Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 34

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 34

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).

" Lying on the main branch of the Housatonic river, about sixteen miles north of Capt. Konkapot's house ; beginning east ten degrees, south eighty perch from two hemlock trees, marked (which trees stand upon a ridge of upland running northerly), and coming to a point a few rods from said trees, which are about ten rods from sand bank on the east side of said Housa- tonic river, just above Unkamet's or Autankamet's road, where it crosseth said branch; and, from the end of the aforesaid eighty perch from said trees, it runneth north ten degrees, east two hundred and forty perch ; thence west ten degrees, north four hundred perch; thence south ten degrees, west four hundred perch ; thence east ten degrees, south four hundred perch; and thence north ten degrees, east one hundred and sixty perch, to the eastern end of the first eighty peach."

It seems, however, that Mr. Stoddard considered this as not adequate com- pensation for his "great services and sufferings," placing his estimate at about a full township. With this idea in view, then, he not only extin- guished the Indian title to his 1,000 acres, but also that to a large area adjoin- ing it, corresponding nearly with the land comprised within the area of Pitts- field of to-day.

In the meantime, and before the Colonel was able to procure legislative confirmation of his newly acquired acres, they were granted to other parties,

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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

under circumstances as follows : In June, 1735, Boston petitioned the gen- eral court for a grant of " three or four townships" of the wild land of Hamp- shire county, "to be brought forward and settled as the circumstances of the petitioners might seem to require, or upon such conditions as the court might deem meet," to assist that town in its heavy expenditures in supporting the poor and maintaing its free schools.

This request was favorably received by the court, and three townships were granted, under title of Boston townships 1, 2 and 3, No. I corresponding with Charlemont of to-day, No. 2 with Coleraine, and No. 3, with Pittsfield. These grants were made June 27, 1735, and in June of the following year, 1736, township No. 3 was purchased at public auction by Col. Jacob Wen- dell, he paying {1,320 therefor. In September, 1738, the township was sur- veyed by John Huston, a Northampton civil engineer, and December 8, 1738, his plot of the new town was accepted by the general court, its bounds being described as follows :-

" Beginning at a stake with stones about it, the south-east corner, nigh a small Run of water, about a mile and a Half East Housea Tunnic River ; from said Stake the line extends North 20° 462 chains 31 links to a Hem- lock tree marked on a Hill, the north-east corner ; From thence the line runs west 20° 520 chains to a Beach tree marked upon a steep Hill, with stones about it, the north west corner ; From thence south 20° west 462 chains 31 links to a Hemlock Standing by a little brook, marked with stones about it, being the south-west corner ; From thence east 20° south 520 chains to the Stake and stones first mentioned, which said Township is lying about five miles north-north-east From the Indian Town on Housatunnick River, in the County of Hampshire."

These bounds not only covered Colonel Stoddard's 1,000 acres, but also the additional territory he had purchased or leased of the Indians, and nearly two years elapsed, after the confirmation of Wendell's title, before these con- flicting claims were adjusted ; but in the mean time, a third party, Philip Livingston, of Albany, N. Y., was introduced as an interested party, as ex- plained in the following extract from the mutual agreement between them :-

" Whereas the said John Stoddard hath not only a just and complete title to the thousand acres aforesaid, but hath also, at great expense, purchased several grants and leases from the natives, of the lands above described; and afterwards, this very day [March 29, 1741], the said Jacob Wendell, and the said John Stoddard, for an amicable settlement of their mutual claims and in- terests in the township aforesaid, agreed that the said Jacob Wendell should have two-thirds of the thousand acres aforesaid, and the said John Stoddard

should have one-third of the rest of said township ; * * * * and whereas also, the said Jacob Wendell, in all these transactions, purchased as well for Philip Livingston, of Albany, in the Province of New York, Esq. (by agree- ment not mentioned therein), as for himself, in equal halves, and, in his pur- chase and after-gratuities to the natives for their satisfaction and other charges upon the premises, disbursed the sum of £14,016, 35, 3d, and for that now hath two third-parts of that whole tract of land surveyed and platted as afore- said ; now, therefore, know ye, that the said Jacob Wendell, in faithfulness

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to his trust aforesaid, and in consideration of the sum of f758, Is, 7₺d, in hand, received of said Philip Livingston in full of his part of said purchase- money and other disbursements aforesaid, doth hereby convey * *

* * to the said Philip Livingston one-half of his above-mentioned interest."

The cost of the township was thus, allowing Stoddard's public services to count in ratio of Wendell's purchase money, £2, 174, 45, 2d, 2 far.

The proprietors immediately began their efforts to settle the town, but were peculiarily unfortunate. Livingston succeeded in inducing seventy Dutchmen, from Albany, to come into the town, but when they learned they were not to be allowed to pick the land they were to purchase, they immedi- ately returned. Huston, the surveyor previously mentioned, also turned his attention to colonizing, and succeeded in inducing a number from Westfield to come on and purchase of Livingston the forty lots the Dutch colony had re- fused, they paying therefor £1,200. In the mean time troubles on the other side of the ocean were brewing, which resulted in war between France and England, in 1744, practically putting a stop to all further efforts towards forming a settlement, and it was not until 1749 that any further attempts were made. Colonel Stoddard had died the year previous, while misunderstandings and mistakes relative to ownership of property had made land-titles very insecure ; this fact, when another influx of settlers arrived in 1752, led, June 23, 1753, to a petition being presented the general court "from the inhabitants of the township on the Housatonic river, commonly called Pontoosuc," praying for directions and assistance in unravelling the tangled skein, in response to which the court incorporated them as " The Proprietors of the settling-lots in the Township of Pontoosuc." From this time forward the name Pontoosuc was universally adopted, though previous to this the town had also been styled Wendell, or Wendell's Town, and sometimes Wendell and Stoddard's Town. But in 1761 the name was changed, and Pontoosuc became the in- corporated town of Pittsfield, the act being approved April 26th of that year, the name of the town being selected in honor of the English statesman, Will- iam Pitt.

The surface of Pittsfield is moderately uneven, perhaps just enough so to afford a pleasing diversity, though it is almost entirely surrounded by moun- tain ranges, forming, as it were, an elevated basin of rare loveliness and fer- tility, with six sparkling lakelets glistening brightly in contrast with its vary- ing tints of color and shade. But to the description of the beautiful scenery of this section we have already devoted considerable space, beginning on page 20, where we have quoted from a far more competent pen than ours. The principal stream is the Housatonic, which is formed just south of the village of Pittsfield, by two branches which come down from Lanesboro and Windsor. The other streams are Unkamet, Lulu, Smith, Phelps and Shaker brooks, with some others, affording many valuable mill privileges.

The six lakes spoken of above are to the pleasing landscape which Pitts- field presents, what dimples are to the cheek of beauty, where "smiles hide

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and linger." Lake Onota, lying in a pretty upland basin, a little more than a mile west of the village, is the largest, and is, indeed a handsome sheet of water. Before it was enlarged to serve as a reservoir, in 1864, it was a mile and three-quarters long, and three quarters of a mile wide, having an area of 486 acres, now increased to 683. This enlargement, while it of course

₱

(ONOTA LAKE, PITTSFIELD.)

increased the usefulness of the lake, also destroyed much that was of interest to the curious. Previous to this a causeway divided the waters into two independent lakes, the smaller one, about thirty-four acres in area, being formed by a beaver dam across its outlet. On the western shore the action of ice had thrown the scattered pebbles and bowlders into a wall, whose reg- ularity was such as to lead to the tradition that it was built by the Indians, behind which to hide while shooting deer ; and it is certain that it had been used for this very purpose, if not by the aborigines, by the early white inhabit- ants. The enlargement of the lake has submerged all this, though it has increased its picturesque features. The hill upon the southwestern shore affords a magnificent view, and is also an historical spot, as it was fortified during the old French and Indian wars.

Pontoosuc, the next in size, lies upon the town's northern border, the larger part of its surface extending into Lanesboro. This body of water had, also, its area changed, in 1867. Previous.to this it was a mile and a quarter long, and at its broadest point three-quarters of a mile wide, covering an area of 425 acres. It now covers 575, the increase being chiefly in Lanesboro. This is an extremely handsome sheet, and its environs are picturesque in the extreme, while the view across it, in either direction, is surpassed by few. The Indian name of the lake was Shoon-keek-moon-keek, about which "God- frey Greylock" has woven a beautiful Indian legend, in his Taghconic. It

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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

has also borne the name of Framingham pond, Lanesboro pond, North pond, and "Joe Keiler's farm." This latter name was derived from the anecdote that a way of that name once bargained it away and actually made a deed of it, to a New York citizen, who mistook it, when covered with snow and ice, for a level expanse of land.

Richard lake, in the southwestern part of the town, lying partly in Rich- mond, was formerly nearly circular in form, having an area of ninety-eight acres ; but in 1865 it was enlarged to 250 acres. Upon the old maps it is called South pond, and near it is marked another small body of water, long since drained, designated as Rathbun's pond, in reference to Vallentine Rathbun, who, about the year 1760, built clothiers' work near it.

Silver lake is the name given the pretty little sheet of water just east of the village. It now covers about sixty acres, having been enlarged in 1843, as one of the reservoir's of the Pittsfield Cotton Factory. It was known among the early settlers as Ensign's pond, from Jacob Ensign, who built the first fulling-mill in Pittsfield, and owned the land along the eastern borders of the lake. In later days a hat factory was erected on its northern shore, whence it took the name of Hatter's pond.

Goodrich lake about a mile east of Silver lake, is another secluded lakelet of about thirty acres. It appears on the old maps as "Sylvan lake." The meadow in which it lies was, on the earliest town plans, named " Unkamet's," after the celebrated Indian of that name. The present name of Goodrich is derived from one of the early settlers, who owned tracts of land in the vicinity.

Morewood lake is a lovely little dimple of about thirty-five acres, lying about two miles south of the village, and just east of South mountain-" a gem-like, crystal water, hidden among groves interlaced with frequent pic- turesque paths, that often debauch upon sunny lawns or gravelly beaches." It has for many years been the favorite haunt of some of the most celebrated men in politics and literature. Is is located in the grounds of a broad-halled mansion, which has successively been the home of Henry VanSchaack, Elkanah Watson, Thomas and Robert Melville and the Morewoods, and has successively borne the names of all these owners. A few rods east of this there is another small lakelet, covering perhaps an acre or so, lying in the midst of a fine grove.

The geological structure of the town is made up principally of rocks of limestone formation, though there are some deposits of quartz and mica-slate in the eastern and southern parts, respectively. There is also considerable talcose-slate in the western part, extending over from the immense beds located in Hancock.

In 1880 Pittsfield had 13,364 inhabitants, and in 1883 the town employed five male and seventy-three female teachers in its public schools, to whom was paid an average monthly salary of $102.00 to males and $33.90 to fe- males. There were 2,732 school children in the town, while the entire amount raised for school purposes was $27,700.00.

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

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....

PITTSFIELD, the "City of Parks," and county seat of Berkshire, is a beau- tiful, pleasant and enterprising post village located in the central part of the town, with the two branches of the Housatonic lying, one on its

(THE PARK-PITTSFIELD.)

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eastern and the other on its western side. To the visitor its broad streets and walks, almost arched with the foliage of elm and maple, its public buildings and business blocks, its handsome stores, elegant residences and many evidences of public spirit and enterprise will at once find way into his favor, while a further acquaintance with its many beauties will force him to concur with "Godfrey Greylock" that it is "indeed a fair town; and, standing in the center of that magnificent panorama of hills which compose the county, it is embosomed in beauty. Branch- ing from its central elm-shaded green, delightful avenues invite one into most picturesque regions." And these avenues, too, that so suggestively invite one to pleasant drives, extend into broad, fine carriage-ways which, take what direction you will, afford drives that in interest and beauty are excelled by none in the county.

Pittsfield village has a population of about 12,000 souls, among whom are men of might in politics, in literature, and in manufactures. It covers an area about a mile square, and requires only a vote of acceptance to be- come an incorporated city, as a bill passed the legislature several years since granting the town a city charter. It is, however, specially incorporated as "The Fire District." This act of incorporation was originally established for the support of a fire department, but afterwards was empowered to build and control water-works, sewers, sidewalks, and the like, and to maintain street-lights. The principal manufactures are woolens, cottons, machinery, clocks, tacks, etc.

The beautiful square in the center of the village was formerly the village green, The first attempt toward its improvement was made in 1824, and during the following year Mr. Edward A. Newton became very much inter- ested in the enterprise. Many citizens joined him, and in 1827 the beautiful shade trees that now adorn it were planted. Improvements from time to time have since been made, a fine soldiers' monument and a fountain erected, until the fine park shown by the accompanying engraving has grown out of the the old "village green," or "common," where stood the Old Elm tree whose memory is dear to all of the elder citizens of Pittsfield, and whose lofty head, age and the lightning's scathing brand obliged the woodman in kindness to lay low in 1861, after having stood for nearly two centuries. From this little gem of a park branch North, South, East and West streets. To these wide, shady, well-kept avennes, and the handsome residences that line them, the village is largely indebted for its far-famed beauty. The resi- dences are mostly spacious and handsome, and surrounded by beautiful lawns and shrubbery and magnificent trees. Among the prominent residences and other buildings may be mentioned, on West street, the W. C. Allen place, the Crook farm, the residence of A. J. Waterman, and the Bigelow and Gov- ernor Briggs homesteads ; on South street, the residences of F. E. Kernochan, Rev. J. L. Jenkins, Frank W. Hinsdale, Hon. S. W. Bowerman, Josiah Car- ter, T. Harold, H. M. Peirson, the two Campbell places, Miss Salisbury's

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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

school and the high-school building ; on North street, the Berkshire Life In- surance building, the Central block, England's new building, the Academy of Music, St. Joseph's church, and many other fine structures, besides the resi- dence of Thomas A. Oman, commanding a grand view of the northern val- ley, with Greylock's cloud-capped peak in the distance, and the Maplewood Institute grounds ; and on East street, the Athenaeum, court-house, First

MA. BRADLEY SC

(COURT-HOUSE-PITTSFIELD.)

Congregational church, St. Stephen's church, and the residences of the late Thomas Allen, the late Ensign H. Kellogg, Mrs. T. F. Plunkett, J. R. War- riner, E. D. Jones, Senator Dawes and others. The house of Mrs. Plunkett has also an undying charm, in that at the head of its broad stairs stood the

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clock which Longfellow immortalized in his poem, "The Old Clock on the Stairs." It was the summer home of the father-in-law of the great poet, and in it he spent many happy hours. Among the other residences that are striking in their beauty, are those of James H. Hinsdale, Thaddeus Clapp, Mrs. A. C. Joslyn, O. W. Robbins, and Col. Walter Cutting, and also Wen- dell Hall, Mrs. E. G. Baldwin's school for boys, all on Wendell avenue. Gold avenue has Mr. Learned's "Elmwood," J. L. Colby's "Chestnut Villa," and the residence of the late Judge Colt, and others. On Fenn street is the Methodist church, a grand brick structure. On Appleton avenue are the residences of James W. Hull, Dr. W. E. Vermilye and Mrs. John B. Ayers. But this catalogue might be greatly lengthened, and still omit many fine homes, while just beyond the village limits are many other fine places. Among these, to the southeast, is the Oliver Wendell Holmes place, owned by John A. Kernochan, and on the same road is Col. Richard Lathers's beau- tiful "Abby Lodge." South of this village is the summer house of the Moorewoods, mentioned on a previous page ; north may be found " Spring- side," one of the most beautiful places in Pittsfield ; just beyond it the sum- mer home of the Davols, of New York ; and still a little further north, George Y. Learned's attractive home ; east is Mrs. Pollock's "Grey Tower," Mrs. Henry Chickering's residence, and just off the North Adams road, W. F. Milton's residence ; and west is Mr. Buckingham's summer home, with unrivalled views. "Jubilee Hill," located in the western part, so-called from the "Berkshire Jubilee," held thereon in August, 1844, commands an enchanting view in all directions, and also has several elegant residences.

The town has also good banking facilities, several good hotels, and an ex- cellent supply of water and gas.

GAS WORKS.

The Pittsfield Coal Gas Company was incorporated in 1853, but was not organized until April 4, 1854, the original capital being $40,000, which has been increased twice-once to $50,000 and again to $62,500. The chair- man of the first meeting was George S. Willis, and the clerk, Robert W. Adam. The first president was Thomas F. Plunkett, with Robert W. Adam secretary and treasurer. F. F. Taylor was elected treasurer in 1855, and upon his removal from town William R. Plunkett was elected treasurer and has had the active management of the company ever since. Robert W. Adam was elected president in 1856, and has held that office continually since. Among the persons who have been directors are Thomas Colt, Theodore Pomeroy, W. B. Cooley and C. C. Bulkley. At the commencement $4.00 per thous- and was charged for gas. During the war the price was advanced to $5.00 per thousand ; since that time it has been gradually reduced, until it is now $3,00, with a liberal discount allowed for prompt payment. The first superintendent was John Faulkner, who, at his death, was succeeded by his brother, Robert Faulkner. George S. Dunbar, the present superintendent,

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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

was employed in 1869. The works have been improved from time to time, and were much enlarged in 1873, about $34,000.00 being expended in new pipe and a new holder or gasometer which holds 70,000 cubic feet of gas. The capital stock was increased at that time $12,500.00. The company has for the last twenty years been very successful, and has claimed to furnish gas of as good quality, and at as low a price, as any other inland town in New Eng- land.

ASHLEY WATER WORKS.

The scarcity of good water was early a source of annoyance, owing to the prevalence of rocky ledges beneath the soil, rendering it almost impossible to sink wells that would afford any but surface water. The feasibility of constructing works so that an adequate supply might be afforded, was agitated before the beginning of the present century. The first effort was made by Charles Goodrich, who constructed an aqueduct upon his farm, which, how- ever, proved a failure. The next enterprise in this direction was in 1795, when Simon Larned, John Chandler Williams, William Kittredge and Joshua Danforth were incorporated as "The Proprietors of the Water- works in the Middle of the Town of Pittsfield." This company erected works, but they seem not to have been very successful, and though repeated efforts were made, it was not until 1855, when the present works were erected by the Fire District, that any thing like success was attained. Water was taken from Lake Ashley, on the summit of Washington moun- tain, at a distance of six and a quarter miles from the village, affording a head of about 700 feet. Since then, in 1873, the "lower reservoir " was erected, and still later the supply was increased by water from Sackett's brook. The works have now about fifty miles of mains, while the village has seventy-six fire hydrants. The total cost of construction has been, according to the statement in Smith's History of Pittsfield, as follows :- Original construction . $50,000.00

For re-laying and extending pipe prior to 1866. 14,000.00 Extension of pipes after 1866 22,917.53

Re-laying street mains after 1866

28,772.63

New twelve-inch mains. 45,423.32

Raising dam at Lake Ashley 2.186.88

Lower reservoir and dam in 1873 13,172.60

Addition of Sackett's brook. 18,329.94

Total* $194,802.90

BANKS.

Soon after the opening of the present century, when banking institutions were springing up in almost all of the little New England towns, Governor

"This total, however, was given in 1876; the entire expense up to the present time, July, 1884, has been $201,000.00.

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.

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Strong, in February, 1806, chartered the Berkshire Bank, the corporators named being Simon Larned, Timothy Childs, Joshua Danforth, Daniel Pepoon, David Campbell, Jr., James D. Colt, Jr., Thomas Allen, Jr., Theo- dore Hinsdale, Jr., Ebenezer Center and Joseph Merrick. The capital stock was fixed at $75,000.00, all to be paid in gold and silver coin previous to October 6, 1806, and the issue of bills was restricted to $150,000.00. The bank was organized July 5, 1807, by choosing the following directors : Simon Larned, John W. Hulbert, Joshua Danforth, and Daniel Pepoon, of Pittsfield ; Joseph Goodwin, of Lenox ; Andrew Dexter, of Boston ; and James D. Colt, Jr., of Pittsfield. Simon Larned was chosen president, and Ebe- nezer Center, cashier. A neat banking house was built where the Athenæum building now stands, and business was carried on until 1810, when the bank, owing to the dishonesty of Andrew Dexter, made a very bad failure. It seems that Mr. Dexter, to carry on gigantic (for those times) financial schemes in Boston, connected himself with country banks, from which to keep supplied with money. He represented to the directors of the Berk- shire bank that he wished $200,000.00 in their bills, simply to place on de- posit to satisfy the law in regard to private bankers, and not to be taken from the original packages nor put in circulation. The result of this unbusi- ness-like proceedure is obvious. The directors found themselves in Lenox jail, in 1811, imprisoned for debt. When they were liberated, six gentlemen who, a few years before, were accounted among the most prosperous in Berkshire, returned to their homes pecuniarily ruined.

The Agricultural Bank was chartered in 1818, and is still doing a lucrative business. The corporators named in the act were Nathan Willis, Joseph Shearer, David Campbell, John B. Root, Thomas Gold, Theodore Hinsdale, Jr., Lemuel Pomeroy, Henry C. Brown, Samuel D. Colt, Josiah Bissell, Jonathan Allen, Timothy Childs, Henry H. Childs, and Phinehas Allen. The capital was fixed at $100,000.00, and the par value of the shares at $100.00. Books were opened for the subscription to stock March 9th, and on the 27th of April, the stock being all subscribed, the stockholders unani- mously chose the following board of directors : Thomas Gold, Nathan Willis, Josiah Bissell, Samuel D. Colt, and Henry C. Brown, who subsequently elected Thomas Gold, president, and Ezekiel R. Colt, cashier. The bank originally conducted its business in the building erected by the Berkshire bank ; but in 1853 it removed to the building east, and in 1868 took up its present quarters in the Berkshire Life Insurance building. In 1851 the cap- ital stock was increased to $200,000.00, and in 1865 it was made a National bank. Its present capital is $200,000.00 with a surplus fund of $250,000.00, the officers being J. R. Warriner, president ; J. N. Dunham, vice-president ; Irving D. Ferry, cashier; and J. R. Warriner, Jabez L. Peck, Edwin Clapp, J. N. Dunham, William R. Plunkett, Josiah Carter and W. M. Crane, directors.

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Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 34

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