USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Hampden county, 1636-1936, Volume II > Part 31
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
On April 14, 1794, "A bill of axpence" states : "This day I rased my hous, 15 pounds." It includes 9,000 shingles, 4,000 feet of boards, 4,000 ten-penny nails, 11,000 shingle nails and ten window frames. "Bilding my Chimneley" cost ten pounds. Evidently the house was not complete in the spring for an October item has a charge of over ten pounds for "doing my Saller" (cellar ) "and Saller Stars" (stairs ) and "Laing the Laan Flaours and 600 of spyks." Probably not all of the six hundred spikes were used in the cellar stairs, but only the writer could tell us if the next item is meant for "loom floors."
Two years later Stephen Cross is "Boulding a Neow Barne and the holl Cost to Bee 30 pounds," truly a Yankee sound to that entry. This barn was "32 feete by 24 feete and 12 feete hi." The whole cost of these two structures as added up at the foot of the ledger page was three pence over ninety pounds.
Two shillings was paid for a day's work of a man, no doubt twelve hours at least, though when "Giting hay" three shillings was once paid.
939
MONSON AND ITS EARLY WOOLEN MILLS
February 16, 1798, Mr. Tams Nelson and his wife, with one cow, came to work for Mr. Cross. We guess at the moving of goods and people from the ledger's charge for a two-day trip to Stafford and back, and five shillings for housing five yoke of oxen over night. In July the Nelsons must have had some sort of a celebration, per- haps a christening, for they are charged with one quart of wine, one pint of rum, and one quart of molasses. Though land was cheap and plentiful the hired man's cow was not kept for nothing, as her hay cost one shilling a week until the third of May, when she was put out to pasture at ten pence a week.
Ashes, tallow and mutton fat were both bought and sold accord- ing to need, "12 pds Sope Greese, 4 shillings," being one entry during the first year. Sheep skins and hides also helped out the income.
One page in the year 1818 gives the names and birth dates of Stephen and Sarah Cross' twelve children. Elsewhere in the ledger is an account with the doctor running over a number of years with periodic entries of woven cloth which were sold to him.
Dollars and cents began to be set down in the account book about 1812, but for some time Stephen seems about as uncertain over the new money as he is of how to spell.
A folded paper shut into the back of the old ledger gives the inven- tory of Stephen Cross' estate in 1838. His fifty acres of land with the buildings on them were valued at $783. Among the things listed are an "old white-faced cow $20," seventeen sheep at $1.50 each and one calf, $5. Two swine are valued at $28.66. The list was dated Octo- ber 5, but "potatoes in the ground" were thought still to be worth something and an item of "Old iron, $2," shows how that was care- fully saved. Among the household articles a clock and case sound too cheap at thirteen cents in contrast with two meal bags at fifty cents. Two wooden bowls and a kneading-trough would bring at the present time more than the forty-two cent value placed on them then. The house furnishings seem rather scanty in view of the fact that there had been twelve children in the family, but perhaps each had been given a share of the furnishings as he or she left the home, and possibly the widow had already claimed her "third." One bureau, two "beadsteads" and bedding, one desk, one "bedstead and cord," lot of chairs, "tables, 67 cents" and another clock seem to constitute the furniture. The kitchen utensils include two flat irons, two candle-
940
HAMPDEN COUNTY-1636-1936
sticks and irons, five shovels and tongs, earthenware worth seventy- five cents, stoneware $1.50, ironware $2, a back-breaking four-pail brass kettle, seven bottles and a "wooden bottle." Fifty pounds of cheese seems like a goodly amount to have on hand, even though worth only $3. A seventy-five cent loom, a fifty cent wheel and a reel account for eleven yards of flannel worth $4.42, probably prepared for the coming winter. Eight sheets and five bed coverings are cheap at $2, for the sheets were probably all linen and coverings all wool. No clothing was listed and the whole amounted to only a little over a thousand dollars.
There are nearly eight hundred pages in the book and not much space is wasted, for when an account was completed without using all of the page the thrifty Stephen went back in some subsequent year and started a new account. Once in a while he wrote in a bit of news such as the "Great Frost" on May 17, 1794, and the "grat Floud" on August 13, 1795. We wish that he had put in more of such items before he "Rased" his last bushel of "Protaters" and "Fineshed haying in the Madey."
Montgomery Among the Hills
CHAPTER XV
Montgomery Among the Hills
One of the smallest of the Hampden County towns lies among the rocky, rugged foothills of the Berkshires. It originally was included mainly in Westfield as a part of the portion known as the "New Addi- tion." Soon after the close of the last French and Indian War, Eph- raim Avery and his family left the flourishing town of Westfield, made their way up along the small river and settled not far from Mt. Tekoa. Moose Meadow nearby may have supplied him with good hunting. During the years 1767 and 1768 other settlers followed and pushed on beyond to make their homes. The land was cheap, yet productive, and in the course of a few years quite a settlement sprang up.
When the total number of families had increased to fifty or more the people of the New Addition petitioned the General Court to be incorporated as a town. This was granted in 1780 and the name of Montgomery was given to it. This was in honor of General Richard Montgomery, one of America's bravest Revolutionary patriots, who was killed in battle at Quebec in 1775. Almost the first work of the little new town was to pay a bounty of four pounds for all who would serve one month as soldiers in the war for freedom and an additional sum for each month thereafter. Already several of the sturdy young men of the town were in the army and the spirit of disloyalty never was shown in Montgomery.
Captain Sylvester Squier was one of the early settlers who entered the military service and rose in the ranks. Oliver Clark was one of the first to follow the pioneer into the region and his seven sons and two daughters helped to people the region. Another head of a worthy family was David Allyn, who raised to maturity seven sons and six daughters. Daniel Barrett, who came into Montgomery about the same time, also had seven sons. Another old and promi- nent name in Montgomery is that of Moore. Joel Moore was the pioneer and his industrious descendants are numerous in Hampden
944
HAMPDEN COUNTY-1636-1936
County. Richard Falley settled just over the line from Westfield and carried on a gun shop, where he made muskets for the American soldiers in the Revolutionary War and also in the War of 1812. The foundations of his old shop can still be seen on the farm where he lived. Falley's daughter was grandmother of former President Grover Cleveland. George Gorham was a member of General Wash- ington's bodyguard.
As soon as town government was set up in 1780 the people began discussing church matters and in December of the same year six pounds was appropriated for the support of preaching. Three years later Rev. John Ballantine was engaged to preach at the price of two dollars for each Sabbath service for twenty weeks. Meetings were held in the houses of the inhabitants at first, but as the town grew in numbers and prosperity it began to plan for a house of worship. This was built in 1797, when a Congregational Church Society was formed with but five members. Reverend Seth Noble, son of Thomas Noble, of Westfield, was installed as the first regular pastor on November 4, 1801, and served about five years. Mr. Noble was not a liberally educated man, but he was a divine with a good degree of native talent. His fondness for the tune of Bangor was the cause of that name being bestowed on that city in Maine. He was preaching at that point when the town was incorporated and went to Boston in behalf of the people to present their petition to the General Court. The town wished to be named "Sunfield," but he struck out that word and inserted Bangor, which was accepted.
Montgomery lost a small part of its territory to the town of Russell in 1792, but it also had annexed to it in the same year parts of the neighboring towns of Norwich and Southampton.
The Methodists began to hold services in Montgomery between 1825 and 1830, but it was about twenty years before they built a church opposite the present Congregational building, which was erected in 1848. The two religious societies have functioned har- moniously. At times the churches were occupied alternately, both faiths making up the audiences together. The Second Adventists also had an organization in Montgomery and sometimes used the Con- gregational Church as their place of meeting.
Mt. Shatterack on the western border of the town is the highest point. Its elevation of 1,160 feet overlooks Shatterack Pond on
945
MONTGOMERY AMONG THE HILLS
the east. English Grass Cave on Shatterack Range is said to con- sist of three sections, the innermost one being strewn with many bones. Mrs. W. D. Allen, wife of the town clerk, was anxious to explore the cave around 1925, but retreated in great haste when a medley of indescribable noises assailed her ears. Bungy Hill rises in the east- ern part of Montgomery and Rock House Mountain occupies the northwest corner. Mt. Tekoa, in the south on the edge of Westfield, is perhaps the best known height, as it was a favorite drive for the people of that town. Rattlesnakes seem to be more plentiful there than in any other part of Hampden County and perhaps offered some protection to the counterfeiters who were said to have occupied a cave on its slopes some years ago. Tradition tells of a gold mine on or near the Westfield-Montgomery Highway about one and one-half miles beyond the Westfield line.
Agriculture has always been the main occupation with just the necessary activities to support and supplement it. Several creameries were operated successfully and C. A. Williams had an ax helve fac- tory. Cidermakers, carpenters, painters, wheelwrights and cattle dealers added to the prosperity of the town. In recent years summer people have come in to enjoy the beauty of Montgomery's hills. The most noted of these is J. J. La Valley, an artist of wide repute. The year 'round population of the town has dwindled until the 1930 cen- sus listed only one hundred and forty-one people in the whole town- ship. About one hundred and twenty-five cellar holes in the town gives an idea of its size in past years.
The three Darrick brothers and sister operate the Mountain View dairy and turkey farm, which produces more turkeys than any other place within fifty miles.
Hampden-60
Palmer, the "Elbow Tract"
CHAPTER XVI Palmer, the "Elbow Tract"
No records have been found to show that any Indian clan laid claim to ownership of the land now included in the town of Palmer, or that any deed of transfer to the whites was executed. Nor is there any sign of a permanent Indian village within the territory, though such were known to have been located at Chicopee, Spring- field, Brimfield, and Brookfield. But at least three Indian trails crossed the township, one in the eastern, one in the northern, and the other in the southern part. The trail through the eastern part of the "Elbow Tract" ran from the native settlement at Sherman's Pond in Brimfield to the falls at Ware Village, thus opening direct communication between the great planting fields at the former place and the important salmon fishing place at the latter. The trail through the northern part of the Elbows was the continuation of what is known as the "Nashaway Trail" leading from Lancaster and going through Ludlow to the Great Falls in the Connecticut River. The southern trail started in Woodstock, Connecticut, and passed just north of Steerage Rock in Brimfield to the Quabaug River a short distance above the Elbow, where it crossed into Palmer and followed in the main the course of the Bay Path toward the Great River.
Menamesick, the Indian name of the Chicopee River, means "great fishing basket" or "fishing weir" and the Quabaug Indians probably had a great spring gathering at the falls above Three Rivers. Shad could not leap the falls at Chicopee, but salmon made the pas- sage with little difficulty. The weirs were rude stone walls built out from opposite sides of the river pointing down stream until they nearly met each other. At this narrow opening a large cage made of twigs and hoops bound together with bark was placed. The fish were roasted over the coals and the Indians had a feast, gorging themselves to repletion. The squaws waited on their lords and split
950
HAMPDEN COUNTY-1636-1936
and dried what surplus fish was left, while the men slept off the ban- quet and gambled and wrestled.
The Indian clans had all been broken up and had left these parts before a settlement was begun at the Elbows. But now and then a single family would return and erect a wigwam on the old site and plant a patch of corn or pumpkins. One such spot is known as Wig- wam Brook, and it is not unlikely that the dusky campers held corn roasts and succotash parties near there in September and were more or less of a pest to the farmers. During the French and Indian wars these rovers were ready to act as spies and guides when hostile bands harassed the outlying settlements. All the towns were guarded by troops and scouts were sent into the woods, but we have no records to show that the few settlers here at that time were molested or were protected by soldiers. The men used to go to their fields, gun in hand, and the women left at home were ready to protect them- selves and their children. Grandmother Ferrell, all alone in her log cabin, and startled by the howling of her dog, is said to have felt greatly relieved when she heard the well-known yell of a panther, and exclaimed: "Oh, mister! I'm glad it is only you !"
The earliest document relating to this territory calls it simply "A tract of land belonging to the Province of Massachusetts," but in a deed, dated 1729, it is called "New Marlborough," and later the name "Kingsfield" or "Kingstown" is used, as well as the "Elbows" or the "Elbow tract." Kingstown was preferred by the settlers as it commemorated the name of John King, the first settler. Mr. King came here from Boston in 1716 and tradition says that the family, which included a year-old baby, spent their first night at the spring on the hillside near the old graveyard. His log cabin was built by the old Bay Path, and his large family of sons and daughters located near him, so that the name of "King's Row" came to be applied to that part of the highway. At least fifteen other families came in the next ten years, most of them from Springfield or other river towns.
But an influx of another sort soon added to the population of the tract, a group of people of whom it was said: "They were men of pluck and muscle, who hewed down the trees that built their frontier homes and churches; men who coveted no fine linen for their tables, so that they had enough of cornbread and potatoes; and yet imbued with such a thirst for learning that they became the founders of many
95I
PALMER, THE "ELBOW TRACT"
of our foremost schools and colleges." These were Scotch people from the North of Ireland, the first of whom came to Boston about 1719 in five ships and went out from there singly and in groups to various towns. They were religious and clannish, as well as hard- working and thrifty. The women brought with them their flax- wheels and excelled in the art of spinning fine linen thread. A group made their way to Worcester, where they did not succeed in happily establishing themselves and gradually some found their way to the Elbows, but the majority of the Scotch people there were of a later and direct migration. The Scotch brought the potato with them to America, but others were slow to accept it as it was then a coarse- grained tuber and considered more of a curiosity than a valuable addition to the diet. As late as 1795 potatoes were not a regular article of food among the better class of farmers and the Reverend Jonathan Hubbard, of Sheffield, came near to being dealt with by the church for raising twenty bushels in one year.
Besides raising potatoes, corn, wheat, rye, peas, oats, barley and flax, the early settlers got a little income from turpentine and tar. Pitch pines were common on the plains and were boxed by cutting a hollow the width of an ax in the trunk, where the turpentine would collect and could be dipped out. Much of the tar at first was obtained by burning in kilns the knots and hearts of old fallen trees. Saw logs and lumber were also sold.
"Scotch linen" came to be in great demand as soon as its excellence was known and the women of these families were kept busy spinning and weaving for their own households and others. A few made "linsey-woolsey" of flax and wool, but most of the product went out in the form of linen or tow. As late as the year 1809 a bridal outfit included a "great wheel," a "little wheel" and a "reel."
In 1726 the men who had located on King's Row and vicinity sent a petition to the General Court asking for precinct privileges. Soon after this Joshua Lamb and Company asserted a claim to the coun- try and so began a long drawn out contest for ownership which lasted many years and no doubt delayed the formation of a town. A com- mittee from the General Court settled many of the property rights in 1733 and it was no small matter to view the holdings and establish acreage and boundaries for eighty persons. Nor did they overlook the welfare of the new settlement, for one man was allowed his land
952
HAMPDEN COUNTY-1636-1936
in consideration of building a sawmill, another for erecting a grist- mill, and the group was to set aside land for the ministry and schools and lay out roads and highways.
The committee decided that thirty-one persons had settled at the Elbows without even a semblance of a claim to buying the land, but they were not driven out. Instead, they were charitably granted "a single lot," which included their homes and improvements and meas- ured from fifty to one hundred acres. The sum of five hundred pounds was ordered paid to the General Court as a sort of penalty for their presumptuous settlement without authority. That the people appreciated the great service of this committee is shown by their vote of appreciation and their gift to each of a hundred acres of the "common land."
The young plantation, now knowing its legal standing, imme- diately began to hold meetings and regulate the affairs of the com- munity, which up to this time had been taken care of, more or less, on a voluntary basis. They chose committees, elected officers, assessed rates, and when an agent was sent to Boston they paid his expenses. Up to this time there had been preaching, but no settled minister. Various ones had served from quarter to quarter, often receiving "country pay," which was produce and was collected by a committee in charge and delivered to the minister. Reverend John Harvey, a Scotchman, born in the North of Ireland and a graduate of the uni- versity, had preached a little over three years at eighty pounds a year besides the grant of a lot. He seems to have pleased the peo- ple sufficiently well for they applied to the Hampshire Association for advice as to settling him. The association approved and Mr. Harvey accepted the call on condition that they would add firewood to their offer.
The ordination took place on June 5, 1734, on a platform under "a great White Oak tree." The council consisted of four Presby- terian and one Congregational ministers, though other Congrega- tionalists had been invited to attend. A two penny per acre tax was levied on farms under special grants outside of the plantation, which brought in about sixteen pounds a year toward building a meeting- house, but the owners did not like the ruling and one man succeeded in having his property set off to the town of Brookfield. Church and town meetings were held at John King's, William Crawford's, James
953
PALMER, THE "ELBOW TRACT"
Shearer's and other places, but August 27, 1733, four men were chosen to "pitch upon" a location for the meetinghouse. Nearly two years were spent in choosing and rejecting spots and in the meantime timber was cut and hauled to a place agreed on, only to have a vote passed against the site. But this could not go on forever, so finally every man was bidden to bring in his vote for a location and then the two places receiving the most votes were decided between by a lot drawn by Mr. Harvey, "after solemn prayer." The "knowl near Crawford's house" won and here the frame was raised in the spring of 1735, timber trees having been donated and a hundred pounds voted for building and finishing.
The church was of necessity a plain structure, neither ceiled nor plastered and for a time only single boarded. Benches were placed in the center and the men and women sat on separate sides. The pulpit was a cage-like box perched on posts and reached by a narrow flight of stairs, but it had a cushion on which the Bible rested. Pews were not put in for about ten years and then were ranged along the walls at the owner's expense. In the summer of 1744 a lawless hunter stole the lead from some of the window panes for bullets. Only one sermon was preached in the winter season and sometimes the min- ister adjourned the gathering to the tavern nearby, as he could not be heard above the thumping of the benumbed feet. When seats were put in the gallery for the young people "two fit men" were appointed to look after them. Probably a choir was not organized for some years.
All this time the five hundred pounds penalty was hanging over the plantation and in addition still more untaxable grants were made to men who had served the public in various ways, such as that given to Captain John Sheldon in consideration of his several journeys to Canada after the captives from Deerfield. Efforts were made to have the sum abated or lessened owing to the poverty of the Elbows and the difficulty of fairly assessing the sums on owners, but after many years and sales at vendues for non-payment the debt was eventu- ally discharged. Another source of trouble was the difference in standing of the forty-eight "proprietors" who had legally settled and could have some of the common lands and the thirty-one "grantees" who had illegally taken up land and could only acquire more by purchase.
954
HAMPDEN COUNTY-1636-1936
Nor were these the only troubles the settlement experienced, for in 1738 the minister was before the grand jury at Northampton for drunkenness and pleaded guilty! A large proportion of his parish stood by him, but others signed a petition against him and for several years the parish was stirred to its foundations. Finally, Mr. Har- vey's conduct was such that even his former friends were alienated and he was obliged to resign after ministering to the people for seventeen years. Then followed a period of "supplies" to the pulpit.
Some families living in the eastern part of the plantation about this time petitioned to be separated from the Elbows, giving as their reason the usual one of too great a distance from public wor- ship, but no doubt the church troubles played their part in the deci- sion. They were granted permission to incorporate the town of Western in 1741. A similar petition from those living in the north part of the Elbow Tract did not result in the formation of a separate town, but the families were relieved of their taxes on condition that they would furnish public worship for themselves.
Besides the troubles already mentioned there was the basic one of two different sorts of people trying to live together. Those of English descent held twenty-six of the proprietary lots, and were men of courage and self-esteem, familiar with laws and customs and well fitted to hold responsible positions. The Scotch held only thirteen of the proprietary lots and were clannish and jealous of their rights, but had high ideals of fidelity and frugality in public affairs and fre- quently "called to account" their treasurers and collectors, so that it was not unusual to have five out of seven town meetings undoing the work of the others.
Still the Elbow Tract pluckily kept on growing and in January, 1752, succeeded after several efforts in being made a "district." They asked for the name of Kingstown, but were given that of Palmer in honor of a relative of the Governor's who had just died in Scotland. One of the first things the people turned their attention to after they had elected their district officers and passed the usual votes about highways and the "yoking" of hogs, was the selection of a new minis- ter. Candidates were numerous and so were the opinions of the people. Reverend Ebenezer Kniblow supplied the pulpit in all fifteen sermons and received eight shillings for each "except three Sermons which we can prove he preached other men's works." Reverend Mr.
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.