USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Tyringham > Hinterland settlement Tyringham, Massachusetts and bordering lands > Part 1
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A
HINTERLAND
SETTLEMENT
TYRINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS AND BORDERING LANDS
BY
ELOISE MYERS
This Indian Map, made by Robert H. Beckwith, from a very early map filled in with points of interest from his extensive study of Early Berkshire. Township No. I was first known as Brewer's Mills. The Indian Cairn at the Southeast base of White Mt. or Na-wah-hi-si, Indian name for Monument, marks the location of the Indian Pass on the New England Path or Great Indian Fur Trail. The truncated pyramid or mound is centrally located.
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01105 4266
ar 10 -
This book is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my mother whose sympathetic understanding encouraged me in the idea of such a project.
FOREWORD
Tyringham is unique in two ways: First, its records are complete and bound, beginning Oct. 6, 1737 when the Proprietors met in Water- town at the Inn of Thomas Harrington and chose Rev. William Wil- liams as Moderator and Nath'l Harrington as Clerk and Treas .; Second, this is the only town in the world so named.
Statistics and history can prove dull and dry. I have injected some old-time stories and characters for spice and moisture and yet kept the work as authentic as possible. My wish is that this book may, in some small measure, express the pleasure that this adventure into the past has brought to me.
My source material consisted of town records, old letters and docu- ments, grandmother's scrap books and diaries, besides many entrancing evenings spent at the feet of old-timers, long since gone.
To the following, now living, I extend my deep appreciation for their patience and help: Miss Carolyn Canon, Miss Beulah Cannon, Norman Day, Arnold and Alice Hale, Miss Florence Jones, Mrs. Bertha Newhall, Librarian Mrs. Stanton, Mrs. Marie Bidwell Leuchs, Pittsfield's Historical Room Librarian and above all, to Rev. Franklin Couch for relieving me of much responsibility toward the book's publication.
E.S.M.
Second Edition
Printed by Eagle Printing and Binding Company Pittsfield, Massachusetts
CONTENTS
Chapter
I. HOUSATONIC TOWNSHIP NO. 1 .
5
Chapter
II. FIRST MINISTERS
7
Chapter III. DIVISION OF TOWN 10
Chapter
IV. MEETING HOUSES
11
Chapter V. POST OFFICES AND STORES 16
Chapter
VI. ROADS
19
Chapter
VII. INCORPORATION AND NAME
23
Chapter VIII. SCHOOLS 24
Chapter
IX. INDUSTRIES .
.
28
Chapter
X. HOUSES AND INHABITANTS
35
Chapter
XI. CULTURE, FUN AND OTHERWISE
65
Chapter
XII. SODOM .
70
Chapter XIII. JERUSALEM .
76
Chapter XIV. THE SHAKERS
.
79
Chapter
XV. FERNSIDE
90
Chapter XVI. A NEW ERA .
93
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/hinterlandsettle00myer
A HINTERLAND SETTLEMENT
by Eloise Myers
CHAPTER I-HOUSATONIC TOWNSHIP NO. I
Berkshire County, a wilderness of formidable rocky hills and treacherous swamps, buffeted by contention between the Dutch in the Hudson River valley and the English who already controlled the Connecticut valley, was long delayed in its settlement. The new road from Westfield to Sheffield had at last penetrated the wilderness. Inducements were set forth for the development of this new territory- Housatonic Township No. 1, (the present Monterey and Tyringham) was open for settlement.
Under direction of the Great and General Court at Boston, a few men met together Mar. 10, 1728 and again July 25, 1737 and chose a committee of five to lay out 60 lots and 3 public lots in the township. The first public lot was reserved for a settled minister, the second for the second settled minister and the third for a mill. The first meeting recorded was held at an Inn at Watertown Oct. 6, of that year. For twelve years thereafter the original proprietors or grantees conducted meetings on affairs of the town twice or more annually in Watertown, Westboro, Worcester or Waltham, mostly in the latter. In a sense one might call these pioneering men, "land speculators", for some of the same families took up lots in other townships or more in the same. Evidently the demand was greater than expected for in the meeting of Dec. 20, 1737, the Proprietors were asked what to do about the last act or resolves of the General Court regarding the admittance of seven more lots. Consequently, early the next year seven more names were added to the original sixty-proprietor-list.
The committee made their reports and presented plans and speci- fications for the settlers. First, a man had to give a bond to the Gen- eral Court, then agree to "build and furnish a dwelling house upon his lot 18 foot square X 7 foot stud at least" and within five years "to improve five acres either by plowing or mowing or planting same with English grass" and actually live upon the spot.
The mill lot of 75 acres more or less, was offered to any man who would build a mill thereon. This establishment of a mill was of great importance and necessary before the real migration started. Sam'l Bond accepted the offer but in a month or so changed his mind. Then Thomas Slaton took it over. In a few days he gave it up. By then the proprietors decided to make certain changes in their rules and regula- tions. They voted to tax each proprietor 1£ 10s. to pay for the mill.
Encouraged by this, John Brewer of Hopkinton appeared in the summer of 1739, signed the agreement and took the grant to build a sawmill in six months. He promised "to keep it in good repair and saw as cheap for ten years"; also to build a gristmill in two and one half
5
years. Brewer proved a hustler. The next year he carted a pair of millstones from the "east" at his own expense and a gristmill was added to the first industry located on the stream flowing from Twelve Mile Pond, now Lake Garfield.
Second in importance was a suitable house for worship of God and to settle an orthodox minister in the town and "provide for him an honorable pulpit"; then set aside a lot for a school.
About this time it appears that some had discovered the unde- sirable condition of their lot and asked for restitution. So it was agreed by vote that any dissatisfied proprietor should have the privilege, within a year, to draw for another "not to exceed 45 acres in some other part of the township, excluding lands called the Hop Lands or Swamp lying upon the brook called Hop Brook, yet to be surveyed".
At the meeting in Waltham, in the spring of 1740, it was voted to build a Meeting House in Township No. 1 and "assess the proprietors therefor 10 shillings each toward procuring boards to be sawed and to be seasoning for three months". John Brewer and Thomas Slaton were appointed to "get boards for the outside covering and sufficient good white pine for the inside work". But threat of war with France and possibly Spain delayed the matter. However, each proprietor was assessed ten more shillings for "the obtaining of some suitable person for the preaching of the gospel to those proprietors residing in the township. They are desired to have a particular care to have such supply at the fall of the year when a greater number of proprietors are expected to be there".
Two years later they decided that the Meeting House "be erected with all convenient speed, of 25 foot square and 9 foot stud, to be well covered and mellowed and a double floor laid and a convenient desk for the minister and seats for the people". That fall, the population must have increased considerably for at that meeting in Waltham they decided to reconsider their former plans and "increase the size of the building to 34 feet by 40 feet of suitable height for one tier of galleries". They appointed John Brewer, John Brown and Isaac Gearfield (Garfield), a new committee.
Times were so uncertain that another war scare caused further delay in building, so by 1745, in place of the church, forts were built at the dwelling houses of Brewer, Slaton and Watkins. To preserve the frame of structure partly built, they ordered "waterboring the mortices and underpining, sticking the boards, securing the window frames and all stuff provided for use".
By the next spring, the scare had subsided so it was decided to "proceed to board and shingle the roof and close the mitre boards" just as soon as possible.
Meanwhile itinerant and neighboring preachers administered to the spiritual needs of the residents, for not until five years later was a meeting house finally completed and a resident minister procured.
6
1676921
CHAPTER II-FIRST MINISTERS
Adonijah Bidwell was born in Hartford, Conn. in 1716, after his father, owner and master of the vessel, was lost at sea while returning home from the West Indies. Adonijah graduated from Yale in 1740 and in five years went as chaplain, on a Colony Sloop of War, under Sir William Pepperel, to capture Cape Breton. After that he preached three years in Simsbury, Conn., then for a few months in Kinderhook, N. Y. He came from there to Housatonic Township No. 1 to serve as its first resident minister with only eight members.
It was in May, 1750 that the Proprietors held their first meeting in the township itself. At this time Jonathan Hubbard, Thomas Strong and Samuel Hopkins were appointed to consult three neighboring ministers as to the qualifications of Rev. Adonijah Bidwell, for a minister in the new community was considered an important person- age. In one month they reported that Mr. Bidwell was satisfactory in every way. He was accepted and ordained at "a Council Meeting at Township No. 1 in County of New Hampshire, Oct. 3, 1750". Present were the Rev. Messrs. Benjamin Colton, Moderator, Jonathan Hub- bard, Thomas Strong, Ebenezer Mix; Deacons James Rewey, Nath'l Harmon and Jonah Pixley. Afterward, each communicant had to pay nine pence to supply the Lord's Table for a year.
And so began thirty-four long turbulent years for the Reverend. A graduate of Yale, a teacher of religion and often of school, he was respected and sought after in many capacities. He formed his own system of shorthand used in writing his sermons. Although these are now in the Pittsfield Athenaeum, no one can read them. His bold distinctive signature is found on legal documents, in letters and in town records, where he held offices. Besides his ministerial duties, he operated a farm and recorded are his sales of beef for the army. He kept a daily record of his various activities. A copy of "Home Book of Adonijah Bidwell" is in Pittsfield Library. In it is found this entry, "Dec. 10, twins of Stephen Heath", over the page is, "Twins of Thomas Robbins, Jr., the 14th pair of twins-more than one twin to 25 single births since 1750". This was the year before his death in 1783. On Nov. 24, 1777, under deaths, he wrote, "Polly Harris, 20th wife of Amos Rice". Oh, Courageous women!
From all these records one can realize his abilities and influence upon this struggling new settlement. What's more, he was a dedicated man for he left the church in Kinderhook, an established, thriving community, to help carve a new township out of a wilderness. During his first years of labor the membership increased to 104 persons.
As often the case, this remarkable man met trouble in the church and in the town for both were closely linked. Separation of church and state had not materialized. The minister's salary was appropriated by the voters and as the town grew so did the demands upon the tax- payers. And too, the years began to lay heavily upon his shoulders and his health weakened. Thus, in time, it proved an easy matter to post- pone or cut his salary which varied but never reached beyond 90£.
7
By 1777 the town was behind on their payments to him. They voted to increase the price of labor and oxen but refused to raise the minister's salary. The next year they tried, by motion, to catch up on his back pay but a strong opposition arose to ask why the Reverend had not been serving the pulpit. Mr. Bidwell stood to reply but was not allowed to give a verbal explanation. They demanded it in writing.
He proved enough for them! Bound in the town records is his reply on three long pages written in a fine, precise longhand, now faded and difficult to read. He asked why the town had not paid him. According to law they had appropriated the money, the taxpayers were assessed and collection made. What was done with it? Why was he assessed a poll tax? Ministers were exempt. He demanded that this letter to them be incorporated and preserved with the town records, to be paid for from the town treasury. His wrath flowed through every sentence. He admonished them in the ways of the Lord, for their un- righteous act would condemn them all to Hell and Damnation. As he wrote, his anger waned for he ended by asking the Lord to forgive them from their sin in depriving the inhabitants of the preaching of the Gospel.
The town replied in a recorded testimony almost as lengthy. In short, the town assessed, according to the law, for support of the Gospel but "the money was used for support of their militia. It was not designed to wrong Mr. Bidwell out of his just due" but supposed that "the affluent circumstances of his family together with the Dis- position he had shown to the town of letting sum of his money by, provided he could have interest for same after it had been due one year, might in some way measure for their conduct". They were sorry he left his pulpit as he did. The selectmen were ordered to pay all back salary as soon as possible with interest after being due one year and to say "the town does not approve of Mr. Bidwell being taxed. But- the town does not approve either of the manner in which he left his pulpit, that it was not the best method". And "the town is to have charity for Mr. Bidwell".
The Reverend replied that he was satisfied but would like a raise in salary. They voted in the negative. Local currency being in the doldrums and scarce from the heavy cost of war, the question appeared as to what method they could take for payment. The minister, deter- mined to get his pay, agreed to accept "silver or gold or any equiva- lent in State or Continental Currency". Also, he would take "48£ of the aforementioned debt in specie in the old way, as wool, flax, clothing and any sort of grain as wheat, rye, Indian corn etc." One wonders how much Continental Currency he received, for in three years, 1781, continental money wasn't "worth a damn".
From this time on, both his health and popularity failed; the membership dropped in numbers, ministers from other churches often filled the pulpit but he continued many of his pastoral duties to the end of his life and received his salary. He died in 1784 and was buried in the Old Center Cemetery, along with the early founders of Housa- tonic Township No. 1.
8
DOCUMENT OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
Colany of MASSACHUSETT'S.BAY, 1776.
The 39 Names Sind War Son hasteni" of the Town of Tyring ham
W E the Subscribers, Do each of us feverally for our Selves. profess, teftify and declare before GOD and the World, that we verily believe that the War, Refiftance and Opposition in which the United American Colonies are now engaged. against the Fleets and Armies of Great-Britain, is on the Part of the faid Colonies, juft and necefary. And we do hereby Severally promife covenant and engage, to and with every Perfon of this Colony, who hasor fall Subscribe this Declaration, or another of the fame Tener and Words. that we will not, during the faid H'ar, directly or indirectly, in any Ways, aid, aber or affift, any of the Noval or Land Forces of the King of Great Britain, or any employ'd by him ; or Supply them with any Kind { Provisions, Military or NovalStores, or hold any Correspondence with, or communicate any Intelligence to any of the Officers, Soldiers or Mariners belonging to the faid Army or Navy, or inlift, or procure any others to ilift into the Land or Sea- Service of Great Britain, or take up or bear Arms againft this or either of the United Colonies, or undertake to pilot any of the Vefels belong- ing to the faid Navy, or in any other Way aid or afft them: But on the contrary, according to our beft 'Power and Abilities, will defend by Arms, the United American Colonies, and every Part thereof. againft every hoftile Attempt of the Fleets and Armies in the Service of Great- Britain, or any of them, according to the Requirements and Directions of the Laws of this Colony that now are, or may hereafter be provided. for the Regulation of the Militia thereof
John Nart Hackly
timos Manfred Giles Jackson Joseph Band Iseptivilsen Elijah Warrin fattura Ivarium Jamnel whoosh Rufus allen
Ezekiel Herist Nathan Hale
Daniel markham As A Allon Thomas Orton Thomas Sanders David Orton
Berg Warrin Will ..... Stale Abijch Merrell Suphan Taylor William Bentle Black
him X Morgan thusgonna famiel Graves Beng Goals David Brewer
Daind spilleatt & lenow Chadwick Jaco Gearfiel gomes Cosider Hall John Hale Benja markham Daniel mark ham
Amar Nathrup
REV. JOSEPH AVERY
The Rev. Joseph Avery, a native of Stonington, Conn., came from the church in Alford and was installed Feb. 1789. This second resident minister was in hot water from the start. The Hop Brook residents had plans for a church building of their own. They resented that extra mile drive to the new church on Beartown Road. Their tempers were ruffled from all sides and their opinions of this new man were formed before he ever had a chance to prove himself. The stuffy Hop Brookers managed to get rid of paying their taxes for Avery's salary by "Certificating"-that is, by producing certificates of membership in other churches. Those few Avery adherents on the South Tyringham side were compelled to pay his full salary which proved most burdensome. Thus-again, the minister's salary was far in arrears. Rev. Avery brought action against the town which resulted in his favor. His supporters rallied together, paid Avery and formed a fund for the permanent support of the ministry which exists to this day. In 1808 an Article was placed in the Warrant which read, "Shall Rev. Joseph Avery be considered any longer as the minister of the Town". It was a close vote but the opposition won by a majority of six.
The third minister, Rev. Joseph Warren Dow, installed July 10, 1811, was more popular than his predecessor for he served the second church located on Beartown Road, for 22 years. He was a graduate of Harvard and the first to bring the attention of that college to Tyring- ham residents. He also preached in the Hop Brook Cemetery Church on each alternate Sabbath to the Congregationalists of that section. Elder Hall preached in both churches on the other Sundays. Under Rev. Dow's pastorate, about 1820, the first Sunday School for the children was inaugurated. With his leadership the Society prospered, revivals were held and the membership increased rapidly.
On July 10, 1831, Rev. Dow preached a historical sermon choosing for his text, "Remember the days of Old, Consider the years of many generations: Ask thy father and he will show thee; thine elders and they will tell thee". Deut. 32-7. Excerpts from this sermon follow: "This building was dedicated on July 4, 1798 .- In the epidemic of 1814, 50 were swept away. Betsy Garfield and Ruth Mills drowned in Six-Mile Pond (Lake Buel). (A poem was written about Betsy's drowning and set to music which is recorded in the Library of Con- gress). Abraham Howk died from flesh wounds inflicted by a brother. Orlando C. Curtis and Gideon Hale were killed by accidental discharge of a gun. Edwin Curtis died from the fall of a horse on him; Charles Targee by the blowing up of a powder mill in Lee; William R. Granger by charge of powder which prematurely took fire while blasting rock; Miron Garfield by the fall of a tree; Lewis Wheelock's death was by internal injury received while playing scuffle; Samuel Twing was found dead by the road in consequence of fatigue and inclemency of weather". Deacons under Rev. Dow were John Jackson and Thomas Orton chosen in 1753 and William Hale in 1764. In 1802 David Tal- cott moved to Williston, Vt. and Nathan Abbot to Pompey, N. Y .; Lester Taylor in 1810 moved to West Stockbridge". Near the close of
9
his sermon he said, "That company of proprietors and settlers who planted themselves in these hills and valleys made the support of these institutions a fixed and commanding purpose in their lives".
The second church, in which Rev. Dow preached was situated on a spot overlooking the park of houses in what was then the center of town, with an extended view to the south. Larger than Rev. Bidwell's church which stood higher on the mountain, this resembled the church at New Marlborough. There were galleries on each side connecting with the choir loft in the end opposite the pulpit. At first the seats were old style, "shut in" by doors. Later pews replaced them. This meeting house was still used as such for some time after the present Monterey church was dedicated in 1849. But by 1873 this old church was sold at auction for $430.62 to the Methodist Episcopal Society in Housatonic. The old building, the bell and the flag-stone walk were removed to that village.
CHAPTER III-DIVISION OF THE TOWN
The first Meeting House was situated on the brow of a hill in a field south of the old Carrington House which was the first Manse, still standing in Monterey. It is now the summer home of Jack Hargis and David Brush, recent owners. In 1926 the foundation stones and doorstep of the church were visible when the D.A.R. placed a marble slab to show where the early settlers first worshiped God on the hills of Tyringham. It was a windswept, bleak spot. There is some question as to whether the building was ever quite finished. Town meetings were held there but in winter they more often adjourned to the house of John Chadwick or widow Beulah Jackson, Innholder.
These were a rugged people who settled on this hilltop, faithful to their church, heedless of the weather, on Sundays they filled the pews with only the minister's fervent expostulations and their foot- stoves to keep them warm. They were progressive too, for about 1774 they decided to take up the "body seats and make pews in their place". They even paid Matthew Dunham and others for building a pew over the women's stairway, so great was the increase in attend- ance.
As early as 1770 a question appears in the town records regarding location of a spot for another meeting house. A committee was ap- pointed and recommendations made. But like all decisions confronting the town it took many years of bickering and dickering before final action.
Not until 1796 was a second church actually started, a half mile or more to the south, about half way between the two oldest cemeteries. It was close to the manse (Everitt Place) built for the second minister, Rev. Avery. In two years the Meeting House was dedicated. In 1805 the old meeting house was sold to Thomas Rewee and a plot of four acres of the ground to Capt. Ebenezer Chadwick for $40.
10
The people in the north section of Tyringham were greatly op- posed to this new location, still farther from their homes and with another hill to climb. One historian feels that this was the beginning of the variance which led ultimately to the division of the township. The records prove that petitions made by men from Hop Brook were often "passed over" for the majority vote was from South Tyringham. Especially was this so in winter weather, when many from Hop Brook territory were unable to reach the Meeting House.
After the Church in Hop Brook was built there appeared an even greater trend toward division. There were heated discussions as to where the next meeting should be held. Sextons were appointed and paid for both churches, different men cared for the two cemeteries, "grave cloths" were voted for each, collection of taxes was set up in the north and south parts separately. In April 1847 the climax was reached when a committee heretofore appointed in relation to the division reported and the voters cast 79 ballots. The vote for select- men proved without choice. Indeed these Hop Brook men were fed up with defeat and now determined to carry the day. It was a crucial question. So they kept on voting, always without choice and with many adjournments until so late they had to close the meeting.
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