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 37
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Western vien of the Armory Buildings, Springfield.
The principal U. S. Armory buildings are situated on the ele- vated table land eastward of the main village, called "the Hill." From the village, on the main street, there is a gradual ascent to the summit of the hill, which is flanked on the north and south by a ravine. Most of the buildings connected with the armory, such as the arsenals or store-houses for the preservation of arms, the workshops, houses of the superintendents, &c., are situated on, and around an area of several acres. Some of these buildings are represented in the engraving ; those on the right are arsenals. The assessors of Springfield, in 1837, made the following return relative to the U. S. Armory, viz. :- " Public lands and buildings, valued at $210,000; machinery, $50,000; one hundred and seventy thou- sand muskets on hand, $2,040,000; muskets manufactured during the year ending April 1st, 1837, fourteen thousand, $154,000; ord- nance and stock on hand, $80,000; two hundred and sixty men employed."
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SPRINGFIELD.
" During the revolutionary war, the town did not very much increase. It felt, in common with the country in general, the pressure of the struggle for indepen- dence. But in that period, a foundation was laid for much of its subsequent in- crease and present prosperity. In the time of the war, this was a recruiting post and a rendezvous for soldiers. Being centrally situated, easy of access, and at the same time so far inland as to be out of the reach of sudden invasions of the enemy, it was early in the war fixed upon as a suitable place for making and repairing the various munitions of war, and a depot for military stores. At first, the whole was confined to Main street. The various artificers employed, had their shops where they could find a convenient place, and resided themselves in that part of the town. The laboratory for cartridges, and for the various fire-works manufactured on such occasions, was in the barn then owned by Ebenezer Stebbins, on the place now owned by Dr. Kings- bury, south of Festus Stebbins'. After two or three years, the public works were removed on to the hill, where they now are. This was done gradually, in the years 1778 and 1779, as accommodations could be found. At first, with the exception of the powder magazine, the whole of the public buildings were placed upon a square of ten acres, on the land appropriated by the town for a training field. A few cannon were cast here during that war, but no small-arms were manufactured till after the peace of 1783. At the close of the war, the workmen employed were discharged, and the arsenals, magazine and shops, were left in the charge of a store-keeper.
" When the object of making arms was under consideration of the national govern- ment, in the year 1794, the convenience of the place, and the arsenals, magazines, and shops already here, were a sufficient inducement to establish the national armory here. This was done. At different periods since that time, lands have been pur- chased, and erections made, for the public accommodation. This establishment has, without question, been one great source of the prosperity of the town."-Bliss' Hist. Address, 1828.
South entrance of Chicopee Village, Springfield.
The above is a view taken at the south entrance of Chicopee village, upon the Springfield road. A part only of the village is seen. The forest trees which are seen on each side of the road, stand in the position in which they originally grew; the novelty and beauty of the scene arrests the attention of the traveller, and to the lover of nature, this irregularity is far more pleasing and attractive than any artificial arrangement. By far the greater part of the village is on the southern side of the Chicopee. The elevation seen in the extreme distance is Mount Tom, on the west- ern side of Connecticut river. This village is estimated to contain nearly two thousand inhabitants. There are four cotton mills, run-
296
SPRINGFIELD.
ning 20,000 spindles. There is also an establishment for the manu- facture of machinery, saws, &c. This village is 42 miles from Springfield, and 87 from Boston.
G
North view of Cabotville, Springfield.
The above is a northern view of the central part of Cabotville, four miles from Springfield. The drawing from which the above was engraved, was taken but a few feet from the road, on the side of the elevated heights which rise in some places almost perpen- dicularly from the road on the northern bank of the Chicopee. The village is built on the south bank of the Chicopee river, which is seen passing over its rocky bed in the engraving. This flourish- ing village is of quite recent origin. It was named from the Hon. George Cabot. It is estimated that at this time there are more than 2,000 inhabitants in this village. There are two churches, 1 Con- gregational, 1 Universalist, and a Baptist church now (1838) erect- ing.
The following statements respecting the manufacturing business done in this town are from the Statistical Tables, published by the state in 1837. " Cotton mills, 7; cotton spindles, 35,000; cotton consumed, 3,495,000 lbs. ; cotton goods manufactured, 11,062,000 yards ; value of the same, $1,089,500; males employed, 330; fe- males, 1,300; capital invested, $1,400,000." The following is a list of the articles manufactured, their value, and the number of hands employed.
Articles. .
Value. Hands employed.
Articles.
Value. Hands employed.
Boots and Shoes, $16,000,
56
Hard-ware,
$11,000,
11
Leather,
10,200,
7
Cards,
40,000,
19
Hats,
4,800,
7
Joiners' Tools,
12,000,
19
Paper,
200,000,
225
Paper-machinery, 12,000,
10
Iron Castings
43,800,
30
Shuttle & Bobbin, 4,500,.
6
Cutlery,
40,000,
60
Rifles,
18,000,
18
Chairs, &c.,
16,000,
28
Stoves,
12,000,
6
Ploughs,
1,300,
2
Machinery,
60,000,
80
Tin-ware,
15,000,
14
Swords, &c.,
50,000,
35
297
SPRINGFIELD.
Besides the above, there were five steamboats built in five years preceding 1837, valued at $18,000. There is also an establishment for the manufacture of brass cannon, employing 25 hands, lately commenced, which it is estimated will manufacture cannon to the amount of $50,000 annually.
In 1810, the population of this town was 2,767; in 1820, it was 3,914; in 1830, it was 6,784; in 1837, it was 9,234.
In Shays' insurrection, in 1786, the judicial courts being ad- journed by the legislature to sit at Springfield on the 26th of December, Shays, with about 300 malcontents, marched into this town to oppose the administration of justice, and took possession of the court-house, and prevented the court from proceeding to business. In January, 1787, the movements of the insurgents were such, that the governor and council determined to raise a force of 4,400 men in order to put them down. Two thousand men of this force were ordered to rendezvous in the vicinity of Boston on the 19th of January, and Maj. Gen. Lincoln. of Hingham, was en- trusted with the command.
"Before the troops under Gen. Lincoln marched from Roxbury, Gen. Shepard had been ordered to take possession of the post at Springfield. He soon collected 900 men, and afterwards 200 more, the continental arsenal furnishing them with a sufficient number of field-pieces, and such equipments as were wanted. It became an object with the insurgents to gain this post, if possible, before the arrival of Lincoln's army. Their movements, therefore, were towards West Springfield on the one side, where about 400 men were collected under the command of Luke Day; and towards the Boston road on the other, where 1100 more were headed by Shays himself. Besides these, a party of about 400 from the county of Berkshire, under the command of Eli Parsons, were stationed in the north parish of Springfield. Shays proposed to attack the post on the 25th of January, and wrote to Day on the 24th to co-operate with him. In a letter which was intercepted by Gen. Shepard, Day replied that he could not as- sist him on the 25th, but would the day after. On the 25th, however, Shays, con- fident of his aid, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, approached the arsenal where the militia were posted, with his troops in open column. Gen. Shepard sent several times to know the intention of the enemy, and to warn them of their danger ; and received for answer, in substance, that they would have the barracks; and they immediately marched onwards to within 250 yards of the arsenal. Another message was sent, in- forming them that the militia were posted there by order of the governor and of con- gress, and that if they approached any nearer they would be fired upon. One of their leaders replied, 'That is all we want ;' and they immediately advanced one hundred yards. Gen. Shepard was now compelled to fire ; but, in hope of intimidating them, ordered the two first shot to be directed over their heads, which, instead of retarding, quickened their approach ; and the artillery was at last pointed at the center of their column, which produced its effect. A cry of murder was raised in the rear of the insur- gents ; their whole body was thrown into the greatest confusion, and, in spite of all the efforts of Shays to form them, the troops retreated precipitately about ten miles to Lud- low, leaving three of their men dead on the field and one wounded. Had Gen. Shep- ard been disposed to pursue, he might easily have cut many of them in pieces. But the object was not to destroy them, but to bring them to consideration and amendment.
"Notwithstanding this retreat, there was serious apprehension of another attack from the insurgents ; for Day was now on the west side of Connecticut river with his men, and Parsons at Chicopee, whither the party of Shays repaired (after losing 200 men by desertion) on the 26th. This apprehension was allayed the next day, at noon, by the arrival of Lincoln's army.".
After the county of Hampshire was formed, in 1662, a part of the county courts were held in Springfield ; this continued to be the case till 1793, when they were all removed to Northampton. It was supposed that this would have an injurious effect upon the
38
298
TOLLAND.
place. The armory was established here the next year, and which undoubtedly contributed to prevent any injurious effects from being apparent. Upon the organization of Hampden county, Springfield again became a shire town, and the courts were re-established here in 1813.
The following inscriptions were copied from monuments in the ancient grave-yard in this place :
HERE LYETH THE BODY OF MARI, THE WIFE OF ELIZVR HOLYOKE, WHO DIED OCTOBER 26, 1657.
Shee yt. lyes here was while she stood A very glory of womanhood ; Even here was sowne most pretious dvst, Which surely shall rise with the jvst.
Here lyeth the body of Iohn Glover, son of Mr. Pelatiah Glover, who died ye 14th of January, 1664.
My body sleepes, my sovle hath sviet rest In armes of God, in Christ, who makes me blest ; The tyme drawes on apace when God the Sonne To see his face shall both vnite in one.
Here lies interr'd the body of Mr. John Mallefuild, a French gentleman, who, pass- ing through the town of Springfield, dying, bequeathed all his estate to the poor of_this town. He died Nov. 26, 1711. Psal. 41, 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor.
In memory of the Rev. Robert Breck, A. M., late pastor of the church of Christ in this place, who died on the 23d day of April, A. D. 1784, in the 71st year of his age, & in the 49th of his ministry .- This monument is erected by his affectionate and grateful parishioners, in addition to that in their breasts, to perpetuate the remembrance of his singular worth & long continued labors among them in the service of their souls.
He taught us how to live, & Oh ! too high A price for knowledge ! taught us how to die.
TOLLAND.
THIS town was incorporated in 1810; it was taken from Gran- ville and Sandisfield, and what was formerly called Southfield. The Congregational church in this town was organized in 1797, and consisted of 70 members. The Rev. Roger Harrison was ordained here in 1798, and resigned in 1822. He was succeeded by Rev. Bennet F. Northrop in 1827, who resigned the next year. The celebrated missionary, Gordon Hall, was a native of this town.
This township is on elevated land, which is adapted for grazing. Considerable quantities of butter and cheese are produced. It is watered by Farmington river, the western boundary of the town, which is here a beautiful and lively stream. In 1837 the value of shovels, spades, forks or hoes manufactured here was $3,500. Population, 570. Distance, 20 miles from Springfield, and 110 from Boston.
299
WESTFIELD.
WALES.
THIS town was formerly called South Brimfield. It received its name from James Wales, Esq., one of the principal men of the town. About 30 years since the population was divided between the Baptists, Universalists, and Congregationalists. A short time previously, the three denominations united in building a meeting- house, each to occupy it according to the amount of taxes paid by each. Rev. Mr. Coddington was the first Baptist minister ; the Rev. Mr. Eveleth was the next pastor. A Congregational church was or- ganized here in 1819, which consisted of about 12 persons ; it is now (1838) about extinct. The Methodists have a meeting-house in the central part of the town.
The village in the center of the town consists of about 25 or 30 dwelling-houses and two churches. It is situated at the northern extremity of a pond, about three fourths of a mile in length and about half a mile in breadth. In 1837 there was a woollen mill, with 2 sets of machinery ; 36,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $32,400. The value of boots and shoes manufactured (boots 6,230, shoes 9,053 pairs) was $27,743; males employed, 42 ; females, 5. The value of palm-leaf hats manufactured was $1,500. Population, 738. Distance, about 20 miles from Springfield, and 67 from Boston.
WESTFIELD.
THE Indian name of Westfield was Warronoco, (or Kee, ) and was incorporated in 1669, Edward Tyng being magistrate of the Massachusetts colony. It was first proposed to call it Streamfield, because situated between two streams, but upon further conside- ration it was called Westfield, because it was nearly west from Boston, the metropolis of the colony, and also the most westerly plantation in New England. It is difficult to determine in what precise year the first permanent settlement was made in this town, though probably between 1658 and 1650. At a town meeting held in Springfield, Dec., 1658, a tract of land in Warronoco was granted to Thomas Cooper, on condition he commenced improve- ments upon said land in twelve months and continued them five years. This tract was situated over West river, probably not far from the county bridge. A similar grant was made in 1660 to Dea. S. Chapman, of land adjoining Cooper's. In 1661, a grant was made to. Capt. Pynchon, Robert Ashley, and George Colton, of a tract of upland meadow, probably lying between the rivers. It hence appears that Warronoco belonged to Springfield. It was included in the original grant made to the first settlers of that town by the king of England. It was first settled by families from Springfield. The following is among the early records of that town: "Feb. 7, 1664. At a general town meeting, Capt. Pynchon, Major Holyoke, and Messrs. Ely, Colton, and Cooley, were chosen a standing committee, to have the sole power to order matters con-
300
WESTFIELD.
cerning Warronoco, both for admittance of inhabitants and to grant lands, or for any other business that may concern that place and conduce to its becoming a town of itself." Some to whom grants of land were made, forfeited their lands by a non-compliance with the conditions of the grantors. Lands were confirmed to those who continued their improvements five years. According to the re- cords, the following persons had confirmed titles : George and Isaac Phelps, Capt. Cook, Mr. Cornish, Thomas Dewey, J. Noble, David Ashley, John Holyoke, John Ponder, and John Ingersoll. These men lived near the confluence of Great and Little rivers. They took up their residence here about 1666, as appears from the following facts. Meetings were first held here in 1667 on the Sabbath. The first English child born here was Benj. Saxton, who died in 1754, aged 88 years, and was therefore born in 1666.
Mention is made of the establishment of a trading-house at the confluence of the two rivers, by three young men, some years pre- vious to a permanent settlement. They spent one summer here, and were never heard of afterward. It was supposed that they were cut off by the Indians. Each inhabitant owned a separate tract of land, but seem at first to have lived to a certain extent in common. They had a fort near the junction of the rivers, as sup- posed, a few rods west of Harrison's tavern. In this they lodged every night, and fled to it by day in case of alarm. It seems from the records that a tract of land two miles in circuit about the fort was strongly enclosed. Within this enclosure they had all their dwellings. Houses were occupied as forts in different parts of the town until after the French war in 1757. Warronoco was at first nine miles long and three wide; additions were made to it until it included what is now Westfield, Southwick, and Russell.
Westfield is situated eight miles west of Connecticut river, sepa- rated from it by West Springfield. Little river comes in from the west, and Westfield river from the north-west; they unite half a mile east of the meeting-house. The central part of the town has the appearance of having once been a lake, and by geologists acquainted with the country is supposed to have been at some re- mote period covered with water. It is surrounded by an abrupt bank, from 20 to 70 feet in height. The bank in some places is clayey, in others gravelly, and in others rocky. The lake must have been about seven miles in length, from north-west to south- east, and nearly three in width at the widest place. Westfield furnishes a greater variety of vegetable productions than most towns, on account of having such varieties of soil : sandy plains, mountains, meadows, and swamps. There are about 60 varieties of meadow grass, some of which have been found nowhere besides in North America. Alders, poplars, and willows, blossom about the middle of March. Chesnut fencing-stuff is brought from the neighboring mountains, and lumber from the towns west and north. The elm, buttonwood, and maple grow luxuriantly in this valley.
Westfield is a considerable village of about two hundred build-
301
WESTFIELD.
Southern vien in the central part of Westfield.
ings, including stores and mechanic shops. The engraving shows the appearance of the central part of the village, as it is entered from the south. The building appearing on the extreme right is the Westfield Academy ; the two next buildings north are the old and new town-houses. The new one, which is surmounted by a small tower, was erected the present year, (1838). The Congre- gational church and the Hampden Bank, with four pillars, fronting the south, are seen beyond; the spire of the Baptist church is seen in the distance. A small enclosed common, oval in its form, is in the central part of the area, around which the public build- ings are situated; it is newly set out with shade trees, and will add to the beauty of the place. A range of stores, where a considera- ble part of the mercantile business of the place is done, is immedi- ately north of the Congregational church, fronting the common, but from the point where the above view was taken they could not be seen. This place is 9 miles from Springfield, 17 from Northampton, 28 from Hartford, Con., 60 from New Haven, Con., and 97 from Boston. The New Haven and Northampton canal passes through the village, a few rods eastward of the buildings seen in the engraving. The manufacture of whips is the principal mechanical business of the town. In 1837, there were thirteen whip manufactories ; value of whips manufactured was $153,000; 154 males and 410 females were employed in this business. Forty persons were engaged in the manufacture of cigars, the value of which was $11,000. There were three powder-mills, which manu- factured 20,000 kegs of powder, the value of which was $50,000. Population, 3,039.
Westfield Academy was chartered in 1796, and opened for the admission of students in Jan. 1800. The following gentlemen have been preceptors. Those in Italics became clergymen. Peter Starr, Henry C. Martendale, (since a member of congress,) Lyman
302
WESTFIELD.
Strong, Alfred Perry, M. D., Horatio Waldo, Saul Clark, Theodore North, Sylvester Selden, Francis L. Robbins, Samuel M. Emerson, Alfred Stearns, Charles Jenkins, Stephen Taylor, Flavel S. Gay- lord, George W. Bendict, now professor of mathematics, &c. in Vermont University, Elnathan Gridley, now missionary to Pales- tine, Alvan Wheeler, M. D., Emerson Davis, and Parsons Cooke. All are graduates of Williams college except Elnathan Gridley, who graduated at Yale. The building has two school-rooms on the lower floor, and on the other a large hall and lecture-room. The institution is furnished with a sufficient quantity of chemical and philosophical apparatus for illustrating the general principles of those sciences. There is also a respectable collection of mine- rals for the use of the academy. Instruction is given in the depart- ment of natural history to those who wish. About 3 000 have been educated at this academy since its establishment.
Meetings were first held on the Sabbath in this town in 1667. Mr. Holyoke, son of Major I. Holyoke, of Springfield, conducted them. After him a Mr. Fiske preached here as a candidate for settlement. People were called together on the Sabbath by the beat of the drum. A man was employed for that purpose, and was paid 25 shillings per year. The first meeting-house stood near Jedediah Taylor, Esqr.'s. A second house was built in 1720, which was destroyed by fire. In 1678 permission was granted by the governor of Massachusetts colony to organize a church in Warronoco. Mr. Edward Taylor was a candidate for settlement. A council was convened on the last Wednesday of June, 1679, the church organized, and Mr. Taylor was ordained pastor. One of Mr. Taylor's daughters married Mr. Stiles, and was the mother of President Stiles, of Yale college. Mr. T. was a man eminently devoted to the work of the minis- try. Besides performing the duties of a pastor and managing his domestic concerns, he left in manuscript 14 quarto volumes, closely written, of about 400 pages each. He died June 29, 1729, in the 50th year of his ministry. On account of the infirmi- ties of age he had not preached for four or five years. His successor was the Rev. Nehemiah Bull, who was ordained Oct. 1726. During Mr. Bull's ministry a mission to the Housatonic Indians was commenced. Mr. Hopkins, of West Springfield, labored among them, but, being taken sick, Mr. Bull, of Westfield, and Williams, of Deerfield, were appointed by Gov. Belcher, in 1734, to superintend the mission. They procured the Rev. J. Sargeant, then a tutor in Yale college. There was at that time, 1735, only one house between here and Sheffield. Mr. Bull, after having introduced Mr. Sargeant to the Indians, remained some days, and baptized the first Indian con- vert. The Rev. John Ballantine succeeded Mr. Bull, and was ordained in June, 1741. He died Feb. 1776. Rev. Noah Atwater, a native of Hamden, New Haven Co., Con., succeeded Mr. Ballantine ; was ordained in 1781. He died in 1802. He was a dis- tinguished scholar and learned divine. He never preached the same sermon to his people twice, always kept twenty sermons ahead, and completed his two sermons for the Sabbath on Tuesday evening. He always rose before sunrise at all seasons of the year. He was a man of a philosophical mind. Most of his papers fell into the hands of the late President Dwight. His successor was the Rev. Isaac Knapp, a native of Norfolk, Con. He was ordained over this church in 1803.
The Baptist society of Westfield was organized in 1784. Rev. Adam Hamilton was the first pastor of this church. He was a native of England, and for a long time highly esteemed. On account of misconduct he lost his reputation, and was rejected from the fellowship of the Baptist churches. He died at Chesterfield, and it is chari- tably hoped he was a true penitent for some years before his death. In consequence of Mr. Hamilton's conduct the church became nearly extinct ; but they revived again, and a new church was organized in 1806. In 1807, the Rev. Azariah Hawkes was ordained pastor of the society, and continued his labors about two and a half years, then removed to Euclid, Ohio. After this, the Rev. Caleb Green preached for some time ; in 1819 he was dismissed. Rev. David Wright succeeded Mr. Green, and was ordained Nov. 1819.
The following, relating principally to the depredations of the Indians upon this town, is copied from " A Historical Sketch of
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