Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 40

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 40

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).

These townships were given no names, but were designated as Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Sandisfield receiving the "No. 3," the three remaining ones, in their numerical order, being Tyringham, Marlboro and Becket. After these grants, however, another petition was presented by the proprietors praying for a sup- plementary grant, as compensation for losses sustained in extinguishing the: Indian title to the territory, the petition being as follows :-

" PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

"To His Excellency Jonathan Belcher, Esq., Captain General and Governor In Chief, To the Honorable His Majesties Council and House of Repre- sentatives, In General Court assembled at Boston, November 30, 1737 :

" The Petition of Nahum Ward and Ephraim Williams, Esqrs., for them- selves And the Rest of the Proprietors of the four new Townships Lately Granted by this Court, Lying Between west-Field and Sheffield, In the County of Hampshire :

" Most Humbly Shows That upon Your Petitioners Beeing admitted Grantees They Paid into the Hands of the Honorable Committee of this court the Sum of Twelve Hundred Pounds, for Defraying the charge of Sur- veying Said Towns, and other Necessary Charges, as Also that there might be a Sufficient Sum of Money in Hand Ready To Purchase the Land of the Indian Owners, In Case there should Bee occasion, as was then apprehended there would be. That in Order to Cultivate a Good agreement with the Indian Owners of Said Lands, and that they might have No Grounds of uneasiness, They did, By the Advice of Said Honorable Committee, Make a Purchase of Said Lands, with Some Adjoining, of John Pophnohonnawok v. s. Konkapot the Chief of the Housatonnoc Tribe, and Sundry other Indians, which Deed is Duly Executed and acknowledged before the Honorable John Stoddard, Esq., the Consideration being Three Hundred Pounds which Sum they Have Actually paid, which is over and above what any other Grantees have paid, and, indeed, is What your Petitioners did not all first Expect ;

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that your Petitioners Humbly apprehend they are Equally entitled to the Justice and Favour of the Government as the Grantees of other new towns are, and that therefore they Should not be Exposed to pay the Purchase of their Lands themselves. But, inasmuch as there is a Quantity of Broken Lands Included within their deed, more than Said four Townships, They therefore most Humbly pray that your Excellency and honors would, of your known Justice and Goodness, Be Pleased to take the case and Circumstances of your Petitioners, So peculiar in its nature, into your Consideration, and Grant the Relief In the Premises By making them a Grant of the Lands as are Included in the deed aforesaid, in Consideration of their paying Said Sum off money or such other manner as may be consistent with your Pleasure, and that Said Deed may be approved and fully Ratified, and as in Duty Bound Shall ever pray.

" NAHUM WARD.

" EPHRAIM WILLIAMS."

The prayer of this petition, it seems, was granted, and a compensation allowed of two tracts of 11,000 acres each, which were called "The North Eleven Thousand Acres," and the "South Eleven Thousand Acres." The former tract was erected into a district, with all the privileges of a regularly organized town, except that of electing a representative to the legislature, on the 24th of June, 1789, under the name of Bethlehem, and June 19, 1809, it was taken, in connection with other tracts, to form the township of London, which name was changed to Otis, June 13, 1810. The " South Eleven Thousand Acres" was also formed into a district, June 19, 1797, under the name of Southfield, and February 8, 1819, annexed to Sandisfield, which had been incorporated March 6, 1762, under its present name, given in honor of Samuel Sandys, Lord Sandys, who in 1761 was made first Lord of Trades and the Plantations. The town has also had several other changes in area since, the first occurring April 9, 1838, when a tract of 11,000 acres of unincorporated land was divided between it and Otis ; May 4, 1853, it received another slight increase, when a portion of the boun- dary line between it and Tolland was defined; and April 24, 1875, it lost a portion of its area, which was annexed to Monterey, though it has now one of the largest areas in the county.

The surface of the town is hilly and undulating, being finely diversified by valleys, ponds and streams. Farmington river is the principal stream, flowing a southerly course through the eastern part of the township. It receives sev- eral other streams, the principal of which are Sandy brook, Silver brook, Buck- hill and Clam rivers, all flowing a southeasterly direction. Spectacle pond and Little Spectacle pond, having 113 and 78 acres area, respectively, and joined by a narrow strait, lie in the northern part, they being so named from the articles their form resembles. The soil, though various, is generally of a good quality, and especially well-adapted to grazing purposes. The hills attain a considerable height, though they are not abrupt, rising into large swells. Seymour mountain, in the southern part, is one of the larger eleva- tions, having an altitude of 1,698 feet, while in the southeastern part is situ- ated Hanging mountain. The latter is rather a remarkable curiosity, as on

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its southeastern side a craggy wall three hundred feet in height overhangs the river, from which large masses of rock sometimes come crashing down with terrific violence. The rocks entering into the geological structure of the ter- ritory are almost entirely of gneiss formation.

In 1880 Sandisfield had a population of 1,107. In 1883 the town em- ployed five male and fifteen female teachers in its public schools, to whom was paid an average monthly salary of $32.00 to males and 20.05 to females. There were 221 school children in the town, while the whole amount raised for school purposes was $1,500.00.

SANDISFELD, a post village, is located in the western-central part of the town.

SOUTH SANDISFIELD is a post village located in the southwestern part of the town.

MONTVILLE, a post village, is located in the central part of the town.

NEW BOSTON, a post village, is located in the eastern-central part of the town.

WEST NEW BOSTON is located a short distance northweast of New Boston.

Albert Hull's tannery, located on the Hampden county side of Farmington river, was originally built in 1840, being destroyed by fire in 1847 and rebuilt immediately after. It has the capacity for tanning about 250 sides of leather per week.

Wilbur L. Whitney's toy-hoop manufactory, located on road 28, gives em- ployment to six men.

O. G. Case & Co.'s school furniture manufactory, located on road 43, employs a number of hands in the manufacture of school furniture. The firm's headquarters are at Hartford, Conn.

William H. Hawley's saw-mill, located at the foot of Spectacle pond, cuts 200,000 feet of lumber annually.

The settlement of the town was commenced in 1750, by Thomas Brown. He was soon after joined by his father, Daniel Brown, with his numerous family. Daniel, who was born near Boston, but had lived for a long time at Enfield, Conn., was foremost in the public affairs of the town and owned much of the land. The settlement was then increased by the arrival of a number of families from Wethersfield, Conn., and adjoining towns, and also a number from the towns below Plymouth, on Cape Cod. It was not until March 6, 1762, however, that the town was incorporated. The first child born was Lot Smith, August 7, 1757, he being so named from the proprie- tors having promised to give him a lot of land in honor of the first birth ; this promise they failed to keep, however. At the taking of the first census, in 1791, the town had a population of 1,581 souls, or 474 more than is shown by the returns of 188c.

Among the natives of Sandisfield who have attained an eminent position may be mentioned Jonathan Cowdery, an eminent surgeon in the U. S. Navy, born here April 22, 1767, and died at Norfolk, Va., November 20,

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1852. He was a prisoner in the hands of the Turks two years. Barnas Sears, D. D., LL. D., born November 19, 1802; and Edmund Hamilton Sears, D. D., an elegant poet and able writer, was born here in 1810.

Stephen Sage, a Revolutionary soldier, came here from Middletown, Conn., about 1750. He married Esther Hollister, and reared ten children-Silas, Philemon, Charity, Esther, Solomon, Stephen, Hannah, Chloe, Dennis, and Josiah, and died in 1842, upon the farm now owned by Frederick Joyner. Philemon married Betsey Chapel, by whom he had eight children, namely : Cains M., Ann Eliza, Daniel D., Solomon, Mary Celestia, Augustus P., Rufus, and Jasper, of whom three, Ann Eliza and Augustus, on the home- stead, and Jasper, in Long Hill, Conn., survive.

Henry Smith came to Sandisfield from Cape Cod, among the very earliest settlers, and located in the southern part of the town, clearing the place now kown as the Russell Smith farm. He married Ruth Twining, by whom he had a family of three boys and one girl. One son, Russell, who married Maria Moses of this town, reared four children, Nelson, Newton, Delia M. and Hattie. Hattie died in 1864. Delia married Timothy Baldwin and resides in Coldbrook, Conn. Nelson, a resident of this town, married M. Chav- anne and has three children, Mary L. Laura M. and Hattie J. He occupies the farm known as the Edmund Stratton farm. Newton is also a resident of Sandisfield, and is the third generation to occupy the homestead. He mar- ried Julia E. Hubbard, of this town, rearing five children, Fannie L., Clarence A., Walter H., Ellen M., and Lena J., all of whom are living.

Solomon Smith, from Cape Cod, was one of the first persons to locate in this town. Uriah, a descendant of Solomon, was twice married, and had eight- een children, six of whom survive. Uriah held many offices of trust, and died in 1863. Myron Smith is of the fourth generation to occupy the home- stead.

Juda Fuller, one of the earliest settlers in this town, was twice married, and reared six children. His second wife lived to the advanced age of eighty- seven. One son, Joseph H., was drafted for the war of 1812. He married Sarah Smith, of New Marlborough, Mass., and had five children, of whom Joseph M. is the only survivor. He married Adelia L. Decker, of Hillsdale, N. Y. He has held several town offices.

Samuel Merrill was born in 1774, at West Hartford, Conn., and married Eleanor Barber, rearing six children. He was a farmer and a carpenter and joiner. He came to Sandisfield about 1805. He was representative to the general court three different times, and was many years justice of the peace. Orville, son of Samuel, was born in 1804, and married Abigail Hastings, who died in 1873, aged sixty-seven. He was deacon of the Baptist church, and died about three years ago. His son, James H., was born July 26, 1830, and married Louisa W. Reed, of Jefferson Co., N. Y., and has five children- Mary L., Ella E., Charles H., Orville W., and Hattie A. James H. was a commercial agent for a time, soon after entering into the manufacture and

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sale of clothing, and in 1860 he added to the business that of general mer- chandise, which business he still follows. He owns and resides upon the place originally owned by Lot Smith. He was justice of the peace for seven years, and has been postmaster since 1874.

Jedediah Sage, one of the early settlers, located upon he farm now owned by Josiah H., which has been retained in the possession of the ancestors. He had seven children, and died in 1799. Harvey succeeded him upon the homestead, married Olive Harmon and reared three children, John, Josiah and Mary. Josiah married Sarah E. Bonney, who bore him one child, Harvey H. Hiram married Artimesia Wilcox, who survives him at the age of seventy- four years.

Elijah Deming was one of those early to make a home here, locating on Town street, and had born to him two sons and one daughter. Thomas mar- ried Elizabeth Clark, of Tolland, Mass., rearing ten children, none except Orlow and Sarah surviving. Sarah became the wife of Bradley Gibbs, of Blandford, Mass. Orlow, who occupied the original Bent farm, was born in 1820, and married Lucia Northway of this town, rearing two sons, namely: Lincoln E., who is postmaster and a general merchant in New Boston ; and Edward, who died at the age of twenty-nine.

Elihu Persons, from New Hartford, Conn., came here with his father, Ben- jamin, a Revolutionary soldier, about 1784, when a young man. Four of his nine children are living. Farrel, his oldest son, married Sophronia Bristol, of Oxford, Conn., rearing eight children. One son, Aaron, married a Miss Terrill, of Colebrook, Conn. His children are Byron J., Bruce, Wallace, (Romania and Maria now dead,) Dallas and Edward H. Byron J., who occupies the homestead, married Ellen K. Spaulding, of Norfolk, Conn., and has five children, Mary S., Frederick F., Frank B., Alice S., and Myra I. The homestead dwelling was formerly the hotel stand of Benjamin Pierce. Mr. Parsons has been one of the board of selectman, also assessor. The trade of tanning, currying, and shoemaking was carried on for many years by his grandfather and also by his father.

Capt. Miles Stratton, was born in New Marlboro, in 1798, near the town line, and always resided in town. He was a captain of militia for many years, and has held various town offices. He married Clista Rice, who bore him eight children.

Eliakim Hull, who became a resident of this town in 1800, was a farmer and trader, and was also an important man in town affairs, having held office of trust, and having represented the town at the great and general court for several years. He married Sarah Andrews, of Farmington, Conn., and was the father of five children, Sarah, George, Mary, John, and Harry, none now living. George, his eldest son, was a very promenent character in the town, being representative, senator, councilor, and lieutenant-governor for many years. He kept a general store in Sandisfield for about sixty years. George was born in Farmington, Conn., in 1788, and married Sarah Allen, who bore

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him eight children, four of whom survive-Edmund D., in New Boston ; Cor- nelia, widow of Alexander Hyde, of Lee; Albert, of this town, who married Susan M. Holcomb, of Granville, Conn., and George A. of Boston.

Alfred Claflin, son of Abner, was born in this town in 1809, married Lucetta Warriman, and still resides here, at about seventy-four years of age. He has been engaged in the manufacture of rakes for many years, having a shop in the northern part of this town.

John Whitney removed to this town from New Hamphire about 1814, and married Lucy Chamberlain, by whom he had a family of eight children-Ema- line, living in Illinois ; Lucy in Winsted, Conn .; Mary Ann in Iowa ; Clarinda, Harmon, Lorenzo and Edward all residing in this town. Edward mar- ried Harriet E. Couch, and was the father of six children, five of whom, Jane, of New Boston, Hiram of Thomaston, Conn., Wilber L., superintendent of the hoop shop Wallace and Edward of Sandisfield, are living. Edward is engaged in rake manufacturing.

Orlo Northway, boin in this town in 1820, married and reared two chil- dren, one living. His son John, who resides on road 38, was a member of Co. H, 49th Regt. Mass. Vols., and was wounded at the battle of Port Hudson, June 27, 1863. He married Mary A. Phelps, and has one son, Edward A. John A. has held several offices of trust.

Myron L. Thompson was born in this town, on the farm he now occu- pies, in 1829. He married Miss Walker and reared one child, Emaline E., now dead.

Mrs. Lucy A. Phelps was born in New Marlboro, Mass., in 1811, and married Newton Phelps, of Sandisfield. Six of her children are still living. One son, Edgar N., was a member of Co. B, 37th Regt. Mass. Vols., and was killed in front of Petersburg, Va., in 1865, just previous to the surren- der of Gen. Lee.

Seth Seymour, a native of Connecticut, immigrated to this town at the age of twenty-three. He married Mary Belden, and was the father of six children, Seth, Allen, Calvin, Nelson, Mary and Jane, of whom four still sur- vive. Seth married for his first wife, Emeline Palmer, rearing nine children, of whom four are still living. Edward and Jane are married and reside in Connecticut. Charles resides in Chester, and George is a physican in Louis- ville, Ky. After his wife's death in 1846, Seth married Maria C. Wilcox, of this place, who bore him two children, Arabelle and William S. The latter is a teacher in this town. Mr. Seymour bought and re-built the saw-mill in Montville village, which he now operates.

Ezra Sackett, a native of Westfield, Mass., married Sarah Hurd, of this town, by whom he had eleven children. Smith, one of his sons, married Jemima Heath, and also had a family of eleven children namely : Andrew, Mary P., Francis E., Cynthia E., Adeline A., John S., Addie J., Charles S., Homer G., Frederick E., and William H. Six of these are still living- Mary and Cynthia in Collinwood, O .; Andrew in Waterbury, and Charles,

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Frederick and Adeline in Bridgeport, Conn. Mr. Sackett formerly resided on the original Roswell Heath farm, but is now living on the place previously occupied by Dr. E. Beach.

Rufus W. Fargo, born in this town, in 1850, located on the original Horace White homestead and married Cora Deming, of this town, and has two children, Jennie L. and Hurbert L.

W. L. Whitney, born in this town in 1851, was for several years engaged in the manufacture of rakes, and has always been engaged in the manufac- ture of wood work. At present he is superintendent of the toy hoop manufactory. He married Maria E. Robinson, of Sandisfield, and has six children, Libbie J., Minnie E., Waldo B., George E., Robert G., and Bessie.

Richard Parsons, was born in Norfolk, Conn., in 1822, coming to this town in 1854. He married Jane W., widow of W. C. Case, who had one son, Arthur. Richard has one son, Warren H. He occupies the original Captain William Wolcott farm, corner roads 59 and 44. There is also an adopted daughter, Cora E. Olds.

Henderson Kimberly was born in Otis in 1837, and located in San disfield in 1859. He married Orra Collins, of Tyringham, Mass., by whom he had five children, Addie L., Frederick W., John Burton, Flora E., and Alice M.

Thomas S. Webb, born in Otis in 1823, was engaged in the lumber busi- ness twelve years, after which he removed to this town in 1860, where he had a saw-mill. In 1866 he built a large mill for the cutting of lath and shingles. He also built a cider-mill where he makes 200 barrels of cider annually. The mills were washed away by a freshet in 1878 and rebuilt in 1882. His son Henry is engaged with him in business. They cut 200,000 feet of lumber annually.

John Manley, born in Bloomfield, Conn., came to Sandisfi-ld in 1766 and located on the farm now known as the Simon Bosworth place. He had seven children, of whom John, Jr., by his third wife, Tryphena Elmer, had three sons, John, Amos B. and Butler. John married Charlotte Dowd and had four children, John, Henry S., Amos and Warren, of whom John and Warren reside in West Otis. Henry S. lives in this town, married Mary Rockwell, and has one son, Edward, in Collinsville. Henry S. has held sev- eral offices of public trust.

Ransom B. Gladden, born in Burlington Conn., in 1835, located in this town in 1860. He married Elizabeth Thorpe, of Southington, Conn. He afterwards married Mary Stone, of this town, and after her death, in 1874, he married Jane Deming. He engaged in the manufacture of wagons and sleighs in 1832, and is also a carpenter and joiner.

Capt. Curtis Hunt, born in Blandford, Mass., located in Otis, and married Lovica Deming, who bore him two sons and two daughters. Lovica died in 1833, after which he married Betsey Eley, of Westfield, Mass., by whom he had one child. O. D. Hunt resides in Winstead, Conn .; Eliza became the wife of Frederick Bush, proprietor of the Holyoke House, in Holyoke,

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Mass .; and Charles H., proprietor of the New Boston Hotel, married Ann Deming and has one child, Clara, wife of Arthur Ellingsworth, of Meriden, Conn.

Levi King, who resides in this town on road 36, was born in Granville, Mass., in 1826, and located in Sandisfield in 1860. He was twice married, having for his first wife Mary J. Hull, of Farmington, Conn., by whom he had four children, and for his second, Amy L. Roberts, of this town, who bore him one son, Sumner. Mr. King has followed the blacksmith's trade for many years.

Ansel Veits came from Granby, Conn., to this town in 1860, and married Sarah N. Root, rearing one son, Henry J., who married Annie Hull, of Tol- land, Mass., and resides on road 56.

Martha D., widow of John Spring, who died November 2, 1873, resides on the original Henry Spring farm, to which she came in 1861. She had two daughters-Mercia A., who is married and resides in Connecticut, and Effie J., who died in 1879.

Truman W. Ives, who resides upon the former Williams farm, removed from Colebrook, Conn., to this place about the year 1862. He married Aurelia Bosworth, of this town, by whom he had five children, Fred, Celia, Myrtie, Burt, and Byron, all now living.

Henry M. Wilcox, a general merchant and lumber dealer, came to the town in 1865, from New Hartford, Conn., and married Julia Denslow, of this town. He has been a selectman since 1875 and has represented his town twice in the legislature.

Charles E. Bushnell, M. D., was born in Colebrook, Conn., in 1844, studied medicine in Burlington, Vt., and settled in this town in 1865. He married Sarah J. Coudrey, of Hartland, Conn., and has three children, Charles, Walter, and Addie.

Benjamin Gridley, a blacksmith in the employ of Mr. King, is a native of East Granville, Mass., and came to this town in 1866, where he now resides, upon the original Rugg place. He married a Miss Irving, of West Hartford, Conn.

John Whitbeck, born in Mt. Washington, in 1834, married Janet Deland, and has had six children, Sarah, James E., Eva, Emma, Jennie M., and Ida, all of whom are living.

Hiram Durham was born in Otis in 1818, and located in Sandisfield in 1872. He married Jane Latham, who died in 1863. On this farm stands the ruins of the old Spring Tavern, where Gen. Burgoyne stopped.

Thomas Dodd emigrated from Ireland to this country, and located in Sandisfield upon the original Wood farm in 1873. He married Delia Kel- ley and became the father of six children, Andrew, John, Charles, Henry, Martin and Mary Frances.

Edward P. Hood, born in 1827, immigrated to this town from Maine in 1873, and located on the Manning farm, running the mill. He is engaged

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in the manufacture of bedsteads and plough beams, and has been one of the selectmen four years. Mr. Hood was married four times, his last wife being Maria L. Webb. He has three children, all living.

Albert C. Butler, who has been postmaster since 1882, came to Sandisfield from Lenox in 1877, and located upon the original Gov. Hull farm. He married Mary A. Hitchcock, of Colebrook, Conn., and has four children- Cora R., Katie L., Grace M., and Martha M.

Gilbert W. Pruyn, who married Addie Robinson, of Bennington, Vt., was born in Washington county, N. Y., and came to Sandisfield in 1877. He has one son, Clifford.

Caroline M. Morehouse, born in Fairfield, Conn., in 1819, married Eben- ezer Sage, of Colebrook, and had one son, George W., who died in 1878. After her husband's death she married James M. Haxton, of Sandisfield, who also died, and reared two sons, James J. and Burton S., both now dead. She has one grandson, Arthur B., son of Burton S.

Godfrey Miller, a native of Germany, came to America in 1854, locating in this town in 1880. He was in the 2d Regt. Conn. Vols., and was wounded at Cold Harbor, June 18, 1863, and was mustered out August 9, 1865.

Luther A. Weldon born in 1843, came to this place from Farmington, Conn., in 1881, and is superintendent for O. D. Case & Co. He married Mary E. Palmer, and has one daughter, Josephine F.

John C. Greenleaf came to this town in 1881, where he engaged in the wood turning business, in the mill formerly the silk mill.

Charles R. Shepard was born in Lewis county, N. Y., and came to Sandis- field in 1881, married Helen King, of Lee, Mass., and occupies the original Wolcott farm.

Anson E. Barnes, born in Winsted, Conn., in 1826, was a member of Co. I, 13th Regt. Conn. Vols. He married Jerusha J., widow of Henry Taylor, and reared one child, Charles L. and came to this town in 1882.

John O'Brien, born in Washington, Mass., is a blacksmith by trade. He removed to Sandisfield from Lenox in 1883, marrying Anastasia Manson, of that place, who bore him one child, Julia.

The First Congregational church was organized in 1756, Rev. Eleazer Storrs being the first pastor. Their church building, erected in 1852, will accommodate 300 persons.

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Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 40

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