History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts, Part 1

Author: Smith, Edward Church, 1877-
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: [Menasha, Wis.] Priv. Print.
Number of Pages: 738


USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Middlefield, 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 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53



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GENEALOGY COLLECTION


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U ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01114 8985


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MIDDLEFIELD CENTER-1883


A History of the Town of Middlefield, Massachusetts


By EDWARD CHURCH SMITH and PHILIP MACK SMITH with the assistance of THEODORE CLARKE SMITH


PRIVATELY PRINTED 1924


COMPOSED, PRINTED AND BOUND BY The Collegiate Press GEORGE BANTA PUBLISHING COMPANY MENASHA, WISCONSIN


Southern 1250


1193944


To EDWARD PAYSON SMITH,


Distinguished son of Middlefield, Historian of the Middlefield Centennial, whose work gave the incentive to its preparation, this history is dedicated by his sons.


PATRONS


The following persons and organizations, representatives, for the most part, of old Middlefield families, by their generous ma- terial support have made possible the publication of this work.


The Alderman Family


Henry F. Church


Helen M. (Wright) Cook


Amos P. Mack


Elisha H. Mack


Caroline (Church) McElwain


Charles C. McElwain


John Smith McElwain


Reuben F. McElwain


James Newton


William Newton


Agnes (Blush) Pomeroy


Azariah S. Root


Bernard H. Smith


Florence Van Duzer Smith


Gerald B. Smith


Louis C. Smith


Robert M. Smith


Theodore C. Smith


Eliza (Smith) Stanton


The Middlefield Grange


The Middlefield Country Club


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HISTORICAL PREFACE


T HIS study of the origins of the little town of Middlefield, begun as a labor of love, has resulted in an historical in- vestigation which possesses an interest beyond that of family inheritance. It was found that the steps leading to the settlement and the incorporation of the town were all dependent upon the general social movements of the years following the revolution, acting under the conditions imposed by the topog- raphy of the region. As for the subsequent development, dur- ing the nineteenth century, that also was directly controlled by the economic changes in New England, in the erection of mills, the building of railroads, the effects of the Civil War and the later alterations in industry. The value of such a study as the following lies in the minute, careful investigation of the move- ments of population, the shifts in farming interest and the rise and decline of a typical mill-village. At the same time the re- ligious evolution of the hill-town was characteristic of the period in which it was founded, and the men and women who lived among the rounded summits of the Berkshire Hill plateau were absolutely typical of the New England country population of the mid-nineteenth century. Regarded in this light, the history of Middlefield can be considered as a monographic study of a typical hill-community and a contribution to the social history of Massachusetts in a period that has now definitely closed. Only by the minute, laborious investigation of hundreds upon hundreds of ancient deeds, poll lists, town records and letters can this by-gone society be recreated, and the life that once made busy the now deserted farms and fields be recorded for the benefit of the descendants of that rapidly vanishing race of New Englanders.


THEODORE CLARKE .SMITH


Williams College. 1924


AUTHORS' PREFACE


"T 667 O TRAVERSE the wide field with the aid of exist- ing records, and with all the help tradition can afford ; to read between the lines where acts alone appear, till in historical imagination the actors become visible and avow the motives of their deeds ; to harmonize conflicting oral accounts; to give connection, form and proportion to the material gathered ; to place the whole in just perspective, and animate it with warmth and color, so that the past may live again while you. listen -- this is what your centennial orator should do."


This conception of an ideal history of Middlefield, voiced by the late Edward Payson Smith in his historical discourse at the Centennial celebration in 1883 could hardly be disregarded by his sons in their attempt to show in as interesting a manner as possible, how the life of this small hill-town of western Massa- chusetts, under the sway of far-reaching and uncontrollable economic, political and religious forces, has been a real, if not widely-known, portion of American history. As thorough a study of public and family records and historical authorities has been made as circumstances have permitted. The personal remi- niscences of older residents have been gathered in order that the traditions and personalities of former years may enrich the lives of the sons and daughters of Middlefield to-day.


A special stimulus to the preparation of this work was the burning of the Congregational meetinghouse in 1900, when the difficulties encountered in obtaining authentic information re- garding the early history of that ancient structure compelled recognition of the fact that if ever an adequate knowledge of the lives and times of the makers of Middlefield was to be acquired, the treasures in the memories of the older residents must be recorded before they should be lost forever. As a re- sult, an Historical Committee was appointed, under the auspices of the Middlefield Country Club, which, for several years, was engaged in collecting and compiling this information. With singular good fortune the first chairman of this committee was


HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


the beloved son of Middlefield, the late Metcalf John Smith, whose interest in the enterprise and whose knowledge of town affairs and town records, through his public service as town clerk and in other capacities, were of inestimable assistance.


Though the Country Club ceased in a few years to be an active organization, the writers continued to gather the neces- sary material. They are indebted for much of their information to the late Solomon F. Root, E. James Ingham, Oliver Church, Mrs. Charles Wright and Benjamin F. Peirce, and wish to ex- press their thanks for the assistance of Clark B. Wright, John W. Crane, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur D. Pease, Henry S. Pease, Mrs. Daniel Alderman, Mrs. G. E. Cook and others. The Mack Geneal- ogy, compiled by Mrs. Sophia Smith Martin, has been the source of a large amount of genealogical information. For other valued data of early families they acknowledge the help of Henry F. Church, Mrs. Idah Meacham Strobridge, Mrs. Sarah Ingham Bonney, Homer W. Hamilton, Mrs. W. S. Huntington, Miss H. Cerelia Snow, Miss Monemia Meacham, A. Rowley Babcock, Dana W. Robbins, Daniel R. Taylor and others.


The excellent compilation of material for the history of the Congregational Church, made by Rev. William T. Bartley, has lightened their labors considerably. They are indebted to Pro- fessor Herbert A. Youtz, of the Oberlin Graduate School of Re- ligion, for much of the material included in Chapter XIII. They are especially under obligation to Dr. Theodore Clarke Smith, Professor of History in Williams College, for his assis- tance not only in organizing this work, but also for his contribu- tion of Chapters VIII and XI, furnishing an illuminating study of Middlefield buildings as types of the various architectural styles of the past century. Their grateful thanks are also due to Professor Azariah S. Root, of Oberlin College, and to Pro- fessor Gerald Birney Smith, of the University of Chicago, for helpful review of text, and for their suggestions regarding the selection of illustrations and publication of this work.


The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Miss Alice Bertha Church, Miss Florence Van Duzer Smith, Charles


xi


HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


R. Nason, Charles Church McElwain, John Storms, Professor Herbert A. Youtz, Alfred Sumner Crane and many others, in supplying the photographs which, together with the pictures taken by the authors themselves, comprise the illustrations used in this work.


E. C. S. P. M. S.


CONTENTS


CHAPTER I


THE MIDDLEFIELD RIDGE AND THE TWO VALLEYS 1


The Location of Middlefield. Its Streams, Valleys and rugged Hills. Its soil. Industries and Villages.


CHAPTER II


THE MOHICAN HUNTING GROUND


7


The Friendly Mohicans. Driven from the Hudson Valley to Massachusetts. Under the Sway of the Mohawks. River Indians at Stockbridge. Indian Mortar near Middlefield. The "Pontoosne" or West Branch of the Westfield River. The Woronoaks at Westfield. Indian Deeds of Lands. Ill defined boundaries permit Proprietors to Obtain Becket Territory not included in Deed. Indians Object to its Occupation. Claims as far east as Worthington. Indian Deeds Recorded. Watson- town. The Ten Townships. Seventeen hundred Pounds paid to Satisfy Indian Claims.


CHAPTER III


THE MIGRATION TO THE BERKSHIRE HILLS


The Region of Abandoned Farms. The Emigration of 1790- 1830. Prescott's Grant, and the Neighboring Townships. Isolation of Township No. 4. Abandoned in 1746. Indian Ravages during French and Indian War. Flight of Samuel Talyor. No. 4 resettled in 1755. Becket and Washington In- corporated. Sale of Ten Townships in Western Masachusetts. Partridgefield. Worthington. Murrayfield. Prescott's Grant. Boundaries of the Grant. Divisions of the Grant. Move- ments to the Northwest. Scotch-Irish Settlers. Population Overcrowded in Connecticut. Hard Times in New York, Ver- mont and Pennsylvania. Churchill, Rhoads, Dickson, and the Wyoming Valley. Tide of Emigration seeks quiet region of Middlefield. Rapid Settlement between 1780 and 1790. Set- tlers from Connecticut and Massachusetts. Connecticut Men Leaders in Local Affairs. Population at its Maximum in 1800. Emigration to the West during 1790-1830.


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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


CHAPTER IV


THE PIONEERS AND THEIR TRAILS


Early Trail to Pittsfield, Passing Middlefield Center. Squat- ters' Trail. Becket-Worthington Trail. Taggarts first Settlers. Taggartstown. Mann and Washburn. Eggleston, Thompson and John Taylor in Murrayfield Section. Jones, Meeker and Rhoads. Samuel Taylor, Orcott, and Cochran at the Center. Early Law-suits. Coming of David Mack. Josiah Leonard and the First Cemetery. First Highways to the Plateau. Becket Establishes a Road in "North East Corner." Settlers from Hebron on Johnnycake Hill and in Blush Hollow. Need of Through Highways to North and West. The County High- way. Failure of First Attempt to Form New Township. The Eggleston School District. "North East Corner" Residents Prominent in Becket. They Obtain Highways. Highway to Becket Center. First Village at Blossom's Tavern. Settlers in the Becket Section. Settlement along Ridgepole Road and Windsor Street. Settlement Near the Center. Settlers on Prescott's Grant. Suits against Squatters. Need of New Township. Petition of Incorporation. The Incorporation of Middlefield.


28


CHAPTER V


THE HILL-TOWNS IN THE REVOLUTION


51


The Loyalist Proprietors. Flight of the Tories. Experiences of John Chandler. Confiscation of Property of Conspirators. Congress at Stockbridge to Support Eastern Leaders. The Provincial Congress. Protest of Partridgefield Against the War Tax. Demands Upon the Hill-towns. Murrayfield Votes for Independence. Hill-town Vote Causes Northampton Court to be Convened by the Authority of the People. Answering the Lexington Alarm. Enlistment for Service in New York State. Equipment. Rewards and Punishments. Murrayfield Quota. Destitution at Home. Middlefield Representatives. Bennington. Romance at Chester Center. Some Massachusetts and Connecticut Soldiers among later Middlefield Residents.


CHAPTER VI


ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW COMMUNITY AND CHURCH


Early Disagreement Among Settlers. Critical Period in American History. Resolves of Ashfield. Distressing Eco- nomie Conditions. Antagonism Between Eastern and Western Massachusetts. Connecticut Settlers not Particularly Loyal to


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XV


CONTENTS


Government at Boston. Support of Preaching. Compulsion of the Baptists. Temporal Affairs of the Church matters of Town Business. Dissenters. Population made up of Scattered, Unrelated Elements. No Public Lands. No Men of Wealth or Political Influence. The First Town Meeting. Committee Appointed to Find Center of Township. Report Rejected. Second Committee's Report Accepted. First Highways. Formation of Congregational Church. "Different Sentiment in the Matter of Religion." First Preachers. Petition Against Calling Rev. Mr. Thompson. Movement to Establish a Presbyterian Church. Compromises. Shays' Rebellion. Ar- rest of Captain Mack. Insurgents Surrender at Middlefield.


Failure to Call Mr. Robinson. Meetinghouse Site Question again Raised. New Site near Bissell Phelps' House. Vote Reconsidered. Committees of Outsiders Summoned. Activity of the Baptists. Mr. Parker Declines a Call. New Site Proposed. New Crossroad. Three Sites. Site by "Beecli Staddle" Selected. Eastern Faction Appeased by New Cross- road to Blossom Corner.


Building the Meetinghouse. The Baptist Petition. Town Petition for Abatement of Taxes. Baptist Petition Denied. Removal of Certain Baptists. First Town-meeting in the Meetinghouse. Completion of the Struc- ture. Seating the Meetinghouse. Call of Rev. Jonathan Nash. Provisions for Education. Singing Schools. School Districts. Schoolhouses. Conditions in Pioneer Schools. Some Educated Men of Middlefield.


CHAPTER VII


THE PERIOD OF ISOLATED FARMING


Primitive Conditions among Pioneers. Community and Families Dependent upon Themselves for Necessities. Few Inland Manufactories. Industries Carried On by Local Crafts- men and in Farmers' Families. Early Craftsmen in Middle- field. Sawmills. Township well Occupied by Settlers. No Village at the Center. Taverns. Liquors. Taylor's and Blos- som's Taverns. Mack's Tavern. Blush's Tavern at the Center. Oliver Smith, Tavern-keeper. Dickson's Tavern. Serv- ices Rendered Paid for in Work and Produce. Stores Started as Adjuncts to Taverns. Raisings. The Era of Turnpikes. Cost of Improvements brings Failure. The Chester Turnpike. Dalton and Middlefield Turnpike. Rates of Toll. Burden of of Toll Upon Through Traffic. Mack's Store. The Co-opera- tive Store at the Center. Herrick's Fulling Mill. Blush's and Church's Fulling Mills. Demand for Broadcloth. Uriah Church becomes a Manufacturer. Builds New Shop at Blush Hollow. Amasa Blush enlarges his Plant. Soapstone Quarry-


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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


ing at Smith Hollow. War of 1812. Middlefield's Share in the War. Fortunes of the Congregational Church. Position of the Baptists and Methodists. The Baptists Build a Church. The Methodist "Bethel"' in the Den. Emigration to the West. New York. Ohio. The Becket Land Company. Emigration not Detrimental to the Town.


CHAPTER VIII


EARLY FARMHOUSES AND THEIR BUILDERS


114


Pioneers Soon Built Permanent Homes. Hand Methods of Fashioning Lumber. The Raisings. The Permanence of Early Structures. The Builders of Middlefield. Picturesque Settings for Houses. Examples of Single-story Houses. Local Speci- mens of Gambrel-roof Houses. The Two-story Gable House. Hip-roof Houses. The Tavern Type of Construction. Interior Arrangement. The Large Central Chimney. Fire Places. The Two-chimney Style. Some Peculiar Houses. Interior Decora- tion. Houses Built for Defense Against Winter's Cold. Barns and their Location. Paint. The First Meetinghouse. Its Typical Connecticut Style. Interior Plan. The Gallery. The Appearance of Middlefield in Early Days.


CHAPTER LX


FACTORY VILLAGE, THE CENTER AND "THE SWITCH" . ...


The Rise of an Industrial Population. Villages Spring Up under Influence of Trade and Manufacturing. Woolen Busi- ness Hampered by Flood of English Goods. Decline in Sheep Raising. High Tariff Helps the Blush and Church Industries. Middlefield Becomes an Important Wool Growing Section. New Blush Factory. Water Power Facilities. Growth of Factory Village. Factory Workers from the Farms. Increase in Sheep Raising. Station at "The Switch." Separate School District for Factory Village. Church's Lower Mill and Tenements. Mountain Mills Gold Band Cloth Popular in the South. Busy Times During Civil War. New Buildings in Blush Hollow. English, Irish, Germans and French Canadians as Factory Workers. Satisfactory Working Conditions. Growth at The Center. Solomon Root Buys Co-operative Store. Mack Store moved to Center. New Houses at Center. The Button Shop. Stores have Large Trade in Pork and Cheese. The Railroad. Congregational Church Rebuilt. The New Baptist Church. The Methodist Church. The Center School. The Parsonages. "The Switch. "' John Mann's Paper Mill. Firewood and


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xvii


CONTENTS


Charcoal Industries. Half the Population of the Town Living in Villages in 1870.


CHAPTER X


MID-CENTURY MIDDLEFIELD, 1815-1870


161


Demand for Better Thoroughfares. The Pontoosuc Turn- pike. Proposed Route Along Factory Brook. Becket-Wash- ington Route Chosen. Hon. Julius Rockwell's Impressions of Turnpike Scenery. New Highways. Canals Proposed. Rail- road Projects. The Western Railroad. Middlefield Denies Permission to Build Road Along Factory Brook. Difficulties of Construction. Effect of Proximity to the Railroad. Deacon Ingham's Schools for Railroad Workers. Railroad Equipment. Old Becket Road of 1780 Abandoned. Asa Smith's Tavern in Smith Hollow. Postal Facilities. Revival of Soapstone Quarry- ing. Addison Everett's Wooden Bowl Industry. Tanneries. Cattle Raising. The Highland Agricultural Society. First Cattle Show. Gift of Fair Grounds from Matthew Smith. Cattle Show in 1858. Huntington Vainly Opposes Incorpora- tion of the Society at Middlefield. Death of Dr. Church. The Agricultural Hall . Addresses and Social Features. Entertain- ing Guests. Impressions of Experts. High Grade Stock Owned in Middlefield. Horse Racing. Middlefield Proposed as Site for the Agricultural College. The Question of Slavery. Anti-Slavery Movement. The Civil War. War-time Activities in Middlefield. Soldiers. The Sanitary Commission. Fortunes of Church Societies. Political and Religious Factions. New Church Building at the Center. The Methodist Society. Educa- tion. Support of Higher Education for Women. Middlefield Women at Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary. Select Schools. Teachers From Among Middlefield's Sons and Daughters. Mrs. Newton's School for Young Women. Dramatic and Musical Interests.


CHAPTER XI


BUILDING DURING THE INDUSTRIAL PERIOD


Factory Buildings at Blush Hollow. Tenement Houses. The Railroad Station. The Classic Influence. Houses with Gable End toward Road. The Era of Air-tight Stoves. New Interior Arrangement of Rooms. Some Builders Follow Old Styles. Rebuilding of Old Houses. The Story-and-a-half House. Re- building the Congregational Church. "Jim Church's Pepper Box." The Franklin Stowell Spire. The Center Schoolhouse. The Baptist Church. Church Interiors. Everett's Queer House. District Schoolhouses. Coming of French Influence. Houses Built by the Mill Owners.


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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


CHAPTER XII


THE FLOODS AND THE INDUSTRIAL DECLINE


205


Beginning of Industrial Decline. The Freshet of 1835. Flood of 1874. Breaking of the Upper Reservoirs. Warning, Given by Deacon Meacham, Pease, Metcalf and Brown. Damage at the Chamberlain Farm. Damage to Church Bros.' Property. Destruction of Blush's Factory, and West's Gristmill. Loss of Railroad Arch. Damage at "The Switch," Chester and Huntington. The Dam Rebuilt and Business Resumed. The Centennial Celebration. The Officers and Speakers. The Serv- ice of Middlefield to her Sons and Daughters. Effect of Emigration. Hard Times for the Churches. End of the Woollen Industry. The Flood of 1900. Damage at Factory Village, and along the "Switch" Road. Loss of Railroad Arch. Removal of Buildings from Factory Village. Decline in Popula- tion of Middlefield.


CHAPTER XIII


MIDDLEFIELD IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY


Middlefield becomes a strictly agricultural community. Empty houses at the Center in Winter. Decline of Trade. Disappearance of Old Families. Influence of Metcalf J. Smith. Old Family Names still extant. Descendants of Old Families among Summer Residents. New-comers among Prominent Citizens. Changes at the Center. The new Church. Its Architecture. The new Town Hall. The Wayside Lodge. New Summer Houses. The Bungalows. Summer Colony in the Pease District. New Buildings at Blush Hollow. Dwellers at "the Switch." The Middlefield Spirit of Co-operation. Myron L. Crane. Leaders in public affairs and Community Life. Massachusetts' first Woman Selectman. Women of Middlefield. The Union of the Churches. The Pastors. The Library. The Loyal Legion. The Middlefield Progressive Club. The Middle- field Choral Club. The Middlefield Country Cub. Its part in inaugurating the History of Middlefield. The Grange. The Middlefield Cemetery Association. Middlefield in the World War. The Roll of Honor. Activities of the Red Cross. Liberty Loans Oversubscribed. The Middlefield Improvement Association. The State Road. Condition of the Farmer. Hopeful outlook for the Future. The Spirit of Hospitality. The helpful co-operation of Summer Residents.


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CONTENTS


CHAPTER XIV


HISTORY OF THE MIDDLEFIELD CHURCHES


255


The Congregational Church. First Religious Services. Church Incorporated in 1783. Charter Members. Deacons. Installa- tion of Rev. Jonathan Nash. His Character and Service. Increase in Membership. Watch Care and Discipline. Dis- missal of Pastor Nash. His Death. Pastorate of Rev. Samuel Parker. He Resigns to Go with Marcus Whitman to the Oregon Country. Pastorate of Rev. John H. Bisbee. Pastorate of Rev. Edward Clark. The Parsonage. Rebuilding the Church. Pastorate of Rev. Moody Harrington. Pastorate of Rev. Lewis Bridgeman. Resolutions Upon the Death of John Brown. Contributions to Missions. Dismissal of Mr. Bridgeman. The New Parsonage. Pastorate of Rev. John Dodge. Pastorate of Rev. Chas. M. Pierce. Decrease in Church's Income. Various Short Pastorates. Invitation to Baptists to Worship with Con- gregationalists. Pastorate of Rev. Lucien C. Kimball. Gift of the Chapel. Pastorate of Rev. Herbert A. Youtz. Church Burned During Pastorate of Rev. Henry M. Bowden. Rebuild- ing the Church During Pastorate of Rev. Seelye Bryant. Various Short Pastorates. Prominent Church Members. Church Music. Choirs and Musical Instruments. Enoch Dwight Graves.


The Baptist Church. Early Baptist Following. Baptist Church in West Parish of Partridgefield. Middlefield Baptists Build Church in 1817. Constituent Members. Pastorate of Rev. Isaac Child. Paying the Pastor's Salary. The Church and its Services. Pastorate of Rev. Erastus Andrews. Pastor- ate of Rev. Henry Archibald. Rev. Orson Spencer Turns Mormon. Church at Center Built During Pastorate of Rev. Foranda Bestor. The Parsonage. Various Short Pastorates. Increase in Membership. Rev. Joseph M. Rockwood, Last Pastor. His Resignation. Baptist Church Becomes Part of Union Church. Prominent Members.


The Methodist Episcopal Church. Early Class Leaders in the Den. The "Bethel" Built. Large Congregations. Church Moved to Center. Decline of the Denomination. Rev. Alex- ander Dickson. Prominent Members.


CHAPTER XV


MIDDLEFIELD PERSONALITIES AND TRADITIONS


Prominence of David Mack. His Education. His Success as a Merchant. His Thrift. Deacon Newton. The Pease Family. Dan Pease. The Wright Family. Nathan Wright,


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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD


Jr. The Root Family. Daniel Root. Solomon Root. Laura (Mack) Root. Harvey Root. Prominent Families in 1850. Calvin Smith's Large Family. Dwellers in Smith Hollow. Matthew Smith's Family. Matthew Smith, Sth. The McElwain Family. Marvin Robbins. The Church Brothers. The Blush Family. Captain Ambrose Loveland. The Old Hearse. Deacon Leonard, Coffin-maker. Solomon Ingham. Deacon Alexander Ingham. Aunt Priscilla Steward. Deacon Amasa Graves. Dwight Graves, the Musician. Aunt Betty Pinney. Aunt Sally Dickson. Orrin Pease. Wild Animals. John Gordon's Experience. The Raisings. A Race for a Jug. Pinney, Ward and Meacham. Training Days. The Town Poor. Johiny- cake Hill. Factory Village Life. Job Robbins and Captain Brackett. George Suriner's Fright. Daniel Leach. Hiram Leach. Daniel Leach, Jr. Town Politics. Political Factions. Joke on Ambrose Newton. Middlefield's Sons away from Home. Azariah Smith. Recollections of Andrew Dickson White. Successful Business Men. Hamilton Bitters. Tech- nical School Graduates. Samuel Bissell. Teachers in the Smith Family. Azariah Smith's Home Week Poem. Azariah S. Root. Edward King. Middlefield Women of Note. Mrs. Helen (Smith) Warren. Physicians from Middlefield. Dr. Ebenezer Emmons. Dr. Jefferson Church. Dr. Cynthia Smith. Dr. Frank Whittemore. Doctors who practiced in Middlefield. Dr. James U. Church. Dr. Bidwell. Treatment of the Insane. Dr. E. G. Wheeler. Amos W. Cross, Teacher. Poem, The Mid- dlefield Flood.


APPENDIX


A


HISTORY OF PRESCOTT'S GRANT 343


B


DOCUMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD 360


C


DIVISIONS OF LAND IN MIDDLEFIELD 370


D


TOWN OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES 372


E


WAR RECORDS


377


F


ORIGIN OF SETTLERS 387


G


GROWTH AND DECLINE OF POPULATION


395


H


BIBLIOGRAPHY


397


I


NOTES AND GENEALOGIES OF PIONEER FAMILIES 399


INDEX


INDEX OF NAMES 655


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS


PAGE


MIDDLEFIELD CENTER, 1883.


Frontispiece


MAP OF MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP.


xxvi


VALLEY OF FACTORY BROOK FROM DICKSON HILL . . 2


MT. GOBBLE AND WESTFIELD RIVER VALLEY . 5


INDIAN MORTAR, WASHINGTON, MASS. 9




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