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Gc 974.401 H17c v.II 1143080
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01103 8863
Gc 974.4 H17c v.II 11430
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/ourcountyitspeop02cope_0
"Our County and Its People
"
1
Bur County and Its People"
A History of
HAMPDEN COUNTY
Massachusetts
Editor ALFRED MINOT COPELAND
R
IGFIELD
SI
OR
25.1852
OW
A CITY MAY
14.1638. O.S
Volume Two
THE CENTURY MEMORIAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
1902
COPYRIGHTED 1902 BY ALFRED MINOT COPELAND
1143080
To the Memory OF THE LATE
SAMUEL BOWLES (1826-1878)
This volume is respectfully Dedicated
Contents
CHAPTER I
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-The Seat of Justice of Hampden County
1
CHAPTER II
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-(Continued) . 28
CHAPTER III
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-(Continued)
48
CHAPTER IV
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-Municipal History. . . 80
CHAPTER V
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-Educational-The Fire Depart- ment-The City Water Supply-The Almshouse-The City Parks -Libraries - The Post-Office-Cemeteries-Hospitals- Public Institutions 113
CHAPTER VI
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-The Board of Trade-Banking and Financial-Insurance Companies-Street Railway System -Mercantile and Manufacturing. 217
CHAPTER VII
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-Churches. 281
xii . CONTENTS CHAPTER VIII
TOWN OF WESTFIELD 317
CHAPTER IX
TOWN OF BRIMFIELD 456:
CHAPTER X
TOWN OF BLANDFORD 482
.
Illustrations
WILLIAM PYNCHON, PORTRAIT. 7
DEA. SAMUEL CHAPIN STATUE. 12
MILES MORGAN STATUE 16
THE OLD ELY "ORDINARY". 23
PARK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 27
ST. PAUL'S UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. 35
THE OLD PARSONS TAVERN. 43
OLD LOMBARD HOUSE. 49
OLD-TIME VIEW OF MAIN STREET. 53
ST. LUKE'S M. E. CHURCH. 61
MEMORIAL CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD 69
ELM STREET SCHOOL. 75
CALEB RICE, PORTRAIT.
84
THE HOOKER SCHOOL
88
GRACE M. E. CHURCH.
97
OLD UNITARIAN CHURCH. 109
OLD ACADEMIC HIGH SCHOOL. 119
CHARLES BARROWS, PORTRAIT 123
ADMIRAL P. STONE, PORTRAIT. 126
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. 128
WORTHINGTON STREET SCHOOL 132
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH. 140
OAK STREET SCHOOL 158
WINCHESTER PARK AND BUCKINGHAM SCHOOL. 163
THE PAVILION AT FOREST PARK ENTRANCE. 165
DR. WILLIAM RICE, PORTRAIT. 173
CITY LIBRARY AND ART MUSEUM. 176
OLD BUILDING ON POSTOFFICE SITE. 185
U. S. CUSTOM HOUSE AND POSTOFFICE. 194
ENTRANCE TO SPRINGFIELD CEMETERY 198
ENTRANCE TO OAK GROVE CEMETERY. 200
xiv
ILLUSTRATIONS
PYNCHON STREET SCHOOL. 208
CHESTER W. CHAPIN, PORTRAIT 232
HENRY S. LEE, PORTRAIT. 238
EARLY RAPID TRANSIT, SPRINGFIELD. 250
COURT SQUARE, SPRINGFIELD, 1824. 256
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SPRINGFIELD 282
OLIVET CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD 285
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, MAIN STREET 297
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD 299
CHURCH OF THE UNITY, SPRINGFIELD 303
THE CATHEDRAL, SPRINGFIELD. 309
PARK SQUARE IN SUMMER, WESTFIELD
318
FARM SCENE IN WESTFIELD RIVER VALLEY. 320
BROAD STREET, WESTFIELD 351
HOMESTEAD OF ELI ASHLEY, WESTFIELD. 369
CORNER CUPBOARD, CAPT. MOSELEY'S HOUSE. 370
OLD LANDLORD FOWLER HOUSE, WESTFIELD 373
ELDER AMBROSE DAY HOUSE, WESTFIELD 376
HOUSE BUILT IN 1786 BY CAPT. WILLIAM MOSELEY 378
OLD WASHINGTON TAVERN, WESTFIELD 380
EZRA CLAPP HOTEL, WESTFIELD 381
OLD MOSELEY HOUSE, WESTFIELD.
387
WESTFIELD TOWN FARM. 396
EMERSON DAVIS, D. D., PORTRAIT.
402
THIRD BUILDING OF TOWN CHURCH, WESTFIELD
404
THE GEN. SHEPARD ELM.
415
ELDAD TAYLOR, PORTRAIT.
419
OLD ACADEMY, WESTFIELD.
425
WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
430
OLD ATHENEUM. . 432
CORNER OF ELM AND MAIN STREETS, WESTFIELD. 434
OLD-FASHIONED PLAITING MACHINE 439
FIRST FOUNDRY OF H. B. SMITH & CO., WESTFIELD 440
OLD HAMPDEN BANK, WESTFIELD, 442
CRANE'S POND, WESTFIELD 443
NOBLE HOSPITAL, WESTFIELD 445
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, WESTFIELD 453
STEERAGE ROCK, BRIMFIELD 457
ILLUSTRATIONS
WEST BRIMFIELD AT THE BRIDGE 461
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, BRIMFIELD 475 THE BRIMFIELD WINDMILL. 477 HITCHCOCK FREE HIGH SCHOOL 479
THE TOWN, FROM THE FIELDS, BRIMFIELD 480
OLD HOUSE ON BLANDFORD HILL 505
"BLANDFORD CATTLE SHOW" EXHIBIT. 516
CHAPTER I.
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD-THE SEAT OF JUSTICE OF HAMPDEN COUNTY
The history of the city of Springfield from the time of plant- ing the first colony at Agawam, has been made the subject of at least half a dozen volumes from as many writers, each of whom has aimed to cover the ground in such a way that the reading public might know all that was necessary to be known of the annals of the locality. In a field so frequently invaded by his- torians of repute the twentieth century writer can hardly hope to furnish anything new in the history of the region, but as an essential part of the history of Hampden county the subject must be treated according to its importance.
Just fifteen years after the landing of the pilgrims at Ply- mouth settlements began to extend westward into the valley of the Connecticut river, where the Dutch from the Netherlands were making slow attempts at occupation for the purpose chiefly of trading with the Indians. The colonial history of New York records the fact that as early as 1614 Dutch navigators had dis- covered the Connecticut and had made explorations of the coun- try between that and the Hudson river previous to 1630, but it was not before 1635 that the sturdy Hollanders established a trading post in the Connecticut valley and disputed the right of the English settlers in the region. The Dutch were excellent traders, but were poor colonizers, while the English were both traders and colonizers. The chief articles of trade which the Dutch bartered with the Indians were rum and guns, the former of which was eagerly sought for the temporary gratification of the savage appetite, while the latter was useful to the warrior and hunter alike, as the English afterward learned to their se-
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1-2
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
vere cost. But the Indians at length learned that the New Eng- land traders could supply them with gaudy cloths and trinkets, hatchets and knives, and also that wampum (money substitute) was plenty among them; therefore they carried their beaver skins to the eastern planta- tions and made known to the whites the first understand- ing the latter had of the Connecticut valley country. Through their representations the region was visited and explored, and through their expressed willingness to part with a portion of their domain a number of adventurous planters of the Roxbury settlement established themselves at Agawam, on the Connecti- cut, where now is the metropolitan city of Springfield.
There is room for the belief that the New Englanders first visited the site of the city as early as 1634, and that an investiga- tion of the character of the region was made at that time. The next year an application was made to the general court by cer- tain of the Roxbury planters, requesting permission to settle in a remote part of the colony; which was granted, although with some hesitation, for then it was uncertain whether the region pro- posed to be settled was within the jurisdiction of the mother col- ony. In this year (1635) William Pynchon, the founder, John Cable, a carpenter, and John Woodstock, an Indian interpreter, came to the locality, and then the founder undoubtedly made a verbal agreement for the purchase of a considerable tract of land at Agawam, on both sides of the river. Cable, with the aid of Woodstock, built a house on the meadow lands west of the river, but on being informed by the natives that the locality was sub- ject to annual overflow they removed to the east side and built another house on the city site.
The pioneers of Springfield came to occupy the land in the spring of 1636. They were William Pynchon, the founder in fact of the settlement and its guiding spirit for the next fifteen years, Henry Smith, son-in-law of the founder, Matthew Mitchell, Jehu Burr, William Blake, Edmund Wood, Thomas Ufford and John Cable. Tradition has it that Mr. Pynchon and Henry Smith were accompanied by their wives, and if such was the fact it may be assumed that the others who had families
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THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
brought them also at the time of the immigration. 3 Past writers give us no clear light on this subject. We only know that the pioneers came, settled on the land and began its cultivation, and at the same time Mr. Pynchon completed his purchase from the natives and arranged a form of government for the plantation under the new proprietary. The latter was consummated be- fore the Indian title was extinguished, and on May 14 a common ownership in the land was agreed upon. The compact itself was an admirably framed document, free from partiality and well adapted to the needs and interests of the colonists them- selves as well as to those who might follow them into the region.
A reproduction of the articles at length in this chapter is unnecessary and merely an allusion to the expressed purpose of the pact will suffice for present purposes : "May the 14th, 1636 .- We, whose names are underwritten, being by God's Providence ingaged together to make a plantation at and over against Agam, on Conecticot, doe mutually agree to certain arti- cles and orders to be observed and kept by us and by our succes- sors, except we and every of us, for ourselves and in our per- sons, shall think meet oppon better reasons to alter our present resolutions."
"Ily. Wee intend, by God's grace, as soon as we can, with all convenient speede, to procure some Godly and faithfull min- ister, with whom we purpose to join in church covenant, to walk in all the ways of Christ."
The eight men whose signatures were affixed to the agree- ment were those mentioned in a preceding paragraph. They were the founders of Springfield, and to them must be accorded the honor of having laid the foundations of the town and subse- quent city, although none of them were permanent residents of the locality and none of them died here. Two months after the agreement was signed the proprietors secured a conveyance of the land from the Indians, the instrument bearing date July 15, 1636. It was the source of our land titles, subject only to the title vested in the colonial government by the grants and char- ters from the crown, the latter being acquired by discovery, occu- pation and conquest.
(
3
THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
.
The agreement, with later modifications, established a com- mon ownership in the lands and allotted by mutual consent the parcels according to the interests and needs of each member of the community, with full justice in every case. A little later, when a more perfect form of government had been framed, the town became owner of the lands and allotted1 them upon the approval of the freemen or their representatives. No unfit per- son was permitted to dwell in the plantation, and if any such were discovered they were "disallowed" and their improve- ments, if any had been made, were paid for out of the common funds. Such an establishment of government in existence at the present time would be regarded as a "community," which, while not wholly intolerable nevertheless would be looked upon as in- consistent with the economy of American institutions.
In connection with the mention of the founders of the new colony and their settlement at Agawam, the names of still others are to be noted and recorded as of the same year, and while they appear not to have participated in the proceedings relating to the agreement and the division of the land, they are worthy of at least passing notice in these annals. They were Richard Ever- ett, Joseph Parsons, John Allen, Thomas Horton, Faithful Thay- ler and John Townes, each of whom was a subscribing witness to the Indian deed before mentioned; and also John Pynchon, son of the founder, a boy of fourteen years, and who in later years in a great measure replaced his father in influence in the colony, in the performance of good works, and in the affections of the settlers. He died in the town in 1703.
Within a few days after the settlement by the founders was accomplished their number was increased by the arrival of Thomas Woodford, Samuel Butterfield, Jonas Wood and John Reader, each of whom added his name to the agreement and re- ceived an allotment of land.
The above mentioned persons who subscribed their names as witnesses to the Indian deed appear not to have formed a part
1The power to dispose of town lands afterward was vested in the selectmen, and so continued until 1663, when the granting of the lots was done by a specially chosen committee. The first committee comprised Capt. John Pynchon, Ensign Thos. Cooper, Benj. Cooley, George Colton, Rowland Thomas, Miles Morgan and Elizur Holyoke. The town proprietary system was abolished in 1685.
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THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
of the original proprietary although they were of the company of colonists. The theory has been advanced that they came in the capacity of employees, for there was need of their services, and having no direct interest in the transactions relating to the transfer of title they were proper persons to witness the execu- tion of the deed. At this early day Mr. Pynchon evidently had gained a true insight into the Indian character and realized that it was prudent to secure as subscribing witnesses to his dealings with the natives every disinterested person in the community.
The extent of lands purchased was considerable, on both sides of the Connecticut, from Masaksicke (Longmeadow) north to the Chicopee river, and was described in the deed by parcels with special consideration for each. The main consideration paid, however, was 18 fathoms of wampum, 18 coates, 18 hatchets, 18 knives and 18 hoes. The minor considerations con- sisted of wampum, hatchets, etc., as specifically mentioned by various writers of contemporary history, and as set forth in the deed itself, recorded in Hampshire county July 8, 1679.
Having acquired and made division of the lands according to the agreement, the real work of development was begun. Lots were laid out at right angles with the river and varied from eight to fourteen rods in width. At a distance of about 80 rods from the river was laid out the "town street," substantially on the line of present Main street, but much wider than the latter. It was a crude and informal beginning of the town's history, yet it was sufficient for the time and in accord with the rules of pro- priety then observed.
Notwithstanding the favorable circumstances under which the foundations of the town were laid, none of the original colo- nists except the son of the founder remained long in the locality. Mr. Pynchon himself and Henry Smith, with several members of their families, left the place in 1652 and returned to England ; and of all the pioneers (so far as an account tends to show) who settled the town in 1636 only John Pynchon was a permanent resident here. Matthew Mitchell, Edmund Wood and Thomas Ufford removed in the course of a few months. Jehu Burr and John Cable soon abandoned the plantation for homes in Con-
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.
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
necticut, and William Black took up his abode in Dorchester. Thus at the end of fifteen years from the time the plantation was founded not one of the pioneers, except Captain John Pynchon, remained. However, in the year last mentioned the settlement had grown in number of persons, new lands had been acquired and divided, and a new colony of factors were occupied with the varied avocations of life.
William Pynchon, the principal founder of Springfield and who in fact made most of its history during his residence in the town, was of English birth and parentage, a resident of Spring- field, County of Essex (sometimes given as Essexshire), previous to his emigration to America as one of "The Governor and Com- pany of the Massachusetts Bay in New England," a company which was the recipient of the favor of King James under the grant of 1629. Evidently comprised of personages in favor with the crown, the company was given the extraordinary privi- lege of transferring its seat of government from England to New England ; and as one of its chief promoters, as well as for per- sonal advantage, Mr. Pynchon came to America and became a planter, a trader and ultimately the founder of a colony on the banks of the Connecticut, on the site of Springfield, the latter so named in 1641 in allusion to his old home seat in England.
Mr. Pynchon came to New England in 1630 with his wife (who died soon afterward) and four children, Ann, Mary (after- ward Mrs. Holyoke) John and Margaret. He settled first at Dorchester and later located at Boston Neck, where he founded a plantation and also engaged as a trader, chiefly in beaver skins and furs. He held a king's commission as magistrate and assist- ant and in the affairs of the Massachusetts government was an important factor. Himself an officer of the court and having influence with persons high in authority, he readily persuaded them to grant permission to found a new colony in the western portion of the domain. His knowledge of the region had been acquired from the Indians with whom he had traded, and on their representations he visited the Connecticut valley and made explorations. Having perfected his plans he called around him those whose company and aid he required, sent their household
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William Pynchon
.
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
goods and other effects around by way of the ocean and the Con- necticut river, and then set out upon the journey to Agawam. After completing the bargain with the Indians and securing possession of the land, he established his family in a rude though comfortable house and began trading with the natives in the val- ley ; and having been granted special privileges, he also traded in grain and like commodities which the Indians produced, as well as in furs.
The privilege of trading in grain, which was especially ac- corded to the founder, eventually led to complications and a feel- ing of dissatisfaction in the valley, and also to a separation of Agawam from the other colonies on the river. In a preceding chapter the reader will learn that the colonists in this region finding themselves separated from the mother plantations, estab- lished a system of government for their own convenience, and designated Mr. Pynchon as one of the magistrates of the court or council which met at Hartford. At the time the proceedings of this body in a way partook of the nature of a separation from the parent government, and in fact was so regarded by the set- tlers in the valley south of Agawam, although the affairs of the region were nominally in charge of commissioners appointed by the general court; and even the latter body for a time believed that the western plantations were separated from them in juris- diction, as the proceedings for 1641 refer to the "return of Springfield to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts."
As is fully narrated in another part of this work, the Pequot war occurred in 1637 and resulted in the annihilation of that savage people and also in a condition of great distress among the colonies in the lower part of the Connecticut valley. To secure a requisite supply of corn for food Captain Mason, the hero of the war, visited Mr. Pynchon and asked permission to buy the needed corn from the Indians in the vicinity of Nonatuck, and expressed an intention to deal with them after his own soldier fashion, while Mr. Pynchon advised the more pacific methods which he previously had adopted in trading with them. A mis- understanding then arose and some feeling was shown on both sides. At length Captain Mason secured the needed corn, but
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THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
the charge was soon made that Mr. Pynchon was guilty of at- tempting to speculate at the expense of the other colonists. He was summoned before the court at Hartford, and that august body sustained the charges.
This led to the separation of Agawam from the other colo- nies in the valley and ultimately to a petition from Mr. Pynchon and others to be received into the jurisdiction of the Massachu- setts general colony. The subject was duly considered, "re- ferred and examined," and on June 2, 1641, "Springfield, upon Conecticott" was taken back into the jurisdiction of Massachu- setts, and thenceforth was recognized as a town. This was the proceeding which various writers have mentioned as the "change of the name from Agawam to Springfield;1" and this was the action by which Springfield was regarded as an established town of Massachusetts, although it was not then annexed to any county, had no selectmen until 1644, and no representative in the general court until 1649.
In the affairs of the plantation at Agawam and in the early history of the town of Springfield Mr. Pynchon always was the chief figure and all his works tended to the public welfare. He was the local magistrate to settle the petty differences that arose among the colonists and his decrees and orders were character- ized with fairness and justice. He was instrumental in estab- lishing the parish and church, assisted in securing the services of a minister, and of his means gave liberally for the support of the gospel. He took part in the modification of the strict re- quirements of the orthodox church, but when he essayed to pro- mulgate new doctrines through the publication of "The Merito- rious Price of Man's Redemption," etc., he was promptly sum- moned before the court at Boston. He "justified" himself, however, and succeeded in establishing his innocence of wrong intent ; but his book was ordered burned, and he was deprived of his magisterial office, being succeeded by his son-in-law, Henry Smith. He remained only two years longer in the town and then departed with his family for England.
1At a meeting of the town held April 16, 1640, it was "ordered that the Plantation be called Springfield," and in pursuance of that determination the general court recognized the name in 1641.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
With the departure of Mr. Pynchon and Henry Smith and portions of their families, the old Agawam plantation had lost all save one or two of its original founders. John Pynchon re- mained as probably did his sister who married Elizur Holyoke. This was the first event of its kind in the town. But as rapidly as the first settlers left, their places were taken by new comers and at no time was the number of inhabitants less than during the first year in the history of the plantation. In 1637 Rev. George Moxon came and entered upon his duties as minister of the gospel. His was the only arrival during the year, and he re- turned to England in 1652. In the next year there came John Searle and Thomas Merrick, both of whom died here, the former in 1641 and the latter in 1704. After 1638 settlement became more rapid, and from that year until the creation of Hampshire county in 1662 the plantation was constantly increased by the arrival of settlers who sought to establish homes in the new and fertile region, where generous provision had been made by the founders for those in humble circumstances, yet who were willing to work to maintain themselves and their families. None others found more than temporary lodgment in the community, and it is a noticeable fact in connection with the early history of Springfield that idlers found no comfortable place for themselves in the town. If the settler was poor he nevertheless was wel- come if he proved faithful to the orders of the town and was will- ing to work; if he proved unworthy in character, even if indus- trious, he was "disallowed."
After the close of the Pequot war the tide of settlement set strongly toward the Connecticut valley, and in the next half score of years the number of inhabitants in the region was more than doubled. The old town records, a fruitful source of in- formation to the writer, disclose the names of nearly all the set- tlers, and the year in which their names were entered may be taken as a fair index of the time of their arrival. A study of the pages of the town books shows that in 1639 several new set- tlers were added to the local population, and a number of them brought families. The arrivals of that year included William Warriner, who died here in 1676; Rowland Stebbins, who re-
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THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
moved to Northampton and died there in 1671; Thomas and John Stebbins, sons of Rowland, the former of whom died in Springfield in 1683 and the latter in Northampton in 1679; John Leonard, who was killed by the Indians in 1676, a victim of King Philip's savage warriors ; Robert Ashley, the progenitor of a numerous family of descendants and who died in 1682; John Wood- cock, who removed to Connecticut in 1642; John Allen; Henry Gregory, who left in 1642; Samuel Hubbard; Samuel Wright and his sons Benjamin, Samuel, jr., and James, all of whom sub- sequently removed to Northampton. While perhaps a majority of the settlers who came in this year subsequently removed to other localities a few remained and were permanent residents in the town. A glance at the list will disclose family surnames that are still represented in Springfield by some of its well known citizens.
In 1640, the year in which the old name of Agawam was dis- carded and that of Springfield adopted in its stead by the set- tlers, the number of arrivals was less than in the preceding year, and included Henry Burt and his family, among the latter be- ing his sons Jonathan, David and Nathaniel, all of whom were closely identified with the subsequent history of the town; Elizur Holyoke, who married a daughter of William Pynchon and who was one of the foremost men of the town in later years; John Dibble, who died in 1646. John Noble came in 1641 and died the same year.
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