USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 1
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UMASS/AMHERST
312066009169730
R
CONNECTGU VALCE
MASSACHUSETTS
WITH ILLUSTRATION
MASSACHUSETTS STATE COLLEGE
ENDES
AS
SACI
VA . 1863 . S
DATE DUE
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY
F 72 C7 H6 v.2 +
CARD
U of Mass/Amherst Library
B
-
.
.
GOIST, DEL.
CONNECTICUT VALLEY, MASSACHUSETTS. LOOKING SOUTH FROM THE POET'S SEAT.
L. H. EVERTS, PUB. PHILA
HISTORY
OF-
THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY
IN MASSACHUSETTS,
WITH
Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
LEOFF
SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
COMPLETE IN TWO VOLUMES.
v VOL. II.
PHILADELPHIA:
LOUIS H. EVERTS.
-1879.
PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA.
'75
Vic
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MASS.
L
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN COUNTIES.
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER PAGE
I .- Civil Organization, Courts, County Com-
missioners, County Buildings, etc ..... 565
II .- Civil List. 568
III .- Franklin District Medical Society.
569
Town Histories.
Greenfield 577
Deerfield 592
Montague 622
Orange. 633
Shelburne
641
Northfield G55
New Salem 665
Conway 672
Sunderland. 680
Bernardston .. 687
Bnckland. 698
Hawley ... 704
Charlemont 708
Whately
721 Leverett 733
Ashfield. 737
Coleraine
746
Leyden.
75-4
Slutesbury 757
Gill
761
Erving 768
Ebenezer Nimş 652 Rowe 771
Joseph W. Gardner
653
Oliver Chapin.
754
Samuel F. Dudley
763
Lorenzo P. Moon
facing
764
=
Leonard Barton
766
767
ILLUSTRATIONS.
The Connecticut Valley, looking south from the "Poet's Seat" (frontispiece) .... facing title.
GREENFIELD.
PAGE
The Mansion-House. .. facing 577
Portrait of Rev. John F. Moors (steel) .. " 588
Peleg Adams 591
DEERFIELD.
Fac-simile of Indian Deed 593
Record of Meeting held Nov. 7, 1673. 596 Residence of IIenry W. Wood .. .facing 600 and Portrait of G. W. Jones .. bet. 600, 601
Portrait of Charles Jones .. .facing 601
Old Indian House and Door, 605
Fac-simile of John Sheldon's Letter, 1705 .... GOG Residence and Portrait of Chas. Hager .. facing 608 Zeri Smith ... bet. 608, 609
of H. C. Haskell " 608, 609
and Portrait of Josiah Fogg .. " 608, 609 of McClallen Brothers. facing 609 Portrait of Elisha Wells 612
Hiram Root. 613
PAGE Portrait and Res. of Chas. E. Williams .. facing 614 of Esther Dickinson .... =
615
Deerfield Academy and Dickinson High School .... =
615
Portrait of George Sheldon (steel) 616
= James Childs .. =
618
George A. Williams. 619
Ceplias Clapp.
G21
MONTAGUE.
Montague Paper-Mills. facing 626
View of Turner's Falls (double page) .. between
626, 627
Russell Cutlery-Works. facing 627
Portrait of Richard N. Oakman (steel) .. " 63]
= R. N. Oakman, Jr. (steel) .... " 632
44 Joseph F. Bartlett ....... between 632, 633
George E. Marshall (steel) ... facing 633
ORANGE.
Residence of J. S. Dewing. facing 638
Stephen French. = 638
PAGE
Gold Medal Sewing-Machine Works .. between
638, 639
Portrait of James H. Waite ...
.... between 038, 639
Levi Kilburn facing
639 Chair-Manufactory of L. Kilburn & Co. 639 44
640
Portrait of Rodney Hunt (steel).
*
= Hon. Andrew J. Clark (steel). 641
John W. Wheeler (steel) ..... 642
Hiram Orcutt. 643
SIIELBURNE.
Portrait of Dr. Charles M. Duncan ....... facing 644
Stephen Fellows .. 645
66
Oscar Bardwell 64G
David Wells
and Residence of N. O. Newhall. 648
= of Daniel R. Bardwell 649
Solomon Smead (steel) =
651
Joseph W. Gardner (stee)) ... 653
Ebenezer Ninis. 653
44 Orsamus O. Bardwell 654
NORTHFIELD.
Portrait of Elijah E. Belding .. facing 66
668
Rev. Alpheus Harding ..
41
G72
Charles B. Merritt
.between 672, 673
Charles Jones.
facing 601
Carlos Batchelder ..
672, 673
Chelsea Cook facing 673
Richard M. Tucker 674
Charles Parsons, Jr. 675
Franklin Pease
676
=
Jabez C. Newhall
677
Clark W. Bardwell
679
Richard Tucker
679
Daniel D. Whitmore facing
680
N. Austin Smith 681
Albert Montague =
683
622
Luther O. Chittenden
=
684
631
Dr. Nathaniel G. Trow
685
=
632
Nabum S. Cutler
690
Imla K. Brown ..
691
Ilon. Ebenezer S. Ilulbert 695
Col. Aretas Ferry 695
Rodney Hunt.
641
. Hon. John H. Sanderson ..
690
Hon. Andrew J. Clark. 641
John W. Wheeler 642
Iliram Orcutt
643
Levi Killorn. 6-43
Charles M. Duncan, M.D. facing
644
Stephen Fellows 645
Oscar Bardwell.
646
Col. David Wells
647
=
Daniel R. Bardwell. 649
Solomon Smead 651
William A. Hatch. facing
735
Calvin W. Shattuck
751
720
Deacon John White.
facing
727
Hon. Josialı Allis
732
Warwick 776 Orsamus O. Bardwell 654
Wendel! 782
Heatlı
786
Monroe. 792
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
PAGE
Peleg Adams ..
591
Rev. John F. Moors.
591
Edwin Cooley
=
Geo. W. Jones.
„between 600, 601
Charles Hager
608
Zeri Smith
between 608, 609
Josiah Fogg.
608, 609
Elisha Wells facing 612
Hiram Root
613
Charles E. Williams
614
66
Mrs. Esther H. Dickinson
615
James Childs .. =
618
George A. Willians
619
Hon. Cephas Clapp.
Hon. George Sheldon.
Richard N. Oakman
R. N. Oakman, Jr.
Joseph F. Bartlett. between 632, 633
George E. Marshall. 633
James H. Waite. between 638, 639
Josiah Trow, M.D facing
702
Roger II. Leavitt,
708
John A. Winslow
709
Orlando B. Potter
712
Samuel Potter .. 713
Phinehas Field, Jr.
Dennis Dickinson
733
Nathan O. Newhall
648
Elijah E. Belding.
.facing
661
Charles Chandler
666
Horace Hnnt.
667
PAGE
Beriah W. Fay ..
facing
621
Hon. Henry W. Cushman. 697
Ezekiel L. Bascom
44
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
NEW SALEM.
l'AGE
Portrait of Charles Chandler.
.facing
666
llorace Hunt. 667
Beriah W. Fay.
668
den
facing
684
Rev. Alpheus Harding.
=
669
New Salem Academy.
670
CONWAY.
Portrait of Edwin Cooley .. .. facing 672
Charles B. Merritt ..... between 672, 673
44 Carlos Ratchelder. = 672, G73
3
Chelsea Cook
.facing 673
Richard MI. Tucker
674
Residence and Portrait of Charles Parsons,
Jr facing 675
Residence and Portrait of Franklin Pease, faciog 676
Residence and Portrait of Jabez C. Newhall, facing G77
Portrait of R. M. Tucker. 678
Views of R. Tucker & Co.'s Mills ... between 678, 679
Portrait of Richard Tucker (steel) ....... facing 679 44 Clark W. Bardwell 679
SUNDERLAND.
Residence and Portrait of D. D. Whitmore, facing 680
Residence and Portrait of N. Austia Smith,
facing 681
PAGE
Residence and Portrait of Albert Montague, facing 683
Residence and Portrait of Luther O. Chitten-
Portrait of Dr. N. G. Trow
685
BERNARDSTON.
Portrait of Nahum S. Cutler. facing 690
Imla K. Brown. 691
Hon. Ebenezer S. Hulbert (steel), between 694, 695
Col. Aretas Ferry (steel) ..... bet. 694, 695
= Hon. John Sanderson (steel) facing G 69G
= Hon. Henry W. Cushman (steel), facing 697
BUCK LAND.
Portrait of Dr. Josiah Trow.
facing
702
Residence of G. K. Ward. 703
HAWLEY.
Residence of W. O. Bassett.
facing 703
CHARLEMONT.
Portraits of Roger H. Leavitt
facing
708
=
Leonard Barton.
766
John A. Winslow 709
Orlando B. Potter.
712
=
Samnel Potter.
713
Phinehas Field
720
WHATELY.
PAGE
Residence of Rufus Dickinson.
facing
726
J. W. Dickinson ..
726
Portrait of Deacon Jolin White.
727
Residence of E. B. Mcclellan
731
Portrait of Hon. Josiah Allis (steel)
732
Dennis Dickinson . 4
733
LEVERETT.
Residence of W. B. Stetson ...
facing
734
Portrait of Wm. A. Hatch
735
COLERAINE.
Portrait of Calvia W. Shattuck. ......... .facing 751
LEYDEN.
Portrait and Residence of Oliver Chapin .. faciog 754
SHUTESBURY.
Portrait of Samuel F. Dudley
763
GILL.
Portrait of Lorenzo P. Munn.
facing
764
Ezekiel L. Bascom
767
ERVING.
Miller's Falls Co.'s Works
facing 768
HAMPDEN COUNTY.
HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
CHAPTER PAGE
1 .- Civil Organization, Courts, County
Buildings, etc .. 794
II .- Hampden Civil List. 800
III .- Benevoleat Religious Associations. 802
IV .- The Medical Profession. 803
Town Histories.
Springfield 814
West Springfield 896
IIolyoke. 015
Westfield 938
Chicopee. 960
Palmier.
984
Brimfield 994
Wilbraham ... 1005
Monson 1015 Ludlow. 1031
Longmeadow 1039
Agawam 1047
Chester.
1054
Wales .. 1065
Blandford 1074
Granville
1082 Southwick 1087
Montgomery. 1093
1096
James P. Ely
906, 907
Homer Ely .faciog 907
Henry A. Phelon. 913
Hearan Day.
914
Col. Edward Parsons 914
Col. Aaron Bagg. 915
Samuel B. Allyn ... .facing 930
Hon. William Whiting. 934
George H. Smith, M.D.
935
James H. Newtoo. 935
Moses Newton 935
John C. Newton. 930
PAGE
Jobu Mulligan.
facing
845
John Goodrich 84G
Horace Jacobs, M.D 847
Samuel Bowles. 860
Dr. J. G. Holland. 863
Hoo. Henry Morris, LL.D
885
Hoa. James M. Thompson 887
Hoo. Willis Phelps
James D. Brewer 888 Jerome Wells. 980
Lewis J. Powers
888
Rev. William Rice, D.D.
889
Orrick H. Greenleaf.
890
Daniel B. Wesson .. 890 Ezekiel Blake 982
George D. Robinson 983
George S. Taylor 983
Seth Rush .between 950, 951
Hiram Harrison facing 954
Orange Chapio. between 980, 981
Charles McClallan (deceased) 980, 981
Alonzo V. Blanchard. facing 992
John H. Woolrich 993
Hon. Joho M. Merrick 1011
Charles H. Merrick. 1026
Joseph L. Reynolds 1029
Dwight W. Ellis. 1029
William N. Flynt. 1030
Cyrus Bell, M.D .facing 1048
Lewis L. Whitman 1049
L. W. Fisk
66
1050
Thaddeus K. De Wolf, M.D.
I063
leman S. Lucas, M.D
1064
Watson E. Boise
facing 1076
Thomas and Henry K. Herrick. = 1077
John Boyle ..
1088
Sardis Gillett ... 1089
Roland Parks 1096
William V. Sessions
=
1109
Sumner Sessions.
PAGE
Joseph C. Parsons. 93+
Edward C. Taft 93"
Dr. James I. O'Connor. 93-
John Delaney 938
Hon. Wm. G. Bates
956
Milton B. Wintoey 958
Henry J. Bush 959
George D. Tucker, M.D. 959
Samuel Alvord, M.D. 980
Samnel Blaisdell, Jr. 987
Emerson Gaylord. 982
Daniel D. Warren ..
891
George R. Dickinson 89]
Alexander Birnie 892
Warren II. Wilkinson 892
Dr. Henry A. Collins. 892
Daniel Hitchcock 893
Milton A. Clyde
893
John B Adams.
893
Hon. Wells South worth
894
Hon. Edward Southworth 895
John II. Southworth. 895 Rufus F. Fay. 1028
Cotton Ely facing 906
Aaron Ashley. between 906, 907
Russell
Holland. I100
Tollaod. 1106
Hampden. 1108 Norman Day
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Dr. James M. Smith.
Elijah Blake. facing 834
805
James E. Russell 842
Philip and Philo F. Wilcox ... between 842, 843
Ilon. Warner C. Sturtevant. facing 843 David and John Ames. 844
-
I108
Col. David Moseley 958 Hon. Chester W. Chapio. 886
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
First Court-House, built in 1722. 700 Second =
= 1821. 797
Hampden County Court-House, erected in 1×74 .. 798
SPRINGFIELD.
Portrait of Dr. James M. Smith (steel) .. facing 805
View of Springfield. $14
(ity Library Building and Court-House 514
Fac-simile of Indian Deed, 1636
Old Pynchon Mansion.
>17
Map of Springfield, 177G.
823
Springfield in 1827.
facing
824
Massasoit Honse (stevl).
825
Hampden Coffee-House.
82
Residence of Col. J. M. Thompson,
facing
$26 Richard F. Hawkins .. $27
J. 11. Southworth
Portraits of T. W. Wason, Geo, C. Fisk, H. S. Hyde (steel) .. .facing
The Wason Railway-Car Works (steel) .. 831
Portrait of D. B. Wesson (>teel) .. $32
Elijah Blake $34
Residence of O. H. Greenleaf ..
×35
=
= the late M. A. Clyde. =
836
George R. Dickinson. >37
= Portrait of Rev. Wm. Rice, D.D (steel) .. 838
Residence of John B. Adams
840
4 the late Daniel Hitchcock 841
Portrait of James E. Russell 842
Portraits of Philip and Philo F. Wilcox,
between
842, 843
Portrait of Ilon. Warner C. Sturtevant .. facing 843 Portrait of David Ames. =
Portrait of John Mulligan. 845
John Goodrich 846 =
Ilorace Jacobs, M.D. 847
Samnel Bowles (steel) =
NHO
Dr. Josiah G. Holland (steel) 863
Springfield Cuion Building.
Portrait of Hon. Henry Morris (steel) ... facing 44 Hon. Chester W. Chapin (steel), facing 886
= Hon. James M. Thompson (steel), facing 887
44 Hon. Willis I'helps (steel) ... “ 888
James D. Brewer (steel) ..... bet. 888, 889
= Lewis J. Powers # ...... facing 889 Orrick II. Greenleaf (steel) .. " 890
Daniel D. Warren (steel) ....... facing $91
44
George R. Dickinson (steel) het. 890, >91
Alexander Birnie facing >92 Warren HI. Wilkinson " bet. 892, 893 Henry A. Collins, M.D. (steel),
bet. 892, 893
Daniel Hitchcock (steel) .... " 892, 833
John B. Adams # 892,893 State Normal School 950
= Milton A. Clyde ..... facing 893 = Hon. Wells Southworth (steel), facing 894
46 Hon. Edward Sonthworth (steel),
between 894, 895
John 11. Southworth (steel) facing 895
Residence of Wells Southworth, New Haven,
Conn facing 896
PAGE
WEST SPRINGFIELD. PAGE
Residence of Joseph Merrick. facing 897 Portrait of Cotton Ely .. 90G
Portrait of Aaron Ashley ..
between 906, 907
= James P. Ely .6 906, 907
Homer Ely
.facing
907
The First Meeting-House
908
Big Elm-Tree.
911
Ancient School-Honse
911
Edson Clark Carriage-Manufactory .. facing 912
Portrait of llenry A. Phelon. 913
Norman Pay. 914
Heman Day. 914
l'ol. Edw'd Parsons (steel) ... facing 914
46
f'ul. Aaron Bagg (steel) ...
915
HOLYOKE.
City Hall
.facing
916
Windsor Hotel
917
Ilolyoke House,
917
Opera-House.
917
Map of Holyoke in 1>27.
facing
Parsons Paper Company Mills.
919
= Finishing-Mills. 919
Valley Paper Company Mills.
Whiting Paper Company Mills Nos, 1 and 2. Holyoke Paper Company Mills, 920
Excelsior Paper-Mills.
02
Newton Paper Company Mills.
Albion Paper Company Mills 922
Wauregan Paper-Mills ..
923
Merrick Thread-Mills
924
Holyoke Machine Company Works ... .. faring 924
Residence of R. P. Crafts. 9:25
Prentiss Wire-Mills ..
926
Springfield Blanket Company Mills 927
Residence of J. F. Allyn
facing
928
Portrait and Residence of S. B. Allyn ...
930
Country-Seat of Timothy Merrick
93]
Connecticut River, looking sonth from Holy-
oke. .. facing 931
Portrait of Hon. William Whiting (steel, facing 934
George HI. Smith, M.D. (steel), between 934, 935
James II. Newton (strel) ..... facing 935 Most, Newton 936
.. John C. Newton (steel) ........ faring 936
J. I. O'Connor, MI. D. (steel ) .. bet. 936, 937
Edward C. Taft (steel) .. between 936, 937 = Joseph C. Parsons (steel) ...... facing 937
46
Jolin Delaney (steel).
938
WESTFIELD.
-
Residence of Henry J. Bush. .. facing 940
the late Col. David Moseley 942
Normal Hall 950
Residence of Henry Pease ...... ... between 950, 951 Portrait and Residence of Seth Bush .. " 950, 951 American Whip Co.'s Manufactory ... .. facing Crane Brothers' Paper-Mills. 951 952
Portrait of Hiram Harrison
facing
954
Residence of L. F. Thayer. 955
Portrait of Hon. William G. Bates.
956
('ol. Pavil Moseley (steel) ... facing 95%
Portrait of Milton B. Whitney (ster]) .. bet. 958, 959
G. G. Tucker, M.D. (steel) ... “ 958, 959 Henry J. Bush (steel) ......... facing 959
CHICOPEE.
Residence of Emerson Gaylord faring 960
John Andriton
The Gaylord Manufacturing Company .. 44
974 Residence of Samuel Blaisdell, Jr .. 975 Portrait of Jerome Wells (steel) 97G
16 Robert E. Bemis " 977
A. C. Woodworth (steel) 978
Saml. Alvord, M.D. (steel) ... 980
Orange ('hapin .......... between 980, 981 Chas. MrClallan, dec'd. 980, 981
Saml. Blaisdell, Jr. (sterl) ... facing 9>1 Emerson Gaylorıl (steel) ...... " 952
Ezekiel Blake (steel) ... between 982, 9×3 Grorge S. Taylor " 982, 983
George D. Robinson (>teel) ... facing 983
PALMER.
Portrait of Alonzo V. Blanchard ..
facing 992
John Il. Woolrich
993
Ridge's l'atent-Food Factory ..
יר
993
WILBRAHAM.
Wesleyan Academy and Boarding-Honse, facing 1010
Portrait and Rrs. of John M. Merrick 44 1011
MONSON.
Portrait of Charles H. Merrick (steel) .. facing 1026 : Rufus F. Fay (steel) 1028
J. L. Reynolds (steel) ...... bet. 1028, 1029 Portrait of Dwight W. Ellis (steel) ...... facing 1029
William N. Flynt (steel). =
1030
LONGMEADOW.
Resilence of F. T. C'ordis .... facing 1043
AGAWAM.
Portrait am] Besidence of Dr. Cyrus Bell .. facing 1048 Portrait of Lewis L. Whitman 1049 Portrait and Residence of L. W. Fisk ... 1050
Worthy Paper Company's Mills, Mitteneagne, facing 1052
Residence of S. B. Johnson, Feeding Hills " 1053
CHESTER.
Hampxien Emery Company's Works ...... facing 1062 Portrait of Dr. Thaddeus K. De Wolf ... . 1063
Dr. Heman S. Lucas (steel) 1064
BLANDFORD.
Portrait of Watson E. Boise.
facing 1076
Portraits of Thus, and Henry K. Herrick 1077
SOUTHWICK.
Portrait and Residence of John Boyle .... facing 1088 Portrait of Sardis Gillett. 1089
RUSSELL.
Portrait of Roland Parks ..
.facing 1096
HAMPDEN.
Portrait and lies. of Summer Sessions .... facing HOS l'ortrait of William V. Sessions. ...... 1109
919
920
83]
018
=
HISTORY
OF
FRANKLIN COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS .*
CHAPTER I.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION-ORGANIC ACT-COURTS AND BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - COUNTY BUILDINGS-TAXATION.
THE act erecting the county of Franklin was approved June 24, 1811, and took effect from and after Dec. 2, 1811.
The petitioners for the new county were Joshua Green, Roger Leavitt, William Taylor, Jonathan McGee, Robert L. McClellen, William Bull, Hezekiah Newcomb, Stephen Web- ster, Gilbert Stacey, Solomon Smead, Elijah Alvord (2d), Epaphras Hoyt, Medad Alexander, Justus Russell, Joseph Metcalf, Clark Stone, Asaph White, Somes Root, Samuel Bardwell, Samuel Rice, Varney Pearce, and Isaac Taylor, who, according to the statement set forth in the petition, were inhabitants of Buckland, Charlemont, Heath, Rowe, Cole- raine, Shelburne, Leyden, Bernardston, Gill, Greenfield, Deerfield, Northfield, Warwick, Orange, Wendell, Mon- tague, New Salem, and the plantation of Erving's Grant.
The reasons set forth for the division of Hampshire County were its great size, the distances from the extremes of the old county to the county-seat, and the consequent expense; the multiplicity of actions and delays of trials. The petition was presented to the General Court on the 28th day of January, 1811.
Remonstrances, adopted in town-meetings, against the di- vision of Hampshire and the organization of Franklin Coun- ties, were sent in by the towns of Northampton, Conway, Hawley, Whately, Leverett, Easthampton, Worthington, Chester, Southampton, Westhampton, Goshen, Williams- burg, Plainfield, Cummington, and Norwich.
A communication from Westfield, favoring the division of llampshire into three counties, was also sent to the Legisla- ture.
The report of the legislative committee in favor of the di- vision was made on the 18th of June, 1811, and on the 19th the Senate and House concurred.
The act establishing the county made Greenfield the county- seat, but it was not allowed to carry off the honor without a long and bitter controversy. The most prominent contestants were the towns of Greenfield and Deerfield. The principal movers in the contest were Richard E. Newcomb, Elijah Al- vord, and George Grinnell on the part of Greenfield, and Epaphras Hoyt, Rufus Saxton, and Pliny Arms on behalf of Deerfield; but the entire county was stirred up, and took an active part in the various movements for one or the other of the principal towns.
In November, 1811, a mass convention was held in Green- field for the purpose of taking action to procure a change in the organic act and have the county-seat removed to Cheap- side (Deerfield) before any public buildings were erected at
Greenfield. With the exception of two, every town in the county was represented in that convention, and there was a great amount of excitement.
The first movement was to draw up and procure signatures to a petition for the annexation of the northern tier of towns in Hampshire County to Franklin County, but while the in- strument was lying on the table awaiting the signatures of delegates-a very few having signed it-it suddenly and mys- teriously disappeared, and was never afterward seen or heard of. But the record of this alleged fraudulent abstraction, to- gether with all other reasons urged for removal to Cheapside, were presented to the Legislature.
A summary of the claims of the rival towns is here pre- sented : For Cheapside, it was claimed that it was the geo- graphical and traveling centre of the county ; that the towns east of the Connecticut and south of the Deerfield Rivers could save toll by leaving their horses and carriages at the bridges and paying toll only as foot-passengers; that the water at Cheapside was excellent, while that at Greenfield was unfit to use; that its proximity to the villages of Deerfield and Greenfield would always prevent exorbitant demands by landlords and boarding-houses; that all kinds of common labor and material were much cheaper; that it was in the midst of excellent pasturage-lands, surrounded by abundant forests for fuel, and contiguous to the best hay-fields in the county, from which Greenfield received its principal supply ; that it was the head of boat-navigation for this part of the country, and portions of Vermont; that it was growing in commercial importance, and was the great outlet for the pro- duce of the farmer, and the place of deposit from which the greater part of the importations of the country were received ; that it was pleasantly situated on the margin of the Deerfield River, overlooking the adjoining meadows; that the people of the south and east portions of the county would be obliged to pass through it to get to Greenfield ; that two responsible gentlemen stood ready to build two taverns the following season, and that every desirable accommodation for courts would soon be furnished, and at a much cheaper rate than in Greenfield, the price of land being as only one to ten; that Cheapside subscriptions in cash, land, and materials exceed those of Greenfield ; that a large majority of the towns, the people, and the valuation of the county favored the change ; that it was in the vicinity of a quarry of excellent stone for building purposes, a running brook, and excellent materials for the manufacture of brick; that it was nearer Erving's Gore,t from which most of the necessary lumber must come for the new buildings; that wood was sixty-seven cents per cord and team-work twenty-five per cent. cheaper than at Greenfield, and board for laborers fifty cents per week cheaper ; and, finally, that a gentleman of undoubted responsibility had offered, in writing, for nineteen hundred dollars of the Cheap- side subscription, to build a court-house as large as the one at
¡ Erected into the town of Erving, April 17, 1838,
* Prepared by Saml. W. Durant.
565
566
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
Northampton, and a tire-proof clerk's office, and turn over the remainder of the subscription to help build the jail.
On behalf of Greenfield it was claimed: First, to be the territorial contre. Second, the traveling centre of the county. Third, that there were few inhabitants at Cheapside,-being only seven houses, and five of those very small, and the other two unsuitable for the accommodation of boarders. Fourth, very desirable accommodations at Greenfield,-twenty well- built, commodious dwellings, and the most considerable place of trade in the county. Fifth, that the town had expended large sums in the construction of roads, bridges, and turn- pikes for the accommodation of the publie; that Greenfield had built most of the Deerfield River bridge at Cheapside, one-half of the Connecticut River bridge at Montague, and one-eighth of the great turnpike to Leominster, which was projected in Greenfield, and cost sixty thousand dollars.
But after all the excitement and the great pressure brought to hear upon the Legislature, the petitions for the removal from Greenfield were rejected, and the place became firmly fixed as the county-seat; though the battle between Green- field and Deerfield was continued in one form or another for sixty years or more. Repeated attempts have been made to procure the annexation of that portion of Deerfield lying north of the Deerfield and east of Green River to the town of Greenfield ; but, notwithstanding the many and cogent rea- sons given for the necessity of such a step, Cheapside still re- mains a territorial part of the old town of Deerfield, though really a suburb of the county-seat.
But the growth of business and population has been wholly with Greenfield, and it now constitutes one of the busiest, as it is one of the most beautiful and wealthy, interior villages of New England, and the grand centre of an assemblage of the finest variety of scenery-rock, hill, mountain, vale, and waterfall-to be found on the continent. A ride of fifteen minutes from the court-house places the tourist in the " Poet's Seat," on the summit of the curious trap ridge which here skirts the " broad Connecticut," and four hundred feet above its sparkling waters, where he may enjoy a scene nowhere surpassed for beauty and variety.
At his feet, hidden away under its great elms, nestles the picturesque and wealthy village of Greenfield; over his left shoulder lies the growing village of Turner's Falls, the coming great city of the valley, enfolded in the grand curves of the Connecticut, with its thundering waterfall and its Indian traditions ; on the east and west rise the majestic mountains ; to the southwest and southeast spread the broad valleys of the Pocomtuck and the Connecticut, with the quaint old village of Deerfield, of historie memories, beneath its wide, umbrageous trees ; the lofty sand rock ridge of Deerfield, and the over- topping heights of Mettawampe in the centre of the picture, and the dim, undulating line of hills and mountains bounding the far horizon. It is a culmination of seenic beauties rarely equaled, and perhaps nowhere surpassed, in America.
Between the date of the incorporation of Franklin County and the building of the court-house, courts were accommodated in the hall of the old Willard tavern, which stood on the north- west corner of Main and Federal Streets, on ground now occu- pied by Hovey's block and the Franklin County National Bank. This tavern was erected by Beriah Willard, and was long a rival of the old Munn tavern, which stood on the oppo- site corner, on ground now occupied by the Mansion House.
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