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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01105 4431
Gc 974.402 W22c
1
5-
HISTORY OF
WARE, MASSACHUSETTS
*
வரிசைக்கும்
வாக்கு
بينيدي
HISTORY
WARE, MASSACHUSETTS
A VIEW OF WARE VILLAGE, MASSACHUSETTS Taken from Prospect Hill near the North- ampton Road. Copyright entered in 1837.
CAMBRIDGE TUE DSLVESSETY DAY
HISTORY
OF
WARE, MASSACHUSETTS
BY
ARTHUR CHASE
CAMBRIDGE THE UNIVERSITY PRESS 1911
Copyright, 1911 BY ARTHUR CHASE
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
-
1127711
TO THE PEOPLE OF WARE
AMONG WHOM I HAVE DWELT FOR SIXTEEN YEARS AS IN A MANOUR OF PEACE
PREFACE
IN the preparation of this history the official sources have been consulted, and documents are quoted verbatim et literatim. The State Archives, the Registries of Deeds, the Probate offices, and the records of the various Courts, have each given their quota of infor- mation concerning the early affairs of the town, as have also the Pro- prietor's Records of the Elbow Tract, and our local Town, Parish and Church records.
Without the invaluable material embodied in the Historical Address of the Hon. William Hyde in 1847, and the equally im- portant investigations published by Mr. Edward H. Gilbert in 1891 in his "Early Grants," it would not have been possible for the present writer to have covered the ground in the time at his command. Being started on the right track by these writers, it has been possible to work intelligently and with little uncertainty. At the same time, the whole ground has been gone over from the beginning, for the writer's own satisfaction, and in order to put what was already clearly enough stated into a larger setting. A great number of minor records, sermons, addresses, and publications of various sorts have been examined, and thanks are due to all who have placed such materials at the disposal of the writer. The ma- terial brought to light suggests the probability that much more, both of value and of interest, is still in existence, and might be col- lected if there were a Historical Society in the town. As for the various Registries and Court Records, they are a mine of wealth almost inexhaustible.
It is not necessary to apologize for the omission of some matters frequently embodied in town histories. The limitations of space make it necessary to set bounds, and on doubtful topics the writer has happily found himself in accord with the judgment of the Committee.
viii
PREFACE
That this book is free from errors is not to be expected. Iner- rancy would place it in a class by itself. But every effort has been made to get at the fact. Traditions, always uncertain, have not been accepted without careful scrutiny, and many have been rejected as incompatible with known facts. It is to be hoped that the classic error regarding the Narragansett Company, so widely copied in early sketches of the town history, may be finally buried.
There has been no attempt at a uniform spelling of proper names, because no such uniformity ever existed.
The book will have served its purpose if it succeeds in stimulating an interest in the past, and in awakening a pride in the best achieve- ments of the present, built upon solid foundations.
ARTHUR CHASE.
WARE, MASSACHUSETTS,
May 22, 1911
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
AT the annual meeting in March, 1909, the town appointed a committee to arrange for an appropriate celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation.
The suggestion was made at that time that the occasion was suitable for the publication of a history of the town. Up to this time the only published matter of such a nature was Hon. William Hyde's " Historical Address," delivered at the dedication of the old town hall in 1847, and Col. E. H. Gilbert's painstaking monograph on the "Early Grants and Incorporation of the Town of Ware," printed in 1891. The necessarily limited scope of these works left open a wide field for the historian with the additional sources of information now available.
The committee was desirous of entrusting the preparation of the history to a resident of the town if possible. They regard them- selves as fortunate in having enlisted the interest of Rev. Arthur Chase, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, to whose hands the work was committed. His historical insight, untiring search for original material, and literary ability have combined to produce a history which we believe will stand as authoritative and which redounds not only to his own credit, but to that of the town.
HENRY K. HYDE, Chairman, EDWARD P. MORSE, Secretary, FREDERICK D. GILMORE, Treasurer, J. H. GRENVILLE GILBERT, JAMES E. CLARK, -
Committee
CONTENTS
PAGE
I TOPOGRAPHY
3
II THE MANOUR OF PEACE
12
III SETTLING ON THE LAND
33
IV THE PARISH
58
V PARISH LIFE AND GROWTH
81
VI SECULAR MATTERS
113
VII THE COLONIAL WARS AND THE
REVOLUTION;
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
131
VIII ROADS AND BRIDGES
161
IX LATER RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
177
X THE CIVIL WAR
197
XI MISCELLANEOUS TOWN SUBJECTS
219
XII THE MAP
261
SUMMARY
280
INDEX
281
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
A view of Ware Village, Massachusetts Frontispiece
Original plan of the Read Manour (reduced) . 20
The Manour (reduced). From a survey made in 1769 27 Plan of the Marsh Tract. From a survey made in 1733 41
Plan of Farm of Mr. Samuel Prince. From a survey made in 1714 43
Plan of the Marsh Tract. From a survey made in 1742 49
Town of Ware. From a survey made in April, 1795 54
View of Ware - 1878 . 81
The Meeting-house at the Centre
105
The Rich House
105
Rev. Augustus Brown Reed and his wife, Mrs. Melinda Borden Reed 109
Rev. Ezra Thayer's House 116
The Gould Tavern at Ware Centre 116
The Babcock Tavern
119
Bird's-eye view of Ware 130
The Lafayette Elm .
139
Residence of Samuel Morse 144
The Old Tavern Building 156
The Lamberton House 161
" The Narrows " in Grenville Park
161
View of Ware in 1884 167
The South Street Bridge
174
Plan of land in Ware known as " The Common 176
Mills of Otis Company - 1854
182
Mill and Residence of Charles A. Stevens - 1854
189
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
George H. Gilbert's Woollen Mill - 1854
197
Ware Village - about 1845 219
The Old Stone Grist-mill and Furnace Bridge 226
Phelp's Hotel - 1854
236
The Hampshire Manufacturers' Bank
245
Ware Centre
253
Map of the Town of Ware, showing Original Estates 261
HISTORY OF WARE
HISTORY OF WARE
I
TOPOGRAPHY
THE town of Ware, Massachusetts, lies in the south-east corner of Hampshire County. It is bounded on the north by Enfield and Hardwick, on the east by that section of Hardwick formerly known as the Gore, and by West Brook- field. New Braintree just touches Ware line where the four towns of Hardwick, New Braintree, West Brookfield and Ware come together. Warren borders Ware a few rods on the east and south, covering the south-east corner at the top of Coy's Hill. Southerly the town borders on Palmer, and on the west the Swift River separates it from Belchertown.
The town consists of a series of valleys running north and south with ridges between. The Ware River Valley is on the east side, with Coy's Hill rising from it easterly of the southern portion.
Muddy Brook, flowing out of Hardwick Pond, makes the next valley westward. Through the centre of the town runs Flat Brook, dividing it into two nearly equal parts, while farther to the west is the Beaver Brook Valley. Again low meadow-lands border on the Swift River at the extreme west.
In the north-east corner, between Ware River and Muddy Brook, the land rises to a height of 1000 feet on the southern slopes of McDougal Mountain, and attains the same alti- tude on the top of Coy's Hill east of the river in the south- east corner. Between Muddy Brook and Flat Brook the land reaches a height of 600 feet, and was formerly known as Bond's Hill. Between Flat Brook and Muddy Brook is the Brimstone Hill range, 850 feet high in the north and 500 feet in the south of the town. West of Beaver Brook is the Swift River Hill, which attains a height of 800 feet.
4
HISTORY OF WARE
There are no natural ponds within the town limits. Many artificial ones, however, have been made by dams built in the brooks for the creation of power to run a multitude of small mills. Snow's Pond on Muddy Brook, the pond on Beaver Brook at Pepper's Mills, and Harwood's Pond on Flat Brook are practically all that exist today. The largest pond of the past, and undoubtedly the earliest, was that known as Beaver Lake. The brook was dammed at a point near the Club House soon after the settlement of the town. An important pond industrially was the one on Flat Brook at Ware Centre.
Besides the more important water-courses, several others are mentioned in ancient deeds. Penny Brook flows into Beaver Brook just before the latter enters Ware River. Rattlesnake Brook flows down from Rattlesnake Hill into Ware River from the east about a mile north of the village.
THE NAME OF THE TOWN
The town takes its name from the river that crosses its territory. The name of the latter is said by those familiar with Indian lore to be a translation of the name Nenameseck, given to it in primitive times by the aborigines. This word Nenameseck or Nenamesick (for it has a variety of spell- ings) means "fishing basket" or "fishing weir," pronounced ware. The natives applied the name to the places where the weirs were built, while the English used it as the name of the stream. These weirs were set at the foot of the falls, and were employed for capturing the salmon with which the river once abounded. During the season while the salmon were running the Indians congregated at certain points along the stream, building temporary camps, and caught the fish both while ascending and descending. The fish while de- scending were taken in the traps. The weirs were rough walls of stone which formed a substructure for stakes and brush, reaching out from either bank and slightly down stream until they nearly met, and the large coarsely-woven basket was placed at the opening. One famous fishing-spot was at the falls of the river where the mills now stand. The Indians would come from the old Indian village at Brook-
5
TOPOGRAPHY
field by the trail that became later the Bay Path. Their camp was probably just above the river on the east bank. It is said that numerous relics have been found between the river and the Boston and Maine freight- house.
Another Indian trail followed the route of the Boston Post Road, crossing Colonel's Mountain from Warren, and fording the river at the ancient ford-way near the Lam- berton place - now owned by George F. Brown. Indian relics found north of the road on this farm indicate a camp, and a near-by fishing place. It is said that there is no evi- dence of any permanent Indian village within our territory. Such villages were situated in places like Brookfield, where the rich meadows supplied the necessary corn-lands. Tra- dition has it that a left-over family of Indians lived at the foot of Colonel's Mountain, on the east side near the double spring, and that an old Indian known as Big Panther used to come back every year and pitch his wigwam for a month in October near the spring. A big rock on the top of Colonel's Mountain is said to be the one on which signal fires were built in ancient days. Stray Indians doubtless visited the falls of Ware River for many years after the settlers came in 1729. One was known locally as "Hole-in-the-Rock " from the fact that once in former years he was surprised by a hostile party of red men, and escaped them by hiding in a "pot-hole " among the rocks below the falls.
EARLY POLITICAL SITUATION
It should be noted that prior to the year 1742, at which date Ware River Precinct came into existence, the territory of Ware was part of a section of Hampshire County gener- ally known as the Elbow Tract, or The Elbows.
This tract comprised the lands of the present towns of Palmer and Ware, and received its name at an early date from the bends or "elbows " made by the Quabog, and the Ware or Nenameseck rivers which unite to form the Chico- pee. The earliest date of the use of the name "The Elbows" is found in a petition to the General Court in 1731. It is there referred to as "A tract of land called The Elbows,
6
HISTORY OF WARE
lying between Hadley and Brookfield." In the report of the Committee of the General Court, of June 21, 1733,1 the place is called "The Elbow Tract," and as the report of the Committee was accepted by the Court, this became its legal name.
There were other names of a more or less local nature which should receive mention here. It was at first merely "A tract of unappropriated Land of this Province lying between Brookfield and the Equivalent Land."
A deed of 1729, found in the Hampshire County records, calls the place New Marlborough. "James Mackilwean of New Marlborough in the County of Hampshire " etc., and in 1733 Ellinor Mackilwean quitclaims her dower and thirds "to all the lands and premises . . . in New Marl- borough, which New Marlborough is now called and named Kingstown in the County of Hampshire." In the same year, 1733, Mackilwean describes himself as "of Kingsfield so called, formerly a place known as the Elbows."
About 1741-42 Kingsfield was modified to Kingston, and the latter title was quite generally used until another town in Massachusetts was legally endowed with that name.
Another designation still was for a time fastened upon the northern portion of the tract. In 1739 "Samuel Marsh of a place called Muddy Brook " sells to Jeremiah Anderson a tract on the west side of the Ware River and adjoining thereto. Also to Thomas Dunsmore of Ware River land on the west side of Ware River, the bounds of which "begin on Ware River over against an Island called Quabbin, In Brook- field line." In 1741 "Jonathan Rood of a place called Muddy Brook, between Hardwick and the Elbows " transfers to Paul Thurston of Rutland 20 acres "in Muddy Brook aforesaid, lying at the S. W. corner of the 206 acres set out to me as my share in the original grant of sd Muddy Brook land, granted to Thomas Marsh and others." It was bounded on the west by Esq. Read's 10,000 acres, and "south by the Elbows or Kingston so called." In the same year Jonathan Hunt of Northampton sells to the same Paul Thurston 186 acres of "land at a place called Muddy Brook between Kingston and Hardwick."
1 See p. 38.
7
TOPOGRAPHY
Thus we see that the entire Marsh Tract, from the river to the Manour, was known by the name of Muddy Brook. That the name did not survive is due to the fact that this tract became part of the newly formed Precinct of Ware River in the following year, 1742.
Every one of the early grants within our boundaries was made before the setting off of Ware River Precinct, so that all our historic beginnings are bound up with the Elbows.
QUABBIN ISLAND
This is a smooth, level island of some three acres lying in Ware River near where the four towns of Hardwick, New Braintree, West Brookfield and Ware come together. The island was anciently of importance in determining boundary lines, not only of towns, but of private estates. In old deeds farms are described as beginning at a tree or at a heap of stones "Over against an island in the Ware River called Quabbin." The Indian word "Quabbin " is said to signify "green," a most appropriate designation. The name as applied to this island has been lost locally, and the restora- tion is certainly worth while. The boundary stone between Ware and Hardwick stands on Quabbin. The island was part of Sylvester Bowen's farm, and lies just below the log bridge which Bowen built across the river.
MILL-SITES
Saw and grist mills were established at the falls on Ware River soon after 1729 by Jabez Omstead. These are be- lieved to have been the earliest mills within Ware territory.1
An iron furnace, in which the smelting was done with charcoal, was built on the west bank of the river near the Otis Company's dam in the first quarter of the last century. A machine shop was established at the same time near the South Street bridge. The map of 1830 shows the furnace, machine shop, cotton, woollen and grist mills grouped about the falls at the village.
On Muddy Brook stood Judah Marsh's mills, of which
1 See p. 49.
8
HISTORY OF WARE
record is made as early as 1752. They were afterwards known as Harding's Mills. The grist-mill is shown on the map of 1830, and a saw-mill on the same spot is indicated on the map of 1854.
The artificial pond just north of Aspen Grove Cemetery has furnished power for many years. In 1828 a road is laid out from near the East meeting-house past "Greenleaf's works, so called." Two years later the same establishment is referred to as tan works. Greenleaf's Tannery stood at the north of the pond. Stephen P. Bailey ran a grist-mill near the same place before 1850. Snow's Mills have occupied the site for the past sixty years. Marsh's Mills were in 1826 known as Newcome's Mills. The tannery spoken of above must not be confounded with the shop on North Street, sometimes spoken of as Tolman's Tannery, since turned into a tenement block. Tolman's establishment was for finish- ing leather, not for tanning. Work ceased at Tolman's some fifty years ago. Tanning ceased at Greenleaf's works some twenty-five years earlier.
Flat Brook furnished valuable power at many points. A mill stood at the extreme north just below the Hardwick line, and the outlines of the pond and some of the stone foun- dations may still be traced. No record of this mill has been found. It had disappeared before 1840. Some distance below this mill, and far more important, were the two auger shops. The earliest of these was situated at the point where the road crosses the brook at the W. L. Brakenridge place, a little over a mile above the Centre. Melville Snell op- erated the shop, which is shown on the town map of 1830. Later his brother, Deacon Thomas Snell, opened a second shop below the first, on the site of an earlier grist-mill. Both auger shops were operated for a time, but before long the upper one passed into the hands of Capt. Allender Brak- enridge who turned it into a saw-mill. He in turn sold it to Ivory Harwood, who operated it for years. After the manufacture of bits ceased at the lower shop, Harwood moved his saw-mill to the latter site.
W. L. Brakenridge ran a little "coffee-mill" for grind- ing corn on the brook through his place just west of the first auger shop.
9
TOPOGRAPHY
A fulling-mill for homespun linen was situated at the Centre at an early date - probably not less than a hundred years ago. Then a man named Stearns put in a shingle machine. His sons, Alonzo and Isaac, turned it into a wagon factory. They added a saw-mill. Later the property was bought by Julius Cowles, who continued to make wagons, and added a small grist-mill.
A tannery owned by Mr. Gould and operated by a man named Chatman stood a few rods below the road. It had stopped running seventy years ago, though the building was still standing at that time.
At the mouth of Flat Brook John Cummings built a saw- mill before he went to California in 1849. The boys have a swimming-hole there now.
Beaver Brook furnished several mill-sites. Pepper's Mill is comparatively modern. "John Pepper's saw-mill " is first mentioned in 1845.
Saw and grist mills were put up at Beaver Lake very early - probably between 1730 and 1740. The power was employed at various periods until recent times.
A saw-mill once stood farther down Beaver Brook on what is now the Averill place, identified as "Patterson's old Saw Mill," mentioned in a deed of 1782.
On Swift River at "Slab City," afterwards West Ware, there was a saw-mill as early as 1795. It is said to have been still standing sixty years ago.1 Across the river on the Bel- chertown side, a paper-mill stood for many years. This mill was burned about 1866.
In 1883 the West Ware Paper Co. was incorporated, and a mill was built on the east side of the river, but it was unfortunately destroyed by fire in April, 1905. As the mill was not rebuilt, West Ware, once a flourishing little settle- ment, has dwindled away.
BRICK YARDS
In early days brick was made in Ware sufficient for local needs. The Pumping Station grounds furnished clay from which bricks were burned for some of the earlier factory
1 In 1834 mills at this place are spoken of as "Lewis's Mills."
10
HISTORY OF WARE
buildings. Brick used also to be made just below the outlet of Beaver Lake, and it is said that there is still an abund- ance of clay of fair quality in the Beaver Brook Valley. The difficulty of marketing discourages manufacture. A third, known as Lawton's yard, formerly Deacon Hitchcock's yard, was worked for many years back of the brick house on West Street, a mile below the village. The deep red brick of which some of the older parts of the Otis Company's build- ings are constructed was made here. The clay gave out some years ago and the yard was closed.
NENAMESECK SQUARE
A small open space in front of the Otis Company's count- ing room is one end of the land known as "the common," which in 1844 was cut up into building lots. It preserves the ancient Indian name of the place.
COMMON AND TRAINING-GROUND
The only true Common in town is before the church at Ware Centre. This space was used for "trainings " in the old days. Tradition says that great crowds gathered about the common on training days. Ebenezer Nye's tavern was close by, where was sold "rum enough to float a battle-ship."
PARKS
Reservoir Park, at the head of Church Street, is a small public domain overlooking the town. The Pumping Station grounds furnish a ball-field in summer and skating-pond in winter, - both of which are appreciated as places for whole- some recreation.
Grenville Park, established through the munificence of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. G. Gilbert in memory of their son Gren- ville Brown Gilbert in 1907, is the one true park in town. It lies between Church Street and the river, extending from the Otis Company's dam northward nearly a mile. Drive- ways and walks have been built throughout the park, trees and shrubs planted, and the grounds made attractive.
11
TOPOGRAPHY
Tasteful gateways of stone mark the entrances, one on Church Street and the other on Parks Street.
THE LONG SWAMP
A name given in old documents to a tract lying on the very top of Brimstone Hill, also called Long Hill. It was about 400 rods long, north and south, and 80 rods wide.
THE IRISH MEADOW
A tract lying on Beaver Brook, including the artificial pond at Pepper's Mills. Much of it is bog land.
BULLON'S CORNERS
Was a well-known "cross-roads" in old times. It appears to have been the point where the road running west from the meeting-house met the Boston Post Road. The northern fork being discontinued, the "Corners" were lost.
THE BULL'S RUN
The name anciently given to a road in the south-western part of the town. It probably led to the Bull's Ford, a little farther down the river than the ford-way through which the Bay Road passed.
II
THE MANOUR OF PEACE
MUCH the larger portion territorially of the town of Ware was comprised in the estate of John Read, and was named by him the "Manour of Peace."
The circumstances by which John Read gained possession of this great tract of more than 11,000 acres take us back to the original settlement of the country. In 1636, within a year of the building of a fort at Saybrook by the authority of those who held the Connecticut Patent, pioneers from Massachusetts Bay settled at Hartford, Windsor, Wethers- field and Springfield. All of these towns were on doubtful territory. Springfield allied itself for two years with the Colony of Connecticut,1 but at the same time refused to pay taxes for the support of the fort at the mouth of the Connecticut River.
In 1642 Massachusetts had caused the Colony line to be surveyed by Nathaniel Woodward and Solomon Saffery. According to the original patent, the line was to run east and west from a point three miles south of the Charles River. Woodward and Saffery located the eastern starting point, but instead of extending the survey across the country, they sailed around Cape Cod and up the Connecticut 2 to a point they supposed to be in the same latitude with their starting point. No wonder Connecticut refused to acknowl- edge their line!
For more than sixty years the boundary was in dispute. At last, in 1713, Commissioners from the two Colonies met and came to an agreement. They made a report July 13, 1713, which was approved by each Colony in the following year. By the agreement Massachusetts was to retain juris- diction over her old border towns, though they fell to the south of the Colony line.
1 "The Boundary Disputes of Connecticut," by C. W. Bowen.
2 Ibid.
13
THE MANOUR OF PEACE
For this privilege of jurisdiction Massachusetts agreed to compensate Connecticut. For as much territory as Massa- chusetts governed south of the true line, she agreed to give the same amount of territory in unimproved lands to her sister Colony. The equivalent thus granted to Connecti- cut, amounting in round numbers to 106,000 acres, became known as the "Equivalent Lands."
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