USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Gazetteer of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887 > Part 36
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87
"Samuel Kellogg lived where the Academy now stands. His wife and babe were killed and his house burned. The Coleman place was opposite Mill Lane, now School street, at present the home of J. H. Howard. Coleman's wife and babe were killed and two children taken captive. Capt. John Allis's house was on the spot where I live. His barn was burned and his little daugh- ter taken captive. Within thirty rods on, four homesteads five buildings were burned by the foe. Eight persons, consisting of mothers and infant children, were killed within a space of fifty rods on Main street at the center. Three men were killed at the north end, and two at the south end of the street.
"Samuel Belden, whose wife was killed, was one of the selectinen of the town that year. It was no fight-simply a massacre of helpless women and children, the men being at work in the Meadows. Of the seven buildings burned, five were at the center and two at the north end, all within the line of the palisades. It is a wonder that Judd, author of the Hadley history, who visited Hatfield frequently, did not put these facts together and give a reason- able account of the affair, rather than copy accounts of men who probably never visited the town and knew nothing of its top ography.
" The plan shows all of the inhabited portion of the town in 1677, and that the attack was probably made at three points-the main body at the center, with detached parties both at the north and south ends, and that the Indan retreat was up the Deerfield Lane, which run northwesterly -- the Great Pond separating it from North Meadow, preventing any attack upon them from that direction.
"Taken in connection with the rescue of the captives by that heroic old Indian fighter, Benj. Wait, makes this one of the most thrilling stories of that early period. If there was a hero par excellence in the Connecticut Valley in the first period, it was Benjamin Wait, who was at last killed by the Indians in the fight at Deerfield in 1704, when the settlement was burned and most of the people were taken captives to Canada. The Indians knew and feared Benj. Wait-he was a scout and guide with Capt. Turner in the two days Falls fight, and it was 'refinement of their revenge to go out of their way to burn his buildings-take his young wife and three little children into captiv . ity and leave him desolate.'"
Although in Hatfield defenses were kept up, many alarms sounded, and the people kept in almost a continual state of suspense for years, no more Indian depredations were visited on the town. A number of the citizens, however, were sacrificed while assisting at the defense of other places, and among them, as we have noted, the old hero Benjamin Wait, who was killed at the Deerfield massacre in 1704.
313
TOWN OF HATFIELD.
In the Revolutionary war Hatfield was early and late earnest in the cause, and generous in her contrbution of men and means. In the wake of this came the Shay's Rebellion, as detailed on page 100 and following. In the second war with England, 1812-15, the town took a stand with its neighbors, a willingness to uphold the government, but with regret that other means were not adopted to effect the same result.
In the late great war Hatfield furnished 146 men, a surplus of seven over all demand, two of whom were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money expended was $14,994 71, exclusive of $6,678.64, as a municipal loan, afterwards repaid by the state.
VILLAGES
HATFIELD VILLAGE, often called " Hatfield Street," is the site of the early settlement we have described. It l'es near the river in the eastern part of the town, a broad, shaded, elegant avenue, lined with fine residences. The postoffice was established here early in the present century, with John Hast- ings, Jr., postmaster. The present postmaster is Erastus F. Billings.
NORTH HATFIELD is a small post village and station on the Connecticut River railroad, near the north line of the town. The postoffice was estab- lished here in 1868.
HATFIELD STATION is a hamlet that has gathered about the railroad station in the southern part of the town.
MANUFACTURES.
C. S. Shattuck's gun factory .- C. S. Shattuck, the fire-arms manufacturer, purchased of J. E. Porter all the mill property and real estate on the north side at the Hatfield mills, which includes the old mill site, eight acres of land and one-half the water power. The sale was completed in March, 1881, and Mr. Shattuck proceeded at once to erect the present buildings. It is cer- tainly a compliment to the people and the town that Mr. Shattuck, after hav- ing so many flattering offers to induce him to locate his business elsewhere, should decide, after carefully looking over the field, to rebuild in Hatfield, this being the only manufacturing enterprise of any magnitude in the town. This old mill-site has an interesting history. Its importance as a water-power was early discovered by the first settlers of Hadley, and Thomas Meekins, the only millwright there, was voted the mill site and twenty acres of land ad- joining, and further voted that " they would have all their grain ground at his mill, provided he would make good meal," so that Hatfield had the first mill and furnished the meal, while Hadley had the first meeting house and fur- nished the preaching.
Thomas Meekins built his first grist-mill on the north side of the river, and his saw-mill, adjacent thereto, eight years after. The two mills, afterwards
314
TOWN OF HATFIELD.
ET
315
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
rebuilt, were continued on the same spot for nearly two hundred years, until the Hatfield mills property came into the possession of Harvey Moore, now of West Whately. He removed the old buildings, built the present grist-mill on the south side, and the saw-mill on the old site on the north side. This latter was afterwards changed into a factory, where vegetable ivory buttons were made. Subsequently, when it became the property of the Messrs. Por- ter, it was enlarged, extended and fitted up for the manufacture of firearms, which business has since been carried on there by different parties. The mills were destroyed by fire in 1881 and immediately rebuilt. Mr. Shattuck employs thirty men and manufactures about 4,500 guns per year.
The Porter Machine Works, Jonathan E. Porter, proprietor, manufactures machine lathes on the south side, where Mr. Porter is owner of the privilege.
SCHOOLS.
As early as 1681, Hatfield had a school-house, and has always kept up a high standard of education. The present Smith academy, of which we give an illustration, was founded by Miss Sophia Smith, of Hatfield, in 1870, en- dowed with $75,000.00. Of these funds $20,000.00 was appropriated for purchasing grounds and erecting a building; $30,000.00 as a fund the income of which is to meet current expenses ; $15,000.00 for the erection of new buildings when needed ; and $10,000.oo for a fund the income of which is devoted to the maintenance of indigent students of the school. The school was opened December 4, 1872.
CHURCH.
The Congregational church of Hatfield was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Hope Atherton, and others, in 1670. A church building was erected that year. The present building was built in 1849, a wooden structure cap- able of seating 450 persons, and now valued, including grounds and other property, at $15,000.00. The society has 309 members, and a flourishing Sabbath-school with 160 members, and a branch at North Hatfield. The pastor is Rev. Robert M. Woods.
H UNTINGTON lies in the southwestern part of the county, and is bounded north by Chesterfield, east by Westhampton and small parts of Chesterfield and Southampton, south and west by the county line. The surface of the town is varied by mountain, hill, valley, lakelet and stream, so that an extremely pleasing and picturesque view is presented from almost any point. Add to this, then, the delight of a healthful climate, and it will not seem strange that so many from less favored localities linger here during the summer months. The east branch of Westfield river is the prin-
316
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
cipal stream, which flows in a sinuous course through a beautiful valley the whole length of the town from north to south. In the southern part of the town, just above the village of Norwich Bridge, it receives the Middle branch from the west. Their united waters continue on to a point just below Hunt- ington village, where they are joined by the West branch, making up the vol- ume of Westfield river proper. Several smaller tributaries add to the waters of the East branch, the largest of which are Pond brook, from the east, and Little river from the west. In the southeastern part of the town, Roaring brook and a branch of Manhan river drain the country. In the western-cen- tral part of the town lies Massasoit pond, a pleasant little sheet of water which serves as a reservoir for the mills below. Among the more prominent eleva- tions are Mt. Pisgah and Walnut hill, in the northern part, Goss hill in the western part, and Deer and Horse hills in the southern part. The town has also 13,334 acres of good farming land.
Grant, Settlement and Subsequent Growth .- A large part of the present territory of the town was originally embraced in what was called " Plantation No. 9." On June 2, 1762, this plantation, in common with several others in the vicinity, was sold at auction by the general court, and was purchased by William Williams, for {1,500. Three years later, October 31, 1765, the new township was incorporated under the name of Murrayfield.
On June 29, 1773, the eastern part of Murrayfield was set off and incorpo- rated as the "District of Norwich," with " all the powers, privileges and immu- nities of a town, that of sending a representative to the general court, alone excepted." But on March 23, 1786, an act was passed providing that all districts incorporated before January 1, 1777, should be considered towns and have the rights of representation.
On February 21, 1783, the western part of the old territory of Murrayfield was given the name of Chester. As time passed on a thriving village sprang up on the corners of the towns of Blandford, Chester and Norwich, and which, thus lying in three towns and two counties, rendered police regulations very difficult to enforce. Accordingly, through agitation of a means to remedy this evil, a portion of the towns of Blandford and Chester were annexed to Norwich, in 1853, thus bringing the village (now Huntington village) entirely within the limits of that town. The Hon. Charles P. Huntington, of North- ampton, was actively engaged in securing this change, and in 1855 the legis- lature passed an act changing the name of Norwich to that of Huntington, which it still bears.
The exact date of the first settlement cannot be given ; but it was probably in the spring of 1769, and it is also probable that Daniel Kirkland and Sam- uel Knight and their families were here in the spring or summer of 1769. These are known to have been here, and there were doubtless others, for quite a group of families came on from Norwich, Conn., about that time. Among them, aside from those already mentioned, were Caleb Forbes, Will- iam Miller, David Scott, Isaac Mixer and John Rude. John Kirkland located
317
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
upon the place now owned by C. H. Kirkland, which has always remained in the possession of the family. Isaac Mixer located near Norwich Bridge. Caleb Forbes located a little further up the river. William Miller and John Rude located still further up the stream, near the north line of the town. This section was long known as Norwich Hollow.
The settlement of the new town increased with moderate rapidity, for in 1773 the following were here, many of them with families : Christian Angell, Solomon Blair, Thomas Crow, James Crow, David Crow, William Carter, Asa Carter, John Crow, Caleb Forbes, William Forbes, Elijah Forbes, Zebu- lon Fuller, James Fairman, Samuel Fairman, William French, John Gris- wold, James Gilmore, David Halbard, Jabez Holmes, Nathaniel Bennett, John Barnard, Solomon Holiday, Daniel Dana, John Crossett, Ebenezer Freeman, Solomon Holiday, Jr., Patrick Buckle, John Kirkland, Ebenezer King, Samuel Knight, Daniel Kirkland, Isaac Mixer, Isaac Mixer, Jr., Eben- ezer Meacham, William Miller, David Palmer, John D. Palmer, David Pal- mer, Jr., Capt. E. Geer, Elijah Geer, Mace Cook, Zeb. Ross, John Rude, David Scott. Joseph Starton, John Tiffany, Miles Washburn, Peter Williams, Daniel Williams, Isaac Williams, Jr., Charles Williams, Jabez Story, James Clark, Jehiel Eggleston, Jonathan Ware and Peter Bunda.
The subsequent growth and fluctuation in the town's population may be seen in the following figures : In 1776 its population was 742 ; 1790, 742; 1800, 959; 1810, 968 ; 1820, 849 ; 1830, 795 ; 1840, 750 ; 1850, 756 ; 1855, 1, 172 ; 1860, 1,216 ; 1865, 1, 163 ; 1870, 1,156 ; 1875, 1,095; 1880, 1,236.
John Kirkland was a son of Rev. Daniel Kirkland, was born November 15, 1735. He bought in 1768 seven hundred acres of land, and built a log cabin on Norwich hill, as we have said, his nearest neighbor being at that time twelve miles distant. He was one of the first deacons of the church, and married Anna Palmer, who was a descendant of Thomas Palmer. His son Samuel was, in his younger days, surveyor on the Phelps tract near Can- andaigua, N. Y., was representative to the general court in 1828 and 1830, for many years was justice of the peace, town treasurer, etc. He was taken prisoner in the Shays Rebellion, but was soon released. He married Dorcas Maxwell, daughter of Col. Hugh Maxwell, who was an officer in the Revo- tion, and died December 1, 1852, aged eighty seven years. His son Joseph was an officer of the church, and served the town in various ways, as a jus- tice of the peace, etc. Edward, second son of Samuel, was a graduate of Amherst college, resided for many years in Louisville, Ky., but afterwards practiced law in Brattleboro, Vt., and died in January, 1866, aged fifty-nine years. The old homestead is now in possession of Charles H. Kirkland, son of Joseph, and has thus been in possession of the family for nearly one hun- dred and twenty years. He has served the town as selectman and school committee, and represented the Second Hampshire district in the legislature of 1860 and 1864. He served in the late war as lieutenant in Co. F, 46th Mass. Vols.
318
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
William Miller was one of the early settlers of Huntington, and made the first settlement on the farm now owned by William P. Miller, in 1763. The first night he spent in the town, he climbed into a scrubby hemlock tree, which is still standing, to avoid the wolves. He was a saddler by trade, mar- ried Elizabeth Perkins, and reared three children, Nathaniel, William and Rachel. William had born to him three children, namely, Electa, wife of William Gardner, Rachel, deceased, who married David Blair, and William P., who resides on the homestead.
Joel Searle came to this town, from Southampton, about 1795, and settled on the farm now owned by A. S. Searle He married Sophia Sheldon, and reared nine children. Spencer, son of Joel, was born in 1804, married Philo- melia Gaylord, and had born to him three children, Charles A., Albert S. and Clarissa P. Albert S., the only one now living, married Ellen M., daughter of John Peck, of Shelburne, Mass., and has three children, Clarissa B., John S. and Anthony C. On this farm is a ledge, which consists of mica, feldspar and quartz, which is considered valuable for the manufacture of crockery.
John Rude, son of Jacob, came to this town from Norwich, Conn., and made the first settlement on the farm now owned by Elias Rude, 2d, in 1770. His son John married Deborah Dunbar, and reared six children, namely, Zara, Clarissa, Alvin, Relief, Harvey and Elias. The last mentioned is the only one now living. Zara married Elizabeth Patch, and reared ten children, two of whom are living, Elias and John. The former married Ruth. widow of John Cole, and has had born to him two children, one of whom, Norman, resides in Syracuse, N. Y. Alvin married Mary, daughter of Jonathan Bis- bee, and had six children.
Francis and Richard Cook came from England, and settled in the state of Massachusetts at a very early period in its history. John, a descendant of one of these brothers, married a Miss Tracy, and reared seven sons and four daugh- ters. About 1770 he purchased a tract of land then in Chester, being the third lot surveyed in the town, and being a part of the farm now owned in Huntington by his grandson, John J. Cook. Perly, the third son of John, was born in 1764, came to Huntington about 1790, locating on the Cook farm, and married Lovina Burt, who bore him five sons and four daughters. Of these only four are at present living, viz .. Pearly B., of Cohoes, N. Y., Edward W., of Hartford, Conn., Clarissa M. Clark, widow of Edward A. Clark, of Easthampton, and John J, of this town. The last mentioned was born July 13. 1806, married Lucy S. Taylor, and has two children, Franklin B., of Hinsdale, Mass., and Marion L., who resides with her father. Mr. Cook became interested in the manufacture of window shades, in 1833, in company with Thomas F. Plunkett ; in 1836, bought the entire interest in the blind business, and a half interest in the cotton business, and in 1842, pur- chased the entire interest of Mr. Plunkett, carrying on the business until 1855, when through failing health he was compelled to retire.
Abel Stanton, son of Jabez, was born about 1748, and married Olive Reed
319
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
in 1769. His son Joseph was born in July, 1783, married Grace Winchell, August 16, 1804, and reared a large family of children as follows : Luke W., born September 17, 1806, Jabez, born July 16, 1808, Hannon, born Decem- ber 4, 1810, Fanny M., born February 12, 1813, Henry, born April 5, 1815, Joseph, born February 12, 1818, Adeline, born Februry 20, 1820, and Cath- erine, born April 19, 1822. Mr. Stanton was a prominent man in his day, held various town offices, was deacon of the church, and died March 12, 1870. Luke W. was a successful physician, and died in 1869. Jabez lived in Ohio, for a time, and at the time of his death, in 1872, was station agent of the Boston and Albany railroad at Huntington. He had born to him two children, A. J. and Mrs. H. W. Munson, the latter residing in this town. Hannon lives in the West. Fanny M. married twice, first Hiram Chapman, and second Moses Fisk, and died in 1879. She had three children, Emerson, who died in the late war, Henry S. and Irving. Henry reared nine children, seven of whom survive him. He died in 1874. Four of his sons reside in town, Henry E., Fred P., George K. and Edward W. His daughter Flora L. also resides in town, living at home with her mother. Adeline married Haverton Collins, a farmer at Huntington, and her children are Ella, who married A. J. Stanton, Carrie, who married Alex McDougall, Arthur and Isabel, the last two residing at home. Catherine has married twice, first, Dr. Homer Hol- land, and second John J. Bowles. They reside in Huntington.
Joseph Lindsey moved to Blandford about 1790, and purchased a tract of land extending from near Russell to what is now the village of Huntington. Joseph married Salvina Gere, and reared seven children, only one of whom, S. I. Lindsey, is now living. The latter married twice, first, Electa Lindsey, who bore him two children, Charles M., of this town, and Eunice A. Gilmore, of Springfield. He married for his second wife, Mary A., widow of Emmons Griffin, and has one son Frank H., who also resides in this town.
Ebenezer Williams moved from Canterbury, Conn., to Worthington, as an early settler. His oldest son, Leonard, was born in 1774, studied medicine with Dr. James Holland, of Huntington, and succeeded to his practice. He married Olive Wadsworth, March 7, 1799, and reared three children. Jabin B., son of Leonard, was for many years a merchant in this town, married Lydia Wilson, and had born to him six children. Of these L. B., Henry F. and Charles are engaged in the manufacture of baskets at Northampton, and Cynthia A. is the widow of Israel D. Clark. James H. was born in this town, June 20, 1805, married Mary Prentiss, and had born to him three children, only one of whom is living, Whitman P., who lives in Huntington, and is en- gaged in milling and is a dealer in flour and feed.
The first legal district meeting was held July 14 1773, when David Scott was chosen moderator; John Kirkland, clerk ; John Kirkland, Caleb Fobes and David Scott, selectmen and assessors ; David Scott, treasurer ; Miles Washburn, constable. District meetings were first held at the dwelling house of Caleb Fobes, afterwards at Isaac Mixer's hotel. The constable was di-
320
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
rected to warn such meeting by posting up a copy of the warrant at Isaac Mixer's grist-mill, which appears to have been located about half a mile, more or less, above Norwich Bridge. From 178r to 1841, they were held at the meeting-house. A town-house was then built near Knightville, which did service till after Chester village was brought into the town. A hall was hired here, which burned in 1862, and the town then built their present town hall.
The first town officers elected after the reconstruction of the township, March 11, 1854, were Lyman Dimock, clerk ; E. B. Tinker, Edward Will- iams and Jabez Stanton, selectmen ; Whitman Knight, treasurer ; Rev. Townsend Walker, Dr. N. S. Bartlett and Charles M. Kirkland, school con- mittee ; John Parks, constable; Washington Stevens, E. B. Tinker and Ed- ward Williams. overseers of the poor; G. S. Lewis, collector ; Salmon Thomas, F. H. Axtell, Homer Clark, Horace Taylor, Elias Rude and C. H. Stickney, field-drivers ; Garry Munson, H. B. Dimock and William T. Miller, fence viewers ; Daniel Granger, Jabez Stanton, G. S. Lewis, Whitman Knight and A. S. Rollins, surveyors of lumber ; Seth Porter, sealer of leather ; C. H. Stickney, E. S. Ellis, William T. Miller and Joseph Stanton, sextons ; Garry Munson and H. B. Dimock, pound keepers ; Daniel Granger, James Jones, Jabez Stanton, George Merritt and Whitman Knight, measures of wood and bark.
Military .- In 1774, the district voted to provide powder, lead, flints and a drum for the use of the district. The same year Ebenezer Meacham was chosen to attend the congress at Concord. September 23, 1774, at a legal district meeting, the resolves of a county congress held at Northampton were read and considered satisfactory. A committee was appointed to send to the provincial congress the sentiment of this district respecting the public dis- tresses of this province. It was also " Voted, that it was proper at this crit- ical day, to form into a military company for learning the art of military," and that Capt. Ebenezer Geer be requested to lead in the choice of officers. A military company was accordingly organized October 6, 1774, by the choice of the following officers : John Kirkland, captain; David Scott, lieutenant ; Ebenezer King, ensign. As a precautionary measure, to guard against dan- gerous persons and paupers, certain individuals were voted out of the district, with the refusal to admit them as inhabitants. In 1775, it was
" Voted to choose a committee in compliance with the method adopted by the provincial congress, and also the same to be a committee of correspond- ence, and said committee are further enjoined by this body to take all possible methods to suppress disorder, and that every person shall be fairly heard be- fore he is condemned, that we may enjoy our interest and prosperity peace- ably, and live as Christians."
When the war of the Revolution was fairly commenced, Norwich furnished it is believed, its full quota of men. Though the town records are on this point very imperfect, yet from various sources the following names of Revo- lutionary soldiers are obtained : Halsey Sandford, Stephen Angel, Isaac Coit.
321
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
In the war of 1812, the town took the usual stand of its neighbors, a wil- lingness to fight if need be, but believing that the war was unnecesary. The following men went out to the defence of Boston under the call of Governor Strong : Samuel Lyman, Enos Wait, John Ladd, Solomon Belden, Samuel Henry, Samuel Sanderson, Harvey Stone, Russell Smith, and Perkins S. Pitcher.
In the late civil war the town furnished 137 men, a surplus of eight over all demands, five of whom were commissioned officers. The total amount of money furnished was $12,000.00, and $10,368.51 as a war loan.
VILLAGES.
HUNTINGTON VILLAGE lies in the southwestern section of the town, on the west branch of Westfield river and on the Boston and Albany railroad. The village is beautifully located in the midst of surrounding hills and being the business center of quite a large section of country, is a bright, flourishing place. A postoffice was established here early in the present century, and Daniel Falley was the first postmaster, whence the village took the name of Falley's X-roads. Thus it was known until the advent of the railroad, when the name was changed to Chester, the station having been located in a part of the village then lying within the limits of that town. But finally came the changes of 1853-55 we have already detailed, since which time the village has borne its present name.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.