USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Gazetteer of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887 > Part 28
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Rev. Joshua Crosby, the first pastor of the church in Enfield, was in- stalled in 1789, and retained the pastorate until his death, in 1838. He served in the Revolutionary war and was chaplain in the war of 1812. He was one of the first trustees of Amherst college, and after the death of the first president, filled that position until another could be chosen. He married Lydia Terry in 1790, and reared seven children, namely, Betsey R., Lydia T., Sophronia, Joshua K., Ansel, John and Austin. Mr. Crosby died September 24, 1838, aged seventy-seven years. Betsey R. married Nathan Hooker, of Hadley, and her children were Betsey, Austin, Luther, Lydia, Mary, Joshua and Jane. Lydia T. married Col. Thomas Ashley, and their
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children were Jonathan, John C., William, Mary and Joseph. Sophronia mar- ried Timothy Brainerd, of Palmer, whose only son, John C., resides in Am- herst. Joshua K. married Minnie Sears, of Williamburg, and their two sons, Benjamin F. and Joshua, now reside in that town. Ansel married Eveline Chamberlain, and their children were John Marshall, Jane E., George A., Luther and Lyman. John married Rebecca Converse, who died in 1834, and in 1836 married Harriet Beers, and his children were Rebecca C., who married Charles E. Davis, M. D., of Greenwich, Lydia A., Mary D. F. and Nela. Austin married Mary Beals, and had no children. John M., son of Ansel, married Sarah Lodica Shaw, and has had born to him three children, namely, John M., who died in 1878, Luther, ho died in infancy, and Frank S., who is engaged in the merchantile trade in Ware. Mr. Crosby is a member of the present legislature.
Abner Eddy, an early settler of this town, came here from Cape Cod, and settled on the farm now owned by Henry' Squires. He married twice, first, Elizabeth Cotton, and second, Dorcas Gross. Abner, Jr., one of his fourteen children, was born April 15, 1788, married Mary Robbins, and reared eight children, viz .: Maria, Henry, Eliza, Mary, Jane, John, Duran and William. John married Sarah, daughter of Michael Gross, and has six children, as fol- lows: Emma, Mary, Stella, John M., Delia and Sadie.
Jonah Gross, an early settler of this town, came here from Truro, Mass., and first settled on the farm now owned by John Eddy, who married Sarah, daugh- ter of Michael, and great-granddaughter of Jonah.
Solomon Howe was born September 14, 1750, graduated from Dartmouth college, was a Baptist minister, and lived in various places, residing for a time in this town, where he officiated as a minister. He was also a teacher of subscription schools, married Polly Holmes, in 1778, and reared nine children, viz. : Abigail H., Hannah, John, Nancy, Solomon, Jonah, Jedediah, Silas W. and John M. John Howe was born in Brookfield, December 20, 1783, and in 1791, came to Enfield with his father who settled on the farm now owned by Samuel L. Howe. He married Rhoda B. Babbet, and reared six children, as follows : John H., Myra M., Frances M., Henry C. M., Bolivar J. and Fenelon W. Early in 1800 Mr. Howe learned the art of printing, and in 1804, printed the first number of the Howe genuine almanac, which he con- tinued up to 1826, making his own calculations. He also published hymn books and spelling books. John H., the oldest son of John, was born in this town, October 24, 1816, married Melissa J. Lemon, and reared nine children, viz. : Fannie, Mary, Carrie, Jennie, Emily, John H., Hattie A. and Samuel L. Henry C. M., was born January 10, 1823, married Theodosia Johnson, July 20, 1848, and has had born to him four children, namely, Henry J., William F., Edwin H. and Lillian. Edwin H. graduated from the Eastman Business college at Poughkeepsie, in 1882. William F. married Hattie Hub- bard, and is engaged in mercantile trade in this town.
Reuben Shearer, son of Reuben, was an early settler in this town, and had
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seven children, viz. : Reuben, James, Field, Pierce, Charles and two daugh- ters. William, brother of Reuben, built a house in 1779 on the farm now owned by Lyman F. Shearer. He reared a family of four children, William, Reuben, Sophia and Fanny, and subsequently moved to Cortland, N. Y. William, the eldest son, married Rachel Haskell, and had born to him five children, namely, John, Fanny, Seth, William and Reuben. Charles married Ruth, daughter of Isaac Gleason, and had two children, Jane and Lyman F. The latter, who lives on the homestead, married Frances, daughter of William Shearer, of Cortland, N. Y.
David Newcomb, son of Ebenezer, came to this town about 1782, locating on the farm now owned by James McCort. He filled many town offices, and built the first Congregational church in Greenwich. He married Eliza- beth Goss, and reared nine children. Nehemiah, son of David, was born in 1762, came to this town with his father, married Hannah Thayer, and reared six children. Foster, son of Nehemiah, was born in this town, on the farm now owned by his son Leander W., January 26, 1789, married twice, first, Hannah Latham, who bore him one child, Bethany, and second, Fanny Col- lins, and had born to him seven children, viz. : Jason G., Anson F., William P., Gamaliel C., Leander W., John H. and Fanny L.
Nathaniel Chickering, son of Nathaniel, was born in Dover, Mass., came to this town about 1800 and purchased the place now owned by his son Otis. He and his father built a grist-mill here, which he continued to run until 1819, when the dam was swept away by a freshet. He married Fannie Nelson, and reared six children, viz. : Darius S., Fanny E., Lucy, Nathaniel, Otis and Betsey T. Otis married Sarah Winter, and has one child, Darius O., who resides on the homestead with his father.
Ephraim Richards was born in Dedham, March 2, 1774, came to Enfield about 1810, and transacted business here as a merchant and a manufacturer, accumulating great wealth. He married Susannah Holden, and reared children as follows: Alona M., Fanny F., George L., Susan P., Charles, William H., Dexter N. and Isaac N. Richards held many offices of trust, and died January 20, 1862. Charles was born September 30, 1818, married twice, first, Caroline C. Clark, who bore him four children, viz .: Charles E., of Waltham ; Edward S., of Boston ; Joseph C., of Hartford ; and Frederick B., who graduated from Amherst college in 1885, and resides in Michigan. The mother of these children died January 5, 1872, and he married for his second wife Lorana S. Hunt, and has had born to him two children, Caro- line C. and Raymond H.
James Richards came to this town from Bridgewater, was an early settler, married Sarah, daughter of Dea. Ebenezer Rich, and in 1800 moved on to the farm now owned by Arvilla Richards.
Benjamin F. Potter was born in North Brookfield, married Lydia Day, and came to Enfield in 1825. He had born to him five children, namely, Joseph
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A., Nathan, both deceased, one who died in infancy, Henry M., of North- ampton, and Lyman D., of this town.
Dr. William Stone was an eminent physician, practiced here for many years, and reared a family of six children, viz. : William, Rufus, Clark, Sarah, Mary and Eliza I .. He died here February 7, 1839, aged seventy-nine years. Clark was born March 30, 1788, married Mary Nichols, and had born to him six children, as follows: William P., Sumner, James, John H., Percy and Mary.
Benjamin Harwood, son of Abel, was born in Hardwick, married Eliza- beth Cutler, and reared seven children, viz .: Betsey, Abel, Ruggles, Harriet, Harlan, Ezra and Bernice. Abel married Polly, daughter of Benjamin Town- send, of Greenwich, and had born to him six children, as follows: two who died in infancy, Benjamin T., Ruel S., and Myron W., of this town, and Charles E., of Fairfield, Neb.
Asahel Blodgett came to this town when very young. His son David was born in Amherst, March 12, 1807, married Sarah Dickinson, and came to this town in 1832. He has had born to him two children, David H. and Sarah D., both deceased. He moved on to the place where he now resides in 1834.
Jonathan Towne was an early settler of Greenwich, locating on the farm now owned by George Kelley, and reared six children, viz .: Jonathan, Rufus, Orin, Freeman, Eliza and Sally. Jonathan married Abigail Gleason, and reared nine children, as follows : Joseph W., now in Florida, Loriston H., de- ceased, William B., Andrew J., Loriston H., Elmer E., Abbie E., who mar- ried Nehemiah Doubleday, Maria M., who married George W. Foster, and Theodosia, William B. married Elizabeth Curtis, and has six children, namely, Carrie L., Benjamin W., Ernest E., Ida Bell, Alice C. and Lewis W.
Edward Smith, son of Maj. David Smith, was born in Granby, March 13, 1805, moved to Holyoke about 1830, where he took charge of a cotton mill, and was a partner in a company known as the South Hadley Falls Company, for the manufacture of cotton cloths. They owned the entire water privilege on the Holyoke side at that time, and about 1848 they sold the entire prop- erty to the Holyoke Water Company. Mr. Smith then moved to Easthamp- ton, where he managed the suspender factory for Samuel Williston. He came to Enfield in 1852, and became associated with the Swift River Company, of which he is still president and treasurer. He married Eliza, daughter of Dr. Enos Smith, and has had born to him two children, Edward P. and Henry.
Daniel Gillett, a descendant of Cornelius Gillett, who came from England as one of the early settlers of this country, was born in Windsor, Mass., No- vember 25, 1781, moved to Granville, Mass., where he married Edith, daughter of Col. Jacob Bates, and reared six children, viz .: Catherine, Eliza- beth, Mary A., Edward B., Daniel B. and Edith B. He moved to South Hadley Falls, where he engaged in the mercantile trade. Daniel B. was born in South Hadley Falls, July 21, 1819, married Charlotte E. Woods, May 6,
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1845, and came to this town in 1846, and became associated with Woods & Bro., in the manufacture of card clothing. He continued here about three years, and then became associated with the Minot Manufacturing Company. He has had born to him two children, Daniel B. and Rufus W. His wife died August 30, 1856, and he married for his second wife Persis Winslow, who died March 20, 1880.
The first census taken after the town was incorporated, in 1820, shows the population to have been 873. The population at different times since has been, in 1830, 1,056; 1840, 976; 1850, 1,036; 1855, 1,036; 1860, 1,025; 1865, 997; 1870, 1,023; 1875, 1,065; 1880, 1,043; 1885, 1,010.
First Town Meeting .- The first town meeting was warned by Elihu Lyman, and convened at the meeting-house Monday, March 4, 1816, when the fol- lowing list of officers were elected : Benjamin Harwood, moderator ; Simeon Waters, clerk ; James Richards, Benjamin Harwood and Jesse Fobes, select- men ; Ephraim Richards, treasurer; and Capt. Sylvanus Howe, Alden Lath- rop and Oliver Patterson, assessors. Several other minor officers were also elected. The following notes are from the town records :-
"One of the first subjects to receive the attention of the new town (a church being already established) was that of education, and April 1, 1816, $300 was appropriated for schools. On the same date provision was made for the ringing of the meeting house bell at stated hours in the day. It was also 'voted that Ebenezer Winslow sweep the meeting-house for one dollar and fifty cents per year, to sweep it six times per year and after every town meeting.' The amount of money voted the year 1816 was $1, 166.67.
"April 7, 1817, Hosea Hooker was allowed $2 for the use of his yard for a pound, and he continued to exercise the functions of pound master for many years thereafter.
"April 3. 1820, Lieut. Joseph Keith presented a bell to the town, on con- dition that it should be forever kept and used for the accommodation of the town, and preserved in good repair and condition.
"October 16, 1820, Benjamin Harwood was chosen to represent the town in the constitutional convention, to be held at Boston, November 3, 1820. In April, 1822, the sum of $50 was appropriated to support church music. On December 11, 1826, $75 was appropriated to support a singing school the ensuing winter. In the month of March, 1827, a committee was chosen to dispose of the old bell and buy a new one. In the following year the town was divided into eleven highway districts. In 1832 measures were taken to build a new bridge over the river on the road to Ware; and in the following year like action was taken toward building a bridge over the west branch of the river, on the road leading to Amherst. In 1844 a committe purchased in behalf of the town the farm of Ezekiel Keith, called the "Dale farm," for the sum of $1,950, to be used as a poor farm.
"March 19, 1883, it was voted that a committee of three be appointed to report at an adjourned meeting to be held April 2, 1883, with reference to locating a site and building a hall for town purposes. At the adjourned meeting a committee of five was appointed to purchase land, or to locate a new town building, authorized to procure plans, purchase material, and inake all neces- sary contracts to build such building, and to do all things necessary to be done in the matter, limited to the sum of $12,000.00. Henry M. Smith,
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Solon R. Towne, Arthur J. W. Ward, Daniel B. Gillett, and William B. Downing was the committee. The building was constructed of brick, is 50x20 feet with two stories and a basement."
Items .- The earliest taverns known were kept, one where Lyman D. Pot- ter's barn now stands, and another where Daniel B. Gillett resides. Another was kept, at an early date, in the old Field residence.
One of the first stores was kept by Field & Canedy, where the Congrega- tional parsonage stands. The first physician was Dr. William Stone. The first lawyer was Joshua N. Upham. The first record of a highway through the town was of one from the Pelham line to Chicopee, in 1754.
MILITARY.
Those citizens of the town who served in the Revolutionary war, were Joshua Crosby, Benjamin Rider, Giles Rider, Barnabas Rich, - Pratt, - Newcomb, and John Stevens. The latter was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, and only escaped being killed by the thrust of a British bayonet as he was leaving the fortifications, by having in his knapsack a loaf of bread that had been left in the oven too long before he left home, and had grown very hard. This checked the bayonet and saved his life.
In Shays Rebellion there were many active partisans in the town, but the only citizens who are known to have taken part were Benjamin Harwood, Joseph Fobes, Jr., and John Rea.
In the war of 1812, Ichabod Pope, Daniel Ford, Roswell Underwood Henry Fobes, Joshua Crosby, Samuel Rich, Ruggles Harwood, Samuel Bar- ton, Packard Ford, Daniel Eddy, and Kingsley Underwood represented the town.
In the late great war Enfield furnished 107 men, a surplus of nine over all demands, two of whom were commissioned officers. It expended $ 13,801.04, and loaned the state $4,564.21.
VILLAGES.
ENFIELD VILLAGE, located in the central part of the town, on a branch of Swift river, and on the Athol railroad, contains the only postoffice in the town. The village is pleasantly located, in the midst of some very pleasing scenery, and is altogether a neat and prosperous little place. The postoffice was established here in 1820, and Elihu Lyman was the first postmaster.
The dam at the village was built about fifty feet above the present location, prior to the year 1770, by Ephraim Woodward, who erected a saw-mill there- on. He sold to Ebenezer Rich, who built a grist-mill, and Robert Field, about the year 1773, put up a clothier's shop. A blacksmith shop, with a tilt hammer, was soon after erected by Robert Field and others, who also operated an oil-mill. Reuben Colton had a fulling-mill and cloth-dressing shop just below Haskell's store. There were also other improvements at this
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point. Calvin and Charles Lawson made cut nails from plates by means of a machine, and headed them by hand. Under the bridge was a mill-stone for grinding whetstones, and about 1804 James Harrison, an Englishman, set up a carding-machine for making rolls from wool, it being the first of its kind in that part of the country.
SMITH'S STATION, or Enfield Upper Village, lies on the river just above En- field village proper. It contains the woolen-mills, grist-mill, saw-mill and box- factory of the Swift River Co., a store, about thirty-eight dwellings and about 250 inhabitants.
The dam here was erected in 1812, and a cotton-yarn mill was built the year following by a company of neighbors, of which John Allen was superin- tendent and agent. It ran for a few years, when larger mills were erected, that made not only yarn, but wove it into cloth, which put a stop to domestic weaving. There were also a saw-mill, blacksmith shop, shingle mill, and other works erected on this privilege at an early day.
MANUFACTURES.
The Swift River Co .- This company dates its origin back to 1821, when Alfred, David and Alvin Smith, under the firm name of D. & A. Smith, began in a small way the manufacture of cotton. In 1836 the factory was burned, and immediately re-built. They carried on the enterprise till 1852, when they were joined by Edward Smith, and the present company incorporated. The new company started the mill on satinets, but continued to make cotton warps. They added several sets of satinet machinery, and made other im- provements. Finally, about the beginning of the war, or in 1862, the mill was increased to more than double its old size and capacity, the cotton and satinet machinery thrown out, and eight sets of machinery for the mannfac- ture of fancy cassimeres put in, which business they have since continued. From time to time modern improvements have been added, and as the com- pany only manufactures number one cassimeres, it has gained an enviable reputation. The mills are built of wood, are operated by both steam and water-power, give employment to one hundred hands, and turn out about 6,000 yards of goods per week. The company has a grist-mill, saw-mill, box factory and tenements for the accommodation of fifty families. The mills have been kept steadily at work through all the business depressions, furnish- ing steady employment to the hands, many of whom have been employed from fifteen to twenty years. Edward Smith is president and treasurer of the com- pany, and H. H. Smith, general manager.
The Minot Manufacturing Co .- The first mill for making cloth at the lower dam was built by Elihu Lyman and Ichabod Pope about the year 1825. It was used in the manufacture of satinets, and run by Elihu Lyman, Ichabod Pope, Abner Hale and Moses Woods. The enterprise was not a profitable one, and was succeeded by the Swift River Manufacturing Company, which
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was organized by Marshall and Thomas Jones, Leonard and Josiah B. Woods, Ephraim Richards, George Howe and a few others. This company not only manufactured satinets, but also carried on the carding business, which Leonard Woods had established about 1820. Their factory was burned in 1830. A stone mill was then erected, but the inside with all its machinery was burned out in 1848. The walls were not injured, and the factory was again re-built and is still standing. The Swift River Manufacturing Company was short lived. The business was divided up. M. S. & T. Jones continued the manufacture of satinet, and the Woods, with Marshall Jones, carried on the carding business, under the name and style of Jones, Woods & Co. In 1837, M. S. & T. Jones failed, and the Minot Manufacturing Company was incorporated on April 7 of that year, having as incorporators Marshall Jones, Leonard Woods and Alvin Smith, with a capital stock of $75,000.00. The company, with an occasional change of members, has been running ever since, at first manufacturing satinets, but now Shaker flannels and light-weight cas- simeres. They have two mills, with five sets of machinery, and employ about sixty persons.
A. J. N. Ward's steam saw-mill, located at Enfield, is operated by steam power, generated by a forty-five horse-power boiler and forty horse power engine. He employs three men.in the manufacture of lumber and shingles.
Gillett & Flint's portable saw mill is of twenty horse-power, and cuts 1,500,000 feet of lumber per annum.
CHURCHES.
Congregational church .- A meeting-house on land presented by Capt. Joseph Hooker, was built in the parish in the years 1786 and '87, and ac- cepted October 15, 1787. Movable benches were first placed in this church. Pews were substituted in 1793. In 1814 a belfry was erected, and a bell, the gift of Josiah Keith, afterward placed therein. In the year 1835 the pews were displaced by slips, and other alerations and improvements made. The House was repaired about 1855 and an organ added. In 1873 it was again repaired and a considerable addition was made to the rear of the church, and an elegant organ took the place of the old one, at a cost of about $2,500.00. The edifice now presents an attractive appearance, the steeple being graceful and unique in design, and containing a costly town- clock. The interior of the church is neat and appropriately embellished, and its acoustic properties are excellent. The first regular pastor of the church was Rev. Joshua Crosby, who was called May 12, 1789, and installed De- cember 2d following. He was furnished with a farm bought of Barnabas Fay as settlement, and had a salary of £70 a year, his fire-wood being also furnished by the parish The names of the first purchasers of pews in the meeting-house, in 1793, were Calvin Kingsley, Sylvanus Howe, Daniel Hay- ward, Simon Stone, David Newcomb, Joseph Hooker, Robert Field, John
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Sawin, Benjamin Harwood, Benjamin Rider, Nathan Hunting, Caleb Keith, William Stone, Joseph Ruggles, Abner Eddy, Ebenezer Rich, Reuben Colton, Barnabas Rich, Nathaniel Boker, Joseph Fobes, David Swetland, William Morton, John Eaton, Moses Colton, Jonathan Hunting, Nathaniel Lane, John Bailey, William Patterson, John McIntosh and William McIntosh. Parochial affairs were conducted by parish officers from 1787 until 1816, when the town was incorporated ; by the town from that date until 1831, when the parish was re-organized and still continues. The present pastor is Elbridge P. McElroy.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized October 15, 1843, with sixteen members, and Rev. Samuel Tupper, pastor. The church building was erected in 1847-48.
G OSHEN* is one of the northern hill towns of the county, lying on the north line about midway between the Berkshire line and the Connec- ticut. It is bounded on the north by Ashfield, in Franklin county, east by a small part of Conway, in the same county, and Williamsburg ; and as the town is triangular in form, the other bounds may be generally said to be Ches- terfield and Cummington on the south, southwest and west. The town has an area of about 6,951 acres.
The outline of Goshen is extremely irregular, there being no less than twenty angles in the boundary lines, and some of them far from right angles. As we come to glance at the surface of the little town, here too are angles. But these latter could hardly be dispensed with, for they, the law of " no beauty in angles " to the contrary, diversify the township's area into a most charming bit of landscape. In the northeastern part of the town is the prin- cipal elevation, Moore's hill, rising to an altitude of 1,713 feet. The wes- tern and central portions of the town are drained by tributaries of Westfield river, supplying water-power of considerable value. In the northeastern and central part of the town are found tributaries of Mill river, and here large reservoirs have been built for the benefit of the manufacturing establishments below. The waters that contribute to Mill river, and those that flow into the Westfield, are in the northern part of the town almost interlocked with each other, the dividing ridge which separates the basins being narrow and low, so that a dyke has been constructed to turn them in the direction desired.
The town is rich in minerals, having a good granite quarry, and furnishing specimens more or less abundant of tin ore, galena, graphite, spodumene, blue and green tourmaline, smoky quartz, beryl, zoisite, mica, albite and colum- bite.
Grant and Settlement .- The territory which now makes up the town- ship of Goshen was formerly part of the military tract granted to satisfy the
* For this sketch we are largely indebted to the writings of Hiram Barrus, of Boston.
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claims of the heirs of the 840 soldiers in the Narragansett expedition in King Philip's war. But we have defined the conditions of these old grants in con- nection with the sketch of Chesterfield, and shall speak of them still further in the sketch of Greenwich, so it is only necessary to add at this point that " Narragansett Township" No. 4, located in New Hampshire, was reported unfit for settlement, and in lieu of it the territory of " Quabbin " (Greenwich and vicinity) was granted. But this grant proving less than the required " six miles square," 3,000 acres lying west of Williamsburg was granted, which took the name of " Quabbin," " Quabbin Proprietary," or " First Additional Grant." This failing to supply the deficiency, "The Second Additional Grant " was made, consisting of about 3,500 acres, lying between "Quabbin " and Hunts- town (now Ashfield). This was also called "The Gore," and "Chesterfield Gore." The division line between Quabbin and the Gore extended from the northwest corner of Williamsburg westerly, passing just south of the present meeting-house, to the Cummington line.
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