USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Brimfield > Historical celebration of the town of Brimfield, Hampden County, Mass > Part 14
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Ichabod Bliss built, in 1796, expressly for a tavern. the large square house afterwards occupied by Dr. Knight, and more recently owned by the Wales family. He kept tavern there for many years, till his death in 1836, with the exception of a few years. About 1828, he leased it for two or three years to Harrison Bishop, but before the expiration of the lease, resumed business himself.
The present Brimfield hotel was built in 1808, by Elias Carter, for John Gardner, and was occupied by Squire Gardner till Marquis Converse took the stand. . He was followed by Joshua B. Vinton, who afterwards kept the Hampden house, Springfield, and Mansion house, North- ampton. Eaton Hitchcock succeeded him. J. D. Brown- ing kept tavern till it was taken by Nye Moulton. who was succeeded by D. N. Green. From ISAS to 1852. it was kept by H. F. Brown. George C. Homer followed. and then W. F. Tarbell, of whom S. C. Herring. Esq., of New York, bought the property and refitted it, making of it the present stately and commodious establishment. Brown & White, 1860, kept the hotel first; then Amos Munroe, 1861-3; next, George S. Osgood, 1864; Charles Andrews in 1865; then Edward Sherman in 1866. In 1869. Mr. Munroe, who had taken charge of it for two years previously, bought the hotel, and has since man-
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aged it to the perfect satisfaction of the community and the traveling public, without selling liquor.
Not in its place as a charitable association, but rather as a close to our notice of the several trades and artisans, mention is here made of the craftsmen of the order of Free Masons. Humanity Lodge of Free and accepted Masons was organized at Holland, the charter for the same being granted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, on peti- tion of Ezra Webber and others, A. L. 5811 (1811).
A petition was presented to the Grand Lodge from Humanity Lodge, June 14, 1813, signed by Stephen Pynchon, per order of the committee, praying that a dis- pensation might be granted for the removal of said Lodge from the town or district of Holland to Brimfield. A remonstrance against the removal was presented by Thomas Lodge, Monson. The petition and remonstrance were referred to a committee who reported in favor of re- moval; their report was accepted, and the Lodge removed to Brimfield. The Lodge appears for some years to have been strong in numbers and influence, many of the prominent men of this town and vicinity being members. The name of Humanity Lodge does not appear in the records of the Grand Lodge, after December 28, 1829. By the records of the lodge, its last meeting was held January 15, 1834.
John Sherman, the town clerk for thirty years, was also a practicing physician. The healing art was, in those days, empirical rather than scientific. Clergymen often gave medical advice and administered simples. A knowledge of the symptoms of a few common diseases, and of the medicinal qualities of a few drugs, with some skill in blood letting, would seem to be the sum of the qualifications required. There was no physician in Northampton till after 1730. It is amusing to read an account book kept by Dr. Sherman, and now in the pos-
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session of Elijah T. Sherman, Esq., of New York. The most frequent charges are for senna and rhubarb, manna, epsom salts, spirits of lavender, gentian and tumeric, galingal, palma ceti, sour drops, anodyne pills, " a vomit, Sd.," " bleeding 10s."
Dr. Thomas Green is the first physician's name to be found on the town books. He was a resident of what is now Wales, and though a land owner was for several years supported by the town. Dr. James Lawrence came from Killingly, Conn., about 1746. He located in what is now Wales, rather than in the center of the town, as being the smarter place of the two, and con- tinued in the practice of his profession, honored and suc- cessful, till he died of small-pox, 1778, May 14, aet. fifty- eight.
Dr. John Butler, who was a friend of General Eaton, and once a surgeon in the United States navy, was a practicing physician here until his death.
Dr. Israel Trask was a native of the town, born March 18, 1775. He lived at the turn of the Sturbridge road, where Mr. Wyles' house now is. He was an active, ener- getic man, and like Dr. Moffatt, prominent in town affairs. He married Dr. Lawrence's daughter Sarah.
Dr. Rufus Guthrie lived in the house recently bought by Alfred Lumbard, near what is called Guthrie's bridge, on the road to Danielson hill.
Dr. Joseph Moffatt was a physician for more than forty years in this his native town. He was highly esteemed by his fellow townsmen, was town clerk for several years, and held other public offices. He died, 1802, August 12. Rev. Clark Brown, at the time the pastor of the Brim- field church, married his daughter Tabbe. Dr. Moffatt was twice married; first to Margaret Bliss. Ch. Lewis, 1764. September 17; Tabitha, 1765, October 17 (died 1769); Joseph, 1769, August 8; Wyllis, 1770, October
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12; his wife. Margaret, died 1771. November 4, aged 31 ; he married Lois Haynes. 1772. December 10. Ch. Chester. 1775. March 29; Lois, 1776, July 11; Tabbe, 1780, May 1; Alvin, 1785, October 24.
Dr. Martin Hersey was a practicing physician, who in- troduced Rev. Clark Brown to the Brimfield church. Ile came from Spencer, and was probably here but a short time. Franklin, son of Martin and Marey Hersey, was born in Brimfield, 1797, August 23. Maria Eliza, daughter of Thomas and Marcy Hersey, was born here, 1797. August 20. No record has been found of the name even in any other connection, except in a deed of Zeba- diah Abbott, 1796, March, which bounds a four-acre lot, " South on Hersey's land."
Dr. Justus Keyes moved about 1809 from Hodges' Cor- ner to Brimfield Center, living till 1815, in the house now occupied by Mrs. Alfred E. Pierce. He was a man of ability. He took De. Ebenezer Knight for a partner for two years, and in 1815, sold to him his house and busi- ness, and for a time resided in Sturbridge. He returned to Brimfield, but after a few years died in the old Noah Hitchcock house, then owned by him, and standing where Mr. Spaulding's house now is. He married first Betsey Corey, May 11, 1806, and had three children ; Marianne, born 1808, March 1; Erasmus Darwin, born 1810, May 29, now Major-General Keyes, United States Army; Elias, born 1812, August 3; (known as Edward L .. ) once editor of the Dedham Gazette, and a prominent politican. Dr. Keyes' first wife died March 3, 1826, and he married Polly Wight, of Sturbridge, Dec. 2, 1828.
Asa Lincoln was born in Taunton, June-1782. He was the oldest of nine children, three of whom are still living. aged respectively seventy-six, seventy-eight, and eighty years, no one of the family having died at a younger age than seventy-two. Ilis father's name was
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Asa, and there were nine also in that family, all of whom lived until the youngest was about seventy, a remarkable case of longevity. Their ancestry is traced to one of the three Thomas Lincolns, who were the first of the Lincolns in this country.
The family of Asa still hold the homestead in Taunton on which their ancestors settled, and Morris, nephew of Asa. is the ninth generation who have lived on and owned the same place. Asa's mother was a Morris of Stur- bridge, of the same family as Judge O. B. Morris of Springfield. He received only such opportunities of early education as the schools of Taunton afforded, except to recite Latin to Mareus Morton, who was at that time a young lawyer of Taunton. The fact of his hearing the recitations of young men in Latin, shows either that the ability of the future Judge and Governor was not appre- ciated. or that the town afforded but little business in law at that date ; and it is perhaps worthy of note, as showing the customs of the time, that young Lincoln used to carry on his back a quarter of mutton, to pay in part his tui- tion. Few young men of our day would feel that they could lug a leg of mutton a mile or more, for such a pur- pose, and perhaps it would be as difficult to find a pro- fessor who would receive such coin in payment for his services.
Young Lincoln was anxious to study law, but his father had chosen medicine as the profession his son was to fol- low, and accordingly sent him when about twenty years of age to Sturbridge, where he commenced his studies with Doctor Corey. He remained with Corey two years, teaching during the winter time, when he went to Brook- field, ( partly because they paid better wages for teaching there,) and completed his study of medicine with Doctor Babbitt. (Pliny Merrick, afterwards JJudge of the Su- preme Court, was one of the boys who attended Lincoln's
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school in Brookfield, then a lad but two or three years younger than his teacher. ) Lincoln came to Brimfield to commence his practice, probably about 1804 ; and in 1809. September 4, married Sarah E., daughter of Gen. Tim- othy Danielson, by whom he had ten children, all of whom grew up to man and womanhood. His wife died August 10, 1830, at the age of forty, and he remained a widower till his death." Soon after he commenced his practice, the town was visited with a terrible scourge called the spotted fever, which baffled the skill of the physicians, far and near, and perhaps this fact more than any other, led him to commence a practice entirely differ- ent form the one in general use at that time, and whether good or bad. was certainly more in keeping with the practice of the better physicians of our day. The old system may be told in few words ; first bleed, then give all the medicine the patient could be made to swallow, then bleed, and if the patient lived through this, his con- stitution was proof against the skill of physicians. What made a decided impression on Lincoln's mind in connec- tion with the fever, was the fact that but three or four of all the parties attacked recovered, and one of these was attended by an old negress, for whom the family had sent to Northampton, and with whom the physicians were not willing to share the honor of killing or curing ; and one other, a negro, whose brother lived with Lin- coln, and who was taken sick at his house. "Tis said that when the doctors found that the negro was sick, they called on Lincoln to enter on a system of experiments to be tried on the patient, and he replied, " No, gentlemen, you have used your best skill on your patients, and they have all died; I am determined that if the negro has
. It is believed by his family that he never entertained any intention of a second marriage. Such was the respect he had for the memory of his wife, that during his lite he abstained from all labor on the anniversary of her death, uniformly visit- ing her grave on that day.
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constitution enough to carry him through, he shall live ; you certainly are not to have the privilege of killing him." The "constitution " triumphed, and the doctor who put it to the test, although he continued his practice till a few months previous to his death, had less and less faith in the efficacy of medicines.
Early in life Lincoln received a commission of justice of the peace, and perhaps no man in this part of the State had more justice trials brought before him than he did. And it is worthy of note, as showing how true was the early bent of his mind as to the profession he should have taken, that in appeals of nearly forty cases from his decis- ions on points of law, the higher court sustained him in each of the decisions on which the appeal was made.
In politics, he was from the first a democrat, never vot- ing for any but the democratic candidate for president, except for Van Buren in 1848. Commencing his practice with limited means, when a property qualification was necessary to entitle a man to vote, he was required to marshal his assets, including horse, gig, and books of ac- count, in order to secure the privilege of voting. While Doctor Lincoln was prominent in local affairs, often being called to preside over the meetings of the town, and fre- quently chosen to fill the more important town offices, his identification with the minority party in State affairs, debarred him from offices he was well qualified to fill .*
He was, however, elected to the State Senate of 1840, serving on the committee to revise the valuation of the State. He was re-elected to the Senate of 1843. The degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred upon him by the Berkshire Medical Institute, the same year ; he died July 7, 1854, aged seventy-two.
*The democratic vote of the town was 11 in 1804, and 75 in 1836, while the vote of the opposite party was 120 for the former, and 175 for the latter. It is said that the town, previous to the formation of representative districts, was never represented in the House of Representatives by a person elected as a democrat.
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Children of Dr. Asa and Sarah E. Lincoln :- Charles Danielson, born November 28, 1810; Mary Danielson, January 22. 1$13 ; Timothy Danielson, May 11, 1815 : Frederick Danielson, April 27, 1816; Sarah Danielson, December 17. 1819; Francis Danielson, September 30, 1821 : James Danielson, March 30, 1823; William Dan- ielson. March 12, 1825, died May 15, 1846; Charlotte Danielson, February 13, 1827, died October 18, 1847 ; Elizabeth Danielson, June 22, 1829, died January 1, 1849.
Charles D. Lincoln left home and entered the store at the North Factory village, Monson, when a boy of six- teen, went to Boston when about 25, where he remained as clerk until about 1840, when he commenced trade as a retailer on Washington street, left the business in 1842 for a position in the Custom House as chief clerk to the Deputy Collector, was promoted to assistant Naval Offi- cer by Charles G. Greene, was removed by Mr. Greene's successor on account of his politics, against the wishes of the mercantile interest. He next went on to the Bro- kers' Board in Boston, where he still remains. He mar- ried Maria Prouty, October 6, 1842, by whom he has two children ; Mary W., born September 4, 1843, and Elizabeth D., born October 9, 1857.
Mary D. Lincoln married Chauncey E. Dutton, January 1836, both deceased, leaving three children, Frank C., Mary Ann and Sarah.
Timothy D. Lincoln fitted for College at the town schools, and attended Wilbraham academy two terms, en- tered Wesleyan University, junior class in English and scientific course in 1834, graduated in 1836, teaching the two winters while in college, and the winter after gradu- ation at Weymouth, Mass., and afterwards at Hingham ; then as principal of high school in New Bedford. He commenced the study of law with the Hon. Charles H.
1
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(afterwards Judge) Warren, with whom he continued two years and five months, teaching during the time, when he was admitted to the bar in 1840 at New Bedford. He was a partner in practice with John H. W. Page, Esq. for one year, when he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, entering the office of Charles Fox, Esq., for one year, as the laws of the State required a year's residence before admission to the bar. He was admitted to the bar at Zanesville, Ohio, October 1842. June 1, 1843, he be- came a partner with Mr. Fox, with whom he remained until January 1846, when he commenced alone and con- tinued until 1855, when the firm of Lincoln, Smith & Warnock was formed. Mr. Lincoln has practiced exten- sively in the United States Circuit Court, in the States of Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennes- see, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania, and since 1849 has spent a part of each winter before the Supreme Court at Washington. In 1857 he was selected by the Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis to represent the river as opposed to the railroad interest arising on the ques- tion of bridging the Mississippi river. He was opposed to Abraham Lincoln in 1857, in the Rock Island bridge case, tried before Judge MeLean at Chicago. He mar- ried in August, 1845, Mary Seymour Clarke, daughter of Major Nathan Clarke of the United States army, by whom he has had eleven children, seven of whom are living-six daughters and one son, John Ledyard Lincoln.
Frederick D. Lincoln commenced the study of law with Charles Henry Warren of New Bedford, while teaching school in the same place in 1838, remained with him (two years) until he was appointed to the bench, then studied with John H. W. Page of same place one year. when he was admitted to the bar in New Bedford. then went to the Cambridge law school one term, practiced law in New Bedford one year, then removed to Cincin- 23
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nati in September. 1543. where he still lives, a bachelor, and has continued the practice of law very successfully.
James D. Lincoln went from home when a lad and lived with his aunt, Palestia L. Thayer, at Franklin ; after- wards removed to Wrentham. He has been largely and successfully engaged in the manufacture of jewelry at Plainville, Wrentham, the firm being Lincoln, Tifft & Co., with their principal office in New York, where Mr. Lincoln now resides.
Sarah D. Lincoln married Rev. B. E. Hale, December 12, 1854 ; their children are Mary L., born December 20, 1856, and Charlotte E., born May 3, 1860.
Francis D. Lincoln resides in Brimfield, on the home- stead of his grandfather, Gen. Timothy Danielson. He has always taken an active part in whatever tends to the best interests of the town ; he was Captain of Company G, 46th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers .* He married Rebecca Fisher Cox, of Walpole, September 28, 1848; their children are Rebecca Maria, born November 7, 1849, and Henrietta Frances, born July 2, 1853.
Dr. Ebenezer Knight, for the long period of forty-two years a physician, honored and beloved in this commu- nity, and in all the neighboring towns, was born in North Brookfield, 1792, January 14. He studied in Providence with Dr. Drown, attending lectures at the medical col- lege in that city ; in Boston with Dr. Gorham, attending lectures, at the same time, at Harvard Medical College. He came to Brimfield in 1814, and at first was in part- nership with Dr. Keyes. After two years, however, he bought out Dr. Keyes, and bought also Dr. Keyes' house, where he resided till 1842. Then, on the death of his father-in-law, Ichabod Bliss, he bought out the other heirs, and refitting the Bliss place, removed his family there. In
*Charles D., Timothy D., Frederic D., and James D. Lincoln cach furnished a substitute for three years, in the late war, although they, as well as their brother, Francis D., were exempt from military service.
Ebenezer linight.
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that house he died, after protracted suffering from heart disease, 1857, July 4. He had been honored by his towns- men with various public offices, had been a member of the church for twenty four years, and served, also, as clerk of the society. The sermon preached by Rev. Mr. Morse, on the occasion of his death, and the eulogy by Rev. Dr. Vaill, bear testimony to the marked benevolence of his character, as well as the public spirit ever mani- fested by him, and his deserved reputation as a " beloved physician.". Dr. Knight married, 1818, September 24, Thirza W. Bliss, daughter of Ichabod Bliss of Brimfield. Of his children, John McCall died in infancy. The second child was Eunice B .; the third, Eliza P., who married Richard S. Wilcox of Ovid, N. Y., and died 1854, Decem- ber 1. Fitz Henry Knight, born 1835, May 2, died in Troy. N. Y., 1867, June 17. Mary T. Knight married, 1865, October 10, Rev. C. M. Hyde.
Dr. John Witter succeeded to Dr. Knight's practice, but in 1866, removed to Woodstock, Conn. Following him came Dr. George E. Fuller, who removed to Monson, though still continuing to practice in Brimfield. Dr. Fife took Dr. Fuller's place, but remained only one year, ac- cepting then an appointment in the United States service at Alexandria, Va. He had previously been a surgeon in the United States navy.
Before Dr. Knight's death, Dr. George F. Chamberlain had established himself in practice here, and is now the only resident physician.
Abner Morgan was the first one in town to study law and practice as an attorney. He was born in Brimfield, 1746, January 9. Was the son of Jonathan and Ruth (Miller) Morgan. He graduated at Harvard College, 1773. He was chosen representative from Brimfield to the General Court, which met at Watertown, 1775, July 19. 1776, January 21 (Sunday), the House of Representatives
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voted to raise a regiment of seven hundred and twenty- eight men from Berkshire and Hampshire Counties, to serve in the expedition to Canada. Elisha Porter, of Hadley, was chosen colonel. and Abner Morgan. of Brim- field, major. The regiment probably went to Albany. His regiment formed part of the force with which Gen- eral Arnold joined Montgomery before Quebec. When Montgomery was killed. Arnold took his place, and upon his being disabled, Major Morgan assumed command of the forlorn hope and led the last and final attack on the morning of January 1, 1776, when they were driven off by overpowering numbers. At Crown Point, July 8. 1776, he drew up an address of the field officers to General John Sullivan, on the occasion of his withdrawing from com- mand of the army in Canada. 1778. August 29, he was appointed brigade major for Hampshire County. 1781, he was commissioned justice of the peace. 1782. he was chairman of the committee for taking up persons danger- ous to the Commonwealth, according to act of 1781, February 14. In 1795, when there were only fifteen barristers at law in the whole State, he was an attorney practicing at the Superior Court.
At the close of the Revolution he received a pension and a bounty of twenty thousand acres of land in what was then the wilds of New York State, now within the limits of Livingston County. on the banks of the Genesee River. A part of this is still retained in the family, in possession of his grandson, J. Appleton Morgan, Esq., of New York, though most of it was soll at ridiculously low prices.
By act of Congress, 1798, a direct tax of $2,000.000 was levied on the people. Massachusetts was to pay $260.435.31.2. For this purpose the State was divided into nine departments. Commissioners were appointed for each division by the President. These constituted a
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board who subdivided the various departments into dis- triets. The lists of persons and property were to be made out for October 1. Major Morgan was principal assessor for the seventh assessment district of the eighth Massachusetts division, the district comprising the towns of Monson, Brimfield. South Brimfield and Holland. He was selectman twenty-two years, twenty-one of which he was chairman of the board, being elected to this office con- seentively for nineteen years. He built the house, 1783, where Warren F. Tarbell now (1876) resides, in those days the most aristocratie mansion in the town. In front of the house are two large button-wood trees which it is said he brought from the vicinity of Ten Mile Pond. near Collins Depot, in his saddle. He continued to reside in Brimfield until 1826. He was chosen to represent the town in the State Legislature from 1798-1801. His cousin, Morgan Phillips, of Westboro, writes of him (in Dr. Sibley's Manuscript Memoranda of Harvard Gradu- ates), that " He was a man of high attainments and greatly respected. He was the contemporary and inti- mate associate of the most distinguished men in the State. He was noted in his profession as an advocate of great ability. He had considerable business out of his own county, and at every term of Worcester courts would spend a night at my father's, going and returning. I re- member going to church with him and my mother when on a visit to Brimfield. There was a bass viol in the gallery, and there was some one tuning it after the clergy- man came in. That was not according to his notions of propriety, and he struck upon the pew door, saying. . Stop that,' and there was no more tuning bass viols in church that day. My father used to ask after old ac- quaintance, and their conversation impressed me, also, with the conviction that he was a man deeply interested in religion."
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In 1826 he removed to Lima, N. Y., and thence to Avon. N. Y., where he died, 1837. November 7. He married 1796, March 31, Persis, daughter of David and Tabitha (Collins) Morgan. Children. Harriet, born De- cember 4. 1797 ; Persis, born June 6, 1801 ; Peyton Ran- dolph. born December 16, 1803; Almira, born April 16, 1806; Maria Antoinette, born Harriet Morgan married Dr. William P. Trask, of Natchez, Miss .. July 14, 1818; her second husband was Dr. Joseph T. Pitney, of Auburn. N. Y. ; he died April 23, 1853 ; she died in May, 1862; Almira Morgan never married, she resides at Avon Springs, N. Y .; Maria Antoinette married Dr. Samuel Salisbury, of Boston, Mass. ; he died at Avon Springs, N. Y., April 19, 1850, leaving one son, Samuel. Mrs. Salisbury now resides at Chicago, Ill.
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