USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Gazetteer of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887 > Part 55
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The origin of many of these early families was as follows : The Pomeroy family came from Northampton. The Hyde family came from the eastern part of Massachusetts. Josiah and Cyrus Hannum came from Belchertown, and were emigrants from Hartford. The Thayers came from Braintree and the Old Plymouth Colony. The Dwights came from Northampton, and the family was originally from Northampton, in England. The Nash family came from London, and are said to be originally from Lancaster. Thomas Nash,
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the original head of the family in America, on Connecticut river, came over with Mr. Davenport, to New Haven, as one of his congregation, in 1637. They had been residing at Leyden, in Holland. The Cleghorn family are of Scotch origin, and came from Martha's Vineyard. Indeed, at one time, just preceding and during the Revolutionary war, there were twenty families in Williamsburg that came from Martha's Vineyard. Thomas Mayhew and his brothers Constad and William, were direct descendants from the first May- hews, father and son, who came to the Vineyard in 1651, from Northampton, in England. The Coffin family came from Nantucket ; so did the Allens and the Butler family. The Bradfords came from Plymouth. The Williamses and Elisha Hubbard came from Hatfield, while Sylvanus and William Hub- bard came from Sunderland. The Bodmans first came from Hatfield, but the family originally came from Devonshire, England. The Littles and Joseph Strong's family came from Simsbury, in Connecticut. William Steward, the grandfather of Senator Steward, of Michigan, as well as the Bartlett family, came from Martha's Vineyard. The Warner family came from Hatfield. The Washburn family came from the southeastern part of Massachusetts. Hosea Ballou, the Universalist divine in Boston, married a daughter of Nehemiah Washburn. The Starks family and Johnson family came from Haddam, Ct. The Ludden family, as well as Simeon Strong, came from Rehoboth, Mass. The Graves family came from Hatfield. The Cleveland families are said to have come from Northampton. The Hunt families came from Nantucket. The Hill families originally came from Hatfield ; so did the Wade families. The Hayden families came from Hatfield, but were originally from Hartford. The Clark family came from Northampton. The widow Sarah Clark, whose maiden name was Sarah Hume, of Belchertown, married Deacon Elisha Nash, in 1812.
John Williams, one of the first settlers, came here from Middleboro, Mass., and settled on the farm now owned by Prescott Williams, May 15, 1773.
Rufus Hyde, a lineal descendant of William Hyde, whose name first ap- pears in Hartford, Conn., in 1636, came to Williamsburg, from Norwich, Conn., and settled on the farm now owned by F. E. Ilyde, the deed bearing the date of 1774. He married Mary, daughter of Jonathan Wolcott. His oldest son, Eleazer, was born December 27, 1772, married Keziah, daughter of Thomas Howes, of Ashford, Mass., and had born to him seven children. Lyman, second son of Eleazer, was born May 26, 1808, married Lucinda, daughter of Oliver Baker, for his first wife, of Chesterfield, and had born to him three children. Mrs. Hyde died August 31, 1855, and he married for his second wife, Sarah T., daughter of Chapin Thayer, of Hadley, and had born to him two children, Francis E. and Eugene.
Samson Hill came here from Hatfield, and made the first settlement in the northern part of the town, was a miller by trade, and run the first mill in town, being employed by Edmund Taylor. He married Prudence Ruggles, and reared five children. His son, Ephraim, married Sarah, daughter of
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Samuel Bradford, and had born to him ten children, only two of whom are living, namely, Hiram, of this town, and Sarah, widow of Jeremiah Ward, and who lives in Springfield.
Jonathan Warner, a captain in the Revolutionary war, married Miss E. Sheldon, of Northampton, and had born to him eleven children, six of whom were sons, viz: Nathan, Silas, Job, Melza, Ebenezer and Jonathan. He was one of the early settlers of this town, located on the farm now owned by Francis Warner, was a carpenter by trade, and helped build the first church. Ebenezer was born in this town in 1776, was also a carpenter, married Sally, daughter of Samuel Graves, and reared five children, namely, Abigail, Ebenezer, Mary, Martha and Almond, the last three of whom are living. Almond married Sarah M. Codding, and has had born to him six children, as follows: Charles, who served in the late war, in 145th N. Y. Vols., Sarah J., Mary, Lewis H., Emily H. and Fidelia C.
Eliphalet Thayer, son of Oliver, was born in Braintree, Mass., in 1776, and when still a child his parents moved to the northern part of Williams- burg, locating on the farm now owned by A. W. Alexander. Eliphalet mar- ried Mary Sears, of Ashfield, and had born to him six sons and four daughters, of whom Marietta, Rhoda, Louisa, Rowland and William E. are living. The latter was born in Peru, Berkshire county, whither his parents had removed for a short time, October 11, 1816. Soon after this his parents removed to Charlemont, where they resided till William was ten years of age, when they returned to Williamsburg. At the age of twelve years he came to the village to reside with his brothers, Ezra and Willison, and with the exception of five years spent in Ithaca, N. Y., this has been his home since, and where for many years he has carried on the manufacture of tools. Mr. Thayer married Maria H. Dickinson, of Saybrook, Conn., October 20, 1840, who bore him five children, of whom Frederick W., Alice M. and George D. are living, the first being at home with his father, the second the wife of E. P. Blake, of Springfield, and the last a practicing physician in Northamp- ton. Mrs. Thayer died August 14, 1859. On December 25, 1860, he mar- ried Harriet E. Dickinson, of Saybrook, Conn., who has borne him three children, Walter H., Edith E. and H. Winnifred. Eliphalet Thayer died November 10, 1840, aged sixty-four years.
Oliver Nash, son of Eliaha Nash, Jr., was born February 22, 1821, married Julia A. Strong, of Granby, Conn., and located on the homestead. Of his children, Alanson resides in the eastern part of the town, Ellen M. lives at home, and Emily E. (Mrs. Wilbur Smith) lives in Northampton.
Jonathan Luce married Mehitable, daughter of Nehemiah Bates, about 1793, and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Barker. He reared four- teen children, viz .: Hannah, Ruth, Nehemiah, Loretta, Samantha, Minerva, Mehitable, Samuel, Nancy, Jonathan, Olive, Jonathan, 2d, Augustus and Eliza E. Augustus, the only son at present living, was born September 3, 1819, married Alvira C., daughter of Justus S. Clapp, of Huntington. He
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came to Haydenville in 1843, where he learned the moulder's trade, and in 1854 took charge of the brass foundry of Hayden & Sanders, of which he has been foreman ever since. He has had born to him seven children, of whom Clarence S. is an architect in New York city, Franklin is manager of a silk store in Chicago, Alden S. is book-keeper in the same store, and Eleanor re- sides here with her parents.
John Wells came to this town, from Rutland, Vt., about 1790, and located on the farm now owned by O. H. Everett. He was a carpenter by trade, and helped build the first church, which was located on the farm now owned by Edwin Porter. He had born to him two children, Cyrentha, who married S. L. James, and John. The latter married Eliza Graves, of Hatfield, and had born to him five children, namely, Alma, William G., Alexis, Mary A. and Sarah. William G. married Maria, daughter of Joel Willcutt, of Ches- terfield, and reared six children, viz .: John A., Fred W., Lizzie M., Frank, Martin G. and Jesse.
Sylvanus Hubbard was born in Sunderland, and came to this town in 1800, where he learned the shoemaker's trade. He located on land now owned by Arthur Miller. He married Abigail, daughter of Joshua Thayer, and had born to him six children, only one of whom, Sylvanus, Jr., is living. The lat- ter married Joanna Nichols, of Charlemont, and has two children, Lizzie, wife of Fred H. Judd, of Westhampton, and Mary F., wife of John Mc- Calman.
Aaron Kingsley was an early settler of Northampton, and reared three sons, Seth, Timothy and Supply. Seth married Irene, daughter of Hart Warren, of Williamsburg, and had born to him fourteen children, only one of whom, Elbridge G., of Williamsburg, is living. The last mentioned married Elizabeth, daughter of Nehemiah White, and has had born to him three children.
Asa Shaw moved to Chesterfield, from New Braintree, Mass., at an early day, married Polly Vinton, and reared five sons and two daughters. Asa, Jr., who was three years of age when they moved to Chesterfield, married Mehitable Beswick, and had born to him eleven children, only two of whom are living, Martin, of Williamsburg, and Electa, wife of Edson Hayden, of West Granby. Martin was born in 1810, married Thankful, daughter of Brewer Ball, and has had born to him three children, Emily T., Alvin M., of this town, and Ira O., of Westhampton.
Joseph Bassett moved to Goshen, from Martha's Vineyard, in 1775, and settled on the farm now owned by Frederick Rice, of that town. He married Mary Tilton, and reared a family of six sons and four daughters, of whom only one of them is living, Ruth, the widow of Robert Rogers, aged eighty- five years. Mrs. Rogers reared a family of five children, viz .: Martha, Joseph, Emeline, Maria and Otis.
Jonathan Metcalf, of Williamsburg, is the son of Eli, Jr., and grandson of Eli, Sr. The last mentioned settled first in Worthington, at Ringville, near
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the Chesterfield line, and subsequently moved across the line to Chesterfield. Eli, Jr., married Polly Higgins, and reared five children.
Dexter Tower was born in Cummington, March 12, 1816, married Irene B., daughter of Isaac Pierce, of Windsor, Mass., and had born to him four children, namely, Clinton B., of Northampton ; Lizzie J., Climena B. and Pearly D. Climena B. married Alfred D. Sweet, and lives in Spencer, and Pearly also resides in the same place.
Thomas Nash, Jr., was born November 16, 1811, and married Lucinda King in 1838. He served as representative of this town in 1843 and 1866, and was selectman eleven years.
The last district meeting was held December 11, 1775, and the first town meeting February 12, 1776. The population was then 534 souls. In 1780 the number of polls had risen to 131, while in 1790 the population was 1,049. Since then the population has varied as follows : 1800, 1, 176; 1810, 1,122 ; 1820, 1,087 ; 1830, 1,236 ; 1840, 1,309 ; 1850, 1,537 ; 1855, 1,831 ; 1860, 2,095 ; 1865, 1,976 ; 1870, 2,159 ; 1875, 2,029 ; 1880, 2,234.
Military .- In the Revolutionary war Williamsburg was generous in her contributions of men and means, performing well her part towards winning our common independence. The names of many who served in the war are on record, and we regret that our space does not allow their mention. The town also promptly responded to Governor Strong's call in the war of 1812- 15. In the late great war the town furnished 250 men, a surplus of twenty- nine over all demands, four of whom were commissioned officers. The town also expended $20,000.00 for the cause, aside from $9,997.37, which was subsequently repaid by the state.
VILLAGES.
A large part of the population of the town is disposed in villages along Mill river and its tributary, Mill brook. Of these Haydenville and Williams- burg are the largest, and contain the postoffices.
HAYDENVILLE lies on both sides of the river in the southern part of the town. It has two churches, a savings bank, one hotel, a brass foundry, silk- mill, nine stores of different kinds, two barber shops, blacksmith shop, shoe shop, etc., and a number of fine residences.
WILLIAMSBURG village lies near the center of the town. It has two churches, six stores, two hotels, a tool shop, button factory, grist-mill, saw-mill, and other mechanic's shops. It lies about a mile from the terminus of the Will- iamsburg branch of the New Haven & Northampton railroad.
SKINNERVILLE is a hamlet lying midway between these two villages.
SEARLSVILLE is a hamlet about a mile northwest of Williamsburg village.
These villages, in common with all the property along Mill river suffered terribly in the great Mill river disaster of 1874. This was caused by the breaking away of the dam of the reservoir above, on the morning of Satur-
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day, May 16th, when 1,000,000,000 gallons of water was sent whirling down the course of the stream spreading death, disaster and desolation in its wake. The most severe loss was sustained by the villages of Williamsburg and Hay- denville and Leeds in Northampton. In this short course of only about eight miles, one hundred houses and factories were demolished, twenty iron and wooden bridges swept away and many miles of road obliterated, entailing a loss of over a million and a half of dollars-but no computation can set a price on the loss of the 136 human lives that were sacrificed. The loss of life was divided among the several villages, as follows : Williamsburg, 57 ; Skinnerville, 4; Haydenville, 24 ; and Leeds, 51.
MANUFACTURES.
The Haydenville Manufacturing Co., located at that village, is one of the largest manufactories of the kind in the world. They manufacture machinists' supplies and tools, and all kinds of brass work. The works were established in 1845. The officers are A. T. Foster, of New York, president ; H. F. Peck, of New Haven, vice-president ; and John Peck, of New Haven, secre- tary and treasurer.
The Hill Brothers, at Williamsburg, are extensively engaged in the manu- facture of buttons and button tassel and trimming molds, and do novelty wood-turning.
The W. E. Thayer Manufacturing Co .- This business was established in a small way, by Willison Thayer, brother of the present proprietor, about 1840. Subsequently the manufacture of buttons and furniture was added. Previous to this, he and his brother Ezra had manufactured clocks here for several years. Tool business was taken up by William E. in 1858, and he has since conducted it alone, having been for some time previous in partnership with Willison. He has built up the business till it now gives employment to twenty-five men in the manufacture of screw-drivers and various kinds or shelf-hardware. The goods are sent to most of the large cities of the United States.
H. G. Hill's grist-mill, at Williamsburg village, is operated by water power, has three runs of stones, and employs four men.
Morton & Davis are engaged in the manufacture of enameled pen-holders fancy wood-turning and lumber. Their works are operated by water-power.
Prescott Williams's cider-mill, on road 8, is operated by steam-power, and manufactures about 1,000 barrels of cider per. year.
G. M. Bradford's saw-mill is located on road 31, where he manufactures lumber, shingles and lath.
Henry L. James is extensively engaged in the manufacture of Union cas- simeres.
The Haydenville Savings Bank was incorporated March 17, 1869, and began business January 2, 1870. The officers are Elnathan Graves, presi- dent ; F. B. Mason, secretary ; and B. S. Johnson, treasurer.
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TOWN OF WORTHINGTON.
CHURCHES.
The Church of Christ, Congregational, located at Williamsburg, was organ- ized July 3, 1771, with twenty-one members, and Rev. Amos Butler was the first pastor. In 1779 the first church building was commenced, and ded- icated in 1787. The present church building, erected in 1836, will seat 500 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $13,000.00. The society now has 204 members, with Rev. Thomas M. Price, acting pastor.
The Methodist church, located at Williamsburg, was organized in 1832, and Rev. D. Leslie, the first pastor, was appointed the following year. There had been meetings sustained of this denomination several years previous to this, however, presided over by laymen. The church building was erected during the year of organization, though it has several times been re-modeled and re- paired. The present pastor of the society is Rev. A. W. Baird.
The Haydenville Congregational church was organized by Joel Hayden and others, with ten members, in January, 1851. Rev. Edward Swett was the first pastor. The church building was erected that year. It will comfortably seat 500 persons and is valued, including grounds, at $15,500.00. The soci- ety is now in a flourishing condition with 119 members.
The St. Mary's Roman Catholic church was built in 1864, upon a hand- some site donated by Hon. Joel Hayden. The society was not formally or- ganized until 1871, however, and Rev. Father Moyes was the first pastor. The church building will seat about 600 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $15,000.00.
W ORTHINGTON lies in the extreme western part of the county, and is bounded north by Cummington, east by Chesterfield, south by the county line, southwest by Middlefield, and west by the county line. It was originally called Plantation No. 3. On the second day of June, 1762, it was sold at auction in Boston, to Aaron Willard for £1,860. Sub- sequently it passed into the possession of Col. John Worthington, of Spring- field, and Major Barnard, of Deerfield. At what date, or for what consider- ation, this transfer was made, does not now appear. At that time, it was, in territory, much more extensive than at present. When it was incorporated as a town, it extended from what is now Cummington, on the north, to Mur- rayfield, now Chester, on the south, and from Partridgefield, now Peru, on the west, to the north branch of the Westerfield river on the east. This em- braced a portion of the territory now called West Chesterfield. In 1783 the town of Middlefield was incorporated. This was composed of the corners of several other towns. It embraced the southwest corner of Worthington, the northwest corner of Murrayfield, the northeast corner of Becket, the south side of Partridgefield, a part of Washington, and a piece of land called Pres-
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cott's Grant. Thus Worthington originally extended to what is now Middle- field Center, where it cornered on Becket. One or two lots, from the north- east corner of Chester were at some time annexed to Worthington, which accounts for the projection we find on the map below South Worthington. The reason for this annexation was that it was more convenient for the resi- dents on this territory to attend church, and do business in Worthington, than in Chester. The town took its name from Col. Worthington.
The surface of Worthington is broken and picturesque. The scenery is of a varied character. Large and well-cultivated farms abound, while there are also mountain slopes still covered with forests, and beautiful, deep valleys, through which the streams flow southward with rapid current. The middle branch has a tributary from the east and one from the west, the former flow- ing in at the corner of Middlefield, the other at the school-house, farther north. In the south part of the town, midway between the middle branch and Little river, is the valley of the Kinney brook. The middle branch of the West- field river flows nearly north and south through the northwestern part of the town, and then forms the boundary line between Worthington and Middle- field, farther south. The northeast part of the town is drained by Stevens brook, which enters Chesterfield and flows some distance before effecting a junction with the Westfield. The southeast part is drained by Little river, which, uniting with other streams, finally becomes the eastern branch of the Westfield. An elevated range known as West hill lies east of the middle branch, and nearly parallel to it. A few separate elevations are of some note, as Parsons hill, Bashan hill, Knowles hill in the north, and White rock in the south.
Settlement and Growth .- The settlement was commenced in 1764, and progressed much more rapidly than the majority of the towns in its vicinity,- so rapidly, in fact, that, at the commencement of the present century, the town contained more inhabitants than it does at the present time. The names of those who are denominated the first settlers are numerous, but they were probably several years in accumulating. They are as follows: Nathan Leonard, Samuel Clapp, Nathaniel Daniels, Nahum Eager, Dr. Moses Morse, John Kinne, Ebenezer Leonard, Thomas Clemens, Benjamin Bigelow, Thomas Kinne, John Watts, Ephraim Wheeler, Mr. Collamore, Alezander Miller, Joseph Marsh, Amos Frink, Abner Dwelly, Jeremiah Kinne, Stephen and Davis Converse, Phinehas Herrick, Joseph Pettengill, Joshua Phillips, Ger - shom Randall, Daniel Gates, Asa Cottrell, Asa Burton, Zephaniah Hatch, Nathan Branch, John Buck, Timothy Meech, Samuel Crosby, Daniel Morse, Daniel Morse, Jr., John Skiff, James Benjamin, Beriah Curtis, Jonathan Prentice, Samuel Morse, James Wybourn, Israel Hoton, Col. Ebenezer Web- ber, Samuel, Robert and Amos Day, Joseph and Isaac Follett, Stephen Fitch, Ezra Cleaveland, Samuel Buck, Edmund Pettengill, James and John Kelley, Isaac Herrick, Joseph Prentice, John Patridge, Seth Sylvester, Amos Leonard, Elijah Gardner, Joseph Dewey, Luke Boney, Daniel Bronson, Asa
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TOWN OF WORTHINGTON.
Spaulding, Hezekiah Maheuren, John Howard, Thomas Hall, Joseph Gard- ner. Miner Oliver, Constant Webster, Joseph Geer, Samuel Tower, Nathaniel Collins, Reuben Adams, John Drury, Matthew Fenton, James Bemis, Moses Buck, Thomas Buck, Samuel Pettengill, Noah Morse, Nehemiah Proughty, Seth Porter, Stephen Howard, Mr. Hickey, Elihu Tinker, William Burr, Jonas Bellows, Jonathan Eames, Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Rice, Mr. Ford, Samuel Wilcox, Rufus Stone, Moses Ashley, Joseph French, Samuel Converse, Thomas Butler, Simeon Lee, Samuel Taylor, Samuel Clay, Nathan Morgan, Lewis Church, John Ross, James Tomson, Lewis Porter, Moses Porter, Joseph Lee, Alexander Chillson,
Nahum Eager, born in 1740, was one of the first settlers of Worthington, and died January 15, 1805, aged sixty-five years. His son Nathaniel was born in this town, married twice, first, Mary Marble, who bore him two chil- dren, Nahum and Maria, and second, Sibyl Huntington, who bore him eight children, viz. : Samuel, Jennison, Mary, James, Jonathan, Julia, Joseph and Lucy. Jonathan H. was born in 1822, married for his first wife Mary E. Parsons, in 1843, who bore him six children, and for his second wife, he mar- ried Selina Buck, in 1876. His son James resides on the home farm.
John Tower was born in England in 1609, came to Massachusetts in 1637, and married Margeret Ibrook in 1629. Calvin B., and direct descendant of John, was born in Cummington, November 4, 1808, and lived on the farm now owned by luther tower, until he was twenty-five years of age. He then purchased a farm in this town on road 12, where he has lived fifty-two years. The house is one of the oldest in town, and is thought to be 115 years old. Mr. Tower married Amanda M. Higgins, and had born to him four children, namely, Lydia A., Alvira N., Angeline D. and Grace I. He died October 13, 1885. His widow resides on the homestead.
Rufus M. Wright was born in 1802, married Salima Parish, December 7, 1830, who bore him one daughter, and died January 22, 1876. The house in which Mr. Wright now resides on road 35 corner 30, is one of the first built in town, and was the one used for the parsonage for the first minister in town.
Benjamin Niles was an early settler of Worthington, married Fannie Elmore, and had born to him four children, Zilpha, Mary, Cynthia and John. The last mentioned married Theresa, daughter of Milton Adams, of Chesterfield, and reared two children, Charlotte, of Ware, and Jennette, wife of Willard Will- iams, of Williamsburg.
In 1776 the population of the town was 639; 1790, 1, 116; 1800, 1,223 ; 1810, 1,391 ; 1820, 1,275 ; 1830, 1, 179 ; 1840, 1,197 ; 1850, 1,134; 1855, 1, 112 ; 1860, 1,041 ; 1865, 925 ; 1870, 860 ; 1875, 818 ; 1880, 758.
Organization .- In 1768 this territory was incorporated into a town, and called Worthington, in honor of Col. John Worthington, of Springfield, one of its proprietors, whose liberality towards the inhabitants was manifested by erecting for them, at his own expense, a meeting-house, and a grist-mill, and
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TOWN OF WORTHINGTON.
in assigning generous lots of land for ministerial and school purposes. He made the town a donation of twelve hundred acres of land. This was divided into twelve sections. One-half of these were called ministerial lots, the other half school lots. The object of the donor was to aid the town in the support of educational and religious institutions. The act of incorporation was passed June 30, 1768. The first town-meeting was held Angust 1, 1768, when the following officers were elected : Nahum Eager, clerk ; Capt. Na- than Leonard, Capt. Nathaniel Daniels and John Kinne, selectmen ; Thom- as Clemmons, constable and leather sealer ; Samuel Clapp, Dr. Moses Morse, surveyors of highways ; Nahum Eager and Ephraim Wheeler, fence viewers ; and John Watts, tithingman.
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