USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885 > Part 50
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Thomas Cooley Phelps, Esq., only son and third child of Daniel Phelps, removed with his parents from Northamton, July 4, 1799, to Williamstown, Mass., where he resided continually till his death, which occurred September 7, 1866, aged seventy-one years. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins. Mr. Phelps was one of Northern Berkshire's most prominent men. He spent a long life of usefulness, highly esteemed by his fellow citizens for his integrity and uprightness, and was repeatedly hon- ored by them in the election to offices of trust and responsibility, which he filled worthily and acceptably. A man of refined principles, endowed with a high intellect, and sincere whether the occasion was political or otherwise, his words carried weight because his hearers knew that he ment and believed what he said. In his intercourse with men he was genial, and met the hum- blest individual and most exalted dignitary with the same cordial greeting. It was this that endeared him to the whole people, and made them feel that a friend and peace-maker was at hand. He always took a keen interest in the town, and was ever ready in word and deed to help forward every worthy
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TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN.
cause. In politics he was a Republican, and represented the town in the general court at Boston in the winter of 1837-38. He was also a magistrate for twenty-eight years. Mr. Phelps was a member of the M. E. church. In the various relations of life, as citizen, neighbor, friend, he was above reproach, and it is seldom that a life thus lengthened is found so free from unpleasant memories. He made a name that will always be held in greatful remem- brance by a community which loved to honor him. He was a farmer, and was twice married, first to Miss Lucy Hall, of Pownal, Vt., November 28, 1819, who died December 20, 1830, aged thirty years, by whom he had four sons and four daughters, as follows: George W., born November 10, 1820 ; Francis E., February 8, 1822 ; Daniel H., March 4, 1823; Mary A., Septem- ber 7, 1824 ; Thomas C., Jr., June 18, 1826 ; Seth, July 7, 1827 ; Weltha, M., May 9, 1829 ; and Lucy J. H., November 8, 1830. For his second wife he married Miss Sophia Hosford, September 8, 1831, by whom he had eight daughters and one son, namely : Thirsa R., born September 18, 1832 ; Mar- than, M., April 9, 1834; Louisa A., March 17, 1836 ; Sophia A., May 28, 1838 ; Henry S., April 16, 1841 ; Charity E., August 29, 1842 ; Emma L., July 11, 1844; Sarah F., February 18, 1847; Nancy A., February 17, 1849.
George W. Phelps, first son of Thomas C., married and had five sons,- Henry, Allen, Elburt, Warren, and Carlton. Daniel H. Phelps, second son of Thomas C., married and had three sons and three daughters, Cassius D., Gershom C., George L., Lucy Elizabeth, Weltha S., and Ella A. B. Thomas C. Phelps, Jr., third son, married and had two sons and four daughters,- Frederick, Frank, Alice, Ella L., Minnie B., and Mary O. Henry S. Phelps fifth son, married and had three daughters, Ruth O., Mary and Abbie, all of Williamstown, Mass.
" Life forever runs its endless race, And like a line, death but divides the space, A stop which can but for a moment last,- A point between the present and the past."
Charles Haley, born in North Adams, came to Williamstown when a young man and resided here until his death, rearing a family of children. His son, George W., now resides at South Williamstown.
Henry Green, a pensioner of the war of the Revolution, came to Williams- town from Rhode Island soon after peace was declared, and resided here until his death in 1859, at the age of ninety-two years. Henry, Jr., one of his fourteen children, and the father of Mrs. Hiram A. Chase, of North Adams, died here in 1819.
Zadock Ford, from Austerlitz, N. Y., came to Williamstown, about the time of the Revolution locating in the northwestern part of the town, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1835. None of his eleven children are now living. One of his sons, Ira, born here in 1787, died in 1841, having reared nine children, five of whom are now living,-George Z., in Williamstown, Mrs. Harriet Sales, Mrs. Amelia Blackinton, and William S., in North Adams, and Charles I., in Missouri.
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
The First Congregational church of Williamstown, located at Williams- town village, was organized in 1765, Rev. Whitman Welch being the first pastor. Three years later, in 1768, a church building was erected. The present structure, built in 1866, of brick and freestone, will seat 800 persons, cost $45,000.00, and is valued, including grounds, at $50,000.00. The society now has 275 members, with Rev. Albert C. Sewall, pastor.
The Baptist church, located at Sweet's Corners, was organized by a council from Pownal, Berlin and Adams, in 1813, with twenty-two members, Rev. Elder Doty being the first pastor. The first church building, erected in 1810, gave place to the present stone structure in 1834. It will seat 250 people, cost $1,500.00, and is now valued, including grounds, at $3,000.00. The society has forty-five members, with Rev. A. D. Whipple, pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Williamstown located at Williamstown village, was organized by Rev. Henry Stead and Billy Hibbard, in 1821, the latter being the first pastor. A house of worship was erected in 1846, and in 1872 the present neat brick edifice took its place. It will seat 450 persons, cost $25,000.00, and is now valued, including grounds, etc., at $28,000.00. The society has 210 members, with Rev. James L. Atwell, pastor.
The Church of Christ (Congregational), located at White Oaks, was organ- ized by Prof. Albert Hopkins, with twelve members, December 20, 1868, he acting as pastor. Their building, erected in 1866, cost $2,000.00, will seat 150 persons, and it now valued, including grounds, at $2,500.00. The society has thirty members, with Rev. William A. Stocking, pastor.
W 'INDSOR lies in the eastern part of the northern section of the county, in lat. 42° 30' and long. 3º 58', bounded north by Savoy, east by Plainfield and Cummington, in Hampshire county, south by Peru and Hinsdale and west by Cheshire and Dalton. It was originally "No 4" of the nine townships sold at auction in Boston. June 2, 1762, being purchased by Noah Nash, for £1,430. Nine years later, July 2, 1771, it was incorporated under the name of Gageborough, in honor of General
Gage, then the British governor of Massachusetts. January 9, 1777, how- ever, the people having changed their minds relative to the honor due Gen. Gage, he having taken a part in the Revolution that was far from pleasing to loyal Americans, they petitioned the legislature to change the name to Chesh- ire, " because the present name of Gageborough may serve to perpetuate the memory of the detested Gen. Gage." In 1778 the name was changed, but to Windsor instead of Cheshire. March 14, 1793, a portion of the town was taken towards forming the town of Cheshire. February 26, 1794, a part of Cheshire was annexed to this town, and February 28, 1795, a part of Windsor was annexed to Dalton. Other than these, no changes in its
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boundary have been made. The Indian name of the territory was Ouschan- pamaug.
The surface of Windsor is uneaven and hilly, enough so, at least, to afford a pleasing diversity to the eye, while its broken character does not seriously retard cultivation of its soil. A little west of the center of the town a ridge of highland extends north and south, from which the land slopes gradually to the east and to the west. On the east side rises a large branch of West- field river, while a large branch of the Housatonic rises on the west, the sources of the streams being only a few rods apart, a little south of the site of the old Congregational church on road 40. On the latter stream, in the southwestern part or the town, the water falls over a precipice of about seventy feet, forming Wahconah falls, one of the finest scenic pictures in this section. "Here pours through perpendicular cliffs of dark grey rock," says Godfrey Greylock, “ a considerable volume of water, which, in two or three leaps, makes a descent of seventy or eighty feet. The dark, precipitous cliffs form a striking and sombre vista, and the black and glossy surface of the water affords a fine contrast with the silvery white of the foam into which it breaks." The soil of the town is various, though largely warm and pro- ductive, being in some sections argillaceous, and in the eastern section sandy. It is also a fine grazing town. The rocks entering into its geological struc- ture are principally of gneiss, mica-slate and limestone formation. There are also several beds of steatite, or soapstone.
. In 1880 Windsor had a population of 644. In 1883 the town employed one male and twelve female teachers in its public schools, to whom was paid an average monthly salary of $20.00 to the male and $18.13 to the females. There were 115 school children in the town, while the entire amount raised for school purposes was $437-77.
EAST WINDSOR, or Jordanville, as it was formerly called, because of the numerous family of that name that resided here, is a pleasant little post vil- lage located in the southeastern part of the town. It has a store, machine shop and foundry, scythe-stone factory, blacksmith shop, paint shop, and about a dozen dwellings.
WINDSOR (p. o.), or Windsor Hill as it is locally known, is located on a high hill of that name, in the central part of the town. It has one church (Congregational), a store, town house, blacksmith shop, and half a dozen dwellings. " The old central spot of business and trade," says J. G. Holland, " where the people met for worship for many years, was on the top of a high hill, nearly as high as the tallest mountain in the town. To this bleak spot through drifting snow and freezing cold, the goodly generations of olden times resorted to worship in an unwarmed and altogether uncomfortable house. But the old locality is now deserted. The buildings, consisting of the old brick meeting-house, dwelling house, stores, and the large mansion known as 'Monk's Tavern,' have all been removed."
Francis Barden's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 47, was built by
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Levi Herrick, of Dalton, about twenty-five years ago. Mr. Barden manufac- tures lumber, and cuts about 4,000 shingles per day.
James L. White's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 27, was built by him in 1868. He employes three men in the manufacture of lumber, shin- gles and lath. He makes about 5,000 shingles per day.
William Reed's axe factory, located on road 8, on a branch of Westfield river, was built by A. J. Babbitt, about thirty years ago. He has owned the works about ten years, employs three men and manufactures about twenty-five axes per day.
H. L. Allen's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 9, was built by his father, Josiah Allen, in 1830. Mr. Allen manufactures all kinds of lumber, shingles, lath and brush and broom-handles.
G. J. Jordan's foundry and machine shop located at East Windsor, was built by his father, John Jordan, about 1860. Mr. Jordan is engaged in the man- ufacture of Jordan's Improved Turbine Water Wheels, circular and band saw-mills, and all kinds of wood-working machinery.
Torrey Bros.' saw and shingle-mill, located on road 54, just over the line in Hampshire county, erected in 1866, manufactures lumber, shingles and lath, turning out about 3.000 feet of lumber and 4,000 shingles per day. A cider-mill is also connected.
E. A. Jordan's scythe-stone factory located at East Windsor, gives employ- ment to three men in the manufacture of scythe-stones.
The settlement of the town was commenced by Joseph Chamberlain and Ephraim Keyes, from Ashfield, Conn., and Edward Walker, from Hadley. They were followed soon after by John Hall, Jeremiah Cady, and Josiah Law- sence, from Plainfield, Conn., and in May, 1768, the first birth occurred, that of a daughter of Mr. Lawrence. In 1791 the population had increased to 916 souls. Lester Grosvenor was the first town clerk. The first town records were destroyed. The earliest record of officers to be found in the clerk's office are dated August 19, 1771. That year Edward Converse, Jere- miah Cady, Henry Tibbitts, Elihu Williams and Simon Stevens, were select- men. The following is a list of the physicians bred in Windsor : Benjamin Bussey, Joshua Beals, Jr., Joseph Green, Orrin Wright, Uriel Wright, Erastus Wright, Clark Wright, Julius Wright, Gardner Dorrance, William Converse, Julius M. Hume, Henry Perry, Henry Briggs, George Cady, Gilman Trow, Josiah Trow, William W. Trow, and William Dwight.
Samuel, Josiah and Joshua Beals, brothers, were among the early settlers in Windsor. Samuel, who removed to this town from Milford, Mass., about 1770, located on the farm now occupied by Albert Ford, on road 35. He had two children, Daniel and Sarah. The son always resided in Windsor, locating near the farm now owned by Nathaniel N. Thompson, on road 19. He was twice married and reared a family of three children. Josiah Beals, from Milford, came to this town in 1771. He was twice married and reared by his second wife eight children,-James, Lois, Electa, Cassandra, Mehita-
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ble, Josiah F., Maria L., and Clara A., dying on Windsor Hill. . Of his chil- dren, James married and removed to Ogdensburgh, N. Y., where he died having reared a family of seven children; Electa, who never married, died at the age of fifty-three years ; Mehitable married and spent most of her life in Goshen, but died in Windsor ; Maria L., had one child, removed to New York State, and also died in her native village, while on a visit there ; Lois and Cassandra died when young ; Clara A., who remained single, resides with her brother, Josiah F., also single, on Windsor Hill. Joshua Beals immigra- ted to Windsor from Milford, Mass., in 1775, and reared a family of eight children, Joshua Jr., Josiah, Joseph, Daniel, Milton, Montesque, Elizabeth and Mary. Joshua Sr., always lived on Windsor Hill.
John Hall, among those to make an early settlement, came from Plainfield, Conn. He, however, soon removed to Castleton, Vt., and was killed by a party of Indians, about the time of the capture of Burgoyne. He has many descendants, though not of that name, still residing in town.
Ephraim Miner, a captain in the Revolution, was born in 1754, removing, with his wife, to Windsor, from Connecticut, when the settlements here were but few. They located in the eastern part of the town, and were blest with a family of five children, Jonathan, Lemore, Ephraim, Betsey and Annie. Jonathan, the oldest, and who was born while his father was serving in the war, located on road 52, on the farm now owned by Jeremiah E. Miner. He reared a family of nine children, four dying in infancy, and the other five being Elizabeth, Norman, Marshall, Gardner and Sarah. Elizabeth, wife of Lanman Snow, resides in this town on road 14. Norman married Cynthia Crane, of Windsor, and they resided here most of their lives. They reared a family of six children, three of whom died while young, and one Miss Celia, now resides in East Windsor, on road 54. Marshall, who married Lucy Hol- brook, of this place, always resided on road 52, on the farm now owned by his son, Jeremiah E. Miner. He reared a family of four children, Marshall H., Jeremiah E., Addison E. and Jonathan. Marshall H., married in Wind- sor and is now residing in West Cummington ; Jeremiah E. resides, with his second wife, on road 52, on the homestead. Addison E. married Josephine Shaw and resides on road 53. Jonathan married Kittie Goodrich, of Peru, and died on the old homestead. Leman, son of Ephraim, who married Joanna Tower, of Cummington, and reared a family of six children, all sur- viving, removed to Batavia, N. Y., where he died. His widow is still living in Batavia, at the age of ninety-nine. Ephraim, brother of Leman, died when a young man. Betsey, who married David Foote, of Peru, removed to Conway, Mass., and reared a family. Annie, who married Gideon Pierce, of Windsor, and had three children, Harrison G. who married Juliette Axtell, of Windsor, rearing two children, and now resides in Cummington ; Maria, who resides, with her second husband, in Worthington, Mass .; and Orison who died while young.
"Esquire" Walker, who resided in Windsor, held a commission as an offi- cer in the Revolution, signed by Gen. George Washington.
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
Stephen Hume, a Revolutionary soldier, was born April 24, 1754, and removed to Windsor, from Sutton, Mass., about 1790, locating on road 38, upon the farm now owned by his great-grandson Edward B. Hume. He had four sons and one daughter, namely : Stephen T., David, Moses, Richard and Mary. Stephen T. located on road 39, upon the farm now owned by C. A. Hume, where he spent most of his life, and reared a family, but one surviving, who married Chapin Converse and resides in Hinsdale. David, brother of Stephen, removed to Monroe county, N. Y., where most of his life was spent. Moses went first to New York and thence to Michigan, where he died. Rich- ard married Abigail Brown, of Windsor, reared a family of six children, and always resided on his father's homestead. Of his children Harriet A. married Chauncy Baldwin, had four children, and resided in Hinsdale until her death. Claudius A. married Loenza Richardson, of Windsor, and has passed most of his life on his farm on road 39. He has two sons, twins, Ed- ward Boutelle who married Alice A. Hathaway, of Adams, and resides on road 38, and Edgar Boynton, who resides in Pittsfield. Caroline, sister of Claudius, is the wife of Henry L. Hume, living in Hudson, Mich. Edwin W. who mar- ried Priscilla Prince, of this town has been a resident of Illinois for twelve years. Mary, wife of Horace Johnson, resided, until her death, in Windsor, on road 53, and Catherine B. resides with her sister, Mrs. Caroline Hume, in Hudson, Mich.
Asa Kennedy, born in 1764, came to Windsor, from Farmington, Conn., with his wife and three children, in 1793, and located on road 19, where Alpheus Horton now resides. He afterwards built and removed into the house on road 19 where N. N. Thompson now resides. He reared a family of eight children and died in 1844. Of his children Chauncey married Sally Belden of this town, the union being blessed with a family of eight children. They removed to New York State. Hila, who married Sylvester Axtell, of Peru, and removed to New York State, also had eight children. Allen also became a resi- dent of New York State, married, and was the father of eight children. Elmira, wife of Phineas De Moranville, of this town had five children. Luthera married Bela Beals, of Windsor, removed to the West, and had seven children. Asel, who married Mary White and immigrated to Ohio, also reared seven children. Olive, who became the wife of Silas R. Collins, of Savoy, passed the greater portion of her life in Windsor. They were blessed with a family of four children, two dying in infancy and the other two, Cynthia, who is living with her third husband, Charles Carpenter, in Savoy, and has one child, and Alvin, who married Priscilla E. Hathaway and reared one son, and who has always resided on road 20, survive. Laura, sister of Olive, died while young. Silas R. Collins died in 1881, at the age of eighty-three.
Dr. Ashael Wright, from Connecticut, brought his young bride to Windsor in 1793. He became the father of a large family, consisting of eight sons and several daughters. The oldest son became a lawyer and practiced in
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Chester, Mass., but died while yet a young man. The second son, Worth- ington, became a minister and lived to a ripe old age. Five sons were phys- icians, one of them practicing in Pittsfield, two in the State of Pennsylvania, one in New York city, and one on Long Island. The youngest daughter married Rev. Henry Herrick, of New Haven, Conn. His house was also the early home of a step-son, Henry Dutton, who, after learning the printers' trade, established the Boston Transcript, in that city. His death occurred but a few years since.
James Whitmarsh, who was born in Waymouth, Mass., in 1782, came to Windsor in 1796, and built a log house near where his son, James now re- sides, on road 23, and where he resided until his death, in 1863. He mar- ried Lucy Parker in 1819, and reared seven children, James, Lucy, Eliza, Henry M., Lydia, George and Mary. James, who resides upon the home- stead, on road 23, married Electa Snow, and had born to him four children, one deceased. Lucy, who married Edward Blake, of South Deerfield, has two children. Eliza became the wife of William Cady and had one child. They are now residents of Nichols, N. Y. Henry M. married Martha Smith, of New York, and removed to Iowa, but died in Windsor. He reared two children. Lydia became the wife of Elias Belknap, of Eden Valley, N. Y., but has since died. George and Mary died when young.
Hon. Byram Green was a native of Windsor, but, when he was fitted for college, his father removed to Williamstown, in order to lessen the expense of his son's education. He is remembered as one of five young men, who, in the year 1806, are said to have prayed the Foreign Mission into existence. They met in a maple grove, in Williamstown, and, during a thunder shower, fled to a haystack for protection. The place was identified by him years afterwards, a stake driven in the ground, and subsequently a monument was erected, to commemorate the "birth-place of foreign missions." Byram survived the other four. He became a minister and preached in several places in New York, until his voice failing, he was obliged to resign. He was a member of the New York legislature four years, and a member of Congress from 1843 to 1845.
Zebulon Allen, who was born May 18, 1771, removed to this town, with his wife, from Bridgewater, Mass. He had ten children. Zebulon located on the farm now owned by his son, Wait A, on road 16, where he resided until his death, April 12, 1846. Of his children, Susannah marred Andrew Ford, removed to Ohio with an ox-team, and had two children. Josiah mar- ried Sally Kingsbury and lived on the homestead, removing, in 1834, to the farm now owned by his son Heman L. He reared six children, Erastus B., Mehitable, Erastus G., Martha, Eliza and Heman L. Erastus B. died when a child. Mehitable married H. D. Capen and resides on road 53. Eras- tus G. married Julia A. Robinson, of Worthington, Mass., and re- resides in West Cummington. Martha, wife of Levi W. Thatcher, from Savoy, now resides in Brightwood, Mass. Eliza, wife of Fordyce Whitman, is a resident of East Hampton, Mass. Heman L. married Leonora Dean, of Savoy, and has always resided on road 9. They have two children. Mehitable, sister of Josiah Allen, became the wife of Jonathan Oakes. Pris- cilla, who married Clark Prince, of this town, removed, after a few years, to Hinsdale, Mass., and reared a family of five children. Waite A. married 27*
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Lucy Jenks, of Windsor, who bore him six children, two dying in youth. Henry married Cynthia Smith, of Dalton, and died in 1871. Thomas mar- ried Eliza Jordon, of Windsor, and resides, with his father, on road 16. Leora, wife of Oscar Gloyd, is a resident of Plainfield. Mary resides at home, on road 16. Harriet N. sister of Waite A., is the wife of Priestly Mitchell, and resides in Dalton. She has two children. Joseph, who married Maria Snow, of this town, and always resided here, reared a family of three children. None of this family survives.
The Browns, of Windsor, were people of note, from whom, for four suc- cessive generations, a deacon was chosen for the Congregational church.
Seth G. Torrey removed to this town from Cummington, Mass., in 1805, and located on the farm, on road 55, now owned by E. W. and C. E. Torrey where he resided until his death. He had two children, Hiram P. and Hannah A. Hannah A. married Noah Ford, of this town, and died in Conway, Mass. Hiram P. married Betsey Whitman, and remained on the farm with his father, rearing four children, Rodney W., Sidney M., Sarah A. and Cessius E. Sidney M. is married and resides in Cummington, just over the line from East Windsor. Sarah A. resides with her brother, Rodney W., and Cessius E., upon the homestead, which was previously owned and occu- pied by their father and grandfather.
John and Alfred Jordon came to Windsor, from Cummington, Mass., about forty years ago and located in East Windsor, building the first saw-mill in this hollow. So numerous were the persons by that name, that the place took the name of Jordonville, but the postoffice is known as East Windsor. John Jordan reared three children-Eliza Ann, who married Thomas A. Allen, and resides on road 16; Erastus, who died early in life; Granville J., who married Cora Arnold, of Adams, and resides on road 54 corner 58.
Samuel and Ephraim Baldwin, brothers, were early residents of Windsor, and were surveyors, having been taught the profession by their father, who was a coast surveyor.
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