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 42
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336
PLAINFIELD.
adjoining towns. Indeed, the summit of East Hill, on which is the principal village, may be considered as level through nearly the whole breadth of the town. The soil is good and strong, and well adapted for grass. The township is exceedingly well supplied with springs and rivulets. There are no large streams in the town. Mill Brook is the largest. There are two ponds, both in the north- west part of the town: the North Pond, which is about a mile long and half a mile wide, and the Crooked Pond, so called from its figure. The scenery around these ponds is wild, and may perhaps be said to partake of the gloomy; for here, for the most part, the forests have never been touched, and nature, in all her wildness,
Still on her bosom wears the enamel'd vest, That bloomed and budded on her youthful breast.
The waters of the North Pond empty into the Deerfield river at Charlemont, while those of the Crooked Pond empty into the South Pond in Windsor, which is the head of one of the branches of Westfield river. The North Pond is dotted with islands, and is a favorite place of resort for anglers and parties of pleasure; and both have peculiar attractions to the botanist, as some very rare and interesting aquatic plants are found on the shores and in the water. In 1837, there were two woollen mills; 20,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $13,000; there were 238 Saxony, 1,775 merino, and 1,759 other kinds of sheep; the value of wool produced was $5,379 36; there were manufactured 48,000 palm-leaf hats, valued at $8,900. Population, 865. Distance, 20 miles N. W. of Northampton, and 110 W. by N. of Boston.
" Rev. James Richards and Rev. William Richards, American missionaries, were of this town, and sons of Dea. James Richards. They were both graduates of Williams college. The first mention- ed sailed, in 1815, for the East Indies, where he arrived after a prosperous voyage of 5 months. The period of his labors was short, for his constitution soon sunk by undue exposure to the in- fluence of a tropical climate. He died at Tillipaly, in Ceylon, Aug. 3, 1822, aged 38 years. Rev. William Richards was ordain- ed missionary at New Haven, Sept. 12, 1822, from which place he sailed, with his wife, for the Sandwich Islands, Nov. 19, of the same year, where he arrived in April, 1823. His labors appear to have been very acceptable and useful. He resides in the village of Lahaina, (in the island of Maui, ) one of the most delightful spots in the Sandwich Islands."
The following account of the Mountain Miller was taken from the History of Plainfield, by Dr. Jacob Porter, page 40.
" Deacon Joseph Beals, who will be known through the future ages of the church as the Mountain Miller, was a native of Bridge- water, in this state, and removed with his family to this place in 1779. Here, in 1789, a year of great scarcity, he met with a severe affliction, the loss of his house and nearly all his provisions by a fire. Previous to this, he had been depending on his exter-
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337
PRESCOTT.
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nal morality for salvation, considering a change as unnecessary. He now found that he could not truly submit to the will of God, and betook himself to the seeking of his salvation in earnest. After a season of distressing anxiety, the Savior was pleased to reveal himself to his soul as 'the chief among ten thousand and alto- gether lovely,' and he suddenly broke forth in new strains of de- votion, penitence, and praise, for redeeming love. From this time he consecrated himself to the service of his Savior, and became distinguished for his meekness and humility, his life of prayer, his exemplary deportment at all times and in all places, particularly in the house of God, his abiding sense of the uncertainty of life and the retributions of eternity, his preciousness to the awakened sinner, his care for the spiritual welfare of his family and of all with whom the providence of God brought him in contact, his perseverance in doing good, and his uniform and consistent piety. 'His conversation would never tire, and it seemed that he was ne- ver tired of religious conversation.' He died after a short sickness, July 20, 1813. 'His body,' says the writer of the tract, 'was in- terred in the grave-yard, near his accustomed place of worship, where a plain, neat marble slab, bearing his name, age, and date of his death, is erected as the only memorial of the Mountain Miller.' A notice of his death was inserted in the county newspaper, with this expressive and appropriate remark : 'His presence animated the Christian and awed the sinner;' which would have been his whole recorded story, had not some special indications of Provi- dence convinced the writer of this narrative of his duty to commu- nicate it, for the benefit, he trusts, of thousands. The pious tra- veller will hereafter delight to visit the place, consecrated by the residence of the Mountain Miller, to drink at the spring by the road-side, bursting from the rock and shaded by the two beautiful sugar maples, where he so often drank in passing between his house and mill, and, above all, to linger at the grave of this most devoted servant of the Most High. From this spot flowers have already been culled, and sent to different parts of this country and of Europe." The tract entitled the Mountain Miller, written by William A. Hallock, was first published by the American Tract Society, in 1831, and has since gone through numerous editions, and in various languages.
PRESCOTT.
THIS town was incorporated in 1822, previous to which it form- ed a part of Pelham. Rev. Ebenezer Brown was installed pastor here in 1827, and resigned in 1835. The Rev. Job Cushman, his successor, was installed here the same year. A church formerly existed in this town while it was a part of Pelham, over which two ministers were settled, Matthias Cazier and Sebastian C. Cabot.
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338
SOUTH HADLEY.
This church became extinct. The church was re-organized in 1823, with 12 members.
This town is watered by several branches of Swift river, which is a principal branch of the Chicopee. The principal article of manufacture is palm-leaf hats, of which, in 1837, 50,000 were manufactured, valued at $10,000. Population, 788. Distance, 16 miles from Northampton, 8 from Amherst, and 76 from Boston.
SOUTH HADLEY. 1
THIS town was originally a parish in Hadley ; it was incorpo- rated as a town in 1753. "This town was settled as early as 1721 by a few families from Hadley. It was then called the South Precinct in Hadley. The first settlers for some time continued to attend public worship on the Sabbath in Hadley, a distance of about 7 or 8 miles. In 1733 the first town meeting as a sepa- rate district was held, and it was resolved that a meeting-house, the frame of which was put up the year before, should be in part finished. The building, however, was not completed until the close of the year 1737. The families were few in number and indi- gent in their circumstances, and the house was principally built by their personal labor; it was not large, containing only nine pews in the body of it. A gallery was subsequently added. There was no steeple or bell. The people were called together at the ap- pointed hour of public worship by the " blowing of a conch shell." The house still remains, and is occupied as a dwelling-house, on the north side of the common. In consequence of the house being too small to accommodate the people, at the meeting of the town in March, 1750, a vote was passed to build a new house, 55 feet in length and 45 in breadth, to be placed as near the old one as might conveniently be done, and as near the center of the town as possi- ble. The difficulty of locating the house was almost without a parallel. It was not till thirteen years afterwards that the question was settled, during which more than fifty meetings for the purpose of agreeing on the place were held. It was finally settled by lot. The lot fixed the place where the meeting-house of the first parish now stands. A part being dissatisfied, a council of ministers was called, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Williams of Longmeadow, Rev. Mr. Breck of Springfield, Rev. Mr. Ballantine of Westfield, and Rev. Mr. Lathrop of West Springfield, who decided that both par- ties were under moral obligation to abide by the lot. The first pastor of the church in South Hadley was Rev. Grindall Rawson, who was settled in 1733. A grant of land, called the " Proprietors' Land," was set off to this town on its first settlement, by the town of Hadley, for the use of the ministry, on condition that the people should settle among them "a good orthodox minister." By a vote of the precinct, at their first meeting, this land was appropriated to Mr. Rawson. Rev. John Woodbridge, the successor of Mr. Raw-
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SOUTH HADLEY.
son, was installed pastor in 1742. He died in 1783, aged 80. He was succeeded in the ministry by Rev. Joel Hays, who was settled in 1782. Rev. Artemas Boies, the next minister, was settled in 1824, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph D. Condit, in 1835. Rev. Flavel Griswold was the first pastor of the second or Canal church. He was installed pastor in 1828; Rev. William Tyler succeeded him in 1832.
The soil in this township is light, warm, and in many places very productive. Considerable attention is paid by the farmers in this town to the raising of sheep. There is considerable water- power in the town, much of which is yet unimproved. The manu- facture of paper, satinet, and other articles, forms an important branch of business in this place. There is a canal in this town, two miles long, on the east side of Connecticut river, and a dam across the river of 1100 feet, which is constructed to overcome a fall in the river of 50 feet. This dam produces a water-power of great extent. The canal has five locks, and a cut through solid rock of 40 feet in depth and 300 in length. The amount of tolls on the canal is from 10 to $18,000 annually.
Northern vien of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary.
The above is a northern view of "Mount Holyoke Female Semi- nary," in the central village of South Hadley, 6 miles from North- ampton, and 13 from. Springfield, which is now about opening for the reception of scholars. This institution is designed entirely for young ladies. " The design is to give a solid, extensive, and well- balanced English education, connected with that general improve- ment, that moral culture, and those enlarged views of duty, which will prepare ladies to be educators of children and youth." One leading object in this seminary is to raise up female teachers. This institution is designed to be permanent, and to be placed on as lasting foundations as the colleges in our country for the other sex. An act of incorporation has been obtained, and a self-perpetu- ating board of trustees appointed. The institution is designed to furnish the best facilities for education at a very moderate expense. One very important feature in the system to be adopted here, is,
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SOUTH HADLEY.
that all the teachers and pupils, without a single exception, will constitute but one family, and all the pupils are to perform a part of the domestic work of the family. The place for an institution of this kind is well chosen, being easy of access, and at the same time removed from the evils attendant on a seminary of learning being located in a populous place. The view from the upper sto- ries of the seminary is commanding and interesting. At the north, the towering heights of Mount Tom and Holyoke, rising in gran- deur at the distance of two or three miles; the gorge between the two mountains, through which the Connecticut passes; the beauti- ful interval on which Northampton is situated, seen beyond, pre- sent a scene which is rarely equalled. There are 3 churches, 1 Congregational in the center, 1 Congregational and 1 Methodist in the village at the falls, on the south border of the town. Popu- lation of the town, 1,400.
In 1837, there were two woollen mills, 3 sets of machinery ; 60,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, the value of which was $45,000. There were three paper mills ; stock manufactured, 1,250 tons ; value of paper, $161,500; males employed, 43; females, 41 ; capital invested, $100,000. Two pearl button manufactories ; 18,000 gross of buttons were manufactured, valued at $8,500; males employed, 13; females, 18; capital invested, $4,200. The value of leather tanned and curried was $18;400.
Mount Holyoke, on the northern borders of this town, rises 830 feet above the level of the Connecticut at its base, and from its summit presents probably the richest view in America in point of cultivation and fertile beauty, and is quite a place of fashionable resort. " It is a part of a mountain ridge of greenstone, commencing with West Rock, near New Haven, and proceeding northerly, in- terrupted by only occasional valleys, across the whole of Connec- ticut, until it enters Massachusetts between West Springfield and Southwick, and proceeds along the west line of the first-named place, and along the east line of Westfield, Easthampton, and Northampton, to the banks of Connecticut. Until it reaches East- hampton its elevation is small; but there it suddenly mounts up to the height of a thousand feet, and forms Mount Tom. The ridge crosses Connecticut in a north-east direction, and curving still more to the east, passes along the dividing line of Amherst and South Hadley, until it terminates ten miles from the river in the north-west part of Belchertown. All that part of the ridge east of the river is called Holyoke; though the prospect house is erected near its south- western extremity, opposite Northampton and near the Connecticut."
The following view is from Mt. Holyoke, showing the appearance of the curve of the Connecticut, sometimes called the Ox-bow, which gracefully sweeps round a circuit of three miles without advancing its ocean course a hundred rods. "In the view from Holyoke we have the grand and beautiful united ; the latter, how- ever, greatly predominating." "On the west is seen, a little elevated above the general level, the populous village of Northampton, with its elegant public and private buildings ; a little more to the right
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SOUTHAMPTON.
View from the summit of Mount Holyoke.
the neat and substantial villages of Hadley and Hatfield; and still further east and more distant, Amherst, with its college, gymnasium and academy, on a commanding eminence, form a pleasant resting place to the eye. On the south is seen the village of South Hadley. Springfield and other places south indistinctly visible along the banks of the Connecticut, and even the spires of the churches in Hartford may be seen in good weather, just rising above the trees. With a telescope the elevated peaks in the vicinity of New Haven may be seen. Facing the south-west, the observer has before him the ridge called Mount Tom, which rises one or two hundred feet higher than Holyoke." "In the north-west the Graylock may be seen peering above the Hoosic, and still farther north the Green mountains shoot up beyond the region of clouds. Near at hand, in the valley of the Connecticut, are seen the insulated Sugar-loaf and Toby presenting their fantastic outlines ; while far in the north- east rises in insulated grandeur the cloud-capt Monadnoc." "Pro- bably, under favorable circumstances, not less than 30 churches, in as many towns, are visible from Holyoke. The north and south diameter of the field of vision there can scarcely be less than 150 miles."
SOUTHAMPTON.
THIS town was incorporated in 1753, previous to which it was a part or precinct of Northampton. The first persons who took up their residence in this plantation were Judah Hutchinson and Thomas Porter, in 1732; the next year fourteen other settlers came into the place. Some families had resided in the north part of the town, in 'Pomeroy's meadow ; they belonged however to the old town till after a meeting-house was built in the south pre- cinct. Between 1733 and 1740, fourteen families removed to the place. The first meeting of freeholders qualified to vote in
342
WARE.
precinct affairs was held in 1741. On the 8th of June, 1743, the first church was organized, and Rev. Jonathan Judd was ordained pastor at the same time; and on the same day Waitstill Strong and John Clark were chosen deacons. The clergymen at his ordination were Messrs. Edwards of Northampton, Hopkins of West Springfield, Woodbridge of South Hadley, Parsons of East Hadley, Williams of Hadley, Woodbridge of Hatfield, and Ballan- tine of Westfield. "It was requested that each should bring a messenger with him." Mr. Edwards preached the sermon, which was afterwards published. Mr. Judd had for settlement 200 acres of land, 100 pounds old tenor, and 125 pounds, old tenor, to be expended in work on his house. His salary for the first three years was 130 pounds, old tenor, per annum, and five pounds a year to be added till it reached 170 pounds. At the next meeting it was voted to give him his wood; "and we will give him more according to our ability." His house during the Indian troubles was fortified .* Mr. Judd died in 1803, aged 83. Rev. Vinson Gould, his successor, was ordained colleague pastor in 1801, and resigned in 1832. His successor, Rev. Morris E. White, was set- tled the same year.
The Manhan river, which rises in Westhampton, passes twice through this town, first from north to south, into Westfield, and then, returning, passes north-east, into Easthampton, affording water privileges. There is a small village in the central part of the town, containing a Congregational church and an academy. The New Haven and Northampton canal passes through this place. Agriculture is the principal business of the inhabitants. Population, 1,216. Distance, 8 miles from Northampton, and 97 from Boston. Several interesting minerals are found here ; and indications of a rich lead mine, so promising that a company was incorporated, with a capital of $200,000, in order to work it. The success of the undertaking however did not equal the expec- tation of the projectors. At this time, this mine, which is situated in the northern part of the town, is not worked.
WARE.
THIS town was incorporated in 1761. " Ware remained unset- tled for many years after the adjoining towns were settled, the soil being so hard and rough that it was considered unfit for cultiva- tion. At an early period nearly the whole territory now comprised in the town was granted by the general court to a military com- pany from Narragansett, as a reward for expelling the Indians from that vicinity. So little value was placed upon it by the com-
*During this period a number of soldiers were stationed in this town, for the defence of the inhabitants. In August, 1747, Elisha Clark was killed by the Indians, when he was thrashing in his barn. Noah Pixley was also killed in this town during the French and Indian wars.
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WARE.
pany, that they shortly after sold it to John Reed, Esq., of Boston, for two coppers per acre; yet it is now one of the most flourishing towns in this part of the state." The first church in this town was formed in 1757. Rev. Grindall Rawson, the first clergyman, was settled in 1751, and resigned in 1754; Rev. Ezra Thayer, his successor, was settled in 1759, and died in 1775. Rev. Benjamin Judd, the next minister, was settled in 1785; he resigned in 1787, and was succeeded by Rev. Reuben Moss, who was settled in 1792, and died in 1809. Rev. Samuel Ware, the next minister, was set- tled in 1810; resigned in 1826, and was succeeded by Rev. Augus- tus B. Reed, the same year. The second or village church was organized in 1826. Rev. Parsons Cooke was settled in the same year. His successor, Rev. Cyrus Yale, was installed pastor in 1835, and resigned in 1837. -
South-western view of Ware Village.
The above is a south-western view of Ware village, as seen from near the Northampton road. "This village is situated in the eastern part of the town, on Ware river, a large and powerful stream, rising in the western part of Worcester county. A great change has taken place at the falls of the river in this town within a short period; a flourishing village has arisen, containing, it is sup- posed, at this time, upwards of 1,500 inhabitants, where a few years since was but a wilderness. The Ware Manufacturing Com- pany was incorporated February, 1822, with a capital of $525,000. There is a bank in the village, the " Hampshire Manufacturers Bank," with a capital of $150,000. In 1837, there were 2 cotton mills, 6,544 spindles ; cotton consumed, 516,000 lbs. ; cotton goods manufactured, 1,450,000 yards, valued at $160,000 ; males employ- cd, 62 ; females, 200; capital invested, $200,000. There were 2 woollen mills, 11 sets of woollen machinery ; 270,000 lbs. of wool were consumed; 230,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $280,000; males employed, 77; females, 80; capital invested, $200,000. There were manufactured 867 pairs of boots, and
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WILLIAMSBURG.
61,623 pairs of shoes, valued at $53,164. Straw bonnets manu- factured, 85,000, valued at $114,832; palm-leaf hats manufactur- ed, 79,200, valued at $10,870; value of augers manufactured, $4,500. Population, 2,403. Distance, 25 miles from Northamp- ton, 23 from Springfield, 27 to Worcester, 44 to Hartford, Con., and 67 to Boston.
WESTHAMPTON.
THIS town was incorporated in 1778. The first settlement of this town began about the year 1767. Lemuel Strong, the oldest son of Noah Strong, (in 1817 the oldest man in the town, ) is sup- posed to have been the first child born in this town. In 1779 there were about sixty families and three hundred souls in the town. The first minister, Rev. Enoch Hale, was settled here in 1779; he died 1837, aged 83. Mr. Hale was the brother of Capt. Nathan Hale of Connecticut, the martyr to American liberty, who was executed as a spy in 1775, aged 22. The successor of Mr. Hale in the ministry was Rev. Horace B. Chapin, who settled here in 1829, and resigned in 1837; his successor was Rev. Amos Drury, who was installed pastor the same year.
This is principally an agricultural town. In 1837, there were 170 Saxony, 944 merino, and 1,404 other kinds of sheep; average weight of fleece, 22 lbs. ; value of wool, $3,205; capital invested, $7,204. Population, 818. Distance, 8 miles from Northampton, 8 from Williamsburg, and 100 from Boston.
WILLIAMSBURG.
THIS town was incorporated in 1771. The first Congregational minister settled in this place was Rev. Amos Butler, a native of Hartford, Con .; this was in 1773; he died in 1777, at the age of twenty-nine years. Mr. Butler was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Strong, in 1781. Mr. Strong died Jan. 1st, 1803, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Henry Lord in 1804. His successor was Rev. William Lusk, who was installed here in 1836.
A considerable stream passes through this town, and unites with the Connecticut at Northampton, affording good water-power for manufacturing purposes. The following is a southern view of the central part of Williamsburg. The Methodist church recently erected is seen on the left; the Congregational church is seen on the right, southerly of which is the bridge over the mill stream passing through the village. In the central part of the engraving is seen in the extreme distance the spire of the old Congregational church, situated about half a mile northward from the central part of the village. This was built more than fifty years ago.
345
WORTHINGTON.
Southern view of Williamsburg.
This village is 8 miles from Northampton, and 103 from Boston. Population, 1,345.
The Williamsburg woollen, linen and cotton manufactory was incorporated in 1825, with a capital of $250,000. In 1837, there were 3 woollen mills; 42,150 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $69,235 ; males employed, 26; females, 25; capital in- vested, $33,700; value of flexible and japan buttons manufactured, $102,500; hands employed, 13 males and 105 females; capital invested, $39,000; value of axes manufactured, $6,106; value of augers, bitts, and bitt-stocks manufactured, $2,310; value of gimblets, screw-drivers, and punches manufactured, $4,066.
WORTHINGTON.
THIS town was incorporated in 1768. The Rev. Jonathan Hunt- ington appears to have been the first minister in the place. He died in 1780, aged 48; his successor in the ministry was Rev. Josiah Spaulding, who died in 1803; the next minister was Rev. Jonathan L. Pomeroy, who died in 1836, aged 67. The next minister was Rev. Henry Adams, who was settled in 1833.
This township occupies an elevated situation near the center of the Green mountain range, upon its eastern declivity. The waters in this township are discharged into the Connecticut by the Westfield river, the principal branch of which washes the south-west boun- dary of the town, and other branches pass through the middle and north-east parts. It is one of the best townships of land in this vicinity ; the surface is handsome and pleasant, and much of the soil rich and productive, producing grain, fruits, &c. In 1837, there were in this town 9,050 merino sheep; wool produced. 27,000 lbs .; average weight of fleece, 3 lbs. ; value of wool, $16,875 ; capi- tal invested, $25,000; value of curtains manufactured, $10,125 ; 44
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