USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 10
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IN January, 1741, Samuel Jackson, with seventy-five others, inhabitants of Framingham, Middlesex Co., petitioned the general court to grant them a tract of wilderness land, situated near an Indian town on the Housatonic river. The grant was made, and they were authorized to survey and locate a township, which was done the same year. The settlement was commenced about 1754 or 5, by Capt. Samuel Martin and two other families, which were driven off by the Indians in the second French war. Of these, Capt. Martin was the only one who returned. Among the earliest settlers were Nathaniel Williams, Samuel Tyrrell, John, Ephraim, Elijah and Miles Powel (brothers), Lieut. Andrew Squier, James Loomis and Ambrose Hall, William Bradley, James Goodrich, Thaddeus Curtiss, Ebenezer Squier, Benjamin and Joseph Farnum. They all settled here as early as 1760. A fort was built for the protection of the settlement from Indian assaults. On the approach of the Indians, on one occasion, the settlers fled to Pittsfield. A scout was sent after them from Massachusetts fort, who, following tracks which they found, discovered two Indian chiefs, who were stooping down, tying their moccasons. Each of the scouts selected one, and both chiefs were killed on the spot. The scouts escaped to the fort, though closely pursued by the Indians. A party shortly after set out from the fort in search of the bodies of the slain chiefs, who found them buried in their war costume. The town was incorporated on the 20th of June, 1765, and then com- prehended a large part of the present town of Cheshire. The pre- sent length of the town is 6 miles, and the average breadth about 5 miles. There are beds of iron ore in the town, and several extensive quarries of valuable marble.
The above shows the appearance of the village of Lanesborough as it is entered from the south. It is situated on the eastern side
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LEE.
of a branch of the Housatonic, which passes through the central part of the town, and runs through Lanesborough Pond, which lies partly in this town and Pittsfield. The meadows on this stream are luxuriant and beautiful. There are 3 churches : 1 Congrega- tional, 1 Baptist, and 1 Episcopal. The Congregational church is the one seen in the central part of the engraving; the Baptist is the one standing a little south. The Episcopal church, a Gothic building, stands about three fourths of a mile northward.
The Congregational church in this town was organized March 28th, 1764, by Rev. Samuel Hopkins, of Great Barrington, and Rev. Stephen West, of Stockbridge. It consisted at first of eight members. Their first pastor, Rev. Daniel Collins, was ordained April 17, 1764 .. He was a native of Guilford, Con., and a gra- duate of Yale College in 1760. The Episcopal church (called St. Luke's church) was instituted by the Rev. Samuel Andrews, of Wallingford, Con., Oct. 2, 1767, and their first house of worship was built in 1783. The Baptist church was formed in 1818, with 12 members. Elder Augustus C. Beach was their minister. Their meeting-house was built in 1828. This town is 11 miles N. of Lenox, and 125 W. by N. of Boston. Number of inhabitants, 1,090. The following is from the "Statistical Tables," 1837, published by the state : "Saxony sheep, 7,814; merino sheep, 4,235; other kinds of sheep, 284; Saxony wool produced, 28,193 pounds ; merino wool, 13,510 pounds; other kinds of wool, 786 pounds; average weight of fleece, 3 pounds ; value of wool, $26,100; capital invested, $335,500."
LEE.
THIS town was incorporated in the year 1777. The eastern part was taken from the town of Washington, called Hartwood; the south-western, called Hopland, was taken from Great Barrington ; the remainder was made up of certain provincial grants, as Glass- works grant, Williams grant, &c. The town was named in honor of General Lee, then an active officer in the army of the Revolu- tion. The first white man who settled in the town was Mr. Isaac Davis, in the year 1760, in quite the south part of the town, on the side of Hop brook. Most of the early inhabitants were from Tol- land, in Con., and from Barnstable, Sandwich, Falmouth, and Great Barrington, in Mass. One of the first settlers, Mr. Jesse Bradley, came from New Haven, Con., another, Mr. Jonathan Foot, from Colchester. The Congregational church in this town was organized on the 25th of May, 1780, by the Rev. Daniel Col- lins, of Lanesborough, consisting of 30 members. For the basis of their union, they adopted the same confession of faith which is acknowledged by the church at the present time. On the 3d of July, 1783, Mr. Elisha Parmelee, of Goshen, Con., a graduate of Harvard College, was ordained their pastor.
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LEE.
The township is 6 miles in length and 5 in breadth, and pre- sents a very diversified appearance. It embraces a part of the interval which lies between the Taconic and Green mountain ranges. The Green mountain range runs partly within the eastern limits of the town, and presents much picturesque scenery. These mountains are, for the most part, of gentle acclivity, and in some places are cultivated quite to their summits. From the base of these mountains the surface is uneven, but, upon the whole, descending, until we reach the plain on the banks of the Housa- tonic. In this town is good marble and iron ore. This town is 5 miles S. E. of Lenox, and 120 W. of Boston. Population 2,095
South-western view of Lee, (central part).
The above shows the appearance of the central part of the prin- cipal village in Lee, as seen from the heights a few rods from the Stockbridge road. The principal part of the village is on the east side of the Housatonic, surrounded by lofty hills and mountains. South Lee is about three miles south-west from this place, near the Stockbridge line : it is much smaller than the central village, con- taining a number of paper-mills, a church, and about thirty dwelling-houses. In 1837, there were 12 paper-mills in the limits of the town, which manufactured 1,200 tons of stock, producing paper to the value of $274,500. There was also a woollen mill, cotton mill, and forge for manufacturing bar iron. The first paper- mill in the town was built by Mr. Samuel Church, in South Lee, about thirty years since.
In September, 1824, a scene of most appalling desolation was exhibited in this town. It was the explosion of an extensive powder factory, owned by Messrs. Laflin, Loomis & Co. At the time, it was estimated that there were about 5 tons of powder in the different buildings. On a very pleasant morning, when the workmen thought all things were going on securely, in a moment every building was razed from its foun- dation with a tremendous explosion. Three of the unfortunate workmen were Instantly killed, and a fourth, who was thrown into the river, lingered for a short time, till death, like a friend, relieved him from his pains. Every house and building in the neighborhood was more or less injured, and every breast was shocked. Such
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LENOX.
was the consternation produced in the minds of the inhabitants, that they universally protested against the rebuilding, and, the feelings of the proprietors coinciding, the site and water privilege were soon after sold, and an extensive paper-mill erected.
LENOX.
THE Indian name of the greater part of the tract embraced in this township was Yokun, so called after an Indian sagamore of that name. Some small individual grants united ; the town was incor- porated in 1767, and called Lenox, (the family name of the Duke of Richmond). Its length is about 6 miles, and its mean breadth 4. The first English inhabitant of this town was Mr. Jonathan Hinsdale, from Hartford, Con. He moved into the place in 1750, and built a small dwelling about 50 rods south of Court-house hill, on the east side of the county road. A Mr. Dickinson soon after built a house just north of Mr. Hinsdale. In 1755, these, with some other families who had settled in the vicinity and in Pitts- field, removed to Stockbridge, through fear of the Indians, who were instigated to hostilities by the French in Canada. While the few families north of Stockbridge were hastening to that place for safety, a man by the name of Stephens, while passing a ledge of rocks in the south part of the town, was shot by the Indians, and fell dead from his horse. The horse was also killed, but a young woman by the name of Percy, who was on the horse with Mr. Stephens, by the aid of Mr. Hinsdale, escaped unhurt. Among the first permanent settlers were Jacob Bacon, Messrs. Hunt, McCoy, Gleason, Steel, Waterman, Root, Dewy, Miller, Whitlocke, Parker, Richard, Collins, Treat, Andrus, Wright, and others. A majority of the familes who first settled in the town, moved from West Hartford and Wallingford, Con. The first town officers were chosen March 5, 1767. The inhabitants about this time began to make preparation for the organization of a church and the settle- ment of a minister. The church was formed in 1769, by the Rev. Samuel Hopkins, then of Great Barrington. Rev. Samuel Munson, of New Haven, a graduate of Yale College, was ordained pastor November 8, 1770. Soon after his settlement, a house for public worship was erected near the place where the present Congrega- tional meeting-house is located, and was occupied till Jan. 1, 1806, when the present one was dedicated. The first burying-ground was more than a mile north of the village, and west of the county road. Soon after the first meeting-house was built, a piece of ground near it was marked out for a grave-yard. It has since been enlarged, and is now the principal burying-place in the town. The land on which the meeting-house stands, and for the burying- ground, was given to the society by a Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Mun- son was a man of good abilities, of ardent piety, sound in the faith, and zealous in promoting the cause of religion, but he lived in times of trouble. The revolutionary war occasioned very bitter animosities among the people; and, subsequently, what is called
1
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LENOX.
the Shays' insurrection was productive of much evil in the town. There has been an incorporated Episcopal society in the town since 1805. They have a handsome church, standing a few rods cast of the court-house. There are also in this town a few fami- lies of the Baptist and Methodist denominations. Lenox academy was incorporated in 1803. At the time of the incorporation, the legislature made to it the grant of half a township of land in the state of Maine, which at that time belonged to Massachusetts. This land, for a number of years, was wholly unproductive, but it was sold a few years since, and produced a respectable fund, the avails of which are appropriated to the support of the institu- tion.
Lenox is the shire town of Berkshire county. It is situated 130 miles W. of Boston, 6 S. of Pittsfield, 42 from Springfield, 56 from Hartford, 30 from Hudson, and 34 from Albany. Popula- tion, 1,275. The judicial courts have been held here since 1787.
Northern view of Lenox.
The above is a representation of Lenox village, as it is seen from near the Congregational church, which is situated on an eminence at the northern extremity of the village. On this spot the observer has a fine prospect of the village; beyond which, are seen various ranges of lofty hills and mountains, and, far in the distance, is seen, towering above all others, the lofty summit of Mount Wash- ington. The village is uncommonly beautiful in its situation and general appearance : it consists of about forty dwelling-houses, 3 churches, (1 Congregational, 1 Episcopal, and 1. Methodist,) a court-house constructed of brick, in a handsome style of architec- ture, a hotel, academy, printing-office, and other public buildings. The refined state of society in this place, the fine mountain air and scenery, and the superior accommodations at the hotel now kept by Mr. Wilson, all render Lenox a most desirable place of resort during the warm season of the year.
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T
Drawn by J. W. Barber-Engraved by S. E. Brown, Boston.
LENOX, MASS.
The above is a southern view of the public buildings. The first building seen on the right is the Town-House; the next building, three stories in height, is Wilson's Hotel; the next building north is the Court-House, near which is another public house, to which the jail is attached. The Congregational Church is seen on an elevation in the distance. The spires of the Episcopal Church are seen between the Town-House and Wilson's Hotel.
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LENOX.
The following, termed " the Covenant signed in Lenox, 1774," was, by a unanimous vote of the town, in 1828, ordered to be put upon the town records, "at the special request of Hon. William Walker and Col. Elijah Northrup, the only persons now living in the town whose names are in the following list."
Whereas the Parliament of Great Britain have of late undertaken to give and grant away our money, without our knowledge or consent, and, in order to compel us to a servile submission to the above" measures, have proceeded to block up the harbor of Boston ; also have or are about to vacate the charter and repeal certain laws of this province, heretofore enacted by the General Court, and confirmed to us by the king and his predecessors : therefore, as a means to obtain a speedy redress of the above grievances, we do solemnly and in good faith covenant and engage with each other,-
1st. That we will not import, purchase, or consume, or suffer any person for, by, or under us, to import, purchase, or consume in any manner whatever, any goods, wares, or manufactures which shall arrive in America from Great Britain, from and after the first day of October next, or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the American Congress; nor any goods which shall be ordered from thence from and after this day, until our charter and constitutional rights shall be restored, or until it shall be determined by the major part of our brethren in this and the neighboring colonies, that a non-importation or non-consumption agreement will not have a ten- dency to effect the desired end, or until it shall be apparent that a non-importation or non-consumption agreement will not be entered into by the majority of this and the neighboring colonies, except such articles as the said General Congress of North Ame- rica shall advise to import and consume.
2dly. We do further covenant and agree, that we will observe the most strict obe- dience to all constitutional laws and authority, and will at all times exert ourselves to the utmost for the discouragement of all licentiousness, and suppressing all disor- derly mobs and riots.
3dly. We will exert ourselves, as far as within us lies, in promoting peace, love, and unanimity among each other, and for that end we engage to avoid all unnecessary lawsuits whatever.
4thly. As a strict and proper adherence to the non-importation and non-consump- tion agreement will, if not seasonably provided against, involve us in many difficulties and inconveniences, we do promise and agree, that we will take the most prudent care for the raising of sheep, and for the manufacturing all such cloths as shall be most useful and necessary, and also for the raising of flax, and the manufacturing of linen ; further, that we will, by every prudent method, endeavor to guard against all those inconveniences which might otherwise arise from the foregoing agreement.
5thly. That if any person shall refuse to sign this or a similar covenant, or, after having signed it, shall not adhere to the real intent and meaning thereof, he or they shall be treated by us with all the neglect they shall justly deserve, particularly by omitting all commercial dealing with them.
6thly. That if this or a similar covenant shall, after the first day of August next, be offered to any trader or shopkeeper, in this county, and he or they shall refuse to sign the same, for the space of forty-eight hours, that we will, from thenceforth, pur- chase no article of British manufacture or East India goods from him or them, until such time as he or they shall sign this or a similar covenant.
Witness our hands, dated at Lenox, this 14th day of July, A. D. 1774.
Israel Dibbell, Samuel Guthrie, Lazarus Hollister, Moses Miller, Bildad Clark, Jared Ingersol, Elisha Bangs, Moses Wood, John Adams, Amos Stanley,
Isaiah Smith, jr., Samuel Northrup, David Clark, Joel Goodrich, Joseph Hollister, Isaac Bateman, John Root, Prosper Timothy Steel, Noah Yale, Mathias Hall,
Timothy Cruttenden, Reuben Root,
Isaiah Smith, Titus Curtiss,
Thomas Tracy, Enos Curtiss, Joseph Dwight, Rozel Ballard, Joel Blin, Moses Hyde, Charles Mattoon, Jehiel Hollister, James Richards, Ephraim Cary,
Elijah Northrup, Samuel Munson,
David Clark, jr.,
Eleazer Barret, Rufus Branch, Solomon Hollister, Job St. Leonard, Uriah Cross, Thomas Gates, Samuel Jerome,
Timothy Way,
Jedidiah Cruttenden, Silas Blin,
Thomas Benedict,
Jesse Hollister,
Paul Dewy,
Charles Dibbell,
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MOUNT WASHINGTON.
Thomas Steel, Oliver Beldin, Caleb Hyde, John Paterson, Ephraim Smith, Edward Gray, Elias Willard, Allen Goodrich, Alexander Mackay, Thomas Landers, Abraham Northrup, Thomas Bateman, William Maltby, Luther Bateman, Israel Dewey,
Simon Willard, Caleb Bull, Samuel Bement, Lemuel Collens, Thomas Foster,
Elias Willard, jr., Matthew Miller, Ashley Goodrich, Reuben Sheldon, James Guthrie, Jonathan Foster, William Walker, Samuel Whedon, Jonathan Hinsdale, William Martindale, Samuel Wright, Jeremiah Hull, Nehemiah Tracy, John Gray, Samuel Goodrich, Zenas Goodrich,
Ebenezer Turrill, David Root, Jacob St. John, Daniel Keeler, Stephen Cruttenden, David Hinsdell, Gorden Hollister, Amos Benton, Ephraim Hollister,
Gershom Martindale, Titus Parker, Ashbel Treat, John Treat, James Richards, jr.,* Stephen Titus, Asa Bacon, Hopson Beebe, Caleb Culver, Samuel Pond, Elisha Osborn,
David Perry, Enos Stone.ț
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MOUNT WASHINGTON.
As early as 1753 or 4, a few families moved into the town. George Robinson, Joseph Graves, Thomas Wolcott, and John Dib- ble, were among the first settlers. In 1757, the Indian right to the land, whatever it might have been, after the sale of the two Hou- satonic townships, was purchased for £15. Soon after this, John Dibble, John King, Nathan Benjamine, Peter Wooden, Benjamin Osborn, Charles Paterson, and others, petitioned the legislature to grant them a township here; and in 1760 the township was actu- ally surveyed, under the direction of the legislature, into 50 lots, though the grant prayed for was not made until 1774. The town was incorporated in 1779. The form of the township is irregular ; its length is about six miles, and its average breadth three and a half. It was formerly called Tagonic or Taconic Mountain. Its surface is uneven, and is very elevated, the center being nearly 2,000 feet above the neighboring towns, while a mountain ridge around this center rises nearly 1,000 feet higher. This ridge con- sists mostly of broken ledges of rocks, and but few trees of much size grow upon it. There is only soil enough intermingled with the rocks to support shrubs from one to four feet high. The whortleberry-bush abounds, and the inhabitants in the vicinity resort to it in the months of August and September, to gather the fruit .. This town is 22 miles S. S. W. of Lenox, and 135 W. by S. of Boston. Population, 377. In 1835, it is stated in the "Mas- sachusetts Directory," that this town "has no minister of any denomination, no doctor, no lawyer, no postoffice, and no tavern." Since this period a house of worship has been erected in the cen- tral part of the town.
* Mr. R. adds this to his signature : "I, James Richards, jr., do sign the whole of this paper, except these words put in, particularly by omitting all commercial dealing with them :' these words I refuse. J. R."
+ One of the first principal settlers of Rochester, N. Y.
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NEW MARLBOROUGH.
NEW ASHFORD.
THIS town began to be settled about 1762, by emigrants from the eastern part of the state, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Among the early settlers were Nathaniel, Abel, and Gideon Kent, Uriah, Peter, and Eli Mallory, William Green, Jacob Lyon, Samuel Grid- ley, Jonathan Beach, Samuel P. Tyler, Abraham Kirby, William Campbell, Amariah Babbit, Evans Rice, Capt. Martin, and a Mr. Mason. This place was incorporated as a district Feb. 26, 1781, and enjoyed all the privileges of a town, except that it could not elect a representative to the legislature. A small, neat house, for pub- lic worship, was erected here in 1828, and dedicated in Jan., 1829. Most of the inhabitants are Methodists, who enjoy circuit preach- ing about half of the time.
This town is about 4 miles square, and is situated principally on the steep and rugged hills which make from Saddle mountain on the east, and the Taconic range on the west, and which here approach each other. In the narrow valley between these hills, along the rise of the western branch of the Housatonic and the eastern branch of Green river, are some small tracts of more feasi- ble land. Valuable quarries of blue and white marble were opened in this town about 1822, which furnish a considerable branch of business. This town is 18 miles N. of Lenox, and 130 W. by N. of Boston. Population, 253.
NEW MARLBOROUGH.
THIS township was originally called No. 2, and was granted in 1736 to 72 proprietors, mostly belonging to Marlborough and its vicinity, in the county of Middlesex, by " The Great and General Court or Assembly of his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, held at Boston." The proprietors obtained the township of the Indians and took a deed, which was confirm- ed by the general court. Among other divisions of land into which the township was surveyed, were house lots consisting of 60 acres each, to the number of 63, besides one for each grantee. The first improvements were made in 1739, by Mr. Benjamin Wheeler, from Marlborough. During the hard winter of 1739-40, he remained the only white inhabitant in the town. The Indians, though in most respects friendly, forbade him the use of the gun, lest he should kill the deer, and thus withheld from him part of the means of his support. His nearest white neighbors were in Sheffield, a distance of 10 miles, some of whom came on snow- shoes to see him. In the following summer he visited Marlborough and returned with his family. Among the other first settlers were Noah Church, Jabez Ward, Thomas Tatlow, Elias Keyes, Joseph Blackmer, Jesse Taylor, John Taylor, William Witt, Philip Brookins and Samuel Bryan, from Marlborough or the vicinity, in
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NEW MARLBOROUGH.
1741; Joseph Adams, Moses Cleaveland, Silas Freeman, in 1744; and Charles Adams, Solomon Randsford, Nathan Randsford and Jarvis Pike, in 1745, from Canterbury, Con. Families by the name of Sheldon, Wright and Allen, from Northampton, Mass. and Shel- don, Norton, and Harmon, from Suffield, Con., moved in about 1745, and William Alexander and John Thompson the succeeding year, from Dedham. 'The first born in town were twins, children of Mr. Brookins.
The first church in the town was organized on the 31st of Oct. 1744, with 5 members. On the following day, the Rev. Thomas Strong, a native of Northampton and graduate of Yale College, was ordained pastor of this church. His salary was £50. The first meeting-house was erected in 1743. The expense of building it was defrayed by the proprietors of the town. The second meeting-house of this society was built in 1793. In consequence of some disagreement concerning the location of this house, another house was built the same year, and in 1794 the town was divided by the legislature, and a new parish, called the south parish, incorporated. On the 25th of April, 1794, the second or South church was formed, of 21 members, from the first church. The first pastor of this church, Rev. John Stevens, a native of Danbury, Con., and graduate of Yale College, was settled over the society Oct. 22, 1794. This parish has a ministerial fund, obtained by subscription in 1794, amounting to about $3,150.
This town was incorporated in 1759, is eight and a half miles in length and 5 in breadth. The surface is generally uneven and hilly, and, like most of the more elevated towns in the county, stony ; though at the time of the settlement, the stones were so deeply covered with vegetable mould that the first inhabitants are said to have expressed their fears that they should not find stone enough to answer the purposes of building. Their fears were removed by finding a quarry of white stone, split by nature into blocks of dif- ferent sizes nearly square, on an elevation called Dry Hill. In the north-west part of the town is Six-mile pond, first so called by some Indians who lived six miles distant from it in Great Barrington, and who resorted to it, for the purpose of fishing. The outlet from this pond is called Konkapot, from the circumstance that an Indian !! family of that name lived by its side in the borders of Sheffield. A stream called Umpachene rises in the east part of the town, and l; passing by the center, runs S. W. and empties in the Konkapot. This stream also derives its name from an Indian. In the S. E. part of the township is a pond nearly two miles in circumference, called Hermit pond, which is the source of a stream, which runs S. W. into Canaan. This pond derived its name from the circum- stance that a hermit lived for several years on the south-eastern side.
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