USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > History of Greenfield : shire town of Franklin county, Massachusetts, Vol. II > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 G837t v.2 1682-1900 1129637
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
M. L. 1000 24
Bertrand Smith's
ACRES of BOOKS CINCINNATI
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 9419
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofgreenfi2168thom
1682
1900
HISTORY
OF
GREENFIELD
SHIRE TOWN OF
FRANKLIN COUNTY
MASSACHUSETTS
(
BY FRANCIS M. THOMPSON
VOL. II
The puir man that has patience to mak' a buik, has some claim to the patience o' him wha only reads it .- ELIOT WARBURTON.
GREENFIELD MASS
1904
Entered according to an act of Congress in the year 1904 by FRANCIS M. THOMPSON, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
GREENFIELD, MASS. PRESS OF T. MOREY & SON.
CHAPTER XLVI
1129637
WHERE PEOPLE LIVED
T IO most people it is interesting when passing an old homestead, to be able to recall something of the history of the place, the names and something of the lives of the people who built and lived in the old houses, what became of them, and who have been the succeeding owners. Accord- ingly, as perfect a sketch of nearly every old homestead as a hasty examination of the records would show, has been pre- pared of those places outside the village, trusting that the result will be of interest to the people.
Jonathan Smead (son of Ebenezer of Deerfield), born in 1707, was one of the earliest settlers on the Green river lands. Undoubtedly he built the house on Irish Plain known as the William Smead place. The house is probably the oldest in town. He married Mehitable, the daughter of John Nims, and had twelve children. In 1770 when his sons, Lemuel and Daniel, became men, he divided his large farm between them, Daniel taking that part now known as the William Smead place and Lemuel what is known as the Frank H. Bal- lou farm, and I conclude the Ballou house was built about this time, for the road across the plain was laid running " to the house of Lemuel Smead " in 1773. What is known as the "Green river road " was not laid until long after, but a road from opposite the Lemuel Smead house ran east, crossing Green river near the present pumping station laid out in 1788. Colonel Asaph Smead, son of Lemuel, resided here until his son Charles took the Mansion House when he went with him,
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1
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SMEAD-BALLOU-STEBBINS
finally going to Brattleboro with his daughter, Mrs. Dickinson. In 1848 the farm was sold to Perley Ballou, the father of Frank H., who came from Marlboro, Vt. Frank H. Ballou now owns and occupies this fine old place. The William Smead place descended to Daniel, the son of Jonathan, then to Captain Seth, son of Daniel, and Seth's son William came into possession by purchasing the rights of the other children and heirs of his father. Here he resided until too infirm to care for it, and January 1, 1900, conveyed the old farm to George O. Gunn.
Jonathan Smead also had an eight acre home lot on the north side of the town street through which Chapman street must now run, but I doubt if he ever resided on it.
Jonathan Smead's nearest neighbor was Samuel Stebbins, who owned a large tract of land at the little hamlet now called " Bassville." He died in 1783, leaving an only son-Samuel -who took the ancestral acres. The son married Aseneth, daughter of Ezekiel Bascom ; he had six sisters : Martha, married Silvanus Allen ; Hannah, James Corse ; Mercy, - Anderson ; Mary, Elijah Smith; Abigail, Simeon Wells ; Dorothy, Quintus Allen ; Martha, daughter of Samuel and Aseneth, married Frederick R. Lyons, and lived on the farm. At one time a good deal of attention was given by these peo- ple to the raising of mules for the West India market. About 1840, portions of this estate came into the hands of Nathan- iel Bass, and other parts were sold to adjoining owners, the large farm being cut up into lots. Since that time the home lot has had many owners, the present one being Fred L. Sessler. He owns a large portion of the old farm, and Henry Maier owns what was known as the Daniel F. Coller place, formerly a part of the Stebbins land. The house was built by John P. Bass.
On the opposite side of Green river, just east of this farm, may be found an old cellar hole, over which once stood a house, occupied at one time by Moses Chandler, the father of
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HINSDALE-THAYER-PARMENTER
Reverend Dr. Chandler. Here Dr. Chandler told me he lived for a few years in his childhood. The buildings have long since disappeared.
The property lying between the east Shelburne and Green river roads, now owned by Mary and Peter Cote, was in 1793 owned by Clement Smith, who at one time kept a store near the Frank S. Kelley place. John Cook in 1809 conveyed it to the town, and until about 1840 it was the home of the town's poor. At one time it was owned by Asa Kellogg and his wife who, after living in wedlock sixty-eight years, both died on the same day.
Captain Thomas Smead married Rebecca, a daughter of Ariel Hinsdale, and lived at the place lately owned by G. Solomon Sage. He was a tanner and shoemaker, and his tan vats can still be discerned in the rear of the Jefford's place. His son Warren succeeded him and at his death his adminis- trator sold the place to Warren's son Thomas. George S. Sage purchased it in 1858, and it is yet occupied by his widow.
The old Thayer tavern stand was owned by Samuel Hins- dale when he died in 1786. The Hinsdale family were great landowners. The home place was that now owned by George E. Spear where Darius Hinsdale lived. Ebenezer Hinsdale sold the old tavern stand to Ebenezer Thayer, in 1836 and Hollister B. Thayer owned it in 1842. It was kept for many years by Henry A. Ewers who had a blacksmith shop near by. Mr. Ewers built the house now the homestead of Henry Briggs. Elijah W. Smith purchased the old tavern stand of Wm. N. Nims in 1858 and some years since conveyed it to his daughter, the wife of representative Frank Gerrett, where Mr. Gerrett now resides.
In 1842 Ebenezer Hinsdale conveyed the old Hinsdale place to Edwin and Julius Smead. Deacon Elias A. Par- menter purchased it in 1849, and after some years' occupation he pulled down the old Hinsdale house and built the one now owned by George E. Spear. George W. Frary owned the
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MERRIAM-NASH-GOODMAN
place for several years, and his heirs sold it to Elijah W. Smith and Mr. Smith conveyed it to Mr. Spear in 1887.
The blacksmith shop lot of O. H. Bass, and the land on which his cottage stands originally belonged to the Hinsdales. Mr. Bass purchased the shop in 1864, and land for his house in 1865. The Ewers blacksmith shop stood where Henry Briggs's house now stands.
The Charles R. Jeffords house was originally Elihu Good- man's blacksmith shop and was moved to its present situation. It was long the home of William Merriam, then of Henry A. Ewers, and since has had many different owners. It has been much improved of late years.
On the east side of the road is the ancient Onissimus Nash place. He was the grandfather of Henry F. Nash, and after the death of his daughters, Miss Cynthia and Mrs. Cutler, it came into the hands of Horace McGee, who did a good work in its restoration. The heirs of Mr. McGee sold it and it has had several owners since, but in 1902 it belonged to J. P. Wheelwright.
Elihu Goodman came from South Hadley to Greenfield before 1789 and purchased the old Wells tavern stand of Reuben, Levi and Simeon Wells. Here he kept a tavern and did his neighbors' blacksmithing. His shop stood in the orchard just north of the present Corbin house. The old tavern sign is in the Pocumtuck Hall. Chester Arms married Rebecca, a daughter of Mr. Goodman, and succeeded to the old home, and their only son Elihu G. Arms inherited the place and continued to reside there until a few years since, when he sold to Gilbert and George C. Corbin, and came to the village to reside with his son-in-law, G. Harry Kaulback.
Nearly opposite the Goodman place stood more than one hundred years ago a house long kept as a tavern stand. The cellar hole can still be discerned. At one time it was kept by E. Browning, the grandfather of Anson Browning, of Green- field. Joel Wells sold it to his son Ephraim in 1809; Ephraim
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SMITH-COLEMAN-ALLEN
died in 1818, his estate being insolvent. Hull Nims owned the property, and Mrs. Wells continued to keep the tavern until it was burned, February 8, 1820. His widow “ Aunt Sally " Wells lived many years, and was well known in Greenfield and Deerfield. The signs of both E. Browning and E. Wells hang in Pocumtuck Hall.
The farm now owned by Frank Kingsley, and well known as the Frederick G. Smith place, was the homestead of Captain Ebenezer Wells, who died in 1787. The buildings here were palisaded during the last French war. Our records do not show how Elihu Lyman came by this property, butin 1818 he con- veyed it to Elisha Root, Esquire, and there for twenty years he was the country justice. Albert H. Nims purchased the farm in 1838 but remained there but a year, when he sold to Dea- con Moses Smith and Asa Kendrick of Heath. Kendrick relinquished his title to Smith, and he and his good wife ended their days upon this place. Their son, Frederick G. Smith, succeeded to the premises, and resided here until within a few years of his death.
Elijah Coleman of the Hadley Coleman family came to Greenfield before 1785 (his wife Tabitha having united with the church that year) and purchased the well known Coleman place in the meadows. Captain Thaddeus Coleman, son of Elijah, succeeded to the farm and the present house was built in 1813. The old house stood until about 1850 when the heirs of Captain Coleman sold this portion of their patrimony to Frank Mather who built the cottage now occupied by Delevan Parmenter. Captain Coleman's son Elijah sold that part of the farm lying north of the Allen brook to Stephen Shepardson and Ellis T. Potter. Both lived and died upon the premises. Since their death the property has passed through several hands and is now owned by Joseph Menard.
Amos Allen was a son of that Edward Allen of Deerfield, innholder, who came to Greenfield about 1738 and built the fortified house where the Hollister house now is. He took
650
SMEAD-WELLS-MATHER
largely of land in the division of the public grants, and Amos, born in 1722, built in 1766 the house now owned by Frank S. Kelley. Amos's son Quintus took the farm and dying in 1826, left it to his son Quintus, formerly president of the Franklin County National Bank, and he lived there until his death. He gave the farm to Fred B. and Frank S. Kelley, sons of his wife, the share of Fred B., deceased, coming to Frank S., who now re- sides upon the premises. Near here, in the years 1800-1807, were two stores, one kept by Clement Smith and one by Daniel Forbes. Also, Samuel Stebbins had a shoe shop here in 1814.
The home place of Henry S. Smead has been in the family for so many years that the time it came to them does not show on our records, which began in 1785. It came to the present owner from his father, the late Sylvanus Smead, and he inherited it from his father Jesse Smead. Jesse and his brother, Colonel Asaph Smead, had it in joint ownership for many years. Seventy-four acres of it came from Hull Nims, and was the old Joel Wells place, on which stood the Ephraim Wells tavern. The cellar of a house built by Nathaniel Bass many years ago can be seen just north of Mr. Smead's resi- dence marked by two butternut trees.
The house now owned by Delevan Parmenter was built by Frank Mather about fifty years ago, and the farm was a por- tion of the Captain Thaddeus Coleman place. Mather sold to Jonathan H. Willard in 1864, Willard to Sebra Matthew- son the same year, and Matthewson to H. O. Rockwood in 1866, and Rockwood to Deacon Elias A. Parmenter, the father of Delavan, the present owner, in 1869. The house now owned by Elwin Potter was built by Henry Handforth about 1854.
The old road leading to Colrain formerly ran out on the Plain road about forty rods north of the Charles T. Nims place, and then turned sharply to the left and ran directly to- wards the Kelley place. Near the corner may be found an old
651
SMITH-NIMS-NASH
cellar hole, where once lived Solomon Dewey, the father of Joel N. Dewey, late of Bernardston.
Elijah Smith was a blacksmith, and the house he occupied stood on the west side of the road, nearly opposite the place built and owned by his son, Colonel Oren Smith, and later the home of his son, Lathrop T. Smith, who sold to Frank Mar- tin, and which has now passed into the hands of Louis Clou- tier. The old blacksmith shop stood on the east side of the road where the recently burned buildings were.
The place now owned by Charles T. Nims was built by his grandfather, Hull Nims, about 1824, for his son, Thomas Nims, the father of Charles T., and has been in the family ever since. The small house near by, recently the home of Ralph Wells, a brother of Mrs. Thomas Nims, was built about 1848. The place now owned by Jonathan E. Nash, and formerly by his brother, the late Edmund Q. Nash, was owned by their father, Quartus Nash. In 1731 Pliny Martindale leased from him a small piece of ground on the north side of the road, near the watering trough, and built a distillery there. He raised wormwood and distilled the oil there. He was the father of Mrs. S. O. Lamb. Quartus Nash's brother, Tubal Nash, was a blacksmith, and had a shop on the east side of the road, about fifteen rods south of where the road leading to the meet- inghouse commences. Nearly opposite his shop stood the original Daniel Nash house, which was probably one of the first built in the meadows. This old house was occupied for many years by Wyram Hitchcock, was demolished about 1856 and a small cottage built in its place by the late E. Q. Nash. Directly west of the Hitchcock house toward the foot of the mountain, at the end of the lane leading to it, were the farm buildings of Aaron Field Wells, born in 1767, and who died in 1826. His son, Luther, once owned the farm near Charles W. Smeads, now owned by Rollin Bassett. Another son, William R., was for many years chorister at the North meet- inghouse. Still another son, Edward Hubbard Wells, was the
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WELLS-NIMS-ROGERS
father of William Willson Wells of Franklin street. Aaron Field Wells was son of Joseph Wells, born in 1731, and a brother of Captain "Grip." They were early settlers in town. Wm. R., who took the old homestead, sold out in 1849 and went to Wisconsin. Lucius Nims purchased the buildings and meadow land, and sold in 1862 to Lydia M. Clark. Mrs. Clark deeded to Edward Thayer in 1870, who owned it at his decease. Sarah Simonds purchased it in 1875 and the build- ings were pulled down, and an old home was blotted out. The house now owned by John W. Handforth, long the home of Albert H. Nims on the east side of the Colrain road, was built by Hull Nims about 1839 for his son Albert. William N. Nims, son of Albert, took the place after his father's death, but soon sold it and it has been owned by E. Q. Nash, Frank J. Pratt, Lucius Nims and Lucius Nims, Jr., who sold it to Mr. Handforth.
John Nims, son of Godfrey, of Deerfield, took largely of the Green river lands when they were parcelled out among the " Proprietors." John married Elizabeth, the only daughter of Jeremiah Hull, to whom was assigned home lot No. 6, where the First Baptist church now stands. John never settled in Greenfield, but his son Thomas succeeded to the Hull place, and after the Indian wars built a house on his meadow farm about two miles north of the town street on the Colrain road. A large barn was moved from the Hull place to this farm, the frame of which is still standing. Hull, the only son of Thomas, inherited the farm. The original house was burned in 1810, and the present one built by Hull Nims the same year upon the old foundations. Lucius Nims, son of Hull, succeeded to the premises and it was his home all his life. He died in 1879, and the farm passed out of the family to Deacon D. C. Rog- ers, who occupied it until his death. The Lowe Brothers owned it for several years, and it is now in the hands of Alfred W. Powling.
The little house just north was built about 1856 by friends
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ARMS-THAYER-SIMONS
of the Misses Catherine and Sophia Hitchcock, when the old Daniel Nash house, in which they had lived, was demolished.
Ebenezer Arms, son of Daniel, of Deerfield, born January 29, 1720-21, took up his residence in Greenfield, and built at the place of late known as the John Thayer farm. He owned a large tract of land coming out to the Colrain road. He had three sons, Moses, Ebenezer and Jesse. The latter went to Duxbury, Vermont. The house known now as the Simons place was built for Moses. Ebenezer, Jr., remained on the old homestead. That house was burned in 1812, and the one now owned by Mrs. Day was erected. Moses had two sons, Ira, the benefactor of Shelburne Falls, and Moses, Jr. Ebenezer had three sons, Chester, Ebenezer W., who became a lawyer and settled in Aurora, N. Y., and Roger New- ton, who settled in Philadelphia. Moses, Jr., had two sons, George White, who went west, and Moses. Chester took the old place, and marrying the daughter of Elihu Goodman sold it about 1835 to Ebenezer Thayer, and went to live on the Goodman place. George White Arms had the other place and sold that also to Mr. Thayer. Ebenezer Thayer sold to his son, John Thayer, the Ebenezer Arms place, and it now belongs to his daughter, Mrs. Day. The place on the Colrain road has been owned by Madison Fairbanks, Newell Snow, and by the late David S. Simons, and is still owned by the family of Mr. Simons.
The place now owned by Charles W. Smead was included in the purchase of the Arms properties by Ebenezer Thayer, and by his heirs quitclaimed to John Thayer, who sold it to his brother, William R. Thayer, in 1849. William R. to his brother, Lyman Thayer, in 1857, he building the new house and selling the place to Nathan Henry in 1869. Mr. Henry sold to Charles W. Smead in 1872. The place was occupied at one time by Captain Agrippa Wells, who had a blacksmith shop there; by a Mr. Loveland, Franklin Nash, and perhaps others.
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FOSTER-SMEAD-ALLEN
The farm now the home of Rollin Bassett was owned nearly one hundred and twenty years ago, by Isaac Foster. He was born in 1761, and died of smallpox at Whitehall, N. Y., in 1800. His son Isaac had the farm in 1808. He sold to Oliver Williams of Sunderland that year, who conveyed it to his son, Oliver, in 1809. The younger Williams sold it to Luther Wells in 1818, and his son, the late B. Austin Wells, and the other heirs sold it to Guy C. Munsell, a jeweler. Since that time it has been owned by William Merriam, Deacon Wil- liam Stickney, Fanny Hunt and Judith Stickney, Henry M. Sanderson, John Sanderson, James Doyle, George Pond and Frederic E. Wells, who sold to Rollin Bassett.
Ebenezer Smead, of Deerfield, born in 1675, had a son, Ebenezer, born in 1704, who was one of the first board of select- men of Greenfield, and a leading man in town affairs. He had but one son who lived to man's estate, David, born in 1732. He was the first justice of the peace in town and known as "Squire David." He lived in a house which stood where Madison Woodard now lives, and owned much land in thatvicinity. His sons were Solomon, the first judge of probate of Franklin county ; David, Jr., who kept a shoe store ; Julia, known as " Major Julia," and Benjamin, a printer, who went to Brattleboro. David, Sr., divided up his lands, and the place on the Colrain road became the home of Major Julia Smead, and afterward came to his son, Albert, who was the father of Wm. M. Smead. Solomon had the old homestead, and his daughter Sophia married Robert Wheeler, and it thus became the well known " Wheeler place," now owned by Mr. Woodard. "Squire David " lived on the Coates place which was sold to James Newton, and David, Jr., also lived there.
Among the earliest settlers in Greenfield was John Allen, and he took lands in the first division. He had a son, Eben- ezer, who had a son, Selah, who with his brother Elihu owned the land now known as the George Moore and the J. Warren Potter places. Elihu sold out to Selah and moved to the "Swamp."
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MITCHELL-WHEELER-NEWTON
Selah's sons, David, Ezra and Daniel S., remained on the Shel- burne road. Ezra sold his place to Jonas W. Moore in 1834, and Jonas W. deeded it to his son George, who still resides there. Daniel S. Allen purchased his brother David's interest, and David removed to Silver street. Daniel S. went into in- solvency in 1847, and his farm was sold to Mortimer and J. Warren Potter. J. Warren Potter owned it at the time of his decease and it still remains in the family.
On the opposite side of the Shelburne road lie lands a part of which were laid out to William Mitchell and a part to Benjamin Hastings. In 1793 it belonged to Elijah, son of William, and later to William, the son of Elijah, who was the father of the miller Anson Mitchell whose descendants are still in town. Anson Mitchell conveyed the same to his sister, Content, and she sold it to Daniel D. Kelleher in 1864. William Mitchell and Elijah Mitchell also owned the little place by the brook, which they sold to Wendell T. Davis in 1847 and he to Jesse Edson Thompson, the old printer, in 1849. Mr. Thompson continued to own the premises until his decease, January 27, 1898.
On the east side of the brook and north side of the road, Solomon S. Wheeler built a small house about twenty-five years since.
The old home of Solomon S. Wheeler was at the corner of Shelburne street and the south Shelburne road. The land was conveyed to him in 1840 by his father-in-law Robert Wheeler and he built the house now occupied by Luther C. Pratt, who married the daughter of S. S. Wheeler.
In 1815 Zebina Knight purchased from Alexander Morgan parts of the well known James Newton farm, and established, or succeeded to, a tanning business, the vats and bark houses being in the hollow directly west of the Rugg Manufacturing Co. works. He continued buying land until he owned quite a large tract extending to the seven mile line, and in 1835 sold out to James Newton. His purchase included the Coates
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WOODARD-EDDY-FELTON
and the H. G. Woodard places. Mr. Newton lived at first on the Woodard place, and built the Newton house about 1840. The Coates place, formerly owned by David Smead, David Smead, Jr., Zebina Knight, James Newton, Thomas Nims, John B. Willard, Paul Willard, Edwin Hubbard, Wil- liam R. Thayer and Edwin J. Jones, was deeded by Jones to Charles S. Coates, in 1860, and was owned by him when he died.
Of the Harding G. Woodard place, fourteen acres was deeded by James Newton to Obed Hastings in 1853, and by Hastings to Mortimer Potter. Nine and one half acres was deeded by James Newton to William Wait in 1840, William Wait to Thomas Wait, and by Thomas Wait to Obed Hastings, and Hastings to Mortimer Potter. Potter conveyed the whole to E. J. Jones, Jones to Samuel C. Kelley, the Kelley estate to Leonard Church, Church to Benjamin W. Houghton, and Houghton to Harding G. Woodard.
Alpheus Newton purchased two acres from. Justus Preston in 1826, on which now stands the house he built, and which is still owned by his son.
Moses Eddy, born in 1762, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in North Wisdom, and Deacon Caleb Jones married his daughter Alvira, and became owner of the farm now owned by his son S. Washburn Jones. On this same farm near the Sheldon Brook stood an ancient house occupied for some years by Benjamin H. Jones. This house was taken down several years since. It was the home of one Blackler said to be one of Burgoyne's men, and from him came the name of " Blakeley Hollow." This section came to Greenfield by the annexation of Cheapside.
The Joseph P. Felton place on Music Hill has been in his hands since 1865, he having purchased it from the executor of the will of the late Reverend Amariah Chandler, who ob- tained his title from Anson Mitchell in 1842, Mitchell from Lucius Nims in 1837, Nims from Uriah Martindale in 1834,
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MARTINDALE-WILDER-BULLOCK
Martindale from Daniel Nash in 1828 and Daniel Nash from Zebina Billings in 1811. Zebina seems to have had it from Lemuel Billings in 1801, and Lemuel from George Hawkins in 1788.
Samuel Wilder, a tanner and shoemaker, came down from Shelburne, in 1836, and purchased of Uriah Martindale about seven acres of land, on the east side of the road leading from Nash's mills to Leyden, just north of the mill pond. Mr. Wilder built there the house now owned by John E. Osgood, and in 1838 sold the premises, lately the home of Henry F. Nash, to Franklin Nash, Henry's father, and he built the house which he owned at the time of his decease. On the northwest corner of the Wilder land stood a little house oc- cupied in 1800 by Jabez Frazier, which Mr. Wilder sold in 1838 to James L. Merrill, which he sold to Anson Mitchell, Mitchell to Emory C. and Lucinda Warner in 1846; the Warners bought on two acres on the north from the Martin- dales, and sold to Harris Bartholomew, he to Roswell W. Cook, and Cook to Sylvanus Simonds in 1857. Mr. Simonds conveyed it to his sister, Nancy Simonds, who built the present house, and at her death it came by will to the children of Sylvanus Simonds, the other legatees conveying their inter- est to Carrie W. Simonds, who owns the place at this time.
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