this became extinct several years ago, although the inhab itants are mostly adherents of that denomination. The following preachers have officiated in Monroe : Rev. Messrs. David Ballou, Hosea F. Ballou, Joseph Barber, Joy Bishop, Jeremiah Gifford, Charles O. French and Jonathan Hix. Moses Ballou, Hosea F. Ballou and Jona than Hix, Universalist ministers, and Russell A. Ballou, Unitarian, originated in Monroe. There are four school districts in the town, and $150 was raised for schools, in 1854. There was raised tho same year, for contingent expenses, $75; for highways, $800. There is no town debt. The town contains 12 square miles of territory, has 52 ratable polls, and twenty miles of roads. The people are almost exclusively farmers. The population, in 1840 was 260; in 1850, 242; decrease in ten years, 18. MONTAGUE. The original name of a part of the territory, of Monta1- gue was " Hunting Hills." The tract was incorporated Dec. 22, 1753, as a district, and embraced the North parish of Sunderland and a tract of unincorporated land. The 894 - MONTAGUE. first settler's name was Marsh, and about the time of his advent, one Taylor became a resident on the territory. These two men- are supposed to have settled about 1726. The names of other early settlers were Ellis, Harvey, Root, Montague, Allis, King, Tuttle, Bartlett, Billing, Benjamin, Burnham, Wilson, Wright, Brooks, Whitney, Mattoon, Grover, Baker, Rowe, Smith, Bushnell, Kinsley, Taft, Gunn and Clapp. The region, in its early days, was a fine place for game, and received its early name from that fact. The town was the scene of one of those accidents so com mon in the settlement of the country, in which human life was sacrificed to the excitements of sport. Ebenezer Tut tle and his father were out on a hunting expedition, and, separating for the objects of their pursuit, met unawares, when the son, seeing the bushes move at a distance, sup posed that he saw a bear, and shot and killed his father. The early records of the first church are lost, and it is not known when it was organized, though it is believed that it was not far from the date of the ordination of the first minister, Nov. 22d, 1752. The first meeting house was built in 1753. Rev. Judah Nash of Longmeadow, a graduate of Yale in 1748, was ordained on the date above stated. He died Feb. 19, 1805, after a ministry of 52 years and three months, at the age of 76. Oct. 27, 1807, Rev. Aaron Gates of East Haddam, Ct., a graduate of Williams in 1804, became his successor, and was dismissed Dec. 12, 1827. Rev. Moses B. Bradford of Francestown, N. H.,-a graduate of Amherst in 1825, was ordained as the third pastor of the church, Nov. 19, 1828, and dismissed Jan. 16, 1832. Rev. Benjamin Holmes, his successor, was installed Nov. 18, 1834, and dismissed May 16, 1838. Mr. Holmes was an Englishman. He was succeeded Nov. 26, 1839, by Rev. James H. Merrill, who is still the pastor. A history of the Baptist church of Montague will be found in the history of Leverett. An Episcopal Society was organized July 13, 1815. Rev. Titus Strong of Greenfield, has occasionally officiated as their preacher. Rev. George White supplied in 1816, and Rev. Mr- Bowers in 1817. Rev. Rodolphus Dickin son supplied in 1833, Rev. Orange Clark in 1844, and Rev. Mr. Clapp in 1845. The Society is very small. The Unitarian Church was organized Nov. 4, 1828, with MONTAGUE. 395 twelve members. They have never had a settled pastor. Among those who have supplied them are Rev. Messrs. Timothy F. Rogers, Joseph Field, Rodolphus Dickinson, Luther Wilson, John A. Williams, Wm. H. Bradley, Na thaniel O. Chaffefe, Davis Smith and Claudius Bradford, who is the present supply. In 1755, it was voted by the town to have a shell blown, at Lieut. Clapp's, for a signal on Sabbath days. In 1759, it was voted to buy the shell of Lieut. Clapp for £1 10s., and to allow Joseph Root 20s. for blowing the same, on the Sabbath, for one year. By contract with the first min ister, Mr. Nash, the town was to furnish him with fire wood, though, in 1759, we find that they voted to provide for him " 70 loads of wood at 14 pence per load." At a meeting of the inhabitants of the district, April 6, 1778, to take into consideration a pamphlet from the town of Boston, relative to the rights and grievances of the col onies, it was voted to choose a Committee of Correspond ence, consisting of Moses Gunn, Elisha Allis, Stephen Tuttle, Peter Bishop, Judah Wright, and Nathaniel Gunn, Jr. At an adjourned meeting, held April 20, this commit tee presented the draught of a letter to the Boston Com mittee, which was approved, and ordered to be entered upon the District records. The following is the document : " To the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston, Gentlemen: — Having carefully perused your Pamphlet of the SO of Nov. last, containing a' statement of the rights of the Colo nists, with the infringement on those rights, (which came to us about three months after publication) we are of opinion that you have, in general, justly stated our rights as Men, as Christians, and as Subjects. As Christians, we have a right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, owing all religious obedience to Him who hath declared that His Kingdom is not of this world. As men, and as subjects, we have a right to life, liberty and property. These we have as our natural birthright, being descended from those renowned ancestors, who orossed the Atlantic at their own expense; purchased the soil of the natives, and who with their succes sors have ever defended it with Treasure and blood ; con- , firmed in the right ample manner by the royal charters whereby the people of the Province have the sole and abso lute property of the soil in fee simple with all the appurte nances — Water, Rivers, - Mines, &c, except only of the part of Gold and Silver are reserved to the Crown. As to infringe ment on our rights, we do not nretend fully to understand the 396 MONTAGUE. power of Vice nominalty courts, but that there is so great a difference made between subjects entitled to the same liber ties and immunities within the colonies, and in the Realm, as there appears to be, affords matter of conviction that the interests of thei people represented, interspersed with the inter est of Legislative -bodies, is their only security against par tiality and injustice; and that a Parliament at three thousand miles distance can never have an equitable right to bind colo nies in all cases whatever. That the commissioners of the customs, or any set of men known or unknown, in our char ter, should have general warrants to search houses, shops, chests, &c, is illegal, and hath been publicly declared to be so within the Realm in the great case between John Wilkes, <, Esq., and the Earl of Halifax. * * * * "We thank the town of Boston for their patriotic zeal in The common cause, particularly as their Pamphlets hath paved the way for a full discussion of our natural and charter right, in the general assembly at their late session, whereby much light hath been cast on the subject. We reflect with grati tude and pleasure on their learned labor, in defense of our just rights, in which they have discovered a thorough knowl edge of our constitution and great firmness in defense of it. " Gentlemen, we look upon the particular occasion of your letter to be very alarming to every sensible lover of his coun try. We acknowledge the activity and vigilance of the Town of Boston. Trusting that salutary and important ends to the public good have been and still may be answered thereby, we consider the infringements on our rights stated in the Pam phlets as being what in reason and justice ought to give deep concern to every friend of his country, and excite his endeav ors, in all suitable lawful methods, to obtain redress. We hope that the knowledge of our natural and constitutional rights may be still further propagated among people of all ranks. That the natural principle of self preservation may be timely and thoroughly awakened and unerringly directed. That a criminal and scandalous inattention or indifference to our rights, may be an infamy never justly charged npon us, esteeming a tame submission to slavery more infamous than slavery itself." On the following 27th day of June, a meeting was held, at which a non-consumption covenant, or league, was pre sented, and Dr. Moses Gunn, Stephen Tuttle, Eliphalet Allis, John Gunn and Samuel Bardwell were chosehj a committee to consider the covenant, maturely make such alterations as they should deem proper, and present it for action on the 7th day of July, to which day the meeting MONTAGUE. 897 was adjourned. At that meeting, an elaborate document was presented, reviewing the encroachments of the crown upon the natural and chartered rights of the people, the condition of the country, and the proper policy of the times. At a meeting held on the 21st of the same month, by adjournment, the following non-consumption agreement was adopted : " 1. That, from henceforth, we will suspend all commercial intercourse with the island of Great Britain until this act of blocking up the harbor (of Boston) be repealed, and a restora tion of our charter rights be obtained. " 2. That there may be the less temptation to others to en gage in the said dangerous commerce, we do, in like manner, solemnly covenant that we will not knowingly purchase or consume, in any manner whatever, any goods, wares, or mer chandise, which shall arrive in America from Great Britain, from and after the last day of August, next ensuing." In 1781, it was voted that the selectmen give their secu rity to the soldiers for their payment, in behalf of the town ; and, further, that the security be given payable, in wheat at 4s. per bushel, and rye at 3s. per bushel, their service to be reckoned at 40s. per month, exclusive of their bounty, or £3 per month in silver, exclusive of their bounty, as they should choose. January 24, of the same year, the town voted to give, as a bounty to each soldier who should enlist from the town, in the continental army, for three years, 20 yearling heifers or steers, in case he should re main in the army one year, and in like proportion for a shorter time ; 20 two-years-old neat cattle in case he should remain two years, and 20 three-years-old neat cattle for the entire three years' service, in each case to be paid at the expiration of the term of service. These votes sufficiently show where Montague stood, and how she acted, in that great struggle, forever associated with the glory of the young town corporations of New England. The Upper Locks and Canal on the Connecticut River, which were constructed in Montague in 1793-5, have al ready been sufficiently described in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, pp. 308-9.] On a tract near the canal, a party of Germans and others laid out a city, some 60 years ago, and built several two-story houses, as a commencement. Some of these houses are still standing. The city did not 34 398 MONTAGUE. collect according to the hopes of its projectors, and the project itself was abandoned. The place has ever since been known as "Montague City." Montague abounds with the common Indian relics, as that was once the grand resort of the Indians in their fisheries for shad and salmon. Dr. Moses Gunn, whose name has been mentioned in connection with the movements of the Revolution, was a graduate of Yale College in 1748. He was very' much employed in town affairs, attended all the Revolutionary conventions, and evidently draughted all the resolutions, and their accompanying documents, that appear on the records. Martin Gunn was the first postmaster, Jonathan Hart- well the second, and Elisha Wright, Jr., the present incum bent, the third. Hon. Jonathan Hartwell is the only lawyer that ever settled in the town. He is a native of Chesterfield, N. H., graduated at Dartmouth in 1809, moved to Montague in 1817, was appointed postmaster the following year, and held the office 36 years, when he resigned. Within the same period, he was clerk and treasurer of the town for some twenty years, a representative to the General Court nine or ten years, and, in 1835 and 1836, wag a member of the Executive Council. Mr. Hartwell claims to have been the originator of the plan of district school libraries in the Com monwealth, and to have promulgated it through the press, many years previous to its adoption. There is a somewhat important manufacturing interest in the town. R. L. & D. W. Goss employ 15 men at Montague Canal in sawing 1,000,000 feet of lumber, and planing 500,000 feet;, 15 men in making 300 piano cases annually, and 15 men in cutting 1,200 cords of wood yearly. In addition to this concern, there are a scythe-snath factory, a rake factory, a chair factory and two confectionery fac tories. There is considerable done, also, in the manufac ture of brooms and palm leaf hats. Benjamin F. Pond carries on an extensive tannery, employing 8 or 10 hands in tanning from 8,000 to 10,000 sides of leather annually. The establishment, in its various appointments, is deemed superior to any other of the kind in the county. In the extreme Northern part of the town, there is a meadow containing some 300 acres of land, of remarkable NEW SALEM. 399 beauty and productiveness. The locality is popularly Known as " Deep Hole," is hemmed in by mountains on every side, and entirely out of sight of any human habi tation. It is a charmed and charming spot, worthy of the visit and examination of every lover of nature in her hap pier moods and manifestations. In 1854, Montague raised by tax, for all purposes, $3,380 32 ; of which there was appropriated for schools, $1,200, besides $172 54, income from the town school fund, and $75 67 from the State school fund. The population of Montague, in 1840, was 1,288 ; in 1850, 1,515 ; increase in ten years, 227. NEW SALEM. A township, equal to six miles square, was granted by the General Court, December 31, 1734, to sixty proprie tors in the town (now city) of Salem, and June 17, 1742, an additional grant of 4,000 acres was made. August 13, 1735, the proprietors held a meeting to organize, and make arrangements for locating the township. The subsequent meetings of the proprietors were held at Salem until 1753, when the two grants were incorporated as a district. The first settlement was made by Jeremiah Meacham, in 1737, who received a present of £10 from the proprietors for assuming the hardships of the pioneer. Soon after him came others, among whom were Amos Putnam, Amos Fos ter, Benjamin Stacy, Samuel King, Samuel Peirce, Daniel Shaw, James Cook and Jeremiah Ballard. The population increased rapidly for several years after this. The settle ment occurred at a time when disturbance from the Indians was to be feared, and one or more forts were built, as in the early settlements generally. The walls of the first meeting-house were planked so as to be impervious to musket balls, in case of an attack while the people were assembled within. The women of the first settlement were fit companions of the hardy men who settled New Salem. Illustrative of the fact, a gentleman who still resides in that town repeats a story which he heard from the lips of the wife of the first deacon of the church, more than fifty years ago, of the fol lowing purport. On some occasion, all the men of the set tlement were called twenty or thirty miles from home, into 400 NEW SALEM. the valley of the Connecticut, and were obliged to be absent over night. At an early hour, all the women, with the few children of the settlement, assembled in the fort for the night. With military strictness, they kept a watch, and, about midnight, one of them discovered the enemy stealth ily approaching the fort from different directions, and in considerable numbers. The " Commander-in-chief" imme diately called the roll of the men of the settlement, in a hoarse, masculine voice, and named some who had never existed. An answer was given to each name, in a corres ponding tone. She then commanded them to load and pre pare to fire. Then followed a noise like the ramming down of cartridges, at which the Indians retired with all con venient speed. Their presence was verified the next day by the discovery of their tracks near the fort. There were many Indians in the vicinity, but the settlers effectually guarded themselves against their depredations. The descendants of these settlers were no less brav6 than their fathers and mothers, as their sacrifices made during the Revolutionary war abundantly prove. A company of volunteers under Capt. Stacy left immediately for Cam bridge on the Lexington alarm, and throughout the war New Salem was in no way behind its sister towns in its practical sympathy with the patriotic cause. [Vol. 1, p. 214.] More than a year before the settlement commenced, the proprietors took the preparatory steps for building a meet ing-house. It was voted, August 16, 1736, "to build a meeting-house forthwith, forty feet long, 30 feet wide, and 18 feet stud." It was afterwards " voted to add five feet to the length, five feet to the width, and two to the height," and " to frame and plank " the meeting-house. The house was not built " forthwith" according to the vote, and we find that June 8, 1738, it was " voted to levy a tax of £3 on each right, towards building a meeting-house." December 17, 1739, a bill of the expense of raising the house was accepted and allowed, showing that at that date the frame Was up. The bill was for wheat, sugar, rum, molasses, pork, beef, butter, cheese, and men and horses from Hadley, and amounted to £29 13s. 5d. No records extant show when the church was organized, or of whom it was composed. The first minister, Rev. Samuel Kendall of Woburn, a graduate of Harvard in 1781, was ordained December 15, NEW SALEM. 401 1742, and the church was probably organized about the same time. He labored assiduously and lived happily with the people of his charge until March, 1776, when he re signed his pastorate, in consequence of the political troubles of the period. He lived in New Salem, much beloved, to the good old age of 85, when he died January 31, 1792. Rev. Joel Foster, the immediate successor of Mr. Kendall, was settled June 9th, 1779, and was dismissed January 21, "1802. In 1788, it was thought expedient to organize a religious society distinct from the town organization, and a parish was incorporated in the town, including all who wished to belong to it. Under this organization, the reli gious interests of the town assumed a much brighter aspect than they had previously worn, and in 1794 the parish built a new and commodious house of worship, — probably the best in the county of Hampshire at that time. Mr. Foster was a native (it is believed) of Stafford, Ct, and graduated at Dartmouth in 1777. He was a man of more than ordi nary powers, took a great interest in the cause of educa tion, and was chiefly instrumental in procuring the incor poration of the Academy in New Salem, an institution of high standing and great usefulness. The successor of Mr. Foster was Rev. Warren Pierce of New Salem, a grad uate of Dartmouth in 1799. He was ordained September 5, 1804, and resigned in August, 1807. Mr. Pierce was ranked among the Unitarians, although it does not appear that his views differed materially from those of his prede cessors. Rev. Alpheus Harding, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1805, was ordained as the successor of Mr. Pierce, Decem ber 2, 1807. About this time, the controversy between the Trinitarians and Unitarians began, a controversy which weakened many of the country parishes, and destroyed not a few. The season before his ordination, the parish built a place of worship about four miles North of the center, as a matter of accommodation to those who lived at an incon venient distance from the usual place of worship. Mr. Harding preached at the North church 15 Sabbaths in the year, for about 18 years, when dissatisfaction arose in both places in regard to the amount of preaching to which they were respectively entitled. A new and orthodox society was then organized at the> North, and Mr. Hardijjg's labors 34* 402 NEW SALEM. were afterwards confined to the Central church, where he continued until January 8, 1845, when he resigned, after 'a ministry of more than 37 years. Mr. Harding was also a Unitarian, or was generally ranked as such. After his dis mission, the pulpit was supplied by different preachers until November 9, 1851, when Rev. Claudius Bradford was in stalled. He resigned after a ministry of two years. The Second Congregational Church above alluded to was organized at North New Salem, November 10, 1824, with 40 members. Its meeting-house was purchased of the First Society, and was removed in 1836 to its present location, and remodeled. The church itself has been scattered, and has had no settled pastor for about twelve years. The first pastor was Rev. Levi French of Berkley, a graduate of Brown University in 1825. He was dismissed October 22, 1829, and was succeeded, October 23, 1834, by Rev. Erastus Curtis of Meriden, Ct, a graduate of Union in 1829. Mr. Curtis ceased to officiate as pastor August 1, 1842. The Third Congregational Church was organized in the center of the town, August 15, 1845, with 9 members. Its first and present pastor is Rev. Wm. H. Hayward. He was settled August 13, 1848. Mr. Hayward is a native of Boston. A Baptist Church was organized January 24, 1772. Its meeting-house is on the line between New Salem and Pres cott, and the church is called the " New Salem and Prescott Baptist Church." The preachers and pastors have been the following : Rev. Messrs. Ebenezer Smith, Samuel Bige low, Joel Butler, Josiah Orcutt, Paul Davis, Calvin Orcutt, Asa Niles, Stephen S. Nelson, Thomas Rand, Dwyer, George Daland, John Shepardson, and Alden B. Eggleston. The Methodists of New Salem worship with those of Prescott, but the meeting-house is within the borders of New Salem. The church was formed in 1829, and the following have been the preachers : Rev. Messrs. Henry Woolley, Ezra Sprague, Humphrey Harris, Salmon Hull, Elias P. Stevens, Ziba Loveland, Otis Wilder, Philo Hawks, Philetus Green, Erastus 'Otis, Royal Smith, Thomas Marcy, Samuel Heath, Merritt P. Alderman, George W. Green, H. B. Collar, Joseph W. Lewis, Charles Hayward, Thomas G. Brown, Rufus P. Buffington, Harri son Morgan, R. D. Estabrook, John S. Day, Wm. A. Clapp, NEW SALEM. 403 Rodney Gage, Leonard P. Frost, Proctor Marsh, Asa Barnes, J. W. P. Jordan and C. N. Merrifield. The Universalists organized a society at the North part of the town about 1800, and erected a frame for a meeting house. The frame stood several years uncovered, when a citizen who had lost his house by fire, purchased it, and made it into a tavern. The society was dissolved. Amusing stories are told illustrative of the character of some of the pastors who have lived in New Salem, and among them the following : Rev. Mr. Foster was a facetious man, and usually ready at joke and repartee. He had a parishioner, a carpenter by trade, pretty well stocked with ready wit, and, withal, somewhat given to boasting. One day while at work for his minister, hewing a stick of tim ber, the carpenter was boasting in his usual style of the marvels that he could perform. The pastor, to put an ex tinguisher upon him, said, " Governor, (his nickname,) do you think you could make a devil ?" " Make a devil," re sponded the Governor, " why yes, oh, yes !" (his broad ax moving a little more rapidly,) here put up your foot ! You want the least alteration of any man I ever saw." It was rare that the minister came off second best in an encounter of this character, but he did this time. The plat of land " equal to six miles square," originally granted to the proprietors of New Salem, was laid out in an oblong form, extending North and South nearly ten miles. The additional grant of 4,000 acres was affixed to the Northern end, thus making the township thirteen miles long. Many years since, a large tract was cut from the East side of Shutesbury, and added to the West side of New Salem, making the whole territory of the town about 50 square miles, with a population of 2,200. The form of the town was the cause of great inconvenience to those living at its extremities, and many attempts were made to divide or alter it in some manner. In 1820, a portion, about three miles long, was cut off -from the South end, and, with the East parish of Pelham, incorporated as the town of Prescott. In 1837, a tract about three miles long was cut off from the North end, and added to the towns of Athol and 'Orange. These two subtractions reduced the territory to about 23 square miles, the number of school 404 NEW SALEM. districts from 22 to 12, and brought the town into a much more convenient form. A commendable interest is felt in common schools, the town having for several years raised by tax $1,000 for that interest, which, added to its proportion of State money and the amount of private subscriptions, makes the annual ex penditure about $1,300. The money raised by the town and that received from the State, is divided into three equal parts, one part being equally subdivided among the dis tricts, another apportioned to the several districts according to the number of scholars in each, and the third divided according to the valuation of property in each district. The New Salem Academy was incorporated in 1795, and public spirited individuals erected a structure for its accom modation. In 1837, this building, which had just been re paired at a large expense, together with the library and valuable apparatus, was destroyed by fire. In 1838, a more spacious and convenient building was erected by sub scription. The institution is under the supervision of fifteen trustees, belonging in New. Salem and the neighboring towns, and has now been in operation about 59 years. It is prosperous, and is still, under the superintendence of Mr. V. M. Howard, prosecuting its work of fitting students for college, or preparing them for the all important office of teaching. In 1854, New Salem raised $1,500 for the support of the poor, for building roads, defraying town charges and reducing the town debt, which amounts to $1,400, incurred mostly for the purchase of a farm for the accommodation of the poor. The town also raised 1,300 for making and repairing bridges and highways, making a total of taxation, including the 1,000 for schools, of $3,800, of which $2,500 is a money tax. The chief industrial interests of the town are farming and lumbering. The land is ^well adapted to grass and the grains, and many valuable dairies are kept, and horses and cattle produced. The water power of the town is not ex tensive, and is mostly occupied by saw mills, of which there are 11.- Holt & Co. own and carry on an extensive saw mill driven by steam power. Palm leaf hats ftre braided in great numbers by the females and children. A soap- stone bed was discovered on Rattlesnake Hill (so called) a NORTHFIELD. 405 few years since, but it has never been wrought, and its ex tent and value are unknown. New Salem has 302 ratable polls, 287 legal voters, and 360 school children between five and fifteen years of age. The population in 1840 was 1,275 ; in 1850, 1,259 ; decrease in ten years, 16. NORTHFIELD. In October, 1672, the territory known by the Indian name of Squakheag, now the town of Northfield, was granted to certain individuals living mostly in Northamp ton. The grant was a township equal to six miles square, not to exceed 8 miles in length. The condition of the grant was that twenty families should settle within eighteen months. The General Court appointed Lieut. Wm. Clark, Wm. Holton, Lieut. Samuel Smith, Cornet Wm. Allys and Isaac Graves a committee to lay out the plantation, and superintend the concerns of the proprietors ; and it was enjoined upon them to lay out a farm of 300 acres of up land and meadow, for the use of the country, and to settle a minister so soon as twenty families should be gathered. The plantation was laid out the following year, as follows : " beginning at a brook called Natanis, at the lower end of a meadow Nattahameongom, or Natanis, (now Bennett's meadow) and running up the river eight miles, and extend ing three-fourths of a mile from the river on the West side, and three miles and three-fourths of a mile on the East side." On the 9th of September, 1673, a part of this territory, with a large additional tract on the West of the river, was purchased of the Indians. Soon after this, and during that year, several settlers from Northampton, Had ley and Hatfield came in, and built several houses, one of which was fortified. The settlement took place during the inception of King Philip's war. The story of the Indian murders in Squak heag, the slaughter of Capt. Beers and his men on their way to that settlement, and the forsaking of the plantation, has been fully told in the Outline History. — [vol. 1, pp. 85-6.] It was not until after the passage of several years suc ceeding the conclusion of Philip's war, that the proprietors moved for* a new settlement. In 1782, the survivors of the original committee, and others, petitioned the General Court that the limits of the Squakheag grant might be ex- 406 NORTHFIELD. tended, so as to bound Southerly on stony, or four-mile brook. Their petition was granted, on condition that forty families should settle in the town within three years ; and as some of the committee had died, a new committee was ap pointed to take their place. In 1684, the village was laid out upon the same ground, and in the same form, as it now exists. The lots were laid out 20 rods in width, and a reservation was made for highways ten rods in width, through and across the village. In 1685, a number of families returned to the plantation, built a few houses, and erected a block house. At a meeting of the committee the same year, lots were granted to 32 persons, and it was ordered that every person who had 60 acres of interval land should settle two inhabitants upon it. It was agreed also that all the proprietors should be on their lands, with their families, on, or before, the 10th day of May, 1686, or forfeit their grants. Deeds of all the territory and much besides seem to have been given by certain Indians after this. The settlement went on prosperously for a year or two, when, in 1689, came on King William's war. The settlers saw that their strength was small, that their situation was the most Northern in the colony, and thus, peculiarly ex posed to the incursions of the French and Indians from the North ; and burying their most valuable goods in a well, a few rods South Easterly of the present meeting house, they left their dwellings tenantless, and, with their wives and children, fled to Hadley. This withdrawal was destined to be a long one. Queen Anne's war followed soon, and it was not until February71713, that, in accordance with a petition to the General Court, of Joseph Parsons, John Lyman and others, the Squakheag grant was revived. The act appointed Samuel Partridge, John Pynchon, (the 2d) Samuel Porter, John Stoddard and Henry Dwight a committee to determine on the rights -of claimants, under the old grant, and to join them with others, preference be ing given in all cases to the descendants of the original planters and grantees. The Committee were empowered to make their allotments, and required to reserve 250 acres of land to be at the disposition of the Government. The grant was based on the provision that 40 families should be settled within three years, and that they procure and NORTHFIELD. 407 settle 'a learned and orthodox minister, "the town to be named Northfield," and to " lye to the County of Hamp shire." On the 14th of April, 1714, sixteen persons appeared before the committee, and. proved their claims in the right of their ancestors, and three, in their own right, and entered into articles of agreement. At a meeting of the committee, April 16, 1714, Deacon Ebenezer Wright was appointed town clerk, and Capt. Benjamin Wright, Lieut. John Lyman, Dea. Ebenezer Wright, Judah Hutchinson and Sergeant Thomas Taylor, measurers of land. This time, the settlement went on prosperously, and became permanent. In 1717, many new settlers arrived, some from the lower towns on the river, and some from Connecticut. In December of that year, lands were granted to a number of individuals, among whom was Stephen Belding, who had a grant of fifteen acres at Bennett's meadow, on condition that he would build a grist mill on Mill brook, and maintain it in repair, " fit for the service of the town, forever." Jonathan Beld ing also had a grant of twelve acres of upland, on the back side of Bennett's meadow, on condition that he would build a saw mill, " to be going by Michaelmas next." At a meeting of the committee March 25, 1718, it was agreed to build a meeting house of the dimensions of Swampfield (Sunderland) meeting house, as soon as con venient, and Capt. Wright, Elizur Wright, Peter Evans, Benoni Moore and Zachariah Field were appointed as a committee to take charge of the building. At this point really commences the ecclesiastical history of Northfield, although it is recorded that " one Elder Jones was first employed to preach at this place, soon after its set tlement," meaning during one of the previous settlements. The first church was probably organized in August, 1718, or during the same month in which the first pastor was set tled. In the early part of this year, Mr. Benjamin Doo little of Wallingford, Ct., arrived in Northfield, and preached through the Summer. The people desired him to settle, and promised £65 as annual salary, and quite a liberal amount of money and land as " settlement." Their action was approved by the committee, and accepted by Mr. Doo little, and he was probably settled during the tnonth. Mr. 408 NORTHFIELD. Doolittle continued here until January 9, 1748, when he died, in the 55th year of his age, and the 30th of his min istry. The double office which he sustained during the period of his ministry, is sufficiently explained by the following epitaph inscribed upon his tombstone : " Blessed with good intellectual parts, Well skilled in two important arts, Nobly he filled the double station Both of a preacher and physician. To cure man's sicknesses and sine, He took unwearied care and pains ; And strove to make his patient whole Throughout, in body and in soul. He loved his God, loved to do good, To all his friends vast kindness showed, Nor could his enemies exclaim And say, he was not kind to them. His labors met a sudden close : Now he enjoys a sweet repose, And when the just to life shall rise, Among the first he'll mount the skies." The people not only believed their pastor and physician immortal, but seem to have attached the idea of immortality to everything pertaining to him, for one of their highways was laid out " from Pochaug meadow to a little brook where Mr. Doolittle's horse died," as if that landmark were uni versally familiar, and likely to be perpetual. Rev. John Hubbard was settled as the second pastor of the church, May 30, 1750. He was a native of Hatfield, and a graduate of Yale in 1747. After a ministry of forty- four years and a half, he died at Northfield, November 28, 1794, at the age of 68. During his ministry, about 200, on profession, and 50, by letter, were received into the church. He was succeeded,November 25, 1795, by Rev. Samuel C. Allen of Bernardston, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1794. A notice of Mr. Allen will be found in the history of Ber nardston. When he was settled in Northfield, he was con sidered Orthodox, but he afterwards became a Unitarian. After a ministry of about two years, he was dismissed, Jan uary 80, 1798. From the date of the settlement of his successor, Rev. Thomas Mason, an event which occurred November 6, 1799, the church was Unitarian. He was dismissed Feb- NORTHFIELD. 409 ruary 28, 1830, and died at Northfield, January 3, 1851, aged 82. Mr. Mason was a man of peculiar habits of thought and life. Ho was a strong minded and clear headed man, but loved company and good stories ; and while no man accused him of immoralities, the bar-room of the village hotel often rang with attestations, in convul sive laughter, of the genuine humor of his stories. Pun gent and witty, he was always ready for a talk, on any sub ject. " Well, my son," said he, to a young man about leav ing the town for the city, " so you are going to New York." "lam, sir," was the reply. " Well, you will find it a wilder ness of houses, and a swamp of fools," said Mr. Mason, pass ing on. There was doubtless more of human nature in him than clerical habit. Rev. George W. Hosmer was ordained in Mr. Mason's place, June 9, 1830, and dismissed in 1836. He was succeeded, March 8, 1837, by Rev. Oli ver C. Everett, who remained the pastor for about twelve years. Rev. William C. Tenney, the present pastor, was settled September 9, 1849. About two years previous to Mr. Mason's dismissal, a disaffected body withdrew from his church, and formed a second Unitarian church, with 56 members, but they returned when Mr. Mason retired, and relinquished their separate organization. Rev. Samuel Presbury was ordained as the pastor of the second Unita rian church, February 27, 1828, and was dismissed Sep tember 21, 1829. The Second Orthodox Congregational Church, the only one now in Northfield, was organized November 30, 1825, with 30 members, the most of whom withdrew from the Unitarian church. Their meeting-house was built in 1829, and remodeled in 1849. Rev. Eli Moody of Granby was settled as the first pastor, November 22, 1826, and was dismissed December 24, 1830. He was succeeded, April 21, 1831, by Rev. Bancroft Fowler of Pittsfield, a grad uate of Yale in 1796, who, after a ministry of about five years, was dismissed July 20, 1836. Rev. Horatio J. Lombard was installed in his place on the day of Mr. Fowler's dismissal. Mr. Lombard was a native of Stock- bridge, and a graduate of Williams in 1815. He was dis missed October 21st, 1840, and, on the same day, Rev. Nathaniel Richardson of Rockport, Ct., a graduate of Am herst in 1836, was settled in his place. Mr. Richardson 35 410 NORTHFIELD. was dismissed November 20, 1842, and was succeeded just two years afterwards by Rev. Luther Farnam of Concord, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1837. He was dis missed April 9th of the next year. Since his dismissal, several pastors have supplied the church, but no minister has been settled. In 1853, the church numbered 61. The Methodist Church in Northfield was organized in 1810, and seceded from the Methodist Episcopal denomi nation in 1844. Previous to the secession, the following preachers supplied the church : Rev. Messrs. Humphrey Harris, Salmon Hull, Elias P. Stevens, Otis Wilder, Zadoc King, George Green, Hezekiah B. Collar, Simon E._Fisk and Leonard Frost. Since 1844, the church has enjoyed no regular preaching, depending upon occasional supplies. Returning to the early history of the town, we find that on the 16th of March, 1720, the inhabitants voted to give Samuel Porter, Samuel Partridge and Henry Dwight 150 acres of land each, and 100 acres to John Stoddard, in con sideration of their services as committee. Mr. Stoddard was then, and had been for several years, the town clerk, or, more properly, the clerk of the committee. This land was laid out in the South part of the town, which gave to that locality the name of "the farms." After this, the people acted more independently of their committee, choos ing their necessary officers, and ordering their own affairs, the committee simply approving and sanctioning their action. On the 29th of May, 1723, the town was released from the committee, by a special act of the General Court, and permitted to manage its own affairs. It would seem that this act was the first one passed, equivalent to the in corporation of the town, and on the following 22d of July, the inhabitants held their first meeting in their corporate capacity, for the choice of town officers. Joseph Petty was chosen moderator ; Eleazer Holton, town clerk ; Zech- ariah Field, Benoni Moore and Joseph Petty, selectmen ; Ebenezer Field, constable ; Benoni Moore, Nathaniel Mat toon, Theophilus Meriman, Stephen Crowfoot, Ebenezer Severance and Ebenezer Field, fence viewers ; Eleazer Mattoon and Thomas Holton, surveyors ; Daniel Wright and Eldad Wright, haywards, and Benjamin Janes, tything- man. Descendants of most of these first officers are still to be found in Northfield. NORTHFIELD. 411 The first child born in the town was Lydia, daughter of Remembrance Wright, her birth occurring August 26, 1713. On the 7th of May, 1724, the first marriage was solemn ized, between Daniel Shattuck and Rebecca Boltwood. The settlers were called to public worship usually by a drum, the drummer being appointed and paid by the town. In 1734, however, it appears that the drummer was absent, and the selectmen agreed with Daniel Wright " to sweep the meeting house, and hang out a flagg." The subject oi education does not seem to have attracted much attention until 1737, when a vpte was passed, declaring it expedient to hire a school master, and to buy or build a school house. At a subsequent meeting, provision was made for building a school house, and £13 18s. was voted for hiring a teach er. In 1740, the line was run between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, by which Northfield lost more than a third of her territory. Phinehas White, elected in 1773, was the first representative sent to the General Court from Northfield. The story of the French and Indian wars has been told elsewhere, and the lack of space forbids that the special acts of participation in those conflicts, connected with the history of Northfield should be recounted. Northfield was on the side of the country, in the Revo lutionary period, and during its inception, calmly and res olutely, discussed the questions of policy in which it had its birth. In 1770, the people almost unanimously agreed to use no tea. In December, 1774, it was voted that the assessors make no province tax, and that the town would indemnify them for all the cost or trouble such neglect might cause them. The town was represented in the pro vincial Congress at Cambridge, in July, 1775, by Ebenezer Janes. The Committee of Correspondence this year con sisted of Samuel Smith, Phinehas Wright, Samuel Root, Thomas Alexander and Seth Field. After the opening of the war, Thomas Alexander was commissioned as a captain, by the Continental Congress, and enlisted a company in the town for an expedition to the North. In 1776, the Committee of Safety and Correspondence chosen were Phinehas Wright, Samuel Smith, Seth Field, Samuel Root, and Simeon Alexander. The Committee was changed, more or less, from year to year, during the war. In 1779, 412 ORANGE. the minister, Mr. Hubbard, fell under suspicion, particu larly because he prayed for the King and not for the Con gress. A council was called to settle the matter, and it was settled, by Mr. Hubbard agreeing " not to say or do anything in favor of the king and parliament, or to pray for their success ;" and " not to say or do anything against the cause of the country, the Continental Congress or the army, but pray for the prosperity, success and happiness of the same." The town voted to, reject the State Consti tution in 1780 — 42 to 2, one of the principal reasons being that Roman Catholics were not excluded from civil office. The votes for the payment of soldiers, as well as for their enlistment, and in answer to the various requisi tions for supplies, are numerous, and place the town among the most efficient of those which honored themselves and their country by sacrificing to the latter their little all. Northfield is a rich agricultural town. Within the last few years, much attention has been paid to the growing of hops, and the crop has proved to be a very profitable one. From $20,000 to $30,000 worth of hops are grown in the town every year. There are no important manufactures, except in the lumber line. Among the more important of these establishments, are those owned by B. B. Murdock and Henry Johnson. The number of school districts in Northfield is 13. The total taxation for all purposes, in 1854, was $4,256 49, of which $1,000 was appropriated for schools. To this latter sum was added $66 interest on surplus revenue, and about $80 from the State. The town owes no debt, has 65 miles of roads, had in 1840 a population of 1,658 ; in 1850, 1,720 ; increase in ten years, 62. ORANGE. The Northerly part of Athol, the Westerly part of Royalston, and the Easterly part of Warwick, together with a part of the grant made to John Erving were incor porated as a district of Warwick, Oct. 15, 1783, with the name of Orange. The first district meeting was held on the 2d of November following, Nathan Goddard, moderator. The district was organized by the choice of Sayille Met- calf as clerk, and Saville Metcalf, Nathan Goddard and Elijah Ball as selectmen. On the 24th of February, 1810, Orange was incorporated as a town. ORANGE. 413 In 1752, a tract of 325 acres of land, lying on the West line of Paquage (Athol) was granted by the General Court to Rev. Benjamin Ruggles of Middleboro', and when Athol was incorporated, March 6, 1762, this grant was embraced within the limits of that town, and now comes within the boundaries of Orange. Jacob Hutchins first commenced a settlement on the Eastern part of this grant, but sold out to Abner Morton. Benjamin Dexter began on the hill West in 1770. At this time, there was no other house between that and the Connecticut river. Samuel Ruggles began on the West side of this grant in 1776, and Lemuel Ruggles settled near him in 1780. Saville and Joseph Metcalf, Jacob French, and his sons Joseph and Jacob, Capt. Job Macomber, Elisha White, Daniel Thayer, David and William Legg, Jonathan Jones and his son Jon athan, all from Milford, Samuel and Asa Aldrich, from Northbridge, Samuel Briggs from Berkley, and Solomon Johnson from Warwick, all settled on Erving's Grant, at a place called Goshen. These settlements were made from 1772 to 1783. Adjoining this land was a tract of 600 acres owned by John Hastings of Hatfield. On the West part of this lot, Lewis Barker began a settlement in 1791, a place now occupied by the Eastern part of the village of Orange. In 1791, Orange was divided into five school districts or "Wards." Ward 1 was the Southern part of the District, and was composed of 18 individuals, viz: ' Abner Morton, Asa Aldrich, Asa Lord, Benjamin Dexter, Daniel Thayer, Daniel Davidson, Levi Chapin, Ebenezer Petty, Elisha White, Joseph Lord, Joseph French, Jona. Jones, Jona. Jones, Jr., Samuel Ruggles, Solomon Johnson, Samuel Knowles, Zephaniah Smith and Thomas Stow. Ward 2, the next North, consisted of 19 persons, viz: David Legg, David Cheney, Joseph Metcalf, Job Macomber, Jacob French, Joshua Hill, Joel Thayer, Michael Malone, Nathan Cheney, Perez Richmond, Saville Metcalf, Silas Metcalf, Samuel Briggs, Samuel Pitts, Wm. Legg, W. Mills, W. Tol ly, Zadock Haywood, Job Macomber, Jr. Ward 3 was composed of Alex. Wheelock, Eben. Atwood, Eben. Che ney, Eben. Foskett, Wid. Demon, Elijah Ball, Elisha Johnson, Edward Ward, Hananiah Temple, Hezekiah Col- ler, John Hill, David Hill, Jacob ' Briggs, John Forister, 85* 414 ORANGE. Asa Heminway, John Battle, James Mills, Levi Cheney, Moses Cheney, Nathaniel Cheney, Nathan Goddard, Jr., Samuel Coller, Timothy Wheelock, Uriah Coller, Uriah Coller Jr., Wm. Stearns, Wm. Gould, Zina Goodell and John Beals. Ward 4, the Easterly part of the District, was composed of Abiel Sadler, Benj. Mayo, Benj. Wood, David Bullock, Ellis Whitney, Jona. Goddard, Hezekiah Goddard, Jona. Ward, John Cutting, Justin Cady, Jonah Ford, Joseph Dean, Jason Harrington, Jona. Houghton1, James Foster, Jeduthan Holden, Mason Goddard, Nehe miah Ward, Shadrach Baker, Silas Marble, Tim. Peters, Wm. Lord, Wm. Lord, Jr., Preston Lord, Solomon Gates, Jona. Woodward, Oliver Chapin, M. Higgins, Samuel Heminway, Jabez Whitney, Nath. Stearns, John Emerson. Ward 5, the North part of the District, was composed of Eben Goddard, Asa Goddard, Martin Stevens, Oliver Esty, Seth Thompson, Asa Albee, John Stow, Nathan Goddard, Phineas Hammond, Seth Woodward, Amos Woodward, John Ellis, Nathan Ellis, Sylvanus Ward, Witt Fuller, Daniel Harrington, Moses Ellis, Seth Ellis, Na thaniel Woodcock. In the year 1800, the District raised $250 for schooling. There are now 13 school districts in town, and 349 scholars. One thousand, two hundred dol lars were raised for schooling in 1854. The following record occurs in the books belonging to the First Congregational Church of Orange : " We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the adjacent corners of Athol, Warwick, and Royalston, being deeply sensible of the great disadvantages we labor under, by reason of the great distance from the meeting houses in the several towns to which we belong, and expecting special advantages will accrue to each of us, to build a meeting house within the bounds of Warwick, on the South East corner of Benjamin Mayo's land, near Nathan Stoddard's west barn : therefore, we whose names are underwritten do covenant, promise and agree, to pay to and for the purpose of building a meeting house, in said place, the sums affixed to each of our names in this instrument, said sums to be paid in merchantable rye at 4 shillings per bushel, or Indian at 2s. 8d. per bushel, or cash equal thereto ; in timber, nails, &c, to the acceptance of the Committee that we hereby appoint to accept the same." Further provisions in the agreement were that the house should be for a Congregational Church and Society, that ORANGE. 415 when the territory should be incorporated, in any form, the house might be used for corporation meetings, and that the house should be finished by the first day of November, 1781. The document was subscribed on the 1st day of January that year, by Nathan Goddard and 33 others, with an aggregate against their names of £110. It was voted on the same day that the house should stand between the houses of Nathan Goddard and Benjamin Mayo, each of whom received $10 for land to set the house upon. The dimensions decided upon were 46 feet in length and 36 feet in width. At this time, and for a year or more afterwards, the re cords abound in notices of the steps taken and committees appointed, to secure the incorporation of the town, but they present no special points of interest. At a meeting held March 8, 1782, "for the purpose of coming into some method to procure a minister to preach in or near the new meeting house in Warwick," it was " voted to choose a committee to hire a minister to preach in or near the new meeting house, and said committee to agree with and settle with said minister." At a meeting of the Congregational Society in South Warwick, (so called) Nov. 18, 1782, it was voted to concur with the church in giving a call to Rev. Emerson Foster to settle in the ministry. It was also voted to give him £100 as settlement, 25 cords of fire wood, and a salary of £60 a year for two years, to be raised the third year to £65, and the fourth year to £70, there to stand. Mr. Foster's letter of acceptance was dated at South Warwick, Nov. 18, 1782, and it was during the au tumn of this year, and doubtless previous to this date, that the church was formed, as we find the church acting as an organized body in giving him a call. He was installed on the succeeding 12th of December. He was dismissed by a Council in 1790, for causes that it would not be either profitable or interesting to recount. The church remained without a settled pastor until Nov. 27, 1822, when Rev. Joshua Chandler, Unitarian, was installed as pastor. Mr. Chandler continued to preach until Oct. 21, 1827, when he was dismissed by a mutual agreement between him and the Society. Since that time the society have had various ministers, principally of the Universalist denomination, and for the last 12 years Rev. Levi Ballou has preached a 416 ORANGE. part or the whole of the time. The meeting house was re modeled in 1832, and dedicated April 24, 1833. The Uni tarians and Universalists united in 1844, and since that time have worshiped together. The first Methodist class in Orange was formed Aug. 8, 1795. Saville Metcalf, as leader, and 12 others composed the class. From this time until 1822, 72 persons had joined them. In 1822, the Society built a meeting house, which stood about 30 years, but was never finished. The following preachers have supplied the Society, in succes sion, commencing at the date of the organization of the class : Rev. Messrs. Benjamin P. Hill, Thomas Coope, Philip Wager, Lorenzo Dow, Smith Wicks, Elijah Bache lor, John Nickols, Joshua Crowell, Abner Wood, Martin Butler, Luther Bishop, Phineas Cook, Thomas Ravlin, Hezekiah Field, Wm. Stevens, John Tinkham, B. P. Hill, G. R. Norris, Abner Clark, Ebenezer Washburn, G. R. Norris, Edward Hyde, Amasa Taylor, David Carr, Robert Arnold, Philip Munger, Stephen Wingate, Joel Steele, Thomas W. Tucker, Elisha Streeter, Van Renssalaer Os borne, Artemas Stebbins, Benjamin Shaw, Benjamin Sabin, S. Winchester, Leonard Bennett, Eleazer Steele, Edward . Hyde, Wm. Wright, Elisha Streeter, Thomas Tucker, V. R. Osborne, A. Taylor, Phineas Crandall, Ella Dunham, Thacher, Barzilla Pierce, Wm. Barstow, Benj. Paine, Aaron Lummus, Erastus Otis, Harrington, John E. Risley, Hiram Waldron, Wm. Nelson, Stevens, Humphrey Harris, Salmon Hull, J. D. Bridge, H. J. Woolley, H. Harris, E. P. Stevens, Bradley, Otis Wilder, George Green, Zadock King, Alderman, Keath, E. Otis, L. Frost, George Ricket, Thomas W. Gile. A second Methodist Church was formed at Irvingsvillc, July 30, 1853. Rev. J. Goodwin was the first preacher. The Second Congregational Society in Orange was or ganized October 13, 1837, with 21 members, and built a meeting house the year previous. The first and only pas tor settled over the church was Rev. Josiah Tucker. He was settled Nov. 16, 1842, and dismissed Aug. 7, 1844. His connection was equally with this church and the church in Erving, and he preached alternately at these places. Before his settlement, the second, (or Irvingsville) church enjoyed the labors of supplies, among whom were Rev. ORANGE. 417 Messrs. Salmon Bennett, Dyer Balk Abel Patten, Warren Allen and Whitman Peck. Since his dismission, the sup plies have been Rev. Erastus Curtis and Rev. Hiram ' Chamberlain. The Third Congregational Church was organized in North Orange Aug. 16, 1843, with 11 members. They have never had a settled minister, and worship in a little chapel, fitted up for the purpose. The church has been supplied by Rev. Messrs. Charles Boyter, Samuel D. Darl ing, Willard Jones and Benjamin F. Clarke. The Fourth Congregational Church was organized at the village at the South part of the town, September 23, 1846, with 15 members. They built a meeting-house in 1852, and October 3d of that year, Rev. David Peck of Green wich, Ct.. a graduate of Yale in 1849, was ordained as the pastor, and still remains in that relation. A'Baptist Church was organized in 1834, with 29 mem bers. They own no meeting-house, but have occupied the Congregational meeting-house at Irvingsville, occasionally. They have been supplied with preaching by Rev. Lysander Fay, B. F. Remington from 1842 to 1843, David Goddard from 1843 to 1844, Lysander Fay from .1846 to 1848. Since the latter date,- they have had no stated preaching. A Universalist Society was organized in the South village of Orange, November 8, 1851. To recur to early history : The first dam across Miller's river was built by James Holmes in 1790,,where he erected a saw and grist mill. In 1800, the mills were owned by Ahaz and Timothy Thayer. The Thayers sold" to Major Joseph Putnam, who owned- the mills when he died in January, 1812, when they passed into the hands of Daniel and Samuel Putnam. In 1815, the mills were destroyed by fire, and were soon afterwards rebuilt by Samuel Put nam, and his sons William and John. In 1823, they were leased to Abner Whitney for ten years, and were a second time destroyed by fire February 21, 1831. They were re built the same year by Mr. Whitney, and when his lease expired in 1833, the Western part of these mills was occu pied by Robert E. Carpenter, for a pail factory. In 1840, Reuben Harris purchased the saw and grist mill, and Wm. B. Whitney and others purchased the pail factory. The 418 orange. mills were afterwards owned by Davis & Kilburne, but their present owner is R. E. Carpenter. The first Clothier's works were set Up in Orange in 1798, by Charles Sears of Greenwich. The business was after wards carried on by Ezra Heminway, Otis Butterworth, David Young, Moses Wood and Theodore Win. Levi Thurston commenced making Scythes in 1803. His was the first tilt-hammer in Orange. Thurston died in 1807, and the shop has since been used as a Blacksmith's Shop. The first Carding-Machine was started in 1804, by Simeon Boyden of Northfield. Abner and Jacob Whitney com menced making hats in 1805. Benj. Stow put up a shop for making one-horse wagons in 1811. A Post Office was established at Orange in 1816, Lyman Harrington, P. M. In 1822, an office was established at South Orange, Thomas Cobb, P. M. Several years after wards, a Post Office was established at West Orange. (Irvingsville.) In 1845, the name of the Post Office at Orange was changed to North Orange, and the Post Office at South Orange was changed to " Orange." The Hotel now owned and kept by Mixter Gibbs was built in 1801, by Ahaz Thayer. It has since been kept by Thayer, John Pink, Joseph Putnam, Abner Whitney, Samuel Ward, Wm. Putnam, John Putnam, John Brooks, S. Swan, Josiah Howe, Sherman Bacon, Royal Shaw, Mixter Gibbs, Robt. E. Carpenter, G. A. Whipple, and S. E, Twichell. The territory embracing the North part of New Salem, — Little Grant — and the East part of Erving's Grant, was annexed to Orange, March 16, 1837. A town hall was built at the village of South Orange the same year. Pre vious to the annexation, the town business was transacted at Orange, (now North Orange.) The extreme length of the town, from North-East to South- West, is about 15 miles, with a width varying from 2 1-2 to 5 miles. It had a pop ulation in 1850 of 1,738 ; the present population is proba bly 2,000. The industrial interests of Orange are mainly agricul tural, although quite a large capital is invested in the lum ber business. There are, at the North part of the town, two establishments for manufacturing pine furniture, two pail establishments, one door, sash and blind manufactory, one chair shop, one grist mill, and several saw mills. The ROWE. 419 village of Orange, besides being a Rail Road station, has an excellent water privilege, and has an extensive capital invested in the lumber business, various establishments for manufacturing pails, chairs, pine furniture, doors, sash and blinds, sleighs, &c. These various establishments have combined to draw together sufficient material — professional, mercantile and mechanical — to make it a thriving village. ROWE. This town contains the site of old Fort Pelham, erected in 1744. The first settler was Rev. Cornelius Jones, who emigrated from Sandisfield, in Berkshire County, about the year 1760. Mr. Jones was a minister of the Congrega tional order, and had obtained the title to a tract of land four miles square, bounded North on the province line, East by the Green and Walker Grant, South by Charlemont, and West by the mountain now in Monroe. To this tract he gave the name of Myrifield. The family of Mr. Jones consisted of his wife, two daughters and a number of sons who were drawing near to manhood. He erected a small house of split planks, and brought his family into the wilderness where there was not another house within six or seven miles. He offered his lands at a low price, which induced others to come in and settle around him, among whom were Jonathan Lamb, Artemas Ward, Michael Wil son, Nathan Howard, Gideon Chapin, Henry Gleason, Archibald and Joseph Thomas, Matthew Barr, and John, Humphrey and William Taylor. These men were all from Worcester county. / The tract continued to be known by the name of Myri field until February 9, 1785, when two hundred rods were added on the East from the Green and Walker grant, and the same width on the South, and the town incorporated with the name of Rowe. In February, 1779, Mr. Jones conveyed to Wm. Parkhurst and Company, of Brookfield, all the lands he then held in Myrifield, being 4,000 acres, for the sum of £9,000, in the current money of the day. He received his pay in continental money, having the fullest confidence that the Government would redeem it. He kept it while he lived, and died a poor man. In 1822, a tract of land called Bullock's Grant, with all that part of Rowe lying West of Deerfield river, was incorporated into the 420 ROWE. town of Monroe. Since then, a tract of unincorporated land, called Zoar, has been annexed to Rowe. At the commencement of the war in 1775, almost every man in Myrifield, that was able to bear arms, repaired to Cambridge. At the battle of Bunker Hill, Aaron Barr of Myrifield was the first wounded man brought into Cam bridge, from the field. He belonged to Capt. Maxwell's company. He was struck by a cannon ball in the morning, had his leg taken off, and died the same day. William Taylor was an orderly sergeant, and had command of a company in the intrenchment, and was one of the last who left it. He remained with the army during the war, and was' promoted to the rank of captain. At the approach of Burgoyhe's army, Mr. Jones and his son Reuben marched to Saratoga. Reuben was killed at Stillwater, and Mr. Jones remained until Burgoyne's surrender. Mr. Jones preached to the people at his own house, every Sabbath, until 1770, when a small church was built, on ground given by himself. This house was occupied until 1793, when it was replaced by another upon the same site, at the expense of the town. It is supposed that a church was gathered at the time the first meeting house was built. The date may have been later, but the early records were destroyed by fire, and it cannot be definitely fixed. Deacon Archibald Thomas was one of the first members of the church. He was a professor in early life, and had been a deacon in Mr. Morehead's church in Boston. He died at the age of 86, and his wife lived to the age of 106 years. Mr. Jones ministered to the church until the close of the Revolutionary war, and then removed to Whitehall, N. Y., where he died. He is recorded as a native of Bellingham, and a graduate of Harvard in 1752. Rev. Preserved Smith, a native of Ashfield, and a grad uate of Brown University in 1786, was ordained as the first regular pastor of the church, Nov. 21, 1787, and, after a ministry of about 16 years and a half, was dismissed, May 30, 1804. December 2, 1812, he was re-settled as the pastor of the church, and after an additional ministry of about twenty years, resigned his charge March 10, 1832, but was never regularly- dismissed by Council. After Mr. Smith's first dismissal, Rev. Jonathan Gill- more received a call to settle, which he accepted. A ROWE. 421 Council was called to install him, but finding that there was but a small majority of the Society in favor of his be coming their pastor, they declined to install him, although he was desirous that they should. Rev. Jonathan Keith was settled as the second pastor of the church, January 6, 1808, and dismissed January 10, 1812. He was a native of Bridgewater, and graduated at Brown in 1805. Mr. Smith changed his theological views and became a Unitarian, and with him his church became attached to that denomination, and has thus remained since. On the 29th of January, 1833, Rev. William L. Stearns was settled, and was dis missed December 14, 1849. He was succeeded June 12, 1850, by Rev. Stillman Barber, who relinquished his charge Oct. 1, 1852. Rev. Sumner Lincoln succeeded him, and still remains the pastoral supply. The church built a new meeting house in 1847, and the old one still stands as a monument of antiquity. The Second Congregational (Orthodox) Church was organized April 10, 1833, with only three members. This small church worshiped for a time in a barn. Their first and present meeting house was built in 1834. In 1853, the number of members had risen to 28. The first pastor was Rev. John C. Thompson, a native of Heath, and a graduate of Amherst in 1829, who was ordained October 28, 1835, and dismissed June 19, 1837. He was succeeded September 5, 1838, by Rev. Andrew Govan, a Scotchman, educated at the University of Glasgow. Mr. Govan was dismissed August 29, 1842. Rev. Benjamin F. Clarke was installed as the third pastor, June 7, 1849, and was dis missed October 23, 1850. The present pastor is Rev. J. Pomeroy. The Baptist church in Rowe was organized July 15, 1810, with 27 members. The following have been their preachers : Rev. Messrs. Samuel Carpenter, Arad Hall, Edward Davenport, Nathaniel Ripley, B. F. Remington, James Burke and George Carpenter. A Methodist class was formed in Rowe in 1800. In 1828, when the number of members had risen to 60, a meeting house was built. The following have been the preachers : Rev. Messrs. Elijah Ward, Timothy Carpen ter, Samuel Carpenter, Shadrack Bostwick, Peter Van Nest, Michael Coate, Joseph Mitchell, Joseph Crawford, 36 422 SHELBURNE. Freeman Bishop, Elijah R. Sabin, Daniel Ostrander, Dan iel Brumley, C. Hammond, J. W. Lewis, Wm. Bordwell, Edward A. Manning and L. B. Clarke. The Society is not prosperous at present. There are seven school districts in the town, and $500 are raised annually for school purposes, which, with the money received from the State, and the interest on a dona tion of $200, enables each district to maintain a school during 11 months in the year. Rowe is almost exclusively an agricultural town, and with the exception of a small woolen factory, a tannery, a tool shop, and a small cabinet ware manufactory, is desti tute of mechanical or manufacturing establishments. In 1854, $1,450 was the whole amount raised by tax. The town is free from debt, and has 144 ratable polls. The population in 1840 was 700 ; in 1850, 661 ; decrease in ten years, 39. SHELBURNE. The territory of Shelburne was originally included in Deerfield, and was at first called the " Deerfield Pasture," and afterwards " Deerfield North West". It began to be settled not far from 1756. The first two settlements were made near Shelburne Falls, by families from Deerfield. The early settlers were soon obliged to retire, on account of the French and Indian war. The first permanent set tlements are supposed to have been made about 1760. The following are the names of the first settlers, viz" : Jonathan Catlin, James Ryder, Robert Wilson, John Taylor, Daniel Nims, Martin Severance, Samuel Hunter, Ebenezer Fisk, Watson Freeman, Mr. Ashley, Mr. Lawson and Mr. Thompson. Several of this number came from Deerfield, and some of them were Irish families who had lived for a time in Londonderry, N. H. In 1762, the whole number of families in the town was fourteen. The early settlers stood in great fear of the hostile In dians. When they left their homes in the time of snow, to hunt, or to make maple sugar, they were often afraid to return by the same route homeward, lest, by their track, they should be discovered and massacred by their foes. Sometimes they were obliged to flee to the neighboring forts for safety. Robert Wilson, who resided in that part SHELBURNE. 423 of the town adjoining Coleraine, was once obliged to escape with his family in the night to the Coleraine fort. He had been warned in the evening of danger from the Indians. His wife had a babe only a few weeks old. A deep snow had just fallen. It was several miles to the fort. He took his gun and the oldest of his two children, and his wife took the babe, and they waded on foot through the snow, in the darkness of midnight, towards the fort. As they approached it, the firing of guns was heard, and they knew the fort must be attacked by the Indians. As they knew of no other place of safety, they went on towards the fort, and found all the Indians were on the opposite side of it, and went directly up to it and entered safely. In the early settlement of this mountainous town, such wild animals as wolves, bears and catamounts were not unfrequent. A company of wolves having committed depredations in one of the farm yards one night, they were soon pursued by a company of resolute men, who fired and killed one, and drove another into a cave on Ball Mountain, in the West part of the town, and by filling the cave with smoke, suffocated -him, so that one Samuel Howard went in and drew out the animal. As Daniel Nims was return ing home, one evening, on horseback, through the woods, guided by marked trees, by the increased howling of the wolves he perceived that he was followed by the ravenous beasts, and that they were gaining upon him. He made all possible speed, and had just reached his house, secured his horse, and entered the door of his dwelling, as a pack of hun gry, howling wolves entered his yard. In the morning, he found they had carried off a fine calf from his premises. The town was incorporated June 21, 1768, and was named after Lord Shelburne of England, who, according to the usual tradition, gave the town a bell which, as usual, was lost after it had arrived at Boston. The first town meeting was held October 31, 1768, at the house of Daniel Nims. Capt. John Wells, from Deerfield, was the first town clerk ; Ebenezer Fisk, constable ; John Wells, John Taylor, and Robert Wilson, selectmen. Quite a number of men from this town were soldiers in the Revolution. Several of them survived to become pen sioners under the enactments of Congress, and one is still living in town, who is nearly one' hundred years old. A 424 ^ SHELBURNE. considerable number of the inhabitants took an active part in the scenes of the Shays Insurrection. The most of them were on the side of the Government. John Hunter took part with the insurgents. He was among the few who were killed on the 25th of January, 1786, at Springfield, and his remains were taken to Shelburne for burial. The first Orthodox Congregational Church in Shelburne was probably organized about 1770, with 12 members. The first religious meetings were held in the dwelling house of Mr. Daniel Nims. November 6, 1771, the town " voted to repair the log meeting-house, to plaster up the cracks with mortar, to make a door, to obtain three windows, and to make a pulpit." The second meeting-house was built in 1773, about half a mile North of the present Congrega tional meeting-house. This house was demolished in 1832. The early meetings were called together by the blowing of a conch shell. The third meeting-house was built in 1832, and burnt March 9, 1845, while the people were assembled for their Sabbath worship. The fourth and present house was built the same year. The first settled pastor was Rev. Robert Hubbard, a native of Middletown, Ct, and a grad uate of Yale in 1769. He was settled October 20, 1773, and died at Middletown, while pastor of the church, Novem ber 2, 1788. He was succeeded, March 21, 1792, by Rev. Jesse Townsend of Andover, Ct., a graduate of Yale in 1790, who was dismissed April 12, 1797. Rev. Theophilus Packard, D. D., succeeded him February 20, 1799, and his nominal pastorate has continued until the present time, a period of 56 years. Dr. Packard was a native of Bridge- water, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1796. His active pastoral life was closed February 20, 1842, and he has since resided in South Deerfield. During the early part of his life, when academies were few, he fitted many young men for college, and 31 students who became preachers studied theology with him. Rev. Theophilus Packard, Jr., was ordained as the fourth pastor of the church, associated with his father, March 12, 1828, and dismissed December 6, 1853, and now resides in Lyme, Ohio. In leaving the State, he bequeathed an invaluable legacy to the county of his birth, in his History of the Churches and Ministers of Franklin County, — a work of thorough research and sys tematic execution, from which the writer has drawn largely SHELBURNE. 425 in his history of the towns in that county. The Shelburne church is now without a pastor. The Second Orthodox Congregational Church was or ganized at Shelburne Falls, March 6, 1850, with 44 mem bers. The first and present meeting-house was completed the next year. The first pastor, Rev. George F. Bronson, was ordained February 19, 1851, the same day on which the meeting-house was dedicated. He was dismissed No vember 8, 1853. Mr. Bronson was a native of Middle bury, Ct. A notice of the Baptist Church of Shelburne will .be found in the history of Deerfield. After the division of the Deerfield and Shelburne church in 1832, the Shelburne branch had for preachers, Rev. Messrs. Anthony Case, B. F. Remington, and Elder Darrymple and others. April 11, 1839, the Shelburne division was dissolved. The Second Baptist Church was organized at Shelburne Falls, November 6, 1833, with 19 members, and had, in 1853, 240 members. Their preachers have been Rev. Messrs. John Alden, Wm. Heath, Gaius Smith, Edgar H. Gray and Wm. H. Parmelee. The Methodist Church was formed at Shelburne Falls in October, 1842, with 12 members. Their meeting-house is within the limits of Buckland. The following have been their preachers : Rev. Messrs. G. W. Green, H. Clark, A. A. Cooke, W. Ward, Taylor, S. Cushman, A. G. Bowles, S. W. Johnson, Wm. Butler, John Burke and Mr. Hemen- way. A Unitarian Society was organized in Shelburne, April 14, 1828, and a church organized in October, 1841, with 17 members. They have never built a meeting-house, or settled a pastor. The following individuals have preached for them : Rev. Messrs. Dan Huntington, Winthrop Bailey, Henry Coleman, Samuel Willard, Luther Wilson, Craw ford Nightingale and George F. Clarke. , A Universalist Society was organized at Shelburne Falls, February 26, 1853. Rev. J. H. Willis has acted since as their pastoral supply. They have no house of worship. District schools were commenced in the town in 1770,. and the means to support them were raised by tax. For a long time the number of school districts has been nine, but for several years past ten schools have been in operation. 36* 426 SHELBURNE. The amount of money raised for schools, in 1854 was $800* The following persons, originating in Sh-elburne, have been graduates of colleges : Lewis Long, Robert Hubbard,; Jr., Amariah Chandler,. Ezra Fisk, Pliny Fisk, Samuel L Wells, William Wells, George Bull, Theophilus Packard, Jr., Levi Pratt, Joseph Anderson, Giles Lyman, Alvan S. Anderson, Pliny Fisk, 2d, Daniel T. Fisk, Stephen Kel logg, John F. Severence, Samuel Fisk, 2d, Waldo W. Lud den, and Wilcox. The following physicians originated in Shelburne : Elias Skinner, Wm. Holloway, Geo. Hol- loway, Ezekiel Allen, Aaron Long, Josiah Long, Lawson Long, Silas Long, D. O. Long, Wm. Hart and Ebenezer Childs. The years 1777, 1802 and 1808 were distinguished: by unusual sickness and mortality. In 1777, the malignant dysentery carried off about seventy persons, and the most of them within the space of two or three months. Many of the men being absent in the army, and it being the sea son of haying and harvesting, it was with great difficulty that sufficient help could be obtained to take care of the sick, bury the dead, and gather the crops. In 1802, about 40 died of the dysentery. In 1808, a new disease swept off quite a number, with great suddenness. Five burial yards have been opened in town, and about 1,000 people buried in them. At the time when slavery was legal in the province of Massachusetts, a few families held slaves. A fugitive slave. from the State of New York once settled in the town, and was recaptured and taken from the place, but was finally rescued, and taken back to Shelburne, where he died a few years ago, at an advanced age. A furious hurricane passed through the place in 1788, doing considerable damage to forests, fences and buildings. One Congregational meet ing-house and five dwelling houses have been consumed by fire in the town. Since the establishment of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, probably one-fourth of the premiums, in number and value, have been awarded to cit izens of Shelburne. The first post office was established in 1822. There are now three offices and two daily mails at each. Shelburne is eminently an agricultural town, and more eminently manufacturing than any of its neighbors. The SHELBURNE. 427 village of Shelburne Falls is located partly in Shelburne and partly in Buckland, and is one of the leading manu facturing villages of Franklin county. At this point- is located the cutlery establishment of Lamson, Goodnow & Co. This has been in operation nine years. At first, only butcher knives were manufactured, but about six years ago, they commenced making table cutlery in all its varieties, and the Shelburne Falls works now turn out some of the finest specimens of the article made in the world. They employ 275 hands, and annually produce cutlery of the value of $200,000. The same firm manufacture from 150,000 to 200,000 scythe-snaths per annum. These are now made by the inmates of the Vermont State Prison. — An extensive auger manufactory is also carried on by Ran som Cook and the above company. The auger is an in vention of Mr. Cook, a scientific mechanic, and bores a solid oak stick with the ease that accompanies the use of the gimlet. The works are not yet in full operation, but the product now amounts to $30,000 per annum. — Charles W. Colton manufactures daily $50 worth of his patent auger handles, an invention approved wherever used or known. — Bates & Whitney manufacture carriage-wheels to the amount of several thousand dollars annually. — Sar gent & Foster manufacture a patent apple-parer which illustrates the perfection of Yankee genius, and gives such satisfaction that $60,000 worth are made annually. The same firm carry on an iron foundry, with an annual product of $10,000. — There are also at Shelburne Falls an ax fac tory, carried on by J. Pratt & Son, a satinet factory, a shop where steam engines are manufactured, a rake factory, a stocking factory, a carriage factory, and two cabinet ware shops. Shelburne Falls also contains the largest, and most commodious and costly hotel in Franklin county. It is built of granite. At the middle of the town, Mr. Conant manu factures an excellent quality of chairs, to the amount of several thousand dollars annually. In 1852, the number of children between five and fifteen years of age was 262 ; average attendance in the district schools, 222 ; ratable polls, 290. The State tax of the town in 1853 was $252. The valuation of property and polls in Shelburne, in 1841, was $255,944; in 1851, 428 SHUTESBURY. $470,874. The population in 1790 was 1,183 ; in 1800, 1,079; in 1810, 961; in 1820, 1,052; in 1830,995; in 1840, 1,034; in 1850, 1,226. SHUTESBURY. Previous to 1734, a number of persons, mostly of Lan caster, interested themselves in the construction of a road from that town, to the Connecticut river, at Sunderland. The cost of the enterprise was so great, and the public benefits secured by it so considerable, that they united in a petition to the General Court for an appropriation of lands as a recompense. William Richardson was empowered to present the petition, which was signed by 95 individuals,' though the proprietors' records give only 77. In the House of Representatives, it was ordered, December 11, 1734, " that the petition be granted, and the petitioners are allowed and empowered, by a surveyor and chainman, on oath, to survey and lay out a tract of the unappropriated lands of this province, of the contents of six miles square, and return a plot thereof to this Court for confirmation, in three months." The conditions of the grant were, that it should be near the highway which the petitioners had laid out, that within four years after the return and acceptance of the plot, sixty families should be settled, each of which should build a house 18 feet square and seven feet stud, and clear and break four acres of land for tillage and four acres for English grass ; and also lay out three lots, one for the first settled minister, one for the ministry and one for a school, and that they build a meeting-house and settle a learned and orthodox minister ; and, furthermore, fit the road on which their grant was based for a cart-way. All these conditions were to be executed within the space of four years. The Council, December 18, 1734, non-con curred in the vote, but the whole matter was adjusted April 17, 1735, and, on the following chry, the bill received Gov. Belcher's signature. The first meeting of the proprietors was held on the following 13th of May, in Lancaster, at the 'house of William Richardson. Capt. Oliver Wilder was chosen moderator, and Jonathan Houghton, proprietors' clerk! A committee of seven was chosen to lay out the lots as the proprietors should order, consisting of "Thomas Wells, Samuel Carter, Benjamin Houghton, Lieut. Joseph SHUT.ESBURY. 429 Clary, Ensign Hooker Osgood, Capt. Oliver Wilder and Capt. Wm. Richardson. Another committee was chosen to see that the road was properly cleared and worked, and a tax of three pounds was voted upon each proprietor of a right. At subsequent meetings, other individuals, some of whom were from Hampshire county, were admitted as equal proprietors with the seventy-seven, on condition of paying equal charges. The tract secured was actually more than six miles square, and included a large portion of the present town of Wendell, and a tier of lots now included in the West part of New Salem. It was about ten miles long, and, in some parts, six miles miles wide, but in others, less. On account of the basis of the grant, the territory was called Roadtown, until June 30, 1761, when it was incor porated with the name of Shutesbury, in honor of Samuel Shute, who was Governor of Massachusetts Bay from 1716 to 1723. Governor Bernard was in office at the time of the incorporation, and his wife, who was a niece of Gov ernor Shute, presented to the town an elegant Bible which is still in its possession. In laying out the town, a tract of about five hundred acres, lying south of the road running through the town of Sunderland, was reserved for the use of Governor Belcher, and called " the Governor's farm," out of which he deeded four acres adjoining the road, to the inhabitants of the town, " for the building of the meeting-house and school- house, and for a burying place and training field — forever." Other land around was divided into lots containing not less than forty, nor more than sixty acres — according to the quality of the land. In the first division there were more than one hundred lots, the lots exceeding the number of the proprietors, a few having" more than one right. These lots were to be drawn by the proprietors. It would seem that it was intended that the first sixty lots should be set tled. There is, however, one exception mentioned, and a few drew more than one lot, but, undoubtedly, with the understanding that they should see that they were settled. Other lots were exempt from settling, or it was left optional with those who drew them. But those who chose to be exempt from settling were to give bonds to pay eighteen pounds for the use of the proprietors. Any per son dissatisfied with his lot, could throw it down and take 430 SHUTESBURT. up another, provided there should be no additional expense to the proprietors. There were three or four more divisions — the lots of which were to be drawn by the same proprie tors, that is, such as would accept of them. The first twelve lots in the first division were in two tiers of six each, and lay on the North side of the road, opposite to the Governor's farm, but extending further West. (The line between the two, begins at the road, a trifle East of the "boot manufactory" belonging to H. Winter, Esq.) Of about one hundred names of proprietors recorded be fore the drawing of the lots in the first division, it is now impossible to ascertain how many became actual settlers. Capt. Wm. Richardson and Tho. Wells appear first among the grantees. The first belonged to Lancaster, and the first meeting of the proprietors was held at his house. He was on one or two committees before the meetings of the pro prietors were removed to Roadtown, but there is no evi dence that he settled in the town. Tho. Wells was from Deerfield. One of the first committees chosen at the first meeting of the proprietors was to confer with him and Mr. Joseph Clary, about their having one-third of the township. He drew, however, five lots — three for settlement. He was occasionally moderator, was on several committees, and we conclude he must have been a settler. Dr. Thomas Wells, also from Deerfield, drew two lots for settlement, and the records show that in the early settlement of the town, there were two or three others by the name of Wells. They may have been relatives of Thomas Wells, and we may conclude he was deeply interested in the settlement of the town. But it is not known where any of the name settled, and the oldest inhabitants have no knowledge of any of the name ever living in town. Jonathan Burt of Deer field was allowed to take lot No. 1, without drawing, on giving bonds of a hundred pounds to build a house and dwell therein as one of the settlers by May, 1737, and the first house in Shutesbury was built by him, where the house of James P. Ilemenway now stands. Bezaleel Wilder had No. 2 on the same terms. He settled, and lived to old age. Col. Samuel Willard drew No. 3 for his son Abijah Willard, but the lot was settled by Josiah Blanchard. Thomas Temple settled a little farther North. John Barnard settled in the South- West part of the town ; SHUTESBURY. 431 Benjamin Houghton on what is now called " the Ball place." There were seven proprietors of the name of Osgood. Those who settled had their lots in what is now a part of Wendell. The same may be said of the Sawyers, part of the Wilders, &c. The meetings continued to be held in Lancaster. At the meeting held Oct. 26, 1737, Hooker Osgood was chosen proprietors' clerk, in place of Jonathan Houghton, late of Lancaster, deceased. The last meeting held in Lancaster was Sept. 6, 1738, and the first meeting held in Roadtown was June 6, 1739, at the house of Jonathan Burt. This was a little more than two years after the time he gave bonds to have his house built, and to dwell therein, and we conclude that at the last date quite a number of families were settled in town. But for a number of years, notice of the meetings of the proprietors had to be given in Lancaster as well as in Roadtown. At the first meeting in Lancaster, a committee was chosen to see that the road was cleared and worked, from Lancaster to Sunderland. At a subsequent meeting, Oct. 26, 1737, it was voted to work out £214 upon the road, in the months of May and June, and that the proprietors who would work should have ten shillings a day ; also " voted a committee of eight men, each man of the committee to take his squadron of men from Lancaster, and to divide the way from Lancaster, — South-river — to the hither side of Salem town, in order to make the said road as passable as they can in four days." Other measures were taken for the same purpose, till the road was accepted. Oct. 27, 1736, a committee was chosen to procure the building of a sawmill. Oct. 26, 1737, it was voted that Jonathan Burt, Bezaleel Wilder, Nathan Farrar and James Wilder have twenty acres of land, at the southern branch of the Roaring Brook, (with the exception of yard room, where the proprietors could lay their logs and lumber, and a road leading to it,) as an encouragement in the enterprise of building a sawmill. It was further voted that these " undertakers" should have £50 in two instalments, as further encouragement in the sawmill enterprise, which mill should be in operation by the last day of the follow ing June. The sawmill proprietors were to " find" the settlers good pine boards for 40s. per m. for ten years after 432 SHUTESBURY. the mill should be built, or saw " to the halves," or for 2Qg., the proprietors (settlers) finding the logs. This mill was built where the sawmill of Zebina Richardson now stands, and there was at that time, both East and West of the mill, a most valuable tract of pine timber. June 8, 1743, 120 acres of land were voted to Lieut. Bezaleel Sawyer, to encourage him to build a corn mill, to commence operations on the last of the following October. Mr. Sawyer failing in the enterprise, the same terms were transferred Nov. 9, 1747, to Benjamin Harris, who built the first grist mill in the South East part of the town, on what was formerly called Harris Brook, a little below the bridge, South of the present dwelling house of Josiah Atherton. June 12, 1754, £8 was voted to Jonas Locke, to encourage him in building a grist mill at what is known as Locke's Pond, to be in operation on Nov. 1st following, and kept in constant repair twelve years. Oct. 29,* 1735, it was voted that there be a meeting house built as~near the center of the town as might he. Two days previously, it was voted to build a meeting house forty feet long, thirty feet wide, and twenty feet stud. Capt. Jonas Houghton, Dr. Thomas Wells and David Farrar were chosen a committee " to let out said meeting house, and to oblige him or them that shall undertake, to make and raise the frame thereof, and to finish the outside of said meeting house and to lay the floor, all workmanlike, and that, on or before the 27th day of October, which will be in the year 1738." Oct 26, 1737, Col. Samuel Willard and David Osgood were added to the building committee, and £380 were appropriated for building purposes. This money, and that for building the sawmill, was to be drawn from the committee in trust for the £18 notes. The con tract for building the meeting house was awarded to Mr. D. Dix. The whole matter of building the meeting house, at this time, miscarried. Sept. 6, 1738, it was voted to re consider the votes in that regard, passed Oct. 29, 1735, and determined to change the location from the center to " the Governor's farm," near Jonathan Burt's lot, the ex pense of raising to be paid " out of the public stock." June 6th, 1739, at a meeting held at Jonathan Burt's, it was voted to add five feet to the length, and five feet to the SHUTESBURY. 433 width of the house, and that Mr. Dix be allowed £60 more than the sum agreed upon in the first bargain, " provided he make the windows larger, according to the proportions of the house." From the following vote, passed in Sep tember, 1740, it would appear that the meeting house had been built, but not furnished with pews. " Voted that Jonathan Burt shall have the privilege of building a con venient pew at the left hand of the fore or South door, upon condition that he give some land on the back side of the meeting house for the use of the proprietors, said piece to be one and a half rods wide, and running the whole length of the four acres given by Gov. Belcher." From this time, for several years, the records teem with votes in regard to the meeting house, which stood near the site of the present store of Messrs. Hemenway, being wholly or in part upon the present road. Samuel Willard was authorized to buy a cushion for the pulpit, £6 were voted to furnish the communion table, and June 7, 1749, it was voted to finish the lower part of the meeting house, and build convenient pews. July 8, 1752, it was voted to sell at auction the places suitable for building pews, but the action of the committee, chosen for this purpose, was not confirmed. Other votes for building pews were passed, and the interior of the structure must have made a unique and highly variegated appearance. In 1791, it was voted to move the house, so that the South sill should be on the North line of the county road, and to repair the structure. The building was never thoroughly finished, and was de molished after standing for eighty years. About 1825, there was an attempt made to get a vote of the town for making a new meeting house, but the vote not being allowed, it was proposed that individuals of dif ferent denominations build a house, each denomination having preaching according to its proportion of proprietor ship. Of the house thus built, the Baptists owned about one- half, Congregationalists one-fourth, and the Unitarians and Universalists the remainder. The raising of this house was not completed the first day, the steeple having been carried only one story above the belfry. In the center stood the " gin-pole," with the tackle upon it. In the early part of the evening, there aroso a thunder storm, arid be- 37 434 SHUTESBURY. fore the people had all dispersed, the gin-pole was struck by lightning, doing various damage to the frame in its pas sage to the earth, so that the raising was not concluded until the third day. In 1836, the Congregationalists sold out to the Baptists, and built a separate house. Rev. Abraham Hill of Cambridge, a graduate of Har vard in 1737, was the first minister, and commenced preach ing as early as February, 1742. A church was organized, and Mr. Hill ordained, Oct. 27, 1742. As " settlement," Mr. Hill was to have an equal share of land with the other proprietors, and £87 10s. in money, with a salary of £40 a year. He preached about 36 years, and was dis missed Feb. 27, 1778. Previous to his dismission, for about two years, he had not been allowed to preach, on account of his tory principles. He subsequently sued the town for arrears of salary, and obtained his case. Mr. Hill took the church records away, and they have been destroyed. * The church, which was Congregational, de clined until, in 1806, it had but one member. February 4th of that year, it was reorganized. But little preaching ' was enjoyed for many years after the dismissal Of Mr. Hill. Rev. John Taylor was settled as the second Con gregational pastor, Jan. 17, 1816. Mr. Taylor was a native of New Salem, and a graduate of Brown in 1809. He was dismissed May 15, 1822, and from this date until the settlement of Rev. Ezra Newton, March 1, 1848, the church was ministered to by various supplies, among whom were Rev. Silas Shores for 3 years, Rev. Martyn Cushman for six years, and Rev. Lot B. Sullivan for 4 years. Mr. Newton preached only about two years, and was dismissed September 10, 1850. Since October, 1850, Rev James Tisdale has been the pastoral supply. The Baptist Church of Shutesbury was formed April 9, 1787, having for a few years previously existed as a branch of the New Salem Church. It took the name of the "Anti- Pedo-Baptist Church," at its organization, and is said to have had at that time but five male members. Elder Ewen was the first minister, and had preached for some time previous to the separate organization of the church. He wgs a Scotchman, and tradition asserts that he was one of Braddock's aids at Fort Du Quesne. Rev. Joseph Smallidge, the first and last settled minister, was settled SHUTESBURY. 435 Oct 2.7, 1785, and died in office, May 23, 1829. Rev. Mr. Rurbank supplied two years, mostly previous to the death of Elder Smallidge ; Rev. Mr. Austin four years, Rev. Mr. Munroe one year, Elders Grant and Green four years each, Rev. Nicholas Branch two years, Rev. Henry Coombs the same, Rev. N. B. Jones the same, and Rev. W. A. Pease about four years, he still remaining the supply. Large additions have been made to this church, at various times. In 1798, it numbered about 200, and it has received 200 members since 1830. . Its present number is about 150. The Universalist Society was formed June 1, 1829, and has had for preachers Rev. Messrs. John Brooks, J. H. Willis, Samuel Davis, Ira Washburn, Franklin Whittaker, M. Newell, Samuel Brimblecomb, Otis W. Bacon and Gerard Bushnell. A Methodist Church was organized at Locke's Village, in June, 1 849, with ten members. They built a meeting house in 1851, and have been ministered to successively by Rev. Messrs. J. J. Woodbury, Rodney Gage, Daniel A. Marsh, Leonard Frost, Gardner Rice, J. W. P. Jordan, J. J. Woodbury, and C. A. Perry. The church is com posed of members from Leverett, Wendell and Shutes bury. To recur to early history, it may be mentioned that no Indian depredations were ever committed in the town, though in 1748, a fort was built directly North of the dwelling house of Rev. Abraham Hill, and the house itself picketed. This was where Mr. Bradyll Smith now lives. - The first meeting of the town, after its incorporation, was held Oct. 5, 1761, Ebenezer Childs, moderator. The officers chosen were Jonas Locke, town clerk ; Ebenezer Childs, Lieut. Jonathan Dickinson, Jonas Locke and Joseph Locke, selectmen ; and Ebenezer Childs and Jonas Locke, assessors. Sept. 18, 1765, it was voted to establish a school, and to raise £6 for the purpose, and it was also " voted to build a pair of stocks in the town." John Hamilton was the first representative, elected in 1775, to attend the pro vincial Congress to be held in Watertown. In the time of the Revolution, there was but one tory, of any consequence, and he, the minister, Mr. Hill. His toryism was most offensive, and became so offensive at last, that the people impounded him, and threw herrings over 496 SHUTESBURY. to him to eat. Mr. William Ewen was sent as delegate to the convention at Cambridge Sept. 1, 1779, and was in structed in his action by the town, in a series of articles drawn up with great care, and exhibiting a remarkable knowledge of popular rights and the genius of a democratic government. The votes upon the town records, offering bounties for soldiers enlisting in the continental service, raising supplies in food and clothing in accordance with the requisitions of the General Court, and to pay the soldiers their hire, are numerous, and to recount them would only prove a tedious repetition. They prove that Shutesbury, according to its ability, was one of the most patriotic of the towns in this section of the State. It would appear from the records that Mr. Hill refused to pay his Continental, State and town taxes. The town sustained the constable and assessors, and Mr. Hill brought an action against them for compelling him to pay the taxes, in the Court of Common Pleas at Northampton. The town chose a committee, consisting of Lieut. John Powers, Dr. James Ross and Capt. Seth Pierce, to send its decision in a draught to the Court, which they did, in a very inde pendent manner, stating that the assessors had as good a right to tax Mr. Hill as any other man in the town, that they did. not acknowledge the British laws on which the Courts stood, and would not submit the case to them. So far as is known, this ended the matter. Shutesbury has been a considerable resort for invalids, seeking the benefits of the mineral waters of " the pool." The climate is very healthy. For a number of years, the deaths iave averaged only one in ninety of the inhabitants, and for four years, those who have died under 20 years of age have not been more than one-fourth of the whole who have died. Many live to extreme old age, the most remark able instance having been that of Ephraim Pratt, who died in May, 1804, aged 116 years and 5 months. He could mount a horse easily at 110, and swung a scythe for 101 consecutive years. Mrs. Job Pierce, a descendant of Bez aleel Wilder, is said to the only descendant of the first proprietors, now residing in town. The people of Shutesbury are mostly agriculturists. Great numbers of palm leaf hats are braided, and the boot manufacture is carried on somewhat extensively. SUNDERLAND. 437 Lumber is manufactured by 15 sawmills. The town is remarkable for its production of whortleberries, nearly $1,000 worth of which are annually picked, and sold out of the town. The town contains about 27 square miles of territory. The taxes for 1854 were, for general town expenses, $1,000; for roads, $800 ; for schools, $600. The town owes a debt of nearly $1,000, possesses a ministerial fund of $805, a school fund of $279, and is divided into ten school districts. Miles of roads, 60 ; population in 1840, 997 ; in 1850, 924; decrease in ten years, 73. SUNDERLAND. Sunderland was originally a plantation bearing the name of Swampfield. It was granted to inhabitants of Hadley in May, 1673, and included within its limits the town of Leverett, the principal part of Montague, and a part of Wendell, — set off from Montague after its incorpo ration. The original limits extended North, from the mouth of Mohawk Brook, being the North-west corner of Hadley, to the mouth of Little Brook, opposite the mouth of Deerfield River, and Easterly " out into the woods six miles from the Great River." Subsequently, a grant two miles in width was added at the East, called " the two-mile addition." A settlement was made upon the territory soon after the grant, but King Philip's War broke it up, the Indians burnt their buildings, and the clearings grew up with brush. It is said that when the second settlement was made, a bass-wood tree, about one foot in diameter, had grown in the fire-place of one of the houses, that an apple- tree, set out by the first settler, on the present home lot of Rufus Russell, was found large and thrifty, and that the same tree has lived until within a few years. Very little information can be obtained in regard to this settlement of 1674. When the settlers of just forty years afterwards, (1714) took possession, they found buildings in ruins, and trees growing amongst them. There was originally a con tinuous settlement of " weekwams" on what is called " the island," running North and South, and crossing the East home lots, about half the distance from the present street to the hill at the East end of those lots. Dea. John Mon tague, who died in 1832, and was born in 1753, spoke of 37* 488 SUNDERLAND. remembering two or three of these wigwams, but thfey could have been little more than their remains. The pro prietors purchased their grant of the Indians, as was usual at that time, and the deed is here subjoined, as an interest ing specimen of the antique : " These presents testify that Mettawompe, alias Nattawas- sawet, ye Indian for himself, & in the behalf of other Indians, viz: Wadamummin, Squiskheag, & Sunkkamamachue, & for & in consideration of eighty fathom of wampum, & several other small things to him & them in hand paid, & fully se cured, by John Pynchon of Springfield, in ye behalf & upon the acct. of Robt. Boltwood, John Hubbird, Joseph Kellogg & Thos. Dickinson of Hadley: Hath Bargained and sold, & Do by these presents, Give, Grant, Bargaine & sell unto ye sd Robt. Boltwood, Jno. Hubbird, Jos. Kellogg & Thos. Dickin son, a certain Tractof Land lying on ye East side of Quinnet- ticott River, about 7 or 8 miles above Hadley, adjoining to a parcell of land the sd Boltwood & Company bought of Mish- alisk, from that parcell of Land & Brook, Sawwatapskechuwas [Mohawk Brook] up by ye Grt. River Quinnetticott, northerly to a little Brook called Papacontuckquash & Coroheaggan, lying over against ye mouth of Pacomptuck River Mantahe- las. The sd Mettawompe alias Nattawwassawet Doth Give, Grant, Bargain & sell unto ye sd Robt. Boltwood, Jno. Hub- bird, Jos. Kellogg & Thos. Dickinson & their successors & Company, & to their heirs & assigns Forever, hereby resign ing to them all the Right, Title, & Interest in the forementioned Lands Called Mattampash, from Sawwatapskechuwas, An- quepinick, Sankrohokcun, Lemuckquash, & Papacontuck quash, Corroheaggan, & to Mantahelas, & so out into ye woods six miles Eastward from ye Great River Quinnetticott. To Have and to Hold all ye sd land to ye proper uses & behoof of ym ye sd Robt Boltwood, John Hubbird, Jos. Kellogg, Thos. Dickinson & Company & their heirs & Assigns forever, with all the Profits, Commodities & advantages thereof & thereto belonging whatsoever & yt forever. And ye said Mettawompe alias Nattawassawet doth hereby covenant & promise that he will save harmless ye sd Robt. Boltwood, John Hubbird, Jos. Kellogg, Thos. Dickinson & Company & their. heirs & assigns, of and from all manner of Claims, Rights, Titles & Interest of any person whomsoever, in & to the sd Lands and from all incumbrances of Indian's Rights to all or any part thereof, having full power & Lawful Right thus to Doe. And in Witness hereof affixes his hand & seal this 10th day of April, 1674. The mark of Mettawompe : X " This don & delivered in presence of us. Isaac Morgan — H»nry Rogers, Ackalambowitt : S* the mark of an Indian. SUNDERLAND. 439 ¦"Mettawompe alias Nattawasawett acknowledged this In strument to be his act & deed. Relinquishing & Resigning up all Right and Interest in the premises to the English within named 10th April, 1674, before me, John Pynchon, Assist. "This 17th of Aprl, 1674, Squiskheag came & acknowledged the sale of ye Land mentioned on ye other side, sold by Mettawompe & doth hereby confirm ye sale thereof, having rec'd part of ye pay, viz. Thirty Fathom: whereupon Squisk- heag, for himself & his Brothers Sunckkamamachue, & Wad- amummin sell, & by sale forever, pass away all ye Land men tioned on ye other side, namely ye Land on ye East side of Quinnetticott River from Sawwatapskechuwas on the south, northerly to Right against the mouth of Pacomtuck River, called Mantahelas. To have and to Hold all ye sd Land from ye Grt River six miles out into ye woods Eastward to Robt. Boltwood, John Hubbard, Jos. Kellogg & Thos. Dickinson,,to them, their heirs & assigns forever, & in witness thereof, sub scribed his hand and seal this 17th, April 1674. " The mark of Squiskeag : K (seal.) "In presence of us John Pynchon Jos. I T Thomas his mark." There is another Indian deed on record, given by Mish- alisk, an old woman, who conveys the tract to Robert Bolt- wood, and the others named in the deed above given. , In 1713, upon the petition of the surviving original set tlers and their descendants, the grant was revived, prefer ence being given to descendants of the original petitioners, and Samuel Partridge, John Pynchon (the second John Pynchon) and Samuel Porter were " impowered a Com mittee to receive ye challenges of all persons to ye prop erty, and right of land in ye said plantation," and " to state ye place of ye town upon small lots, so as it may be made defensible," &c. The conditions were that 40 families should settlei within three years, and an orthodox minister encouraged to settle with them. April 24, 1714, the Com mittee met, established articles of agreement for the pro prietors, fixed the site of the village, and superintended the distribution of the lots. It was provided that " the town street be eight rods wide, till it comes towards ye lower end, then to hold something wider by reason of a swamp that lies in ye street." The lots were laid out "in two files or rows, and each lot to be 14 rod wide." * * 440- SUNDERLAND. " The East lots to run from ye street to ye edge or top of ye hill next ye great swamp East, the lots running through said swamp." * * * " The West home-lots run from ye street to the Great River West." The home-lots, forty in number, were drawn by the following persons, commenc ing at the North end of the Street : EAST SIDE. 1. Nathaniel Kellogg. 2. Stephen Belding senr. 3. Isaac Graves. 4. William Allis. 5. Saml. Smith. 6. Richard Scott. 7. John Preston. 8. John Montague senr. 9. Ebenezer Marsh. 10. Samuel Warner. A Highway of four rod wide runs down ye south side of this 10th lot to the commons. 11. Ebenezer Billing. 12. Joseph Field. 13. Joseph Clary. 14. Isaac Hubbard junr. 15. Samuel Gunn. 16. Thomas Hastings. 17. Manoah Bodman. 18. Thomas Hovey. 19. Saml. Hawley. 20. Stephen Belding jr. WEST SIDE. 1. Samuel Graves. 2. Jonathan Graves. 3. Eleazer Warner. 4. Samuel Harvey. 5. Luke Smith. 6. Philip Panton. 7. Ezekiel Loomis. 8. Isaac Hubbard senr. 9. Benjn. Barrit. 10. Minister's Lot. A Highway 4 rod wide runs down ye south side of this Lot to ye Great River. 11. Elihu Dickinson. 12. Joseph Smith. 13. Daniel Smith. 14. Mr. Peter Montague. 15. Samuel Boltwood. 16. Benjn. Graves. 17. Thomas Hovey senr. 18. Samuel Billing. 19. William Arms. 20. Simon Cooley." A highway was laid out at the time these allotments were made on the South side of Stephen Belding, Jr.'s lot to the Commons, 4 rods wide, which is the highway com monly called " The Lower Lane." The road from the main street to the river was changed in 1717, from the South to the North side of the minister's lot, where it now remains. The first settlers came from Hadley and Hatfield. Thomas Hastings of Hatfield was appointed the first town clerk, April 14, 1714. Of those who received grants, Sam uel Boltwood, John Preston, Stephen Belding, Ezekiel Loomis, Peter Montague, John Montague, Samuel Warner, Elihu Dickinson, Samuel Hawley and Nathaniel Kellogg either gave away or sold their rights, and were succeeded, in SUNDERLAND. 441 order, by Daniel Warner, Nathaniel Dickinson, Stephen Crofoot, William Scott, Jr., Samuel Montague, Nathaniel Gunn, Nathaniel Smith, Nathaniel Coleman, James Bridg- man and Ebenezer Kellogg. In 1715, Philip Panton was killed by the fall of a tree, and his right was transferred to Joseph Field, while Joseph Field, Jr., took his father's allot ment. In 1717, Nathaniel Coleman was released from his engagements, and his right transferred to Joseph Root. Thus changes went on, and it is a curious and instructive fact that there are in the town no lineal descendants of the first settlers, bearing the names of Harvey, Barritt, Hovey, Billing, Arms, Kellogg, Belding, Allis, Scott, Clary, Hast ings, Bodman, Crofoot and Bridgman. Of the home-lots, only one, or any part of one, is now occupied by a lineal descendant of the original owner. Eleazer Warner occu pies the Northern half of the original Eleazer Warner's lot. Nov. 8, 1715, the people voted that they would "defray the cost of having a minister this Winter to dispense the Word," and a committee was appointed to give the vote effect. Nov. 12, 1716, it was "voted that Goodman Arms and Sergt. Isaac Hubbard do take a journey to ye Presi dent of ye College in Cambridge, with letters to him to advise where and whom they may obtain to be a minister in Swampfield at least this Winter half year." At the same time it was voted to build a meeting house, 30 feet wide, 45 feet long, " and 18 foot betwixt Joynts." This house was raised about the middle of June, 1717, and stood in the street, a little North East of the present one. The Congregational Church was organized probably in January, 1718, and, at the same time, Rev. Joseph Wil lard of Saybrook, Ct, was settled as the pastor. He re mained only about three years, and was dismissed in 1721. Mr. Willard was a graduate of Yale in 1714. Two years after his dismissal, he was killed at Rutland, by the In dians. Rev. William Rand was settled as his successor at Sunderland, May 20, 1724, and continued in that relation until the latter part of 1745. He was a native of Charles- town, and a graduate of Harvard in 1721. Rev. Joseph Ashley was installed as the third pastor of the church in 1747. He was a native of Westfield, and a graduate of Yale in 1730. " He desisted from. the exercise of his pas toral office in December, 1784," but "held his office in his 442 SUNDERLAND. church till his death." Rev. Asa Lyon was his successor, Oct. 24, 1792, but he remained only until Sept. 23, 1793, when he was dismissed. Rev. David H. Williston suc ceeded him July 8, 1804, and was dismissed July 17, 1806. Rev. James Taylor, the sixth pastor, was settled July 22, 1807. He died at Sunderland while in the pastoral office, Oct. 11, 1831. He was a native of Westfield, and a grad uate of Williams in 1804. He was succeeded Jan. 21, 1833, by Rev. Henry B. Holmes, an Englishman, who was dismissed Oct. 27, 1835, and who was succeeded Dec. 28, 1836, by Rev. Solomon B. Ingram, who died while pastor at Sunderland, June 2, 1840. Mr. Ingram was a native of Amherst, and a graduate of Amherst College in 1831. He was succeeded by Rev. Austin Carey, Nov. 11, 1840, who died in office Nov. 27, 1849. May 28, 1850, Rev. Henry B. Hosford was ordained in his place, and was dis missed March 2, 1853. He was succeeded May 31, 1853, by Rev. Sereno D. Clark, who still remains in office. Mr. Clark is a native of Southampton, and graduated at Am herst in 1835. The town granted to Mr. Willard, the first minister, the ministerial lot in fee, £170 to assist him in building a house, and a yearly salary of £65 for the first six years, and £70 a year after that time. Upon his dismission, he sold the lot to the town, by whom it was settled upon Mr. Rand, who re-sold it to the town upon his dismission. It was re-settled upon the third minister, Mr. Ashley, by whom it was sold to the late Lemuel Delano, father of William Delano, the present occupant. In 1720, it was voted to pay 20s. for sweeping the meet ing house, and " tending the flagg at all public meetings the year ensuing," a vote which shows how the people were called together. In 1722, it was " voted that we will have the meeting house seated forthwith, and that we will have two more pews made. * * * * Voted that these pews shall be esteemed in dignity equal with the third seat in the body of the house." There is a Baptist Church in the Northern part of the town, called the Sunderland and Montague Baptist Church. This Church, a portion of whose members reside in Mon tague, was organized in 1822, with 41 members, and a church edifice was built in the same year. The following SUNDERLAND. 443 ministers have supplied the church : Rev. Messrs. Hosea Trumbull, Elias Johnson, Elijah Montague, Erastus An drews, Lorenzo Rice, Artemas Piper and Samuel Everett. Rev. Erastus Andrews, now Senator for Franklin County in the State Legislature, is the present pastor. He was first settled in 1831. After preaching four years, he re tired, but .was recalled at the end of a year, when he re mained three years more, at the end of which period he was again dismissed at his own request- At the end of five years, he was called back again, and his third connec tion has lasted eleven years, and still continues with strong mutual affection between the parties. The first public school was established in 1719, when it was "voted to hire a schoolmaster for the winter, on the following conditions, viz. : writers to pay 4d. a week, and readers 3d. a week, and the rest to be paid by the town." The first school house, built in 1732, stood in the street, opposite what is now called Bridge street, or a little North of that point. It was burned in 1762, and rebuilt in 1763. Before the settlement, in 1714, some person had, without authority, built a sawmill within the town, and the proprie tors bought the improvements. In 1720, it was voted to give Philip Smith of Hadley the stream at the upper end of Little Meadow, "£15 in ox, as money," 80 days work, and 20 acres of land, provided he would set up and main tain a gristmill on the stream. His toll was fixed at one twelfth of the Indian corn, oats and chess, and one four teenth of the wheat, rye and barley. The mill was built, and has been maintained there ever since. Of the original settlers, James Bridgman and Benjamin Barrit died in 1728, Ebenezer Billing in 1745, Manoah Bodman in 1759, Simon Cooley in 1746, Joseph Field in 1736, Joseph Field 2d in 1754, Samuel Graves in 1731, Dea. Samuel Gunn in 1755, Benjamin Graves in 1756, Thomas Hovey in 1728, Dea. Isaac Hubbard in 1760, Isaac Hubbard Jr. in 1763, Dea. Samuel Montague in 1779, Joseph Root in 1728, Daniel Russell in 1737, Daniel Smith in 1740, Richard Scott in 1750, and Dea. Nathaniel Smith, who was probably the last survivor, Dec. 13, 1799, aged 90. The first white male child born in town was Ebenezer Graves, who was born Sept. 10th, 1717, and died May 15, 1813, in the 96th year of his age. 444 SUNDERLAND. Sunderland bore its full share in the burdens and con flicts of the French and Indian wars, and the war of the Revolution. Nathaniel Montague, son of Dea. Samuel Montague, was killed in the battle at Lake George, in the 19th year of his age ; and Capt. Caleb Montague and Lieut. Miles Alexander were actively engaged in the ser vice during the same war. Jan. 23, 1775, Daniel Montague was chosen delegate to the provincial Congress at Cambridge. Collections were made for the poor of Boston, and an allowance voted to the minute men for their time while " learning the art of ex ercising the firelock." Israel Hubbard and Moses Gunn were chosen to represent Sunderland and Montague in the provincial Congress in Watertown, May, 1775. At a meeting held Jan. 3, 1777, a letter of instructions to Capt. Israel Hubbard, their representative, was adopted, as fol lows: " Sir, Taking into our consideration, in this important crisis, the critical situation of our bleeding country, on the account of our Domestic Enemies, we do think it our duty, to instruct you to move early in this session of the Great and General Court, that they send out a proper test or oath of allegiance to the State, to discover our Enemies from our Friends so ex plicit that we may discern them, and that something be done to prevent the undervaluing of our Paper Currency ; and as to setting up Government, that you take Common Sense for your Guide, more especially that paragraph cited from Draco, ie, That he shall merit the applause of ages that will contrive the greatest degree of individual happiness with the least expense; and that we presume will not be in having two houses, the one to negative the other." The following persons, professionally educated, were na tives of Sunderland : Rev. E. Billings, the first minister of Greenfield, William Billings, a graduate of Yale in 1765, lawyer, settled in Conway ; Elisha Billings, late of Con way, graduated at Yale in 1772 ; Col. Rufus Graves, a graduate of Dartmouth, Rev. Joseph Field, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1792 ; Rev. Eli F. Cooley, D. D., a gradu ate of Nassau Hall in 1806, now in Trenton, N. J.; Rev. H. N. Graves, a graduate of Yale in 1826, once settled in Townshend, Vt, died in Orange, N. J., in 1852 ; Rev. Austin O. Hubbard, a graduate of Yale in 1824, settled in Barnet, Vt ; Rev. Jonathan Hubbard, the first minister in WARWICK. 445 Sheffield, a graduate of Yale in 1724 ; Rev. 0. G. Hub bard, graduate of Amherst in 1829, once settled in Leo minster, died in Yarmouth, 1852 ; R. B. Hubbard, a grad uate of Amherst in 1834, for many years a teacher ; Rev. Alpheus Graves, now in Iowa. Nathaniel Smith, a dis tinguished patron of Amherst College, was a native of Sunderland. A mail was first established through Sunderland in 1815, and William Delano was the first postmaster, and held his commission until removed by President Fillmore. Horace Henderson was appointed in his place. In 1853, he was displaced by Horace Lyman, now a member of the Governor's Council, who recently resigned. E. S. Pierce is the present incumbent of the office. Sunderland bridge (over the Connecticut) was chartered and built in 1812. Agriculture is almost the only pursuit of the people, and it is doubtful whether any town in the Commonwealth has improved so much as 'Sunderland within the last thirty years, through the influence of agricultural societies and agricultural journals. There is but little water power; Two saw mills and a grist mill are driven by water, and one sawmill by steam. Thomas E. Munsell manufactures $7,000 worth of wicking, annually. There are six school districts in Sunderland, and, in 1854, $700 was raised by tax, for school purposes. The amount of money raised for all purposes, the same year, was $1,700. No. of voters in 1854, 202; square miles of territory, 15 ; population in 1840, 698 ; in 1850, 803 ; in crease in ten years, 105. WARWICK. The original territory of Warwick consisted of a tract of land granted in 1735 to the descendants of 39 soldiers from Roxbury, engaged in the Canada Expedition of 1690, under Capt. Andrew Gardner, all of whom, except Samuel Newell, perished in the Expedition. This tract, until its incorporation, was known as " Roxbury Canada," and " Gardner's Canada," for obvious reasons. Three other townships were granted at the same time, for services in the same expedition, and the general regulations for settle ment were "that the settlers or grantees be, and hereby 38 446 WARWICK. are, obliged to bring forward the settlements of the said four townships in as regular and defensible a manner as the situation and circumstances will admit of, and that in the following manner, viz : that they be on the granted. premises respectively, and have each of them a house eighteen feet square, and seven feet stud, at the least, that each right or grant have six acres of land brought to and ploughed, or brought to English grass and fitted for mow ing, that they respectively settle in each plantation a learned, Orthodox minister, and build a convenient meeting house for the public worship of God in each township." Committees were appointed to lay out these grants at the expense of the province, and bonds were required of each settler in the sum of £20 to perform the required condi tions of settlement. In June, 1736, Samuel Newell and the associate grantees of Warwick, were authorized to call the first meeting of the proprietors, a meeting which was held at the house of James Jarvis in Roxbury, Sept. 22d of that year. At this meeting, Capt. Robert Sharp was chosen moderator, and Wm. Dudley, proprietors' clerk. By the conditions of the grant, the number of lots was 63, three of them being for public purposes. The house lots were drawn for, Oct. 24, 1737, and each proprietor paid 20 shillings for expenses incurred. When the township was first laid out, it contained 23,000 acres of land, exclusive of the " Great Farm," which was a grant previously made to one Johnson and his company, for military services. Still later, in the fall of the same year, a second division of lots was laid out, under the direction of a committee, consisting of Dea. Davis and Ebenezer Case. These lots were farms of 150 acres each, of the average quality of land. If the land was very good, they were smaller; if inferior, larger, and this is the reason why the Second Di vision lots vary in size from 100 to 200 acres each. Settlements were commenced previous to 1744, but the precise dates are not known, as the proprietors' records for several years have been lost. That the settlement did not proceed rapidly may be judged from the fact that in 1749, the bounty offered to settlers was increased to £20 — £10 in advance, £5 in one year, and £5 two years after settle ment. In 1751, the bounty was raised to £30. Among the earlier settlers, were Joseph Goodell, Samuel Bennet, WARWICK. 447 Dea. James Ball, Amos Marsh, Solomon Eager, Thomas Rich, Moses Leonard, Col. Samuel Williams, Dea. Silas Towne, Col. Joseph Mayo, Caleb Mayo, Capt. John Golds- bury, Mark Moore and Jonathan Moore. In 1753, £50 . was raised for building a saw mill. It was also voted that the committee for building the meeting house proceed in the accomplishment of their business, — the house to be 35 feet long and 30 feet wide, with 19 feet posts. Aug. 7, 1754, the committee reported to the proprietors that Mr. Mason and Mr. Perry were ready to undertake the build ing of the church for £26 13s. 4d., and the proprietors gave them the job, agreeing to furnish the raising enter tainment. In 1755, neither the contractors for the saw mill or the meeting house had done their work. At length, after long delays, it was reported that the frame of the meeting house was ready to be raised, but, in the mean time, a dispute had arisen as to where it should stand. This settled, the house was raised by invitation of hands from Northfield and the adjacent settlements, April 28, 1756. The building of the saw mill was still delayed in conse quence of the French and Indian war. July 6, 1757, the proprietors appropriated £8 " to fortify Mr. Samuel Scott's house, by making a good, picketed fort, encompassing the same four rods square, for the safety of the inhabitants." The proprietors also voted £4 to pay for inclosing the meeting house. The saw mill was put in operation in 1759, and in the same year £26 13s. 4d. was appropriated for building a grist mill, and Col. Joseph Wil liams, Joseph Mayo and Samuel Scott were chosen a com mittee " to pitch on a suitable spot to build it on." On the 3d of December, 1760, the First Congregational Church was organized, with 26 members. On the same day, Rev. Lemuel Hedge of Hardwick, a graduate of Harvard in 1759, was ordained as the first pastor. Mr. Hedge had- preached as a candidate during the previous summer. In the September previous to his ordination, the proprietors voted £149, to be paid, £80 for his settle ment, £60 for his first year's salary, and £9 to defray the expenses of his ordination. After a ministry of nearly 17 years, Mr. Hedge died at Hardwick, Oct. 17, 1777, in the 44th year of his age. Mr. Hedge was a tory in the Rev olution, or strongly suspected to be such. On the 6th of 448 WARWICK. March, 1775, the inhabitants voted to disarm him and con fine him to the town. He was persecuted most remorse lessly. A lawless company of forty or more took him into custody, on one occasion, and carried him to Northampton, with a view to his imprisonment there, but they were forced to release him. The excitement and fatigue endured by him on this occasion are said to have been the causes of the fever which soon afterwards resulted in his death. He was a friend and college classmate of Gen. Warren who fell on Bunker Hill, and when that patriot fell, he had a letter in his pocket from Mr. Hedge, in which he pro fessed a sincere interest in the liberty of his country, al though he admitted his doubts in regard to the issue of the Revolutionary, struggle. Rev. Samuel Reed of Middle- boro', a graduate of Yale in 1777, was settled as Mr. Hedge's successor Sept. 23, 1779, and died while in the pastoral office in Warwick, July 31, 1812. After the death of Mr. Reed, the church became Unita rian, and Rev. Preserved Smith was ordained as the pastor Oct. 12, 1814, and preached his farewell sermon Oct 12, 1844. Since his retirement, no paster has been settled, but preaching has heen regularly supplied in succession by Rev. Messrs. D. H. Barlow, Samuel F. Clark, G. F. Clark and Luther Wilson. The Second Congregational (Orthodox) Church was or ganized June 10, 1829, with 30 members. Their first and present meeting house was built in 1833. Previous to the settlement of the first pastor, the church was supplied by Rev. Messrs. Alvah C. Page, Job Cushman, Eliphalet Strong Jr. and others. The first pastor, Rev. Samuel Kingsbury of Franklin, a graduate of Brown in 1822, was settled Nov. 6, 1833, and was dismissed June 30, 1835. Dec. 23, 1835, Rev. Roger C. Hatch of Middle- town, Ct., a graduate of Yale in 1815, was settled as the second pastor, and was dismissed June 22, 1853. The Baptist Church was set off from Royalston, in Wor cester County, Feb. 14, 1843, and was organized into a separate church Aug. 30, of the same year. The church has been supplied by the following preachers : Rev. Messrs. Ezra M. Burbank, Lysander Fay, Samuel S. Kingsley and Caleb Sawyer. The Universalist Society was incorporated Feb. 25, WARWICK. 449 1814 ; but it possesses no meeting house. The Society has been suppled by Rev. Messrs. Robert Bartlett, John Brooks, Stillman Clark, T. Barrow, E. Davis and John H. Willis. Among the 18 preachers of different denominations who originated in Warwick, is Rev. John Fiske, D. D., the late venerable pastor of the church in New Braintree, in Wor cester County, who died March 15, 1855, aged 84. In 1760, a committee, consisting of Capt. David Ayres, Moses Evans, Israel Olmstead, Ebenezer Prescott, Amzi Doolittle and Joshua Bailey, were chosen to lay out a tract of land forty rods square around the meeting house, for a burial place, training field and other public uses. This forms the common, containing ten acres. Up to this time, all the meetings of the proprietors had been held at Roxbury. The first meeting of the proprie tors for the transaction of business in the township was held in the meeting house, Nov. 12, 1761. At this time, there were 37 settlers, or families, in the township. About this time, the first grist mill was built on black brook, where the first saw mill also stood. Previous to this, the inconveniences of the settlers had been very great. They had to go to Northfield or Athol to get their corn ground, (if they were fortunate enough to have any,) and then take it home on their backs. In 1762, the settlers petitioned to be incorporated into a town, and on the 17th of February, 1763, their prayer was granted, and the town of Warwick incorporated. The first town meeting was held May 9, 1763. " Esquire Field" was moderator, and James Ball was chosen clerk. Moses Evans, Jeduthan Moore and James Ball were elected selectmen and assessors ; Amzi Doolittle, treasurer ; Samuel Ball, constable ; James Ball, collector ; Silas Town and Joshua Bailey, wardens ; Charles Woods, tythingman ; Israel Olmstead and Moses Leonard, fence viewers; Moses Leonard, Joseph Lawrence and Joseph Goodell, hog-reeves ; David Barrett, pound keeper ; Ebenezer Davis, field-driver; Amos Marsh and Moses Leonard, deer-reeves ; James Ball, sealer of weights and measures; Moses Leonard, sealer of leather. These names give us at once the principal town officers, and the names. and relative standing of the principal men of the new town. On the 7th of March, 1768, the town voted 38* 450 WARWICK. £10 to support a school some part of the year, which ap pears to have been the first educational movement in the place. This school was to be a " moving school," or a school to be kept first in one place and then in another. The first teacher seems to have been Mrs. Hannah Rawson, who was " to have four shillings and sixpence per week for the time that she keeps, her father finding her board." Sept. 5, 1774, a meeting was held to take into considera tion papers sent from Boston and certain committees of correspondence. The town voted their proportion of money to pay the committee of Congress, " to get two barrels of powder, and lead and flints answerable for a town stock," to defend their chartered rights and privileges, to repair to Boston in force if wanted, to raise a company of 50 minute men, with Samuel Williams as captain, James Ball as lieu tenant, and Amzi Doolittle as ensign, and that the expenses of the company, if called away on duty, should be paid by the town. This showed the real spirit of the people of Warwick. After this, they did what they could, but they were very poor, and were taxed beyond their abilities, so that, in June, 1779, a meeting was called and a committee chosen for the purpose of petitioning the General Court to relinquish a heavy fine laid upon the town, for not furnish ing their quota of men, and of representing to the Legis lature their inability to raise men for the service, in pro portion to their numbers. Yet, after this, we find the town voting immense sums, nominally, in the depreciated cur rency of the day, for the payment of bounties for soldiers, and supplies of various kinds for the army. In the midst of the excitements and burdens of the Rev olution, one Elder Hix appeared, and, preaching from house to house, created an intense and all-pervading religious excitement, which brought within its influence nearly all the people in the town. But Elder Hix was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He upheld and taught the doctrines of " spiritual wife-ism," identical with those of the present day, and the bubble burst, when at its highest inflation, by the revelation of the elder's corrupt practices among his flock,~and by his running away with Amzi Doolittle's daughter. Amos Marsh, one of his proselytes, followed his example, and ran away with the girl's mother, and the father, to be even with the rest of his family, decamped WARWICK. 451 with Thomas Barber's wife. Mr. Marsh and Mrs. Doolit tle were followed, arrested in the State of New York, and brought back. Both were legally convicted of their foul crime, and received appropriate sentences. The effect upon the moral and Social condition of the town was lamentable in the extreme. In 1787, it was voted to build a new meeting house, but it was not finished, probably, until 1789. The third house erected by the same church was built in 1836. On the 9th of September, 1821, Warwick was visited by one of the most terrific hurricanes that ever occurred in New England. It was a black, terrible, embodied besom of destruction, whose form, well defined to the eye, reached from the heavens to the earth, and swept everything in its path. Five dwelling houses and thirteen barns were nearly or entirely destroyed, fences and trees were hurled into a mass of desolation, and two young women, one of them the daughter of Elisha Brown, were killed by being buried in the ruins. The principal manufacturing interest of Warwick is in lumber. There are fifteen saw-mills in the town, which •annually send to market more than a million feet of lum ber. There are three mills for the manufacture of pail staves, and four with circular saws attached, for cutting chair plank and other small articles. There are also one ax factory, three blacksmith shops, and three tanneries. Warwick has been very remarkable for the longevity of its inhabitants. In 1832, there were 46 individulas in the town who were upwards of 70 years of age. In 1854, counting not one who was 70 years old in 1832, there were 59 males and 83 females over 70 years of age. Of these, 13 were 80 or more, and, of the latter, two were 90. Few towns of its size in the world can show such a list of old men and women. The town tax in 1853 was $3,000. The amount appro priated for schools, including $48 95 from the State, and $30, interest on school fund, was $778 95. The popula tion in 1840 was 1,154; in 1850, 1,018; decrease in ten years, 136. 452 WENDELL. WENDELL. Wendell, one of the hill towns of Eastern Franklin, was incorporated May 8, 1781. Its territory was originally composed of a tract taken from the North part of Shutes bury, and that part of Ervingshire, so called, that lay South of Miller's river. Feb. 28, 1803, a tract known as "Ben jamin Hill Gore" and a strip, one mile wide, from Monta gue, were added, which makes the present territory six and three-fourths miles long and about five miles and a half wide. Almost the entire surface of this township overlies gneiss, passing into granite in the North East. The slopes and valleys of its fifteen hills are drained by ten brooks, three running Southward into Swift River, one running Westward through Locke's Pond, and six Northward into Miller's River. The town was settled from three directions. Thomas Osgood, from New Salem, settled in the North- part as early as 1754, and perhaps a few others. Felt, in his " Statistics of Massachusetts," states that Ervingshire was " confirmed to John Erving of Boston, Jan. 22, 1752, who had purchased it of others, who bought it of the province in 1751." It was upon this territory that Osgood and his associates located. This land was afterwards sold to the settlers under surveys made by Joseph Metcalf, of Athol. The people were connected somewhat with Shutesbury, and at first belonged to its ecclesiastical organization. The next settlement was made from the direction and in what was the town of Shutesbury, the Northern line of which town was originally along the central part of Wendell, about half a mile North of Jabez Sawyer's, the town-house and Wicket Pond. The family names of some of these settlers were Ross, Locke, Wilder, Beaman, Glazier, Weth- erbee and Hamilton. These and later settlers were mostly from Lancaster, Leominster, Middleboro', &c. From the direction of Montague, on the West, only five or six fami lies had entered the present territory of Wendell, even so late as 1795. The Southern part of Wendell was for twenty years within the corporate limits of Shutesbury, and a large proportion of the town officers of Shutesbury were from the " North End," the meetings being held oc casionally near Locke's Pond. The services of the parish WENDELL. 453 minister were sometimes claimed by this part of the peo ple a part of the time, and enjoyed by vote of the town. Upon the incorporation of Wendell, in 1781, a town meeting was held at the house of Jonathan Osgood, where the parish and town meetings were mostly held untilJr783. Dea. Osgood was chosen moderator, and James Ross, clerk ; Lot Paine, John Ross and Samuel Denny were chosen selectmen, and Nathan Brewer and John Wetherbee, tythingmen. During the same year, provision was made for building a meeting-house, hiring preaching, &c. Mr. Erving had previously made a grant to the settlers, of min isterial and school lots. The meeting house was furnished with a bell by Judge Oliver Wendell of Boston, in whose honor the town received its name. After the incorporation of the town, the progress of settlement was much stimu lated, and the town gradually increased in population up to 1815, when it had reached an advance of Montague. From 1815 to 1830, there was a decline. From the latter date until 1850, the population remained about the same in number, but not the same in wealth, energy and moral standing. There was a noticeable decline about 1845, and, again, since 1850. In January, 1854, there were 182 houses in the town, 38 of which were vacant. During the Revolutionary war, the people made com mendable exertions in behalf of the common cause. The wages of soldiers were paid by the town, and, as in most other towns, bounties were given to the soldiers for enlist ment, and clothes provided for them. In some cases, the lands of the soldiers were cleared, and their families sup ported during their absence. At the second town meeting, it was " voted to raise £72 hard money to procure our pro portion of continental beef," and a committee was chosen to procure it. During the Shays Rebellion, there was con siderable disaffection in the town, and a company of 30 or 40 men, with a lieutenant at their head, were in the army of Shays at Springfield. They were not, however, sustained in their action by the town, as some other companies were. The first year of its corporate existence, Wendell voted £40 for town purposes; in 1789, £10; in 1800, $50; in 1820, $250 ; in 1840, $2,000 ; in 1849, $1,000. In 1846, a town house was erected. The aggregate raised for town purposes, to 1850, was about $30,000. The people assisted 454 WENDELL. at first in the support of Rev. Abraham Hill of Shutes bury. They were greatly disaffected with him on account of his toryism, and for a time withheld supplies. A Congregational Church was formed in Wendell, No vember 30, 1774, with 20 members. To this church Mr. Hill preached in proportion to the amount of taxes they paid. A further account of Mr. Hill will be found in the history of Shutesbury. Between the time of the incorpo ration of the town and the erection of the meeting-house, in 1783, Rev. Mr. Billings and Rev. Mr. Babcock supplied the people with preaching. The house alluded to was taken down in 1846, to give place to the present church edifice. Rev. Joseph Kilburne was installed as the first pastor of the church, October 8, 1783, and, after a ministry of about thirty-two years, died at Wendell, in the pastoral office, February 27, 1816. He was a native of Sterling, and graduated at Cambridge in 1777. He was succeeded, January 1, 1817, by Rev. Hervey Wilbur, a native of Worthington, who was dismissed August 21, 1822. His successor was Rev. John Duncklee of Greenfield, N. H, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1817. He was settled March 26, 1823, dismissed March 24, 1830, and was succeeded, October 27, 1830, by Rev. Wm. Claggett of Litchfield, N. H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1826. Mr. Claggett was dismissed July 11, 1837, and was succeeded May 2, 1838, by Rev. Salmon Bennett, who was dismissed September 26, 1844. Mr. Bennett was a graduate of Middlebury, and a native of Brattleboro, Vt. The succeeding pastor was Rev. Noadiah S. Dickinson of Amherst. He was ordained May 27, 1847, and dismissed August 25, 1852. Rev. S. B. Gil bert has since been settled. Up to 1823, the amount paid for the ministry by the town was $12,450. From 1783 to 1844, the infants baptized were 753 ; adults, 54 ; before 1783, 107 children and no adults, making a total of 914 baptisms. The rupture with the first minister in Shutesbury, and the Democratic views of the Baptists, tended to the rise of that sect in that town, where, in 1778, a Baptist church was formed under Elder Ewen. Elder Smallidge was his successor, and, under his preaching and influence, a revival was extended to the Eastern and Southern parts of Wendell, followed by many baptisms in 1798, and the WENDELL. 455 formation of a Baptist Church June 11, 1799, consisting of 56 members. They had to protest for many years against being obliged to pay for the services of a minister whom they did not hear, and to bear the reproach of be ing innovators, &c. In 1806, they settled Elder Samuel King who remained until 1812, when he left, to go as a missionary to Pennsylvania. Their subsequent pastors have been Rev. David Goddard, from 1814 to 1841 ; Rev. Aaron Burbank, from 1841 to 1843 ; Rev. Lysander Fay, 1844; Rev. Wm. Leach, 1846 to 1851 ; and Rev. Norman Clark, from Jan., 1852, to May, 1854. The number of baptisms in fifty-two years, or until 1851, was 185 ; ad missions by letter, 76 ; total members, (with the original 56,) 317, — 200 of whom were females ; present number, about 83. The Baptists erected their first house of wor ship in 1819, about half a mile East of " the Common," and removed and- rebuilt it, with a steeple, opposite the Congregational meeting house, in 1846. At present, the house is closed, and the church has been weakened by re movals from the town. So great was the pressure of poverty upon the first set- tiers, that nothing was done publicly for the establishment of schools under the proprietary government, except to lay out the school lots. In 1765, Shutesbury voted to have one school, and to raise £6 for its support. In 1768, a division was made, and the " North End" took its propor tion of the money raised. In 1782, Wendell raised £12 for school ^purposes ; in 1796, £63 ; thereafter, $200 an nually until 1803, and then, upon the accession of popula tion from Montague, $300 per annum, the sum usually raised every year up to 1848, when $400 was raised. The aggregate appropriated for schools, down to 1850, was $15,900. In 1791, £200 was voted for school houses, the schools having previously been taught in shops and dwellings. That year, the inhabitants " banded themselves into five squadrons" — Central, North, East, South and West — and agreed to erect school houses for themselves. In 1827, the town was divided into ten school districts. One district has since been added to the number, and two, united, leaving the number unchanged. Besides the amount raised by taxation for schools, the town has a small fund, the proceeds of its share of Shutesbury school lands, and 456 WENDELL. the Erving school lands. Wendell has, until within a few years, been reluctant in following out the improvements suggested by the Board of- Education. In 1852-3, the rank of the town, based upon the relative amounts of money appropriated for each child by the towns of the State, was represented by the numeral "281st." It was the 193d town in the average attendance of its pupils. During the first half of its existence, the town had but a few paupers to provide for, which was done by putting them out to different families, sometimes to the " lowest bidder." In 1842, the town purchased a farm and house for the habitation and employment of the paupers — a great advantage to all concerned. The expenses for the poor in 65 years, but chiefly since 1815, were about $7,000. The range has been from $50 in 1823, to $765 in 1840. Since the poor house was opened, the expenses have ranged from $200 to $300. The first road opened into Wendell was one from Road town, (Shutesbury,) to the North End, in 1756. During the same year, a county road was opened through the South part from Montague to New Salem, while there were only a very few settlements along their lines. The other roads were laid out as the settlers required them, and may be regarded as following them, in two or three years after their settlement. The old road from New Salem, through Wendell Center, towards Montague, was located in 1762. Until about 1837, the roads followed the settlements across or along the tops of the hills. About that year, roads to induce a stage to run through the center of the town were built Eastward towards Petersham, South Westerly towards Locke's Village, and along the old South County road around Wigwam Hill, over which the stage was run for several years, between Boston and Green field. Since that year, roads have been built along the valley to Putnamville (1838) and along West Branch to wards Prescott and Shutesbury. These roads, and many others unmentioned, have been a great burden«to the town. For their building and support, the town had voted, pre vious to 1850, in money and labor, $40,000. The roads built in Wendell have an aggregate length of 75. miles, of which fifteen miles have, from time to time, been discon tinued. WENDELL. 457 For the first fifty years of the existence of Wendell, the people depended almost entirely upon their farms for a livelihood. Grain, flax, cattle, sheep and swine were the products. . Even the houses were erected by exchange of labor, with the carpenters, of whom Benjamin Stiles was the principal. After this, came a series of years when fowls, pork and grain were carried to Boston in the Win ter ; shingles, broom handles and staves were shaved out in stormy weather and long evenings, and the women and children braided straw more, and spun less. About 1830, another change appeared, in the disappearance of flax and wool from among the products. The women and children braided palm-leaf instead of straw. The men either ceas ed cutting down the forests, or cut them down for a foreign market. There are now 14 sawmills in the town, with some machinery for turning. In 1815, John Sawin com menced making chaises, and has followed branches of the carriage business until the present time. There is a small distillery now in the town, which has been in operation about four years. The Physicians of Wendell have been J. Fisk, Daniel Porter, Benjamin Ball, John Andrews, Asa Howe, born in Wendell in 1783, E. Ewers, Morton Wil liams, Wm. S. Barrett, William Stacy and Lucius Cooke, .the latter of whom has practiced in the town for fifteen years. Before 1784, the marriages in the town averaged about three per annum. From 1784 to 1800, there were 69 marriages; from 1801 to 1816, 103 ; from 1817 to 1840, 139 ; total in 56 years, 301. The births, from 1774 to 1783, were 15 annually; from 1784 to 1800, 26 annually; from 1800 to 1816, 37 annually. At one time, ten fami lies had 100 children. Since 1820, there has been an an nual decrease in the number of births. The whole num ber of births to 1850 was about 2,150. The careful and intelligent correspondent who com municates the principal facts of this history, says, in regard to Wendell,*that " it has been a great tavern house, where fathers and sons have rested for a few years, on their way from the ' lower towns' to the West ; and, if the whole household, did not go on, the sons were sure to proceed, except the youngest, perhaps, who remained to inherit a worn-out farm, and — the worn-out parents." From this 39 458. WENDELL. cause, and others that are operating upon nearly all the hill towns of New England, the population and prosperity of the town have considerably diminished. Before 1783, 43 deaths were registered ; from 1783 to 1800, 134 ; from 1801 to 1840, 577 ; from 1841 to 1850, 120 ; whole number, 874. Their remains lie buried in five graveyards, within the limits of the town, and some were doubtless interred in the old burial place in Shutesbury. Rev. Josiah Goddard, Baptist Missionary at Ningpo, China, is a native of Wendell, and is said to be the best linguist in the Celestial Empire. Judge Joshua Green, a native of Boston and a graduate of Harvard in 1784, be came a resident of Wendell about 1790, and was for many years the most useful and influential man in the town and its vicinity. His mother was an intimate friend of the wife of the elder Adams, and many letters from Mrs. Adams were found among her papers after her death. Judge Green was a man of unusual abilities and gentlemanly ac complishments, and for more than fifty years devoted him self to the advancement of the interests of Wendell. To nim, more than to any other man, the town owed its former intelligence and prosperity. He died in 1847. One of his sons is a highly esteemed merchant in New York, and the other, Dr. Joshua- Green of Groton, is a physican of wealth, and brother by marriage of Abbott Lawrence. Rev. Ezra Fisher, missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission ary Society, in Oregon, and Rev. Otis Fisher, teacher at Mt. Palatine, 111., are both natives of Wendell. Wendell is honored also in being the residence of the most, gifted and graceful poetess living iii Western Massachusetts,Mrs. F. H. Cooke, w.ife of Dr. Lucius Cooke. Her contributions to the Springfield Republican, for the last few years, have been copied by the press throughout the Union. Mrs. Cooke has not yet undertaken a poetical task equal to her -powers, now in their fresh maturity, and the past, though bright as a performance, is brighter as a promise. The number of ratable polls in Wendell, in 1853, was 188. The tax for all purposes, in that year, was $2,497 ; amount of town debt, $6,500. The population in 1840 was 844 ; in 1850, 897 ; in 1854, about 700. WHATELY. 459 WHATELY. Whately was originally the Northern part of the town of Hatfield. The larger part of the first inhabitants were branches of families belonging to the parent town. Settle ments are believed to have been made as early as 1750, at the ".Straits," (so called) by Joseph Belding, Serg. John Wait, Elisha Smith, David Graves and Joseph Scott. Here they erected the first dwelling in the territory. A few years afterwards, houses were built on " Chestnut plain Street " by Lieut. Ebenezer Bardwell, Thomas Crafts and Dea. Joel Dickinson, which were the first buildings in the central part of the town. The permanent settlers imme diately following these were Daniel Morton, Oliver Graves, Oliver Morton, Salmon White, Moses Dickinson, Nathan Graves, Peter Train and Edward Brown. Through all the period of the early settlement, the people belonged in Hatfield. On the 24th of April, 1771, the settlement was set off, and incorporated with the name of Whately. The first meeting for the choice of town officers was held at the tavern house of Daniel Morton, May 6, succeeding the in corporation, when the following officers were elected : Salmon White, town clerk and treasurer ; Joseph Belding, Jun., and Henry Stiles, constables ; John Wait, Simeon Wait, Edward Brown, Salmon White and Philip Smith, selectmen; Edward Brown, Philip Smith, and Salmon White, assessors ; Thomas Crafts, sealer of weights and measures ; Thomas Sanderson, sealer of leather ; Peter Train, Oliver Graves, and Benj. Smith, surveyors of high ways ; Israel Graves, Noah Bardwell, and John Wait, Jun., fence-viewers ; Benj. Scott, Jun., John Brown and Joseph Crafts, field drivers ; Elisha Belding and Noah Bardwell, tythingmen ; Benj. Smith, Perez Bardwell, and ^Abraham Turner, «vardens ; John Crafts, Martin Graves and Elisha Frary, deer-reeves ; Thomas Crafts, surveyor of shingles ; Peter Train, Gad Smith and Lemuel Wells, hog-reeves. Three days after this, a meeting was held at which it was voted to raise £30 for preaching. June 4th, 1771, it was voted, to hire Mr. Rufus Wells of Deerfield to preach six weeks on probation. Mr. Wells preached accordingly, and, at the end of the probationary period, received a call t60 whately; to settle, which he accepted. The terms offered by the. town were £133 6s. 8d., as settlement, a salary of £55 for the first year, to be raised forty shillings yearly until it should amount to £75, and £6 yearly for wood, whenever he should " set up housekeeping." The last allowance was not called for until 1776, when Mr. Wells was married, he having boarded in the meantime at Daniel Morton's and Samuel White's. The church was organized August 21, 1771, consisting of 41 members, all of whom belonged to the church in Hatfield. Mr. Wells was ordained Septem ber 25th following. The services connected with the latter event were held under the shade of two large oak trees standing on the West side of the highway, South of the present dwelling-house of Dr. Myron Harwood. At this time, no meeting house had been built, and the people met for worship at the house of Oliver Morton. Dec. 2r, 1771, a vote was passed to make provision for a meeting ' house, and David Scott, Thomas Crafts, Joseph Belding, Jr., Noah Bardwell and Daniel Graves, Jr., were appointed a committee to carry out the vote. At this time it appears that a sawmill was in existence, as. the boards and joist of the new structure were sawed at the mill of Adonijah Taylor. Mr. Taylor's mill stood where Silas Sanderson's mills are now located, and he had a grist mill below. These were the first mills put up in the town. The site selected for the meeting house was that now oc cupied by the house of the first parish, and £80 was raised to defray the expenses. During the winter of 1772-3, the materials of the building were collected, and in the course of the following June and July, the house was framed, raised and partially covered. Forty pounds were then raised for finishing the meeting house, which was done in the following style : " On the outside the roof was well shingled, the sides and ends were covered with rough boards chamfered together, the windows in the lower story were pretty fully glazed ; those in the upper story were boarded up." The sole finish of the inside was a floor, and a rough board pulpit, with a carpenter's work bench in front. This house, unaltered, was occupied by the wor shipers and the swallows for 25 years. The people were called together by a conch shell, which is still preserved. In 1843, the meeting house, having through a series of WHATELY. 461 years Undergone thorough repairs, was entirely remodeled, though the orjginal frame, which was found to be perfectly sound, was left unaltered. After a ministry in Whately of 63 years, 50 of which were occupied in active pastoral service, Mr. Wells, the first minister, died, Nov. 8, 1834, in the 92d year of his age. Mr. Wells was a native of Deerfield, and a graduate of Harvard in 1764- Rev. Lemuel P. Bates of Bland ford, a graduate of Williams in 1818, was settled as the colleague of Mr. Wells Feb. 13, 1822, and was dismissed Oct. 17, 1832. He was succeeded March 16, 1836, by Rev. John Ferguson, a Scotchman, who was dismissed June 17, 1840. His successor was Rev. J. Howard Temple of Framingham, who was settled Sept 30, 1845, and dis missed March 24, 1852. Mr. Temple's pamphlet history of Whately furnishes the principal facts in the present sketch. He was succeeded March 9, 1853, by Rev. Charles N. Seymour of Hartford, a graduate of Trinity College in 1841, who still remains in his pastoral connec tion in Whately. The Second Congregational Church in Whately was organized Nov. 10, 1842, with 17 members. Its first and present meeting house was built in 1843. In 1853, the membership of the church was 87. The first and present pastor, Rev. Jonathan S. Judd, was ordained Oct. 12, 1843. Mr. Judd is a native of Westhampton, being a descendant of Rev. Jonathan Judd, the first minister of Southampton. He graduated at Williams in 1839. A Baptist Church was organized July 8, 1789. Its settled pastors and preachers, in succession, were Rev. Messrs. Asa Todd, Stephen Barker, John R. Goodnough, Lorenzo Rice, James Parker apd George Bills. The church was disbanded in 1851. The people of Whately, though the town had but just entered upon its municipal existence, went early into the movement for Revolution. In the Spring of 1773, the town received a letter from the Boston Committee of Cor respondence, when a meeting was immediately called, and a committee — consisting of Edward Brown, Elisha Frary and Joseph Belding, Jr., — was chosen to reply to it. The man who draughted the reply had evidently read a similar document originating in South Hadley, the January pre- 39* 462 WHATELY. vious. The amount of plagiarism will be perceptible by comparing the following with the South Hadley document, introduced in the history of that town : " Gentlemen : The proceedings of the town of Boston un der the present exigencies, we esteem very laudable and worthy of a metropolis. We concur in general with your sentiments in stating the Rights of the Colonists and Province, and of the infringements of these Rights. We hold fast Loy alty to our Sovereign ; yet we groan under our burden, but do not despair of redress. If the importunity of a poor widow may move an unjust judge to avenge her, how much more may we hope for redress by frequent application to a gracious King. We shall at all times heartily join with you, in all legal and constitutional measures for the keeping of those inestimable privileges, wrested from us, and firmly to secure, those that remain. For we are sensible that should we re nounce our Liberty and privileges we should renounce the rights of man, the rights of humanity, and even our duty to God and man. We have no doubts but that the Parliament of Great Britain will hereby understand that 'tis not the dis- contentedness of a faction, but that the whole people are sen sible of the burdens they labor under." Oliver Graves was sent to the first Provincial Congress, Elisha Tracy to the second, and Noah Mills and Salmon White to the third. The town laid in its stock of powder, lead and flints, in 1774, enlisted a company of minute men early in 1775, had its Committee of Correspondence, and July 6, 1776, two days after the Declaration of Indepen dence, voted to sustain such a declaration with their lives and fortunes, in case it should be made. The industrial interests of Whately are mainly agricul tural. There are, however, two small satinet factories, three pocket book factories, a boot and shoe factory, and one establishment carried on by Charles D. Stockbridge, where large quantities of blacking are made annually. The amount of money raised for schools in 1854 was $650. The population in 1840 was 1,104 ; in 1850, 1,129 ; increase in ten years, 25. HISTORY OP THE TOWNS OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY. ADAMS. This township was originally known as East Hoosac. In 1749, it was explored and surveyed by a committee ap pointed by the General Court, who were instructed to lay out a township six miles square. It was for some reason •laid out ten miles long and five miles broad. In the follow ing year, Capt. Ephraim Williams secured a grant of 200 acres, with the conditions that he should reserve ten acres for a fort, and build a grist mill and saw mill, and keep them in repair for twenty years. In 1762, the township, with nine others, was sold at auction. East Hoosac formed No. 1, and was sold to Nathan Jones for £3,200 who soon afterwards received as joint proprietors with him, Col. Elisha Jones (the purchaser of No. 2, now containing the towns of Peru and Hinsdale,) and John Murray. In Octo ber, 1762, 48 settling lots of 100 acres each, were laid out, embracing the very heart of the township, and in 1776, 20 more lots were laid, out, and Israel Jones, who was then a resident, was authorized to admit 60 settlers, in accordance with the requirements of the General Court^ Two years afterwards, the remaining lands were apportioned among 464 ADAMS. the settlers. In East Hoosac was the site of old Fort Massachusetts, of glorious memory, an account of which will be found in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, pp. 172-4.] Among the first settlers of the township were Abiel Smith, and his sons Gideon and Jacob, John Kilborn and John McNeal of Litchfield, Ct., Reuben Hinman and Jon athan Smith of Woodbury, and Messrs. Parker, Cook and Leavenworth of Wallingford. These settlers, and others who settled with them, did not remain a long time. Most of them sold their lands to purchasers from Rhode Island, many of them Quakers. Others not belonging to that or der soon followed from the same State, until Rhode Island ers occupied nearly the whole town, and Adams still con tains many of their descendants. The town was incorpo rated October 15, 1778, with the name of Adams, in honor of Samuel Adams, afterwards Governor of Massachusetts. The first town meeting was held March 8, 1779, when Capt. Philip Mason, Capt. Israel Jones and Capt. Reuben Hinman were chosen selectmen. The principal points of settlement in the town were at the localities now known respectively as North Adams and South Adams. The grist-mill and saw-mill required by the grant to Col. Williams were built at North Adams, and another grist-mill was erected about the same time where the South village now stands. These mills formed the nu clei of settlement, and determined the localities of the present principal villages. The first settlers, most ^af whom, as has already been seen, were from Connecticut, immediately established the institutions of religion, in accordance as well with their uniform policy, as with the conditions attached by the General Court to the conveyance of the township. They built a meeting-house of logs, on a site at the corner of the roads near the center of the town. A church was formed, and Rev. Samuel Todd settled as pastor, but at what date is not known, as the records are lost. It was probably in 1766; at least, Mr. Todd entered the town in the fall of that year. The change in the character of the population, which must have occurred soon after Mr. Todd's settlement, withdrew from him his support, and put a stop to his labors. A vote of the inhabitants was taken, January 3, 1778, pro posing to him to relinquish his claim to the ministerial ADAMS'; 465 lands, and to receive his dismission, but, while he acceded to the latter clause,'he retained the lands. Mr. Todd was a native of North Haven, Ct, and graduated at Yale Col lege in 1734. The first churcli probably existed, with him as their pastor, for about ten years, and then became extinct. For a period of twenty or thirty years after the dismissal of Mr. Todd, there was no society in the town except that of the Friends. This society was formed in 1781, and was originally constituted by David Anthony, IsaacKilly, Isaac Upton, Joshua Lapham, Geo. Lapham and their families. They worshiped in a log dwelling house, until about 1786, when they erected a house for then- accommodation. In 1718, the society was in the hight of its prosperity. At that time, they embraced about forty families. Robert Nesbit, Mary Battey and David Aldrich were successively their speakers. The society is now nearly extinct, though a few scattered members still remain. About 1830, there was a division among them, part assuming: the name of Orthodox, and others being called Hicksites. By a kind of compromise, they agreed that one part should have the meetinghouse on Sabbath morning, and the other in the afternoon, with the same arrangement for Wednesday. But even these distinctions are now lost sight of. Their old meeting house still stands near the village of South Adams. A graveyard adjoining is the last resting place of many of the early inhabitants of the town. About 1782, the people living in the North part of the town, comprising the remnants of the First Congregational Church, with others of similar sentiments, joined in putting up and covering the frame of a meeting house, a few rods South of the : North Village, which stood unfinished and unused until 1794, when it was moved into the village, and finished. Dyer Stark, a Baptist preacher, preached here a part of the time for several years, though no church was organized. In 1808, a Baptist Church was organized, under the ministry of Elder George Witherell, and the house passed into their hands'. The successors of Mr. Witherell, who preached from 1808 to 1812, have been Rev. Messrs. Elijah F. Willey, 1816; Hosea Wheeler, 1818; Robin son ; Samuel Savory, 1821 to 1825 ; Charles B. Keyes, 1829 to 1834 ; A. H. Palmer, 1834, 1835 ; Lemuel Covell, 1836,1837; Thomas S.Rogers,1838,1839.; John Alden, Jr., 466 ADAMS. i 1840 to 1845 ; Horace T. Love, 1846 to 1851 ; Miles San ford, 1853. The church now numbers 350*members. The original meeting house is still standing, and is occupied by by a cabinet shop and dwellings. The second house, built of brick, was taken down in 1840, and the present large and commodious edifice was erected at a cost of $14,000. It is an honor and an ornament to the place. The Methodists fitted up for themselves a house of wor ship in the North village in 1823. The church has been progressive, and has advanced until, at the commencement of 1854, it had 215 members. In 1843, they removed from their old house, which they sold to the Universalist Society, and took possession of a neat and convenient frame building which they had erected at a cost of $3,300. They have now a good parsonage, well furnished, for their preachers. The preachers, who have been numerous, in accordance with the usages of their denomination, have been talented and faithful men. The Congregational Church at North Adams was organ ized April 19, 1827. Their house of worship, built of brick, was finished and opened in the'following year. The present membership is about 150. Their pastors, in the order of their succession, have been Rev. Messrs. J. W. Yeomans, from 1828 to 1832 ; Caleb B. Tracy, from 1832 to 1834; Alvah Day, from 1835 to 1836; E. Russell, from 1836 to 1839 ; and R. Crawford, from 1840 to the present time. These three churches, harmonizing on all essential points, have exerted a powerful and salutary influence upon the population gathered around them.- A revival commenced in each of them about the beginning of 1850, and continued during the Winter. For months, meetings were held in each of these churches every evening in the week. As the result, 800 members were added to the churches in about equal proportions. Until 1843, the Universalists, few in number, were without a house of worship, and usually occupied some one of the halls in the village. During that year, they pur chased the house that had been occupied by the Methodists, which they occupied until 1851, when they built a new and 'elegant house, and sold their old one to the Roman Catho lics. The, society is now in a prosperous condition. The ADAMS. 467 ministers employed, during a longer or shorter period respec tively, have been Rev. Messrs. Torrey, Mandell, Wilcox, Hughes, Cook, and Miller. The last mentioned is still in office. Since the construction of the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad, completed in 1847, the Roman Catholics have greatly increased, but, until their purchase of the old Uni versalist meeting house, they had no regular place of wor ship. The house which they now occupy has been refitted, and greatly improved. They have their meetings once a month, Rev. Mr. Cuddihy of Pittsfield being the officiating priest. They have a day school held within their building, for the benefit of Catholic children whom they are unwill ing to place in association with Protestant children in the common schools. The Baptist Church in South Adams was organized July 4, 1827, and consisted originally of 14 members. The fol lowing have been the pastors : Rev. Messrs. H. F. Baldwin, 1831 ; Elnathan Sweet, 1832 to 1842 ; W. M. Young, 1843 ; W."J. Loomis, 1844 to 1846 ,-"G. E. Fuller, 1847, 1848 ; S. B. Grant, 1849 to 1853. The present minister is Rev. N. J. Norton. The church numbered, January 1, 1854, 76 members. The Congregational Church at South Adams was organ ized January 1, 1840, and consisted originally of two indi viduals. Rev. Stillman Pratt commenced his labors there in 1839, but was not formally installed as pastor until June H, 1845. He was dismissed June 14, 1848. On the 15th of the same month, Rev. J. Jay Dana was installed as pas tor, and still holds that relation. The number of members, January 1, 1854, was 40. A Methodist Society has been in existence at &outh Adams for several years. They completed a fine meeting house in 1854, at a cost of $3,500. The members in full communion numbered, at the commencement of 1854, 46. North Adams is located near the Northern extremity of the town, and South Adams near the Southern. Both have been built up, as has already been intimated, by the manu factories erected on their small but invaluable streams. North Adams is a large and very thrifty village. It con tains three large and flourishing establishments for the manufacture of cassimeres and satinets, viz., that of Wells, 468 ADAMS. Brayton & Co., called file Beaver Mill, driving 40 looms ; that of Ingalls & Tyler, known as the Union Mill, running 58 looms; and that of S. Blackington & Co., known as the Centerville Factory, and standing about three miles West of the village, running 40 looms. The latter is one of the oldest and most successful manufacturing establishments in the whole region. It was formerly known as the " Boys' Factory," from the fact that, at an early period of its his tory, three enterprising youths — Wells, Blackington and White — rented it, and carried it on, and finally purchased it. They continued together many years, adding to their establishment, their wealth and their good reputation. Mr. Wells died in middle life, justly lamented. Mr. Blacking ton is now the senior partner of the company, and has as sociated with him his brother, C. Blackington, his son, Wm. S. Blackington, John . Tyler and Wm. Atkinson. Mr. White now belongs to the firm of Richardson, White & Co., hereafter to be mentioned. These three concerns em ploy , in the aggregate about 220 hands, and work up annually about 700,000 lbs. of wool, besides trteir cotton warps, made at other establishments. There are also five cotton factories at the North end of the town. O. Arnold & Co. have three buildings at the head of Union Street, and run 100 looms. During 1853, they built a massive stone dam, 180 feet in length, and 28 feet in hight On the first trial by a heavy freshet, the dam bent down the stream a foot or more, forming a hand some segment of an ellipse, where it seems to have braced or arched itself, and to have become perfectly secure. Richardson, White & Co. have four buildings at considerable distances from each other, though connected in the arrange ment of their machinery, and run 204 looms. Brayton & Co., at Braytonville, a mile and a quarter West of the vil lage, run 60 looms. Greylock mill, about half way between Braytonville and Centerville, runs 34 looms. These establishments weave their own yarns — employ in the aggregate about 320 hands, and produce annually up wards of 5,000,000 yards of cloth. The fifth cotton fac tory, owned by S. Johnson & Co., employs 40 hands ,.in making satinet warps, in which it uses up weekly upwards of 3,200 lbs. of cotton. This concern was formerly occu pied by Stephen Brown & Co., for calico printing. Though ADAMS. 469 this business was carried on successfully for a time, a change from machine to block printing proved disastrous, and it was relinquished. Arnold, Jackson & Co. have carried on calico printing for some time with much success. They run two machines which print daily 600 pieces of 33 yards each. There are two foundries in the village, and connected with that of Hunter, Thayer & Co., is a machine shop. There are also two sash and blind factories. A. P. Butler & Co. carry on a tannery from which they send to market annually $10,000 worth of leather. Millard & Co.'s boot and shoe establishment employs 75 hands, and produces annually about $50,000 worth of the manufactured articles1. E. Rogers & Co. make 400 pairs of ladies' shoes weekly, and employ about 75 hands. A manufactory of shirts, drawers, &o., turns out about 50 dozen shirts, drawers, &c, weekly. These establishments, with many smaller concerns not mentioned, have combined to draw together all the mate rials, professional, mercantile and mechanical, that enter into the structure of a thriving New England village, and have made an excellent market for the productions of the farmers in the vicinity. At South Adams, there is a cotton mill owned by Pol lock and Co., which employs 77 hands, and consumes 7,600 lbs. of cotton weekly, in the manufacture of warps for satinets. Four mills manufacture print goods, viz., those of S. L. Arnold and Co., Plunkett and Wheeler, R.. Leon ard and Co. and Plunkett and Brown. These mills con sume, in the aggregate, about 9,000 lbs. of cotton per week, and employ about 184 hands. Adams, Seeley and Co. manufacture sheetings, consuming 3,000 lbs. of cotton per week, and employing 40 hands. B. F. Phillips and Co. manufacture several styles of goods, using cotton warps. They use upwards of 2,500 lbs. of wool per week, and employ from 50 to 60 hands. L. L. Brown and Co., carry on a paper mill, consuming 6 tuns of rags per week, and employing 60 hands. , H. Nelson Dean tans about 3,000 hides, and 1,200 calf skins annually, and employs ten hands. Adams is divided into 21 sftiool districts, and the amount annually expended in schools is about $4,000. In 1840, 40 470 ALEOED. Nathan Drury, who lived and died in Florida, left a bequest of $3,000 for the establishment of an academy in North Adams. The academy was erected, and was appropriately called the " Drufy Academy." It was used as an academy for about 8 years, commencing in 1843, but since the fall of 1850, it has been occupied six months in the year as a high school, supported by the town. There is a public high school also at the South Village. The total taxes in 1854 were $13,533 34. The num ber of ratable polls is 1,337. The town has 36 miles of roads, and owes a debt of between $5,000 and $6,000. Population in 1840, 3,639 ; in 1850, 6,050 ; increase in ten years, 2,411. ALFORD. The town of Afford borders upon New York, and is small in size and population. Its territory is composed of several tracts of land, as they follow : A tract purchased of the Stockbridge Indians in 1756, known as the " Shaw- enon Purchase," and bordering on Egrembnt ; the " Green land Grant," supposed to have been granted to David In- gersol of Great Barrington ; a section taken from Great Barrington, 652 rods long and 210 wide on the North line, ' and 266 on the South; an addition 7pk$ rods in length to the South end of this latter tract, made in 1819, and a small strip from New York, that fell into the town when the dividing line between the two States was established. There .were settlers upon this territory before 1755, and there may have been a few families as early as 1740. Among the early settlers were Dea. Eleazer Barret, Eben ezer Barret, Dea. Robert Johnson, John and Simeon Hurl burt, and others of the name of Speary, Wilcox, Kelsey, Bronson, Kellogg, Hamlin, Baker, Fenton, Munger and Warner. The first church was not established, probably, until 1780. It was Congregational, and its pastor, who must have been settled about the time that the church was or ganized, was Rev. Joseph Avery. The disturbances that occurred in the time of the Shays Rebellion created trouble between the pastor and his people, and he was dismissed, as it is supposed, in 1787. •His church languished for a time, and then became extinct. BECKET. 471 A Methodist Church was organized in 1794, and has con tinued to the present time. It is impossible to give the succession of preachers, but the most prominent of them have been Rev. Messrs. Lorenzo Dow,' Daniel Bromley, Billy Hibbard, Peter Van Ness and Pease. The Second Congregational Church organized in the town, and the only one now existing, was formed in 1846. Rev. A. L. Crandall was the pastor from that year until 1850. He was succeeded by Rev. Gardner Hayden, and he by Timothy Woodbridge, D. D., in 1852. The records of Afford appear to have been imperfectly kept, and very little is to be -found upon them of special interest to the public. The town was incorporated Feb. 16, 1773. Itis divided into four school districts, and, in 1854, $300 was raised for the support of schools. The total taxation for that year was $800. Agriculture is the leading industrial interest. It, however, contains two im portant marble quarries, which will be found fully described in Part 2, of this work. [vol. 1, pp. 358-9.] The town owes no debt, has about 11 square miles of territory, 20 1-2 miles of roads, and 125 ratable polls. The population in 1840 was 519 ; in 1850, 536 ; increase in ten years, 17. BECKET. The territory of Becket occupies mostly No. 4, of the line of four townships established in 1735, by the General Court, reaching, together, from the Connecticut to the Housatonic valley, and afterwards given to the government, so far as they held a title, by the Stockbridge Indians. The township was granted to Joseph Brigham and 59 others, in 1735, and a few settlers went into it as early as 1740. They built a sawmill in the East part of the town, but were obliged to leave and return home, from the hos tility of the Indians." The first permanent settlement oc curred in 1755. The settlers were mostly from Connecti cut, and bore tjie names of Birchard, Goss, King, Kings- ley, Messenger, Wadsworth, Wait, and Walker. The first born in the town was born in December, 1755, and died in his native town in 1826. His name was Jabez Wadsworth. Becket was incorporated June 21, 1765, and the town was organized July 15th following, by the choice of Nathaniel Kingsley, moderator and clerk ; Nathaniel Kingsley, James 472 BECKET. Birchard and Eldad Taylor, selectmen ; James Birchard, treasurer, and Jonathan Walker, constable. The chartered boundaries of the town have undergone various modifica tions. It was originally laid out 8 miles long and 4 miles and 216 rods wide. In 1783, that part which lay North east of Westfield river was incorporated into Middlefield. In 1798, a small tract was added on the Southern part.. In 1810, another addition was made to it from the district of Bethlehem, originally known as the North Eleven Thou sand Acres. Illustrative of the early customs and necessities of the inhabitants, we copy a vote passed March 25, 1766: "Voted that the letter B on the near Sholder, be the town brand, and that Mr. James Ferguson provide the same." This was a provision against the loss of straying cattle. Before the incorporation of the town, the people pro vided themselves with the institutions of religion. On the 28th of December, 1758, a church was organized, and Rev. Ebenezer Martin was ordained as its pastor Feb. 23, 1759. He was dismissed Oct. 12, 1764. In 1762, the first meet ing house was built. This house stood until the com mencement of the present century. After his dismissal, there seems to have been an effort made to secure the ser vices of Rev. Seth Lee. The town offered him £60, in addition to the lands appropriated to the second settled minister, as settlement, and £60 as yearly salary, to be paid one half in provisions. Mr. Lee does not appear to have been settled. June 5, 1771, Rev. Zadock Hunn was ordained, and he was dismissed in October, 1788. Mr. Hunn was a native of Wethersfield, Ct, and a graduate of Yale in 1766. After his dismission, there arose a disin clination to support preaching by taxation, and Feb. 17, 1798, the First Congregational Society in Becket was in corporated. They built a new house of worship, by selling the pews, which was dedicated Nov. 19, 1800. No pastor was settled until June 5, i806, when Rev. Joseph L. Mills was ordained. Mr. Mills died at Becket, Jan. 18, 1841, in the 60th year of his age, after a peaceful and successful ministry of nearly 35 years. During his ministry, 281 members were admitted to the church. Rev. Lavius Hyde was installed as his successor, Oct. 20, 1841, and dismissed BECKET. 478 Dec. 4, 1849. During his brief ministry, 116 members were added to the church. Rev. Zolva Whitmore, the present pastor, was installed Fftb. 8, 1852. In 1849, the old meeting house was taken down, and a new one erected on the same ground, which was dedicated June 19, 1850. In 1849, a very respectable portion of the church re siding in the North part of the town, feeling that a church should be established at North Becket, a village growing up around a station of the Western Railroad, were dis missed from the church, to the number of 55, on the 26th day of September that year, and were organised into a new body. They built a meeting house at North Becket, which was dedicated Nov. 21, 1850, and April 30, 1851, Rev. Charles H. Norton, the present pastor, was ordained. Their present membership is about 100. The Baptist Church was organized in September, 1764, and had for their first preacher Rev. Robert Nesbit. His successor was Rev. Amos Kingsley, who was ordained in 1810, and who left the town in 1815. The next regular pastor was Rev. John Wilder, who was ordained in Janua ry, 1831, and remained about two years. Rev. Abram Knapp was ordained in 1841, and remained about the same length of time. In 1844, a new meeting house was built at North Becket, the old one at the center of the town having become unfit for use. In October of this year, Mr. Norman Harris, a native of Becket, now a missionary in Burmah, was ordained to the work of the ministry. In January, 1845, Mr. J. J. Scarritt commenced labor with the church, was ordained in the following November, and continued as pastor until April, 1848. Sept. 1, 1848, Rev. Davis T. Shailer was installed over the church, and still remains the pastor. The present membership is 86. There are some traditionary incidents connected with the early history of Becket which should be recorded. In the South-eastern part of the town, on Walker Brook, is the site of the first mill built by the settlers of 1740. Here was where the original settlement was made, and, for a time, Jonathan Walker and his wife were the only inhabit ants. During the first winter of their residence here, Mr. Walker cut his foot badly, and on that account needed as sistance. Their nearest neighbors were in Blandford, sev eral miles distant, with an unbroken wilderness lying 40* 474 BECKET. between. Mrs. Walker did not think it safe to leave the wounded man alone, while she could go for aid, so, with necessity, she became the co-mother of invention, and taking the bloody bandages from her husband's wounds, she fastened them around their horse's neck, and started him in the direction of Blandford. There at length the dumb but eloquent animal arrived with his blood-written message, and obtained the desired assistance for his owner. In the early part of the history of the town, James Rudd and Micah Higley were out hunting deer. They sepa rated, and Rudd supposing that he saw a deer, shot and killed his companion. Mr. Rudd was so overwhelmed with sorrow that for a time it was feared he would become insane. A grave stone now standing in the center of the town bears the following inscription, which shows that this case does not stand alone : " In memory of Luke Viets, who was shot, supposed for a deer, and died in Becket, Oct. 21, 1757, in the 15th year of his age." Becket was true to the country in the Revolutionary crisis. She chose and instructed her delegates to the pro vincial congresses, and voted her quotas of men and sup plies. In 1777, the selectmen called a meeting, and re ported to the town the names of certain individuals whom they charged with being " dangerous to the public peace or safety." At a subsequent meeting, these persons came before the town with a long and humble petition, acknowl edging their error, and asking forgiveness, and pledging themselves to do all in their power for the "American Cause." Seven men then took,the oath of allegiance. For several years, there has been sent off from Becket not less than 2,000,000 feet of lumber annually, mostly hemlock and spruce, and not less than 100,000 bushels of charcoal. The latter is mostly sent to Boston by Chaffee & Brothers. There are two tanneries at North Becket, owned by J. W. Wheeler & Co., where 50,000 sides of upper leather are furnished for market annually. They employ from 40 to 50 men in the business. There are 18 sawmills in the town, including one driven by steam. A new burial place was laid out by the town, at North Becket, March 6, 1854. -The first burial occurred there June 4, 1854. The following individuals, professional men, originated CHESHIRE. 475 in Becket. Their last residence is given so far as possi ble: — Ministers — Amos Kingsley, Hamilton, N. Y., de ceased ; Alvah Kingsley, Hamilton, N. Y. ; Norman Har ris, Missionary to Burmah ; Franklin Austin, Henry Austin, Samuel Q. Austin, graduates of Union College. Physicians — John M. Brewster, graduate of Medical de partment of Harvard University, now residing at Pitts field ; Oliver E. Brewster, graduate of Williams College and Berkshire Medical Institution, Pittsfield ; John Brews ter, graduate of Berkshire Medical College, Springfield ; Vassal White, graduate of Fairfield Medical Institution, Stockbridge; Amos R. White,' graduate of Berkshire Medical Institution, dead ; Elijah R. White, graduate of Columbia College, Washington City, D. O, Surgeon in the Army, and member of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Florida, dead. Lawyers — Bishop Perkins, Ex-Member of Congress, Ogdcnsburg, N. Y. ; Matthew Perkins, Ogdensburg, N. Y., dead ; Crocker Conant, Og- densburg, N. Y., dead ; Matthew Birchard, late Judge of Supreme Court of Ohio, and Solicitor of the Treasury of U. S.; Horace N. Chapman, Racine, Wisconsin, and Ebene zer Walden, late Mayor of Buffalo, and Judge of Circuit Court, N. Y. There are ten school districts in the town. In 1853, $796 was appropriated for schools, of which $600 was raised by tax. The taxation for all purposes, excepting highways, in 1853, was $2,183 08. In 1854, the sum was increased by $600. The highway tax, (there are 80 miles and 144 rods of roads,) amounting in 1854 to $1,000, is a separate tax, and is usually paid in labor. The number of ratable polls in 1853, was 350. Population in 1840, 1,128 ; in 1850, 1,229 ; increase in ten years, 101. CHESHIRE. Cheshire was incorporated March 14, 1793, and contains within its boundaries a tract of land known as New Provi dence, and sections of territory taken from Savoy, Wind sor, Lanesborough and New Ashford. The South line.of Cheshire has many angles, made at the time its boundaries were established, in order to suit the religious views of the inhabitants. Presbyterian families were left in Lanes- borough, and the line so settled as to take the Baptist fami- 476 CHESHIRE. lies into Cheshire. The first town meeting was held in April, following the incorporation. James Barker was the first town clerk, and Daniel Brown the first representative to the General Court. The early settlers came principally from Rhode Island. Col. Joab Stafford, Joseph Bennett and Gov. Cook were the first proprietors of New Provi dence, and named their tract in honor of Providence, R. I. Gov. Cook, it is said, rode a horse from Stafford's Hill (named in honor of one of the proprietors,) to Providence,' a distance of 120 miles, in 21 hours. Maj. Samuel Lowe subsequently purchased a part of the grant, and settled as a farmer : John Wells became a very prosperous farmer on the same grant, as did also Jonathan Richardson. Other early settlers were John Buckland, Simon Smith, Amos Smith, Stephen Carpenter, Shubael Willmarth, John Will- marth, Isaac Warren, and Charles Sabin. These all came in between the years 1767 and 1770. Cheshire, as a town, has no Revolutionary history, but soldiers from the settlement were in the army. Capt, Daniel Brown, one of the excellent among the early set tlers, shouldered his musket with several of his neighbors, and marched to and fought at Bennington, while their wives and children wept with fear and apprehension as they listened in their quiet homes to the roar of the can non, which reached them at that distance from the field. A Baptist Church existed on the New Providence grant for several years before the incorporation of the town, under the pastoral care of Rev. Peter Werden. This church was organized Aug. 28, 1769. Mr. Werden preached there from 1770 until his death, Feb. 21, 1808. His successors were Rev. Messrs. Bartemus Brayman, Samuel Bloss and Noah Y. Bushnell. Mr. Bushnell was the last pastor. The church declined, and at last became extinct. The Society still exists, and supports preaching part of the time, on the rent, amounting to about $100 yearly, of 50 acres of land, given by the first proprietors, for the maintenance of Ana-Baptist preaching " forever." Their old meeting house is torn down, and they hold their meetings in school houses. In 1794," a house was built a little West of Hoosac River, which was occupied by the Second Society of Baptists for 56 years. In this house, after Elder Nathan Mason, Rev. John Leland preached CHESHIRE. 477 during a long ministry. Mr. Leland was a man of mark in his time. He was concerned in all the affairs of the town. He was a member of the Legislature of 1811, and labored powerfully against the provisions of the 3d article of the Bill of Rights, contending that legislatures had no power to bind the consciences of men. An interesting anecdote related of him will illustrate his character. He resided in Virginia at the time of Patrick Henry's defense of the parishes against the exorbitant salaries of the clergy. A clergyman conversing with a parishioner, and attempting to justify the amount of salary he received, said : " I have to study all the week, to prepare to preach on the Sabbath." " Well," said the parishioner, " John Leland can preach at a moment's warning." " Invite him to preach for me from a text that I will give him on the spot," said the clergy man. Accordingly an arrangement was made, and the nature of the occasion, added to the excited state of the public mind, served to draw together on immense crowd. When Leland arose to address the crowd, the text given him was taken from the verse which speaks of the saddling of Balaam's ass. Mr. Leland first commented on the ac count from which the text was taken, and then said he should divide his subject into three parts : 1st, Balaam, as a false prophet, represents a hireling clergy. 2d, the sad dle represents their enormous salaries, and 3d, the dumb ass represents the people who will bear such a load. He satisfied the audience, and, doubtless, the clergyman, that he at least could preach without a week's preparation. Mr. Leland wrote his own epitaph, which is as follows : " Here lies the body of John Leland, who labored 68 years to promote piety, and vindicate the civil and religious rights of all men." A new house now occupies the site of the old church in in which he preached. For more than fifty years there was no organized church in the town but the Baptist. In 1823, a Society of Reformed Methodists was formed, which has recently built a new house of worship, and is now under the pastoral care of. Rev. Mr. Blanchard. Jan. 15, 1824, a third Baptist Church was organized, under the care of Rev. Elnathan Sweet. On the 6th of March, 1834, the 2d and 3d Baptist churches united, and now form the only visible. Baptist church in the town. This united church, 478 CHESHIRE. since Mr. Leland's death, has enjoyed the labors of Rev. Messrs. Elnathan Sweet, Joseph Rogers, Piatt Betts, Henry Clark, and F. S. Parker, the latter of whom is the present pastor. There is now in the town a Universalist Society, which has recently supplied itself with a new house of worship. The people of the town, throughout nearly the whole period of its history, have been peaceable and united, in their political and religious relations and affairs, but within the last ten years they have become greatly divided. In 1813, Cheshire was, from its firm adherence to Mad ison's administration, made a rendezvous for British pris oners. In 1793, John. Hancock had 99 votes for Governor, and all others but three. From that day to 1843, a period of 50 years, the people were nearly unanimous in their support of Democratic principles, in the popular under standing of that term. Jefferson was a great favorite with the people of Cheshire, and to show their regard to him, and their approval of his policy, they made for him a mam moth cheese, which was sent to Washington, and there, Jan. 1, 1802, presented to him, by Rev. John Leland, as a New Year's gift. The mode of its manufacture was the following: On a given day, the dairy women of the town sent their curds to one place, but the quantity thus collected was too great to be pressed at once, even in a cider mill, so that three additional cheeses were made, weighing 70 lbs. each. The big cheese weighed 1,450 pounds. The physicians of Cheshire have been Doctors Jenks, Cushing, Seagraves, Gott, Lyon, Brown, L. J. and T. S. Cole and Bliss. For more than 50 years, there was no lawyer in the town. There are now two : John C. Wolcott and Gordon E. Cole. The merchants have all been success ful, and eminently so were Moses Wolcott and Hon. Rus sell Brown. There are now four stores in the town, besides four that are connected with manufacturing and other busi ness establishments. , The water power of Cheshire is not very extensive. The principal stream is the Hoosac River. Elisha Jenks owns a cotton mill near the North line of the town. There are "two tanneries, one grist mill, five saw mills, and one mill for sawing staves, &c. by steam power, 1,000,000 of which are made annually. The exports from Cheshire CLARKSBDEG. 479 amount to 7,500 tuns annually. In July last, 834 tuns of freight were sent from Cheshire Depot. The principal articles of export are butter, cheese, potatoes, glass, glass sand, iron, leather and lumber. A description of the glass works of Cheshire, with a description of its exquisitely beautiful glass sand, has been given in the Second part of this work. [vol. 1, pp. 372-3-4.] Since the construction of the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad, the wood-land qf the town has quadrupled in value. The town is still fa mous for its butter and cheese, and does honor to the English town, a famous dairy district — for which it was originally named. Six hundred thousand feet of timber went from Cheshire to build the dam across the river at Holyoke. Educational interests have received commendable atten tion. For six years previous to 1854, $700 was raised annually, for the support of schools. In the latter year, the amount was increased to $900. A select school has been well sustained in the center of the town for several years, at a cost of from $300 to $400 annually, wholly drawn from subscriptions. The population in 1800, was 1,200 ; in 1840, 954 ; in 1850, 1,238 ; increasean ten years, 284. There are probably 1,500 inhabitants in the town, now, brought in by the development of new interests, and the increased value of all the property, under the stimulus of Railroad facilities. CLARKSBURG. Field's History of Berkshire gives the following descrip tion of the territory of which Clarksburg is formed : " When Col. William Bullock measured out the grant which bears his name, he was compelled, in order to complete his complement of 23,040 acres, to extend it round Bernardston's grant. He intended to reach the line of Vermont ; but not knowing precisely where it was, and careful not to lose any part of his grant by going into that State, he stopped a mile short of the line, and proceeded Westwards, four or five miles along the North line of Bernardston's grant and Adams. The part of Bullock's grant which lies North of this grant and town, and west of Monroe, together with the gore which separates it from Williamstown and Vermont, now constitutes Clarksburg." The first settlement was made in 1769, by Matthew, Matthew, Jr., Epemetus, Daniel and Samuel Ketchum, and 480 DALTON. Nicholas, Aaron, Stephen and Silas Clark. The Ketch- urns were from Long Island, and the Clarks from Cumber land, R. I. The town was incorporated with the name of Clarksburg, March 2, 1798, receiving its name from the preponderating family then in the town, although the peti tioners for the incorporation desired to have it named " Hudson," in honor of a man of that name who was sup posed to have felled the first tree on the territory. The town is very mountainous, and is particularly adapted to the production of butter, cheese and wool. The town has produced fine lumber for many years. The early settlers were Baptists, and about 14. years after the first settlement, they, with certain occupants of unincorporated lands now within the boundaries of Stam ford, Vt, built a meeting house near the province line. It was a rude affair, and was only used during the summer for a few years. Following a revival of religion occurring about this time, 26 persons from Clarksburg joined the Baptist Church at Cheshire Four Corners. In 1799, a church was formed called the First Baptist Church of Stamford and Clarksburg, consisting of about 60 members. About this period, a Methodist class was formed. But regular preaching, for any great length of time, has never been enjoyed in Clarksburg, and at the present time there is no settled minister in the town.- The people are all Baptists or Methodists with hardly an exception. Some of the people attend church regularly in adjoining towns. Agriculture is necessarily the chief business of the peo ple. Lumbering is carried on to a considerable extent, with the making of boxes for manufactories. The town is divided into four school districts, and, in 1854, raised for the support of schools, $200. It contains 18 square miles of territory, has 70 ratable polls, and owes a debt of $100. The population in 1840 was 403 ; in 1850, 394 ; decrease in ten years, 9. DALTON. Dalton was originally known as " Ashuelot Equivalent," and was granted to Oliver Partridge and others of Hat field, as an equivalent for a township granted them on the Ashuelot River, in New Hampshire. That township was then supposed to be within the Massachusetts Colony, but, DALTON. 481 on running the line between the two colonies, it fell within New Hampshire, and the grant was transferred as above stated. The first settlement was made in 1755. Dr. Perez Marsh, a graduate of Harvard College, and afterwards Judge of the County Court!, Daniel Frost, Nathaniel Kel logg, and, soon afterwards, Joseph Chamberlin, moved into the South part of the township, near the line of Pittsfield. About 1770, William Cady, Josiah Lawrence, and Abijah Parks moved into the East part. Josiah Lawrence built the first grist mill, where the only one in the town now stands.. The town was incorporated March 20, 1784, and was named in honer of Hon. Tristram Dalton, then speak er of the House of Representatives. In 1795, about 5,000 acres were added to the town from Windsor, and in 1804, 2,500 acres were taken from the town, and incorporated into Hinsdale. This left the territory nine miles in length, from North-east to South-west, with an average width of less than 2 1-2 miles — covering an area of about 13,000 acres, and embracing the beautiful valley so much admired by travelers approaching it through the hills in Hinsdale, from the East, or in descending Hancock mountain from the West. The town of Dalton was not incorporated until after the close of the Revolutionary struggle, and, consequently, there are no town records of what the inhabitants did in the Revolutionary cause. Whatever may have been the action of the people then, they afterwards became alienated from the government. In the time of the Shays Rebellion? the town was openly among the disaffected. In 1786, at a town meeting, it was " voted that the town will defend in the law him or them who may refuse the person or proper ty of any individuals that may be taken upon an execution from the treasurer of this Commonwealth, for the sum charged upon this place as its proportion of the beef tax." Among those who joined in the insurrection, were Major Samuel Wiley, and his two sons Robert and Samuel, Capt. Abijah Parks, Selah Goodrich, Calvin Sprague, Benjamin Chamberlin, Josiah Farnam, Josiah Lawrence, Rufus Cady, Andrew Spafford, and Phinehas Cady. A vote passed by the town Dec. 27th, of the following year, shows that the people were still implacable, for reasons which will appear in the vote itself, here following : 41 482 DALTON. " This meeting being .called, among other things, to hear and consider the Constitution or frame of Government, re ported by the Federal*Convention, begun and held at Phila delphia on the first Monday in May last, the said Constitution, together with the Resolve of the General Court of this Com monwealth, of the 20th of October last, subjoined thereto, be ing read : In order that Posterity may be informed what Ideas this Town entertained of their natural Rights as Men, at this interesting Crisis of our Federal Union, and may know that their ancestors could feel an Injury, it was thereupon Rtsolved, nemine contradicente : " First, that all men in certain Cases, are unequivocally and equally entitled to the enjoyment of certain natural Rights. " Secondly, that the forming themselves into society, and establishing a frame of Government is the common and equal Right of all men, and, therefore, the Idea of any other quali fication than a Competency of understanding and common Sense, in order to be entitled to a voice in that business, is absurd. " Thirdly, that the Resolve of the General Court above men tioned, which excludes this Town from a Representation hi the State Convention to be held at Boston on the 2d Wednes day of January next, to whom the said Constitution is sub mitted for their assent and Ratification, is partial, and a man ifest Infringement of our natural Rights, as members of this Community. " Fourthly, that as it is agreeable to the clearest principles of natural Justice and true Liberty, that no people or persons can be righteously bound by Laws to which there has been no Consent given in person, or by Representation, therefore the town of Dalton, being thus separated from the Privileges, ought, in reason and Justice, to be exemptedfrom the Burthens and Obligations of that Government the Rest of the Commu nity may see fit to establish, without us, for themselves." Notwithstanding this unhappy state of affairs, arrange ments were made for the support of the institutions of re ligion. Dea. William Williams, who had removed to the town from Hatfield, by his influence with Col. Israel Wil liams and Dea. Obadiah Dickinson, obtained from them a donation of 285 acres of land in the South part of the town, for the support of the Congregational ministry. The land was sold, by permission of the Legislature, and the proceeds have since been invested in a parsonage, con venient to their meeting house, erected in 1812. The Con gregational Church was organized February 16, 1785. The DALTON. 483 church was irregularly supplied with preaching until March, 1795, when Rev. James Thompson was ordained as the pastor. He remained until 1799, when he was dismissed. His regularly settled successors have been Rev. Ebenezer Jennings, from 1802 to 1834 ; Rev. Harper Boise, from 1835 to 1841 ; Rev. Thomas A. Hall, from 1841 to 1847 ; Rev. Oliver M. Sears, from 1847 to 1853, (when he was removed by death) ; and Rev. Timothy A. Hazen, who was settled in 1854, and still remains the pastor. A Methodist Society was started in 1812, composed chiefly of dissenters from Congregationalism, while some attached themselves to it from political motives, connected with the last war with England, and others still on account of. the change in the location of the meeting house, the Congregationalists having built a new one that year. At first, they had circuit preaching every alternate Sabbath. In 1834, they built a neat and convenient meeting house, in the modern style, since which time they have largely increased, and for the last eight years have supported sta tion preaching. The water power of Dalton is equal to any in the county, and although pretty well improved, there are still some of the best water privileges unoccupied. The facilities for transportation to and from market, located as the town is upon the Western Railroad, make it a most desirable place for manufacturing. Especially is it adapted to the manu facture of paper, from the abundance of perfectly pure spring water which it possesses. The following advertisement, which appeared in the Pittsfield Sun, is the record of the first attempt made to manufacture paper in Berkshire County : Americans ! Encourage your own Manufactories, and they will improve. Ladies, Save your Rags ! As the subscribers have it in contemplation to erect a Paper mill in Dalton, the ensuing Spring, and the business being very beneficial to the community at large, they flatter them selves that they shall meet with due encouragement. And that every woman who has the good of her country, and the interest of her family at heart will patronize them, by Saving her Rags, and sending them to their manufactory, or the near- 484 DALTON. est storekeeper — For which the subscribers will give a gen erous price. Henry Wiswall. Zenas Crane. John Willard. Worcester, Feb. 8th, 1801. In accordance with this notice, the first paper mill was built by Wiswall, Crane and Willard, and commenced operations in 1 802. The establishment is now called " Old Berkshire." Here they manufactured about 20 tuns of paper per annum, until 1807, when Wiswall and Carson came into possession, and continued the business until 1810. Since that time, it has been run by David Carson and his sons. The present owners, T. G. and W. W. Carson, have greatly improved and added to the establishment, and now manufacture 180 tuns of fine paper annually, worth 20 cts. per lb., and employ in their business 60 hands. •. The Pioneer Mill was built by Zenas Crane and Martin Chamberlin, in 1809. Zenas Crane became the sole pro prietor in 1822. In 1842, having in the meantime amassed a handsome fortune, he transferred the property to his sons, Zenas M. and James B. Crane, who, under the firm of Crane & Co., manufacture about 100 tuns of fine paper per annum, part of which is bank note and bond paper. Defiance Mill, now owned by Henry Chamberlin & Co., was built by David Carson, in 1821, and transferred to the present proprietors in 1840. They work up about 80 tuns of stock, and make about 60 tuns of cap and ledger paper per annum, employing 20 hands. Excelsior Mill was built in 1844, by Z. M. and J. B. Crane, where they manufacture colored paper exclusively, to the amount of 200 tuns per annum. The Bay State Mill was formerly the Ashuelot Woolen Factory, and was converted into a paper mill by Cranes & Wilson, in 1851. In this mill, 300 tuns of white and buff paper are made annually, exclusively for envelopes. They employ 20 hands, and there have been made in the mill during the past year, 10,000,000 envelopes. A blast furnace was erected near the center of the town, on the Housatonic river, in 1800, in which much business was done up to 1816, when it was burnt. The privilege is now united with that of the woolen factory below, owned EGREMONT. 485 by F. Weston, making 26 feet head and fall, and producing the best privilege and location for manufacturing in the town. A tannery was erected by Simeon M. Dean in 1852. He has invested a capital of $7,000, employs 9 hands, and turns out $12,000 worth of leather annually. On the North Mountain, there are 5,000 acres of land, mostly covered with valuable timber. At its base, on the North branch of the Housatonic river, and the small streams which empty into it, are eight saw-mills, within the distance of one mile, which manufacture two and a half millions feet of lumber annually, mostly hemlock and spruce, that finds a ready market in Pittsfield, which is principally sup plied with lumber and wood from this town. The hard lumber is sent to market by railroad. Two more saw-mills and a turning shop are being erected. There are inexhaustable beds of second rate marble and lime stone near the center and East part of the town, suit able for building. One lime kiln now in operation turns out 12,000 bushels annually. Dalton is divided into seven school districts ; appropria tion for their support in 1854, $600. Total taxation for all other purposes, $2,154 ; ratable polls, 261 ; legal voters, 212 ; population in 1840, 1,143 ; in 1850, 1,055 ; decrease in ten years, 88. EGREMONT. The Indian reservation, made at the time of the purchase of the lower Housatonic township, extended through the present town of Egremont. A considerable part of this was leased by the chiefs of the Stockbridge tribe to An drew Karner, October 20, 1740 ; and, in 1756, a portion of the reservation was purchased of the Indians, and this tract became known as the " Shawenon Purchase." It was " bounded East on Sheffield, South on Indian land, West on the land lately laid to Robert Noble and others, called Nobletown, and to extend North as far as, said Nobletown, to the North-East corner of said town ; to run East over to the Stockbridge West line." This tract of land, for the consideration of £20, was conveyed to Ebenezer Baldwin, Aaron Loomis, Josiah Phelps, Benjamin Tremain, Samuel Colver, Samuel Welch, David Winchell and several others, 41* 486 EGREMONT. Nobletown was West of the dividing line between Massa chusetts and New York, being at the present time a part of the town of Hillsdale. In October, 1756, another tract of land, afterwards known as the Spoor Grant, was con veyed by the Indians to Isaac and Cornelius Spoor, and others. Earner's lease passed from hand to hand until it was lost sight of. At last, between thirty and forty years ago, it came into the possession of William F. Gragg of Augusta, N Y., who laid a claim to the land which it cov ered. In 1826, however, the occupants paid him $400 for his right, and thus adjusted the claim. The permanent settlement of the land now covered by Egremont took place in 1730. There were probably some families from New York on the ground earlier, who sup posed it to be within the limits of that colony. Among the early settlers were Andrew, Robert, Nicholas and Jacob Karner ; John, Isaac, Jacob and Cornelius Spoor ; Ebenezer Baldwin, Aaron Loomis, Josiah Phelps, John Perry, Timo thy Hopkins, Elias Hopkins, Nehemiah Messenger, Benja min Tremain, Samuel Colver, Samuel Ybunglove, Wm. Webb, Jonathan Welch, Samuel Welch, Robert Joyner, Gideon Church, Ebenezer Smith, Aaron Sheldon, Israel Taylor, Wm. Roberts, Joseph Hicks, Edward Bailey, Abraham Andrews and John Fuller. The tract was set tled with considerable rapidity, and was incorporated, with* its present name, February 13, 1760, as a district of Shef field. The first district meeting was held in March, the same year, when Samuel Winchell was chosen clerk, and Jonah Westover, Timothy Kellogg and Isaac Spoor were elected selectmen. In 1767, the people erected a meeting house, raised money to procure preaching, and invited Rev. James Treadway to become their pastor. Mr. Treadway declined the invitation, and during the two or three following years a number of candidates were employed. February 20, 1770, a Congregational Church was organized ; and on the 28th of the same month, Rev. Eliphalet Steele of West Hartford, Ct, a graduate of Yale College in 1764, was ordained as the pastor. Mr. Steele remained with the peo ple, with entire harmony, until the time of the Shays Re bellion, when, many of his parishioners being among the malcontents, they became his enenies, from the fact that he EGREMONT. 487 did not sympathize with them. Some of them entered his house at night, and, after inflicting sundry personal indigni ties upon him, stole his watch and several articles of cloth ing. The disturbing elements thus introduced, never be came thoroughly reconciled, but Mr. Steele remained with his people until April 29, 1794, when he was dismissed. The church gradually diminished in numbers after this, — left, as it was, without regular preaching, — until 1814, when it was considered extinct. In 1816, another Congregational church was formed, consisting of 14 members, but no pastor was settled until November 23, 1820, when Rev. Gardner Hayden was ordained. Mr. Hayden was a native of Blandford, and a graduate of Williams College in 1818. He remained the pastor of the church until October 20, 1831, when he was 'dismissed. Rev. Saul Clark became his successor, June 5, 1834, and was dismissed October 31, 1839. He was succeeded, March 11, 1841, by Rev. John Goddard, who died November 4th of the same year. Rev. John G. Hall was installed in his place in 1842, and con tinued until April 2, 1850, when he was dismissed, at his own request. He was succeeded by Rev. Elias Clark, who was ordained January 7, 1851, and dismissed April 20, 1854. The church has now no settled pastor. The inte rior of the meeting house used by this church has been re modeled and improved during the past year, a lecture-room has recently been erected near it, arid the church numbers 74 members. The house erected in 1767 was built near the center of the town, and was used until 1833, when the present edifice was erected in South Egremont village. : The Baptist Church was organized in 1787, and em braced, at that time, members from several of the adjoining towns. Their house of worship, erected in 1817, and re paired in 1 850, with essential interior improvements, stands near the village in the North part of the town. The society was incorporated in 1808. The pastors have been the following : Elder Jeduthan Gray, who resided in the vicinity, and preached to the people about 20 years ; Elder John Nichols, from 1808 to 1811 ; Elder Daniel Sherwood, who succeeded him in the latter year, and who was suc ceeded in 1818 by Elder Elisha Hubbell ; Elder Enos Marshall, who commenced in 1824; Elder Harmon Ellis who succeeded in 1834 ; Elder Calvin Munroe, in 1837 ; 488 EGREJ10NT. Elder Salmon Hatch, in 1839; Elder Daniel Grant who died in 1843, and who was succeeded, in 1844, by Rev. Benjamin C. Crandall ; Rev. Samuel Pomeroy, who suc ceeded Mr. Crandall in 1847 ; Rev. Cephas Pasco, who succeeded Mr. Pomeroy in 1849; and who still remains the pastor. The church is harmonious, and numbers 70 mem bers. The most interesting revival that has occurred in connection with this church was in 1816-17, under the ministry of Elder Sherwood. At that time, 100 were added to the church. The Methodist Society erected a house of worship in 1830, in which regular preaching is maintained. The people took an active part in^the Revolutionary war, and so devoted were they that not a tory was suffered to dwell in the town during the war. A party of tories, sent from the Livingston Manor, came over, and encamped near the present burying ground at North Egremont, but were driven back. During the skirmishing, a tory named Fields was captured, who, on the discovery upon his per son of a lieutenant's commission, was sent to West Point. Much of interesting history was doubtless destroyed with the town records, when the town clerk's office was burnt in 1838. Egremont is divided into five school districts. An in corporated academy was built in 1828, and flourished for several years, but it has declined until it is little more than a select school. Considerable attention is paid to schools, and particular attention is now turned to the improvement of school houses. During the past year, an elegant and commodious school building was erected at South Egre mont. The amount appropriated for schools in 1854 was $625,— of which $50 was from the State. The appropriation for paupers and contingent expenses, in 1854, was $300; for repair of highways, $450. The State tax was $243, and the county tax, $400. The town has now but one pauper, and no debt ; and its portion- of the surplus revenue — $1,900 — is invested as a permanent fund, to be used by the town for such purposes as it may deem best. The people of Egremont are mostly devoted to agricul ture. Farms and farm-houses have been greatly improved, and the products of tillable land increased one-third, within FLORIDA. 489 the last fifteen years. Corn, rye, oats and wheat are the principal grains raised. There are three post offices, one each at the villages of North Egremont, South Egremont and Egremont Plain ; also, in the town, two public houses of entertainment, four stores, two grist-mills and four saw-mills. David Dallzell is engaged at South Egremont in the manufacture of pleas ure carriages, to the value of $50,000 yearly, which go to the Boston and New York markets. He also makes $15,000 worth of patent axles annually, which, with about $3,000 worth of wood material, he furnishes to other car riage builders. He operates both with water and steam power. There is a chair and cabinet ware manufactory in which considerable business is done. About half a mile West of the village of North Egremont, Thomas Wood carries on a flouring mill. His flour and feed he sends mostly to the Eastern towns of the county, and exchanges them for hemlock lumber, large quantities of which are brought back, and sold to the people of Columbia county, N. Y., for building purposes. The oldest dwelling-house in Egremont is built of brick, and stands near the village of South Egremont. The Ma sonic emblems — a squre and compass — apd the year " 1761" are defined upon its heavy walls by the mode of laying the brick. The population of Egremont in 1840 was 1,036 ; in 1850, 1,031 ; decrease in ten years, 5. FLORIDA. The Northern part of the town of Florida was granted to the town of Bernardston, in consideration of the loss sustained by that town in running the line between Massa chusetts and the New Hampshire Grants, now the State of Vermont. The tract was known, for many years, as " Ber nardston's Grant." Bullock's Grant and King's Grant, so called, each contributed territory to Florida, which was incorporated as a town, June 15, 1805. The first settler, Dr. Daniel Nelson, went upon the territory in 1783. He was from Stafford, Ct. Previous to 1795, Paul Knowlton from Shrewsbury, Sylvanus Clark from Southampton, Na than Drury from Shelburne, Jesse King from Deerfield, and Stephen Staples from Adams, joined him, and, soon 490 FLORIDA. after this, the settlement was quite numerously re-inforced. A Baptist Church was formed in 1810, with about 20 members. This society own a meeting-house, which was built in 1824, but their supply of preaching has been irreg ular. Among those who have ministered to them have been Rev. Messrs. Nathaniel McCullock, John Green, Wm. Bo- gart and Noah Y. Bushnell. A Congregational Church was formed May 4, 1814, with 1 1 members. This body remains small, and exists, in a measure, as a branch of the church at North Adams, by whose pastor it is occasionally supplied with preaching. A " Christian" Church was formed in 1835, with twenty- members or upwards, and with Rev. Seth Ross, as pastor. Preaching was enjoyed for several years, but the church is now extinct. A Universalist Society was formed in 1830. They own no meeting-house, but have preaching a part of the time. Among those who have supplied them were Rev. Messrs. David Ballou, Daniel Thayer, Joseph Barber, Hosea F. Ballou, Wm. Wilcox, O. O. French and Joy Bishop, who is the present pastor. The industrial interests of the town are mainly agricul tural, although a large lumber business is done. There are 14 saw-mills in the town, owned respectively by Thompson Smith, S. A. Kemp & Co., Thatcher & Bradley, Wm. Tower, Sylvanus Clark, Levi N. Whitcomb, Stillman Whit- comb, Levi Granger, Charles H. Rice, Wm. White, Miles H. Hicks, Kelley Sherman, Chester Tower and Thatcher & Tower. Their production ranges from 20,000 to 100,000 feet of lumber per annum, to the mill. Kemp, Brown & Vincent carry on a tannery and grist-mill. The names of justices of the peace in the town have been Jesse King, Nathan Drury, Zadock King, Daniel Thayer, Jr., Israel Whitcomb, N. P. Brown and Alvah B. Fairfield. The money raised by tax, in 1854, was $1,700, of which $400 was appropriated for schools. There are 7 school districts in the town, 45 square miles of territory, 43 miles of roads, and 140 ratable polls. The only facts of Revolutionary history connected with the town, now recalled, are, that four deserters, (Irish,) from Burgoyne's army, previous to his surrender, went into Florida, and supported themselves mostly by hunting GREAT BARRINGTON. 491 and fishing for several years ; and that a body of American troops passed over the mountain in mid-winter, and in their terrible passage, which lasted three weeks, came near starving and freezing to death. The population in 1840 was 435: in 1850 564- increase in ten years, 129. GREAT BARRINGTON. The Southern part of Great Barrington, below the great bridge, so called, was taken from the Lower Housatonic township, afterwards incorporated into Sheffield. The sec tion above the bridge belonged to the Upper Housatonic township. The history of the grant of these townships, in sufficient fullness of detail, will be found in the Outline History, and only a brief recapitulation will be attempted here. In answer to a petition of Joseph Parsons and 115 others, and of Thomas White and 59 others, two townships, six miles square, situated upon the Housatonic river, were granted to them by the General Court in 1722. The upper township was surveyed by Timothy Dwight of Northamp ton, in October, 1736. It had been encroached upon by the survey of the new " Indian town," (Stockbridge,) and contained, at the time of the survey, 22,120 acres. A por tion of this territory, upon the Western side, has since been incorporated into Afford, and the portion East of Stock- bridge, united with other adjoining tracts, formed the town of Lee when it was incorporated. About 1740, the tract was incorporated as the Second Parish of Sheffield. The place was called " Upper Sheffield," " the North Parish of ShefHeld," &c. [See vol. 1, p. 163 to 171.] The first settlers were mostly Dutch, from Kinderhook, N. Y., and its vicinity, including the Van Deusens, Burghardts, Hollenbecks, Vosburghs, Spoors, &c. Great Barrington was incorporated as a town June 30, 1761. During the same year, it was selected as the seat of justice for the county of Berkshire, and remained thus until the county buildings and business were removed to Lenox. The permanent settlement of the town took place about 1730, six years before the survey of the township already alluded to. The lower part of the town was settled in connection with Sheffield. Among the English settlers were Moses Ingersol, Moses and William King, Thomas 492 GREAT BARRINGTON. Dewey, Hezekiah Phelps, Israel Orton and Joshua Root. Sometime in 1742, the inhabitants, at a meeting called for that purpose, agreed to build a " meeting-house in ac cordance with the early design and arrangements of the settling committee." The house was finished so as to be fit for occupation during the following year. December 28, 1743, Rev. Samuel Hopkins was ordained as the minister of the parish. At this time thirty families had become residents, but when the church was formed, on the day of the ordination, it consisted only of John and Jonah Pixley, James Sexton, Asahel King and Jonathan Nash. Dr. Hopkins was a native of Waterbury, Ct, and a graduate of Yale in 1741. He subsequently became the author of a system of divinity which has perpetuated his name in the adjectives " Hopkintonian," " Hopkinsian," &c. He was dismissed January 18, 1769, having admitted to the church, during his ministry, 116 members. From that time, through a life which reached into the present century, he lived in Newport, R. I. After his dismission from Great Barring ton, the church remained vacant for more than 18 years. On the 4th of May, 1787, Rev. Isaac Foster was settled over the church, from the charge of which he was dis missed May 4, 1790. After his dismission, the church was without a pastor for more than 1 6 years, until the ordina tion of Rev. Elijah Wheeler, September 24, 1806. At this time, it had diminished to a membership of only twenty, but during his ministry, which lasted until February 1 2, 1823, it increased in strength and numbers until the m?m- bership was 126. Rev. Sylvester Burt was installed the same day on which Mr. Wheeler was dismissed. He was a native of Northampton, and a graduate of Williams in 1804. He studied theology with Dr. Lathrop of West Springfield, and had previously been settled at Western and New Marlboro. Mr. Burt died January 10, 1836, after laboring with his people thirteen years, and receiving into the church 197 persons. • On the 19th of April, 1837, Rev. J. W. Turner was ordained over the church as his successor, having supplied the desk from the first Sabbath of the previous September. He was dismissed in the Au tumn of 1851, and, in the Spring of 1852, the present min ister, Rev. S. S. N. Greeley, formerly of Chicopee, was installed- in his place. ' GREAT BARRINGTON. 493 Some of the first settlers were Dutch and others English, as has already been seen. The former were Lutherans, and the latter Congregationalists. After building a meet ing-house unitedly, settling a minister, and worshiping to gether for a time, the two parties seriously disagreed, and, out of the difficulty, sprang an Episcopal church, formed mainly of people of Dutch extraction. The church was instituted about 1760, by Rev. Solomon Palmer, an English missionary who ministered to the church occasionally after wards, until his death at Litchfield, Ct, in 1770. Rev. Gideon Bostwick succeeded him at Great Barrington during that year, and during his ministry had oversight of the Episcopalians in Lenox and Lanesborough, and often preached in those places. He died at New Milford, Ct., June 13, 1793, while on a visit to his friends. His vacant desk was supplied by different individuals for several years, until about 1805, when Rev. Samuel Griswold from Sims- bury, Ct, became the pastor and sustained that relation until 1821. Rev. Solomon Blakesley of North Haven, Ct, a graduate of Yale in 1-785, was settled in his place in September of the year of his retirement, and continued there until May, 1827. In September, 1828, Rev. Sturges Gilbert took the pastoral charge of the people, and con tinued until the Spring of 1839, when he removed to Ho bart, N. Y. Rev. Samuel B. Hassard succeeded him im mediately, and died in January, 1847. He was succeeded by Rev. S. D. Dennison, and he, by Rev. Justin Field, who, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. John Woart, who was dismissed in the Summer of 1854. The church is now without a settled pastor. The first Episcopal church was built in 1764, and the present edifice in 1833. An Episcopal chapel was built at Van Deusenville, in 1829, by this society. The church at this point was formed in 1839, and is now, and for several years has been, under the charge of Rev. Lewis Green. The first rector was Rev. Mr. Parker of Stockbridge, but previously, during the period from the building of the chapel to the formation of the church, preaching was held at each village alternately, by the same rector. A Methodist church was formed in the central part of the town in 1842, which is now in a flourishing condition, and is under the pastoral charge of Rev. George Kerr. 42 494 GREAT BARRINGTON. A Baptist Society was incorporated in 1792, but no church or society of this denomination now remains in the town. A Congregational Church was organized at Housatonic, a village of Great Barrington, in June, 1841. This village is about five miles from the central village, near the line of Stockbridge. They built a house of worship which was dedicated Oct. 12, 1842, when Rev. Charles B. Boynton was settled as their pastor. Mr. Boynton was dismissed about eight years since, and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Andrews. The church is now without a settled pastor. The Roman Catholics erected a church edifice in 1854, and are ministered to by Rev. Mr. Cuddihy of Pittsfield. There is no record of town meetings held in Great Bar rington from Nov., 1771, to March, 1776. In this, as in other sections of the country, differences of opinion exist ed on the great questions in dispute between the colonies and Great Britain. These differences were, to some ex tent, connected with the religious persuasion of the inhab itants ; and, although a large majority were friendly to, and patriotic in, the cause of the colonies, there were those who were regarded with extreme distrust, and who, in September, 1777, received a vote of censure from the town. The records abound with votes for the payment of the soldiers, for granting supplies in compliance with the requisitions of the General Court, and for furnishing the soldiers required of the town. Jan. 12, 1778, it was " voted that the articles of confederation and perpetual union drawn up by the Continental Congress, and laid before this town, are agreeable to their minds, and that our Representatives be directed to give their votes in the General Court of this state to ratify the same." After the surrender of Bur goyne, his army, or a portion of it, marched through Great Barrington on its way to Boston, and encamped near the village. Amongst them was Baron Rudesel with his Hes sian troops. Gen. Burgoyne accompanied them, and was detained a few days by sickness, during which he was en tertained by Elijah Dwight, at his house, which is still standing in the village. President Dwight, in his travels^ presents the following narrative of a marvelous occurrence which took place at the Great Bridge in Great Barrington, at an early period in the history of the town : GREAT BARRINGTON. 495 » "A Mr. Van Rensselaer, a young gentleman from Albany, came one evening into an inn, kept by a Mr. Root, just at the eastern end of the bridge. The inn-keeper, who knew him, asked him where he crossed the river. He answered, 'on the bridge.' Mr. Root replied, that that was impossible, be cause it had been raised that very day ; and that not a plank had been laid on it. Mr Van Rensselaer said that it could not be true, because his horse had come over it without any difficulty or reluctance ; that the night was so profoundly dark, as to prevent him from seeing anything distinctly; but that it was incredible, if his horse could see sufficiently well to keep his footing anywhere, that he should not discern his danger, and impossible for him to pass over the bridge in that condition. Each went to bed dissatisfied, neither believing the story of the other. In the morning, Mr. Van Rensselaer went, at the solicitation of his host, to view the bridge ; and finding it a naked frame, gazed for a moment in astonish ment, and fainted." There is a considerable amount of manufacturing car ried on in Great Barrington. The Berkshire Woolen Co. have a large establishment in_ the village, and are exten sively engaged in the manufacture of cassimeres. They have also a large flouring mill — one of the best in the county of Berkshire. Rogers and Wycoff of New York have a mill for the manufacture of India rubber goods, in the village. At Van Deusenville, the " Richmond Iron Works" have a large establishment, which will be found fully described in part 2d of this work. [Vol. 1, p. 367.] In the same village, Munson and Peabody carry on a cotr ton factory for the manufacture of sheetings. The Monu ment mills manufacture cotton warps at Housatonic village, and two last factories are located at the same point. The most prominent of he early settlers of Great Barrington was Gen. Joseph Dwight, and we copy from the History of Berkshire the following sketch of him : " Gen. Joseph Dwight was born in Dedham, in 1703. His early advantages for education are not known. In 1733, he wa3 admitted to the bar in the county of Hampshire, being then an inhabitant of Brookfield. Concerning the extent of his practice, there is no information. He soon entered upon military life, and distinguished himself as commander of the artillery of Massachusetts in 1745, at the memorable capture of Louisburg, on Cape Breton, — particularly in conveying the ordnance and military stores across the extensive and miry 496 HANCOCK. morass, West of the town, and in the subsequent attack on the walls. In 1756, he went at the head of a brigade of Massachusetts militia to Lake Champlain, in the second French war. Soon after his return from the North, he pur chased a situation in this town, where he continued the re mainder of his days. When this county was formed, he was appointed Judge of the County Court, and Judge of Probate; both of which offices he retained until his death June9, 1675, aged 62. His personal appearance was very fine. He was dignified in his manners, an upright judge, and an exemplary professor of the religion of the Gospel. No man in the county, in civil life, was more esteemed." Education receives commendable attention. The town is divided into seventeen school districts, and the amount raised for the support of public schools has, for several years, been $1,500 annually. The Great Barrington Academy, under the superintendence of B. F. Phillips, and the Young Ladies' Seminary, in the charge of Mrs. Lr W. Allen, are both flourishing institutions. The population of Great Barrington in 1840 was 2,690 ; in 1850, 3,274; increase in ten years, 584. HANCOCK. Hancock occupies sixteen miles of the line between Massachusetts and New York, but is only about two miles wide. The Northern half is a continuous valley of great fertility and beauty ; the Southern, an extremely broken and irregular tract. This town was originally called Jeri cho, " on account of the high natural walls on each side," — parallel ridges of the Taghconic Mountains. Some of its best farms were cut off by the line between Massachusetts and New York, and now lie in the latter State. The first settlement was made in 1762, by Asa Douglass, upon the first and principal grant of land, made in 1760, to him, Timothy Hurlburt of Canaan, Ct, Col. John Ash ley of Sheffield and Josiah Dean. Mr. Douglass had been unsuccessfully engaged in trade at Canaan, Ct, and con cluded to go into a newer country, to try his fortune. Jour neying Northward, inquiring for a good locality in which to settle, he was directed by an Indian to this place. He liked it, sought and obtained a grant of 1,000 acres, and located his dwelling where he afterwards built the large house now owned by Daniel Gardner. He had seven sons, hancock. 497 several, if not all of whom, settled around him. He was soon joined in his settlement by John Clothier, Jesse Squire, Amasa and Martin Johnson, Benjamin Davis, Samuel Grippen, David Sprague, Samuel Hand, Capt. Caleb Gard ner, David Vaughn, Reuben Ely, and Henry and Jona than Hazard. They were mostly from Connecticut and Rhode Island. Charles Goodrich of Pittsfield obtained the grant of the South part of the town in 1761, which was settled upon by his nephew, Daniel Goodrich, in 1764. He was joined in the following year by his father, Benjamin Good rich, who brought with him all his sons, viz : Benjamin, Sam uel, Nathan, David, Ezekiel, Elizur, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, and Enoch. Jeremiah Osborne and his son Hezekiah, and Israel Talcott, settled there about the same time. As many of these settlers afterwards became Shakers, this grant embraced in its Southern part the land now held by those people in Hancock, and New Lebanon, N. Y., also. Soon after the second grant, small grants were made in the North part to Dea. Samuel Brown of Stockbridge, and Col. Farrington. The remainder of the land was sold by a committee of the General Court, to the actual settlers, in 1789. Hancock was incorporated as a town, July 2, 1776, and was named in honor of John Hancock. The first town meeting was held Aug. 21st, following, at the house of Esquire Douglass. Born with the Revolutionary period, the town, in its action, was worthy alike of its natal year, and its name. Early in its meetings, it " voted that a com mittee be appointed to procure such evidence as may be obtained against all persons charged by the inhabitants of this town as being enemically disposed towards this, or any of the United States." The people voted that tories should- not be permitted to remain in the town, and that any one coming into the town to live should bring a certifi cate from the town he had left that " since the year 1775, his conduct has been friendly to these American States." Asa Douglass took a very active part in the Revolution, and declared that he would sooner see all his sons fall, than witness the defeat of the cause of liberty. His son, Capt. Wm. Douglass, Capt. Bills, Lieut. James Smith, and several others from Hancock, were in the battle of Ben- 42* 498 HANCOCK. nington, the guns of which were heard by their wives and families at home. Whitman Vaughn, Clark Gardner, and Sweet fell in that battle. During the day, the wife and daughter of Lieut. James Smith walked the high mountain at the North-east of the town, listening to the far-off roar, and full of anxious solicitude for the husband and father. As night approached, the wife felt a presenti ment of her husband's safety, and his speedy return ; and, hastening down the mountain, said, " Molly put the kettle on, and prepare the supper, for Jamie is coming home to night, and will soon be here." "Jamie" certainly soon came in, having received a furlough for only one night In religious sentiment, the settlers and their descendants were mostly Baptists. A Baptist Church was organized in June, 1772, which was ministered to from the first by Rev. Clark Rogers, from West Greenwich, R. L, until his death, which occurred Jan. 14, 1806, in the 77th year of his age, and the 34th of his ministry to this church. He had two sons, Samuel and William, both, like their father, distinguished ministers of the Gospel. The successors of Rev. Mr. Rogers have been Rev. Messrs. Justus Hall, Robert Niles, Julius Beman, Northrup, Seth Jones, John Leland and John Vincent, chiefly limited supplies from 1806 to 1831 ; from the latter date to 1849, F. S. Park, J. D. Rogers, E. Tucker, G. C. Tripp, H. Ellis, Elnathan Sweet and Piatt Betts ; from 1849 to 1851, G. S. Stock- well ; from 1851 to 1852, Wm. Bowen ; since 1852, A. P. Viets, the present pastor. The church has had three houses of worship, — the first, a log house, succeeded in 1797 by a frame building on the same site (between the present residence of Wm. Hadsell and Mrs. Susan Foster,) and a house in the village, finished in 1851. The mem bership of the church has been reduced, from various causes, until it numbers only about 80. Excepting the Shakers, this is the only religious society in Hancock.. Its deacons have been Robert and Caleb Carr, chosen in 1772-; Thaddeus Patchen, 1794; Daniel Smith, 1821; Justus Goodrich, 1824; Gardner Smith, 1831; Lyman Eldridge and Wm. Smith, 1849. The Shaker Village is located in the South-eastern part of the town. It contains a meeting house, office, two school houses, several dwellings and numerous shops, the HANCOCK. 499 latter occupied by joiners, hatters, coopers, blacksmiths, &c. Besides these, there is a grand architectural curiosi ty — a circular, stone barn, — which has been visited as a curiosity by thousands of people. This barn was erected in 1836, and has a circumference of -270 feet. The out side of this circle is occupied by stables, the mangers to wards the center, and the entrances from the various yards that surround the building. The covering of this circle of stables is the barn floor, which is entered and left by teams at one and the same door, by driving around the circle. The hay occupies the central area, which will hold a vast deposit. Eight or ten teams can occupy the floor at one time. In June, 1780, several individuals in the South part of the town embraced the views of the Shakers, and this was the origin of the New Lebanon and Hancock communities. They began at that time to visit Mother Ann Lee, and the elders at Escuania, N. Y., and became so much impressed that they returned and set up worship in the same style. They built a meeting house in 1784. Some of the first of the sect were John Deming, Hezekiah Osborn, Daniel, Nathan, David, Ezekiel, Hezekiah and Jeremiah Good rich, Israel, Josiah and Joseph Talcot, and Joshua Cogs well, the latter from Pittsfield. The sect has risen from comparative indigence to wealth. They own now from 3,000 to 5,000 acres of land, holding the entire breadth of the Southern portion of the town, with extensive domains in Pittsfield and Richmond. Everything they have is of the best, and every piece of property they possess bears the impress of their peculiarities. There is nothing to be said against the Shakers except that their religion involves the sacrifice of the purest and most ennobling relations of life, and — (theoretically) the depopulation of the world. The first school house in Hancock was built immediate ly after its settlement, on the Douglass grant, near where James B. Chapman's residence now stands. The next, built after the town was divided into districts, stood on the site now occupied by the shop of Thomas Acox. It was roughly made, large, and cold in winter, and 110 scholars often assembled within its walls. There are now seven school districts, and the number of scholars in the town, 500 HANCOCK. between the ages of five and fifteen years, is 175, — 50 of these being among the Shakers. The school tax for 1854 was $50D. -The Hancock Classical Institute, under the charge of Charles F. Gilson, maintains a high stand, and has been in operation for several years. The people are mostly engaged in agriculture, being specially devoted 'to wool-growing and the dairy, in which they are pre-eminently successful. The first grist-mill and saw-mjll in the town were built by John Gardner, a few rods from the present dwelling of Manning L. White. There are now in the town four saw-mills, one grist-mill, one clothiery, two woolen factories, one iron foundry, one tannery, and shops of the necessary trades in full supply. The principal woolen factory is owned by Messrs. Isaac and George Barker ; the other, by John Taylor and Sons. The first child born in the town was Wm. Douglass, grandson of Asa. Job Gardner, brother of John, became a physician, and died in Symrna, N. Y. Hon. Rodman Hassard, John Gardner, and his son, S. H. Gardner, (the latter the only lawyer ever resident in the town,) have been widely known and much esteemed, in Western Massa chusetts. Stephen Arnold Douglass, the father of the " Nebraska Perfidy," is a lineal descendant of Asa Doug lass. The Illinois senator's grandfather lived in the North part of the town, in a house which he built, and which is still standing. He married a daughter of Stephen Arnold of Stephentown, N. Y., a town adjoining Hancock. They had a son, whom they very naturally named Stephen ArnoLl Douglass, and the family removing to Vermont, this son had a son, whom he very naturally named after himself, and this son, Vermont born, is no other than the well-known demagogue of Illinois. The first physician in Hancock was Dr. Gad Stebbins, but he did not remain long, and his professional successors have never found inducements to make their residence permanent. Hancock has for many years been a temperance town. A healthy public sentiment established a Maine Law of its own. There is not, consequently, a pauper in the town, and there has not been one that properly belonged there for several years. The tax for all purposes in 1854 was $1,375 08. The town is free from debt, and has a fund of $1,334. The HINSDALE. 501 territory amounts to 32 square miles ; miles of road, 27 ; population in 1840, 958 ; in 1850, 770 ; decrease in ten years, 188. Hancock abounds in the most interesting scenery, and possesses natural features that would be well worthy a minute description, in an effort less strictly historical than the present. HINSDALE. The town of Hinsdale is situated on the Western slope of the Green Mountain range, in the basin of the Eastern branch of the Housatonic. It is bounded East by Peru, South by Washington, North by Windsor, and West by Dalton, and contains about seventeen thousand acres. The town is watered by the Eastern and middle branches of the Housatonic and their tributaries. The middle branch takes its rise in Peru, runs North of the center, through a section called Torrey Town, and unites with the Eastern branch, in Dalton. On the banks of these streams are large tracts of valuable meadow land, which are annually flowed, producing -large crops of good hay. A portion of these meadows, on the " Leffingwell grant," were brought into cultivation as early as 1780, when labor was extremely cheap ; for we are told that the price paid per day to able bodied men, in clearing those meadows, was four quarts of Turk's Island salt. The soil on the uplands and hill sides is fertile, and affords rich pastures. When the coun try was first settled, the principal products were wheat, rye, corn, oats, flax, wool, maple-sugar, butter, cheese, beef, pork and potash. The last named articles found a market in New York. Large quantities of tow and fulled cloth were manufactured, mostly for home use; but since the introduction of cotton, the farmers have stopped raising flax, and the music of the spinning wheel has become ob solete. In 1795, the territory was incorporated as a parish, by the name of the West Parish of Partridgefield. Partridgefield was purchased at auction June 2, 1762, for £1,460, by Elisha Jones, and was named after one of the subsequent proprietors, Oliver Partridge of Hatfield. The first settlement of the town commenced about 1763, by the arrival of David, Thomas and Francis Miller, from Middlebury. Francis Miller was afterwards employed by 502 HINSDALE. the Government to survey the boundary line between the State of New York and Massachusetts ; also the route for the middle turnpike road from Boston over the mountain to Albany. Soon after these, Nathan and Wilson Torrey of Rhode Island, and Phineas, Joseph^ Zacheus, and Michael Watkins of Hopkinton, settled in town ; also Nathan Fisk, who, in 1791, built the first corn and saw mill, for which important service he received a bounty from the Govern ment of 250 acres of land. These mills stood in the South east part of the town, on a water privilege now improved by Wm. Lyman & Son, in manufacturing forks. In 1774, Nathaniel Tracy, James Wing, and Amasa and Nehemiah Frost came into the town. From 1775 to 1800, a large number of families settled here. They were mostly from Connecticut. Two of the persons from that State, Rev. Theodore Hinsdale and Richard Starr, were instrumental in organizing the Congregational church, in Dec, 1795, with a membership of 23 persons. At this time, the people were occasionally supplied with preaching by Rev. Theodore Hinsdale and Rev. John Le land. The place of worship in the winter was in a school house, on the common, and in the summer in the barn, now owned by Capt. John Peirce. In 1796, the population had so far increased, that it became expedient to build a meet ing house, and measures were accordingly adopted for that purpose. The vexed question of selecting a spot upon which to build, was amicably settled by a committee of members of the parish, from various parts of the town. In accordance with the custom of the age, the site selected was a hill, near the center of the town. The materials for the house were furnished by members of the parish, which, like those of Solomon's Temple, were prepared in different localities. It was voted by the parish that the " square timber be fitted to frame, to the acceptance of the master workman, or the owners should receive no credit for the same." The underpinning stone came from Chesterfield, sixteen miles distant. In 1798, a frame, 52 by 44 feet, with an additional ten feet for porch and belfry, was put up. In the year following, the house was finished, at a cost of £1,230, and in the autumn, it was dedicated, Rev. Jon athan L. Pomeroy of Worthington preaching the sermon. When the building of the house was undertaken, it was HINSDALE. 503 determined to defray the expense, by the sale of the pews. In accordance with this plan, it was " voted that a vendue be had, and that liquors be furnished for the use of the vendue, at the expense of the parish." The auction trans pired, and under the elevating effects of the ardent, the bids were spirited, the pews bringing good prices. When the money was called for, it was ascertained that many of the purchasers had failed, and others had absconded. This very much embarrassed the contractors, in meeting their engagements, and the original plan of selling the pews was abandoned. Those persons who were able to pay, relin quished their pews to the parish, and it was voted to assess the whole amount upon the parish by a direct tax. This course induced many to " certificate" from, the Society, and a number of law suits grew out of the operation. This saddled a very heavy debt upon the remaining members, upon some of whom it pressed with great severity. The burden was borne with patience, and great sacrifices were made to meet the payment. Some individuals parted with their last cow, and to free the parish from debt, the women spun tow and linen by the light of pitch pine knots. One individual came into town the year the tax was assessed, and although his personal effects consisted of only a few mechanic's tools, a case of drawers, chest, side-saddle and pillion, and he could not get trusted for one half of a ten- score hog, fatted upon beach-nuts, his tax was about $100. In 1800, the parish was so far out of debt that it pro ceeded to settle a minister. In 1801, the church invited Rev. Caleb Knight to become their pastor. He was or dained in April, 1802. June 21, 1804, the parish was in corporated into a town with the name of Hinsdale, in honor of Rev. Theodore Hinsdale, one of the first settlers. In 1807, the first bell for the Congregational Church was pur chased, Theodore Hinsdale Jr., giving $100 towards it. In 1816, Rev. Caleb Knight was dismissed, at his own re quest, and was succeeded by Rev. Wm. A. Hawley, who was ordained in July, 1817, and dismissed in January, 1841. His successor, Rev. Seth W. Bannister, was settled June, 1841, and dismissed April, 1846. In the February following, (1847) Rev. Edward Taylor was ordained, and in October, 1850, was dismissed. He was succeeded by Rev. P. K. Clark, the present pastor, who was ordained in 504 HINSDALE. June, 1 852. During the last fifty years, revivals have been frequent. Thirty-nine persons were added to the church during 1853. The present number of members is 206—^ 74 males and 132 females. The sums contributed, mostly by members of the parish, to the benevolent objects of the day, in 1853, were : for American Bible Society, $188 25 ; for Foreign Missions, $242 43 ; for American Tract Society, $132 09; for Education Society, $118 50; for building churches at the West, $100 ; for Seamen's Friend Society, $94 22; for Western Colleges, $64 50; for Doctrinal Tract Society, $20 ; for Sabbath Schools, $18 08 : Total of subscriptions for 1853, $1,188 50. In 1797, the Baptist Society was organized, principally through the instrumentality of Joshua Jackson, Nathan Torrey and Eleazer Cady. It was composed of individ uals living in this and the neighboring towns. For some years after the Church was organized, Elder Eleazer Smith was their minister. He was succeeded by Abram Jackson, who was ordained in 1809. As the Society had no house of worship, the ceremony was performed in the Congregational Church. In 1813, the Society erected their first meeting house in the center of the town. Elder Jackson was their preacher thirty years, when infirm health compelled him to relinquish the office. The Elder was of large physical frame, and previous to his call to the ministry, was an excellent drummer, and one of the best mowers and wrestlers of the age. He was a useful preacher, and was highly esteemed by his fellow citizens, and when he went down to the grave he had not an ene my in the world. He was succeeded by Elders Cady, Whipple and Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds was a practical printer from Vermont. In 1850-51, the Society built a large and commodious house of worship, near the Rail road depot, at a cost of about $5,000. The Church now consists of 80 members. Rev. Mr. Goodwin, late of Col- linsville, Ct., and graduate of Williams,, College, is their present pastor. About the year 1806, a few individuals residing in the South part of the town, and others living in Washington, sympathizing with the Methodists, and anxious to se cure religious and ecclesiastical institutions in harmony with their views and principles, commenced holding HINSDALE. 505 meetings in the school house, in what was then call Wing Town. The principal persons engaged in the matter were Nathan Warner, .Levi Loveland, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Legar, and Jos. Witter. The meetings were usually conducted by a licensed exhorter, and occasionally Elder Green of Pittsfield came out and preached. The Society increased in numbers, and subsequently was embraced in Dalton, Washington and Middlefield Circuit, and was statedly sup plied with preaching by itinerants. In 1830, the Society erected a substantial brick church, in the center of the town, and now consists of 80 members. The desk is now supplied by a resident pastor, Rev. Hannibal U. Smith. There are about fifty Catholic families in town, mostly Irish, who have no house of worship, and usually attend one of their own faith in Pittsfield. In the early settle ment of the town, there were three or four families of Shakers, followers of Ann Lee. They used to meet for worship, or rather to labor, in a house that stood where the turnpike road now runs, in front of the Congregational Church. There are about 45 miles of roads in the town, exclusive of the Railroad. The principal one, the Great Turnpike, was incorporated in 1804. During the late war with Great Britain, it was the thoroughfare over which the mu nitions of war and military stores were transported, from the sea board to the Northern and Western frontier. At that time most of the other roads were little better than bridle paths, but they answered every purpose, as the mode of traveling was on horseback. Most of the families were provided with pillions and side-saddles, two articles then indispensable, as part of the marriage portion of young ladies, in commencing housekeeping. Those families liv ing at a-distance from church used to " ride and tie." Upon the introduction of one horse wagons, (the first one was brought into the town by Nathaniel Tracy, Esq.) the roads were very much improved. The sum raised for repairing them in 1854, was $650. In 1804, the Post Office was established, being the eighth one in the county. Henry Deming was appointed Post Master, but held the office only a short time, having been detected in abstracting a draft from a letter passing through the office. He was arrested and put under bonds of $10,000, which he forfeit- 43 506 HINSDALE. ed, by running away to the dominions of His Majesty, George the Third. He was succeeded by Henry Howard, Solomon Colt, O. P. Colt, Selden Spencer, and Monroe Emmons, who was commissioned during the Administra tion of John Quincy Adams. In 1852, Hinsdale Depot Post Office was established, and Edward T. Nash appointed Postmaster. The number of publications taken in the town are 308 Weekly Newspapers, 6 Semi- Weekly do., 10 Daily do., and 265 monthlies. As soon as practicable after its settlement, the town was divided into six school districts ; and school houses were erected. For a number of years, the amount of money raised for the support of these schools, was $250 annually. The branches taught were reading, writing, arithmetic, and occasionally grammar. The scholars were also required to commit to memory that compendium of theology, the Westminster Assembly's Catechism. At a later period, those scholars that were desirous of studying the higher branches, were under the necessity of attending institutions out of town. This course was found inconvenient and ex pensive, and the project was started, of establishing a high school in town, and in 1843, the Hinsdale Academy was incorporated. A large and convenient building was erected upon a rise of ground in the West Village, near the banks of the Housatonic. It is easy of access, being situated but a short distance from the Western Railroad Depot. The institution is sufficiently retired for all the purposes of education, and is not affected by those bad in fluences and temptations which often surround high schools in cities and large towns. It has all the appliances for a thorough course of instruction. Large numbers of scholars from different parts of the State, and out of it, resort here to qualify themselves for the business of life. The amount of money raised for common schools in 1853^ was $650. There are three woolen factories on the Housatonic, the largest one owned by Charles H. Plunkett. It has six sets of machinery, and employs 90 hands. The amount of broadcloths annually manufactured reaches the value of $130,000. Mr. Plunkett is also part owner with Charles J. Kittredge of the lower valley new stone mill, which manufactures about $90,000 worth of satinets and tweeds annually. The other stone woolen factory is owned by HINSDALE. 507 Messrs. Hinsdale & Richards, who have just commenced operations. Most of the operatives in these factories are Irish, German and French.- There are two fork factories, one tannery, one wagon and cabinet shop, one grist and plaster mill, with four saw mills that manufacture large quantities of hard and soft lumber, which, owing to the fa cilities afforded for transportation by the Western Railroad, find a ready market East and West. There are four lime kilns in the town. The lime burned is excelled by none. Most of it is sent to Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester counties. The first public house in the town was opened nearly sixty years ago, by Rufus Tyler, in the Center Village. He was succeeded by Mr. Sears, Tristram Browning, Chester Moody and others. It was during the time of Mr. Browning that Joseph Bonaparte and suite passed through the town, and dined at his house. Mr. Moody was one of the most noted hotel keepers of the day. Dur ing the war, his establishment resembled an Eastern cara- vansera, for not unfrequently whole companies of troops would quarter upon him. In the bar, the music of the toddy-stick was heard at all hours, and the flip-iron was kept at a red heat in the grate, ready for use at any mo ment. After the completion of the Western Railroad, a public house was opened near the depot, which is now well kept and patronized. During the summer season, numbers from the cities resort to this house to breathe the pure air of the Berkshire hills. There are 4 stores and 180 dwelling houses in the town. In 1853, there were 26 deaths, and nine of them were Irish. , David Miller was the first magistrate in town. He was called " a keeper of the peace," but during the time he held the office, petty law suits were common. The courts were usually held in Rufus Tyler's bar-room on Satur days, and the proceedings often wound off by a "treat all round," to the satisfaction of all parties. The first and only lawyer that made a settlement in town was Thomas Allen, who was admitted to the bar in 1799 ; and, during a practice of forty years, he seldom advised his clients to em bark in the uncertain business of a law suit, unless com pelled by necessity. He was, in fact, a peacemaker. , Dr. Abel Kittredge was the first and only physician in 508 LANESBOROUGH. town for a number of years. He was succeeded by his son Benjamin F. Kittredge, the present physician, who has an extensive practice in this and the neighboring towns. A large emigration has gone forth from Hinsdale. Her sons are found in almost every state in the union, includ ing California, and she is not unrepresented in Australia. The town may not be as prolific of great, as of useful men. Rev. Billy Hibbard went from this town. He was the inventor of the celebrated " Hibbard Pills," was noted for his colloquial and musical powers, was a useful Metho dist preacher, and, during the war of 1812, was chaplain to the Berkshire troops during their encampment at Cam- bridgeport. Henry Howard, Jr., was a native of this town. Losing his father at an early age, he was a clerk during the years of his minority, in a country store, and after wards engaged extensively in the mercantile business in Detroit. He was chosen Mayor of that city, and is now an officer in one of the Buffalo banks. John Yeomans, D. D., was a native of this town. For a number of years he labored on a farm, and, afterwards, learned the black smith's trade. He then commenced studying, preparatory to entering college, entered Williams College two years in advance, — graduated, studied theology, was instrumental in gathering a church in North Adams, was a pastor of the church, received a call to settle over the Congregation al church in Pittsfield, was installed over the same, and afterwards received a call to the presidency of the Col lege at Easton, Pa. Wm. C. Kittredge was also a native of this town, a graduate of Williams College, read law in the office of Isaac C. Bates, Northampton, went' to Fair Haven, Vermont, was elected Judge of one of the courts, in 1853 was chosen Lt. Governor of the state, and is now President of Castleton Bank. The population of Hins dale in 1840 was 950 ; in 1850, 1,282 ; increase in ten years, 332. LANESBOROUGH. . Lanesborough is located on the hills and mountains of the Green and Taghconic ranges. A branch of the Housa tonic river rises a few rods North of the Northern line of the town, and flows Southwardly, through beautiful and luxuriant meadows, while the Hoosac rises in the Eastern LANESBOROUGH. 509 section of the town, and flows Northwardly. From the high position of the territory, the winters are extremely severe. The summers are exceedingly delightful, and the town abounds with beautiful and picturesque scenery, which has been much admired, by those even who are familiar with the beauties of Scotland and Switzerland. The first steps toward the settlement of this town origi nated in a grant made by the General Court to Samuel Jackson and 75 others of Framingham, in 1741. The township was soon afterwards located and surveyed, and embraced a tract six miles square. Cheshire now embraces the North Eastern portion of this territory. It was at first called Richfield, and afterwards, New Framingham. The first actual settlers were Capt. Samuel Martin, a Mr. Brew er, and a Mr. Steales, who came in during 1754 or 1755. In the second French war, they were driven out by the Indians, and Mr. Martin alone returned. A fort was early erected a few rods South of the town burial ground, for the protection of the settlers, near which two Indian chiefs were killed. In addition to those already named, the rec ords of the town give the names of the following heads of families, who came in as early as 1759 : Nathaniel Wil liams, Samuel Tyrrell, John, Ephraim, Elijah and Miles Powell, (brothers) Lieut. Andrew Squier, James Loomis, Ambrose Hall, Isaac Hill, Charles Goodrich. William Bradley and James Goodrich, Thaddeus Curtis, Eben Squier, Benjamin and Joseph Farnum, Peter Curtis, Sam uel Darwin, Nehemiah Bull, Samuel Warren, Moses Hale, Joseph Keeler and Beriah Dudley came in as early as 1762. The first meeting of the settlers was held at the fort, May 2d, 1759, " notyfication having been given out by Dea. Moses pike, in the Publick prints." After organization, the meeting adjourned from time to time, because, as the record states, so few were present. The following votes were passed, which, as a curiosity, we copy verbatim et literatim : " Oct. 29, 1761. At a proprietors' meeting legally worned, mad coyce of Elijah Powel moderator. Voted Mr. Levi post shoold be our gospel minister. Voted to give him 91 pounds settlement, and-80 pounds salary yearley and his tier wood. " Voted, The scool hows should be 28 ft. long, 24 ft. wid and '9"ft. stod. A3* 510 LANESBOROUGH. " Voted, Thare should be 80 pounds disposed of out of the treasurey for gospil purpusses. A trew Enlrey from the Men- its. S. Martin, Clark. "Dec. 12, 1761, question poot whether Mr. Daniel Collins should be our_gospil minester, past affirmative. "Voted, 130 pounds settlement, 80 pounds yeareley. _ Voted to get Mr. Collins 30 cords of wood yeareley, he finding the wood. "jVlarch 31, 1762. 1, Mad choyce Mr. Peter Cortistobe thare moderator. 2, Voted.that 6 shillengs be drone out of the treasurey upon Each Ratable Lott, to make and mend the Hi ways. 3, Voted Samuel Martin draw six pence on Each Lott, for the yeuse of his hows for public worship. " April 20, Voted that Misters Peter Cortis, Wm. Bradley and N. Buell, Be a Commety to provid preaching for the futer." These quotations might be continued indefinitely, but enough has been given to show the way of doing business, and to illustrate the subjects which engaged the attention of the settlers. Lanesborough was incorporated June 20, 1765. It is said that the name was given in honor of a Mr. Lane of England, and the tradition is accompanied by the usual story that he gave the town a bell, for the honor, which bell never reached the town. In the struggles of the Revolution, the town took a de cided stand in favor of Independence, and cheerfully sus tained its proportion of the burdens. Peter Curtis was chosen delegate to the Provincial Congress, held at Cam bridge Feb. 1, 1775. April 26,, 1776, it was voted to pur chase 150 lbs. of powder, 600 lbs. of lead, 50 guns, and 1,000 flints. The position of the minister, Mr. Collins, in relation to the Revolution, was not satisfactory to the people, and a committee was appointed to confer with him. The committee listened to his explanations, and they were re ported to the town, but the town voted that they were not satisfactory. The matter was finally satisfactorily adjusts ed. June 7, 1776, it was voted to abide by the Continen tal Congress,* in case it should declare the colonies inde pendent of Great Britain. Four days afterwards, money was granted to defray charges for taking care of unfriendly persons. December 12, 1777, it was voted "to allow a sum of money to Thomas Barnum for his horse that was killed by the Goard of a bull when oute in an alarm," LANESBOROUGH. 511 April 23, 1778, the new constitution was unanimously re jected, and a committee of seven appointed to amend it. June 1, 1778, it was voted that John Welch was an enemy to the country, and that he be sent to Bennington, and de livered to the proper authority. It was voted at the same time that Capt. Ebenezer Newell procure the evidence against Sol. Bunhill, then in the Northampton jail, and at tend the court at his trial. Bunhill had shot two of his neighbors through the head at the Bennington fight. The requisitions of the General Court drew very hardly upon the new town, but they were mostly complied with, with spirit and alacrity. In 1776 and 1777, many deaths occurred in the town •from the small pox. Resolutions were passed to cleanse the public roads, for and against innoculation, and for the establishment of pest houses for the infected, and a com mittee was appointed to "regulate the small pox." A lot West of the Episcopal church, which contained a hospital for the diseased, where many of the dead were buried, is still called " The Pock Lot." ^ In the year 1777, the attention of the town was called to the growing evils of a free traffic in ardent spirits, when it was voted that no person should bring any spirituous liquors into the place, for sale, without liberty from the town. A committee was also appointed to determine what should be done with the liquor already in the town. A majority of the first settlers were of the Congrega tional order, and arrangements were early made for the establishment of " the ordinances." A church was organ ized March 28, 1764, consisting of eight members, by Rev. Samuel Hopkins of Great Barrington, and Rev. Stephen West of Stockbridge. Previous to this time, Rev. Samuel Hart, and Rev. Woodbridge Little and others preached to the people. The first pastor, Rev. Daniel Collins, was or dained April 17, 1764, and the first meeting-house was erected in 1765. The present house of this church was built in 1828- Mr. Collins continued in office until his death, which occurred August 26, 1822, when he had arrived at the 84th year of his age. During the latter part of his life, he was assisted by a colleague, Rev. John De Witt, who retired in 1813. Mr. Collins graduated at Yale in 1760. Rev. Noah Sheldon was associoted with 512 LANESBOROUGH. him in 1818, and succeeded him at his death. He was dismissed on account of ill health, in May, 1827. Rev. Henry B. Hooker, a graduate of Middlebury, immediately- succeeded Mr. Sheldon, and continued in the zealous dis charge of his duties until dismissed at his own request, in 1836. He has been succeeded by the following gentlemen : Rev. Messrs. Russell, S. Cook, Samuel Allen, John Fergu son, Giddings, Hall, Brace, Alfred A. Gilbert, Martyn Tupper, Bradley, Eddy and others, as supplies. Mr. Eddy is the present minister. This society has a neat brick church, a parsonage, and some funded property. As some of the early settlers were Episcopalians, a church agreeable to the forms of the Church of England, was organized by Rev. Samuel Andrews of Wallingford, Ct, in October, 1767, as "St. Luke's Church." The first house of worship was erected in 1783. The first rector, Rev. Gideon Bostwick, had the charge of the church, in connection with the St James Church in Great Barring ton, from 1770 until his death, in June, 1 793. Rev. Daniel Burhans succeeded him, and retained his connection with the church until June, 1799, when he removed to New town, Ct, and was rector of Trinity Church in that town for more than 30 years. He is yet living, at a very ad vanced age. Rev. Mr. Thacher officiated in this church from December, 1799, until December, 1801. Rev. Amos Pardee, a graduate of Yale in 1793, was rector from Feb ruary, 1802, until September, 1818, when he removed into the diocese of New York, where, after many years of faith ful labor as a missionary, he died at. Caldwell, Lake George, December, 1851, at the age of 80 years. His remains were brought to Lanesborough for interment. Rev. Aaron Hum phrey succeeded Mr. Pardee, and was rector from March, 1820, until September, 1830. After he left, Rev. Dr. Chapman and others officiated as supplies, and the vacancy was filled, June, 1831, by Rev. Samuel B. Shaw, a grad uate of Brown University in 1819. He is still the rector of the church, and has been settled longer than any other clergyman in the county. A substantial Gothic stone church was erected for the use of this parish in 1836, which has an organ and a bell. The society own a val uable glebe and parsonage house, and possess funded pro perty to a considerable amount. LANESBOROUGH. 513 The Baptists of the town formerly worshiped at what is called Cheshire Corner, then included within the~ lines of Lanesborough. In 1818, the present Baptist Church was formed, with 12 members. Their house of worship was erected in 1828. It is a convenient brick house, and is kept in good repair. The following preachers have in succession supplied the pulpit : /Rev. Messrs. Augustus C. Beach, Richmond, Taggart, Johnston, John V. Ambler and J. Torrey Smith. Mr. Ambler preceded and succeeded Mr. Smith, and has been the pastor for about 16 years, and still retains that relation. One-third of the ministry fund is now enjoyed by this society, which, with private contri butions, supplies them regularly with ministerial services. There are a few Methodists in the town, who have occa sional circuit preaching, at a school-house. The Roman Catholics attend church in Pittsfield. They are confined to the foreign population. The leading industrial interests of the town, until re cently, have been agricultural, and those connected with the quarrying and sawing of marble, which abounds in the town. Butter, cheese, cattle, sheep, wool, corn, rye, oats and potatoes are staple commodities, and form sources of very considerable revenue. Its iron interests as well as its marble and glass, are appropriately described in Part 2 of this work. [Vol. 1, pp. 358, 366, 373.] Among the more prominent men of the last century, were Nehemiah Bull, Peter Curtis, Gideon Wheeler, Woolcott Hubbell, Wm. Bradley, Samuel W. Wheeler and Ebenezer Buck. Of those formerly residents of the town, are Hon. Henry Shaw, Hon. George N. Briggs, and A. L. Hubbell, Esq. Lanesborough contains eight school districts, furnished with comfortable school houses, in which schools are taught Winter and Summer. The amount raised for schools in 1854 was $600, to which may be added board, wood and repairs, equal to $500 more. The North Center District has a fund of $800, given by the late Mr. Ephraim' Brad ley. In addition to" these ordinary means of instruction, select schools for boys and girls are sustained in the South Center Village, The amount raised by taxln 1854, for all purposes, was $2,400. The number of square miles is 28 ; ratable polls, 250. Population in 1840, 1,048; in 1850. 1,234, increase in ten years, 186. 514 LEE. LEE. Lee is formed of four tracts, one of which was taken from Great Barrington, a locality known as Hopland, one from Washington, and one from the Williams Grant, while it embraces the whole of Glassworks Grant. The Williams Grant was a gift of the Government to Col. Ephraim Wil liams, and the Glassworks Grant was given to a Boston glass company, to encourage them in their enterprise. The first settler upon the -territory, now covered by Lee, was Isaac Davis, who became the first occupant of the present farm of. John M'Allister, in the South part of the town. He built the first frame house in Lee. From 1760 to 1770, only ten families moved into the town. John Winegar, who came in during the latter year, built the first grist-mill in the town ; located a few rods above the present site of White & Hulbert's paper mill. Five years afterwards, he built another grist-mill, on the site now occupied by Royce & McLaflin's mills, and the dwelling-house in front of them, which is now the oldest dwelling in the town. From 1770 to 1780, many others became settlers, among whom were Nathaniel and Cornelius Bassett, Jesse Gifford, Jesse Brad ley, Wm. IngersoU, Oliver and Prince West, Arthur Perry, Samuel Stanley, Amos Porter, Josiah Yale, Ebenezer Jen kins, Nathan Dillingham, Job Hamblin, and Theophilus Mansfield. The latter was the founder of the grist-mill and iron works at South Lee, then known as " the center of Upper Hoplands." His associates were John Keep, the bloomer, and Abijah Menell. The second wife of Keep died during 1854, at the age of 99 years and six months. Lee was incorporated October 21, 1777, and was named in honor of Maj. Gen. Lee of the Revolutionary army." The first town meeting was held on the 2 2d of December, the same year, at the house of Peter Wilcox, a log house, with one room in it. There were twenty offices to fill at that time, and twenty-five men to fill them. For modera tor, Charles IngersoU was chosen ; town clerk, Prince West; selectmen, Wm. » IngersoU, Jesse Bradley, Oliver West, Amos Porter, Prince West ; treasurer, Wm. Inger soU ; constables, Reuben Pixley, James Pegoner ; highway surveyors, Daniel Church, Job Hamblin, John Nye, Wm. IngersoU ; tythingmen, Abijah Tomlinson, Samuel Stanley ; LEE. 515 Committee of Correspondence, Wm. IngersoU, Jesse Brad ley, Oliver West; leather sealer, Samuel Stanley. The meetings following this were held in the same place, and in the barn of Mr. Wilcox for some time ; next, at the tavern of Major Dillingham, and then at the meeting house. The warrants for these meetings were, for many years, posted on the three grist-mills — Mansfield's, Wine- gar's and Lee's — and also upon the whipping post and stocks. The settlement of Lee was commenced in. stormy times. One of the first works of the town was to vote seven men for the Revolutionary army, and after that, the votes of supplies, voluntarily, and in answer to governmental requisi tions, were numerous. Among those who engaged actively in the war were Jesse Bradley, Eli Bradley, Jesse Gifford, Fenner Foote, Ephraim Sheldon, Joseph Handy, John Percival and Messrs. Tilden and Totman. At the- close of the war, many valuable families became residents. In teresting incidents connected with the Shays Rebellion, which are associated with Lee, will be found recorded in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, p. 274.] The first public school in Lee was established in 1784, when the town was divided into four school districts, and £40 voted for school purposes. These four districts have since been subdivided, and there are now twelve. The 100 scholars of 1784 had increased, in 1858, to 758; and the £40 appropriation in 1784, had swelled, in 1853, to $2,746, or $3 55 per scholar. This sum embraces the income of the Hopland School Fund, the fund amounting to $1,608 33, being the proceeds of sales of land voted by Great Bar rington to the settlers in " Hopland Division," at a meeting held January 22, 1770. This fund is still held by the in habitants of this tract, in the capacity of a corporation, as the " Hopland School District." The corporate limits of this district contain six school districts, as they are usually termed. The Hopland District was incorporated in March, 1791, and, as some difficulty occurred in relation to the true construction of the act, it called forth a supplementary and explanatory act in 1797. Another explanatory act was passed in 1798, and in 1830, the district was authorized by the General Court to subdivide its territory into school dis tricts. Lee has done much to advance the cause of educa- 516 LEE. tion within its own borders, and a large number of her sons have received a collegiate education. Rev. Amory Gale, in his pamphlet history of Lee, gives a list of twenty- seven, which we subjoin : "Solomon Foote, M. D., Rev. Cyrus Yale, Beza Hinckley, M. D., Wm. H. Dillingham, Charles Dillingham, John D. Crocker, Lawrence Warner, Isaac Howk, Jonathan Foote -3d, Rev. Alvan Hyde, Joseph Hyde, William Hyde, Alexander Hyde, Solomon Foote, Jun., M. C, Rev. Barnabas Phinney, Rev. Noah Sheldon, Rev. Wm. Bradley, Rev. Thomas Scott Bradley, Rev. Elihu P. IngersoU, Elisha B. Bassett, Rev. Ed ward Taylor, Rev. William Porter, Rev. Charles B. Ball, Ad dison H. Laflin, Rev. Lavius Hyde, Asahel Foote, Rev. Ste phen Peet." Others who originated in Lee, but who did not enjoy the advantages of a liberal education, have distinguished themselves in the various higher walks of life. Gen. Whiton had three sons who are now, or have been, judges, — v two in Ohio, and the third is Chief Justice of Wisconsin. The first death that occurred in Lee befell a child of John Winegar. The death occurred at Crow Hollow, and the child was buried on the West side of the river. The first person interred in the public burial ground was Matty Handay, sister of the late Seth Handay. The first " pub lishment" of intentions of marriage, recorded upon the town books, perpetuates the names of Noah Burdin of Lee, and Avis Their of Chesterfield. The first recorded mar riage took place between Capt. Josiah Yale and Ruth Tracy, Sept. 26, 1776. A son to Daniel Church was the first child born in the town. At the second town meeting, held Jan. 8, 1778, it was "voted to raise the sum of £30, lawful money, to be laid out in preaching the, Gospel. Voted to choose three men for a committee to employ a preacher, and to pay him the above money that is voted,— Jesse Bradley, Oliver West and Job Hamblin." The first religious meeting was held in Dea. Oliver West's barn, whose hay-mow was the or chestra. There the children of Jonathan Foote, who ap pear to have been the musical family of the settlement, performed the ancient psalmody, and acotemporary local poet has perpetuated their names, and their positive parts and relative merits,, in the following triplet : LEE. 517 "David and Ase sing bass; Jonathan and Fenner sing tenor ; Vice and Sol beat them all." The meetings were held here, in Mr. Wilcox's barn, and in an unfinished chamber of Lyman Foote's house, until 1780. Nov. 16, 1778, the town voted to build a meeting house, 48 by 36 feet, and appropriated £700 to meet the expense. This house was put up, but, for several years, it had no glass windows, no stationary seats and no door-step, and was never plastered. April 7, 1780, it was " voted to exempt all churchmen, Baptists and Quakers from settling and supporting a Presbyterian minister in the town," an evidence of liberality not common in those days. In 1800, the old church was displaced by a new structure, which, in 1848, was considerably enlarged. The Congregational Church was organized May 25, 1780, with 30 members. In March, 1854, the aggregate of those who had been connected with this church was 1,228, while, at that time, there were 358 members. This church has had seven pastors. Rev. Abraham Fowler was preaching for the church, as a candidate, at the time it was formed, and was soon afterwards invited to settle, but a council convened for the purpose of ordaining him, de clined to do so, from the number of remonstrances that were made. July 3, 1783, Rev. Elisha Parmelee of Go shen, Ct, a graduate of Harvard College, was ordained as the pastor, in the face of much opposition. In 1784, he took a journey Southward, for his health, and died on the passage. June 6, 1792, Rev. Alvan Hyde was ordained in his place, and a great revival followed, which changed entirely the moral aspects of the place, and added more than 100 persons to the church. Dr. Hyde remained long connected with his people, and died in the pastoral office in 1833. His successor, Rev. J. N. Damforth, was in stalled June 18, 1834, and dismissed in 1838. He was succeeded by Rev. W. B. Bond, in March, 1840, who re mained until 1845, and was succeeded by Rev. Ralph Smith the same year, who was dismissed in 1850. Li June, 1851, Rev. S. D. Clark was installed as his Successor, and remained until 1852, when he was dismissed. Rev. Nahum Gale, the present pastor, was installed Sept. 1, 1853. In 1805, Rev. Mr. Garrison commenced as a Methodist- 44 518 LEE. preacher, to hold religious meetings in the South part of Lee, which was the origin of the Methodist Church at that point. The church has had an aggregate of 35 preachers since its formation, and among them were Rev. Messrs. Ross, Woolsey, Cook, Rice, Jacobs, T. Clark, Horatio Smith, Nathan Bangs, and Richard Hiscox. In 1825, Rev. Ira Hall, a' Baptist minister, went to South Lee, and commenced religious meetings at the old red school-house, where, for eight years, he preached every alternate Sabbath, spending the other Sabbaths at Tyring- ham. In the history of Tyringham, a brief account of a Baptist church, organized there in 1827, will be found, and the connection of that church with the one in Lee will be seen in the following extract from Rev. Mr. Gale's pamph let: "The Baptist Church of Tyringham and Lee was consti tuted August 22d, 1827, with twenty members. The mem bers of this church lived in both of these towns. It has stated public and church meetings, and the observance of the church ordinances in both places. For nine years past, each meeting has had its own pastor ; while the church organiza tion remains as when first constituted. There is, therefore, one church organization, two societies, two meeting-houses, two meetings, and two ministers, one at Tyringham, and the other at South Lee. In 1828, a Baptist society was organized in connection with the meeting at South Lee, of which N. Tremain was the first clerk. Through the agency of this society, in part, the meeting-house at South Lee was erected as a 'Union Church,' owned by everybody and yet by nobody in particular. The people of Lee generally assisted in the erection of that house." The preachers have been the same, or nearly the same, as those recorded as the preachers at Tyringham. The membership of the church in 1854 was 103. The Methodist Church in Lee Center was organized about 1831. In that year, two itinerant preachers, Messrs. Homer and Starks, established meetings in Water Street In 1838, the hall in the center school-house was fitted up for a place of worship, and there they held their meetings until Jan. 15, 1840, when a new church edifice, erected by them, was dedicated. In 1849, it was, found necessary to enlarge the house. The number of members in 1854 was 135. Rev. Julius Field was the preacher from 1832 to LEE. 519 1834, when J. B. Wakely was the preacher for two years^ In 1836, Denton Keeler; 1837, Messrs. Keeler and War ner; 1838, Messrs. Van Deusen and Nash; 1839, Mr. Shaw; 1840-41, Mr. Gothard; 1842-43, Charles C. Keyes; 1844-45, John Sellick; 1846-47, James N. Shaf fer; 1848-49, Peletiah Ward ; 1850, J. Z. Nichols; 1851- 52, Z. N. Lewis; 1853, L. W. Peck. A Free Will Baptist Church was organized in 1844. Rev. Juba Stephenson, their last minister, died in 1849. He was the strongest support of the church, and the feeble body which he left, have had no church meeting for seve ral years. The Baptist Church in Lee was organized Sept. 14, 1850, with 20 members. Their church edifice was dedi cated Nov. 23, 1852. Rev. Amory Gale has been the pastor of the church since its organization. Mr. Gale is a graduate of Brown University, of the class of 1843. Since the organization of the church, 126 members have been connected with it. The town clerks of Lee have been Prince West, Thomas Beecher, Nathan Dillingham, Daniel Wilcox, Eben Jen kins, Jr., N. W. Thayer, C. T. Fessenden, R. Hinman, Wm. Porter, Leonard Church, H. Bartlett and Thomas Steele. R. Hinman is now the clerk for the twentieth year, though his term of service has not been continuous. Lee has had 44 Justices of the Peace, of whom 2 1 are now living in town. Their names are — Ebenezer Jenkins, Wm. IngersoU, Josiah Yale, Jared Bradley, John Nye, sen., Jedediah Crocker, William Sturgis, John Freese, Abijah Merrell, jun., William Merrell, James Whiton, John B. Perry, John Nye, jun., Lemuel Bassett, Hubbard Bart lett, Alvan Coe, Augustus Collins, R. C. Dewey, William Porter, Stephen Thatcher, L. D. Bidwell, C. M. Owen, W. Laflin, Asa G Welch, Leonard Church, N. Tremain, jun., Franklin Sturgis, Alden Werden, Lewis Beach, G. W. Platner, Harrison Garfield, Franklin Chamberlain, Thomas Greene, Ransom Hinman, Alexander Hyde, Caleb Belden, J. F. Cooke, F. N. Lowrey, Albert M. Howk, L. D. Brown, G. H. Phelps, Wm. T. Fish, Marshall Wilcox, John Branning and M. D. Field. Lee has had thirteen lawyers, seven of whom still remain in the town. Alvan Coe, the first in the town, was there 520 LEE. only two years, from 1807 to 1809. He was followed by Augustus Collins, Rollin C. Dewey, William Porter and Edward V. Whiton. Mr. Porter was a native of Hadley, in the history of which town a notice of him will be found. Judge Whiton has already been mentioned as the Chief Justice of Wisconsin. Franklin Chamberlin settled in Lee, but is now in Springfield, a partner of R. A. Chapman. The lawyers now resident in Lee are L. D. Bidwell, Franklin Sturgis, Jonathan F. Cook, John Branning, L. D. Brown, Marshall Wilcox and N. W. Ayer. Lee has an abundance of water power, which has been very thoroughly improved. The most important branch of manufacture is that of paper. Lee now manufactures more paper than any other town in the United States. In 1806, Samuel Church commenced the erection of a paper mill in South Lee, where Owen & Hurlburt's mills now stand. This was the first paper mill built in the town. In 1854, there were 20 mills, with 71 engines, which ground up daily 27,270 pounds of rags, and produced an nually 5,865,700 pounds of paper, valued at $1,008,250. In 1840, all the paper produced in the United States was worth but little more than five times this sum, and yet the business in Lee has not yet arrived at its maturity. We have received returns from seven paper manufacturing firms, and herewith present them : Benton & Garland make fine papers, using $70,000 worth of stock annually, employing 90 hands, and turning out annually 50,000 reams of the various kinds of papers, valued at $90,000. The concern has been in operation 18 years. — Sabin & Robbins make printing paper, using $25,000 worth of stock, and producing 175 tuns of paper, worth $40,000, annually. They employ 30 hands, and have been in operation one year. — Charles Ballard makes writing paper, employing 14 hands in working up $12,000 worth of stock, and manufacturing $25,000 worth of paper annually. The concern has been in operation four years. — Smith & May make colored printing papers, employing 20 hands in using up $20,000 worth of stock, and pro ducing 200,000 lbs. of paper annually. The concern has been in operation three years. — Owen & Hurlburt make writing papers exclusively, using up annually 600 tuns of rags, 600 cords of wood, 100 tuns of sizing, 400 tuns of LEE. 521 coal; 100 "tuns of lime and chemicals, valued in the aggre gate at $120,000. They employ 150 hands, and have been in operation since 1822. Their annual production is equal to 120,000 reams of letter paper. — Platner & Smith make writing papers, using annually 900 tuns of rags, 120 tuns of sizing, 115 tuns of lime and chemicals, and 2,000 cords of wood, valued in the aggregate at $155,000. The num ber of hands employed is from 170 to 180. The concern has been in operation for 20 years, and produces annually the value of $225,000. — E. & S. May make paper, employ ing 70 hands, using annually $50,000 worth of stock, and producing 230 tuns of paper, valued at $90,000. The concern has been in operation 14 years. — But paper is not the only manufacture. There are other establishments sufficient to give to the town the character of a manufac turing place. Platner & Smith make fancy cassimeres and satinets, consuming annually 300,000 lbs. of wool, 1,500 tuns of coal, and other necessary stock sufficient to raise the aggregate value to $175,000. The concern employs 175 hands, has been in operation seven years, and produces annually from 220,000 to 250,000 yards of cassimeres, and 130,000 to 160,000 yards of satinets, with an aggregate value of nearly or quite $300,000. — L. Bassett & Co. man ufacture satinet, consuming annually 50,000 lbs. of wool, valued, with the other stock, at $32,500, and producing 65,000 yards, valued at $40,000. The concern employs 16 hands, and has been in operation five years. — George H. Phelps manufactures tin, sheet-iron and copper ware, consuming annually $5,000 worth of stock, producing goods to the value of $10,000, and employing four hands. His establishment is ten years old. — Tanner & Perkins make machinery, mill castings, &c. They consume annually 250 tuns cast iron, 30 tuns wrought iron, 45 tuns anthracite coal, 30 tuns of casting sand, 10,000 feet of lumber, and 2 tuns of brass, and produce $40,000 worth of the manufac tured articles. The concern employs 28 hands, and has been in operation eight years. — E. & ,G. R. Sturgis make marble monuments and grave stones, using annually $1,000, worth of stock, employing three "hands, and producing $2,200. The concern has been in operation a little, more than a year. — Owen & Hurlburt consume 25,000 bushels of grain, valued at 25,000, in the manufacture of flour, 44* 522 LENOX. feed and meal, of which they produce $30,000 -worth an nually, besides grinding considerably for farmers. They employ three hands, and have been in operation four years. — Beach & Royce make seamless grain bags, using annually in the manufacture 150,000 lbs. of cotton, valued at $15,000; employing 32 hands, and producing 150,000 bags, valued at $30,000. This concern has been engaged on bags but one year, and for 18 years previously was en gaged on cotton shirtings. — The value of the annual manu factures of Lee is about $1,630,000. The marble of Lee is celebrated throughout the Union. It is of Lee marble that the enlargement of the National Capitol is being constructed. This- interest will be found fully exhibited in the 2d part of this work. [vol. 1, p. 356.] Lee is about six miles long and five miles wide. It has upwards of 40 stores and shops for the disposal of commod ities, five public houses of entertainment, a bank and a savings institution, an incorporated Young Men's Associa tion, and all the elements and incidents of a thriving busi ness community. The population of Lee in 1840 was 2,281 ; in 1850, 3,093 ; in 1855, it falls but little short of 4,000. LENOX. The initial history of Lenox will be found fully given in the history of Richmond, of which township, at first, it formed a part, known as " Yokuntown." The first English inhabitant, Jonathan Hinsdale, settled in 1750, and built his house about fifty rods South of Court House Hill, on the East side of the county road, running through the village of Lenox. He, with a few other families, who had settled near him, among whom were those of a Mr. Coop er and a Mr. Dickinson, were obliged to fly from the town some five years afterwards, from fear of the Indians. The following is extracted from the " History of Berkshire :" " The man who first cleared a spot of ground for the pur pose of making a settlement in the North part of the town, was Jacob Bacon. He lived on the hill West of the county road; and in that neighborhood Messrs. Hunt, McCoy, Glezen and Steel afterwards settled. About that time, a man by the name of Waterman built a house in quite the North part of the town. On what is now called the East street, families LENOX. 528 by the name of Root, Miller and Dewey were the first inhab itants; and where the village now is, Whitlock, Parker and Richards ; and in the West part, Collins, Treat, Andrus, Wright and others. A majority of the families who first set tled in the town, emigrated from West Hartford and Walling- • ford, Ct." Lenox was incorporated as a district, Feb. 26, 1767, and was named in honor of the family name of the Duke of Richmond. Dwight's grant, Williams' grant, and a part of Hartwood, (now Washington,) were added in 1770. The first town officers were chosen on the 5th of March, 1767. The Revolutionary period followed closely upon the settlement of the town. In 1828, the town of Lenox voted to place upon its records the non -consumption and non-importation agreement entered into by the people of the town in 1774. This was done by request of Hon. Wm. Walker and Col. Elijah Northrup, the only signers of the document that then survived. This covenant was sim ilar to those entered into by most of the towns at that time. The document has 103 signatures. On the 3d of June, 1776, the town passed the following vote of instructions to their representative, through the agency of their Commit tee of Inspection, &c, composed of Elias Willard, James Guthrie, and James Richards, Jr. : " To the Representatives of Lenox: These are to direct you to use your Best Endeavor to Suppress all the Tiranical measures that have or may take Place from Great Britton, and Likewise take as much care that you do not set up anything of a dispotick Power among ourselves. But let us have free dom at home, altho we have war a Broad. We Do Further Directyou to use your utmost abilities and intris with our as sembly, and they Theirs with the Continental Congress, That if they think it safe, for the colonies to declare independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, and in your so doing we Do Declare in the above mentioned thing we will stand by you with our lives and fortunes." A Congregational church was formed in 1769 by Rev. Samuel Hopkins of Great Barrington. Rev. Samuel Munson, a graduate of Yale in 1763, was ordained as its pastor, Nov. 8, 1770. Soon afterwards, a meeting house was erected near the site of the present Congregational church, which was occupied until January 1, 1806, when the present edifice was dedicated, The first burial ground 524 LENOX. was more than a mile North of the village. Soon after the first meeting house was built, apiece of ground nearit was marked out for a grave yard, which, through the gen erous exertions of Rev. Henry Neill, has recently received an extensive and beautiful addition to its area. Mr. Munson was dismissed in 1792, and Rev. Samuel Shepard was installed in his place, April 30, 1795. He found the church extremely small and feeble, but his labors were long, and abundantly blest. He lived to preach his semi-centennial sermon, April 30, 1845, and died on the following 5th of January, finishing his work, " where his march at morn began," and going down amidst universal love and veneration. In August, 1846, Rev. Henry Neill was installed as pastor of the church, and remained in that relation until January 11, 1854, when he was dismissed to accept a call to the Second Presbyterian Church in Detroit. November 15, 1854, Rev. Edmund K. Alden was installed as the pastor of the church, the membership of which now numbers 200. There is a prosperous Methodist Society in the town, who have a pleasant church edifice in the center of the village, built in 1834. The church has enjoyed the stated ministrations of the gospel at the hands of a worthy and efficient succession of pastors. An Episcopal Society have a church edifice in the vicin ity of the Methodist church. This society was incorpo rated in 1805, and, although the present number is small, they present a greater degree of vitality than is often found in bodies greatly superior in numbers. The church has not, for a few years, been favored with the services of a resident clergyman, but regular service has been main tained by a clergyman from a neighboring town. Lenox is the shire town of Berkshire County. The original expense of the county buildings — erected between 1790 and 1792— was £3,441 5sv 3d., of which sum the people of Lenox paid, in building materials, £8t)0. In 1812, several inhabitants of Pittsfield petitioned that the county seat might be removed, — an effort which has since been oftentimes renewed, with the uniform result of mis carriage. In 1816, the new court house, county house and jail were completed, at an expense of $26,059 — of which $3,500 was paid by the inhabitants of Lenox. LENOX. 525 In Lenox lived and died Hon. Wm. Walker, father of the present Judge Walker of that town, who was adjutant under Washington ; as also Hon. Azariah Eggleston, who bore a similar office and relation in the Revolutionary army. Anson Jones, once President of Texas, was born and educated in Lenox. In beauty of natural scenery, Lenox is hardly surpassed. Nestled in its valleys, perched upon its cliffs, and scattered over its hills, are the Summer homes of many, drawn to them by no ties save those of allegiance to the beautiful in nature. It is impossible to follow any of its roads or footpaths without enjoying a delightful ride or a beguiling ramble. The town has been the home, at different times, of distinguished literary talent. Here the beloved and lamented Dr. Channing spent the last summer of his life, and here fell his last accents upon the ears of a public audience. Here Hawthorne, too, might have been occa sionally seen, during a -residence of three years, as, with his eyes behind the windows, and his soul deeply behind his eyes, he looked out into the world, and sketched the humanity that went past him ; or, more properly, here like a crane on a chip, sailing quietly down the Mississippi, peering from his trim hight deeply into the water for game, he floated down the stream of time, and very silently pulled such treasures from the deep-as he could appropriate to his uses. Here, also, on a gentle eminence, sloping South wardly, stands the house of Miss Catharine M. Sedgwick, a lady not more remarkable for her literary genius, than for those unobtrusive, way-side blooming virtues that make her the helper of the poor, and the comfort of the afflicted, a cherished friend and an esteemed Christian. The iron, glass, marble and lime interests of Lenox have been described in Part 2d of this work, in the article upon Geology. [Vol. 1, pp. 359-362-366-373.] Peck, Phelps and Co. have a saw-mill, at which they annually manu facture 400,000 feet of lumber ; also a flour-mill at which they grind yearly 10,000 bushels of the various grains. Jared Miller's flouring mill grinds annually 4,000 bushels of grain. The saw-mill of Mr. Johnson, in the North-east part of the town, manufactures yearly 150,000 feet of lum ber ; Dewey and Washburn manufacture 75,000 feet, and Levi R. Miller, 200,000 feet. There are eight school dis- 526 MONTEREY. tricts in the town, five of which own district libraries, and all but one of which maintain schools throughout the year. Lenox Academy, (already noticed in Part 2d of this work,) is the oldest academy in the county, and was for many years the only one. It possesses a library of over 500 volumes, and a good cabinet and apparatus for the illus tration of the natural sciences. A family school for girls, in the charge of Mrs. Charles Sedgwick, has been main tained for several years. The town itself has a library, free to all tax-paying citizens. The number of ratable polls in Lenox is 392 ; total tax for the usual purposes in 1854, *3,185 ; population in 1840, 1,323 ; in 1850, 1,576 ; increase in ten years, 253. MONTEREY. The early history of Monterey is embraced in that of Tyringham, of which it formed a part until April 12,1847, when it was set off, and incorporated, and named in honor of the locality of one of General Taylor's victories in Mexico. There was a general desire among the people of the town that the territory should be divided, and at a meeting of the inhabitants on the 23d of November, 1846, a large majority voted in favor of the measure. The principal reason, apparently, for the measure, was the difficulty of getting from one section of the town to the other. The territory is naturally divided by a higffridge, that crosses it in an Easterly and Westerly direction, ap portioning its territory and inhabitants about equally. The line of division is the summit of the range above alluded to. The first settlement of Tyringham was in the present territory of Monterey. In the town of New Marlborough, about one mile South of the line of JMonterey, there is a hill known as " Dry Hill." This hill runs parallel with the line, so far as to separate this from the remaining portion of that town, and to indicate that it should belong to Monterey. The inhab itants of the territory were much more connected with . Monterey than with the town to which it belonged. Ac cordingly, soon after the incorporation of Monterey, an effort was instituted to procure the annexation of the ter ritory lying North of Dry Hill to the new town, and, in 1851, the annexation took place. By this addition, the MONTEREY. 527 territory of Monterey has been considerably increased, but it is still a small town. Although neither section of the old town of Tyringham might be brought to vote in favor of a reunion, it is believed by many that the anticipated benefits of separation have not been entirely realized. Monterey,1 as-at present constructed, is bounded on the North by Great Barrington, East by Tyringham, Otis and Sandisfield, South by Sandisfield and New Marlborough, and West by Great Barrington. It is in the form of an elevated basin, rising to still higher elevations on or near its whole boundary line. On all this line, however, the hills are broken, and form convenient road-ways, except to the North and North-west, in which direction the ascent is more gradual for nearly three miles. The soil of Monterey is adapted to grazing principally. The Northern part of the town does not admit of the culti vation of grain to advantage, but possesses many fine dairies. The Southern part of the town has many farms, that are not excelled by any of the hill towns of Berkshire county, and no other town receives a greater number of premiums for agricultural productions, at the annual fairs, than this. The farmers are enterprising, and go largely into the improvements of the age. As late as 1840, but few apple trees had been grafted, and there was hardly a peach, pear, or an eatable cherry in the town. Now, the ungrafted apple trees are the exceptions, and the other fruits have been greatly multiplied. Great quantities -of wood and charcoal are sent to the adjoining towns. From 300,000 to 500,000 chestnut shingles are cut annually. The amount of cheese annually sent to market is upwards of 400,000 lbs., and of butter, from 25,000 to 30,000 lbs. There is one paper mill in Monterey, owned and worked by R. L. McDowell & Co., which produces straw wrapping paper for the Southern market, to the amount of 100 tnns annually. The mill stands on the site of the first grist-mill in old Tyringham. There are three shops for making ladies' side- combs. The stock consumed is almost exclusively hoof, and the , business is confined to the families of the proprietors. A family of four persons will turn out, with only hand ma chinery, 50 dozen combs a day, or more, than 1,000 gross a 528 MONTEREY. year. The amount actually made, by .all, is rarely more than 2,400 gross annually. Iron abounds in several parts of the town, but it is so largely combined with sulphur as to be valueless.- In 1848, the people of Monterey erected a new meeting house, about two miles South of the old one, built before the commencement of the present century, and invited the , Congregational Church and Society to accept it as their house of worship, which they accordingly did. This change in the place of worship created a division of the church, and of the people in Tyringham and Monterey who were accustomed to worship in the old church, which resulted in a suit in equity, to compel the officers of the " First Congregational Society" to appropriate the income of its fund [described in the history of Tyringham] to the support of preaching in the old house. After a long, and unhappy controversy, it was decided by the Supreme Court that the society had rightly appropriated the income of the fund. The new house was first occupied for public worship on the first Sabbath of 1849. It was here that Rev. Samuel Howe preached during the last years of his ministry, the date of whose settlement, before Monterey was formed, and whose dismissal after its incorporation, will be found in the history of Tyringham. Meetings are still held in the old house, and this and the new edifice are the only meeting-houses in the town. The fund which has been the. cause of so much trouble doubtless had its good uses, at an early day, but it is now regarded by many as a bar to the liberality of the church and society. There are nine school districts in Monterey, eight of them taken from Tyringham, and one from New Marl borough. The schools are all taught by females, whose wages vary from $1 50 to $2 50 per week, in Summery and a dollar more in Winter. The amount raised by tax in 1853 for schools, was $400 ; which, added to the income of the surplus revenue, raised the amount appropriated for schools to $467 40. Total taxation for 1853, $2,000; town debt in 1853, $1,282 83 ; debts owed to the town, $462 8,9 ; ratable polls, 181. Monterey has never sustained a lawyer, with the excep tion of John Branning, and he was largely occupied with public business. The physicians (embracing all who have MOUNT WASHINGTON. 529 lived in the territory under the old municipality,) have been Thomas Benny, Giles Jackson, Amos Carpenter, Jacob Kingsbury, Elijah Fowler, Asa G. Welch, Wm. E. Buckley, and Mellen Sabin.. The last two are still living — Dr. Buckley in Hillsdale, N. Y., and Dr. Sabin in Lenox. Dr. Alvan H. Turner is the present physician. Three of the descendants of Rev. Mr. Bidwell, the first minister of Tyringham, became physician's. Adonijah, his grandson, thoroughly educated and highly accomplished, died young. Edwin C. Bidwell, son of Dr. A.'s brother, studied his pro fession with the present physician of the town. He is now in Quasqueton, Buchanan county, Iowa. John Welch Bid- well, cousin of the last named, and nephew on the mother's side of Hon. Asa G. Welch, M. D., late of Lee, is a part ner of his uncle, Dr. James Welch of Winsted, Conn. The clergymen who have originated within the territory of Monterey, have been Rev. Stephen Taylor, D. D., and Rev. Hutchins Taylor, both of the old Taylor family, now extinct in the town ; Rev. Josiah Brewer, great-grandson of Rev. Mr. Bidwell, several years a missionary of the American Board, to the Jews in Asia Minor, now proprie tor of a large female seminary in Middletown, Ct. ; Rev. Townsend Walker, now of Chester village ; Rev. Azariah Orton, D. D., and Rev. Charles Bentley. The lawyers who have originated in Monterey have been Lawton Bid- well, now living in South Lee, and John Branning, lately removed from Lenox to Lee. The population of Monterey in 1850 was 733. MOUNT WASHINGTON. Mount Washington occupies a-mountainous tract, formerly known as Taghconic, or Taghconic Mountain. The habita ble portion of it is from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the neigh boring towns, while the brim of this elevated basin rises 600 feet higher. [A description of this locality and its beauties will be found in Part 2 of this work — see volume 1, pages 380, 881.] As early as 1753, and probably before that time, George Robinson, Joseph Graves, Mr. Vangilder, John Cade, Thomas Wolcott, Daniel Lord and John Dibble settled upon the territory. In 1757, the Indian title, what ever validity it may have- had, was purchased for £15. Soon after this, John Dibble, John King, Nathan Benja- 45 530 BOSTON CORNER. min, Peter Woodin, Benjamin Osborne, Charles Patterson and others petitioned the Legislature for a grant of the township, but, although the territory was surveyed in 1759-60, by direction of the Legislature, and laid out into fifty lots, the grant was not made until 1774. About 20 families were in the town in 1766, and a grist-mill and a saw-mill had been erected, but there had not then, and there never has been, a church organized in the town. Mount Washington was incorporated June 21, 1779. There is no record of a town meeting, however, until April 4, 1796, although there is a record showing that Charles Patterson was town clerk in 1781. The leading business of the people is, of course, agricul ture. Considerable lumber is manufactured, as well as noticeable quantities of charcoal. The amount of tax for 1854 was $656, of which $156 was appropriated for schools. The town is divided into three school districts, owes a debt of $742 80, has 67 rata ble polls, 20 1-2 square miles of territory and 24 miles of roads. The population in 1840 was 470; in 1850, 340 ; decrease in ten years, 130. Boston Corner. — Boston Corner was made a district of Mount Washington in 1847, and at that time occupied the South- Western angle of the State. Daniel Porter first settled upon the territory about 1754. The history of this tract has been anomalous. It is naturally shut off from Massachusetts by a high mountain wall, and its, twelve families, — with no church organization, and forming but one school district, — have lived with but few of the asso ciations and privileges of civilized Christian life. They have not always been reputed to possess the purest habits or the soundest morals. They have never voted in any of the elections of Mount Washington. The tract em braced from 300 to 400 acres of good land, lying in the valley, on the West side of Taghconic Mountain. The balance lay upon the Western slope of that mountain,— - rough and entirely unfit for cultivation. The State census of 1850 stated its population at 61. This territory natu-' rally belonged to New York, and, in 1854, the Legislatures of both that State and Massachusetts took steps prelimi nary to the measure of annexing it to New York, and NEW ASHFORD. 531 Congress, in 1855, effected the legislation necessary to com plete the transfer, so that Boston Corner, as a part of Mas sachusetts, no longer exists. According to the statement of the surveyor, the West line of the territory thus trans ferred measures 207 chains and 98 links ; the South line, 101 chains and 6 links ; and the East line, 207 chains and 49 1-2 links, — the three lines embracing 1,050 acres. The Harlem Railroad crosses this territory, and it will be re membered that it was at this point that Morrissey and Sullivan, pugilists, with their bottle-holders and compan ions, engaged in a disgraceful fight, in 1853. NEW ASHFORD. New Ashford is distinguished particularly for being in population the smallest town in the State, and those who have passed from Pittsfield to Williamstown will remember its ragged, rugged and broken territory. This route, be fore the day of Railroads, was the thoroughfare through which the travel passed from Connecticut and Rhode Island to the West side of the Green Mountains, in Vermont. Emigrants from the two former States began to settle in New Ashford about the year 1762. Caleb and Hezekiah Beach, Evans Roys, William Campbell, Nathaniel Abel], Gideon Kent, Uriah, Peter and Eli Mallery, Samuel P. Tyler, Amariah Babbitt, Gaius Harmon, and Jacob Lyon were the earliest settlers. The tract was incorporated as a district February 26, 1781, and as a town, February 26, 1801. The district and town records show that in the Revolutionary period, Committees of Safety existed, and that several of the citizens were actively engaged in the war. Some of them were at the battle of Bennington, and present on the occasion of the surrender of Burgoyne. Some half a dozen of them were at Stone Arabia, where and when Col. Brown fell. An incident of the bravery of two young men, which occurred within the territory now covered by the town, during the old French war, may be related here. Samuel Curtis and James Ensign, youths 17 and 19 years old, vol unteered as bearers of a communication from fort No. 4 (Williamstown) to the fort in Lanesborough. They had arrived at the North part of New Ashford, where they discovered that Indians had been digging for ground nuts. 532 NEW ASHFORD. They cautiously followed their trail, up the valley, to the knoll where the dwelling of Wm. B. Dewey now stands. On arriving there, they discovered four savages, unsuspect ingly roasting their ground-nuts, and each selecting his vic tim, fired, and ran for the Lanesborough fort. The two surviving Indians seized their rifles, and gave pursuit The chase was a long and desperate one, and darkness only saved the young men. Their course was cut off, and they were driven Easterly out of their way, but during the night they made their way to the fort. On their return, the fol-, lowing week, they visited the scene of the encounter, and two newly made graves showed that their baffled pursuers had preceded them. From the summit of the elevated territory of New Ash ford, a small stream runs, and, crossing the road a few rods from the residence of A. Piatt, passes into Lanesboro pond. Thence, after pursuing various tortuosities, it empties into the Housatonic river, which empties into Long Island Sound. About 80 rods North of the origin of this little stream, a large spring of exceedingly cold water appears, and runs North through Williamstown, Pownal, Vt, Hoo- suck, N. Y., and finds its way to the Hudson. Thus, within 80 rods of each other, rise two considerable streams, one running North and the other South. In the neighborhood of the spring above mentioned, there is a cave some eight rods in extent. It is narrow, but some of its apartments are arched 20 feet above the gravel floor, and glitter with beautiful stalactites. The town has large resources in marble and limestone, which, with better facilities for trans portation, could be made profitably available. The religious instruction of the inhabitants has been mostly imparted by the Methodist itinerary. There has been no resident minister, until within the last four years, except the distinguished Baptist divine, John Leland, who resided in the town some 16 years, but preached during the period mostly in the surrounding towns. The Methodist pastoral succession since 1848 has been Rev. Messrs. Daniel Rose, Wm. R. Brown, John Haslem, Asaph Shurt- liffe, and Nelson Whitman, the pastor in 1854. One of the first Methodists was Martin Ruter, who died in Texas a few years since, a sacrifice to his zeal in the missionary work. NEW MARLBOROUGH. 533 There are two school districts in the town, and the amount of money raised for their support in 1854 was $80. A few years since, common school education ranked high, and New Ashford was remarkable for the number of teach ers it sent to the adjoining towns. The interest now en gages less enterprise and efficiency. Among the noteworthy individuals who have originated in the town are Cyrus Spink, a long time land agent, and once a presidential elector from Ohio ; Wm. H. Tyler, one of the best physicians of the day ; Augustus C. Beach, a useful Baptist clergyman, for many years resident in Pitts field ; S. V. R. Mallery, a distinguished lawyer of Canan- daigua, N. Y. ; Azariah Mallery, an able Judge of the Courts in Michigan ; Nathan Williams Harmon, an able lawyer resident in Lawrence, Mass., and Charles R. Deane, the President, and Professc-r of Natural Science and Phi losophy in the Lowndesboro, Alabama, Institute. The tax for town purposes, including highways, was, in 18.54, $457 70.' The town has 65 ratable polls, no town debt, 10 square miles of territory, ten and a half miles of roads, and 19 plank bridges. The name of New Ashford is embalmed in a host of powerful illustrations introduced in the discussions of the late Constitutional Convention, on the basis of representa^ tion ; and has thus become popularly known by its lack of population. The population, in 1840, numbered 229 ; in 1850, 210 ; decrease in ten years, 19. NEW MARLBOROUGH. ¦* '&<¦>' • - ... Township No. 2 was granted to 72 proprietors, living mostly in Marlborough, Middlesex County, Mass., in 1736. The .first settler, Benjamin Wheeler, was from that town, and spent the Winter of 1739-40 alone, or with no white companion. His nearest white neighbors were in Sheffield, at a distance of ten miles. During the following summer, he visited Marlborough, and returned with his family. The settlers who followed him were Noah Church, Jabez Ward, Thomas Tattiow, Elias Keyes, Joseph Blackmer, Jesse Taylor, John Taylor, William Witt and Philip Brookins. These came in in 1741, and were followed, previous to 1744, by Samuel Bryan, and in that year by Joseph Adams, Moses Cleaveland and Silas Freeman, 45* 534 NEW MARLBOROUGH. These latter, with Charles Adams, Solomon Randsford, Nathan Randsford and Jarvis Pikej who became settlers in 1745, were from Canterbury, Ct. About this time, families of the name of Sheldon, Wright and Allen, emigrants from Northampton, settled upon the territory. Almost the first business of the settlers, after finding themselves together, was to form a church. The earliest church record, written by Mr. Strong, the first pastor, com mences thus : " Oct. ye 31, anno Domini 1744. There was a church gathered at New Marlborough, alias No. 2, and the Rev. Thomas Strong ordained to ye pastoral office there." We continue the quotation : " Present — the Rev. Messrs. Samuel Hopkins of Springfield, moderator ; Jona than Hubbard of Sheffield, Samuel Hopkins of Sheffield. Messengers : Samuel Day, Dea. Philip Calender, Jonas Phelps." . The names of those who were organized as a church were Moses Cleaveland, Samuel Bryan, Jesse Taylor, Wm. Witt and Joseph Adams. During the year, six more were added, viz. : Damaris, wife of Samuel Bryan, Miriam, wife of Joseph Adams, Mary, wife of Moses Cleaveland, Elias Keyes and wife, and Elias Keyes,' Jr. Mr. Strong, the pastor, was a native of .Northampton, and graduated- at Yale in 1740. About three years after his settlement, (October 4, 1744,) he married Elizabeth Barnard of Stock- bridge, who was about nine years younger than himself. She was>a native of West Springfield.* Mr. Strong's ministry >in New Marlborough continued nearly 33 years, or, until his death, which occurred August 23, 1777. In the church record kept by him, he mentions, * Her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Merrick, was married at the age of 25, to Joseph Barnard of Northamp ton, and lived in West Springfield. She had four children, the youngest of whom was torn five months after the death of its father. After remaining a widow about a year and a half, she married Joseph Woodbridge, who was about ten years younger than herself. She must have been peculiarly attractive, when, at the age of 38, with four young children, a young man of 23 was induced to select her as his companion. But her after life abundantly justified the choice, and her children were for many years among the most prominent citizens of Berkshire pounty, NEW MARLBOROUGH. 535 under date of August 5, 1768, that a copy of Henry's Com mentaries, in six volumes, was brought to him to be lent out among the church members. These volumes were a legacy to the church from Mr. Thomas Tattiow of Marl borough, in Middlesex county. In consequence of the scarcity of books, this legacy was a real treasure. A spe cial messenger, was sent at the expense of the church, to receive the books, and convey them safely to New Marl borough. After their arrival, the church voted that five volumes might be lent out to the members, who might re tain them one year each. One volume was to be kept by the pastor, " to be delivered to any church member that should desire it to read in the intermission, in the meeting house, on the Sabbath, and that the person who receives it shall return it after the service, at night." In this way, the books did good service for more than forty years. March 8, 1769, the church " voted that they would admit of parents and adult persons owning of a confession of faith, and the covenant, and upon their doing of it, parents may have the privilege of baptism for their children, and adult persons for themselves." After the death of Mr. Strong, in 1777, the church remained about three years without a pastor. September 4, 1780, a call was given to Rev. Caleb Alexander, to settle as his successor. Before accepting the call, Mr. Alexander presented a " Constitu tion of Church Government," which was thoroughly Con gregational, a Confession of Faith and a form of Church Covenant, all of which were adopted by a vote of the church, September 28, 1780. He afterwards proposed to the church to abandon the half way covenant, which they had adopted in 1769. The proposition was accepted, and it was voted, December 19, 1780, "that no person shall be admitted as a member of this church, except he shall ap pear, in the eye of Christian charity, to be a true and sin cere friend of religion, and to have the visible qualifications of a real disciple of our blessed Redeemer." Mr. Alexan der was ordained February 28, 1781, and retained his pastoral office but 16 months. He was dismissed June 28, 1782. January 15, 1787, Rev. Jacob Catlin, D. D., received a call to settle in Mr. Alexander's place. Dr. Catlin pre pared another creed and covenant, which were adopted in 536 NEW MARLBOROUGH. place of those presented by his predecessor, and which are still retained by the church. He was ordained July 3, , 1787, and remained the pastor 39 years, or, until his death, which occurred April 12, 1826. January 23, the same year, Rev. Harley Goodwin was ordained as his colleague, and after preaching 11 years, wag dismissed July 5, 1837. Rev. Chester Fitch was ordained in his place January 26, 1841, and dismissed March 15, 1852. His successor, Rev. Richard T. Searle, was installed September 28, 1852, and is the present pastor. This church had, January 1, 1854, 128 members — 42 males and 86^females. About 1793, it became necessary to build a new meet ing-house in the town. Dissensions arose in the society as to its location, which resulted in the formation of a new church and society. The South parish was organized April 5, 1794s The town was divided by a geographical line, running East and West, into two parishes, as nearly equal as possible in territorial extent. The first parish meeting was held April 28, 1794, in their new meeting-house, which, in their zeal, they had completed, and commenced occupying before the meeting-house in the North parish, whose location had so displeased them, was finished. The church was organized by a council April 25, 1794, with 21 members, all from the first church. The first pastor of this church, Rev. John Stevens from Danbury, Ct, a grad uate of Yale in 1779, was installed October 22, 1794, and died while pastor, January 6, 1799. His successor, or dained July 10, 1799, was Rev.' Nathaniel Turner, a native of Norfolk, Ct, and a graduate of Williams, in 1798. Mr. Turner died May 25, 1812, and was succeeded April 21, 1813, by Rev. Sylvester Burt of Southampton, a graduate of Williams i» 1804. He was dismissed December 31, 1822, and Rev. Alvan Somers of Sharon, Ct, was installed in his place, May 11, 1825, and dismissed May 26, 1828. Mr. Somers was succeeded October 15, 1829, by Rev. Erastus Clapp, who was dismissed March 26, 1833. Rev. Thomas Fletcher supplied for about two years. The next regular pastor was Rev. Samuel Utley, who was installed March 14, 1838, and dismissed January 8, 1847. Mr. Utley was a native of Dalton, spent his early life in Chesterfield, and graduated at Union, in 1828. .His suc cessor was Rev. Otis Lombard, who was ordained June 14, NEW MARLBOROUGH. ' 537 1849, and still retains the office of pastor. Mr. Lombard is a native of Springfield, and a graduate of Amherst in 1834. He spent ten years in teaching, during which he studied theology in private, and was licensed by the Hamp den East Association in May, 1845. The number of members connected with this church, January 1, 1854, was 66 — males, 20 ; females, 46. In the Spring of 1850, the name of Southfield was given, by the Postmaster-General, to the post office in South New Marlborough, and since that time the village and ecclesiastical society have been called Southfield. In 1846, a Baptist Church was organized, with 24 mem bers, and a meeting-house erected, which was dedicated in February, 1847. In May of that year, Rev. Amos N. Benedict became the pastor, and continued in that relation until April, 1850. He was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Bogart, who remained until 1852. Rev. Henry N. Barlow suc ceeded him, and remained until his death in June, 1852. Since that time the church has been without a pastor. The number of members reported in October, 1853, was 31. A Methodist Class has existed for many years at Harts- ville, in the extreme North- Western part of the town. In 1849, a meeting-house was built, which was dedicated No vember 14th of that year. Public worship is observed there on each alternate Sabbath. From a careful survey of the South Parish, or the Southern half of the town, it appears that about one in five of the population is a member of some Christian church. A little more than one-half are Congregationalists ; about one-third are Baptists, and about one-seventh are Methodists. New Marlborough was incorporated June 15, 1759, and at that time had more than 60 householders. A small tract was annexed to the town, from Sheffield, in 1798, and another from Tyringham, in 1811. The Revolutionary records of the town are extended and interesting. A warrant for calling a town meeting, dated June 17, 1774, contained articles relating to the corres pondence received from Boston, and the choice of a town Committee of Correspondence. The meeting was held June 23, and Noah Church, Dr. Ephraim Guiteau, Jabez Ward, Zenas Wheeler, and Dr. Elihu Wright were chosen a committee to attend a convention of committees at Stock- 538 NEW MARLBOROUGH. bridge. On the 2d Monday of July, the people met again, and heard the report of their committee. The committee reported a long list of resolutions, acknowledging their allegiance to George Third, asserting that the people of the colonies were entitled to all the rights enjoyed by any citizen of Great Britain, rights conveyed in the province charter, condemning the tea tax and all its incidental usur pations, and favoring the adoption of a non-consumption covenant. Soon after this, the town began to collect materials for defense. September 12, 1774, the town voted to procure " for a town stock," 224 lbs. of powder, 600 lbs. of lead and " nine gross of good flints." Thirty -five -pounds in money was voted to meet the expense. January 24th, 1775, a Committee of Inspection was chosen, consisting of Capt. Zenas Wheeler, Jabez Ward, Maj. John Collar, Capt. Caleb Wright, Gideon Post, Eleazer Taylor and Cyrus Brookins. They were " to see that the advice of the Con tinental Congress be strictly adhered to." Obadiah Ward, Daniel Taylor, Capt. Zenas Wheeler and Gideon Post were chosen a' committee to collect donations for the poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown, and Dr. Guiteau was elected delegate to the Provincial Congress. v March 14, 1775, it was " voted to pay each minute man that is equipped within 20 days, one shilling for every half- day he or they shall train, until the 14th day of May next, and not to exceed ten half days in said term. April 22, 1775, a committee was chosen to look after and take care of the families of those men who might be called to go in defense of the country. From sundry incidental expres sions in the records, it appears that, upon the Lexington alarm, Capt. Caleb Wright, with a company of minute men from New Marlborough, marched to Roxbury. The votes that occur after this are the same in substance that cover the records of the period in every town. They consist of offers of bounties for enlistment, of answers to requisitions for supplies of men and means, &c. After a meeting held August 16, 1777, was dissolved, the people passed a resolve " that they would support the selectmen in impressing horses for men to ride to Bennington in the present alarm." The last town meeting warned in " His Majesty's name," was called by a warrant dated May 30, NEW MARLBOROUGH. 539 1775. August 16, 1777, a warrant was commenced with: " In the name of the people and State of Massachusetts Bay." This town was one of the most thoroughly efficient in the patriotic cause of the towns in Berkshire county. An event which made a deep sensation in New Marl borough occurred July 23, 1812, the day of the National Fast, held in view of the declaration of war against Great Britain. Seven persons were upset in a boat, on Six-Mile pond, a sheet of water in the North- West part of the town, of whom three — Almond Benton, Ruth Mills and Betsey Garfield — were drowned. Hermit (now commonly called McAlpin's) pond is a body of water in the South-East part of the town, which took its name from a hermit who settled near it before the Revolution, lived alone for many years, and died unattended in 1817. His name was Timothy Leonard, and his misan thropy arose from disappointment in love. In the Western part of New Marlborough, a manufac turing village is springing up, called Mill River. It is situated in a long and narrow valley of the Konkapot river. The descent of the stream is very rapid, and the water plentiful and unfailing. The principal manufactories at present are paper and lumber, but the water power is sufficient for a great extension of manufacturing business. Its distance from the Housatonic railroad is about seven miles, and it has already become the business center of the town, and is really the only part which seems to be making a true and steady progress. Western emigration, and the attractions of business and manufacturing points at home are sapping " the old parishes" here a~s elsewhere, although the town as a whole gains in population. There are three paper mills in New Marlborough. Warren, Wheeler & Co. employ forty hands in making $50,000 worth of paper annually. John Cariel & Co. employ about twenty hands in making $25,000 worth of paper per annum; and John Cariel employs ten hands, and turns out $12,000 worth of paper per annum. There are about $6,000 worth of whip-lashes made yearly, and from ten to fifteen thousand casks of lime are sent to market. There are ten school districts ; money raised by tax for schools, $750. The town has a school fund of about $5,500, the annual income of which is $330. This, with $80 from 540 otis. the State, and wood: and board contributed, makes a hand some provision for schools. The town contains about 40 square miles of territory and 100 miles of roads. Popu lation in 1840, 1,619 ; in 1850, 1,733 ; increase in ten years, 114. OTIS. The , town of Loudon was incorporated Feb. 27, 1773, and was composed of the tract known as " The Tyringham Equivalent." June 19, 1809, the district of Bethlehem (incorporated June 24, 1789, and composed of the "North Eleven Thousand Acres,") was united with Loudon. On the 13th of* June, 1810, the name of the town was changed to Otis, in honor of H. G. Otis of Boston. Otis contains 24,000 acres of territory, and is bounded on the Northby Becket, East by Blandford, South by Tolland, and West by Sandisfield, Monterey and Tyringham^ In 1751, a few families located in the Easterly part of the town. The set tlement was commenced by David, Stephen and Isaac Kib- bee, and soon after them followed Paul Larkeom, Dan Gregory, Jeremy Stow, Ephraim Pelton, George Troop, Ebenezer Trumbull, Jacob Cook, Timothy Whitney, Jona than Norton and Smith Marcy. The Kibbees and Lar keom were from Enfield, Ct, Pelton was from Granville, Whitney from Petersburgh, Norton from Suffield, and Marcy and Troop from Woodstock, Ct. The Western or Bethlehem portion of the town was settled at a later pe riod, and its first inhabitants were Daniel Sumner, Thomas Ward, Phinehas Kingsbury, Adonijah Jones, Ebenezer Jones, Miles Jones, John Spear, John Plumb, James Breckenridge, and Robert Hunter* Most of these were emigrants from Palmer. The Jones families originated in Hebron, Ct, and accessions to the settlement were made from time to time from that state. The first road, or path, through the town was made by General Amherst and his army in 1759, on his way from Boston to Albany. On this passage, he staid one night each at Westfield, Blandford, Sandisfield on Noble Hill, and Mon terey at the Brewer place. For many years after the Rev olution, this road was called "The great road from Boston to Albany," and was the only road between those places crossing directly the county of Berkshire.- Burgoyne's otis. 541 army, after thei surrender at Stillwater, passed over the road on their way to Boston, and remained three days at Otis, where they buried one of the soldiers. A rough stone monument which they placed at his grave, is still standing. A few deserters remained in the town for many years. An officer was left at Otis, sick. He afterwards became a school teacher, and resided in that town for sev eral years, but he finally returned to England. The vote to build the first school house was passed in 1774. Money was voted for preaching during the early years of the settlement. In 1772, Mr. George Troop presented himself to the people as a Congregational min ister, and afterwards his people ordained him, and then he formed them into a church. Dissatisfaction arising in his congregation, a council was called, which, in 1775, decided that both he and the church were irregularly constituted, an assumption quite as bold as that practiced by the min ister and church thus condemned. In 1786, Mr. Troop went into the army. It would appear, by a subsequent vote of the town, that he had received a grant of a tract of land in Otis, in consideration of an agreement to preach there five years. He did not preach five years, and there is no evidence that he obtained a title to the land. On the 2d of February, 1779, a church was formed on the regular basis, and by regular means. The church was small, and depended upon supplies for many years. June 5, 1810, the two churches of Loudon and Bethlehem were united. The latter was originally organized Sept. 14, 1795. No house of worship was ever completed in the town of Loudon. Attempts were made at various times, and in .various ways, to erect a meeting house, but they all failed. After the union of Loudon and Bethlehem, a house was finished. It was dedicated in the autumn of 1813, and still stands, having recently undergone repairs. This was about 40 years after the incorporation of Loudon. For a time, Rev. Aaron Kinne preached for the united church, and June 28, 1815, Rev. Jonathan Lee was ordained as the pastor. He had preached since November, 1815. Mr. Lee was dismissed June 28, 1831, and was succeeded Feb. 14, 1832, by Rev. Rufus Pomeroy, who was dismissed Aug. 6, 1835. June 30, 1840, Rev. Hugh Gibson was in stalled over the church, and he was dismissed March 11, 46 542 otis. 1850. Since then, the society has had no settled minister. Rev. Henry A. Austin supplied in 1851 and 1852. In 1786, at the time of the Shays Rebellion, a number of the parishioners of Rev. Mr. Storrs of Sandisfield be came dissatisfied with him, on account of his opposition to Shays, and joining with some individuals in the Western part of Bethlehem, formed a Baptist church, and built a meeting house within the limits of the present town of Otis. The house is now unoccupied, the church long since became extinct, and the society has been dissolved. The church had for pastors, while it existed, Rev. Benjamin Baldwin, and Rev. Israel Keach. An Episcopal church was formed in January, 1828, and a church edifice was soon afterwards erected. The follow ing have ministered to this church : Rev. Messrs. Benja min C. C. Parker, Calvin Wolcott, Ethan Allen, Daniel G. Wright, Henry S- Atwater, and William B. Colburn, the present rector. Most of the inhabitants of Otis are farmers, and depend on their dairies and the raising of stock for a living. Large tracts of wooded land still remain in the town, stocked with valuable timber, — hemlock, pine, spruce, birch, beach and maple. The sugar maple is abundant, and almost every farmer makes his own sugar. Many tuns of it are annually exported. Large quantities of pine and hemlock lumber are manufactured every year by sixteen saw mills. There are two grist mills . in the town, two tanneries, a rake factory j and a paper mill. At the North part of the town there is a forge and tilt-hammer ; and at Cold Spring, in the Southerly part, there is a forge where car axles have been extensively made. The property is owned by a company in Boston and Salem. More than $100,000 have been invested at Cold Spring, in buildings, machinery and lands. The forge stands on Farmington river, and the water power is permanent, and sufficient at all seasons of the year. The Farmington river, which is the largest stream in the town, derives its supply of water mostly from streams com ing in from the East. These streams are supplied by natural ponds among the hills, which are fed by rivulets and springs. Some of these ponds, or reservoirs, are large, and all may be increased in area at a light expense, peru. 543 by damming their narrow outlets. The Most Northern reservoir is Nichols' Pond, covering 83 acres, and " fur nishing 1,766 cubic feet of water per second." A mile below this, a brook enters the river, at the head of which are two ponds — " Ward" and " Thomas." The fall of the ^stream from Thomas Pond to the Farmington river, is 214 feet. The next feeder is Fall River, three miles below Otis center. This receives its water from six ponds. Two of these — Great Pond, and Rand Pond — are connected, and cover an area of 745 acres. At the outlet of Rand Pond, is a beautiful cascade, falling 104 feet almost per pendicularly. About 100 rods below the falls is situated Larkeom Pond, covering 54 acres. An unaccountable fact connected with this pond, is, that from the first of July to the middle of August, the water is turbid — so much so as to deposit in a glass a heavy sediment of mud ; yet, at all other times in the year, it is clear and pure. This pond contains the deepest water, and, in some parts has given soundings of 240 feet. All these ponds are frequented in the winter by fishermen, for their trout and pickerel. The spring which gives its name to the locality, " Cold Spring," on the Farmington river, is remarkable for its coolness in summer, and its warmth in winter. It dis charges 50 gallons of water per minute, which in summer shows a temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit; and in winter it is so warm as to surround itself with vapor, and keep ice from accumulating in its vicinity. The population of Otis in 1840, was 1,158 ; in 1850, 1,163; increase in ten years, 5. PERU. Peru occupies a large portion of the original township No. 2, sold at auction in Boston to Elisha Jones, June 2, 1762, for £1,460. Subsequently to the sale, Oliver Part ridge of Hatfield became joint proprietor, and the town was incorporated July 4, 1771, with the name of Part ridgefield, a name bestowed in his honor. With this name it existed until June 19, 1806, when the name was changed to Peru. The township originally included the greater part of Hinsdale, (which formed the West parish of Part ridgefield,) and a part of Middlefield, the latter being now in the county of Hampshire. In 1766, Henry Badger 544 peru. from New Jersey settled upon No.' 2, and, about the same time, Nathaniel Stowell from Connecticut came in. Near ly contemporaneously settled Peter, Daniel and Nathan Thompson, from the Eastern part of Massachusetts. Eben ezer Pierce followed soon afterwards. The warrant for the first town meeting was issued by William Williams, and directed to " Cornelius Thayer of Partridgefield, in the county of Berkshire, yeoman." This meeting was held at the dwelling house of Nathan Wat- kins, on the 13th of August, 1771, and Nathan Fisk was chosen moderator, and Nathaniel Stowell, town clerk. Several individuals from Partridgefield were engaged in the war of the Revolution, among whom were Capt. Na than Watkins, Joseph Badger and Nathaniel Stowell. These, and many others belonged to the company of minute men who marched upon the Lexington alarm, under the command of Watkins. They were enrolled in Col. John Patterson's regiment, stationed at Fort No. 3, in Charles- town, at the time of the battle of Bunker Hill. The people of No. 2 provided themselves early with the institutions of religion, and enjoyed preaching from the first years of the settlement. There are a few Baptist and Methodist families in the town, and there have been for many years, but they belong to churches in the adjoining towns. The Congregational is the only church organized in Peru. It was formed in 1770, and consisted at first of 35 members. Rev. Stephen Tracy of Norwich, Ct, was the first minister, and was ordained in April, 1772. He was dismissed in May, 1776. There are no records of his ministry, now in the town. The second pastor, Rev. John Leland of Holliston, was ordained in April, 1783, and re mained the sole pastor until Oct. 8, 1815, when Rev. Ros- well Hawkes was settled as his colleague. Previous to the settlement of Mr. Hawkes, Mr. Leland had admitted 200 persons to the church. He died at the house of his son, John Leland, in Amherst, May, 1826. Mr. Hawkes was dismissed in April, 1823, and is now connected with the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, at South Hadley. Fif ty-nine persons were admitted to the church by him.. He was succeeded December 29, 1824, by Rev. Joseph M. Brewster, who was dismissed Sept. 10, 1833, and died of consumption on the 29th of the following December, just peru. 545 nine years after the day of his ordination. During his ministry, 130 persons were admitted to the church. Rev. Thomas R. Rawson was settled as the fifth pastor of the church, July 10, 1834, and was dismissed March 22, 1836. Sixty-two persons united with the church during his min istry. Rev. Joseph Knight, the sixth minister, was in stalled July 6, 1836, and is still in office. Since his con nection with the church, 85 persons have joined it, and the membership on the first of January, 1854, was 166. The present meeting house in Peru stands upon the height of land, in the center of the town, and the water from the West side of the roof runs into the Housatonic, and that from the East, into the Westfield river. Longevity is one of the " peculiar institutions" of Peru. In 1850, as ascertained by the United States Census, one in every twelve of the inhabitants was seventy years old, or upwards. At the present time, one in every 15 is up wards of 70 years old. Joseph Badger, whose name has already occurred in this history, went to the Western Reserve in Ohio, as a mis sionary of the Connecticut Missionary Society, in 1800. A memoir of his life has been published, which awards to his character the tribute of praise which it deserves. Aaron W. Leland, son of Rev. John Leland, graduated at Williams College in 1808, and is now Professor of theoloT gy in Columbia College, South Carolina. Mason Frissell, a graduate of the same college, has received the title of LL. D. from some institution, and is now a Judge of the Courts in Missouri. Sylvester Scoville, a graduate of Williams College in 1822, became president of a collegiate institution in Indiana, where he died in 1849, at the age of 51 years. A history of Peru would be incomplete without a no tice of Cyrus Stowell, now the oldest man save one in the town. He has resided there since 1767, and commenced his public services for the town while still a young man. He filled, for many years, the most important town offices, and on the 2d of May, 1803, was elected to represent the town in the Legislature. His election to that office was repeated in the years 1804-'5-'6-'10-'12-'15. He was elect ed delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1820. He was again representative in 1831-'32-'35-'36 and '40, and 46* 546 peru. was thus, reckoning two sessions a year, for the first seven years of his service, present at 19 sessions of the Legisla ture, and, though a man of few words, he was always a man of influence. He was a whig in politics. He re ceived his first commission as justice of the peace in 1803, from Governor Caleb Strong. It was renewed in 1810, by Elbridge Gerry; again, in 1817, by John Brooks; again, in 1824, by William Eustis ; again, in 1831, by Levi Lincoln ; in 1838, Edward Everett made him Justice of the peace and quorum; renewed in 1845 by George N. Briggs, and in 1852, by George S. Boutwell. He has been justice of the peace 52 years, and of the quorum 17 years. He has held the office of deacon in the Congrega tional Church for more than 40 years. He is now in his 87 th year, and, like the patriarch of Uz, is " waiting his appointed time until his change come." There are seven school districts in Peru, and the amount raised by tax for the support of schools in 1854, was $300. There is a small " school lot," the income of which is ap propriated for schools in Peru and Hinsdale, and the board of teachers is a contribution of the districts. There was, in 1851, but one town in the county of Berkshire that raised more money to the scholar than Peru. A select school, in addition, is usually well sustained during the Autumn months. This town, delightful in Summer and severe in Winter, occupies the summit of the Green Mountain range, and is particularly adapted to stock-growing and the dairy. The latter is becoming more and more a source of liveli hood and wealth. Although the town abounds with fine springs and small streams, there are no large streams, and no valuable mill sites. There are two sawmills on the middle branch of Westfield river, (which rises in the North West part of the town) and three sawmills on oth er streams, where large quantities of lumber are sawed yearly. The amount of money raised by tax in 1854, was $1,- 500 — being an average of $3 for each • inhabitant. Of this sum, $450 was for the support of the ministry. The town has no debt, owns a fund of $2,000 ; has but one pauper, and he is only partially dependent; has 124 rata ble polls, 41 miles of roads, and a territory five miles and pittsfield. 547 a half in length, and three and a half in width. The pop ulation in 1840, was 610 ; in 1850, 500 ; decrease in ten years, 110. / f J f _3^ PITTSFIELD. On the 27th of June, 1735, the General Court granted to Boston three townships of land, in answer to a petition based upon a representation of " the great charge they were at, for the support of their poor and their free schools, and that they paid near a fifth part of the province tax." The conditions were, that, within five years after the con firmation of the plans of these townships, (which were to be returned for confirmation within twelve months,) each township should be settled with sixty families, each of which families should build a dwelling house on their home- lot, improve and fence in five acres of said lot, and actual ly live upon the spot. Furthermore, an able Orthodox minister was to be settled, and his comfortable support pro vided for, and three lots set apart — having rights in all subsequent divisions — one for the first settled minister, one for the ministry, and one for the school. These three townships were numbered 1, 2, and 3 — the present Charlemont being "Boston township No. 1," Coleraine, No. 2, and Pittsfield, No. 3. But a grant had been made within the territory of Pittsfield previous to this. Col. John Stoddard of Northampton received a grant in De cember, 1784, of "one thousand acresof the unappropri ated lands of the province, in the county of Hampshire, * * * in consideration of his great services and sufferings in and for the public." This grant he located upon the Eastern -branch of the Housatonic, within the territory which Boston selected, and extinguished the Indian title, not only to his own land, but to much in its vicinity. Previous to returning the plan ' of the township to the General Court, for confirmation, the town of Boston sold it, (March 13, 1737,) to Col. Jacob Wendell of Boston, for £1,320. The plan being presented to the General Court, it was accepted and allowed in December, 1738, on condition that the original conditions of the grant should be complied with, and that the plat " exceed not the quanti ty of 24,040 acres of land, and interfere not with any other or former grant." Sixty settling lots, containing one hun- 548 pittsfield. dred acres each, were laid out, the lots for public purposes, embracing a large portion of the territory now covered by the village of Pittsfield, and on the 29th of May, 1741, Col. Wendell and Col. Stoddard arranged for a joint pro prietary interest in the township, the former owning two- thirds and the latter one-third of the same. The lots were then brought into market, without let or hindrance, imme diately, but the French and Indian wars interfered with the settlement, which was put off from year to year until 1752, early in which year Solomon Deming and his fami ly moved into the East part of the town, and was followed soon afterwards by Charles Goodrich. The latter drove the first team and cart into the town, being obliged to cut his way through the woods for a number of miles. Dur ing the same year, came in Nathaniel Fairfield, Abner and Isaac Dewey, Jacob Ensign, Hezekiah Jones, Samuel Tay lor, Elias Willard, and Dea. Josiah Wright ; and they were followed in 1753 by Stephen and Simeon Crofoot, David Bush and Col. William Williams. In the latter year, Sol omon Deming, Charles Goodrich and others were incorpo rated as " the proprietors of the settling lots in the town ship of Pontoosuc." This was the Indian name of the locality, and signified a run for deer. In 1754, Eli Root, Ephraim Stiles, William Wright, and probably others, be came settlers, and during the same year, the inhabitants, with those of Lenox, all fled to Stockbridge for safety, be fore an Indian invasion, already described in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, p. 187.] For four years after this, the settlement made but slow and difficult progress. The settlers probably returned within two years. In 1758, there were about twenty log cabins in the town, and a meeting of the proprietors in September of that year is recorded. Between this date and 1764, the following became settlers : Samuel Birchard, Daniel Hubbard, Daniel and Jesse Sacket, Jonathan Tay lor, David and Oliver Ashley, Wm. Francis, Gideon Gunn, Joshua Robbins, Ezekiel Root, Gideon Goodrich, James Lord, Charles Miller, Thomas Morgan, Daniel and David Noble, Wm. Phelps, John Remington, Phinehas Belden, Solomon Crosby, Israel Dickinson, Elisha Jones, Jno. Morse, David Roberts, Aaron Stiles, Israel Goddard, John and Caleb Wadhams, Aaron and Phinehas Baker, Wm. PITTSFIELD. 549 Brattle, Col. James Easton, Benjamin and Josiah Good rich, Moses Miller, Joseph Phelps, Amos Root, John Wil liams, Rev. Thomas Allen, Jas. D. Colt, Ezra and King Strong, Dr. Colton, Rufus Allen an 1 John Strong. Prob ably others settled during the same period, and they were soon afterwards followed by Joseph Allen, David Bagg, Lieut. Moses Graves, Woodbridge Little, Col. Oliver Root, Ebenezer White and others. Pittsfield was incorporated as a town April 21, 1761. Two years previously, the Supreme Court of the State, in compliance with a petition of the inhabitants, appointed John Ashley, Ebenezer Hitchcock, Nathaniel Dwight, John Chadwick and Lieut. Daniel Brown, as a committee to make a division of the lands of the town, (outside the house lots,) among the proprietors. Col. Wendell owned at this time about one quarter of the ¦ township, the heirs of Col. Stoddard nearly a quarter, and Moses Green and Charles Goodrich owned about 1,000 acres each. William Pitt, the English statesman was honored in the name given to the new town, a large portion of whose inhabitants were emigrants from Westfield. Wethersfield, Ct, and North ampton were considerable contributors to the population of the town, which numbered at the date of its incorpo ration not far from sixty families. Through all the changes „ wrought by death and emigration, many of the first settlers have preserved their names and blood until the present time, among the inhabitants of the town. At the first meeting of the proprietors after their incor poration (as proprietors) a part of their business was " to choose some person or persons to make exchange of a part of the school lot for some part of Dea. Crofoot's lot, so as to accommodate his mills, and to see what the proprietors would give to Dea. Crofoot for setting up the mills." It appears that the water privilege which Dea. Crofoot wish ed to occupy was within the limits of the school lot. This movement was in 1753, but the building of the mill must have been some years delayed, though eventually the town granted to Deacon Crofoot the use of the privilege for several years, and he built a mill and gave bonds to keep it in repair for the benefit of the inhabitants. A fulling mill was put up by Jacob Ensign, in connection with the same establishment. Crofoot's lease expired in 1778, when 550 PITTSFIELD. the town sold the mill ^privilege to Ebenezer White. It remained in his hands, and in those of his son, until 1842, when it was purchased by Thomas F. Plunkett. The settlers of Pittsfield were nearly, if not quite, all Congregationalists. Sept. 12, 1753, they voted to raise £40 for building a meeting house, and assessed 3s. on each lot for the support of preaching. In May, 1754, it was voted, " that the meeting house should be 35 feet by 30." The first minister employed was Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, who was preaching at Pittsfield in 1754. Mr. Smith was afterwards the father of John Cotton Smith, who became Governor of Connecticut and afterwards President of the American Bible Society. He, (the father,) was a native of Suffield, Ct, and a graduate of Yale in 1751. In 1759, a Mr. Clark was hired to preach for a time, and in Aug., 1760, Rev. Ebenezer Guernsey, who had preach ed' to the people about four months, received a conditional call to become the pastor. This call he declined, as also another tendered to him afterwards. Other attempts to settle a pastor failed. Feb. 7, 1764, a church was organ ized, and on the 18th of the following April, Rev. Thomas Allen was ordained as the first pastor of the same. The profession of faith and covenant, at the formation of the church, were signed by the following individuals : Stephen Crofoot, Ephraim Stiles, Daniel Hubbard, Aaron Baker, Jacob Ensign and William, Lemuel and Elnathan Phelps. In Feb., 1760, "it was voted to raise money to build a meeting house, to be paid one-half that year, and one-half the year following, forty-five feet by thirty-five." In De cember following, it was voted to build the house 55 by 45 feet, provided the non-resident proprietors would pay £80, and take four pews. The house was raised, and possibly finished, so as to be occupied, in 1761, but was not fully finished until 1770. Mr. Allen, the first minister, was a native of Northampton, and a graduate of Harvard in 1762. , He was a man of great devotion, force and activity, and, in the Revolutionary struggle, was eminent for his zeal in the cause of his country. He was at the head of the standing Committee of Correspondence for the town, was chaplain to the American Army under Washington, at White Plains in 1776, again in the summer of 1777 at Ticonderoga, and again at Bennington, to which place he PITTSFIELD. 551 marched with a company composed partly of his Pittsfield parishioners. From his lips went up the fervent prayer, in the presence of the American Army, on the morning of the action, and from his gun went forth many a mur derous flash during the battle. His brother Joseph stood by his side, in the action, to whom the parson said, " You load, and I will fire." On being subsequently asked wheth er he killed a man, he replied, " he did not know ; but that, observing a flash often repeated in a bush near by, which seemed to be succeeded by the fall of some one of our men, he leveled his musket, and, firing in that direction, put out that flash." Mutual esteem and good will existed between him and his people for forty years, when, in 1808, a party seceded, on account of political differences incident to that period, and were soon afterwards incorporated as a separate parish. But Mr. Allen remained in connection with the original church until his death, which occurred Feb. 11, 1810. In addition to his published sermons, he left 2,700 sermons written in short hand, which no one has been able to decipher. Rev. William AUen; D. D., his son, subsequently President of Bowdoin College, Me., and now a resident of Northampton, was ordained in his place on the 10th of October succeeding his father's deaths The seceding body formed a new church Aug. 22, 1809 ; and Rev. Thomas Punderson of New Haven, a graduate of Yale College in 1804, became the pastor on the 26th of the following October. But the causes of the separa tion of the people at last passed away, and it became de sirable that they should re-unite. Preparatory to this, Dr. Allen was dismissed Feb. .5, and Mr. Punderson, May 5, 1817, and the churches came together on the following 7th of July, The parishes were also re-united by an act of the Legislature early in the same year. Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D., late President of Am herst College, and now a resident of Pittsfield, was installed over the reunited church Nov. 27, 1817, and remained un til Sept. 23, 1823. Dr. Humphrey was a native of Bur lington, Ct, and a graduate of Yale College in 1805. He was succeeded at Pittsfield April 15, 1824, by Rev. Rufus W. Bailey of North Yarmouth, Me., who remained until Sept. 27, 1827. Rev. Henry P. Tappan became his suc cessor, September 17, 1828, and was dismissed November 1, 552 PITTSFIELD. 1831. March 7, 1832, Rev. John W. Yeomans of Hins dale, a graduate of Williams in 1824, was installed in his place, and was dismissed September 9, 1834. He was suc ceeded, February 11, 1835, by Rev. Horatio N. Brinsmade, D. D., a graduate of Yale in 1822, who was dismissed in the Autumn of 1841, and who was succeeded Feb. 16, 1842, by Rev. John Todd, D. D., who still remains the pastor. The church is now quite large, and possesses a meeting house which is the finest specimen of church architecture in Western Massachusetts. In 1846, the colored people of Pittsfield, belonging^ to the various churches and congregations, came together, and formed the Second Congregational Church of Pittsfield. They built a meeting-house, and, in the month of February that year, it was dedicated. The church originally con- ¦ sisted of 12 members. Rev. H. H. Gornet of Troy, sup plied the pulpit for few Sabbaths, and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas P. Hunt of Philadelphia, who remained for more than one year. In 1849, they called Samuel Harri son, then a theological student, to labor as a missionary. In 1850, he was licensed to preach, and August 13th of that year he was ordained as the pastor of the church, and still remains in that relation. He labors with great efficiency, and is highly respected by all classes of the community. The church is small, numbering only 14 members, but the congregation and Sabbath school are comparatively large. A colony from the First Church, consisting of 130 per sons, was organized as the South Congregational Church, November 13, 1850. Their first church edifice had been burned when nearly completed? Another was immediately erected, which was dedicated on the day previous to the organization of the church. It is of the Grecian style of architecture, with Corinthian columns, and cost, including the organ, $17,000. The internal arrangements are ex ceedingly attractive and commodious. The pastor, Rev. Samuel Harris, was installed March 12, 1851. Since that time, this church has received some accession at every com munion season. The present nuhiber of members is 204. A small Baptist Church was formed in Pittsfield in 1772, under the ministrations of Mr. Valentine Rathbun. ' In 1780, he and his people were led away from their faith by PITTSFIELD. 553 an excitement raised by neighboring Shakers, and joined them, but, in about three months, Elder Rathbun re nounced their doctrines, and wrote a pamphlet against them, entitled " Rathbun's Hints." But he could not bring back all the flock he had led away. Nevertheless, in 1786, the church had 24 members. In 1798, it had become so feeble that it was dropped from the Shaftsbury Association in Vermont, to which it had belonged. Mr. Rathbun was a native of Stonington, Ct , and a clothier by trade. His church became extinct, and on the 27th of October, 1800, a new one of 16 members was formed, at the house of John Francis, who became their first pastor. March 23, 1801, the church was recognized by an ecclesiastical coun cil that assembled at the same house, and their first com munion was observed August 3, 1801. Mr. John Francis was ordained as their pastor, June 26, 1806, and died in office, September 28, 1813. No pastor was settled from that date until May 1, 1822, when Rev. Augustus Beach was installed in that relation. He continued until Septem ber 10, 1834. A meeting-house was erected in 1827, the first that the church had possessed. The next pastor, Rev.. Edwin Sandys, was settled May 1, 1838, dismissed in De cember, 1841, and was succeeded, January 11, 1843, by Rev. George W. Harris, who remained only until the following April. Rev. A, Kingsbury was the next pastor, and was settled in May, 1843, and closed his labors in 1845. Rev. Bradley Miner was his successor, April 1, 1846, and was dismissed December 1, 1850. The church became a regu larly incorporated body December 27, 1849 ; and January 10, 1850, a new and beautiful church edifice was dedicated. Rev. Lemuel Porter of Lowell became the next pastor, April 1, 1851, and still occupies that office. Methodism was introduced into the East part of the town by Rev. Messrs. Lemuel Smith and Thomas Everett, who traveled on Stockbridge circuit, about 1789. It was part of their duty, as was common in the early history of this church, to enlarge their circuits by establishing new preaching places, wherever they could obtain willing hear ers, whether in private houses, barns, school houses, or the open fields. In the East part of Pittsfield they preached in private dwellings. The same Mr. Smith introduced Methodism into the West part of the town, in 1791. His 47 554 PITTSFIELD. first sermon there was in the house of Col. Root. Metho dism was permanently established there in 1792, by Rev. Robert Green, who, on his way to meet an appointment in Lebanon, N. Y, was weather-bound in that neighborhood, and improved the time by preaching at the house of Mr. Stevens. Mr. Green formed the Pittsfield Circuit. The first Methodist church edifice within the town was erected in the West part in 1800. From that time until the present, regular preaching has been continued. In 1810, the New York Annual Conference, embracing about 100 preachers, met in this first edifice, under the superin tendence of the venerable Bishop Asbury. From the introduction of Methodism into the town, there was only occasional Methodist preaching in the village of Pittsfield. The first sermon was preached by the " far- famed and apostolic Freeborn Garrettson," who was then presiding elder of the district embracing the Pittsfield Cir cuit, but no class was formed until 1827, when Rev. P. C. Oakley organized one, consisting of seven members. After the organization of the Pittsfield Circuit, by Mr. Green, in 1792, to 1822, the following persons were the duly appointed ministers in Pittsfield : Rev. Messrs. Lorenzo Dow, John Robinson, Northrup, Datus Ensign, Cochran, Searles, Friend Draper, Seth Crowell, Eben and James Smith, Culver, Billy Hibbard, David Miller, Daniel Coe, J. J. Matthias, Lewis Pease and James Covel. Methodism continued to flourish at the several preaching places, and in 1829, under the pastoral care of Rev. Cyrus Prindle, a neat and commodious house was erected in the village, on East Street. A larger and more convenient church edifice was erected in 1851, under the superin tendence of Rev. Stephen Parks, in a central part of the village. The following are the names of the ministers, in succession, since 1824 : Rev. Messrs. John Nixon, Bradley Sellick, P. C. Oakley, Cyrus Prindle, J. Z. Nichols, Timo thy Benedict, F. W. Smith, Henry Smith, L. A. Sanford, John Pegg, P. M. Hitchcock, Prof. D. D. Whedon, D. D., Andrew Witherspoon, Zebulon Phillips, Sanford Wash burn, Stephen Parks and B. Hawley, A. M. A Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in January, 1 853, with about twenty communicants. The congregation PITTSFIELD. 555 in attendance numbers 175 or 200. The present pastor is Rev. Cyrus Prindle. The-Episcopal Society was organized according to law ' in the Summer of 1830, under the name of St. Stephen's Church. Rev. George T. Chapman, D. D., was principally instrumental in gathering the church, whieh was composed of one male and two female members only, — two of whom yet live to enjoy the prosperity of the now flourishing or ganization. Rev. Edward Ballard was constituted the first rector, and the church edifice was dedicated in December, 1832. Mr. Ballard retired at the end of about 16 years, when the duties of rector were performed by various per sons until the present incumbent, Rev. Mr. Parvin, was permanently settled. The church edifice iB built of stone, has a fine organ, is handsomely furnished, and cost $14,000. The church owes no debt, and, considering its numbers, is probably the wealthiest church in the town. In January, 1774, a company of minute men was formed under Capt. David Noble, — a practical exhibition of the early position of the town in the Revolutionary movement ; and in June, the same year, a standing Committee of Safety and Correspondence was appointed. The town contributed largely of men and means to carry on the war, in answer to the repeated requisitions of the General Court. Other particulars of the connection of Pittsfield with the Revo lutionary movement are detailed in the Outline History. [Vol. 1, pp. 208-9.] In 1764, the town voted "to clear one and a quarter acres of land near the meeting-house for a place of burial;" This work, however, lingered for several years. The trees vvere girdled, but not removed ; the places for burial were cramped and rough ; no headstones had been reared, no fence built. In 1768, the town erected a fence, and cleared a considerable space, appointed a sexton, and voted " to provide a spade, a hoe and a pick for the ¦ use of Aaron Stiles, the sexton, to dig graves," " every man having a chance to work out his proportion of the tax therefor, if he attended according to David Bush's warning." Nearly all of this grave-yard, then cleared from the woods, and for nearly' 70 years used as the town burial ground, is now oc cupied by streets, stores and public buildings. In 1830, a large lot was purchased, then sufficiently retired, 556 PITTSFIELD. and is known as " the new burying ground." But the Western Railroad was cut directly through the center of it, and it is now pressed by a dense and increasing popula tion. In 1849, the town purchased a farm lying a mile North- West of the village, and containing 130 acres. This land, secured for the purposes of a Cemetery forever, was conveyed to a Cemetery corporation, who are defraying the expense of beautifying it by the sale of lots. A situation more beautifully adapted -to the purpose could not have been found. Entering the Eastern gate, we pass a flat strip of fertile land, till we cross a rapid and sparkling stream — a branch of the Housatonic. At the right, stands a dense grove of forest trees, through which the road winds. Emerging from the wood, and passing a little gem of a lake with its islets, the expanse of the ground opens to the view, rising gently towards the West, and yet broken into a pleasing variety of hill and vallfey. The ground was tastefully laid out in walks and avenues, under the direction of Dr. H. Stone of New York, well known for his skill in landscape-gardening. Hundreds of trees have been set out, and many lots tastefully improved. But the veil is yet only half withdrawn from its beauty. Every year nature and art increase its charms. The following natives of Pittsfield, have been graduates of colleges, the date being brought down only to 1844 : Thomas Allen, Jr., Harvard, 1789 ; William P. White, Wil liam Stoddard, Judah A Lee, Williams, 1799; Thomas B. Strong, Yale, 1800; David W. Childs, Williams, 1800; Perry G. Childs, Williams, 1800; Charles Goodrich, Jr., Yale, 1797; Henry H. Childs, Williams, 1802; William Allen, Harvard, 1802; Jashub B. Luce, Williams, 1804: Thomas A. Gold, Williams, 1806; Timothy Childs, Williams, 1811; Sylvester Lamed, Williams, 1813 ; Solomon M. Allen, Dartmouth, 1813 ; Charles Lamed, Joshua N. Danforth, Williams. 1818; Charles Dillingham, Williams, 1819; George W. Campbell. Union, 1820; Henry K. Strong, Union, 1821; James D. Colt, 1st, Union ; Samuel A. Allen, Williams, 1825; James K. Kellogg, Union; Geo. W. Francis, Union; Samuel D. Colt, Williams, 1829; Jesse W. Goodrich, Union, 1829; Israel Dickinson, Williams, 1830 ; David White, Williams. 1831 ; Butler Good rich, Union, 1832; Charles E. West, Union, 1832; Thomas Allen, Union, 1832; William G.Weston, Williams, 1832; Hubbard Beebe, Williams, 1833 ; James D. Colt, 2d, Wil liams, 1838,; William W. Edwards, Williams, 1838; Joseph PITTSFIELD. 557 M. Bush, Williams, 1838 ; Calvin G. Martin, Williams, 1839 • James M. Burt, Williams, 1840; Timothy Childs, Williams' 1841; Thomas Colt, Williams, 1842; Lemuel B. Gay, Wil liams, 1843 ; William Allen, Union, 1844; James C. Clapp, Williams, 1844. ™ An account of- the schools in Pittsfield is given in Part 2 of this work, and of the newspapers, in the appropriate article in the same part. [Vol. 1, pp. 465 to 469, and 497-8-9.] One of the most interesting events in the his tory of Pittsfield was the Berkshire Jubilee, held there on the 22d and 23d of August, 1844. The doings of this occa sion fill a large and beautiful volume, which must long re main a treasured memorial of one of the most remarkable social .and intellectual festivals ever, celebrated in this country. Pittsfield was the residence, in early times, of many men who were active and eminent in the great movements then in progress. Hon. William Williams who settled in 1753, was a graduate of Harvard in 1729, and, through a long series of years, was appointed to and fulfilled' various high military offices in connection with the French and Indian wars. He was also a magistrate, Judge of the Berkshire County Court when that county was first erected, its pre siding judge in 1765, an office which he held until 1781 ; and also Judge of Probate. He died April 5, 1784. Col. Oliver Root served in two campaigns in the second French War, was present at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, was Major under Col. Brown, when that brave officer fell at Stone Arabia, and succeeded to his command, winning much honor by his skill and bravery in conducting the retreat. He died May 2, 1826, aged 85. Woodbridge Little, a lawyer, who has already been men tioned as a benefactor of Williams College, lived in Pitts field. . He was born in Lebanon, Ct., graduated at Yale in 1760, moved to Pittsfield about 1766, and died June 21, 1813, aged 72. Col. John Brown, a resident of Pittsfield, has already been briefly noticed in the Outline History, in his connec tion with the Revolution. It yet remains to the historian of the Revolutionary period to give to him the honor due his intrepid character, his manly and fearless spirit, and his valuable services.' [Vol. 1, pp. 223-4.] 47* • 558 PITTSFIELD. Space fails us to speak of Col. Simon Earned, Gen. Charles Lamed, Col. Joshua Danforth, Dr. Timothy Childs, and others, officers in the Revolution, and all, at times in their lives, residents of Pittsfield. No town in Western Massachusetts has been to such an extent the residence of such men, though hardly one of them was born upon her territory. Five members of Congress have gone from Pittsfield, viz: Simon Larned, Ezekiel Bacon, John W. Hurlbut, George N. Briggs and Julius Rockwell. Mr. Rockwell has also been a member of the U. S. Senate, by appointment to fill a vacancy, and Mr. Briggs was Governor of the State for several years. It is claimed that in the year 1 804 the first broadcloths ever manufactured in this country were made in Pittsfield. About 1789, one Arthur Scholfield emigrated from Saddles- worth, near Leeds, and came into Pittsfield in 1800. Here he at once set up a machine for carding wool, and, although the women were somewhat jealous, at first, of his inno vations, they soon became his patrons, and wagons heaped with wool came teeming into the town, and went out, with the same neatly carded into rolls, the envelop (a spare; sheet in most cases,) being secured with thorns, for that was before the day of cheap pins. Mr. Scholfield was soon joined by his nephew Isaac, and commenced the man ufacture of carding machines for sale. These machines commanded about $lj3il£L£ach. Scholfield was a man of great energy and enterprise. In order to get his machinery out from JEngland, from which its exportation to this coun try was forbidden, he had to make two voyages to England, and bring his machinery out piece-meal, hidden in his bedding, with drawings and models of the more cumbrous parts. Having been joined by one Rigby, another English man of congenial spirit, the Scholfields carried on then- business profitably -until the introduction of power looms, when they entered heartily into the new improvements. During the war of 1812, they sold considerable quantities of the gray mixed broadcloth, which was the uniform of one of the regiments, to the officers stationed at Pittsfield. It was a coarse, stout article, and worth now, perhaps, $1 50 per yard. It then sold for $ 1 5. Men still living, and not old men by any means, remember Rigby, who was a man PITTSFIELD. 559 of fine personal appearance, as he sat at his loom, and turned off his hand-woven broadcloth. The iron-axle manufactory of the Messrs. Pomeroy is the successor of a musket manufactory, from which were supplied to the U. S. Government many arms in the war of 1812, and where for a long-time arms were made on contract for different States. The axles made by them are celebrated throughout the country. The establishment was founded by -the late Lemuel Pomeroy, and is continued by his sons, in connection with a woolen manufactory, also commenced by him. They are a branch of the Easthamp ton Pomeroys, and still preserve an interesting memento of their removal from Connecticut to that town, in the early times, in the form of an anvil, which was dragged along the shore of the Connecticut, in the journey Northward. Messrs. Pomeroy use in their woolen manufactures, 225,000 lbs. of wool, and in their axle business, 30 tuns of iron, all valued at $110,000. They employ 150 hands, and produce 225,000 yards of satinets, 1,000 sets" of axles, and 60,000 yards of cloth, a portion of it being made with cotton warp, for carriage linings. The woolen mill has been in opera tion since 1814, and the value of the aggregate annual pro duction is $JLZ5^0j0O. — Plunkett, Clapp & Co. manufacture cotton sheetings, using 400,000 lbs. of cotton annually, ¦ valued at $40,000, employing 100_ hands, and producing 1,250,000 yards annually, valued at 175^000. — S. & C. Russell use 300,000 lbs. of stock, valued at $45,000, in making annually 6,000 bales of wadding, valued at $55,000. They have been in operation three years, and employ 18_hani}s. — Gibbs & Colt manufacture fine writing papers, using annually 250,000 lbs. of rags, valued at $28,000, in making 100 tuns paper, valued at $40,000. — Dodge & Francis make steam engines, boilers, steam saw mills, Parker water wheels, &c, using annually 140 tuns of wrought iron, 140 tuns pig iron, 100 tuns scrap do., and 1 tun steel, valued in the aggregate at $30,000 ; employing 7£_hands, and producing 30 boilers, 10 engines, and 20 sets of Parker water wheels, valued at $80j.QflO- The concern has been in operation ten years, — the first seven under McKay & Hoadley. — The Pontoosuc Woolen Manufactur ing Company's mill is situated near the outlet of Pontoosuc Lake, and was established in 1825. It annually manufac- 560 PITTSFIELD. tures 200,000. lbs. of wool into wool and cotton warp broad cloths, of which 130,000 yards are manufactured annually by J25 hands. Value, $20.0,000.— The Pittsfield Woolen Co. have been engaged three years in the manufacture of cotton warp broadcloths, using annually 165,000 lbs. wool and 140,000 yards cotton warps, valued, with other items of stock, at $90,000 ; employing 9£Lhands, and producing 120,000 yards cloth, valued at $150,000-. — D. & H. Stearns run 120 looms in the manufacture of satinets and cassi meres. — J. V. Barker & Brothers run sixty looms on sati-. nets, making annually 600,000 yards, valued at $250,000, and employing 100 hands. Pittsfield has other important manufacturing interests whose statistics are not accessible. On the 2'2d of February, 1855, the Berkshire Manufac turers' Association held its first annual meeting at Pitts field. Hon. E. II. Kellogg, the president of the association, delivered an address, and, in consequence of this meeting, interesting statistics of manufactures have been brought out, one class of which, as the development of an interest which had its origin in Pittsfield, it is proper to introduce here. The following table shows that Berkshire County is one of the most prolific among the woolen manufacturing coun ties of New England. The figures may differ somewhat with those given elsewhere, but it is understood, of course, that both estimates are approximate : STATISTICS OP BERKSHIRE MANUFACTURES. S . *8 A-. fl SR Kind of Goods 1- 8, is !• 1° *° oSR--3 Sg °s Berkshire WTen Co., Gfc Barrington, 8 82 500,000 Union CasBiraeres $300.(100 125 Glendale Woolen Co, Stockbridge, , 6 60 600,000 Satinets 250,00il 100 Platner & Smith, .Lee, 10 90 500.000 Satinets and Cassimeres S50,o exerted as much moral and religious influence on its inhabitants as he. He was a bold reformer, taking, at that day, a position, particularly on the temperance ques tion, nearly, if not fully, up to the most radical sentiments of the present period. For more than a year, the desk was supplied by Elder Elnathan Sweet and O. Martin, and by Geo. Walker, a licentiate of this church. They were succeeded by Rev. Nathaniel McCullock, who remained two years. Twenty-one were added to the church by bap tism during his ministry. He was followed by Rev. Ros- well P. Whipple, who continued till about the close of 1837. During this time, 11 were added to the church by baptism. From 1838 to 1852, a period of 14 years, Rev. Amos Deming was pastor of this church. During this time, 54 were added "by baptism. This church has been destitute of a pastor since the close of Elder Deming's ministry ; but they have been supplied most of the time by preachers as follows : Rev. Messrs. Horace B. Foskett, John Walker, Alexander H. Sweet, and at this time by Rev. Samuel H. Amsden. They have now 78 members. The Second Baptist Church in Savoy was organized in 1832. Rev. N. M'Cullock was their first pastor. He was followed by Rev. Amos Deming, who, in turn, was suc ceeded by Rev. N. M'Cullock, who remained in this rela- tian from 1838 to 1846. He was succeeded during the latter year by Rev. Edgar Cady, who remained the pastor until 1849, from which year to 1851, Rev. James M. Whipple was the pastor. During the latter year, Rev. Amos Deming was again settled over the church, and still remains in the pastoral charge. This Society erected a house of worship in 1842, and the church has now a mem bership of 50. In the winter, of 1834, Rev. Messrs. Philo Hawkes and Ziba Loveland, Methodist preachers, held a protracted meetino- in Savoy, which resulted in an extensive revival. 580 savoy. Before this, there were but few Methodists in the town. A class was immediately formed, and soon a Methodist Epis copal Society was organized, and received into Buckland Circuit. Rev. Messrs. Daniel Graves and Simon Pike labored on this circuit during the Conference year 1834—5. In 1835, it was made a separate station, and a neat and commodious house of worship was erected. The following preachers have supplied the desk: Rev. Messrs. A. C. Wheat, Samuel Palmer, Benjamin McLouth, Thomas Marcy, James 0. Dean, John Caldwell, Alexander Baillie, A. G. Bowles, A. S. Flagg, Randall Mitchell, David Todd, Rodney Gage, E. H. Chapin and Cyrenius N. Merrifield. The church has 38 members, a good house of worship, and sustains preaching nearly all the time. A history of the " First Congregational Church in Sa voy" will be found in the history of Windsor, to which town the most of its original members belonged, and whither its meetings were early transferred. About 1810, a revival commenced in the North-west part of the town, known as the '" New State," under the preaching of one Joseph Smith, who professed to be a Baptist minister. A church -was organized, and for a short time seemed to prosper. Mr. Smith married one of his converts, but soon fled from town, information having been received that the original Mrs. Joseph Smith was still living. After this, the " New State" became the scene of wild religious enthusiasm and ridiculous vagaries. The people shouted, and fell, and prophesied, and saw visions, and spoke in unknown tongues. The Shakers of Lebanon heard of them, and went and took them under their wing. The Shakers en deavored to establish a community on the ground, but the settlement was not prosperous, and all retired to Lebanon. Subsequently, some of the families returned, and resumed their old relations, and others coming in, the breach in the peace and population, wrought by Rev. Joseph Smith, was healed. Savoy is a mountain town, with a good soil, admirably adapted to grazing. The inhabitants are generally farmers, yet the lumber business is carried on quite extensively, by twenty-five saw mills. The people are none of them very wealthy, and none of them very poor. There are in the town about 200 dwellinas. SHEFFIELD. 581 The following physicians originated in Savoy: Snell Babbitt, Isaac Hodges, Joel Burnett, Isaac Brown, Simeon Snow, Amos Walker, Silas T. Bowen, A. M. Bowker and Charles Bowker. The physicians who have settled in practice in Savoy have been the following : Drs. Nathan Branch, Lyscomb Phillips, Samuel Bullock, Isaac Hodges, Wm. A. Hamilton, Ambrose Brown, Snell Babbitt, War ren C. Partridge, Philemon Stacy, Nathan Weston and A. M. Bowker. The clergymen who have originated in Savoy have been Rev. Amos Deming, John S. Haradon and Rev. George Walker, Baptists; Rev. Spencer Tileston, Methodist; and Rev. Orrin Perkins, Universalist. Savoy never settled a lawyer, nor has she given birth to one. The population of Savoy in 1840 was 913 ; in 1850, 1,003; increase in ten years, 90. SHEFFIELD. Sheffield was the first town settled in Berkshire County, and the event has been recorded with the necessary de gree of minuteness in the Outline History, [vol. 1, pp. 163-4-5.] On the 30th of January, 1722, 176 inhabit ants of Hampshire County petitioned the General Court for two townships of land, situated on the Housatonic river ; and two townships of the dimensions of seven miles square were granted, which were afterwards called the Upper and Lower Housatonic townships. In January, 1733, the lower township was incorporated with the name of Sheffield. Within its territory, in accordance with the order of the Legislature, there had been reserved a lot for the first settled minister, a lot for the ministry, and a lot for schools. From the last two reservations, respectively, the First Congregational Society have derived a fund of about $1,600, and the town a fund of about $1,800, the incomes of which have been appropriated as originally in tended. Obadiah Noble of Westfield was th% first settler, and among the 59 who followed him, many being from the same town, were those bearing the following names : — Austin, Ashley, Westover, Kellogg, Pell, Callendeiy Cor- ben, Huggins, Smith, IngersoU, Dewey, and Root. The first settlement took place in 1725. The first town meet ing was held at the house of 'Obadiah Noble, Jan. 16, 1733, 49* 582 SHEFFIELD. on which occasion Matthew Noble was cnosen moderator, Hezekiah Npble town clerk, and John Smith, Philip Cal- lender and Daniel Kellogg, selectmen. In 1726, several Dutch settlers came from the province of New York, into the Northern part of the lower town ship, now embraced in Great Barrington, claiming that the lands were within the jurisdiction of New York. These claims were subsequently adjusted without very serious difficulty. The original bounds of Sheffield embraced a large por tion of what is now Great Barrington, and portions also of Egremont and New Marlborough. At the second town meeting, held Jan. 30, 1733, money was raised to build a meeting house, 45 feet long and 35 feet wide. The house was erected about three quarters of a mile North of the present edifice, and was occupied until 1760, when a new house was built, 60 feet by 40. This house is in use at the present time, having been removed, altered and mv- proved, in 1820. Rev. Jonathan Hubbard was settled as the first pastor, Oct. 22, 1735, and on the same day, the first church was organized. Mr. Hubbard was a native of Sunderland, and a graduate of Yale in 1724. He was dismissed from his charge in 1764, and died July 6, 1765. Rev. John Keep of Longmeadow, a graduate of Yale in 1769, became his successor June 10, 1772, and died while in office, Sept. 3, 1785. Rev. Ephraim Judson was in stalled in his place in May, 1786. He was a native of Woodbury, Ct,, and a graduate of Yale in 1763.. - He died in office, Feb. 23, 1813, and was succeeded on the follow ing 13th of October, by Rev. James Bradford, a native of Rowley, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1811. Mr. Bradford remained the pastor of the church until May, 1852, when he was dismissed. He has had no settled successor. Until 1825, the town and the Congregational Society were one and the same, in action, but in that year the Society became a separate organization, and, by arrange ment, managers of the ministry funds. A Baptist Society was organized Jan. 26, 1821, but has never erected a house of worship, or had a settled preacher. A Methodist Epis copal church was organized in 1842, and erected a very neat church in the village. A second Methodist Society was organized at Ashley Falls, in the South part of the SHEFFIELD. 583 town, where they have erected a church, and have a flourishing congregation. Q1" l7^5' Sheffield chose Capt. William Pynchon of bpringfield for its representative in the General Court In 1740, the town voted to keep three schools, two-thirds of the year. In 1743, the town petitioned the General Court tor a grant of the land lying between the West line of the town and the ridge of the mountain. It is presumed that the Court granted the prayer, for, although no record of it can be found, that tract has always been considered as a portion of the town, and, in fact, is a very valuable agri cultural constituent of its territory, lying upon the side and at the foot of Taghconic Mountain. In 1750, the town voted to establish a grammar school, in addition to the common schools, which was kept up un til the time of the Revolution. In 1767, the people peti tioned the General Court for the establishment, in the town, of two annual fairs, one to be held the last Tuesday in May, and the other on the last Tuesday in October. It was not thought proper to establish the custom, and the petition produced no result. Sheffield had many patriots in the Revolution, and her records show that she bore her full proportion of the labor and suffering of the time. In 1773, a committee of eleven of the leading spirits of the town was appointed, who drew up a long preamble, and introduced a set of resolutions, expressive of the warmest patriotism and the firmest de termination to obtain their rights. In these documents, complaints were made of the continual encroachments of New York, the county of Albany having been extended over the county of Berkshire, and a citizen of Sheffield having been taken to Albany for trial on an indictment found there. The representative to the General Court was instructed to present the resolutions, and consider himself bound by them. He was- further instructed to use his in fluence "in augmenting the salaries of the Judges of the Superior Court to such a sum as would be sufficient to support the dignity of the office." At this time, too, the town protested against " the inhuman practice of inslaving our fellow creatures, the natives of Africa." In January, 1775, the town appointed a committee to receive donations for the town of Boston, and appointed a delegate to the 584 SHEFFIELD. Congress at Cambridge. In March, the same year, it was " voted that this town will raise and suoport one-fourth part of the militia, as minute men," and that "no minute man shall receive any pay for the time spent in drilling, unless he shall march when ordered, for the defense of1 his coun try." The town constantly fijriiished to the Continental army its full proportion of soldiers, and paid them wages in addition to their Continental pay. When the news of the battle of Lexington reached" Sheffield, the minute men were drilling on the green, in front of the meeting house,' before breakfast. Before noon, they were on their way, marching to join the army. In 1776, the town voted with only two dissenting voices that they would support the Continental Congress in a declaration of Independence. In 1777, provision was made for the support of the fami lies of those who were in the army, and this provision was continued from year to year during the war. Illustrative of the spirit of the town and the time, the following anec dote is related : The " Liberty Boys" had erected a liberty pole, which was cut down in the night. The act was traced to a poor wretch, who was hired to perform it by a man of great wealth. The inhabitants were called together, and the rich man was obliged to pass between all the men and boys, with his hat in his hand, humbly asking the par don of each, while his tool was mounted on a poor horse without a saddle, and made to call at each house in the town, and make the same prayer. It is stated, in justifi cation of his punishment and in confirmation of his guilt, that the rich died at last in the poor house. An interesting passage in the history of the Shays Re bellion is connected with Sheffield, and will be found fully recorded in the Outline History, [vol. 1, p. 279.] Since its settlement, the town has had 22 physicians, most of whom have been men of learning and skill. Twen ty-two lawyers have had offices in the town, some of whom have taken high rank in the profession. Before the Berkshire Railroad was built, (passing through the town, and being a continuation of, and under lease to, the Housatonic Railroad,) there was a great deal of travel by stages through Sheffield, and the village was busy with mercantile and mechanical life. , The Railroad, however, monopolized the travel, and the center of busi- STOCKBRIDGE. 585 ness became the possession of Great Barrington The town now depends entirely upon agriculture, for the lack ot water power has deprived it of manufactures. Sheffield is, however, from her location upon the beautiful and fer tile interval of the Housatonic, one of the best farming towns m the Commonwealth, and is blessed with a popu lation no less moral than prosperous. The population in 1840 was 2,322; in 1850, 2,734; in crease in ten years, 412. STOCKBRIDGE. The town of Stockbridge commenced its existence as a Mission Station among the Muh-he-ka-neew, or, as they have since been called, the Stockbridge Indians, and to give a proper history of the town a few statements made in the Outline History must be repeated, while many particulars lacking here will be found there. This people, in many respects the most interesting of all our aboriginal tribes, were scattered along the Housatonic river, on the interval lands in what are now the towns of Sheffield, Great Bar rington, and Stockbridge. Their history, manners, customs and language would form a volume by itself, and cannot be more than alluded to in a sketch like the present. Those who desire a full and interesting account of them, may con sult a book recently published by Samuel Bowles and Company of Springfield, called " Stockbridge, Past and Present ; or Records of an old Mission Station," by Miss E. F. Jones, which contains the most perfect information concerning them yet given to the public. The situation of these Indians early claimed the consid eration of many philanthropists on both sides of the Atlan tic, among whom were his Excellency, Jonathan Belcher, then Governor of the Commonwealth, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Colman, an influential clergyman of Boston, and Dr. Sew- all of the same city. At this time, Konkapot and Umpachene were the two principal men among the Housatonic Indians ; the former holding a Captain's and the latter a Lieutenant's commis sion, under the British crown. Konkapot, who was a man of unusual shrewdness and intelligence, desired christian instruction for himself and people, which fact, coming to the knowledge of Rev, Mr. Hopkins of West Springfield, 586 STOCKBRIDGE. he set himself to gratify so laudable an aspiration. Hav ing ascertained that funds supplied by the Trans-Atlantic " Society for the Promotion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," were deposited in the hands of Commissioners in Boston for such purposes here, and knowing that John Stoddard, Esq., of Northampton was intimately acquainted with the state of the Indians in Western Massachusetts, he visited him in their behalf, March, 1734. Having ob tained from him information that favored his intention, he next conferred with Rev. Dr. Williams of Longmeadow, and at their united request, Rev. Wm. Williams of Hat field wrote to the Commissioners to solicit their attention towards the Housatonic Indians. The Commissioners re quested Dr. Williams and Mr. Hopkins to visit the Indians personally, and ascertain more particularly their situation and wishes, concerning religious and other instruction. They did so, and made a report, which resulted in the send ing of Rev. John Sergeant, as missionary to the Housatonic valley, with a salary of £100 per annum. He arrived in October, 1734. In order that the ends of the mission might be best attained, it was desirable that the Indians should concen trate in some particular locality. This they consented to do, Konkapot and Unipachene using all their influence to aid the enterprise. To further the object, the legislature, in 1735, granted a township six miles square, which includ ed the present towns of Old and West Stockbridge. Into this the Indians moved in 1736, and were gradually in creased by additions from Northern Connecticut, and Western New York, so as at length to amount to about 400 souls. John Stoddard, Ebenezer Pomeroy, and Thomas Inger soU, Esqrs., were appointed a Committee, " to weigh and consider all things and circumstances," relative to the loca tion and settlement of the town, to confer with the Indians in relation thereto, and arrange with the proprietors of the lower township, (now Sheffield, granted in 1722,) — for the extinction of their claims, which overlay to some extent the newly projected township. Every thing was, at length, and after some difficulty, satisfactorily adjusted, and in 1739 the tract was incorporated under the title of Stock- bridge, doubtless from a town of the same name in Eng- STOCKBRIDGE. 587 land, whose natural features are said to be strikingly simi- Aceording to the judgment of the locating Committee, one sixtieth part of the land was to be reserved for the missionary ; another sixtieth for the schoolmaster, and a sufficient portion for four other English families, who should settle in it, and assist in the benevolent labor of civilizing and christianizing the Indians. Under this arrangement, the mission commenced and progressed auspiciously. The chief missionary was, as has been mentioned, Rev. John Sergeant, a native of New ark, N. J. ; a graduate of Yale College in 1729, and tutor there for four years from 1731. He first arrived at the scene of his labors in 1734 ; but that visit was only pre liminary to his permanent settlement, which took place after the completion of his fourth year's tutorship, in 1735. He was ordained to his work at Deerfield, Aug. 31st of the same year, and very soon thereafter assumed the labors of the mission. His Assistant — as teacher, was Mr., after wards Hon., Timothy Woodbridge, of West Springfield, who subsequently held several offices of distinction, and died May 11, 1774. Of the four white families, for whom provision had been made in the laying out of the town, two arrived in June, 1737, viz — that of Col. Ephraim Williams, (father of the founder of Williams College,) from Newtown, and Josiah Jones of Weston. At a little later period, came Ephraim Brown of Watertown, and Joseph Woodbridge (brother of the teacher) of West Springfield. In January, 1737, the legislature ordered that a meet ing house, 40 feet by 30, together with a school house, should be erected for the mission, at the expense of the province, and Col. Stoddard, Rev. Mr. Sergeant, and Mr. Woodbridge were appointed to see that the work was exe cuted. There was some delay attending this enterprise ; for the meeting house was not dedicated until Thanksgiving day, Nov. 29, 1739. It stood a few rods North-east of the site of the present house of worship, and the frame now composes part of a barn about half a mile West of its former location. The school house stood near the resi dence of Rev. Dr. Field. What more we have to say concerning these Indians 588 STOCKBRIDGE. must be hastily, though unwillingly, despatched. They shared in all of the town affairs, until their removal, and on the records of the town, the names of Indians are found associated in various boards of office with their white brethren. In 1785 and 87, they removed to New Stock- bridge, Madison County, N. Y. In 1822, they made a second migration to Green Bay, on the Western side of Lake Michigan. In 1833, the United States government effected a treaty with them, giving them $25,000 and two townships on Lake Winnebago, in exchange for their im provements and lands at Green Bay. Thither they accord ingly removed, and remained in comparative peace until 1838, when a new emigration beyond the Missouri River began to be agitated. An unhappy division arose in the tribe, a portion desiring to be made citizens of the United States, and another and larger part anxious to retain their tribal tenure. This dissension has not yet been healed, and a portion of them have separated and gone farther Westward, thereby increasing the melancholy probability that by continual comminution, they will, at no very distant day, lose their identity as a tribe, or become utterly ex tinct. The Indian school in Stockbridge continued to flourish until the second French war, 1763, which nearly destroyed it. By its means, quite a number of the natives received a good education. Among them were Peter Pauquannaupeet, or " Sir Peter," as he was familiarly termed, who was grad uated at Dartmouth College; Joseph Quaunauquant, and Capt. Hendrick Aupawmut, the historian of the Tribe. There were not wanting orators among them, and a speech made by one of their chiefs before the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, in 1775, and published in the old " Colum bian Orator," may be taken as a specimen of their ability in that line. Mr. Sergeant died July 27, 1749, aged 39, and was suc ceeded by Pres. Jonathan Edwards, who came here from Northampton, and was installed over the united church of Whites and Indians, August 8, 1751. Here he wrote his great work on the " Freedom of Will." His house, as well as that of Mr. Sergeant, is still standing. President Ed wards was dismissed to accept the presidency of Nassau Hall, at Princeton, N. J.. January 4, 1758, and died of the STOCKBRIDGE. 589 small pox in March of the same year, aged 54. At the period of Edwards' dismission, the number of white families in Stockbridge had increased to 18, among them, those of Elihu Parsons of Northampton, Stephen Nash of West- field, James Wilson from Spencer, Josiah Jones, Jr., from Weston, Thomas Sherman and Solomon Glezen, the last from Worcester. President Edwards was succeeded by Rev., afterwards Rev. Dr., Stephen West of Tolland, Ct., who was graduated at Yale in 1755. He was licensed to preach about the be ginning of 1758, and first performed duty as chaplain at Fort Massachusetts, in the town of Adams. Thence he went to Stockbridge, and was ordained there, June 13, 1759. Until 1775, he preached to both Whites and Indians, to the latter (through an interpreter,) in the forenoon, and to the former in the afternoon of each Sabbath. In 1775, he re linquished the instruction' of the Indians to Mr. John Ser geant, son of the missionary, who removed with them to New Stockbridge, where he died, September 8, 1824, aged 77. Dr. West continued his ministrations until 1819, when he died in the 84th year of his age. In 1810, in conse quence of his growing infirmities, Rev. Ephraim G. Swift of Williamstown, a graduate of WTiUiams College, was associated with him as colleague. He was dismissed Au gust, 1818. On the 25th of August, 1819, Rev. D. D. Field of East Guilford, Ct., a graduate of Yale in 1802, and first settled in Haddam, Ct., was installed as minister. Dr. Field con tinued to officiate until his dismission, February 12th, 1837. The series of pastors has been continued to the present time, by Rev. Tertius S. Clarke of Westhampton, a graduate of Yale in 1824, who was installed June 15th, 1837, and dismissed May 5, 1850 ; Rev. A. H. Dashiell, Jr., of Tennessee, a graduate of Delaware Col lege in 1843, who was installed December 11, 1850. In early time, the hour for attending Divine service was denoted by the blowing of a huge conch-shell, by a strong- lunged Indian named Mefoxsin, for whom the town, by vote, made annual appropriations. It is still in possession of the Jones family, and is a very interesting relic. In consequence of a discussion arising from the location of a new meeting-house, in 1824, sixty-three members of 50 590 STOCKBRIDGE. the parent church withdrew, and, under a separate organ ization, erected another house of worship at Curtisville, about three miles farther North. The settled pastors of this church have been Rev. Nathan Shaw in 1827 ; Rev. Joseph Hurlburt in 1838; Rev. J. T. Headley in 1840; Rev. S. P. Giddings in 1846 ; and Rev. W. H. Phelps in 1849. The latter was dismissed in 1854, and his place is as yet unoccupied. An Episcopal Church was formed in 1834, which dedicated a house of worship in 1844. The charge of this post has been successively with Rev. S. P. Parker, Rev. Justin Field, and the present incumbent, Rev. Thomas R. Pynchon. There are also, in town, fam ilies of Methodists, and Baptists, who have periodical wor ship ; but have no church edifices. A stated Roman Catholic meeting transpires at the Town Hall. Stockbridge has furnished the following missionaries to the home and foreign field : Rev. Cyrus Byiugton to the Choctaws in 1821 ; Rev. Josiah Brewer and his wife, a daughter of Rev. Dr. Field, to Greece in 1830 ; Miss Catharine Watson, who married Rev. Mr. Webb of the Baptist Mission to Burmah, 1833 ; Mrs. Catharine P. Ser geant, who married Dr. Henry A. DeForest, to Syria in 1842 ; Miss Sarah L. Perry, who married Rev. Mr. Powers of theNestorian Mission, in 1842 ; Miss Mary Perry, mar ried to Rev. Mr. Ford of the Syrian Mission, in 1847 ; and Susan Johnson, to the Choctaws, in 1852. In schools of various kinds, Stockbridge has never been behind her sister towns of the county. Before the estab lishment of theological, law, and medical institutions, in the land, their places were supplied by a sort of family arrangement, whereby pupils were fitted for the various professions by enrolling themselves in the offices and studies of certain doctors of extensive fame. Dr. West kept a " school of the prophets," in which a multitude of young men were qualified for the ministry, several of whom have been written D. D.'s, as Rev. Drs. Spring, Olds, Catlin and Hallock. Judge Sedgwick's law office issued many juris consults, among whom were Judges Howe and Dewey. The desideratum of a Medical School was excellently se cured by Dr. Erastus Sergeant. A full catalogue of all the pupils of these three men, would reach a surprising number. STOCKBRIDGE. 591 The earliest appropriation for a public English school, found on record, is under the date of 1760, when £6 10s. were so voted. In 1762, £20 were appropriated to the same purpose, and Josiah Jones and Stephen Nash were appointed a school committee. The next year £30 were voted, the selectmen being ordered to take charge of the same, and procure a teacher. In 1764, two school houses were erected, one for a Northern district, and the other on the " Plain." The latter stood on the grounds now owned by Mrs. Jane Sedgwick. An increasing sum was voted yearly, until, in 1774, when the " East Street District " was set off, the appropriation was £50. During each of the years of 1802, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the sum devoted to schools was $750. Latterly, the town has been divided into eight districts, and $1,000 and $1,200 voted annually to sustain schools in them. Besides these, select schools date far back into the present century, kept mostly during the Winter. Stockbridge Academy was incorporated in 1828, and Rev. Jared Curtis was its first principal. Then followed Mr. J. Cutler, Mark Hopkins, Elijah Whitney, R. M. Townsend, J. M. Howard "and Julius A. Fay. Under the magistracy of Mr. Fay, the new Academy building was erected in 1 833-4. The successors of Mr. Fay were Rev. Mr. Woolcott, M. Warner, H. J. Carter, and E. W. B. Canning, who assumed the principality in 1840, which he has just relinquished. There are also two family schools in town, taught by M. Warner and George P. Bradley, and also a juvenile school under Miss L. M. Bliss. In this connexion it may not be amiss to mention that of the four individuals composing the first class graduated at Williams College, three were from this town, and the re maining one lived just over the line in Lenox. Some thirty Students, natives of Stockbridge, have been graduated at Williams College alone, and many at other institutions. Nor has Stockbridge been less distinguished for her public men. Ephraim Williams and Timothy Woodbridge were Judges of the Common Pleas for Hampshire, previous to 1761. and the latter for Berkshire until 1774. Jahleel Woodbridge and John Bacon also subsequently h.eld the same office, and Theodore Sedgwick was Judge of Supreme Court. Of Clerks of Court, Stockbridge has produced 592 STOCKBRIDGE. three, viz. ; H. W. Dwight, Joseph Woodbridge and Charles Sedgwick; of county treasurers, three — H. W. Dwight, Moses Ashley and Barnabas Bidwell ; of district attorneys, two — Theo. Sedgwick and John Hunt ; of judges of Pro bate, two — Timothy Edwards and Jahleel Woodbridge ; of Registers of Probate, two — Edward Edwards and Geo. Whitney ; Members of Congress, six — Timothy Edwards, (declined,) Theo. Sedgwick, John Bacon, Barnabas Bid- well, Henry W. Dwight and John Z. Goodrich. In the perils and trials of Revolutionary times, Stock- bridge bore her fuU share. A county convention sat there in July, 1774, some of whose resolves have already been published in the general sketch of Berkshire. No pensioner survives to " Shoulder the crutch and show how fields were won," but the names of many soldiers from this town appear on the muster rolls of the continental army. Nor were the women less patriotic. While husbands, fathers and brothers were gone to the field, they, in many cases, engaged in the cultivation of the farms, and prepared supplies for the ab sent loved ones. Two regiments were enlisted in Berk shire, commanded respectively by Cols. Fellows of Shef field, and Patterson of Lenpx. In one of these, Dr. Eras tus Sergeant held the commission of Major. Stockbridge men in these regiments did duty in the Northern frontier, and in the Jersey campaigns. They crossed the wilderness of Maine with Arnold ; fought at Quebec ; at the Cedars ; at Lake Champlain ; at Bennington ; at Saratoga and Still water ; at White Plains ; at Trenton, Princeton, and Mon mouth ; at Stone Arabia ; and still earlier in the struggle, at Bunker Hill. An imperfect list of those who served their country for a longer or shorter period during the war, is as follows : Dr. and Maj. Erastus Sergeant ; Dr. Oliver Partridge, who aided in dressing Col. Baum's wounds at Bennington ; Dea. Samuel Brown ; Maj. Thomas Williams, who died at Skenesboro', now Whitehall, in service, July 10th, 1776; Capt. Wm. Goodrich, Capt. James Stoddard, Jared Bishop, Elkanah Bishop, Charles Stone, Daniel Phelps, accidentally killed after the battle of Lexington, at that place ; Elnathan Curtis, John Deane, Solomon Stod dard, David Pixley, Daniel Gaines, killed at Fort Edward ¦ STOCKBRIDGE. 593 Isaac Curtis, Asahel I. Bradley, Josiah Bradley, Caleb Bennett, Daniel Curtis, killed at Stone Arabia with Col. Brown ; Phineas Brown, Elijah Jones, who died in service ; Wm. Ward, Elijah, Elnathan and Wheeler Higbee ; Paul Jones, Abner Rockwell, Lent Bradley, Elijah Andrews, John Jerome, and Agrippa Hull, (colored,) who was ser vant to Gen. Kosciuszko, and was present at the battle of Eutaw Springs ; and others whose names are not remem bered. Jahleel Woodbridge, Esq., was commissary. In 1775, Stockbridge voted and borrowed £20 to pur chase fire arms. The people also voted to support the Provincial Congress in collecting taxes. In 1776, a similar vote was passed, with but one dissenting voice, and, at the same time, £50 were raised to purchase tents for the soldiers. In November, 1777, a town meeting was called to lay a tax for the support of non-commissioned officers and privates, agreeably with an act of the Legislature ; £80 was determined upon as the sum. March, 1778, £36 were voted for the purchase of tents. In May, £210 were ordered to be borrowed for the payment of seven men to be enlisted for nine months, and in November of the same year £100 more, for the support of the families of soldiers in service. In 1779, the town unanimously voted them selves bound bv the doings of " The Great and General Court." In 17"80, they voted £312 J2s. to Elias Gilbert, and £789 7s. to Asa Bement for their services at the State Convention. June 5, 1780, the Selectmen were required to enlist the men ordered by the General Court, and on the 19th were instructed to offer them twenty shillings a month, in addition to the pay allowed by Government, to be ren dered in silver or gold. One hundred pounds were raised for the purpose. July 7th, same year, the selectmen were ordered to procure the horses required of the town, £4,500 being assessed for the same ; and £10 bounty was raised for three six-months men. Every man who would voluntarily enlist for three months, was promised 20 shillings per month above the State wages, and £50 raised for the same. For clothing soldiers, £3,000 were voted in 1779, and the same sum in 1780. In October of the latter year, £7,000 were granted to purchase beef for the army, and in Decem ber, 12 men being ordered out, a committee was chosen to devise ways and means for their payment. They reported 50* 594 STOCKBRIDGE. the same day, that the present value of pay ordered by Congress should be kept good to the men ; that £184 be assessed, payable in coin or wheat ; the town to borrow the same until it could be collected, which must be done as soon as January 10, 1781. These men were to be paid fifty dol lars each. December 28, 1780, a committee was chosen to procure beef and grain, and at an adjourned meeting, one week from that time, £18,000 were ordered to be levied, payable in money, or in rye at §54, corn at $45, or oats at $27 per bushel, continental currency. In July, 1781, £80 in silver or gold was ordered for the purchase of 5,874 lbs. of beef, and £50 for clothing. The beef allowance being insufficient, £40 additional were voted in September, and again in March, 1782, £80 more were raised. Another vote, in July, 1781, instructed the militia officers to enlist men required by the Government act of June, en gaging to them £3 10s. in coin (including wages) per month, and 20s. bounty, to be paid before they marched. The sum assessed for this purpose, was £140 cash. In April, 1782, £180 were ordered to be raised, to pay the notes given to the two years' men in 1781, and £68 voted for the last payment of the three years' men ; four more soldiers were to be enlisted as reasonably as possible. The last payment of continental money remembered among us, was early in the present century, when $400 of it were given for a mug of flip. It should be mentioned that a company of Stockbridge Indians, under Capt. Nimham, were engaged during the war, and at the battle of White Plains, October, 1776, four or more of them were slain. Such was Washington's ap preciation of their services, that, after a favorable result of the negotiations for peace, he ordered the commissary to furnish them with a fat ox for a barbecue, and a half barrel of whiskey. The ceremonies of the feast transpired in the grove immediately in the rear of the Academy, where, after eating and drinking ad libitum, an effigy of Benedict Arnold was shot, scalped and burnt, and the war hatchet buried in true Indian style. Among the many anecdotes and incidents yet remaining concerning the Revolution, we must, even at the risk of STOCKBRIDGE. 595 being tedious, mention one. On Sabbath morning, August 17, 1777, the village was alarmed by the sound of a musket roaring out on the wonted stillness, followed by a second and a third report. On the inhabitants looking into the street, what was their surprise to see Esq. Woodbridge, Dea. Nash, and Esq. Edwards standing on the corner oppo site the hotel, with guns in their hands. Were they crazy — thus desecrating the morning of the Sabbath ? Oh no — news had come by a courier, who left the field of Ben nington the evening before, after Baum had been defeated, that reinforcements for the enemy were almost in sight, and more help was required from Berkshire. Out sallied the minute men, and soon a devoted band were on their way Northward, receiving accessions as they advanced, to beat back the British. Happily their services were not needed, Gen. Stark having flogged the second detachment of the enemy before their arrival. The medieal men, however, were of use in attending the wounded, both of friends and foemen. A very interesting incident in the Shays Rebel lion, associated with the history of Stockbridge, will be found in the Outline History. [Vol. 1 , pp. 27 6-7-8-9-80.] In the times of Adams and Jefferson, Stockbridge was Federalist in politics. Partyism ran to excessive lengths, and multitudinous are the anecdotes that might be men tioned in this connection. The presidential campaign of 1840 involved not a moiety of the bitterness of that Demo cratic and Federal warfare. A house is still standing in the village built at that period, one end of which is said to have formerly been windowless, lest the occupant should receive light that shone over a neighbor's grounds, who was of different politics. In the war of 1812, when the Governor summoned the militia to the sea-board, a whole military company, en masse, went from Stockbridge. Of this band, John Hunt was Captain, Erastus Williams, Lieutenant, and George Bacon, Ensign ; Wm. Williams, (now Gen. W.,) Orderly Sergeant ; Benjamin Bacon, Philo Griswold and Leonard Olmstead, Sergeants ; David B. IngersoU, Heman Whittlesey, Daniel Barnes and Otis Dresser, Corporals. They numbered about 60, rank and file. . The first public work of any note m Stockbridge on record, was the building of a bridge over the Housatonic, 596 STOCKBRIDGE. South of the village, in 1760. In 1764, the road over " the Hill " was laid. First vaccination performed in 1802. The first post office in the county was established here in 1792. The first stage was run here by Mr. J. Hicks, about 1812. The first store in the county was opened in the house now occupied by Maj. Owen, in 1772, by Timothy Edwards, Esq. The largest and oldest elms and maples in the street were planted about the year 1786, and the names of Gen Silas Pepoon and Col. William Edwards, (who re cently deceased in Brooklyn, N. Y.,) deserve honorable men tion in connection with this measure of public adornment. The Housatonic Bank here was incorporated in 1825. The town hall was erected with the surplus revenue funds in 1839. In 1853, a society called " The Laurel Hill Association," was formed, to beautify the village public grounds and cem etery. They have commenced their labors very auspiciously, and promise to carry out their laudable purpose to an extent unsurpassed by any sister town in the county. Few towns in the county or State, it is believed, can rival Stockbridge in beauty of location, and richness of landscape. It is mostly cradled among the mountains, and affords an agreeable diversity of interval and upland. The solitary elevation called " Rattlesnake Mountain," rises Northward of the Plain ; Westward lies a noble ridge — a spur of the Taghconic range ; on the South-East, are the summits of the Beartown ridge ; while South-Westerly, old Monument lifts its bald brow, rich in legend and in song. Close by the village is the sweet place of resort called Laurel Hill, rendered classical by the prolific pen of Miss Sedgwick. Ice-Glen is a famous rift in the nearer Eastern hills, full of wildness and romance. Northward lies the large and beautiful sheet of water, called by the Indians " Mah-kee-nac" — latterly, in English, " The Mountain Mir ror," and " Stockbridge Bowl." A smaller lake, in the Western portion of the town, is named " Mohawk Pond." The Housatonic river comes in from Lee, Eastward, and makes many picturesque curves before leaving the borders of the town. It is subjected to considerable present tribute, to be increased prospectively, in turning machinery, before taking its leave. The alluvial lands upon its banks are most beautiful meadows, yielding to a magnificent ravine, TYRINGHAM. 597 on its Southern bend, where water power in abundance is, and is to be, afforded. From the " Hill " above the Plain, the panorama of landscape is unsurpassed in beauty and glory. The manufacturing villages of Curtisville and Glendale, and the more numerous homes of " Old Stock- bridge on the Plain," appear nestled down amidst a scene of rural loveliness, worthy of a Utopian commonwealth. The population of Stockbridge in 1840 was 1,981 ; in 1850, 1,706; decrease in ten years, 275. It has, since 1850, increased, and now nearly reaches 2,000. TYRINGHAM. The history of this town embraces, up to 1847, its own, as well as the history of Monterey, which, in that year, was formed from its territory. The original territory con sisted of No. 1 of the four townships established in 1735, for the purpose of locating a road between the Connecticut river and the Housatonic settlements. On the 15 th of January, that year, the Legislature voted, " That there be four townships opened upon the road between Westfield and Sheffield, and that they be contiguous to one another, and either join to Sheffield or to the township [Blandford] lately granted to the proprietors of Suffield, each of the contents of six miles square, and that there be 63 home lots laid out in a compact and defensible form, in each township, one of which, to be for the first settled minister, one for the second settled minister, one for schools, and one for each grantee, which shall draw equal shares in all future divisions ; that the grantees be such petitioners as have not been grantees or settlers for the seven years next preceding, and give security to the value of £40 each for a performance of the usual conditions ; and that a joint commmittee of five be appointed for this purpose." The committee appointed in accordance with the provisions of the act, were Hon. Ebenezer Burrill and Edmund Quincy of the Upper House, and John Ashley, Capt. Stephen Skiffe and John Fisher, of the Assembly. These town ships were numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, the three remaining ones, in their numeral order, being Marlborough, Sandis field and Becket. Supplementary grants were subse quently made, of the North Eleven Thousand Acres, the South Eleven Thousand Acres, and the Tyringham Equiv- 598 TYRINGHAM. alent. The two former were equally divided among the four townships. The latter was granted to Tyringham as an equivalent for lands embraced in two private grants, cov ering 800 acres, for ponds covering 21 acres, and for 4,000 acres, loss sustained in running the lines of the Upper Housatonic Township. This tract was incorporated as the district of Loudon, Feb. 27, 1773. The territory of Tyringham was divided into 21 por tions, " by lines running from Northwest to Southeast, half a mile from each other, from the Southwest to tho North east corner. House lots, from 40 to 80 acres each, were laid out on the six portions next to the six' Southwestern, contiguous to each other, abutting on the lines contiguous to the township." Lot No. 25 was set apart for the first minister, No. 21, for the second minister, and No. 20, for schools, while 67 were drawn by lot by the proprietors, the number of proprietors having been increased by the Gene ral Court, in this, as in all the townships, in consequence of the increase of territory. The remainder of the town, with its rights in the three tracts mentioned, were also brought into division among the proprietors. In April, 1739, a settlement was commenced upon the territory by Isaac Garfield, Thomas Slaton and John Chadwick. In the following August, John Brewer of Hopkinton put up a house a little South of the pond which now bears his name. Here, in accordance with a contract made with the proprietors, he erected and put mills into operation. Mr. Brewer's house was among those fortified in the French war, beginning in 1744, and here soldiers were placed in garrison by the provincial government. Among these was William Hale, who afterwards became a settler, and a deacon in the church. In 1750, the proprie tors, who had previously held their meetings and done their business in the Eastern part of the State, commenced hold ing their meetings in the township, and March 6, 1762, the town was incorporated, with a name, said to have been sug gested by Lord Viscount Howe, a few days before he fell in battle near. Ticonderoga, after Tyringham in England, where he owned an estate. The early settlements were all made in the Southern part of the town, now embraced in the town of Monterey, a part which was afterwards known as South Tyringham. tyrin'gham. 599 It was not until the year in which the town was incorpora ted that the first settler, Dea. Thomas Orton, put up his log house on Hop Brook, in the Northern part of the town. The conditions of the grant of Tyringham made pro vision for the establishment and support of the ministry. In 1740, a vote was passed for the erection of a church, which was put up in 1743, though, in consequence of the disturbances of the period, it was not finished for several years. It was situated on one of the highest hills inhab ited at the present day, and was located within the present bounds of Monterey. It was a cheerless building, situa ted in a very bleak place, and occupied a site on House-lot No. 1, drawn by Rev. John Cotton, of Boston. This building answered the purposes for which it was built, for many years. In 1796, a second house was erected upon the same lot, which was dedicated July 4, 1798, and which was much more decent and comfortable than the original structure. Aside from its unprotected exposure to the wind, the site was as appropriate and beautiful as could be wished, occupying the summit of a gentle elevation, over which the principal road passed, and standing near the cen ter of a common of several acres. To these churches the Congregational portion of the inhabitants of Hop Brook came up, a distance of four miles, for two generations. Although nearly two miles South of the present line be tween Tyringham and Monterey, it was nearly in the cen ter of the original town. The Congregational Church was organized Sept. 25, 1750, with 8 members, and on the 3d of the succeeding October, Rev. Adonijah Bidwell was ordained as the pas tor. Mr. Bidwell was a native of Hartford, and a gradu ate of Yale College, in 1740. In 1745, he went as chap lain under Sir William Pepperel, to the capture of Cape Breton. He remained the minister in Tyringham until June 2, 1784, when he died, having served through a pas torate of 34 years. He admitted 90 members to the church during this time, and baptized 378 children and adults. His successor was Rev. Joseph Avery, a native of Stonington, Ct. He was installed Feb. 25, 1789. He was dismissed for no apparent good reason, by a vote of the town in 1808. The people still owed him, but refused to 600 tyringham. pay arrearages, and he brought an action against the town. The decision was in his favor, but the majority, by " certi ficating," managed to get rid of their taxes, and compelled his adherents and friends to shoulder the burden. Out of this difficulty sprang a society, incorporated June 15, 1809, for the establishment of a fund for the permanent support of the ministry. The society was empowered to hold prop erty to the amount of $4,000, the interest of which was " to be appropriated annually for the support of a Congre gational teacher of piety and morals, for the benefit of the inhabitants of South Tyringham, so called." That amount of money was raised and funded, and the society was known as " The Fund Society." It is distinct from the parish, and has nothing to do but annually vote the interest " to the Rev. Mr. , or his successor." The annual in come has been about $225. The movement was followed by a powerful revival among the actors and their families, the result of which was the addition to the church, in 1809, of 96 individuals, 82 of whom were new converts. Mr. Avery was succeeded July 10, 1811, by Rev. Jo seph Warren Dow, of Kensington, N. H., a graduate of Harvard in 1805. He labored with his people 21 years, with great success, and died Jan. 9, 1833, universaUy be loved and lamented. During his ministry, 191 persons were admitted to the church. Mrs. Dow, his wife, is still living at Rockford, 111. Rev. Lucius Field became his successor, Nov. 27, 1833. His connection with the people seems to have been an unhappy one, and was terminated by his dismissal, June 12, 1836. It appears from the rec ord presented to the Council which dismissed him, " That the pastor had requested a dismission on the ground of the unfavorable location of the meeting bouse, (as he regarded it) and the unhappy feelings arising, in his opinion, in the church and society, therefrom." On the 20th of February, 1837, Rev. Alvah C. Page received a call to settle, and was probably settled soon af terwards. He remained about seven years, and admitted 43 to the church, mostly the fruits of a revival that occur red during the last year of his ministry. He was dismissed Jan. 25, 1843, and is now in Stafford, Ct. His successor was Rev. Samuel Howe, a native of Greenwich, Ct., and a graduate of Yale. He was installed July. 24, 1844, and, tyringham. 601 after proving himself a good minister, a skillful manager and an admirable adviser, was dismissed Feb. 14, 1854. A Baptist Church was formed in Tyringham, in 1827. In 1844, the church and society erected a beautiful house of worship, a little North of the original meeting house occupied by them. The preachers who have ministered to this church, successively, have been Rev. Messrs. Ira Hall, Isaac Childs, Alexander Bush, Squier, George Phip- pen, O. H. Capron and Foster Henry, the present pastor. The Methodists, who have for several years been gradu ally increasing in the town, built a new and beautiful house of worship in 1844. . Since the organization of their church, the following have been their preachers: Rev. Messrs. Howe, Wakely, Ferguson, Van Deusen, Bullock, Sparks, Keeler, Albert, Nash, L. B. Andrus, Hiscox, Isaac H. Lent, George Kerr, Champion, and J. L. Dickinson, who is the present pastor. This church is Methodist Epis copal. There was formerly a Society of Reformed Meth odists in town, but of late they have had no regular preaching. Tyringham, before Monterey was set off, contained 14 school districts ; it now contains seven, and 7 of the orig inal 14 went into Monterey. In 1853, $400 was raised by tax, for the support of schools. The school interest has aid, besides this, from a small school fund, and from the State. The whole amount of tax in 1853 was $2,050. The town of Tyringham, as at present constituted, is bounded North by Lee, East by Becket and Otis, South by Monterey, and West by Great Barrington, and contains an area of about 10,892 acres. The leading interests of Tyringham are agricultural. Much improvement has been made, in years past, upon the farms lying along the Northern road through the town, near the banks of Hop Brook, and few towns can present a more beautiful series of' farm houses than can be found along that thriving street. Messrs. Platner and Smith have a paper mill in town, run partly by water power and partly Try steam, for the manufacture of the finest writing papers. They consume $45,000 worth of stock annually, employ 60 hands, and produce the .amount of $75,000 yearly. They have been in operation 20 years. George W West has a mill for the manufacture of wall papers. 51 602 WASHINGTON. A large number of hay rakes are made annually, at sever al mannfactories. Among the most extensive, are those of Daniel McCuUom and William Stedman. The population in 1840, before the town was divided, was 1,402 ; 1850, 780. WASHINGTON. Robert Watson of Sheffield, pretending to hold a title from the Indians, to the territory of which Washington is composed, sold it in the years 1757 and '58, to gentlemen living principally in Hartford and Suffield, Ct. ; but in 1760, they found that Watson was insolvent and xin jail, and that the Indian claim to the land was only partially extinguished. They therefore proceeded to satisfy the In dian claim, and, as the General Court assumed a right to the township in addition, a petition was made by the pro prietors that the township be granted to them. Their pe tition was answered favorably in February, 1762. Previ ous to the discovery of the cheat in the original purchase, the town was called Watsontown. From that time until the grant by the General Court, it was called " Greenock;" from the date of the grant, until the incorporation of the town, April 12, 1777, " Hartwood;" since then, "Wash ington." The first settlers were George Sloan, Andrew Mumford, William Milekan, Elijah Crane, Amos Board, William Beard, Joseph Knox, Nathan Ingraham, Joseph ChapUn, and Matthew De Wolf. The number of propri etors was 60, and the first settlements were made about 1760. In the petition to the General Court, the tract was described as follows : — im Beginning on the East side of Housatonic river, in the South line of Pittsfield, thence running East, 19 degrees South, nine miles and a half ; thence South, 19 degrees West, 720 rods, to the North line of No. 4 township; [Becket] thence West on said line 4 miles and three-fourths to the Northwest comer of said township ; thence on the West line of said township, South 9 deg. 25 min.' West, 2 miles and three-fourths to the North line of the township No. 1 ; thence on said line West, 2 deg. 30 min. South, 3 miles, to the North Easterly line of Great Barrington ; thence, bounding on the North line of said Great Barrington, West 7 deg. 30 min. North 600 rods to the South East corner of the Glass Works Grant ; thence on the East side of said grant 550 rods to the WASHINGTON. 603 Northeast corner of said grant, and East side of Housatonic river first mentioned; thence bounding Westerly on said river to the first mentioned bounds." Tl^e difficulty experienced in getting a sound title to the township somewhat delayed the settlement, but a church was formed in the early part of 1772, and a church edifice was erected in the following year. Rev. William Gay Ballantine, son of Rev. John Ballantine of Westfield, and a graduate of Harvard College in 1771, was ordained the pastor of this church, June 15, 1774. The arrangements made for his payment may be gathered from the following votes, passed April 6th, immediately preceding : " Voted, That the Proprietors do concur with the church and inhabitants in the choice of Mr. William Gay Ballantine as a Minister to settle in said Township of Hartwood. "Voted, That there be forty-five (£45) pounds a year, for the first five (5) years, and then raise three (£3) pounds a 3rear, till it raise to sixty (£60) pounds salary to Mr. Ballan tine, and continue at that during .his ministry in said Hart- wood. " Voted, That there be four (4) dollars on each right for set tlement of Mr. Ballantine, 1-4 to be paid in money, and 3-4 to be paid in work and materials towards building a house. (Being for 60 rights, the sum of S240.) <; Voted, That the inhabitants do get forty (40) cords of wood for Mr. Ballantine, provided he shall settle." He also had 400 acres of land, 200 acres of which he subsequently gave towards building a meeting house. Mr. Ballantine remained the pastor until his death, which oc curred Nov. 30, 1820. He left a large property, and was, during his life, a faithful steward, improving his talents, whether worldly or otherwise, to their highest development. When Mr. Ballantine' was ordained, the church contained 23 members, and during his ministry, without any special revivals," 69 were added to the church from the world. Mr. Ballantine was succeeded March 5, 1823, by Rev. John A. Hempsted of Hartford, a graduate of Yale, who was dismissed March 17, 1826. Rev. Caleb Knight was installed as his successor Dec. 13th of the same year. He was dismissed June 16, 1835, and was succeeded in May, 1840 by Rev. Kinsman Atkinson, who was dismissed April 6 1842. Sept. 1st, 1846, Rev. Francis Norwood was installed in his place, and was dismissed Oct. 15, 1851. 604 WEST STOCKBRIDGE. On the 1st of February, 1853, Rev. Eber L. Clark, the present pastoral supply, commenced his connection with the church and society. A Methodist Episcopal Church have a convenient meet ing house in the East part of the town, in which they have preaching most of the time, by circuit preachers. A Bap tist church was formed at an early period, but it was un fortunate in its management, became divided, and is- now extinct. Lee, which was incorporated soon after Washington, took within its limits the South West part of the latter town. In 1802, Lenox also received a considerable ac cession to its territory from Washington. Travelers be tween Albany and Boston have learned that Washington occupies \tpon the Western Railroad route, the highest point of land. The road inclines nearly the entire distance from Springfield to Washington. Washington, although high and hilly, has some good farms in almost every part. A stream that rises in the North part of the town, and finds its way to Westfield riv er, drives five sawmills that do a profitable business. In the West part of the town, there are four sawmills on streams that flow into the Housatonic. There are five natural ponds in the town. Ashley pond, the largest, situ ated on the height of land about a mile North of the meeting house, is a mile long, and half a mile wide. . There are two steam sawmills which are operated most of the year, and turn off large quantities of lumber. The town is divided into eight school districts ; raises for the support of schools annually — the districts finding wood and board — $450 ; highway tax, $1,000 ; no town debt ; population in 1840, 830 ; in 1850, 903 ; increase in ten years, 73. WEST STOCKBRIDGE. This town was originally a portion of Stockbridge, and belonged to the Stockbridge Indians, and was sold by them in parcels to individual purchasers. Joseph Bryant of Canaan, Ct., the first settler, became a resident of the Northwest corner of the territory in 1776. Col. Elijah WiUiams of Stockbridge settled during the latter part of the same year. In the eight years succeeding, about forty WEST STOCKBRIDGE. 605 families became residents. Amo"ng these were Increase Hewins of Sturbridge, Elisha Hooper of Bridgewater, Lemuel Burghardt and Christopher Brazee of Egremont, John Minkler of Mt. Washington, Ichabod Miller, Samuel Mudge, Elijah Slosson, Josiah Arnold, John Deming, Mat thew Benedict, Roderic Messenger and Benjamin Lewis. These latter were mostly from Connecticut. On the 23d of February, 1774, Queensboro', as the ter ritory had previously been called, was incorporated as a town, with the name of West Stockbridge. The first town meeting was held at the house of Christopher Brazee, on the 4th of July, 1774, and on the tenth of the same month, another meeting was held, at which Roggr Woodruff was chosen moderator, and at which it was voted to raise £12 to hire preaching for the ensuing year. At the same time, £18 was voted for schools, and 40s. for contingent expen ses. At the time the town was incorporated, it was 6 miles long, and 2 1-2 broad, containing 9,600 acres. A small gore, left to Massachusetts on running the line be tween its territory and New York, was annexed to West Stockbridge on the West, in 1793. In 1829, 930 acres were added to the Northeast corner, from Stockbridge. Dec. 2, 1774, the town voted to give Rev. Aaron Jordan Bogue, a call to preach for two months on probation. He was followed by Rev. Samuel Johnson, who was a tempo rary supply. No church was organized until June 4, 1789. The first regular pastor was Rev. Oliver Ayres, who was succeeded, in turn, by Rev. Messrs. Joseph Edwards, John Waters, Nathan Shaw, and Munson C. Gaylord, the latter of whom was installed in February, 1829, and dismissed in 1835. During Mr. Gaylord's ministry, there were several revivals, and in 1833 and 1834, a very general revival, whose results were witnessed in the addition of 81 mem bers to the church. Mr. Gaylord was succeeded in 1837, by. Rev. Brainard Kent, who remained for two years. Rev. J." Foster, Rev. Reuben Porter and Rev. Joel Osborne then successively supplied the pulpit for one year each, at the end of which period, Rev. Sidney Bryant was in stalled as pastor. He continued with the church until 1853^ since which time there has been no settled pastor. Rev. Lewis Pennell is the present supply. The changes of the last twenty-five years have greatly reduced the 51* 606 WEST STOCKBRIDGE. strength and numbers of this church. The church has a fund of $1,600, and a membership of about 65. The Second Congregational Church was formed in 1833, but possessed no house of worship until 1843, holding their meetings in Academy Hall. The first minister settled over this church was C. Edwards Lester, who has since become a somewhat notorious operator in political, literary and other fancy stocks. During his connection with the church, it was visited by a powerful revival, in which about 80 persons professed conversion. The society be ing unable to raise a sufficient salary, Mr. Lester was dis missed in November, 1839. His successor was Rev. John Whiton, who was installed in 1841, and remained the pas tor until 1849. After him, Rev. Job Pierson and Prof. Tatlock preached several months each, and then Rev. N. Laselle was installed, and continued the pastor until 1853, since which time the church has had no settled pastor. Rev. Mr. Caldwell, a gentleman of high talent and culti vation, from Scotland, is the present supply. A Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1834, of which Rev. A. Rogers is the present pastor. A Baptist Church was organized about 1792, and a Baptist society incorporated, and a church built, in 1794. Rev. Samuel Whelpley and Elder Nathaniel Culver, were among the first preachers. The society was never large, and of its present position we are not advised. It had but 42 members in 1828. It appears from the records, that while the people of West Stockbridge were mostly patriots in the Revolution, there were enough of them in opposition to give the, ma jority some trouble. The following vote was passed March 20, 1776: " Voted and passed, that we will assist our collectors in the collection of their rates, and if any person shall refuse or neglect to pay their respective rates, that the collectors of the respective rates committed into his hands, shall- apply to the selectmen and committee of inspection and correspondents of the said town, and then the officers above mentioned shall have a right to go to the persons so refusing or neglecting when complained of by the collector, and if they find, on ex amination, that said persons do refuse paying their rates, then the above named officers, (viz.) the committees and select men, shall have aright to take of the estate of the persons so WEST STOCKBRIDGE. 607 refusing or neglecting, to the amount of the sums as they are assessed or rated, and deliver the same to the hands of the collector, to the amount of the rates, and if any overplus there be, the collector shall turn the overplus to the owner of the estate from which it was taken, upon examination, un der oath, that they return the whole, only allowing day wa ges for his time, and said district will defend the above of ficers in the discharge of their duty as above mentioned." In 1779, the town chose Capt. Increase He wins, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, to be held on the 1st of September of that year. On the question of sending a delegate, there were but 30 votes, which is some indication of the strength of the voting population at that time. The records show that the town furnished its proportion of men and means in the Revolutionary struggle. At the news of the death of Gen. Washington, there was a town meeting called, " and a day appointed on which to go to the meet ing house to testify of their grief, and listen to a sermon adapted to the occasion." West Stockbridge is divided into six school districts, .and in 1854, raised for schools, $800. In the sixth district, there are two public schools, two private schools, and one school for young ladies, the latter under the charge of Miss Frances Leavitt. The amount of money raised for highways and cfther expenses, was $1,000. ' A full and interesting account of the marble quarries of the Messrs. Freedley and Andrew Fuarey, and of the Hudson Iron works, and Berkshire Iron works, will be found in part 2 of this work. [Vol. 1, pp. 357, 365, 367.] These establishments embrace the principal inter ests in West Stockbridge, besides agriculture. There is one important establishment not mentioned in the paper above alluded to,— the iron works of Gay and Woodruff. They make a superior quaUty of iron with anthracite coal. The ores are obtained partly from West Stockbridge, and partly from Richmond. One hundred and twelve tuns of iron are manufactured weekly. In all the operations of the concern, about 100 men are employed. The furnace is located in the village, and the capital invested is $80,- 000 Another furnace, of double the dimensions of the present one, is in process of construction and nearly com pleted, and is designed to be the best in New England. HP Dorr manufactures $12,000 worth of carnages 608 WILLIAMSTOWN. annually. Wm. Caswell and Geo. G. Fosket are engaged in the same business. Chatfield, Stowell & Co. and Franklin Tobey, carry on the flouring business to a great extent, and Piatt & Barnes are largely engaged in the manufacture of '¦" Piatt's Patent Buckwheat Flour." Rus sell Woodruff makes about 300,000 bricks annually. During 1854, the town erected a fine and substantial Town House, at an expense of about $3,700. The population in 1840 was 1,330; in 1850, 1,731; in crease in ten years, 401. WILLIAMSTOWN. ¦ Williamstown occupies the North-western corner .of the Commonwealth. West Hoosac, as the township was orig inally called, and " East Hoosac," now Adams, " were explored and their limits traced by a Committee of the General Court in 1749." This committee consisted of Col. Partridge of Hatfield, and Col. Choate, and Capt. Nathan iel Dwight of Belchertown. The township was ordered to be laid out April 6, 1750. The settlement of the terri tory was considerably retarded by the Indian difficulties of the period. 'Nenemiah Smedley and William add Josiah Hosford endeavored' to make a settlement in 1751 or 1752, but were interrupted by the increasing hostility of the In dians. They returned to their homes in Connecticut, where they enlisted in a company for the protection of the frontiers, and came again to West Hoosac with others, and garrisoned a fort. The settlers, during the first few years, were subject to frequent alarms. The final annunciation of peace between England and France, in 1763, put a stop to all danger from the Indians, and stimulated settlements to great activity. In fact, the town was incorporated June 21, 1765, and it is recorded that there could not be suffi cient grain raised in the place for several years, to supply the wants of the inhabitants. The first meeting of the proprietors of West Hoosac, of which there is a record, was held Dec. 5, 1753, by virtue of a warrant issued by William WiUiams, Esq., of Pitts field. With an aUusion to the date of this meeting, the history of WiUiamstown, as given in Field's History of Berkshire, says • WILLIAMSTOWN. ' 609 "But the house lots, so called, had been laid out in the North part of the town, previous to this meeting. They were laid on both sides of a principal street, fifteen rods in width, and a mile and three-eighths in length, reaching from Green River on the East, to Hemlock brook on the West. This street runs over the highest part of three eminences, on the first of which stands the East College and the Chapel, on the second, the West College, and, on the third, the meeting house. * * * * These lots were 120 rods in length, and 13 1-3 in width upon the street, containing ten acres each." The first settlements were mostly made on these lots, though but a few of them seem to have been settled by those who originaUy drew them. Three of them were drawn by Lieut. Samuel Brown ; two each by Samuel Calhoun, W. Chidestre, Lieut. Obadiah Dickinson, Ebene zer Graves, Lieut. Moses Graves, Thomas Moffat, John Moffat, -ZEneas Machay, Josiah Williams, Ephraim Wil liams Jr., and Lieut. Isaac Wyman ; and one each by Elisha Allis, Lemuel Avery, Oliver Avery, Elijah Brown, Reuben Belding, Samuel Brown Jr., John Bush, John Chamberlain, Capt. Elisha Chapin, John Crafford, Elizur Dickinson, Joel Dickinson, Aaron Denio, Daniel Donnilson, Ezekiel Foster, Nathaniel Harvey, Micah Harrington, Jo seph Halley Esq., Daniel Haws, Lieut. Elisha Hawley, Col. Oliver Partridge, Nathaniel Russell, Abner Roberts, Joseph Smith, Dr. SethHudson, Benjamin Simonda, Samuel Smith, Thomas Train, Samuel Taylor, George Willis, Timothy Woodbridge, Elisha Williams Jr., and Samuel Wells. The first child of English parents born within the town ship was Rachel Simonds, born April 8, 1753, though some have claimed the honor for Esther, daughter of Wm. Hosford. Among the settlers were Richard Stratton from Western, (now Warren,) Jonathan and James Meacham, from New Salem ; Thomas Train, Thomas Dunton, Elka nah Paris, a Quaker, Derrick Webb, Capt. Isaac Searle, Wm. and Josiah Hosford, from Canaan, Ct.; Capt. Nehe miah Smedley, from Litchfield; Samuel Kellogg, from Canaan, Ct.; Nathan Wheeler, from New Milfbrd ; Seth Luce and Nathan Smith, from Western ; David Nichols, from Middletown, Ct.; Mr. Byam, from Templeton, and Joseph Talmadge, from Colchester, Ct. The township was settled so rapidly that to recount the names of all the settlers would 'be to make the details too tedious. Large 610 WILLIAMSTOWN. numbers of the earlier and later settlers were from_ Con necticut. The first town meeting was held on the 15th of July, 1765, and at that time there were 59 taxable poUs in the town, and about 578 acres of land under cultivation. In laying out the house lots, one was set apart for the first minister, one for the support of the ministry, and one for schools. The out-lots, drawji against the numbers of these, were appropriated to the same purposes respectively as their primaries. It was voted by the proprietors, Oct. 1, 1760, to hire preaching for six months, and March 10, 1763, it was voted " to have preaching for the future." On the the latter date, it was also voted " to give Mr. Gideon Warren a call to preach -on probation." Immediately after the incorporation of the town, Rev. Mr. Welch received a call, with the promise of £80 in two annual instalments as settlement, and a salary of £40 a year, to be increased £3 yearly until it should amount to £70. Besides these con siderations, he was to have the use of the ministry house lots. It is not known when the church which called him was gathered, or how large were its numbers, but Mr. Welch was ordained its pastor in the latter part of 1765, and remained in that relation nearly twelve years, when he went into the American Army as a chaplain. This was in 1776, and in March of that year, he died near Quebec, of the small po*. He was a native of Milford, Ct., and a graduate of Yale College in 1762. His successor was Rev. Seth Swift of Kent, Ct., a graduate of Yale College in 1774. He was ordained May 26, 1779, at which time the church had a membership of 61. During his ministry of nearly 28 years, 273 were admitted to the church. He died Feb. 15, 1807, and a record of the event on the books of the church, reads as follows : "At about 9 o'clock, A. A., the Rev. Seth Swift, our much esteemed, dearly be loved, and very faithful and laborious pastor, died in the midst of great usefulness, while God was pouring out his spirit here, and giving him many seals of his ministry." During the six years intervening between his death and the settlement of his successor, when the church was en tirely dependent upon supplies, 103 persons were admitted to the church. On the 6th of July, 1813, Rev. Walter King of Wilbraham, a graduate of Yale in 1782, was in stalled as pastor, and died of an apopleptic fit, which came WILLIAMSTOWN. 611 v upon him in the pulpit, Dec. 1, 1815. He admitted 21 to the church. His successor was Rev. Ralph WeUs Gridley of_ Granby, a graduate of Yale in 1814. He was ordained Oct. 9, 1816, and remained the faithful and laborious pas tor of the church until April 27, 1834, when he was dis missed at his own request. During his ministry, he re ceived the large number of 609 members into the church. He was succeeded" July 3, 1834, by Rev. Joseph Alden, .who, on account of ill- health, \Vas dismissed Feb. 10, 1836, by the council convened to ordain his successor, Rev. Al bert Smith, who was ordainep^ the following day. Mr. Smith was a graduate of Middlebury in 1832, and was dismissed from his Williamstown charge May 6, 1838. Rev. Amos Savage was installed pastor of the church Jan uary 22, 1840. He was also a graduate of Middlebury. He continued as the pastor of the church for three years, or, until Jan. 30, 1843, when he was dismissed, that he might accept of an agency for the American Tract Society. During his comparatively brief ministry, 106 were added to the church. Rev. Dr. Peters was installed in his place Nov. 20, 1844, and continued his pastoral labors in con nection with the church until Oct., 1853. Rev. Mr. Hois- ington was the immediate supply after his retirement. The first house built for public worship was erected by the proprietors in 1768, and this edifice was used untU 1798. The town, after attempts, running through a long series of years, to build a new house, allowed the proprie tors again to build. This was in September, 1796. The old church was removed and converted into a town house, and a new structure, 76 feet long and 55 feet wide, was soon erected, at a cost of about $6,000. The meeting house in the South part of the town was erected in 1812, by subscription, and cost about $3,500. The Baptists and Congregationalists united in the work of building it. The Congregational Church worshiping here has always been smaU, and, up to 1836, was suppUed by the pastor of the First Congregational Church, who preached there every third Sabbath. After 1836, the pulpit was supplied by various individuals, until about 1847, when Rev. Mr. Ha zen was installed as the pastor. For the last two years or more, the church has been without a pastor. Quite early in the history of WiUiamstown there was a 612 WILLIAMSTOWN. small Baptist church within its limits, but in May, 1791, the town refused " to incorporate Matthew Dunning and 14 others into a Baptist Society," in accordance with their pe tition. The first Baptist church organized was dissolved in 1811, and another was formed two or three years after wards, which still exists. During the history of the church it has had no settled pastor. 'During all the early history of the town, the Methodist families were very few, but a Methodist Church and Socie- , ty have sprung up within the last twenty years, and are now in a flourishing condition. The pastor in 1854 was Rev. Mr. Ford. Two burial grounds were laid out early. That in the North part of the town was laid out in 1760 ; that in South part, in 1769. Among the early settlers and inhabitants,' the more no ticeable were Col. Benjamin Simonds, David Noble, Gen. Wm. Towner, Gen. Thompson J. Skinner, and Hon. Daniel Dewey. Col. Simonds was a native of the Eastern part of Hampshire County, at the age of 20 was a soldier of the garrison in Fort Massachusetts, and by his great enter prise and activity, became one of the wealthiest inhabit ants of WilUamstown, of which he was one of the first set- tiers. He died April 11, 1807, at the age of 81. Mr. Noble, who was one of the principal inhabitants at an early period, was a native of New Milford, Ct., and graduated at Yale College in 1764. He entered Williamstown in 1770, and was subsequently a lawyer and a merchant, in which latter business. he acquired a considerable fortune. He was one of the first trustees of Williams College. In 1797, he was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and died March 4, , 1803, at the age of 58. Gen. Towner was a native of New Fairfield, Ct., and settled as a practitioner of medicine in Williamstown, about 1790. He was a lover of politics and the parade, and relieved his professional cares by serving as a member of the State Legislature, and as general of brigade. He died at Pow- nal, Vt., in 1813, at the age of 58. General Skinner came from Colchester, Ct., (his birth-place,) in 1775, and sub sequently acquired an extensive influence in the town and county, both of which he repeatedly represented in the General Court. For many years, he was chief justice of WILLIAMSTOWN." 613 the Common Pleas for the county, was treasurer of Wil liams Gollege, Major General of Militia, a Representative in the Fifth Congress, Marshal of the District of Massa chusetts, and Treasurer of -the State. He died at Boston, Jan. 20, 1809, at the age of 56. Hon. Daniel Dewey was a native of Sheffield, and read law with Judge Sedgwick of Stockbridge. He commenced practice in Williamstown in i790, and became an eminent and very successful law yer. He was a member of the Thirteenth Congress, and of the Governor's Council, and in February, 1814, was ap pointed one of the justices of the Supreme Judicial Court. He died May 26, 1815, in his 50th year. Chief Justice Parker said of him: "He is almost the only man, in ele vated rank, of fixed and unalterable political opinions, and who was never remiss in inforcing those opinions, who has been at no time calumniated." Seventy-six persons originating in WiUiamstown, have graduated at WUliams College, as follow : — Hon. Daniel Noble graduated in 1796, Uved in Williamstown, died 1830, aged 54; Hon. Thomas Skinner, 1797, died 1848, age 72 ; Homer Towner, 1797, physician, died 1817, age 46; Rev. William Boardman, 1798, died at Newtown, L.I., 1818, age 37 ; Benjamin Skinner, 1798, lawyer, still living i Douglas W. Sloane, 1803, lawyer, died 1839, age 55; John B. Day, 1804, physician; Rev. Ephraim G.Swift, 1804, now in Chester, Ct. ; Hon. Charles Stebbins, 1807, Cazenovia, N. Y. ; Rev. Lyman Barrett, 1808, died 1846, age 62 ; Hon. Byram Green, 1808, lives in Sodus, N. Y., formerly member of Congress from that State, one of the original members of the prayer meeting under the hay stack, North of the College buildings, in which originated the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis sions ; Alfred Northam, 1808, lawyer ; William Barrett, 1809, lawyer, died 1823, at Hermitage, Va. ; John P. Put nam, 1809, lawyer, Cambridge, N. Y. ; Nathan Putnam, 1809, lawyer, died 1841, age 53 ; Schuyler Putnam, 1809, lives at Elyria, Ohio ; Wm. Starkweather, 1809, lawyer, Newark, N. J., died 1852, age 62; Peleg R. Allen, 1811, physician, died some years since; Hon. Charles A. Dew ey LL. D., 1811, Justice of the Supreme Court of Mas sachusetts ; Rev. Elisha P. Swift, D. D, 1813, Alleghany City, Pa. ; Mason C. Fitch, 1815, lawyer, died 1849, age J 52 614 WILLIAMSTOWN. 52; Charles Noble, 1815, lawyer, Monroe, Mich. ; Rev. Edward W. Rossiter; 1815, died 1821, age 27 ; Samuel Skinner, 1816, lawyer, Le Roy, N. Y., died 1852, age 58 ; Rev. Charles Fitch, 1818; Hon. John B- Skinner, 1818, lawyer, Wyoming, N. Y.; Henry L. Sabin, 1821, physi cian, Williamstown; Hon. Daniel N. Dewey, 1820, (at Yale) Williamstown; Royal L. Porter, 1823, Editor of Boston Traveller, died 1844, age 43 ; George W. Bulkley, 1824, lawyer, Kinderhook, N. Y. ; Zelotus Ford, 1825, physician, died 1847, age 44; Hon. David A. Noble, 1825, Monroe, Michigan, Member of Congress; Henry Stark weather, 1825, merchant, New York city ; Edward C. Hoxsey, 1827, physician, Paterson, N. J., died 1840, age 30 ; Rev. Benjamin F. Hoxsey, 1827, died 1835, age 34; Robert A. Noble, 1827, lawyer; Rev. Mason Noble, 1827, Washington City ; George N. Skinner, 1827, lawyer, died 1850, age 41 ; Edmund B. Penniman, 1828, lawyer, died at North Adams, 1844, age 39 ; Rev: Ebenezer H. Strat- ton, 1828 ; Giles B. Kellogg, 1829, lawyer, Troy, N. Y. ; Rufus W. Townsend, 1830, lawyer, Troy, N. Y. ;, Rev. Edward W. Noble, 1831, Truro, Mass.; Rev. Nathan Benjamin, 1831, missionary to Syria ; Egbert Dewey, 1833, merchant; George T. Blair, 1833, lawyer, Troy, N. Y.; Martin I. Townsend, 1833, lawyer, Troy, N. Y.; Avery Thomas, 1834, lawyer, Dubuque, Iowa; Walter Wright, 1836, lawyer, Chicago, 111.; William H. Noble, 1837 ; Solomon B. Noble, 1837, lawyer, New York city Rev. David M'Gee Bardwell, 1839, Michigan City, Ind. Edward A. Dickinson, 1839, teacher, Jamestown, N. Y. Josiah A. Mills, 1839, teacher, South Williamstown ; Charles N. Emerson, 1840, lawyer, Great Barrington ; Francis H. Dewey, 1840, lawyer, Worcester; John W. Bulkley, 1841, physician, Rock Island, 111. ; Rev. Josiah T. Smith, 1842 ; Lucius E. Bulkley, 1843, lawyer, New York city ; Edgar M. Brown, 1843 ; Rev. Henry B. Hosford, 1843, Prof, in Western Reserve College ; Lucius E. Smith, 1843, law yer, Boston; Charles Brewster, 1845, died 1845, age 19; Edward Wright, 1845, lawyer, Chicago, 111. ; Keyes Dan forth, 1846, lawyer, Williamstown; Charles S.Sylvester, 1846, Cazenovia, N. Y. ; Charles L. Hubbell, 1846, phy sician, Troy, N. Y. ; Rev. Marshall D. Saunders, 1846, missionary to India ; Andrew M. Smith, 1846, physician, WINDSOR 615 WilUamstown; John B. Kellogg, 1847, lawyer, Troy, N. Y. ; Lyman D. Prindle; 1847 ; John S. Nelson, 1849 ; John W. Dickinson, 1852; Richard T. Deming, 1852 James B. Meacham and John S. Whitman, 1854. Rev. Chauncey Eddy of Lanesboro; Rev. Ansel D. Eddy, D. D., of Newark, N. J. ; James Porter, formerly member of Congress, from New York ; Dr. Samuel Por ter from Skeneateles, N. Y. ; and David Woodcock of Ithaca, N. Y., formerly member of -Congress from that State, were all natives of Williamstown. The lawyers of Williamstown have been Hon. Daniel Dewey, Solomon Stoddard, (now in Northampton, living at an advanced age,) Hon. Ezekiel Bacon, now of Utica, N. Y., ; Hon. Daniel Noble, William Starkweather, Hon. Charles A. Dewey, Homer Bartlett, now of Lowell, Charles Baker, Henry Raymond, Hon. Daniel N. Dewey, Keyes Danforth and A. G. Waterman. Besides Williams- College, [for a full account of which see Vol. 1, pp. 502-3-4-5-6-7,] there are two classical schools, one at the South part of the town under the care of Messrs. Mills ; and one at the North part, taught by R. W. Swan, a graduate of Cambridge, and late tutor in Wil Uams College. Farming is the leading industrial pursuit of the inhab itants. There are, however, n few manufacturing establish ments, the principal being that of Southworth & Walley, where printing cloths are made to the amount of 750,000 yards annually. The factory contains 60 looms, and 2,100 spindles, employs 70 hands, and consumes annually 250 bales of cotton. There is also one small factory for making cotton batting and one for making planes. The amount of money raised by tax in 1854 was $5,000 ; town debt, $2,200 ; square miles of territory, between 26 and 27; ratable polls, 625; number of school districts, 14; amount appropriated for schools in 1854, $1,500. Popula tion in 1840, 2,076; in 1850, 2,534; increase in ten years, 458 WINDSOR. This town occupies the territory of township No. 4., among the ten townships sold at auction, June 2, 1762. The purchaser was Noah Nash, and the price, £l,4rf0. The town was incorporated July 4, 1771, with the name ot 616 WINDSOR. Gageborough. January 9, 1777, the people of the town petitioned to be called Cheshire, " because the present name of Gageborough may serve to perpetuate the memory of the detested Gen. Gage." The name of the town was altered, in 1778, to that which it bears at present. Cheshire, Dalton, Plainfield and Cummington all contain portions of the original " No. 4." The first settlers were Joseph Chamberlain, and Ephraim Keyes from Ashford, Ct., and Edward Walker from Hadley. Among those who followed them, at an early day, were John Hall, Jeremiah Cady, and Josiah Lawrence, from Plainfield, Ct. In May, 1768, the first child was born in the town, — a daughter to Mr. Lawrence. The people at the first, and for many years, were nearly exclusively Congregationalists. Their first meeting-house was unfortunately burnt before it was com pleted. The church was formed in 1772, and March 25, 1773, Rev. David Avery of Groton, Ct., a graduate of Yale in 1769, was installed as pastor. He was dismissed April 14, 1777, to accept of a chaplaincy in the Revolu tionary army. While in want of a pastor, and in a broken state, one John Elliot came into the town, and procured for himself a hasty settlement, which was broken up in a few months. Rev. Elisha Fish of Upton, a graduate of Har vard in 1779, was ordained over the church June 16, 1785, and dismissed July 5, 1792. He was succeeded, July 1, 1795, by Rev. Gordon Dorrance, of Sterling, Ct., a grad uate of Dartmouth in 1786. Mr. Dorrance held a long connection with the church, and was dismissed July 15, 1834, after having preached to them for 39 years. He was greatly esteemed, and labored in his. large and toilsome field with great efficiency and peculiar acceptance. His last years he spent with his son, Dr. Gardiner Dorrance, at Attica, N. Y., where he died in 1845. Rev. Philetus Clark was settled as his successor, September 29, 1835, and continued his labors until he was dismissed, May 23, 1843. His labors were attended with. marked success. Rev. Francis Norwood supplied for two years after this, and Rev. George R. Entler, who was settled over the church December 1, 1847, preached a year before his set tlement. Mr. Entler was dismissed April 30, 1850. Rev. Charles Peabody followed as supply, and left in the Spring of 1854. The church has since been supplied by Rev. Mr. WINDSOR. 617- Duncan. This society owns a neat meeting-house, erected in the Summer of 1847. It is located about 80 rods South east of the old brick edifice, erected in 1823, and stands on lower ground. They also own a neat parsonage, and 18 acres of land, devoted to the use of the minister. February 18, 1811, several families living in the North- East part of the town, acting in connection with a few fam ilies in Savoy, established " The First Congregational So ciety of Savoy." They worshiped for a time in a dwelling house, situated on the line between the two towns. A church was formed in the autumn of 1811, with twenty members, taken principally from the church in Windsor. On the 1st of January, 1829, the church numbered 56, but it lived only a few years after this, and is now extinct. The first and only pastor, Rev. Jepthah Poole of Plain- field, was ordained October 11, 1811, and dismissed Feb ruary 13, 1816, after which time there was no settled min ister. Some of the people of whom the church and society were composed, living in the Eastern part of the town — a part called "The Bush"-— constitute the best part of the Congregational Society in West Cummington, to which place they resort to worship because of its ease of access. A Baptist Society was incorporated in 1807, and a small church organized about the same time, whose existence was brief. In 1819, they built a meeting-house, and in 1823, a new church was organized. Elder Noah Y. Bushnell preached for several years, as did also Elder Hosea Trum bull. At last, the society became unable to sustain preach ing, and their house of worship having been abandoned for many years, the society was dissolved by agreement, in 1852. At this time, excepting occasional meetings for worship in a haU, at Jordanville, by a union of the Metho dist and Baptist denominations, that of the Congregational order is the only regular worship in the town. The old central spot of business and trade, where the people met for worship for many years, was on the top of a high hill, nearly as high as the tallest mountain in the town. ' To this bleak spot, through drifted snow and piercing cold, the godly generations of early times re sorted, to worship in ah unwarmed and altogether uncom fortable house. But the old locality is now deserted. The buildings, consisting of the old brick meeting-house, dwell- 52* 618 WINDSOR. ing houses, stores, and the large mansion known as " Monk's Tavern," have all been removed. Northampton and Pitts field travel formerly passed through Windsor, but since the completion of the Western Railroad, travel, through the town has very greatly diminished. Formerly; several stages passed through the town every day. Now, there is but an inferior conveyance, for the mail and local passen gers. Windsor, like many of the mountain towns, has Jiardly kept its numbers good under the effects of Western and other emigration. The farmers give their attention largely to the dairy, and the raising of stock. The vicinity of railroads and new manufactories has increased the value of wooded land, and a considerable business is done in get ting wood and lumber to Dalton, Cheshire and Pittsfield. There are ten saw-mills in the town. Andrew J. Babbitt carries on a tool factory, in the Eastern part, with a capital of about S2,000. Capt. Josiah Allen carries* on quite a large business in the manufacture of split-wood curtains. In the South-East part of the town, there is a smaU vil lage, containing about 120 inhabitants, known as Jordanville, a name which we have already had "occasion to use. The location is at the junction of the two Southern branches of the Westfield river. The most important manufacture carried on here is that of wood bench-screws, hand-vices, &c, and this is prosecuted largely. There is also an estab lishment for the manufacture of bedsteads, one for making butter and cheese boxes, and two for manufacturing boots and shoes. Here is located also the only , public house in the town. The most noted family raised in Windsor is that of Dr. Asahel Wright, for a long time a distinguished physician, who died in 1834. Worthington Wright, his son, a minis ter, graduated at Williams in 1806, and is now settled at Charlestown, N. H. Asahel Wright, 2d, graduated at the same college in 1805, practiced law in Chester, and died in 1830. Dr. Urial Wright settled at Mount Pleasant, Pa. Dr. Erastus Wright now lives in New York city. Dr. Julius C. Wright settled in New Town, N. Y., and Pliilo Wright still occupies the old homestead at Windsor. Gar diner Dorrance, son of Rev. Gordon Dorrance, was a graduate of Williams College in 1820. John L. F. PhilUps graduated at Williams in 1847. WINDSOR. 619 The amount cff money raised for schools in 1854 was $500 ; for all purposes, (induing $700, highway tax,) $2,100. The number of ratable polls is 220 ; population in 1840, 872 ; in 1850, 926 ; increase in ten years, 54. In 1820, the population was 1,085. 3 9002 00607 8787