Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 22

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885 > Part 22

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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TOWN OF HINSDALE.

Henry Field, grandson of James Field, who was a slave in the early days of the commonwealth, and son of Henry, who reared a family of ten children, married Elizabeth Persep, of Hinsdale by whom he had one son, John A. He resides in Hinsdale, on road 22.

Thomas Allen, admitted to the bar in 1799, was the first permanent lawyer in Hinsdale and the first justice of the peace. He was a native of Sharon, Conn.

Horace Spring, son of Ciril and great-grandson of Ephraim, an Englishman who located in Rhode Island early in the seventeenth century, resides on road 36, in this town. He married Susan Putnam, of Williamsburg, Mass., and has four children now living, Charles E., of Northampton, Mass., Maria, of Hunt- ington, Mass., and Lottie and Willis C., who reside at home. His son Milo was corporal of Co. I, 49th Mass. Inf. He died in 1870.

William, son of Morse Couch, of Redding, Conn., and afterwards of Steph- entown, N. Y., who resides on road 31, married Sarah, daughter of William and Margaret Bly, of Stephentown, in 1839 and has three children now living, Willett, who married Chloe Mason, now of Nebraska, Mrs. Louisa Martin, of Berkshire, and Mrs. Mary E. Mason. William Couch and his son were both in the war of the Rebellion, in the 3Ist and 37th Mass. Regts., and were both honorably discharged.

Martin Pease, son of Eldridge, and a resident of Hinsdale, married Mary Cross, of Becket, Mass., and has three children, Cathleen J. (Mrs. Thayer), Nelson E., and Martin A., all of this town.

Philo, son of L. L. and Julia Sherman, of Newtown, Conn., married Delia A. Patchin, of Bridgeport, Conn., who bore him six children, Louie, Carrie, Jennie, Willie, Frederick, and Imogene, all living here except Imogene, who married Smith J. Robinson, of Huntington Conn.

Thomas F. Barker, son of Asahel and grandson of Thomas, of Lebanon, Conn., who settled in Peru in 1771, resides in this town, on road 26. He married Armasella A., daughter of Alson H., and Laura T. Pelton, of Peru, and has three children, Mary E., Laura S. and Helen L.

Christopher C. Pierce, son of John, and great-grandson of Ebenezer, an early settler in Peru, resides on road 7, in this town. He married Eliza McCloughan, of Northumberland county, Pa., and has reared three children, Elma, Alden and Sarah.

William H. Jandro married Cornelia M. Smith, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and reared three children, and is a resident of Hinsdale, on road 25.

Abram Collins, a native of Schoharie county, N. Y., married Annie Cook, by whom he had three children, Charles W. and Eva K., both now of Albany, N. Y., and Edgar C. Edgar C. came to Hinsdale, from New York city, in the spring of 1882, entering into partnership with the late Dr. Dresser. He is a graduate of the Albany medical college. He married Emma J. Alger, of Hudson, N. Y., and has one child, Eva J.

Nathaniel Tremain, an early settler of Pittsfield, and a native of West-

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TOWN OF HINSDALE.

field, Mass., married Olive Lyman, of Salisbury, Conn., and reared a family of fourteen children, of whom one son, Milo, married Sophia F. Otis, of Dalton, by whom he had three children, but one of whom, Edwin, is still living, a resident of Hinsdale. He married Mary A. Pearce, of this town, and has two children, Frank M, and George F. One son of Milo, George F., served in the war of the Rebellion, having enlisted in the 76th Illinois Regiment, and was killed at Fort Blakeley, one of the last engagements of the war.

Otis Justin, a native of Stonington, Conn., who located in West Gran- ville, Mass., married Frances York, of Watch Hill, R. I., who bore him five children, all of whom are now living-Elizabeth, of Fall River, Mass .; Martha, who married H. M. Peebles, and Lydia, both of West Granville, Mass. ; George H., of Palmer, who was a soldier in the Rebellion, in Co. D, 34th Massachusetts ; and James M., a resident of Hinsdale, who married Susie E. Clark, and reared six children, all living. James M. served in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting first in Co. I, roth Massachusetts Regiment, and afterwards in the 46th Regiment. He was promoted to the rank of captain in Co. E.

Michael Conway, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America about the year 1850, married Catharine Costello, who bore him nine children,- Mary A., Thomas, Michael, William, Kate, James, Patrick, Peter and John H. John H. married Julia Porter, of Rhode Island, in 1875, by whom he had one child, Robert. John H. died here in 1884.

Patrick Costello, a native of Galway, Ireland, married Honora Burke, by whom he had three children, Martin, Margaret, and Patrick. Martin emi- grated to America, coming to Lebanon, N. Y., in 1848. His other son, Patrick, emigated to America in 1842, married Eleanor Brady, and reared a family of nine children, three of whom, Francis P., Mary E, and William B., survive. William B. married Mary A. McColgan, of Cummington, by whom he has two children, Elizabeth and Francis, and resides in Hinsdale.

James F. Keenan, born in County Dublin, Ireland, married Elizabeth White, of the same county, and reared a family of ten children, among whom are Margaret, Catharine, Jane, Elizabeth, and James F. James F., Jr., a resident of Hinsdale, married Anna Scanlon, of Irish descent, by whom he had eight children, -Lizzie, Martha, Jennie, Annie, William A., James F., Henry R., and Mary E., all residing in this town.

Richard Abrahams, a native of Somersetshire, England, married Elizabeth Drew, in 1830, and came to America in 1857, locating in Pittsfield, Mass., where he resided until his death, December 22, 1873. He reared a family of seven children,-Sarah, Caroline, Mary, William, Elizabeth, John and George. George, a resident of this town, married Helen Streeter, of Berlin, N. Y. They had three children, two of whom survive, Carrie E., and Nellie E., in Hinsdale.

George, son of Wells Ingrain, of Connecticut, one of a family of eight, married Jane L., daughter of P. P. Brackett, of Middlefield, Mass., and has

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TOWN OF HINSDALE.

had two children, Charles E. and Gertie M., both of whom are dead. George is a resident of Hinsdale.

James W. Ascha from White Creek, N. Y., married Mary E. Ackert, and located in Bennington, Vt., rearing three children, William H., Elvia A., and Charles G. Charles G. was married to Anna Chapman, of Pittsfield, Mass., September 3, 1870, and has four children, Hattie E., Mabel, Ada L., and Bessie F. He is now residing in this town. Charles G. Ascha's grandfather, John Van Bogit, served in the Revolutionary war, and was at the battle of Bennington. He was also aid-de-camp of Gen. Washington.

Thomas Axtell, from Sutton, Mass., born in 1754, and one of the early settlers in the town of Peru, reared a family of seven children, of whom his second son, Ebenezer, married Eleanor Ellison, of Peru, and had born to him eleven children, Loretta, Julietta, Electa, Clorinda, Lucinda, Ebenezer P., Artimicia M., Rosetta, Algernon S., William V., and Ellison, seven surviving. Ellison, a resident of Hinsdale, was twice married, having by his first wife, Sinai C. Converse, one child, Julia, deceased. For his second wife he married, Octo- ber 17, 1876, Mary E. Clark, of this town, and resides on Maple street. El- lison was a selectman in Windsor, Mass., six years.

Frank W. Strong, son of Tillinghast B. Strong, of Great Barrington and the youngest of a family of nine children, married Ida E Parker, of Lee, Mass., and resides in Hinsdale. They have one child, Frank W., now living.

Phillip Hoose, a native of New York State, and who came to Cheshire, Mass., about the year 1800, was a slave, being owned by a man by the name of Se- bron. He, however, made his escape, but was followed by his master, who finding all efforts to recover him alive futile, was obliged to return without him. He married Hannah Persip and reared a family of twelve children, nine of whom are still living. Richard and Amos D. are residents of Hins- dale. Richard married Mrs. Lena, widow of William Gardner, who had one son.

Harland W. Nye, who removed from New York State about the year 1852, locating in Dalton, on road 4, married Mary J. Hathaway, of Savoy, rearing. three children, H. Eugene, Almira T, and Nelson W. H. Eugene married, first, Hattie E. Hathaway, and afterwards Cynthia I. Hathaway, of West Cummington, and has had one child, Alfred E. Eugene is farming in this town, on road 4. Almira T. resides in Middlefield, and Nelson W. in South Adams.

Titus Morgan, a native of West Springfield, married Sarah Morgan of the same town, and reared a family of nine children, all being now dead. His fourth son, Julius, located in West Springfield, and married Azubah Day, by whom he has nine children. Two are still living, Mrs. Julia Raymond, of Enfield, Conn., and Edwin A,, a farmer in Hinsdale, who married Lydia Watkins, of Peru, and has one child, Charles A.

Samuel Baldwin, an early pioneer of Windsor, was a public surveyor about Boston, and in the Provincial service to survey the islands east of Penobscot.

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TOWN OF HINSDALE.

He married Milicent Butler, by whom he had eight children, and died July 9, 1826, having survived his wife but about three years. His son, Ephraim, a native of Windsor, was thrice married, having, by his first wife, Triphena More, of Stillwater, N. Y., eight children, Charles M., Milicent C., Elias J., Ephraim Jr., Eliza, Angeline, Samuel D., and Chauncey. He married for his second wife, Betsey Whitmarsh ; and for his third, Polly Brown. Chauncey, second son of Ephraim, was a resident of Windsor sixty-five years, but had lately lived in Hinsdale village until his death in 1884. He was twice married, his first wife being Clarissa Hall, of Windsor, who bore him four children, Celinda, Harvey W., Martha A., and Henry W. ; and for his second wife, Harriett A. Hume, also of Windsor, by whom he had four children, Charles H., Celina S., Caro- line M., and Catharine E.

Christopher Hibbert, a native of Canada, emigrated to Lee, Mass., where he located in 1845. He married Julia Patnode, of Canada, and reared four children-Margaret, Florence, Stephen and Joseph, all of whom are living. Joseph a resident of Hinsdale, married Bridget Kelly, of Ireland, rearing a family of six children, James, Catharine J., Joseph E., John L., William H., and Franklin T., all of whom are living.

Nelson Hale, son of Daniel Hale, of Burnston, Mass., married Polly Parks, and reared six children. Oscar and Wiliston served in the war of the Rebel- lion, dying at Belle Island. William D. Hale, who is a resident of Hinsdale, living on road 31, married Francis P., daughter of Ephraim Stephens, a Rev- olutionary soldier, and has had six children, all of whom are now living.

Michael Daily, a native of Ireland, and who now resides in Pittsfield, was thrice married, rearing three children, Mrs. Mary Shannon, now of Colerado, Mrs. Bridget Hogan, now of Springfield, and Thomas. Thomas was twice married, having by his first wife, Margaret Welch, nine children, five of whom, Josie, Maggie, Nellie, Lizzie and Mary are now living. He married, for his second wife, Bridget Stanton, of Pittsfield, where he now resides. Josie mar- ried Frederick L. Kimball, of Rochdale, Mass., where she now resides, but he still has representatives in Hinsdale.

The Congregational church, located at Hinsdale village, was organized by Rev. Theodore Hinsdale, December 17, 1795, with twenty three members, the first settled pastor being Rev. Caleb Knight. Their church building, erected about the year 1800, will comfortably accommodate 400 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $5,000.00. The society now has 209 members, with Rev. James H. Laird, pastor.

The Baptist church of Hinsdale, was organized May 22, 1797, composed of members from this and contiguous towns. The principal men engaged in the formation of this society and church were Eleazer Cody, Joshua Jackson and Nathan Torrey. Elder Eleazer Smith was the first pastor. Abraham, son of Joshua Jackson, was the first person baptized and united with the church after it was established. He was subsequently ordained and became pastor of the society.

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TOWN OF LANESBORO

St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, located at Hinsdale village, was organized by Rev. P. Curdy, with 200 members, in 1851. Their church building, erected the year previous, is valued, including grounds, at $7,500.00, and will accommodate 400 persons. The society now has 450 members, under the pastoral charge of Rev. Daniel F. Cronin.

L ANESBORO lies in the western-central part of the county, in lat. 42° 32 , and long. 3° 46', bounded north by New Ashford and Cheshire, east by Cheshire and Dalton. south by Pittsfield, and west by Han- cock. The erection of this territory into a township was brought about mainly as follows : In January, 1741, the general court was petitioned by Samuel Jackson and seventy-five others, residents of Framingham, Middle- sex county, for a "grant of wilderness land situated on the Housatonic river, near to an Indian town." The petition was favorably considered by the committee to whom it was referred, the grants made and the grantees authorized to survey and locate "a township, of the contents of six miles square. adjoining south on Indian Town, so-called, on the Housatonic river, or as near that place as the land would allow," under the usual restric- tions and reservations of such grants. Under the act thus passed the township was located and surveyed, much as it lies to-day, except the por- tion taken from its northeastern part, March 14, 1793, towards forming the township of Cheshire. At a meeting of the proprietors, held October 19, 1742, it was voted that the new grant should be called Richfield, until a name should be given it by the legislature. When this change occurred the name New Framingham was given it, which was retained until the incorporation of the township, June 21, 1765, when Lanesborough was substituted, since shortened by common usage to a terminal of "boro," in common with most towns ending with "ough." This name was taken, it is said, from James Lane, Viscount Lanesborough, in the peerage of Ireland.

The surface of Lanesboro is broken and uneven, presenting some exquis- ite scenery, and affording some of the finest views in the county. It has an altitude of from 1,200 to 2,000 feet above the sea level, thus giving a brac_ ing, healthful atmosphere, though its winters are severe. A spur of the Hoosac mountains divides the town from Cheshire on the east, while Potter's mountain of the Taconic range, divides it from Hancock on the west. These two ranges, in a succession of hills, unite on the northern line of the town, while the south opens out into an extended and beautiful view down the valley towards Pittsfield, and to the mountains beyond. A branch of the Housatonic river rises a few rods north of the northern line of the town. flowing southerly through beautiful and luxuriant meadows, through the charming Pontoosuc lake, which is well stocked with the finny tribe, and which conveys the stream into Pittsfield, the lake lying partly in that town ;

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TOWN OF LANESBORO.

in the eastern section rises the Hoosac, flowing northwardly,-one stream blending with the waters of the Hudson, near Troy, N. Y., and the other dropping into Long Island Sound. To one who delights in the wild and picturesque, Lanesboro hills afford views of which he will never tire. Promi- nent among these may be mentioned that from Savage mountain, Farnum hill, and Constitution hill. The latter eminence, lying near the geograph- ical center of the town, affords a prospect wherein is spread before the beholder, as on a map, a large section of the Housatonic valley and the chains of mountains which enclose it. Of this prospect, the mellow, golden pen of Godfrey Greylock (J. E. A. Smith), remarks as follows, in his Tagh- conic :-

" Nestled closest in the bosom of our hills lies the little village of Lanesboro -the very fondling of nature. Thither turns never the good mother her wrinkled front ; near pressing as the mountains clasp the narrow valley, you must not look among them for frowning precipices, or earthquake-rifted chasms. High into the air their summits press, but not in jagged peaks- only with the full, round swelling of loving breasts, upon which you may re- pose, if you will, in the gentlest of summer reveries. There is one eminence near-in patriotic gratitude they call it Constitution Hill-with such a winsome, neighborly look to it, that in our streets, miles away, it seems near as your own garden. If you have in you any yearnings at all after beauty, I am sure you cannot look upon, and not be irresistibly drawn to it, to be lifted up gently and humanly, above the baser things of earth. Lying under its druid- ical oaks, or seated, farther up, upon a pearl-white quartz rock, in the shade of a whispering birch, you will see below you, groves and farms, and broad, fresh meadows, with laughing lake and winding rivulets, like silver embroid- ery on the green banner of Erin."

Rich in scenic beauty as it is, Lanesboro has also riches in nature's boun- teous garner-the earth. The basis of its geological structure are rocks of the talcose-slate, limestone and quartz formation. The limestone, aside from its enrichments to the soil by its rapid disintegration, affords also some excellent quarries of marble, and material for the manufacture of lime ; the slate por- tion contains deposites of iron that have yielded thousands of dollars worth of ore ; and the quartz affords a valuable sand, some of which, possibly, forms a part of the window pane through which pass the rays of light that enable me to write these words, and possibly, also, through which pass the rays that enable you to read them. Among the curiosities of nature are the " Rolling rock," in the southwestern part, and a large cave, in the western part, both of which awaken various speculations in the minds of the curious. The Rolling rock, a huge boulder, some thirty feet long, fifteen feet wide and about the same in height, is so pivoted on another rock, about three feet from the ground, that it can be easily moved, and still not be overturned, seeming to have been placed thus in the sport of some Titan, in the primeval ages. The cave, dark as Erebus, is about fifteen rods in extent. The soil of the town is generally of a good quality, consisting principally of a clay loam, though little grain is grown, grazing taking the principal attention of the farmers.

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TOWN OF LANESBORO.

In 1880 Lanesboro had a population of 1,286. In 1883 the town em- ployed two male and ten female teachers in its public schools, to whom was paid an average monthly salary of $32 oo to males and $24.75 to females. There were 267 school children in the town, while the whole amount raised for school purposes was 1,600.00.

LANESBORO is a post village located in the southern part of the town, in the luxuriant valley of the Housatonic.

BERKSHIRE is a post village located in the southeastern part of the town, on the Hoosac river, and is also a station on the Pittsfield & Adams railroad, which crosses this corner of the town. Here are located the works of the Berkshire Glass Co., mentioned on page 30.

Elmwood Institute, a family school for boys, located at Lanesboro, was established here by its present principal, Rev. Alfred A. Gilbert, M. A., of whom further mention is made on another page, in 1849. This school, owing to its excellent corps of teachers, and its healthful location, has been very successful. The present corps of teachers is as follows: Rev. Alfred A. Gilbert, M. A., principal, higher mathematics and languages ; Rev. Benjamin W. Atwell, professor of elocution ; Alfred B. Gilbert, M. S., commercial de- partment, English ; Prof. Zelotes R. Wood, vocal music, and Miss Ella Pratt, instrumental music.

The Lanesboro Iron Works, located at Lanesboro village, were established by the Pingrees, of Salem, in 1847. In 1864 they came into the possession of J. L. Colby, of Pittsfield, the present owner. When running at their full capacity, these works give employment to 175 to 200 men, manufacturing from twelve to fifteen tons of car-wheel iron per day.

The Berkshire Glass Co., whose works are located at Berkshire village, gives employment to 150 men in the manufacture of all kinds of window glass. The factory was originally established in 1853, and came into the present company's possession in 1858.

David T. Culver's grist-mill, located on road 3, has two runs of stones, is operated by water-power, and does custom work.

William B. Dewey's grist-mill and carriage shop, located on road 4, was built by himself in 1868. The grist-mill has one run of stones and does cus- tom grinding, while in the carriage shop Mr. Dewey builds wagons and sleighs and does a general repair business.

The Lanesboro Cheese Factory, located at road 3, was built by Joshua New- ton, in 1867. It turns out about 25,000 pounds of cheese per annum.

The first actual settlers of the town were Moses Brewer, Capt. Samuel Martin and a Mr. Steales, who came in during the year 1754 or 1755. Mr. Brewer was given a bounty of £8 sterling as the first settler, and Captain Martin £7 as the second settler. A fort to protect the inhabitants against the raids of savages was soon built, but notwithstanding this, during the troubles attending the French and Indian war, these settlers were driven out by a party of Indians, and only Captain Martin returned. Near the fort two

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TOWN OF LANESBORO.

Indian chiefs were killed, and both their bodies buried. This old log fort was located about fifty rods south of the south burial ground, near the pres- ent Sidney Hubbell house. The story of the two Indians killed is related to us substantially as follows: A large party of Indians were on their way to Pittsfield, from some point northwest, intending to massacre the inhabitants of that settlement, and while passing through Williamstown were discovered by two young men, who cautiously followed them. As the band passed along the valley in Lanesboro, they halted a short distance from Berkshire village, in order to reach Pittsfield at a proper time for carrying out their bloody in- tentions. While there, the two young men, having learned something of these intentions, cautiously advanced, and having selected two of the Indian chiefs as a mark, decided each to shoot his man,-but separated from each other before firing, in order to deceive the enemy as to their numerical strength. The plan was carried out, and one chief was instantly killed, and the other fatally injured. The young men immediately fled in different directions, reaching Williamstown in safety. This loss of their two chiefs, the story re- lates, caused the Indians to change their plans and abandon the contemplated massacre.

As early as 1759 there were the following heads of familes in the town : Nathaniel Williams, Samuel Tyrrell, John, Ephraim, Elijah and Miles Powell, brothers, Lieut. Andrew Squier, James Loomis, Ambrose Hall, Isaac Hill, and Charles Goodrich. Between that time and 1762, the settlement was in- creased by the arrival of William Bradley, James Goodrich, Thaddeus Curtis, Eben Squier; Benjamin and Joseph Farnum, Peter Curtis, Samuel Darwin, Nehemiah Bull, Samuel Warren, Moses Hale, Joseph Keeler and Beriah Dudley.

The first public meeting of the settlers was held at the old fort, May 2, 1759, "notyfication having been given out by Dea. Moses pike, in the Publick prints." This meeting, however, was adjourned immediately after its organization, as likewise were various others from time to time, for the reason, the records state, "that so few were present." Some of the records of these meetings we quote, simply as curiosities :-

"Oct. 29, 1781 : At a proprietors' meeting legally warned, mad coyce of Elijah Powel moderator. Voted Mr. Levi post shoold be our gospil minister. Voted to give him 91 pounds settlement, and 80 pounds salary yearly and his fier wood.

" Voted, The school hows should be 28 ft. long, 24 ft. wid and 9 ft. stod. "Voted, Thare should be 80 pounds disposed of out of the treasury for gospil purpusses. A trew Entry from the Menits, S. Martin, Clark.

" Dec. 12, 1761, question poot whether Mr. Daniel Collins should be our gospil minister, post affirmative.

" Voted, 130 pounds settlement, 80 pounds yeareley. Voted to get Mr. Collins 30 cords of wood yeareley, he finding the wood.

"March 31, 1762, I, Mad Choyce Mr. Peter Cortis to be thare moderator. 2, Voted that 6 shillings be drone out of the tresurey upon Each Ratable Lott, to make and mend the Hi ways. 3, Voted Samuel Martin draw six pence on Each Lott, for the yeuse of his hows for public worship.

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TOWN OF LANESBORO.

" April 20, Voted that Misters Peter Cortis, William Bradley and W. Buell, Be a Commety to provide preaching for the futer."

These extracts, as we said before, are simply curiosities of literature, and as illustrating the manner in which the public business was transacted in those early days. In 1791 the population had increased to 2, 142 souls ; but at the taking of the next census, in 1800, this number had decreased 1,443, owing largely, probably, to the annexation to Cheshire, in 1793.

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Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 22

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office Number of Pages: 972

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 972