USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Gazetteer of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887 > Part 25
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In 1817, by the death of one of the brethren, a fund was left to the church for the support of the communion table, and a committee, consisting of Dea- con Macomber, Deacons Austin and Daniels, was chosen "to obtain the money left to the church by our brother Reuben Hitchcock, of Worthington." Previous to this time and, as tradition has it, long before the organization of the church in the west part of the town, there had been a small body of Bap- tists in the northwest part of the town, holding their meetings where Edgar Damon now lives, and in 1818 they erected a meeting-house in the east part of the town, a little East of Bisbee's mills, and from the records we infer that this was a part of the same church organization with the one in the west part of the town, with the same officers and minister.
November 2, 1820, Eider Todd was dismissed from the pastorate in conse- quence of a dissatisfaction among some of the members on account of his be- longing to the Freemasons, a society not just then in very high repute, and added to this were difficulties of a more personal nature ; but he continued to reside in town till his death, in 1847, aged ninety-one. In June, 1822, Rev. Paul Hines was chosen pastor. At this date there appears 225 names on the church book as belonging to the church. Among them we find the names not yet extinct of Curtiss, Macomber, Hayden, Davis, Thayer, Torry, Bisbee, Litchfield, Bryant, Cole, Todd, Cudworth, Higgins, Stanton, Tower, Taylor, Cowing, Sampson, Angell, Bissell and Robinson.
From about 1822 the records are lost, and facts exist only as far as known in the memory of many now living, and although these facts exist, the precise dates may be lacking. About 1825 the meeting-house, a large rambling structure standing just above the present location of Asa Todd, where the road turns from Ireland street to Worthington, was taken down, condensed in its proportions and removed to the corner opposite the present house of Hor- ace Cole. At about the same time the meetings in the east part of the town were discontinued, and Rev. Ambrose Day appears as pastor till about 1845. Some time during his pastorate it appears there were three deacons, Deacon Cudworth having removed from the east part of the town and located in the west part. But a difficulty having arisen in the church concerning the bequest of Reuben Hitchcock, previously mentioned, and which was left in trust to the senior deacon, Deacon Robinson, with about forty others, was expelled from the church. The main body of the church erected a new meeting-house at the center of the town in 1845, and Almon Higgins was chosen deacon.
This house was occupied about fifteen years, with Rev. William Smith, F. Bestor, Zalmon Richards and William Phillips as ministers or pastors, when,
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by the removal or death of many of the able and influential members, and the gradual depopulation common to these hill towns, the burden became too heavy for those remaining. The meetings were discontinued, and in 1874 the meet- ing-house was taken down. The church still ( 1886) keeps up its organization with about twenty-five members, who meet with other churches wherever they happen to be located, and the avails of the fund left the church by the late Dr. Robert Starkweather is used according to the terms of the will.
In 1825, in consequence of a change of views among some of the members living in the east part of the town, a portion, under the lead of Isaac King, Esq., withdrew and established a church known as the Free-will Baptist church, which occupied the meeting-house till 1845, when a new meeting- house at the Center was erected in connection with the Methodist church.
The Methodist church .- In 1843 several families of Methodist sentiment being resident in town, meetings were held in the town-hall, with Josiah Hay- den and Mr. Morse, from Williamsburg, as leaders. In 1844 the conference sent Rev. Daniel K. Bannister, a native of this town, to conduct the meet- ings. In 1845, Rev. E. A. Manning was sent here, a church was formed and a house of worship erected. This house is the present town-hall, and is a neat and handsome building, founded literally " on a rock." In 1848 Rev. McClouth officiated for one year. In 1849 Rev. William Bardwell came here and remained two years. He was succeeded by Rev. I. B. Bigelow, who re- mained two years. In 1853 and 1855 Rev. John Smith was the preacher. E. B. Morgan succeeded him for one year. The last pastor was Rev. J. W. P. Jordan, who remained two years. The house was occupied several years by the Free-will Baptists and was finally sold to the town for a town-house. The church records were lost in the Mill river flood, May, 1874.
C UMMINGTON* is one of the western tier of the county's towns, and is bounded north by Plainfield, east by Goshen, south by Chester- field and Worthington, and west by parts of Windsor and Peru in Berkshire county, having an area of 13,71 1 acres.
This town has been the birthplace of poets and statesmen, and has a re- cord which compares favorably with many better known places. But the town has not yet awakened to a sense of her duty in having prepared a full and authentic history of the first century of her existence. Brief sketches to be sure have been prepared from time to time. It is the writer's purpose to add one more to this number, with the fond hope that it may enthuse its resident readers to search records and trace traditions, to learn more fully the pleasing story of the early life of their town-a story long, yet interesting, replete with pathos and humor. Limited space demands that our remarks
*Prepared by Miss Mary E. Dawes.
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shall be a brief narration of facts. Our authority in nearly every case are the records of the town or state.
Natural Features .- The surface of the town is broken, presenting charm- ingly diversified scenery. Parallel ridges cross the town in a northeasterly di- rection and through the intervening valleys flow the several streams, though all are tributaries of the larger, the Westfield river. The streams are locally known as Swift river, north branch of Swift river, Shaw brook, Roaring brook, Childs brook, Kearney brook and Whitemarsh brook. A number of excel- lent mill sites are afforded. There is good arable land with rich tillable soil, though stock growing facilities predominate.
Grant and Early Settlement .- On February 16, 1762, by an order of the general court, "Colonel Oliver Partridge and Mr. Tyler, with such as the honorable board may join " were appointed a committee to sell at public ven- due ten townships included in Hampshire and Berkshire counties. "Number 5," now Cummington, is desbribed as follows :-
" Also another township, to join west on the east line of said last men- tioned township [number 4, afterwards Gageborough, now Windsor] and to extend east 20° south, and square off at right angles to make the contents of six miles square."
The committee reported the sale as having taken place on June 2, 1762, at the " Royal Exchange Tavern, in King street," Boston. Number 5 was then sold to John Cummings for eighteen hundred pounds, he paying the re- quired twenty pounds down and giving a bond for the remainder. At a di- vision of lots December 29, 1762, the names of twenty-seven other men are recorded as having become proprietors.
Tradition has uniformly fixed upon Samuel Brewer as the pioneer settler of the town. We first find his name among those of the party sent here to survey one hundred lots in the summer of 1762. Again, in the records of 1763, we find a deed from John Cummings to Samuel Brewer, transferring certain lots of land in " Plantation No. 5;" and we next see him climbing these rugged heights, hewing down the dense forest trees and making for himself a home near the old Indian trail from Northampton to Pittsfield. He built his house near the south line of the farmn now occupied by P. P. Ly- man, and midway between the old Stephen Warner house and the Seth Por- ter place. From here, unaided and alone, he opened a road nearly five miles through what is now Worthington to the place once occupied by Jonah Brewster, there striking the old military road from Chester to Bennington. The time of Samuel Brewer's death and the place of his burial are not known, and diligent search has failed to discover even any reliable evidence in regard to the last years of his life.
Through the road which this pioneer had opened the settlers came rapidly into "Plantation No. 5," principally from Plymouth and Worcester counties.
But the story of these early times, as we have said, is vague and tradition- ary. To be sure records are extant, but they have not, it seems, been thoroughly sifted. The town was controlled by the proprietors, their names
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appear as settlers, when they were in reality non-residents; transients here to build mills or kindred work for the proprietors, are recorded as settlers ; votes were passed for improvements, for public buildings, for organization-an array of facts that would naturally suggest a rapid and flourishing growth, when such was undoubtedly not the case. The settlement during those early years increased slowly. The population of the town in decades from 1790 appears as follows : 1790, 873 ; 1800, 985 ; 1810, 1,009 ; 1820, 1,060 ; 1830, 1,261 ; 1840, 1,237 ; 1850, 1, 172 ; 1860, 1,085; 1870, 1,037; 1880, 881.
Changes in Boundaries .- In 1778 the general court was petitioned to set off one-third of the public lands of the town to "Gageborough," giving as a reason the difficulty of getting over the great hill which intervened between this third and the main portion of the town ; also the difficulty of transacting town business, as this third lay in Berkshire county, while the other two-thirds were in Hampshire county. The petition was granted.
The State, for some public service performed, had given a certain tract of land to the town of Hatfield. This land was afterwards incorporated into the area of other towns, and a section further north and west was given to Hatfield in its stead. This latter was known as "Hatfield Grant" or " Equivalent." Plantation No. 5, when surveyed, was found to include nearly the whole of this " Equivalent."
In 1778 the inhabitants of No. 5 sent to the house of representatives a petition asking to be incorporated into a town, exclusive of this Equivalent. This petition was accompanied by one from the inhabitants of said tract, asking to be excluded from the act of incorporation, " because of the moun- tains and rivers that attend." It appears that this petition was not granted, for in the act of incorporation, in June, 1779, a part of the Hatfield Equiva- lent is included in the town of Cummington. This act made the west line of the town the same that it now is, the east line of Berkshire county. The east line of the town, however, begun at the lot of Joseph Warner, and run- ning north, 19° east, crossed the East village near the Baptist church and ex- tended in the same straight line to what is now the north line of Plainfield.
These boundaries, also, were soon changed, for in 1785 the district, then the town of Plainfield, was set off by the general court, by a line drawn east and west through the centre of the original town. In 1788 a considerable unincorporated territory lying between the then east line of Cummington and the towns of Ashfield, Goshen and Chesterfield was annexed to Cumming- ton. In 1794 a small gore lying north of the southeast corner of Plainfield was set off to that town, and Cummington's present boundaries were established.
Organization .- The town was incorporated June 23, 1779, under the name it now bears, given in honor of one of its original proprietors, Col. John Cummings. The first town meeting was held at the house of Enos Packard, December 20, 1779, when William Ward, John Shaw and Ebenezer Snell were elected selectmen, and Barnabas Packard, clerk.
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Educational .- The town has from the very first taken an unusual interest in educational advancement. As early as 1790 a building was erected for the purpose of opening a select school, or, as it was then called, an " Acad- emy." It was situated on the road leading from the old Stephen Warner place to the house of Fordyce Packard. Col. William Ward took a great in- terest in this achievement, and it was largely through his liberality that the town was enabled to complete it. Some of the less sanguine ones christened it " Ward's Folly," and by that name it was long known. Many years later, when East Cummington had grown to be the business center, a large acad- emy was built there and a flourishing school started into existence. Here the pupils were prepared for college, or armed themselves for the battle of life by a thorough practical education. During the reign of this school the number of college graduates from Cummington exceeded that of any other town of its size in the state. Since its abandonment there has been at various times a high school term during the winter. The large percentage of the inhabitants who have availed themselves of what educational advan- tages they could command, must account for the numbers that have been sent forth to occupy positions of trust throughout the land. Among those who have become illustrious or have achieved national reputation may be mentioned William Cullen Bryant, in the literary, and H. L. Dawes in the political world, as so well known that any remarks here would seem uncalled for. There is still another, John Howard Bryant, whose poetic genius and literary culture have given him a high place among the writers of our time. Others have shown large capacity in special research, viz .: Arthur Bryant, as a horticulturist and author of a standard work on forestry ; Cyrus Bryant, a chemist and geologist ; Dr. Oliver Everett, as a geologist and botanist ; Dr. Jacob Porter, whose discovery of that rare mineral Cummingtonite, procured for him a membership in the Northern Antiquarian Society of Copenhagan. Some of Cummington's sons have developed those sterling business qualities calculated to give pecuniary success in life, prominent among whom are the Shaw Brothers, the largest tanners in the world ; the Hayden family, whose mechanical skill gave them great wealth and high standing in the country. But these are only a few of the prominent men who have claimed the moun- tain town as a birthplace.
Lawyers .- Cummington has never proven a profitable location for lawyers. William Cullen Bryant, when a young man, tried one case here before his grandfather, Ebenezer Snell. A Mr. Cushing lived for some time here, but no records of cases tried by him are to be found. Horatio Byington, after- wards a judge of the court of common pleas, had an office in town for two years.
Physicians .- One physician or more the town has always had. Drs. Brad- ish, Mick and Fay were here before " Plantation No. 5" became a town ; since then there have been the following : Drs. Peter Bryant, Howland Dawes, Ira Bryant, Samuel Shaw. Robert Robinson, Royal Joy, Abel Pack-
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ard, Atherton Clark, Morris Dwight, Stephen Meekins, Beemis Brothers, William Richards, Thomas Gillfillain, Arthur Kimball and Walter A. Smith.
Biographical Notes -Dr. Peter Bryant, when a young man, came from Bridgewater to Cummington, where, in 1792, he married Sarah Snell. Their third son, William Cullen, born November 3, 1797, though never strong physically was always considered a precocious child. At nine years of age he began to write verses. At ten years he declaimed at school a poem of his own composition, describing a district school. At eleven, he was given as a task by his grandfather the first book of Job, to put in rhyme. At thirteen he wrote The Embargo, a satyrical poem which called forth much comment. During his sixteenth year he entered the sophomore class in Williams college ; but finding some features of college life distasteful to his shy, sensitive nature, he obtained an honorable dismissal the next year. However, in due time he received a degree as member of the class of 1813. In 1817 the North Ameri- can Review published his Thanatopsis, of which Professor Wilson said, " It alone was sufficient to establish the author's claims to the honors of genius." Mr. Bryant studied law with Judge Howe, of Worthington, and afterwards with William Baylies, of West Bridgewater ; was admitted to the bar at Ply- mouth, in 1815 ; practiced one year in Plainfield, then removed to Great Barrington, where he inet Miss Frances Fairchilds, who became his wife in 1821. Several of his poems were addressed to her, and he once called her the "good angel of my life." In 1825 he went to New York, and abandon- ing the law determined to become a man of letters. He edited a monthly magazine for one year, before becoming connected with The Evening Post. He assumed editorial charge of that paper in 1836, a position he held until his death. Between the years 1834 and 1867, inclusive, he made six visits to Europe, and in 1872 a second voyage to Cuba and the city of Mexico. His Letters of a Traveler give interesting accounts of these journeys. He spent the winters in New York, and divided his time during the summers between "Cedar-mere" lis place at Roslyn, Long Island, and " The Home- stead," at Cummington, which he purchased and re-modeled in 1866. His last public utterances, the final sentences of his address at the unveiling of the statue of Mazzini, were a fitting close for a life which for purity and sweetness has not been excelled. At the close of these exercises Mr. Bryant walked about two miles under a burning sun. At the end of the walk he fainted, and in falling, struck his head, causing an injury of the brain which resulted in his death fourteen days later, and on June 12, 1878, he was laid to rest in the pretty cemetery at Roslyn, Long Island.
Howland Dawes, born in 1766, came with his father's family, from Abing- ton, to Cummington in 1773. He studied medicine with Dr. Peter Bryant, and for about fifty years practiced his profession here. He never married, making his home with a brother. His genial, social nature made him many friends, and his kindly, urbane manners made him a welcome visitor at every fireside. And the name of Old Dr. Dawes still brings with it a smile and a
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pleasing anecdote from the older inhabitants of the towns in which he practiced. He died in 1844, and lies in the cemetery east of Mr. Charles Dawes.
Henry L. Dawes, born October 30, 1816, graduated at Yale in 1839, studied law at Greenfield, while acting editor of the Greenfield Gazette and after- wards in Albany with the firm of Cagger & Stevens, was admitted to the bar about 1842, practiced at North Adams and edited the North Adams Trans- cript for several years ; and had been a member of the Massachusetts legis- lature-serving in both houses-for six or eight years, when, in 1857, he was elected to the house of representatives, where he served eighteen years. He entered the senate in 1875, and served two terms, having, during this long period of public service, discharged all duties devolving upon him with conscientious fidelity, to the satisfaction of his constituents and honor to him- self. Francis H. Dawes, born May 11, 1819, has always lived in Cumming- ton. He has been fifteen years assistant assessor, thirty years a magistrate, and fifteen years a trial justice. He married Melissa Everett, in 1847. Has had charge of Bryant Homestead for over twenty years.
Peter Tower, a decendant of John, who came from Hingham, England, about 1838, was one of the early settlers of this town. His son Stephen married a Miss Bowker, and reared thirteen children. His son John was born in Cummington in 1781, married Ruth, daughter of Rev. Jesse Reed, and had born to him seven children, viz .: John M., Salome, Coleman, Dexter, Laura, Roswell and Russell. Of these, four are living, John M., Dexter, of Williamsburg, Laura (Mrs. Cephas Thayer), and Russell of Worthington. The last mentioned married Rebecca Granger. and has two children, Cole- man E. and Mary E. Dexter married Irene Pierce, and has four children, namely, Clinton B., C. Belle, Lizzie J. and Pearly D.
Stephen Tower was born March 8, 1778, came to Cummington in 1781, married Milly Bartlett, of Bridgewater, Mass., December 15, 1803, and had born to him seven children, as follows : Wealthy, Pamelia, Calvin B., Par- melia, 2d, Zilpha, Anna and Luther. Wealthy and Luther are the only ones living. Luther was born December 13, 1819, married Sabrina Tower, Novem- ber 25, 1841, and has four children living, namely, Mary A., Henry L., Char- les W. and Adella A. He resides on the homestead on road 55. His father died June 7, 1856, and his mother died August 18, 1864.
Lorenzo Tower, a direct decendant in the seventh generation of John Tower who came from Hingham, England, resides in this town on road 31, and is librarian for the William Cullen Bryant library.
Daniel Nash was born in 1743, and came to this town in 1788. He mar- ried Susanna Richards, October 7, 1773, and had born to him twelve children, namely, Susanna, Daniel, David, Susanna, 2d, Sarah, David, 2d, Sally, Mary, Asa, Olive, Jairus and Iantha. David, 2d, was born August 4, 1784, married Ruth Colson, June 3, 1813, and lived on the homestead. He died April 30, 1856. His children were as follows: David, Sarah, Caroline, Daniel, Susan, Edwin, Mary and Webster. Of these Sarah and Mary are living. The latter lives on the homestead.
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Asa Porter was born January 25, 1771, came to Cummington in 1795, and settled on road 45. He married Elizabeth Huntington in 1797, and reared eleven children, two of whom are living, Mary and Milton. The latter was born July 27, 1806, married twice, first, Miss L. Hume, who bore him three children, Harris H., Ralph M. and Julia H. The mother of these children died March 29, 1857, and Mr. Porter married for his second wife Clarissa K. Bisbee, who died February 8, 1886. Mr. Porter and his son Ralph re- side on the homestead, on road 45.
Wareham Hitchcock was born February 29, 1796, married Olive Clough, of Belchertown, in 1815, and moved to Chesterfield in 1826. After living there two years, he moved to Cummington, locating on what is known as " the Mount." He finally moved to Swift River, first building a house and grist- mill on road 34, and in 1843, built a house and saw-mill on road 35. He reared eleven children, viz. : Dwight W., Julia A., Jane M., Levi L., Lewis F., Nancy J., Lyman H., Henry H. and Eliza, now living, and Olive L., who died December 31, 1879, and Lewis O., who died in 1825. Mr. Hitchcock died October 13, 1869, and his wife died April 19, 1867. Henry H. resides on the homestead at Swift River, is postmaster, and part of his house is used as the postoffice.
Arunah Bartlett was born March 30, 1797. and married Amanda Tower, March 13, 1824. Mr. Bartlett resides on road 56, where he has lived for fifty-two years.
Hiram Steele was born in Weathersfield, Vt., in 1799, married Rebecca Witherell, of Chesterfield, in 1834, and came to Cummington, in October, 1838. locating on road 48. He has had born to him three children, namely, Isaac H., Mary J. and Lucius. The last mentioned married Adelaide Clapp, of this town, and resides on the homestead with his father.
VILLAGES.
CUMMINGTON village is located just east of the central part of the town, in a narrow valley. In its vicinity the scenery is unusually picturesque and ro- mantic. The village has a number of fine residences, and with its schools, churches, business interests and dwellings, presents a pleasant appearance. Thomas Tirrell was the first settler here. The postoffice was established about 1716, with Maj. Robert Dawes, postmaster. The present incumbent, of the office is Theron O. Hamlin.
WEST CUMMINGTON is a pleasant little post village, located in the north- western part of the town, on the Westfield river. It was mainly founded by William Hubbard, who established a tannery here in 1805, and Elisha Mitch- ell, who established a store here in 1823. About this time the postoffice was established, and Mr. Mitchell made postmaster. The present postmaster is Luke E. Bicknell.
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SWIFT RIVER, the latest established of the town's three post villages, is pleasantly located in the southeastern part of the town, at the junction of the two branches of Swift river. The postoffice was established here in 1869, with William H. Guilford, postmaster. The present postmaster is Henry H. Hitchcock.
HOTELS.
The first hotel was owned by William Mitchell, and stood where C. C. Streeter now lives. Another early hotel was kept by Asa Streeter, on the farm now owned by H. A. Streeter. Adam Packard opened a public house on Cummington hill, and at a later date Seth Williams established a store and hotel at the village. In 1821 Levi Kingman opened a hotel here. The pres- ent hotel. known as the Valley House, was built by William White, in 1846. The later proprietors have been E. B. Bruce, C. M. Babbitt, R. W. Shattuck and F. L. Holmes, the present proprietor.
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