USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Tyringham > Hinterland settlement Tyringham, Massachusetts and bordering lands > Part 2
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
One must have only admiration for this Division Committee, Eli Hale, Sam'l Fargo, Walter Hubbard. What a trying job they had to settle finances, divide lands and do all that went with such an undertaking! Nevertheless, at the next meeting Hop Brook mustered enough votes to win. And so closed the first era of Housatonic Town- ship No. 1.
CHAPTER IV-MEETING HOUSES
It might have been a state law that prompted the voters, in May 1801, to fence in the cemeteries. The committee requested that all able-bodied men turn out on a certain day and bring their rails. They would be allowed $2. per hundred for the rails. At the old bury- ing ground they were to build a "stone wall with posts and two rails upon the wall", the remainder of the fence to be made of chestnut rails laid "crooked or Virginia fashion", gates were required too. It was reported in 1804 that the new ground in the north part of the town (Hop Brook) had been fenced with white pine boards, nailed upon chestnut posts, burnt and set in the ground. The cost of fencing that ground was $49.78. All three grounds cost $175.72.
The first church built in Hop Brook, the present town of Tyring- ham, was started in 1779, in about the center of the cemetery. Seven years prior to this the burying ground had been taken out of Lot No. 48, containing 72 rods. As near as can be gathered from old records, the residents in this north section of town mostly supported this church themselves, independent of the town appropriations. For in a meeting in 1786 Ezekiel Herrick and others belonging to Hop Brook petitioned for the town to give them either their proportion of public preaching or money granted for that purpose. The vote was negative. First off,
11
itinerant preachers served, traveling by horseback from hill-town to hill-town, carrying their Bibles and Hymn books in saddlebags. Then the Congregational minister from South Tyringham alternated with the Baptists from neighboring towns, and the Methodists occasionally held meetings before their church was built. It was truly a Union Church.
This was a good-sized building with galleries all around and a. tall pulpit with a flight of stairs to reach the entrance. The pews were made with doors and a button to hold them closed. Elder Hall was the pastor and William Stedman the Sunday-school teacher. Elder Hall lived just over the bridge east of the store. One day a man walking up the street saw the Elder's little son plunging his pet lamb in the brook and out. The man asked the boy what he was doing that for. The little fellow replied, "I'm going to make a Baptist of him. He's got to be a Baptist".
In the old "training days" this church was known as the Baptist. Meeting House and the militia used the surrounding ground for prac- tice. This was before the extension of the cemetery in 1847. The militia was composed of all able bodied men from age 21 to 45 years and they had to appear with gun, powder horn, priming wire, brush and extra. flint. On May 10, 1824 the militia held their annual election of officers which called for a big celebration. The old swivel-cannon was to be fired in honor of the Captain just chosen, so they loaded very heavily to make an extra salute. A large crowd had gathered but some feared the consequences and took shelter inside the church. The cannon burst, driving a piece through the building with such force as to cut off a joist as slick as could a huge knife. The joist, in turn, sliced off the top of young Silas Ward's head, killing him instantly. Several were badly injured and the building was greatly damaged.
Twenty years after this accident the Baptists, undaunted, built. a modern church in the village on the site where Richard Fennelly's house stands. Capt. Ezra Heath was the leading man on the building committee. Elder Phippin was the pastor and served from 1845 to '50. Cyrus Heath led the choir succeeded by Milton Garfield; their only musical instrument was a clarinet.
Sunday Schools were well established, many gracious revivals had increased the membership by this year, bringing a pressing need for better facilities for public worship. So, the Methodists, not to be out- done by the Baptists, built the present church in this same year, 1844.
The unfortunate Baptists lost their meeting house by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1873. The next year carpenters started work on a. new building. The contract was let to Messrs. Drown of Monterey and Graham of Lee, they to furnish all material for $4,500. except the framing which the members donated.
It was tough raising that amount for there were no wealthy members, but they were determined to have their own meeting house even though not as pretentious as the Methodists. A few of the "slips", the cabinet organ, pulpit sofa, carpets, books, blinds and a
12
portion of the windows were saved; also, the Danforth pewter com- munion set which rests in a cabinet in to-day's Union Church. Mem- bers, in time, felt the pewter set not good enough, so in 1889 Alanson Crittenden presented them with a beautiful five-piece silver set.
The members organized as a society with the Lee Baptist Church in 1878 but when, in 1907, only nine members remained, they dis- solved the society as such, leaving the management of its affairs solely with the membership. The Society held its last election of officers in 1898. Three years before, Martin Stedman of Sodom, presented the church with a stone slab, 6 feet by 12 feet, for a stepping stone or horse- block. It was placed on a foundation on the south front corner of the church, directly by the drive that led to the horse sheds in the rear. They held a dedicative service; a choir of 12 and the organ sat on the block, along with the speakers. Dr. Joseph Jones was president of the occasion, Rev. J. D. Pope, the pastor, and Rev. Heroy of the Meth- odist responded to the presentation speech made by Mr. Stedman. Afterwards, the audience of fifty went to the parsonage next door for refreshments. This slab is all that remains of the Baptist property.
Meanwhile, in 1825 the Reformed Methodists formed a society in the Hop Brook section of Tyringham. The next year, Elnathan Pratt, Jr. and Nathan Rowley were appointed a standing committee with Hamlin Clark, as agent, to purchase land for a meeting house. Subscriptions were solicited from the residents. One half might be paid in cash and one half in labor or material. A majority vote was to govern. Each person was entitled to one vote for every five dollars subscribed. In the following list of donors are names long identified with the town and some of their descendants are now residents.
Hamlin Clark
$100.
Lyman Brown
$20.
John W. Sweet
100.
Sidney Sweet
5.
Widow Nancy Clark
50. Thomas Ward
5.
Nathan Rowley
50. Eli Hale 5.
Arvin Miller 50. - E. Garfield 5.
Ashael Miller
20. __ Solomon Garfield 5.
Willard Miller
30.
Elnathan Pratt, Jr. 10.
Willard Brown
10.
Hiram Clark
25.
- Amon F. Couch
5. Joshua Claflin
5.
Whiting Ayers
5. Ela Morey
3.
Samuel Brown
15.
William Heath
5.
Samuel Brown, Jr.
15. James Sweet 10.
William Russell
10.
Ira Brown, 1M Brick and
5.
- William Stedman
5.
Lyman Webster
5.
Ezra Heath
5. Eliador Parker
5.
Milton Cushman
15. Amos Heath
5.
Total $608.
13
At the same time a Manifesto was drawn up stating that it was the "duty of Man to Worship God, to whom the earth and its fruits belong. Also, his duty is to set aside for His service a portion of what has been given him".
The building committee consisted of John W. Sweet, Arvin Miller and Nathan Rowley. These men signed a contract with Sidney A. Sweet for $600. The agreement specified that the building should be 26 feet wide and 36 feet long with 12 foot posts, arched windows but no galleries. The outside to be painted white, the inside in all respects. similar to the meeting house in Winsted, Conn.
However, considerable controversy arose, complaints that one end of the building was painted red, according to old custom, that the builder had put in only two arched windows and used American glass instead of English glass as designated. It was finally voted to accept. the building provided the contractor would deduct the difference in cost of glass, cover up the red paint and give the sides another coat. A parishioner who remembered the building said it was a small plain structure with movable seats with backs. There was preaching only once in two or three weeks, it being a circuit at that time.
Phineas Rice was presiding Elder and old time Methodists abom- inated church bells and instrumental music. But certain progressives proposed to strengthen the choir with a violin. Quarterly meeting came and the Elder was in his place when soft sounds of tuning fell upon his ears. Rising, he said, "Let us begin the worship of God by fiddling and singing the hymn in which occurs the lines-
O may my heart in tune be found, List David's harp of solemn sound.
There was, for many years thereafter, no violin in that choir.
This building was in use about eighteen years, then sold to Hiram Clark who took it down. Much of the material and the doorway was ultimately used to erect the house back of the present church. At one time this was used for the parsonage. Mike Winters now owns it. Organized as a Reformed Methodist, it later was changed to Methodist. Episcopal. The difference was in the management-the Reformed was controlled by the congregation while the Episcopal came under a Bishop.
The present church, built in 1844, is by far the best and most attractive ever constructed in the town. In fact, some years ago, a national magazine mentioned that from an architectural standpoint the Tyringham Church was the most perfect in the County. The original deed shows that the land was purchased from Enos Northrup for $125. current money. This consisted of about a half acre extending between the road leading past the old Congregational-Baptist Meeting House and the new County Road. It was agreed that the Proprietors "shall build a good and substantial fence between the said premises and said Northrup's land and keep the same in good repair hereafter and forever". Hiram Clark, John Sweet, Fred Cone and Heman
14
Cargill composed the building committee. Cargill and his son, William, took down the fences which let the two streets together and began scraping down the sand hill for the foundation, working alone for about a week. Porter was the contractor.
Until 1847 this Methodist Church was not mentioned in the min- utes of the Conference. It formed an inner circle with South Lee and Hartsville. At this time the Conference sent Rev. Josiah Dickenson to be in charge. Daniel Heath was chorister and John Cargill played the bass viol. Orphimia Clark played the melodeon and Lenthial Tinker and Gilbert Northrup sang.
Town meetings began in the basement of this church March 31, 1848. It was offered to the town for the following considerations: the town to pay the trustees $150. cash each year and in all cases they shall leave the house as clean and in as good repair as they find it. The town to be to one half the expense of keeping the natural decay of basement in repair. Town meetings here became just as contentious and explosive as they were in the first meeting house at Old Center. The hotter the arguments grew, the thicker the smoke became! These and the one wood stove kept the voters warm. When Garfield's mill was converted to the Town Hall, the town moved their meetings down there in 1907.
The basement of the church was also the center for young and old to meet for entertainment. In contrast to our present movies, radio and TV, the Virginia Reel, Blind Man's Buff, Who'll Be The Reaper, Who'll Be The Binder, or Drop The Handerchief were played and kept the waistline trim. Sometimes a play was produced, a colored wedding portrayed or The Family Album shown. And once a year a Donation for the minister was conducted which brought a feast for his family to replace his meager fare the rest of the year.
Rev. D. Lull preached in 1859 and 46 years later he remembered how slow his pay was in coming, how one time he and his wife and two children had but little in the house to eat and no money. Somehow, their condition leaked out and one late afternoon a wagon drove up to his door loaded with flour, fruit, vegetables, butter, spareribs, eggs, maple syrup and best of all, a beautiful specimen of a 30-lb. Berkshire ham, pickled and ready for a smoke. Ham and eggs, how their mouths watered! Before supper the ham was in a barrel with a cloud of smoke rising from the head ... "After the evening meal", he said, "I has- tened to the barrel, when lo, the ham was gone but the barrel was in its place. The ham could not have removed itself, I concluded, some human thieves had stolen it".
While Rev. Robert Elsden was pastor in 1880, a new bell was hung in the belfry. On July 4th of the previous year the old bell had become cracked and "shorn of its sweet music". He said the Fourth was alright but a little too much young American energy on the rope was more than the old bell could take. Elsden's name is molded on the new bell.
Just before the Civil War Rev. Alexander McLean was active in the Prohibition movement. In later years he wrote how greatly im-
15
pressed he was when one of his parishioners, Father Hiram Clark, said to him, "I have made more apple jack than would float a man-of- war but now we have more light and my conscience would not allow me to make or sell a single drop". He described Clark as a gravely, humorous man. This must have been about the time that the many cider mills in town began to fold-up.
By 1912 both churches were in a bad way-memberships had dwindled and finances were almost nil. The members realized that Tyringham could not support two churches. Rev. Clay, the pastor in the Lee Baptist church, supplied the pulpit in the local Baptist church and conducted funerals and weddings as called upon. At a church meeting on Aug. 21, of that year the question of Federation was voted upon. Officers from both denominations were elected and Rev. H. G. Wells was called to be pastor. He was a Methodist and this was re- sented by some Baptists. Quarrels occurred, attendance dropped, the Federation just didn't work. In 1919 Rev. Harold Gould, a Congrega- tionalist came and he helped to organize a Union Church which has lasted. The young people favored this arrangement and the older members gradually adjusted to it.
Once or twice a year meetings were held in the Baptist church, finally the Ladies Organization converted it to a Community House. In time it was badly in need of repair and it was decided to sell or give the building to be taken down.
It was during D. W. Kerr's pastorate that the Tyringham Union Church observed the 175th anniversary of organized church work in Housatonic Township No. 1, and the town of Tyringham. This oc- curred in 1925 under Mr. Kerr's leadership. He also gave much time and effort to the matter of the transfer of Endowment Funds held by both the Methodist and Baptist Societies into one fund for the Union Church. This entailed a great deal of correspondence and legal work through lawyers and courts.
Since then there have been several short pastorates until in 1952, Rev. Franklin Couch of Dalton came to the parish and is presently fulfilling the duties of the church. Under his leadership the property has been much improved and the membership tripled.
CHAPTER V-POST OFFICES AND STORES
Records say the first established post office in Tyringham or Hop Brook was in 1820. The one in South Tyringham (Monterey) was established in 1824. These were located in the same buildings as the stores, quite possibly in the same buildings as in recent years. In the first half of 1800 mail for the present Tyringham was addressed, Hop Brook Post Office, North Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Massachu- setts. No stamps on the envelope, but in the upper right corner, writ- ten in ink, was the cost of mailing-1212 cts, 18 cts., or more. Many letters were folded over and sealed with sealing wax, no envelope at all. One such was addressed to Mr. Isaac Harmon, New Marlborough,
16
The Union Church in Tyringham Built in 1844
The De Witt Heath House and Millpond 1905
Berkshire Co., Mass. and in the lower corner was written: To be left at Tyringham South Post Office. This was from Perry Center, N. Y. and dated Apr. 20, 1835.
In the Pittsfield Library is a Day Book kept by Francis Clark, when he owned the cider mill and distillery at the south end of town. It is interesting to speculate whether he had a so-called store or was just a Yankee trader. In 1793 he sold meat, cheese, butter, corn, wool, sugar, seed and brandy to Wm. Hall, Wm. Adams, Thomas Ward, Charles Taylor, James Wilson and Hezekiah Summer. In 1802 James Wilson and Wm. Sturgis did some mason work for him. In 1814 he hired Jonah Webb to dig a cellar and draw stone. This sounds as though it might have been for his son's house where John McLennon now lives. He paid Mr. Price for making hinges. In 1827 he sold to Emily Dowd, "1 chest bought of E. Garfield, one pair of morocco shoes, bit velvet, silk braid and cotton hose." All this time he did a rushing business in brandy and cider. Dr. Asa Welch, James Sweet, John Adams, Marcena Dowd, Sam Brayman, Eber Jones and David Mansfield were good customers.
In the Tyringham Library is Book V kept by Daniel Garfield in 1821, when he owned the store in Hop Brook village. He too, sold a quantity of cider, brandy, gin, new rum, high wine, spirits and occa- sionally a sling. These, along with camphor gum, paregoric and sulphur were about all they had to use for medicinal purposes, except a few native herbs. However, it is suspected that much of the first men- tioned was used for another purpose. Carrie Nation hadn't appeared as yet.
Justus Battle, Jr. bought 10c worth of gin and 22c worth of rum "at time of pickerel fishing". Later, in November, he was charged with "at time of his court, to supper 25c and to a shear of spirits and sugar carried into other room 76c". Right after this entry is, "Solomon Beard to supper at time of Brown and Battle's court 20c. To a jill and 12 of bitters 10c". Justus's father was credited with one and three fourths bbl. cider, pumis and some mother. Even Pratt, the negro at Lee Forge, came down to buy his rum and maple sugar.
Apparently Linas Heath's wife was quite a seamstress for she bought a stick of twist, buttons for a jacket and some for a coat. She bought "shirting, bembazine, cambrack" and paid for part in rags and deer-skin mittens. Tristam Stedman, Jr.'s wife bought pepper, cinna- mon, snuff, an ash broom, shirting and needles. She was credited with "making pantaloons". Later in the year Tristam, Jr. bought more snuff and tea.
John Fartan was a pedlar, credited with one pot, 4 large spiders, a small one, a dish "kittle", 3 tea "kittles" and gave Garfield 1212c discount. Julius Beach must have been a cooper for the pedlar credited him with hooping barrels and butter tubs. Then he turned around and bought of Garfield, screws, gimblet, tallow and 2 silk flags.
Elisha Brown might have been a pedlar too, for he brought testaments, blank books, spelling books, toys, paper and a dozen bon- nets to the store and gave 239 lbs. of rags in payment.
17
James Walker's daughter exchanged cheese and socks for pins and needles, copperas and salt. Soon after that Thomas Hall returned a cheese weighing 11 lbs. 14 oz., for "being full of skippers". Evidently the gal put one over on Garfield. Hall must have been mad too, but not as mad as the woman who bought some molasses at Tinker's Store many years after, took it home in her own jug and found worms in it. She marched herself right back to the store and fired the molasses, jug and words right into Eugene Tinker's face.
William Stedman was working with wood for he bought a chisel and files. After he died, his widow carted her butter from Sodom to the store in exchange for her tea and other groceries. Some of Gar- field's patrons were interested in keeping diaries or correspondence with neighbors or relatives who had moved west to New York State or Ohio, or south to Connecticut. One prolific writer was Capt. Thomas Stedman who often bought paper by the ream and ink powder. Ches- ter Collins got an ink stand for his desk. Miss Stedman bought book muslin. Mr. Blake, the schoolmaster, paid 42c for a testament and 22c for a spelling book.
Rev. John Sweet purchased a half quire paper, tea and snuff, 6 yds. bombast, 1 yd. cotton shirting for $3.54. He was credited with 18 bbls. cider, $9. Leave it to the ministers in those days to get the best of a deal. This same Rev. Sweet preached a sermon one Sunday on "Poverty". "Why, my dear friends, you know not what poverty means". He paused to let his words sink in, "Look at me, I've only half a shirt to my back!" The ladies of the parish were indeed, shocked. So that week a group of them met and made the Reverend some shirts. When they presented them to him with apologies for allowing their preacher to come to such circumstances, he chuckled and said, "My dear ladies, no man has more than half a shirt to his back, the other half is on front". By the end of that year, 1821, he bought "6 yds. cambrack and 6 yds. factory shirting". So, at last he must have been well stocked with shirts.
In the spring Garfield did a big business in salt. November was an especially busy month. Ithiel Battle fetched a load from Hudson, viz: one Hogshead of rum, one chest of tea, one keg of tobacco, small bundle of drygoods and a dry cask with sundries, "the whole esti- mated at thirteen hundred gross which I am to give by the hundred as given in Lee, $4.34".
Two days later Solomon Heath was credited with fetching a load from Hudson-one hogshead molasses and a small jug of snuff, esti- mated at 1012 hundred. The entries that follow denote the sundries and dry goods. Abagail Hall, the vain girl, bought a string of beads; Abbie Webster, silk lace, pink and white crepe; Mrs. Justus Battle, a crepe gown pattern; Mrs. Amon Stanbrough, a silk gown. Wm. Gardner couldn't resist the spotted cravat. Anna Sweet bought a silk flag handkerchief; Linas Heath, a "Bassalonia" handkerchief and silk flag. Rev. Sweet got suspenders to keep his shirts tucked in. Perhaps Chester Collins was getting married that year and needed all the plates, punch bowls, teaspoons, knives and forks to start housekeep- ing.
18
Almanacs, turpentine, indigo, sulphur, wrapping paper, padlocks, whips, as well as spices, seeds, goose feathers, tallow, ax helves were sold, often in exchange for produce from the farms or rags for the papermills. Sometimes a few cents were paid on account, or a man worked in some way toward his bill, such as Arnold Stedman who was credited with "tappin shoes and mending boots".
The store was a busy place, no doubt a social center for exchange of news or gossip. There was a time when the town supported three stores-one close to the sidewalk between Orchard House and the cottage now owned by the Dareys; another in the Paper Mill District, across from the rake factory; and the present one. The one across from the rake factory was the first to go. The late Marshall Stedman took it down about 1900. Beulah Cannon disposed of the one by Or- chard House some years after. Horace Langdon was the last keeper of that, Palmer and Sweetman then Charles Hale, before him. Eve- nings, the men gathered around the pot-belly stove, sitting on kegs of nails or the cracker barrel, talked of their crops or the weather, dis- cussed their neighbors' ventures or even politics. One evening, George Bosworth, a mite under the influence, started to leave; on the porch he turned and went back and said, "No, I'm not leaving until the rest of you go. You'll talk about me if I do." Not all the gossiping was among the women at the sewing circles, no indeed.
CHAPTER VI-ROADS
On the east of this Housatonic Wilderness was Blandford, re- cently settled, with a well-traveled road from the bustling "west field"; at the west, Sheffield with an established road from Connecti- cut, but no more than an Indian Trail to connect the two. The far- sighted officials of the Great and General Court in Boston saw the need of a passageway between these two townships to shorten the route from Boston to Albany. At the same time, they had surveyed four new townships on the east side of the "Housatunnuk" River, which also brought a pressing need for means of communication with them. Thus the Great Road was surveyed to pass between the new settlements, as mentioned in a report of a committee to the General Court Jan. 15, 1735. The first cart road was opened in 1737; seven months before it was made a good sleigh road.
It was over this Great or Albany Road that General Knox passed and wrote in his diary, Jan. 10, 1776. "Reached No. 1 after having climbed mountains from which we might almost have seen all the Kingdoms of the Earth". In a letter written to Francis Thompson (born 1839) by her uncle Oliver, he tells of hearing his grandmother talk about Burgoyne's Hessians setting up a great kettle and making camp on their farm. "A soldier died in camp and was buried on the wintergreen knoll back of the pond", now Ward's Pond in Monterey. They fired volleys over his grave. Oliver's grandmother baked bread for the army and some of the officers took their meals with her. This was known as the Spring place by the West Otis line.
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.