USA > Massachusetts > Gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 7
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The extreme eastern and western portions are quite hilly, as well as some smaller sections in other parts. The greatest elevations are Jackson Hill in Blandford (1717 feet high), Peaked Mountain in Monson (1,239 feet), Hitchcock's Mountain in Wales (1,190 feet), Rattlesnake Hill in Hampden (1,077 feet), and Proven's Mountain in Agawam (665 feet). The geological formation is principally mes- ozoie, with the Quebec group, calciferous mica-schists, and sienite. 'The soil is generally rich, strong and deep. The intervals bordering upon the rivers are of superior richness ; and here may be seen some of the finest farms in the State. The severe droughts which so often visit the more easterly part seldom affect the crops here, and farmers plant with greater confidence of full crops.
The principal domestic animals according to the census of 1885, consisted of 21,016 neat cattle, 4,503 sheep, 9,226 swine, 4,908 horses and 1,108 dogs. The value of the product of the 3,423 farms reported was $3,510,429. The manufacturing interests of the coun- ty are extensive ; a large amount of capital is invested, and a great variety of goods are made. The number of manufacturing establish- ments in 1885, was 1,311; and the value of their product, $42,609,234. The population was 116,754 persons, forming 25,005 families, and sheltered by 18,322 dwellings. There were 231 publie school buildings worth $1,197,738; and 24 private schools, owning buildings and appurtenances valued at $397,615. The libraries acces- sible to the public numbered 125 (28 secular, 97 religious), con- taining 175,465 books. There were 124 church edifices, distributed among most of the older denominations.
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GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
This county was taken from Hampshire County and incorporated February 20, 1812, being named in honor of the distinguished Eng- lish patriot John Hampden. It contains two cities and twenty towns. The first are Springfield and Holyoke; and the latter Agawam, Blandford, Brimfield, Chester, Granville, Hampden, Holland, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Montgomery, Palmer, Rus- sell, Southwick, Tolland, Wales, Westfield, West Springfield and Wilbraham. Springfield is the county seat; and this and Holyoke, Chicopee and Westfield are the largest towns.
Most of the towns are on some railroad line. The Boston and Albany passes through the county east and west ; the New Haven and Northampton, the Connecticut River, also the New London and Northern, pass through north and south ; and the Ware River Rail- road, commencing in the eastern section, runs northeast. The junc- tions of the north and south roads and the Ware River Railroad with the Boston and Albany are at Palmer, Springfield and West- field.
The first English settlement was in 1635, at Springfield - at first included in the town of Agawam. The principal disturbances here have been the several Indian wars and Shays' Rebellion, - the op- eration of whose forces were chiefly within the county.
The first railroad was the Western, a continuation of the Boston and Worcester line to Springfield, opened to Springfield in 1839, and to the Hudson River in 1842; the Hartford and Springfield was opened in 1844; the Connecticut River Railroad, completed to Northampton in 1845, and to Greenfield in 1846; the New London and Northern Railroad, opened to Palmer in 1850, and to Amherst in 1853; and the Ware River Railroad, opened in .1870. A canal was constructed from New Haven to Westfield in 1830, and to North- ampton in 1834; but it proved unprofitable, and the owners built a railroad to take its place, which was opened in 1856.
Hampshire County is the middle one of the three
Massachusetts counties lying on the Connecticut River; its eastern line being a few miles west of a medial line of the State. The Connecticut River pursues a general southerly course through it, dividing it into nearly equal eastern and western sections. It measures east and west nearly 45 miles; and north and south an average of about 13 miles.
The area is stated as 640 square miles, or 409,600 acres. The assessed area is 336,103 acres. There are about 88,900 acres of woodland. The county is bounded on the north by Franklin, on the east by Worcester, on the south by Hampden, and on the west by Berkshire counties. The inhabitants in 1875 numbered 44,821; in 1885, 48,472. At the last date there were 9,195 dwelling-houses.
The Massachusetts Central Railroad runs medially through the eastern section to the Connecticut River; the Ware River Railroad crosses the southeast corner; the New London and Northern Rail- road passes northwestward through the midst of the eastern section ; the Connecticut River Railroad follows the course of that river;
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HAMPSHIRE.
and the New Haven and Northampton Railroad runs through the southeastern and northern parts of the western section. The first of these and the last two intersect at Northampton.
The surface of the county is uneven, and in the western part, mountainous. The highest elevations are More's Hill in Goshen, 1,713 feet; High Ridge in Williamsburgh, 1,480 feet; Mount Lincoln in Pelham, 1,246 feet; Mount Tom on the west side of the Connecticut, 1,214 feet; and on the east side, the long ridge of Mount Holyoke extends from the east side, -its most elevated peak being Hilliard's Knob, on the line of Amherst and Granby, 1,120 feet high.
The Connecticut has no large tributaries within the county. The Westfield River - here running directly south - drains the western part; Manhan River drains the southeast portion of the western section ; Mill River, the northeast part of the same; a smaller river of the same name drains the territory opposite on the east side of the Connecticut; Fort River and Bachelor's Brook are consider- able streams further south on the same side ; while the eastern part of the county is drained by Swift River, running southward to Ware River, which runs through the southeastern corner.
The geological formation of the county is cozoic, mesozoic, and calciferous mica-schist. The soil has much variety. Along the alluvial basin of the Connecticut it is very rich and fertile, and is well cultivated. Most of the hilly ridges afford fine grazing ground.
The farms number 3,472; with 22,680 neat cattle, 5,101 horses; 6,791 sheep, 11,246 swine, and 912 dogs. The total value of farm products, as given in the last census (1885), was $3,794,173. The manufacturing establishments number 603, and their product was valued at $12,138,065. There were 208 school-houses, valued, with appurtenances, at $367,623; 20 private schools, (4 being colleges), with 65 buildings, etc., valued at $1,616,483; 87 libraries entirely or partially public, containing 153,748 bound volumes ; 9 newspapers and journals ; and 75 church edifices. The valuation in 1888 was $28,360,236.
Hampshire County was incorporated May 7, 1662, taking the name from a county in the south of England. It was the first county in the western part of the State, and the largest of all. In 1761 a portion was set off to form Berkshire County, another por- tion in 1811 to form Franklin, and a third portion in 1812 to form Hampden. It now embraces one city (Northampton - also the county seat) and 22 towns. The latter are as follows : Amherst, Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Enfield, Go- shen, Granby, Greenwich, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, Prescott, Southampton, South Hadley, Ware, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington. This county is in the 11th Congressional District, the 7th and 8th Council districts, and has one State senator in connection with Worcester County and one with Berkshire County, and is entitled to six representatives in the Legislature.
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GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
The first settlement within the present territory of the county was at Northampton in 1654; the first on the river having been at Springfield nearly nineteen years earlier. The new settlement was known as Nonotuck, and included the present towns of Northamp- ton, Easthampton, Southampton, Westhampton, and portions of Hatfield and Montgomery. According to the custom of the early settlers of New England, the Indian title was extinguished by for- mal purchase. The deed was given in 1658, by Wanhillona, Nenes- sahalant, Nassicochee, and four other Indians, to John Pynchon, Elizur Holyoke, and Samnel Chapin, - commissioners from Spring- field. The price paid for the entire territory of Nonotuek was "one Indred fathoms of wampum, ten coats, some small gifts, and plow- ing up 16 acres of land on the east side of the river." Other sec- tions were purchased at various dates. The inhabitants lived in peace with the red men for nearly forty years after the settlement on this river. The first military company in the county was formed in 1661, -seven years after settlement. In the autumn of 1675, the hostilities of King Philip's War reached these settlements ; the first attack being made on Hatfield by several hundred Indians. Hadley was made the headquarters of the defensive forces. Conflicts oc- curred later at Northampton, Turner's Falls and Hadley.
The first great disaster of its kind in this county was the flooding of Mill River valley by the bursting of a reservoir in Williamsburgh in 1874. The damage was chiefly in that town and in Northampton. Of the $150,000 appropriated by the legislature for the rebuilding of roads, only $92,000 were used. The villages which suffered most severely, in a few years regained their former prosperity.
Middlesex County is situated mainly in the north- eastern part of the State, extend- ing from the New Hampshire line southward four-fifths of the distance to Rhode Island. Its outline is the most irregular possible, on all sides except the north, which is a straight line running from the western side slightly south of east, but terminating in an angular northward projection. Its general form is triangular, with the angles east, west and south. Its greatest extension north and south is about 38 miles, and east and west (middle and northerly part) about 33 miles. Essex lies on the northeast and east, Suffolk on the east, Norfolk on the southeast, and Worcester on the west, - but south- ward of the long northwest extension. Its area is about 830 square miles ; the assessed land being 488,120. A large rock in Charles River, called "County Rock," marks a corner in the boundary of Middlesex and Norfolk counties, and a corner of three towns,- Newton, Weston and Wellesley.
The surface is uneven, and the northwestern part is generally hilly, but with no great elevation. In the southeastern part the highest are Nobscot Hill in Framingham (602 feet), Prospect Hill in Waltham (482 feet), Goodman Hill in Sudbury (415 feet), Reeves Hill in Wayland (410 feet), and Regan Hill in Natick (408 feet). The Merrimac River runs through the northeastern corner, receiving
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MIDDLESEX.
at Lowell the Concord River, which receives in the town of Concord, near the centre of the county, the Sudbury, drawing its waters from the extreme southern towns, and the Assabet, which flows in from the south-southwest. The northwestern part is drained by the Nashua and its tributaries, which also swells the volume of the Merrimac while yet in the borders of New Hampshire; and the Shawsheen, in the northeastern section, finds the same noble stream. Along the middle of the eastern part flows the Mystic River, and with the Charles, which winds through the southwestern part, laves the shores of three eities about Boston Harbor. Within the county are 152,075 acres of forest, consisting of all the New England var- ieties of trees. There is an almost wilderness traet of about 4,000 acres lying within the confines of the towns, Stoneham, Medford, Winchester, Melrose and Malden, which it is proposed to make into a public park, under the auspices of the Commonwealth. The geo- logical structure of this county is mainly calcareous gneiss, sienite, Merrimack sehists and the St. John's group. Beds of peat and brick-clay are found in many localities.
The Fitchburg, the Boston and Maine, the Massachusetts Central, the Boston and Albany, and the Old Colony railroads cover the county as with a network ; so that scarcely a town is without one or more roads passing through it, or close at its borders. The farms number 6,428, with a product in 1885 valued at $8,030,965. Of this the greenhouse product was $256,682, - exceeding that of any other county. There were 3,504 manufacturing establishments whose product was valued at $128,599,892. The dwelling-houses numbered 67,921, with 357,311 inhabitants divided into 75,968 families ; the legal voters numbering 79,430. The density of population is only exceeded by Suffolk and Essex counties.
This county is one of the three existent original counties of Mas- sachusetts ; having been incorporated at the same date with Suffolk and Essex, May 10, 1643. It was named from the ancient metropol- itan county in England.
Middlesex County contains seven cities - Cambridge, Lowell, Mal- den, Newton, Somerville, Waltham and Woburn. There are forty- seven towns, viz .: Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Hollis ton, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Medford, Melrose, Natick, North Reading, Pepperell, Read- ing, Sherborn, Shirley, Stoneham, Stowe, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Watertown, Wayland, West- ford, Weston, Wilmington and Winchester. The shire towns are Cambridge and Lowell. Portions of the county are included in the 5th Congressional District with certain wards of Boston ; in the 6th with Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, and certain wards of Bos- ton ; in the Sth with four towns of Essex county, and four of Wor- cester County ; in the 9th with several towns of Worcester and Norfolk counties. It is in the 3d Council District with parts of Suf- folk County and in the Gth with parts of Essex County. It consti-
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GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
tutes a State Senate District, excluding ward 3 of Cambridge ; and it has 43 representatives in the House.
This county has 528 public-school buildings, valued, with appurte- nances, at $3,232,781. There are also 30 private schools, including
THE COUNTY JAIL, LOWELL.
one university, three theological schools, one college, several each of classical schools, academies and young ladies' seminaries, and two large commercial schools. There are 346 churches, and 429 public and association libraries, containing 901,505 bound volumes. Of
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NANTUCKET.
periodicals, there are 7 daily newspapers, 1 semi-weekly, 33 week- lies, 2 bi-weeklies, and 2 monthlies, - a total of 45.
Perhaps no single county in the State contains more points of interest to the historian and scholar. Here are Concord and Lexing- ton, and the classic and patriotic Cambridge, with her ancient, noble and far-famed university. The list of notable scholars, scientists, inventors, divines, statesmen and soldiers which this county has given to the world is long and admirable.
The first settlement was at Watertown early in 1630, by one of the three divisions of the company, whose other two made the first settlements in Roxbury and Dorchester. In 1631 a grant of land was made to Governor Winthrop near the Mystic River; and there he erected a house, and laid out a farm. He also built here a small vessel, " The Blessing of the Bay," which was the beginning of shipbuilding at Medford; an interest that afterward was of primary importance in building up the town. The year 1640 saw two new settlements made in this county, one at Reading, the other at Woburn. One other distinct settlement of this period deserves mention, since it was the first inland settlement, - the ancient town of Concord.
The courage and ability of the people here were amply shown in many a bloody conflict with the savages. In King Philip's War the rage of these enemies fell upon Sudbury, Marlborough, Chelmsford, and upon some other points with less destruction. Companies from this settlement rallied to the aid of the assaulted settlements in Worcester county, and made long excursions against the foe in New Hampshire and Maine.
Sixteen of the towns at present in this county were incorporated during the seventeenth century, and all but twelve of those in exis- tence in 1880, during the next hundred years. The first conflict of military bodies in the Revolution was in this county, - at Lexington and Concord. In 1786, also, it suffered some disturbance from Shays' Rebellion. In 1792, the "Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on the Merrimac River " was incorporated, and then began the development of the cotton manufacture in Lowell. In 1805 the Middlesex canal, connecting the Merrimac River at Lowell with Boston Harbor, was opened. In 1830, the Boston and Lowell Railroad was chartered.
The jurisdiction of the County Commissioners of Middlesex ex- tends over Revere and Winthrop, in the County of Suffolk.
Nantucket County embraces the islands of Nan-
tucket, Tuckanuck, Muskegat, and the Gravelly Islands, lying in the Atlantic Ocean, thirty miles south of the outer shore of Cape Cod, and about fifteen miles (from landing to landing) in a southeasterly direction from Martha's Vineyard Island.
Nantucket, the principal island, is about 15 miles in length from east to west, with an average breadth of 43 miles; being wide at the eastern end, and narrowing to a point at the western extremity, where lie the other islands mentioned. It has a level surface in the
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GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
southern part, with some hilliness northward; the land nowhere rising more than 100 feet above the sea. The harbor in the north- eastern part is , extensive. There are several villages; and a railroad extends across the midst of the island from north to south, thence to the eastern extremity. Outside connections are by steamboats to Mar- tha's Vineyard, thence to Woods Holl, New Bedford and Boston. The land surface of this island is about 60 square miles, or 38,000 acres in extent. Of this, little more than 1,500 acres are cultivated; and there are some 160 acres of woodland. Instead of forests, there are extensive peat bogs, which supply abundance of fuel.
The population in 1875 was 3,201; in 1880 it was 3,727; and in 1885 it had fallen off again to 3,142, - when there were 812 legal voters. The families numbered 1,026 ; the dwelling-houses, 1,201, - about 20 to a square mile. There were 129 persons engaged in agricul- ture ; and the value of the products in the last census year was $83,- 501. The number of persons engaged in manufactures was 72; and the value of the product, $126,619. There were also 225 persons employed in the fisheries (shore), -of whom 35 were foreigners ; the value of the product being $35,389. The valuation in 1888 was $2,960,538. There are six public school-houses, valued at some $13,000; and a private incorporated school with buildings and other property worth about $11,000. There are seven public libraries (in- cluding four Sunday-School libraries) containing 13,4414 books. There are two weekly newspapers.
Nantucket is also the name of the only town this county contains, and is also the name of the village in which the courts are held and the county jail located. Nantucket County is in the First Congres- sional District; in the Cape section of the First Council District ; and in conjunction with Barnstable and Dukes counties, has one State senator; and by itself, one representative in the General Court. The record of probate proceedings dates from 1706. The first regis- ter of probate was Peter Folger. He was succeeded in 1707 by Eleazer Folger, who remained in office until 1754; to be succeeded by another Folger (Frederic), who served 36 years. The first judge of probate was James Coffin; the last (from 1873), Thaddeus C. Defriez. The judge longest in office was Jeremiah. Gardner, who served from 1744 to 1767 ; his immediate successor, Grafton Gard- ner, serving from the latter date to 1789. The county was, in its earlier occupation by the English, a part of Dukes County, and belonged to the State of New York. It was annexed to Massachu- setts in 1692; and on June 20th, 1695, it was taken from Dukes and incorporated as a distinct county.
The origin of its name is obscure, but appears to be of Indian derivation, - whose name for the island is said to have been Nauti- can. The native population, at the period of settlement by the Eng- lish, had been depleted by a war between the eastern and the west- ern tribes about the year 1630; but four sachems with a few follow- ers still held possession of the territory now included in the county ; their respective domains being distinctly defined.
This island was described by Gosnold, who discovered it in 1602.
SCONSET WATERWORKS
SUNSET HEIGHTS
1
NANTUCKET LIGHT
SOLDIERS MONUMENT
A HIGHWAY
NANTUCKET VIEWS.
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GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
It was deeded by Lord Sterling to the Mayhews in 1641; who, in 1659, sold it for thirty English pounds and two beaver hats to the ten original purchasers and settlers, -the Mayhews retaining one tenth of the island, together with Maisquatuck or Quaise, a peninsula of red Jand midway of the harbor on the south side. Later, piece by piece, the same land was bought of the Indians, by the settlers. Thomas Macy and his family, with Edward Starbuck, appear to have been the original settlers, in 1659; bringing in a colony of ten fami- lies a year later. All of these appear to have been Friends or Quak- ers in sentiment, if not of the communion, - who sought and found here a refuge from persecution. In 1663 there were about 1600 Indians on the island. In 1761, the white population was 3,220; and the Indian, 358.
The island early became largely devoted to sheep-raising; but from the year 1673 whaling increased to be a vast business; and this, too, came to an end about 1870.
It is stated that during the Revolutionary war and on account of it 1,600 Nantucketers lost their lives: while the island's fleet of whalers was reduced from 150 to a lonely pair. At the last of the contest, and to save themselves from utter destruction in their solitary and undefended position, they were forced to proclaim themselves neutral. In the war of 1812 they were again obliged to take the same step; yet as it was they lost twenty out of the forty whalers they then had afloat.
For further details, consult the article on the town
Norfolk County was one of the original four counties (Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Nor- folk) into which the Colony of Massachusetts Bay was divided on May 10th, 1643. It comprised the towns of Haverhill, Salisbury, Hampton, Exeter, Dover, and Portsmonth. The four towns last men- tioned being included in New Hampshire by the separation of the latter from Massachusetts in 1680, the two remaining were, on Feb- ruary 4, 1680, annexed to Essex County ; and the original Norfolk County thereby became extinct.
An act incorporating a new Norfolk County in a new location was signed by Governor Hancock, March 26, 1793. By this act Suffolk County lost 22 towns and a district, taken to constitute Norfolk County. These were Bellingham, Braintree, Brookline, Cohasset, Dedham, Dorchester, Dover (then a district), Foxborough, Franklin, Hingham, Hull, Medfield, Medway, Milton, Needham, Quincy, Randolph, Roxbury, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Weymouth and Wrentham. At the June session of the legislature of the same year, the towns of Hingham and Hull were set back to Suffolk County, where they remained until their incorporation into P'ly- mouth County. Weymouth was the oldest of these towns, having been settled in 1622; being the second settlement of white men in New England of which there exists any distinct record.
Since the year of its incorporation the following important changes have taken place within the county : Canton set off from
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NORFOLK.
Stoughton in 1797; part of Dorchester annexed to Boston, 1804; part of Dorchester annexed to Quincy, 1814; Thompson's Island set off from Dorchester and annexed to Boston, 1834; Dover (pre- viously a district) incorporated as a town, 1836; Roxbury chartered as a city, 1846; West Roxbury set off from the city of Roxbury, 1851; part of Dorchester annexed to Boston, 1855; Roxbury annexed to Boston, 1868; Dorchester annexed to Boston, 1870; Norfolk set off from Wrentham, Franklin, Medway and Walpole, 1870 ; part of Brookline annexed to Boston, 1870; Norwood set off from Dedham and Walpole, 1872; Holbrook set off from Randolph, 1872; West Roxbury annexed to Boston, 1874; part of Needham set off to form Wellesley, 1881; part of Medway set off to form Millis, 1885; and part of Stoughton set off to form Avon, 1888. The county, as now constituted, contains one city- Quincy- and twenty- six towns, - whose names are as follows: Avon, Bellingham, Brain- tree, Brookline, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Dover, Foxborough, Franklin, Holbrook, Hyde Park, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, Wal- pole, Wellesley, Weymouth and Wrentham. Dedham is the shire town.
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