USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Tyringham > Hinterland settlement Tyringham, Massachusetts and bordering lands > Part 5
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Brush-filled cellar holes and some overgrown family burial plots remain to indicate where once the earliest inhabitants lived and labored. Only two homesteads are now standing, the Arieal house on the Monterey end of the road and toward the South Lee line the Riggs house, now used as a camp. Most of the land, now a State Reservation, has been reforested, and the road is well maintained.
Tradition says that one of the Taylors, a proprietor, built the Arieal house, but for many summers, the Menassa Fairbanks' descend- ants returned to visit this, the home of their ancestors. Some years later Charles Ball lived there, moving to South Lee where he started a brick yard and built a home next to it, now "Oak and Spruce." West of the Arieal place, on the upper side of the road, lived Billy McCarthy, whose ancestors sailed from Ireland to New Foundland, then treked down into Otis and eventually into Tyringham. Around 1880, McCar- thy was well known throughout Berkshire for his fine stallions. It is thought that he may have been the first man in these parts to own a threshing machine, for each autumn he traveled from farm to farm renting it out. At the corner of Brace Road stood the Amos Langdon or Lankton place, later known as the Worden house, where the Hug- gins family lived. Near by were the O'Haras, the Notewires and toward South Lee lived the Phillips and Bossidy families.
Down Orton Hill, leading into Monterey, once lived the Battel family. Lafayette Battel, the last to live on that old place, moved to a house by the junction of the Lake Buel and Great Barrington roads. He lived alone, old and feeble, and was murdered one night for a few paltry dollars.
Down Orton Hill into the Old Center can be seen the Harmon- Everitt house, standing in a dilapidated condition. It was built about 1798 by Col. Giles Jackson for the second resident minister, Rev. Joseph Avery, who preached in the second church, next door. It must have been a lovely home with its narrow windows, huge fireplaces, cupboards, paneling and welcoming doorway. It is hoped someone will restore this, one of the oldest houses in Monterey.
Quite likely, John Brewer or his son, sawed the timbers for these older houses as well as for his own, which one history says was the first frame house in Township No. 1. Brewer's first dwelling house was lo- cated in the triangle at the Y of the Sandisfield and Monterey main roads, well back in the field from the stone house. Remains of the old stockade, when this was one of the forts built during the French and Indian War scare, exist. Soon after, Brewer built a better home on the main road in the present village of Monterey. This was beauti- fully restored by Rev. Chase when he owned it. In one of the rooms is the Christian door with the cut-out hearts in the two upper panels. This is a fascinating old house! Capt. John Brewer had thirteen chil- dren and in 1829 his son, Col. Josiah Brewer, had fifty-six descendants.
When the earliest houses in North Tyringham or Hop Brook, are considered, there is no proof of the oldest. The majority of houses still standing are one hundred or more years old. Early historians speak of a Davis as one of the first to settle in or near Sodom. Doubt-
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less this was Jabez Davis as deeds indicate he owned property in town. His name is signed to the first church covenant Sept. 25, 1750 . The "upper" house in Sodom was standing before 1800. In 1896 this old brown house had all the earmarks of a very early structure. It was built in a bank with entrances from two ground levels. The lower level doorway opened into a kitchen with a huge stone fireplace at the back, the crane and andirons were still intact. At the north end was the but'ry; back of the kitchen, from a dark cellar, a narrow stairway led to the second floor. Here was a very large, low-ceiling room with a door that opened into an apple orchard. Three small bedrooms were back of this room.
Records prove that Isaac Davis settled on the "Lower Hop Lands" which was ultimately incorporated in the town of Lee. He first lived in a log cabin until he built a frame house which still stands as the ell of the McAllister house at the corner of Fernside and South Lee roads. By 1764 "Isaac Davis and others petitioned the town that they may consider him a voter" and the treasurer was ordered to pay him three pounds rebate, "as he lived so remote from the schoolhouse as to be without benefit of same". Again, 'tis said that one Pixley was first to settle on the Lower Hop Lands where Frank Carrington re- sides. But how can one say who was "First"!
In 1762 Deacon Thomas Orton moved from the Old Center, over the Royal Hemlock Road, to what is now Fernside and lived in a log cabin until he could build himself a dwelling house. This stood at the north corner of Brace and Fernside Roads. The last person to occupy it was Joe Stepp in 1880, who did farm work for Dr. Jones when the latter owned the Shaker property, including this, called South House. His wife, Emily, died there.
This nice old building intrigued the young girls in the village be- cause it was said to be haunted. A group of them would climb "Cobble" just to get a thrill at seeing the place and hoping someday to meet a ghost. The front door, partly open, hung by one hinge, the ell with woodshed attached, had caved in. Cautiously, they would climb from the flat stone up to the doorsill and peek into the front rooms on either side of the hallway. When the old rose bush scraped across the window or a shutter banged in the wind, they scampered. Etched in memory is that doorway with its pointed lintel and narrow windows on either side, the heavy plank door, the huge fireplaces with flaked, painted paneling around them, as well as the imaginary spooks. South House was demolished when the late George Wise built his modern home higher on the hill.
Not far up Brace Road one can find remains of the old-time Bristol home, later the Brace home. Still farther up, at the end of a lane, stands the Brasee house used by descendants until around 1930. Somewhere along the way lived a Collins.
The State of Connecticut had a school fund invested in land and farms, or mortgages on same, in these new Housatonic Townships. One of these was a tract of land, not far from the Old Center, at the
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top of Smith Hill. Miss Waring's book, "Early American Wall Sten- cils", says that Aaron Canfield built the Smith house in 1799 but found it too much to maintain, so he sold it to Oliver Smith in 1815. Some of the stencilling on the walls was bright and clear after 136 years, when Marshall Stedman owned it. His estate sold it in 1936 to Miss Sarah Shiras who had the house burned. According to town records the town pound was built on this place.
Below the Smith house were two story-and-a-half style houses, both gone. Around the early 1800's Mrs. Bentley had a hat shop in one. Ladies from neighboring towns just loved to buy their hats and bon- nets from her because hers seemed a bit more stylish. The other house was owned by a Butler family.
At the foot of Smith Hill, McCarty Road runs north to Jerusalem and along this road were several farms, lost in obscurity. The first was owned by a man named Bills, then by J. Cheevers and last by Jim McCarty and William Stedman. Beyond was E. McCarty and a McGinnis.
Heman Heath, son of William of Sodom, first owned the Dort house standing where the West Otis road starts to climb. This property stayed with his descendants until the Gardner Estate sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Dort. Mrs. Dort uses it for a summer home. Another son of William Heath, Addison, lived and raised a large family in a house farther up Graden Hill. This was originally the Brayman farm, re- ferred to many times in early records. Opposite this house was an old road that led past the Doud-Barnes-Twing homestead on to Smith Hill. This was the route, used by the south-end inhabitants, to the churches at the Old Center. This farm property extended to Mt. Hunger, back of Lake Garfield.
Francis Clark of Middletown, Conn., with his wife, Mary John- son, emigrated to Tyringham in 1773 and settled on Road 19 (Main road) in the present Gelsleichter house. Records show what an enter- prising man he was. His holdings were extensive and he must have been a man of considerable means, for there are copies of notes given him by Jonathan Chapin, Roswell Denison and others to be paid in wool, "store sheepe", neat cattle, etc., with interest. Clark built several houses in town, including his own, dealt in cattle, dairy products, horses and was a noted trader throughout the territory. His son, Hamlin, was administrator of his estate in 1813. Aaron Garfield built his coffin for $2.25. Oliver Crapen produced his gravestone for $21.
As far as can be learned Solomon Garfield was the next owner of this house, followed by Martin Stedman who owned it four years, then sold out the property of 96 acres for $5000. In 1871 he sold to Stephen Johnson from Middletown, Conn. Ownership continued with the Johnson heirs until William Gelsleichter bought it during the De- pression.
Either Francis Clark or his son, Hamlin, built the house at the end of the main road where John McLennon lives. Perhaps Francis lived there in his old age with his son for this farm was first a part
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of the one just described. Doubtless it was built when Hamlin was married to Cynthia Heath. This farm too, remained in the Clark family until the Daniel Clark estate sold to Mr. Tytus in 1905.
North of the Francis Clark-Gelsleichter farm, bordering the brook, stood the school house and opposite this was a lane leading to the Gil- bert Beach home. This was originally a part of the Solomon Garfield property. Only a bit of the foundation and a gushing spring of water signify where once flourished a farm home.
Beyond, at the corner of Fenn Road, is the summer home of the McDowell's. Isaac Gearfield (Garfield) from the Mt. Hunger Road in South Tyringham, was among the first to take a lot in North Tyring- ham or Hop Brook, when it was surveyed. He, and wife Mary, deeded this property to their son, Lieut. Solomon, in 1735 for the "considera- tion of 100 pounds English money". The original lot included the Beach farms on Fenn Road and across the main road on the lane. From Lieut. Gearfield it passed to his son, Solomon; from him to Elijah and then to son, Wallace. Wallace Garfield sold it to Mr. Tytus. John M., a brother of Elijah, also inherited an interest in the farm but after he married Sabrina Hubbard, living next door, he moved to Minnesota. Sabrina owned the first sewing machine in town which was used for many years into the next generation. This was an up and coming family for Elijah owned the first buggy in town and became the envy of all the young men. In fact, some of the fellows borrowed it once in a while to take their girls for a ride on Sunday evenings.
Dan Fowler, before he died, wrote that in 1845, Elijah Garfield's was a famous place to get good cider. He said, "He knew how to make it so it would keep. I won't say how he made it keep, but he knew!" He continued, "The last time I saw Mr. Garfield, he was old and had, in a great measure, lost his mental faculties. I asked him what he did to pass away the time and he said that he mended guns". From family and town records it appears that old Isaac Gearfield's sons and de- scendants spread all over the town during the first century of its his- tory.
On the Fenn Road the first farm, once a part of the Garfield holdings, was owned by Julius Beach and son, Edmond. Julius had tired of climbing Webster Road to his farm at the top of the mountain and bought this property of Garfield. Successive owners were Isaac Tinker and the last occupant was a Duncan family. When Mr. Duncan (colored) died his widow moved to Lee and the property transferred to Tytus. Beyond here was the H. Crittenden farm that passed to T. Fenn and when they moved to Southfield, to Harvey Tilleson who kept it about four years, then swapped it for a home in Pittsfield. Shortly, Tytus acquired it. Beyond this, in an upland meadow opening east toward Sodom, is a crumbled stone foundation that once held Ebenezer and William Heath's cabin built when they came from Coventry, Conn. to Tyringham. It's only a short walk from here down the hill into Sodom.
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Giles and Eber Slater Home
Fireplace in above home
North of the McDowell house stands a charming old house, owned as a summer home, by Edward Reynolds of Cambridge. Elisha Heath and his father, Lieut. Isaac, came to town about the same time as Francis Clark, round 1773, and built this house. Elisha and Francis were close friends and very happy when Elisha's daughter, Cynthia, married Francis's son Hamlin. (Lieut. Isaac is buried in the Paper Mill cemetery). Somewhere about 1796 Heath sold to Hubbard. By that time this was a very busy place. There were several small build- ings and shops in back of the house where Camp Brook flows down from the mountain. Hubbard's cider mill was one, a sawmill and Barker's cobbler's shop others. Many years later the shoe shop was moved to the foot of Smith Hill and used as a home. Mr. Vincent was the owner when it burned, not long ago. Harlow Hubbard sold the farm to Adolphus Bliss, and went west with his daughter, Mrs. Sa- brina Garfield. William Bliss, son of Adolphus, lived there until he died and the Reynolds bought.
The next house north stands on what was the lot that Deacon William Hale took when Hop Brook started settlement. His son William, born 1748, built a house here before the Revolution. It might have been located across the ravine, perhaps just a log cabin, (tradition is mixed and vague) or it might have been the house where Mrs. Duane Slater lives. It is known that John and wife, Abigail, lived in the latter while William went to war. After William's return John built a part of the present Hale house where George Hale lives. John's sons Eli, Gilbert and John were born there.
It is not known the year that Capt. Ezekiel Hearick came from what is now called Hepzibah Heights in Monterey, to North Tyring- ham to live but he was here right after the Revolution, is certain. He was born in Coventry, Conn., enlisted in the War and served under Col. Brown in his Berkshire Regiment in 1777; again under Col. John Ashley, Brig. Gen. Fellows and was discharged in the fall of 1781. Capt. Hearick also served as Representative to the General Court in Boston and was prominent in town affairs. He must have been a man of strong convictions for in 1782 he was fined for refusing to serve as constable. He was a man of considerable means too, for in 1808 he decided to have for himself and family a modern, substantial house to live in.
On May 23, 1808 there was drawn an article of agreement made between Capt. Ezekiel Hearick and Francis Clark. Clark to "build a dwelling house for said Hearick of the following dimensions: viz: to be 32 feet by 26 feet on the ground one story and a half or the posts 12 feet. Said Hearick is to find all the materials for Building (except the Bricks and Lime) viz: the nails, boards, shingles, paint, oil and joists, braces and studs and to deliver the same on the Building Spot. Hearick to board the workmen and Provide for the Raising. Said Clark is to do the work and finish the house throughout according to Common Method of Building. The cellar to be under the whole build- ing with a kitchen room, fireplace and oven in the same. Said Clark is to draw the stone, Lay the wall with a decent underpining to the same,
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the underpining not to be hewn but plain and Decent. Said Hearick is to provide a yoke of oxen assisting with another yoke in drawing the stone and timber. The Joiner work to be done after the manner of the Francis Clark House except one room to be done with pannel work as high as the windows if said Hearick chooses. The work to be completed by the first of January in the year 1809. The house to be painted, the part inside and out. The plastering to be whitewashed". Clark was to receive $350. to be paid as follows: $100. Sept. 1, next in warrented obligations upon other men. The next payment January following, $100. in neat cattle. The remainder in two years or before in current money of the times. Dated May 23, 1808. Below is written:
One U. S. Note of Capt. Hearick
No 1921 to amt. $20. One Bridgeport Note of 25 Dols. No. 3375
This is the old Deacon Jerome Crittenden home where Dr. Rustin McIntosh lives. In 1855 Nathan Rowley owned and repaired the house, making it two stories high and built a brick part to the cellar.
It was here, either in this house or one before it, that Sibyl Hearick was visiting her Uncle Ezekiel when the Indian scare occurred. This is the story as Edwin Tyrrel remembered and told it during his last years-"It was in the old church on the Carrington property that the people were assembled one Sunday morning, when a small party of Indians, who were passing through the town on their way from Can- ton or Simsbury, Conn. to Stockbridge, so frightened the few that had stayed at home in Hop Brook. Mrs. Abigail Hale and her son, Eli, were living in a house that stood where Charles Hale (George now) lives. About noon they heard a gun and Eli thought it was someone shooting game for a sick person at Mr. Heath's, at the next house east, so he went out to inquire how the sick person was. He met five Indians with guns and spoke to them, then went to see some cattle in the pasture. Soon after meeting the Indians he heard another shot and turned back home.
His mother saw the Indians crossing the little brook on a log, as there was no bridge there at the time and thinking they had shot Eli, she ran out of the back door across lots to Col. Herricks, who lived where Jerome Crittenden has since lived. The Herrick family were at church, all except Sibyl, a niece of Col. Hearicks, and two small children. Sibyl hid the children with Mrs. Hale, in a field of grain and went across the lots, which were mostly woods, till she crossed the brook near the mountain road, just east of the Elijah Garfield place, then turned and went through the swamp and woods to the church. She gave the alarm and soon a party armed with guns were on the way to Hop Brook. The Indians had gone along, stopping at the Solomon Heath house and frightening a woman there who was alone. It was not known that the Indians did any injury to anyone, but the fright was long remembered."
Only some lilac bushes show where the little red house stood, across the road from Hearicks. This was built by Nathan Rowley and Jerome Crittenden and wife, Libbie, started housekeeping there.
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Just north of the Herrick-McIntosh house, on the opposite side of the road, is one of the oldest houses in town. It was built by Francis Clark for John Hale, son of Deac. William Hale, so family legend says. It is quite possible that William himself, was the first owner. Aaron Garfield, next owner, had a bootery in the upstairs north end. He was also a carpenter of considerable note. Down through the generations has come the story of little Henry Wilson who went to Garfield and asked for a pair of boots to be made for himself. "Make them big and wide," he said, holding his hands far apart, "big enough to make a track as big as Uncle Byron's foot makes". (Byron Garfield, he re- ferred to.) By 1885 Charles Slater was living there and it had become a center for the young people in that south-end, to gather for singing and entertainment. Mrs. Duane Slater is now living there.
At the foot of the hill lives Charles Slater of the present genera- tion. This house was built about 1820 by Hiram Clark. In 1850 Dwight Thatcher moved in, kept the town's poor, and later sold to Henry Heath who, in turn, sold to Solomon Slater. Across the way is the site of two Slater houses. The first was a small, low building, finally moved back onto McCarty Road and occupied by Evelyn McCarty, next by Lyman Brasee. Another, better house, was built on the same spot which burned in 1876. Then Slater rebuilt on the same foundation, a still more pretentious home and that too, along with the barns, burned in 1906 when Charles E. Cloud owned the farm.
In the field, far back from this location, still stands the oldest Slater home, approached by a lane from McCarty Road. Unscathed by time or progress, alone and hidden by the slow but ever encroach- ment of nature, this house stands to beckon one backward, like a finger on the hand of Father Time, toward the incorporation days, when it was the home of Giles Slater. Giles lived in his log cabin for a time while this house was being built and the land cleared. It could be that the land came to him as his wife's dowry, for her father, Capt. John Brewer, owned most of the mountain side and Giles was an ap- praiser of his estate. In April 1792 this house was appointed a "work house" by the town fathers. Eber Slater, son of Giles, continued owner- ship when the farm land reached from McCarty Road to the County Road. After the next generations took up residence on the Main or County Road, the farm was sold to Byron Couch who in turn sold the homestead and 150 acres to Horace Langdon in 1887 for $2500. The house is now the vacation home of actor-playright, William Roerick.
"Bricks were made in this valley as early as 1795", so recorded Daniel Clark. From this brick yard, near the Gelsleichter house, came the brick to build the one brick house in town, for Ira Brewer in 1799. The house stands today, "plumb north and south" as it was originally built. It remained in the Brewer family for many years. In the 1870's the long, second floor, front room was the gathering place for neighborhood dances. In a deed of 1903 is recorded the transfer of this farm by Emma Brewer to Charles E. Cloud who later sold to the present owner, Mrs. Hiscox. Although a bit decrepit in outward appear- ance today, upon entering, one senses a certain antiquated dignity to this fine old house.
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Looking northward, the next house that boasts a record, is the Wilbur Clark home. The scrapbook says, William Heath of Sodom, built it in 1789, before the Main Road was established in 1800". Wil- liam died there in 1850, a very aged man. After further research and comparison of dates, it appears that this might have been William, son of William of Sodom. When a William died there it was the home of Lucian, son of the second William. Lucian Heath was a character, often quoted by his children and grandchildren. One never questioned his statements for he was an opinionated person. When he decided to sell his farm, a prospective buyer, looking it over, asked Lucian if the land was rich. "Rich", says Lucian, picking up a handful of dirt and thrusting it toward him, "smell of it and see for yourself how rich it is!" He doubtless stood near the barnyard.
A neighbor asked Lucian what time it was. After pulling and tugging he got the watch out from his pocket. "It's four o'clock", said Lucian, "and that's correct. This watch is always right". Nodding his head emphatically, he continued, "if that sun over there don't rise by this timepiece, the sun is late". Too old to work his farm, he sold out and moved to the Fargo house, next to the Post Office, where Walter Stedman lives. There they both died; he, dogmatic to the end. The last night he lived, neighbors came in to watch. His wife seized the oppor- tunity to have the last word-just for once. She came into the room where Lucian lay unconscious, moaning. She called, "Great cry, little war", then held the lamp high over his head, "Get up, you old repro- bate, get up and get to work, the sun's rising". But for the first time in her life, there was no answer. Not to be outdone, so it seemed, six months later he called her to him.
At the foot of Cemetery Hill is a house and small farm belonging to the estate of Clifford Canon. This house was built by Hiram Clark for Breckenridge when he operated the rake factory below, about the middle of the nineteenth century. The land was included in the old Wilson estate when he lived where Mr. Pickens does, toward the schoolhouse. Before that it belonged with the Solomon Heath exten- sive holdings. Sergeant Solomon Heath built a house for his son, Salmon, on the site of Harry Loring's house, across from the cemetery. Ownership continued in the Heath family for several generations. Lieut. Solomon, (son of Ebenezer and Wife, Lydia of Framingham and Coventry), died in the smallpox epidemic that continued after the Revolution. His is a lonely grave, apart by itself, in a pine grove on the hillside back of the store. The land once belonged to his farm. The house, with George Bosworth in it, burned in recent years.
At different times throughout the 19th century, some member of the Heath family has owned about every part of our present Tyring- ham. They were a prolific tribe and most enterprising. Their original large holdings were divided for their children and again for their children's children. Now, the only heir left in town by the name of Heath is John.
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