USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Gazetteer of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887 > Part 27
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VILLAGES.
EASTHAMPTON village impresses one at first sight as a bright, business-like, busy manufacturing place-and this impression is perfectly correct. The streets of the village are broad, shady and pleasant, and lined with good, sub- stantial, often elegant residences. It has also acres of extensive manufac- tories, two banks, several churches, the well known Williston Seminary, an elegant library building, beautiful town hall, and rows of business blocks.
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TOWN OF EASTHAMPTON.
The history of the village begins almost with that of the settlement, at least with the incorporation of the district. It grew up near the old mill of the Bartlett's, authorized by the town of Northampton in 1675, which we have already alluded to. One of the first to open a store here was Joseph Clapp, opposite the present store of A. J. Lyman, on Main street, in 1792. The postoffice was established here in 1821.
MT. TOM is a hamlet in the northeastern part of the town, at the junction of the Mt. Tom railroad with the Connecticut River road. There is also a postoffice at this village.
GLENDALE is the name given to a hamlet that has grown up about the elastic fabric mill, located in the northwestern part of the town.
MANUFACTURES.
Williston & Knight Co .- This firm is extensively engaged in the manu- facture of covered buttons. The business was established by Samuel Willis- ton, who moved his factory here from Haydenville. In 1847-48 Horatio G. Knight entered into partnership with Mr. Williston, under the firm name of Samuel Williston & Co. A little later Seth Warner was admitted, and the firm name changed to Williston, Knight & Co. The business was carried on thus till December 1, 1865, when a stock company with a capital of $150,- 000.00 was formed, under the name of the National Button Co. This name was changed by the legislature in 1880, to the Williston & Knight Co. Mr- H. G. Knight has thus been actively engaged in the business for forty years, a great part of the time as general manager. The present building was erected in 1861.
The Nashawannuck Manufacturing Co .- The company was established in a small way, as the Samuel Williston Co., in 1850. In 1852 they received their charter from the state and changed to the present corporation, with $100,000.00 paid up capital. Since increased to $300,000.00. In 1853 the amount of business was largely increased by the purchase of the right to use Goodyear vulcanized rubber in the manufacture of elastic fabrics. They were the first in the country to use vulcanized rubber with fibrous material in the production of elastic goods. The amount of their production has steadily increased until to-day they are the largest manufacturers of suspend- ers and narrow webs in this country, if not in the world, employing over 500 hands in weaving and finishing suspenders, garters and other narrow elastic fabrics. E. H. Sawyer, Esq., was their first treasurer and general manager, continuing in office until 1879, when the present treasurer, G. H. Newman, was elected. C. Myer, of New York, is president. All goods are sold from their selling house, 74 and 76 Worth street, New York.
The Glendale Elastic Fabrics Co .- In 1862 a company consisting of H. G. Knight and E. H. Sawyer, of Easthampton, and William and C. G. Jud- son, of New York, was organized under the title of the Glendale Vulcanized
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Rubber Company, with a capital of $50,000.00. Their business was the manufacture of elastic cords, frills, and other similar goods. They located at the place now known as Glendale, in the western portion of the town. They enlarged and occupied a building that had been occupied as a manu- factory of twine and batting by Gregory & Wells. In 1864 they rented the two upper stories of the large brick factory erected by the Rubber Thread Company, near the Easthampton depot. Their operations were transferred to the village. They bought out the Goodyear Company in June, 1865, and their business rapidly increased until they occupied four mills. In 1867 some- thing of a re-organization took place, and the name was changed to its pres- ent form. The machinery was brought from England by Hon. E. H. Saw- yer, as an agent for certain New York capitalists. At about the same time the company bought the elastic cord and braid business, originally started by Lieut .- Gov. Knight, and they have since successfully connected both the goring and braided goods, together with the weaving of narrow-loom or gar- ter-web, and have brought the standard of their productions up to that of the best goods made in Europe. The line of work embraces a wide variety. The present officers are Samuel T. Seelye, president, and Joseph W. Green, Jr., treasurer and manager.
Easthampton Rubber Thread Co., manufacturers of rubber thread of all sizes from fine Para rubber. This company was formed in November, 1863, with a capital of $100,000.00, and immediately began active operations. The managers had had previous experience in the business, and were thor- oughly acquainted with the needs of the elastic fabric manufacturing business, and were determined to supply them. With this end in view, they employed the latest and best mechanical aids and gathered a corps of skillful workmen. Their productions were at once received with great favor, and gave such satisfaction as to call for increased facilities. In 1869 the capital was increased to $ 150,000.00, and their business greatly extended. Their line of work is con- fined exclusively to the manufacture of rubber thread. They buy only the best quality of rubber, the "biscuits" being expressly selected for this company in Brazil. Every step of the conversion from "biscuits" to thread is taken within the company's works. The last processes are rolling the rubber into sheets of such thickness as may be necessary to make the size required, and then cutting the sheets into strips whose width equals the thickness. The present officers are Chistopher Meyer, president, and E. T. Sawyer, treasurer and general agent.
The Williston Mills, extensively engaged in the manufacture of fine cot- ton yarn, were established by Samuel Williston in 1859. The present com- pany was incorporated in 1866, with a capital of $350,000.00. The presi- dent is John J. Haley, of Boston.
The Valley Machine Co., extensively engaged in the manufacture of steam pumps, was originally established in 1868, as the Easthampton Steam-pump and Engine Co. In 1870 the Valley Co. was formed, and purchased the busi-
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ness. This company at first received a charter, but surrendered it in 1873, and organized on a partnership basis, with John Mayher, treasurer and manager.
N. O. Dibble's suspender factory was established by him in 1870. He employs five hands in the manufacture of shoulder-braces and suspenders. Mr. Dibble came to Easthampton from Granby, Conn., in 1865.
Hannum & Bosworth's saw-mill, on road 20, was established by them in 1884. They employ six hands and manufacture 6,000 feet of lumber per day.
Martin Rich's brick yard, on Clark street, was established in 1864, and taken by Mr. Rich in 1867. When in full operation Mr. Rich employs thirty hands here.
BANKS.
First National Bank .- Early in the days of the National banking system the need of banking facilities was strongly felt by the business men of East- hampton. The nearest bank was four miles away, at Northampton, and Greenfield and Brattleboro institutions were utilized to some extent. On April 23, 1864, the organization of the First National Bank of Easthampton was completed in the old town-hall. Samuel Williston was the first sub- scriber, taking 400 shares of the stock. Officers were chosen as follows : president, Samuel Williston ; directors, H. G. Knight, E. H. Sawyer, Eben- ezer Ferry and Levi Parsons ; cashier, Eli A. Hubbard. The capital was $100,000.00, which was increased the next year $50,000.00, and again in 1869 to $200,000.00. Office room was obtained in the second story of the Preston's block until, in 1871, their present banking house was completed at a cost of $18,000.00. The lot was purchased of the town, and is a part of the old first burial ground. Mr. Williston remained president until his death, in July, 1874, when vice-president H. G. Knight was chosen. Cashier E. A. Hubbard soon resigned to accept a position on the state board of education. C. E. Williams acted until 1877, and Albert D. Sanders served till 1883. The present officers are, president, Samuel T. Seelye ; directors, John Mayher, E. R. Bosworth, G. H. Newman and William G. Bassett ; cashier, C. H. John- son. The bank was re-chartered in 1883, for twenty years. Forty-four divi- dends have been paid, aggregating $342,663.00. The present surplus is $50,000.00, with undivided profits $5,000.00.
The Easthampton Savings Bank was organized June 7, 1870, and is lo- cated in the same building as the National Bank. The officers are John Mayher, president ; O. G. Webster, secretary, and S. T. Seelye, treasurer.
GAS WORKS.
The Easthampton Gas Co. was organized September 7, 1864, with a capital of $20,000.00, which was increased April 23, 1866, to $30,000.00. Ebenezer Ferry was the first president, and Horace L. Clark, treasurer. The present
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TOWN OF EASTHAMPTON.
officers are E. T. Sawyer, president ; H. L. Clark, treasurer ; and G. L. Manchester, superintendent.
WILLISTON SEMINARY.
This school was founded in 1841. It owes its existence to the generosity of one man, Samuel Williston, to whose business sagacity the growth of the town is largely due. During his lifetime he gave the seminary more than a quarter of a million dollars. Four large brick buildings occupy the school cam- pus, three boarding-houses are located in different parts of the village, and the Williston homestead is used as the residence of the principal. The ex- penditure for apparatus and laboratories has been large and unusual in schools of this grade. Thus, while the school has been a classical academy, especial prominence has also been given the scientific department. At his death, Mr. Williston left the school an additional endowment of $400,000.00. Half of this was paid to the trustees upon the settlement of the estate. The remainder, in the form of two trust funds of $50,000.00 and $150,000.00, is accumulating and will become available when they have doubled.
Every school which lives and grows receives another endowment from those who serve on its boards of trust and instruction. In this second endowment, which cannot be enumerated in cash and real estate and apparatus, the sem- inary has been grandly enriched. To Tyler, the Wrights, Clark, Henshaw, Hubbard, Hitchcock and their associates in the past, and to others, the naming of whom might seem invidious, in more recent years the institution is indebted for its intellectual and religious impress. They have kept it abreast of the thought and claims of our time and land. It began as a local school and the founder thought it might remain such, but these other founders have made it national.
Fortunate in its location and rich in its endowments, the school has also been prospered by its patronage. It began as a school for both sexes, hence the name seminary was adopted. The ladies' department was suspended in 1864, and the seminary has been an academy for boys since that date. About 7,000 pupils have been gathered during its history. One fifth of these have been prepared for admission to colleges and other higher institutions of learning. More than 600 of these have received college degrees, of whom one-third have entered the gospel ministry, another third have become law- yers, and the remainder have entered the professions of medicine, teaching or journalism.
The present principal is Rev. William Gallagher, A. M., and the president and treasurer of the board of trustees is A. Lyman Williston, Esq., of Northampton.
CHURCHES.
The First Congregational church of Easthampton was organized November 17, 1785, with seventy-two members, over whom Rev. Payson Williston was
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installed as pastor, August 13, 1789. He held the pastorate till 1833, and the pastors since have been Revs. William Bement, 1833-50 ; Rollin S. Stone, 1850-52 ; A. M. Colton, till the present pastor, William F. Bacon, succeeded him a few years since. The first church building, erected in the spring of 1785, occupied the present site of the park. The present building was erected in 1836-37, though it has been extensively re-modeled and repaired since. It is now valued, including grounds and other property, at $20,000.00. The society has 428 members.
The Payson Congregational church was organized July 8, 1852, with 100 members, over whom Rev. Rollin S. Stone was installed as pastor. Their church building, erected in 1852, was burned January 29, 1854, and another, partly finished, was destroyed by fire September Ist of the same year. The present building was erected in 1855. It is a brick structure capable of seat- ing about 700 persons, and is valued, including grounds and other property, at about $30,000.00. The society now has 460 members, with Rev. Charles H. Hamlin pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized by its first pastor, Rev. S. Jackson, with fifty-three members, in April, 1863. The church building was dedicated December 12, 1866, and cost $16,396.36, including furniture. In. 1882 they built a chapel at a cost of $4,000.00. Rev. James F. Mears is the present pastor. The society has 150 members.
St. Philips Mission Episcopal church was organized in 1871. The build- ing was erected in 1885, at a cost of $4,000.00. The society now has sixty- four members, with Rev. Charles W. Ivie, rector.
The Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic church was organized by Rev Father Moyce, in 1872. The first pastor was Rev. Father Toomey. In 1872 a church building was erected, a wooden structure, which was super- ceded by the present brick edifice in 1884. It will comfortably accommodate 850 persons and is valned, including grounds and other property, at $60,000. The society now has 1,500 communicants, with Rev. R. F. Walshe pastor.
E NFIELD lies in the extreme eastern part of the county, and is bounded north by Pelham and Prescott, east by Greenwich, south by Ware, and west by Pelham and Belchertown.
The surface of the town is sufficiently diversified to present a pleasing, picturesque landscape, while it is not so broken as to retard cultivation of the soil to any considerable degree. Great Quabbin mountain is the principal elevation. It lies just south of the village and has an elevation of about 500 feet above Swift river. Mt. Ram, north of the village, attains an altitude of about 300 feet, while Little Quabbin, lying northeast of the village, is smaller. These constitute the principal elevations. In fact, ridges of high and wood land extend north and south throughout the township. The town is well
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watered by the east and west branches of Swift river, the latter of which sepa- rates Enfield from Belchertown. The east branch furnishes several fine mill privileges. Cadwell creek, a tributory of the west branch, waters the western section of the town, while several small brooks exist in other parts. The soil is productive, yielding average crops.
Settlement, Organization, etc .- Enfield originally formed a part of Narra- gansett Township No. 4, which included the present town of Greenwich and a part of the " Equivalent Lands " as described in the history of Belchertown, page 180. This whole tract was given the general name of Quabbin, after a celebrated Indian sachem, and is supposed to mean "many waters." For the facts which brought this early grant into existence we refer the reader to the sketches of Greenwich and Chesterfield.
On June 29, 1749, Quabbin was granted an act incorporating it into a parish, by which provision the inhabitants were empowered to call a minister and levy a tax for his support. This form was continued till April 20, 1754, when an act was passed making Quabbin parish a corporate township, under the name of Greenwich. As the settlement expanded, however, it became inconvenient for those living in the southern part of the town to go to Green- wich village to transact public business, or attend religious meetings. Accord- ingly, June 20, 1787, an act was passed incorporating the southern part of Greenwich into a separate parish, known as the South Parish of Greenwich. On February 15, 1816, this parish was incorporated as a separate township, under the name of Enfield, deriving its name from Robert Field, one of the early settlers. The boundaries of the new township are set forth in the act of incorporation, as follows :-
" That all the lands in the towns of Greenwich and Belchertown, which are comprised within the limits of the South Parish, of the town of Greenwich, as they are now settled and established according to the provisions of an act entitled . An act to divide the town of Greenwich into two parishes, and for including the northeast corner of the town of Belchertown in the South Parish,' passed on the twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, seven hundred and eighty-seven ; an act in addition thereto, passed on the twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thous- and, seven hundred and ninety-two, together with the farm of Robert Hath- away, in said Greenwich, with all the inhabitants dwelling thereon, be, and hereby are, incorporated into a town by the name of Enfield, and vested with all the powers, privileges, rights and immunities, and subject to all the duties and requirements of other towns in the common wealth."
An inscription on the tomb-stone of David Patterson, born in 1735, states that he was the first child born in Greenwich. He was a son of John Pat- terson, who is said to have been the first white settler to locate within the present limits of Enfield. He located about a mile south of the village, upon the Josiah W. Flint farm. He brought with him two sons, William and James, who soon after located in the southern part of the town, upon what is known as the McMillin farm. Among the other early settlers and families of prominence may be mentioned the following :-
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TOWN OF ENFIELD.
John Patterson, with the Stevensons (of whom David was one), and the McMillins, who settled in the town soon after Patterson, about the year 1742, were Presbyterians, from the North of Ireland. The young Pattersons were "mighty hunters " and expert wrestlers. David Patterson had three sons -- Robert, Oliver and John. He was a superior wrestler, and it is said that on one occasion a messenger came down from New Salem for him at midnight, to visit the latter place to wrestle with a man who had overthrown all com- petitors. He responded to the call, laid the champion on his back, and re- turned the same day. Of the Stevensons, there were four brothers, Edward and Isaac were hatters, and lived and worked in the Hooker house; their shop for felting and dyeing hats was on the bank of the river below the house. John lived on the farm situated on the hill north of the Lamson place.
Another settler of the town was John Rea, who resided, in 1764, south of the village, near the Bondsville road. Several brothers lived in town about the same time. They were large land-owners, and built several houses. Some of them subsequently removed to Pittsford, N. Y.
A man by the name of Carver settled early in the town, and owned a large tract on the southern side of the Swift river, including the farms of S. Boyn- ton and S. S. Pope, and a large strip of land on that side down to the Cabot place.
Other families who settled early in the town, all of them prior to 1793, were Sylvanus Howe, son of Lieut. Howe; Daniel Howard, who located on the " old Howard place," where his father had preceded him ; David New- comb, who lived in the eastern part of the town ; Capt. Joseph Hooker (grandfather of Gen. Joseph Hooker, prominent in the late war), who was a large tract-owner in the town, owning most of the land between the two vil- lages, and who lived on the spot now occupied by the residence of Edward P. Smith ; Robert Field, also a large tract-owner, and a man of enterprise, public spirit, and great personal popularity, and who lived opposite the pres- ent residence of Charles Richards, Esq .; Benjamin Harwood, who early left Hardwick, where he was born, settling first in Greenwich, where he married a daughter of Rev. Robert Cutler, the first minister of that town, and who settled finally at the upper village of Enfield, where he passed the remainder of his life ; Nathan Hunting, who settled on the Cabot place, and early en- gaged in the business of a miller ; Caleb Keith, who settled in the western part of the town ; William Stone ; James Richard, who was born December 13, 1766, and who finally settled in the eastern part of the town; Joseph Ruggles, who lived about four miles south of the village ; Abner Eddy, who resided where Washington Aldrich now lives ; Ebenezer and Barnabas Rich, the first of whom owned an early grist-mill in town, and lived where Benja- min Harwood now resides, and the latter of whom served in the Revolution- ary war ; Joseph Fobes, who lived in the southern part of the town ; William Morton, who lived on the old Monson turnpike, where L. M. Morton now lives, and Nathaniel Lane, who lived about half a mile south of the village.
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TOWN OF ENFIELD.
Other families were those of Oliver Kingsley, who lived in the southern part of the town; Phineas Howe, John Rich, father of William, who lived where the Thurston family now resides; Moses Colton, who occupied the house now the Swift River hotel; Simeon Stone, who lived in the old "Fleming House ;" Paul Paine, who resided on the old Monson turnpike, near the Richards place, and was a sea captain ; Rufus Powers, who resided at the upper vil- lage ; Ichabod Randall, who came from Bridgewater and settled as early as 1775 in Enfield, in the southern part of the town, on the place now occupied by Alvin Randall, and whose descendants still live in town; and Simeon Waters, who settled early in the town and was a cloth dresser and a wool- carder by trade, and who removed to Millbury about 1830.
Other early names are those of Rider, Caldwell, Clifford, Colburn, Drake, Collins, Wheeler, Mitchell, Lathrop, Ruggles, Swetland, Pratt, Underwood, Winslow, Bailey, Rice, Briggs, Gross, Gibbs, Clark, Torrance, Lyman, Osborne, Forbush, Messinger, Woodward, McIntosh, Adams, Chickering, Bartlett, Shearer, Newell, Gilbert, Hanks, Barton, Lamson, Kentfield, Weeks, Cary, Snow, Pope, Smith, Hawes, Woods and Jones.
Dea. Aaron Woods was born in New Braintree, Mass., in 1763. He was the only child of Aaron Woods, who, with a number of brothers, came to New Braintree from Marlboro, Mass., where the old Woods' house is still said to be standing. The Woods families are said to have settled in Marlboro when they came from England. Dea. Woods came to Enfield, with his newly mar- ried wife, Sarah Bridges, in 1785, and settled on Great Quabbin, buying his farm for £80. To the year of his death in 1845, he was a devout Christian. Faith had the first place in his heart, conscience ruled his life. To no man- certainly to no layman-does the church in Enfield owe more than to Deacon Woods. Dr. Robert McEwen, for twenty years pastor of the church, once said "the foundations of this church were laid on Great Quabbin Hill." So faithful was Deacon Woods to his spiritual office that he made an effort every year to meet every fellow church-member for converse on personal religion. The fol- lowing anecdote illustrates his conscientiousness. On one occasion he sent his son Moses to buy a yoke of oxen for $80.00. Moses beat the seller down to $75.00. This so disturbed his father that the young man was obliged to carry the extra $5.00 back to Amherst and deliver it to the former owner of the oxen. Like Abraham, however, Dea. Woods ruled his house well. All his ten children are buried in Enfield. Anna, the youngest, died at the age of four, Jonathan Edwards died in early manhood, leaving his young wife, Car- oline Mattoon, and his only child. Of the daughters, Sally and Catharine never married. Patty and Serene were married to Ichabod Pope, Esq., and the three surviving children of . Serene-Mattie Woods, Charles F. and Will- iam H. Pope, live in Providence, R. I. Of the four remaining sons, Aaron, the oldest, spent much of his early life in Canada. He died in Enfield, in 1871, esteemed by all for his Christian intelligence and his courtly manner. Moses, second son of Deacon Woods, was a dyer. He is chiefly remembered
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as an imitable story-teller, full of humor and mimicry. He also distinguished himself when young, as a wrestler, but after he had been one night dragged out of bed, transported ten miles to meet a new rival, and broken his adver- sary's leg in the first trial, he abjured the sport. Leonard and Josiah B. were for a long time associated in the manufacturing business in Enfield, first mak- ing card clothing, afterwards woolen goods. Leonard had few equals as a business man. Josiah B., an excellent business man, was also a skillful me- chanic. The invention of the machine for setting the teeth of card clothing is claimed for him. Aside from his constant devotion to the church, of which he was a member, Leonard gave his attention to little outside of the claims of his business. Josiah B., early in its history became interested in Amherst college, largely on account of his personal friendship for Dr. Edward Hitch- cock. He was member of the Massachusetts senate in 1845-46, and of the constitutional convention in 1852-53. He married Francis C. Belcher, daughter of Joshua Belcher, of Boston. They had eight children, four of whom died young. Charlotte J., who married E. P. Smith, died in 1881 ; Fanny C., who married Capt. W. B. Kimball, lives in Enfield, on the old homestead ; Mary P., wife of Prof. W. E. Chandler, of New Haven, Conn .; and Robert M., who graduated at Amherst college in 1869, and is now pastor of the Congregational church in Hatfield, Mass. The older sons of Deacon Woods all had large families, and his descendants are scattered from the field of the Nestorian Mission, in Persia, to California. Unfortunately compara- tively few bear his name. The surviving descendants in Enfield are J. E. Woods, J. B. Woods and Miss Carrie M. Woods, children of Aaron Woods ; Mrs. William B. Kimball, daughter of J. B. Woods; and Mrs, George C. Ewing, Jr., granddaughter of Leonard Woods and daughter of Hon. Rufus D. Woods. He was the oldest grandson of Dea. Aaron Woods, and was born in Enfield, May 1, 1818. He was graduated at Williams college in 1838, and afterwards devoted himself to business, for many years in Enfield, and for some time in Holyoke, where he was president of the Hadley Falls bank. He afterwards retired from business and was prominent in politics and served as representative and senator in Massachusetts, also as a member of the ex- ecutive council with Governor Long. He traveled extensively. and died in Australia, in September, 1884.
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