USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Great Barrington > History of Great Barrington, (Berkshire County,) Massachusetts > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
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UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY
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HISTORY
OF
GREAT BARRINGTON,
(BERKSHIRE COUNTY,)
MASSACHUSETTS,
BY
CHARLES J. TAYLOR.
" People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors." EDMUND BURKE.
GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS. : CLARK W. BRYAN & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1882.
975 M382 Gat
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Great Barring- ton, and those who may succeed them ;
To those whose dwelling place in time past has been with us ;
To all who look back to the town as the place of their nativity, or whose early associations are connected with it;
And to the descendants of the pioneers who founded the town and its institutions, this volume is re- spectfully dedicated.
CHAS. J. TAYLOR.
21417
PREFACE.
This volume of Great Barrington History is the re- sult of researches begun long ago, and continued at intervals of leisure through many years. These re- searches were undertaken, not with the original inten- tion of gathering material for a town history, but for the gratification of my own personal tastes. My inter- est in the matter was heightened in searching the records of land titles and ancient boundary lines, for business purposes, and the desire to know more of the town and its early dwellers was thereby increased. In process of years, notes, memoranda, and old manu- scripts accumulated to such an extent as to appear to me worthy of preservation ; and these were, eventually, written out in some form of historic order. I then concluded to follow my examinations with greater thoroughness and to write, in part at least, the history of the town, which I did, as leisure permitted, and ar- ranged my gatherings in chapters.
The work had thus far progressed, when Clark W. Bryan, having purchased The Berkshire Courier, ap- plied for permission to print, in that journal, what had then been written, and accordingly did print, in short weekly articles, most of the matter which was then pre- pared. The publications in The Courier, beginning
vi
PREFACE.
on the first day of January, 1879, extended over a period of fourteen months.
For the purpose of encouraging the publication of the History in book form, the Town at its adjourned annual meeting, April 2d, 1881, on the motion of Mer- ritt I. Wheeler, Esq., voted "That a committee of three be appointed and authorized to procure the writing and publishing, for the use of the town, fifty copies of a Town History, and that a sum not exceeding seven hundred and fifty dollars be raised and appropriated for that purpose ;" and Clark W. Bryan, J. Milton Mackie and Justin Dewey were appointed as such com- mittee. This action of the town was taken under an article in the warrant, inserted without consultation with or the previous knowledge of the writer. I then revised and corrected that portion of the History which had been printed, and added to it much new material. The result is this publication.
In the preparation of the History, I have made ex- amination-more or less extended-of the town records of Great Barrington and Sheffield; the Proprietary records of the Upper and Lower Housatonic Town- ships ; the records of the Registries of Deeds at Great Barrington, Pittsfield and Springfield ; the records of the County and Probate Courts at Pittsfield ; and the records and archives in the office of the Secretary of State at Boston. Much material has been gathered from ancient manuscripts and books of accounts in my own possession or which have been furnished me by my townsmen. I have also received valuable assist- ance from others, to all of whom I wish here to express my thanks. I am particularly obligated to Isaac See- ley, Esq.,-Town Clerk and Register of Deeds-for many acts of courtesy in facilitating the examination of the records in his office ; to Merrit I. Wheeler, Esq.,
vii
PREFACE.
for the manuscripts and account books of his grand- father,-Capt. Truman Wheeler-the Town Treasurer and Muster Master in the Revolutionary period ; and to Mrs. Caleb B. Culver, for a copy of the diary of Rev. Samuel Hopkins. From Henry W. Taft, Esq., of Pittsfield, I have received many kind attentions, copies of records, and of interesting papers from the files of the County Court. Henry Holland, Esq., of West- field, has assisted with much genealogical information of the early settlers from that town; and Isaac Hunt- ting, Esq., of Pine Plains, N. Y., has contributed many items of Indian lore and history. The Rev. George Mure Smith, formerly of Lenox, now of Edinburgh, Scotland, has rendered valuable aid in notes gathered at the offices of the Secretary of State, both in Boston and Albany. Frank L. Pope, Esq., of Elizabeth, New Jersey-a native of Great Barrington-has taken a great interest in the preparation of this history, and has rendered very material assistance by furnishing abstracts from the state archives and from rare publi- cations, but above all in compiling and drawing, from data gathered by himself, the map which accompanies this work. In the map, the ancient boundary lines of the Upper and Lower Townships and of the Indian Town are delineated from original plats and from the records of early surveys ; the geographical features are from Walling's map of the state; the old roads laid down and some of the town lines are from a very well executed-though long forgotten-map of Great Barrington, made by David Fairchild in 1794, which Mr. Pope discovered in the office of the Secretary of State.
C. J. T.
GREAT BARRINGTON, March, 1882.
NOTE.
The reference, "VIII," on the map, "The North Parish of Sheffield set off to Great Barrington, 1761," requires a word of explanation. The North Parish, instituted in 1743, embraced the whole of the territory which was, in 1761, incorporated as Great Barrington. The tract "VIII," is that part of the Lower Township or the original town of Sheffield, which was included in "the North Parish at its formation, and later in Great Barrington. The territorial changes are fully explained in Chapter IX of this Zhistory.
1
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Westenhook, or the Patent of Westenhook,
CHAPTER II.
Talcot's Fight-The Housatonic River-Derivation of its 8: Name,
CHAPTER III.
The Upper and Lower Housatonic Townships,-1722-1733. 14
CHAPTER IV.
24
The Upper Township, -1722-1742,
CHAPTER V. 37
Geographical and Topographical,
CHAPTER VI.
50
Aboriginal Irhabitants-The Housatonic Indians,
CHAPTER VII. 55
The Indian Mission, -1734-1736,
CHAPTER VIII.
The Indian Reservation and Indian Claims, 69'
xii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
Great Barrington as the North Parish of Sheffield, - 1742-1761, 77
CHAPTER X.
Early Settlers-Their Families and Locations, -1726-1743, 101
CHAPTER XI.
Alarms of the French and Indian Wars, -1744-8-1753-60, 135
CHAPTER XII.
Great Barrington as the North Parish of Sheffield, - 1743-1761, 144
CHAPTER XIII.
Great Barrington-Derivation of the Name of the Town- Towu Organization-Early Town Meetings, -1761-1770, 166
CHAPTER XIV.
Water Power and Israel Dewey's Mills, -1762-1791, 178
CHAPTER XV.
Religious Dissensions-Quarrels over the Minister's Salary, -1757-1769, 184
CHAPTER XVI.
"The Organization of the Episcopal Church-The Erection of the Church-Rev. Gideon Bostwick, -1760-1793, 196
CHAPTER XVII.
Changes and Improvements-New Inhabitants and New Lo- cations, -1761-1776, 208
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Revolutionary Period, -1768-1783. 225
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER XIX.
Great Barrington the Shire Town of the County, -1761- 1787, 279
CHAPTER XX.
Constitutional and Political,-1774-1780. 299
CHAPTER XXI.
Incidents of the Shays Rebellion, -1786-7, 304
CHAPTER XXII.
Support of Preaching-Formation of Religious Societies, - 1769-1800. 320
CHAPTER XXIII.
New Families and New Locations-Old Roads and Old In- habitants, -- 1780-1800. 328
CHAPTER XXIV.
Early School Houses-Support of Schools-Formation of School Districts-Select Schools-High School, 347
CHAPTER XXV.
Early Industries-Merchants-The Post Office-Stages -- Taverns-Magistrates-Lawyers and other Notables, 356.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Days of Recreation-Militia -- Changes in Inhabitants-Poli- tics-Lieutenant George Wainwright-William Phillips, 374
CHAPTER XXVII.
Churches, Religious Denominations, and Cemeteries, 384
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Improvement of Water Power below the Great Bridge-The Kellogg Mill-The Leavenworth Marble Works-The Seekonk Distillery, 398
.xiv
CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIX.
Improvements at Van Deusenville,
408
CHAPTER XXX.
Housatonic and its Industries. 415
CHAPTER XXXI.
Town and Village Improvements and Institutions. 424
CHAPTER XXXII.
Great Barrington in the War of the Rebellion, 443
Roll of Soldiers, 471
Appendix, 488
Index, 495
HISTORY
-OF
GREAT BARRINGTON.
CHAPTER I.
WESTENHOOK, OR THE PATENT OF WESTENHOOK.
It is well known that the province of New York originally claimed all that part of Massachusetts which lies west of the Connecticut river, including the whole of Berkshire and a large part of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties, and that the divisional line be- tween the two provinces was long a subject of con- troversy between their respective governments. But, whilst New York-not without apparent good reason -insisted upon the Connecticut river as her eastern boundary, she neglected to extend her settlements east of the Taghkanick mountains, and Massachusetts by occupancy obtained possession, and eventually estab- lished her right to the disputed territory. This divi- sional line, after long and vexatious quarrels, some- times resulting in bloodshed, was finally agreed upon, in 1773, and temporarily established at a general dis- tance of about twenty miles east of the Hudson river, but was not permanently settled until 1787.
What little is preserved of the history of Berkshire, previous to its occupancy by Massachusetts settlers, is of New York origin and of an earlier date than the .. boundary disputes. In early records and documents, as well as in later historical works, we find occasional mention of the name of "Westenhook," applied to a tract of country lying west of Sheffield and Great Bar- rington, now a part of Mount Washington and Egre-
1
2
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
mont, and we sometimes meet with vague intimations that this tract extended eastward as far as the Housa- tonic river. But the fact seems to have been generally overlooked, that Westenhook, or the Patent of West- enhook, embraced a much larger area and included a very large portion of the Housatonic valley in Berk- shire county. The original history of Westenhook is briefly this : Forty years before the commencement of settlements in Southern Berkshire, Peter Schuyler and Derrick Wessells were engaged in the Indian trade at Albany. Both were members of his " Majesties Coun- cil," were familiar with the natives who resorted to Albany to barter their furs, and were interested in obtaining lands from the Indians, at small cost. To these men, with others, the Patent of Westenhook was granted, in 1705. This patent is based upon deeds given by the Indians-the record of some of which we have seen-the earliest in 1685, others in 1703 and 1704.
The petition for the patent, dated July 11th, 1705, and signed by Peter Schuyler, in behalf of himself Derrick Wessells and Company, is preserved in the office of the Secretary of Stateat Albany-(Land Papers, Volume 4, page 54.) It recites that the petitioners had, several years before. advanced money and goods to the Indian proprietors of land on a creek called Westen- hook, describes the boundaries of the two upper tracts, nearly as they are written in the patent, and states that the Indians mortgaged the premises to the petitioners ; that they had made further advancements of money and goods to the Indians and had purchased the lands of them on the first and second of October 1703; that, the Indians being unable to pay the sums previously advanced, or to obtain the money and goods which they wanted from any other party, the petitioners had " con descended" to make these further advancements and take deeds of the lands. A warrant for the patent was granted and signed by Cornbury, the governor, Septem- ber 29th, 1705,-(Land Papers, Volume 4, page 151.) On the 6th March, 1705, the governor, Edward Vis- count Cornbury, granted and issued a patent for these lands, to Peter Schuyler, Derrick Wessells, Jno. Abeel, John Janse Bleecker, Ebenezar Willson, Peter Fauco-
3
PATENT OF WESTENHOOK.
nier, Doctor Daniel Cox, Thomas Wenham and Henry Smith. The grant, under this patent covers four large tracts of land extending northerly, along the Housa- tonic river from a point below Canaan Falls.
The boundaries and descriptions,-probably the same as given in the original Indian deeds,-are very obscure, but sufficiently definite to show that the patent included a large part of Berkshire and extended southerly into Connecticut. We recite from the origi- nal patent, on record in the office of the Secretary of State at Albany.
The first or most southerly tract, on both sides of the river, bounded south on the land of Mach-ah-te- hank, below Canaan Falls, and is described as lying on both sides of a creek "called Westenhook, beginning southerly below a great fall of water called by the natives Pow-eck-tuck, (1) and so running up northerly, on both sides of the said creek, (to wit) on ye west side as far as ye flatt land belonging to an Indian called Tan-as-ke-neck ;" and on the east side it extended "northerly to a Creek or Kill that comes out of the woods called Wata-pick-aak." (2) Within this tract, on the west side of the river, were four "flatts or plaines" the most southerly of which-"next to the falls"-was called He-nach-ke-kan-tick, the second Ac-kac-kanick, the third Awaan-banis, the fourth and most northerly Taa-shamonick. On the east side of the river were also four flats ; that next the falls is described as a "Great
Flatt or Plaine and the southermost side thereof called Pac-ack-cock, (3) and the north end So-qua-wen;" the other flats are respectively designated Nan-an-ack-quack, Tasham, and Mach-em-ned-a-kake. The whole of this tract extended "into the woods, from both sides of the creek, eastward and westward to the high hills as far as the said owners' property reaches." This tract ap- pears to be mostly within the towns of Salisbury and Canaan.
(1) Pow-eck-tuck -- Canaan Falls.
(2) Wa-ta-pick-aak : this stream is supposed to be the Kon- kapot brook in Sheffield, the uame applied to the tract, not to the stream.
(3) Pac-ack-cock-properly, Pack-ack-gook-Snakes on a rock.
4
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
The second tract, which contained two flats or plains, lay entirely on the west side of the river, having the river for its eastern boundary and extending west- ward on to the Taghkanick mountain ; it is thus des- cribed-" Situate lying and being on the west side of ye said creek called Westenhook, butting on the south side of ye flatt or plain called Tas-ham-ick, formerly be- longing to Nishotowa, Anaanpacke & Ottonowa, con- sisting of 2 flatts or plains, the first or southermost plaine called Machaakquichkake, and the second or northermost called Kaphack, and so to an Indian bury- ing place hard by the said latter plaine, which is the northermost bounds, and soe, keeping the same breadth, into ye woods westerly as far as the land belonging to an Indian called Testamashatt, bearing near the land called Tachancke." (1)
The third tract is described as "beginning at ye aforesaid Indian burying place hard by Kaphack, and so running up northerly on both sides the said creek, to a fall or rift in the said creek, called by the Indians Sasigtonack, into the woods, westerly to the bounds of Kinderhook and Pathook, (2) and eastward into the woods four English miles."
The fourth tract began at "the said fall or rift in the said creek, called by the Indians Sasigtonack, and so running up northerly on both sides of the said creek, to another rift, called by the Indians Packwake, into the woods westerly to ye bounds of the Mannor of Ranslaerwick and Kinderhook, and eastward into the woods four English miles."
This, then was the patent of Westenhook, reaching from a point below Canaan Falls many miles north- ward; in its southern part extending to the mountains
(1) Tachancke-Taghkanick. The Indians, Nishotowa and Testamashatt, above named, both appear as grantors in the conveyance of the tract known as Taghkanick to Robert Living- ston in 1685. (Doc. Hist. N. Y. vol. 3, page 371.) The burial place above mentioned is supposed to be that mentioned by Mr. Bradford, in History of Berkshire, in quite the north part of Sheffield, though it may have been further south and west.
(2) Pathook, sometimes written Pattkook, appears to have belonged to Killian Van Rensselaer and to have been located east of Claverack and south of Kinderhook.
5
PATENT OF WESTENHOOK.
on both sides of the river ; in Sheffield bounding east on the river and running west on to Mount Washing- ton ; to the north of Sheffield including four miles east of the river and stretching westward to Rensselaerwyck and Kinderhook. Its northern boundary, as described, the rift called Pack-wack-e ( Pack-a-wack-ne-where a stream runs between high rocks) is evidently the fall at Glendale. or the limestone gorge just above, and the intermediate fall "Sasigtonack" (Sah-seeg-ton-ock, -water splashing over rocks,) we have no doubt is the fall at the north end of Great Barrington village. But the fall at Glendale was not, in fact, the northern limit of Westenhook, nor was it so understood by the pro- prietors.
In one of the deeds on which the patent was found- ed, Sank-hank, Cag-kan-is-seek, and Walleeg-na-week -for the value of sixty beaver skins-conveyed-Sep- tember 3d, 1704-to Peter Schuyler, John Johnson Bleeker, and John Abeel, land on "a certain creek called Westenhook, beginning from a fall or rift in the said creek, by the Indians called Sasig-tan-ock, and so runs up northerly on both sides of the said creek to another rift on the said creek, called by the Indians Pack-was-che, (Pack-wack-e) from thence up along said creek on both sides until you come to ye places by the Indians called Squog-kan-e-kan-eek and Kapakagh, into ye woods eastward ye whole length of ye land bounds, four English miles deep, and westward by ye bounds of Kinderhook, and ye Colony of Renselaerwyck, contain- ing ye same breadth to the said places called Squog- kan-e-kan-eek and Kap-a-kagh." Westenhook, as we believe, extended a very considerable distance north of Glendale.
In 1774, a plan of subdivisions of part of the Wes- tenhook patent was recorded in the office of the Secre- tary of State at Albany-(Land Papers, Vol. 34, page 75) from which it appears that the patent was then claimed to extend as far north as the North Mountain, -west of Lanesboro. As further evidence of the ex- tent of this patent we cite the letter of Lieut. Gov. De- Lancey to Gov. Shirley, February 17, 1755, relative to the disputed boundary between New York and Massa-
6
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
chusetts, in which the writer states that the proposed temporary line "the west side of Housatanik River to 100 yards west of Fort Massachusetts "leaves to Massa- chusetts one-third of Westenhook Patent." Whatever its northern boundary; it is evident that this patent covered a very large part of the towns of Sheffield, Great Barrington, Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, Mount Washington, Egremont, and Alford, and that the purchase made from the Indians, in 1724, by the Committee for settling the Housatonic townships, was -with the exception of that part of Sheffield lying east of the river-almost entirely within the bounds of Westenhook Patent. By the terms of the grant, the patentees were required-if the same had not already been done-to clear and make improvements upon some part of the lands granted, within the space of six years, and also to pay an annual rent of seven pounds ten shillings, New York currency, to the col- lector of customs in New York.
We have no evidence that the Westenhook propri- etors had made any improvements in the Housatonic valley previous to its occupancy by Massachusetts set- tlers ; but an explanation of the troubles which arose between the earliest settlers of the Housatonic town- ships and the Dutch claimants from the State of New York, is found in the clashing of titles of those holding lands under Massachusetts grants on the one part and under the State of New York or the Westenhook pat- entees on the other.
These troubles, which were rife in 1726-7, and which were of serious importance at the time, are only briefly mentioned, but not explained, in the records of the committee which had charge of the settlements in Sheffield and Great Barrington. We know that the proprietors of Westenhook made grevious complaint, in 1726, of the occupancy of their lands by Massachu- setts men, and that in one instance at least, one of the early settlers was arrested, and incarcerated at Albany as a trespasser upon Westenhook lands. The Letters Patent of this tract called Westenhook, granted under the seal of the Province of New York by "our Right Trusty and well beloved Cousin Edward Viscount
7
PATENT OF WESTENHOOK,
Cornbury, Captain Gen'll and Governour in Chief in and over our said Province of New York and Territoryes Depending thereon in America and Vice Admirall of the same, &c.," are recorded in the office of the Secre- tary of State, at Albany, in Book No. 7 of patents, page 290. For the discovery of the record of this Patent we are indebted to the Rev. George Mure Smith, for- merly pastor of the Congregational church at Lenox, now of Edinburgh, Scotland.
This tract of country, wild, forbidding, and desti- tute of roads other than the Indian trail, though it lay in the direct route,-via Springfield, Westfield and Kinderhook,-between Boston and Albany, and was occasionally traversed by bodies of soldiery in the early wars and by other parties on public business, was better known to the neighboring New York border, whose traders were accustomed to visit it for the pur- pose of traffic with the Indians, than to the more re- mote inhabitants of Massachusetts. That such traffic was carried on with the Indians by Dutch traders seems to be well authenticated, ; and it is asserted that some Dutchmen were domiciled amongst the Indians when the settlers from Westfield established themselves here ; but we have found no evidence confirming this statement.
CHAPTER II.
TALCOT'S FIGHT .- THE HOUSATONIC RIVER-DERI- VATION OF ITS NAME.
Talcot's fight with the Indians is, we believe, the earliest occurrence connecting this section of country with history. In August 1676 in the closing events of King Phillip's war, Maj. John Talcot, with a body of Connecticut soldiers, and Indians pursued a party of fugitive Indians into this region. and overtaking them on the banks of the Housatonic inflicted severe chas- tisement upon them.
The following narrative of this affair is transcribed from Hoyt's Antiquarian Researches. Major Talcot had taken post at Westfield : "Not long after his ar- rival at that place, the trail of about two hundred In- dians, was discovered in the vicinity, shaping towards the Hudson. Talcot immediately took the trail, and pressed on to overtake the Indians, and on the third day discovered them encamped on the west bank of Housatonic river, in the most perfect security. Being late in the day, he resolved to postpone an attack. until next morning. and drawing back, lay upon his arms in the most profound silence. Towards the dawn of day, forming his troops into two divisions, one to pass the river below the Indians, make a detour. and attack them in their rear, while the other was to approach by a direct route opposite to their camp, and open a fire across the river the moment the attack commenced on the opposite side. The plan was partially frustrated. One of the Indians left the camp in the night, and pro- ceeded down the river for the purpose of taking fish, and as the troops who had crossed the river, as had been ordered, were advancing to the attack, he discov- ered them and gave the usual cry, Awanux. Awanux ! on which he was instantly shot. Talcot, now opposite
9
TALCOT'S FIGHT.
to the Indian camp, hearing the report, instantly poured in a volley, as the Indians were rising from their slum- bers. A complete panic ensued, and they fled in con- fusion into the woods, followed by Talcot, and most who escaped the first fire made good their retreat. The division below was too far distant to share in the victory. Twenty-five Indians were left on the ground, and twenty were made prisoners, and among the former was the Sachem of Quaboag. Talcot lost but one, and he a Mohegan." This account was published in 1824, and a foot note to the foregoing says " this affair took place in the upper part of Sheffield, in Massachusetts, and the spot is still known to the inhabitants."
Hubbard in his narrative of Indian wars-written soon after the occurrence,-locates this fight on the " Ausotunnoog river in the middle way betwixt West- field and the Dutch river and Fort Albany." Mr. Hub- bard says a great party of Indians, judged to be about two hundred, were observed to pass by Westfield, "News thereof being brought to Major Talcot, he with the Soldiers of Connecticut Colony under his command, both English and Indians, pursued after them as far as Ausotunnoog River, (in the middle way betwixt West- field and the Dutch River and Fort Albany,) where he overtook them, and fought with them ; killing and tak- ing prisoners forty five, whereof twenty-five were fight- ing men, without the loss of any one of his company, besides a Mohegin Indian. Many of the rest were sore- ly wounded, as appeared by the dabling of the bushes with blood, as was observed by them that followed them a little furthur." * * " It is written since from Albany that there were sundry lost besides the forty-five forementioned, to the number of three-score in all ; and also that a hundred and twenty of them are now dead of sickness." Mr. Field, in Berkshire History, mentions an opinion that it occurred in Stock- bridge, and cites the fact that Indian bones were found there, in preparing ground for the foundation of a meeting house in 1784, but this cannot be considered good evidence, as similar Indian remains are quite com- mon. Rev. Joseph W. Crossman, in a New Year's dis- course at Salisbury, Conn., in 1803, mentions a similar
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