History and tradition of Shelburne, Massachusetts, Part 33

Author:
Publication date: 1958
Publisher: Springfield, Ma. : History & tradition of Shelburne Committee
Number of Pages: 232


USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Shelburne > History and tradition of Shelburne, Massachusetts > Part 33


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Of his house, Fred Dole tells us, "the large timbers were all hand-hewn, though some rafters were sawed ; planks were used for studdings between rooms with the old hand split laths; the floors were all wide, matched boards, many of which are still in use ; and like most of the earlier homes a cellar hole was put under part of the house and this one partly drilled out of a ledge. Originally there was a chimney base in the center of the house about eight feet square with three fireplaces on the first floor and one on the sec- ond. When the chimney required reconstruction some of the fireplaces were removed. The hardware of the doors was made of hammered iron." (These char- acteristics are representative of other old Shelburne houses. )


With many exterior changes - removal of the large central chimney, clapboards shingled, addition of front porch and three rooms to the original eleven when the roof of the east wing was raised to convert the house into two apartments - the house gives the impression of youth. Its true age is revealed only when the front door is opened into the little entry hall showing the attractive narrow stairway with its three- turn winders of steps.


ABNER PECK'S HOUSE - With his wife and four children, William E. Bardwell (born 1791) moved in 1823 or 182+ from New York State to the present Abner Peck farm with its inspiring scenery. Baby Oscar's special compartment on the long trip was a big brass cauldron.


The present house with its low ceilings, wide floor boards, chair rails, and some remaining small-paned window sashes, might lead one to suspect it was built


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before or at the time the Bardwells arrived. On the contrary, it was erected at a much later date, having been built by William Bardwell's son, Oscar, in 1869. Perhaps the new house was joined to a room or two of its predecessor. Obviously, woodwork from the old house was utilized. That same year the sheep barn was built. Years ago the original barn, which was across the road from the house, was burned when struck by lightning.


Oscar Bardwell spent most of his life on this farm. In 1852 he married Hannah, daughter of the Pecks who lived next door. His second wife, Amanda Whit- ing, widow of Captain Henry Kellogg, had a son to whom the following newspaper item of May 12. 1879, gives the credit of installing Shelburne's first telephone of the exclusive Peckville line. "They have a telephone in Peckville extending half a mile from Deacon Peck's to Oscar Bardwell's, a branch wire con- necting also with Abner Peck's. It is a very social and entertaining mode of communing with neighbors and we wonder that so few people avail themselves of it. as the expense is small."


It was in 1884 that Charles Fiske purchased the Oscar Bardwell farm, where he lived with his family for over thirty years.


Two families followed as resident owners before the Pecks purchased the house. Now the hilltop dwell- ing is the home of the Abner Peck family.


LYNDON PECK'S HOUSE - The first Peck of Peck- ville was Abner, son of Abner, Sr., who settled in South Shelburne on Dragon Brook, presumably at the beginning of the 19th century. He did not come to Shelburne with his father. From Lyme, Connecticut, he went to Leverett, Massachusetts, and from there to the northeast district of Shelburne, later called Peck- ville.


Guarded by large maple trees, a long house, stretch- ing its wings east and west, has always been the home of Pecks - Albert, Austin, and Lyndon, the present owner.


Albert Peck, who bought Dr. Packard's estate and lived there a number of years, moved back to Peck- ville and built the main part of his house close to his paternal home. "Biographical Review." gives the year 1875, but since he deeded the "Packard place" to Zenas Bardwell in 1866 and a newspaper item of June 1868 states, "Albert Peck is building a house this summer," it is apparent he moved from "The Packard Place" that year instead of 1875.


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Albert Peck's father (Abner Peck. Sr.) deeded his son a part of his farm. Also he gave him a portion of his house. That portion, moved over to become a west wing of Albert Peck's home, is the only part of Lyndon Peck's house, one hundred, or more. years old.


A newspaper item of July 1872 states, "Deacon A. Peck has added a wing and a piazza to his house."


The east wing was added when Albert Peck's only son, Austin, was married to Ellen Newhall. After the marriage of his sisters (Lucy and Harriet) and the death of his parents. Austin Peck occupied more


of the house, which continued to be the home of his sister, Julia, who wrote stories for children.


Upon the marriage of his son, Lyndon, the house again accommodated two families.


Now. besides the Lyndon Peck family, the Peck home has the fifth generation - Henry Michael and Dorothy Peck Smith, with a daughter and a son.


NORTHEAST SHELBURNE


OLD SHEARER HOUSE IN NORTHEAST SHELBURNE - Now Worth Root's. Next to Colrain in Northeast Shelburne is the old Shearer house, somewhat modern- ized since its erection.


The following notes, copied from William Taylor's items at the Town Office, give us a brief historical introduction to the background of the Shearer farm.


"Thomas R. Shearer in January 1888 said his grandfather. Thomas Shearer was born in Palmer and died in Colrain. His great grandfather came from Scotland. His father was Wallace Shearer, and the Shelburne farm was formerly owned by Oliver Clark, then by Eben Bardwell, and from him it passed into the hands of his uncle. Thomas Shearer about 80 years ago (making it about 1808), and then into the possession of his father Wallace Shearer."


Thomas Rockwell Shearer, called "Rock" Shearer, was the father of Russell and Raymond, who jointly operated the farm after their father's death until 1939, when it was sold to the present owner, Worth Root.


From Mr. Taylor's notes we gather the first Shearer to own the farm was "Rock" Shearer's Uncle Thomas ; however, a living descendant believes the word "uncle" an error, and it ought to have been written grand- father, or perhaps a line stating his grandfather's own- ership was omitted ; also that he came from Connecti- cut to Shelburne.


Russell Shearer tells us the original house of his ancestors, which he believes his great-grandfather Shearer built, was constructed of logs. It stood in Colrain about twenty rods east of the present dwell- ing near a well on the road leading to the old Baxter Bardwell farm (later Johnson's). Foundation stones of the log house gradually were removed when plow- ing the spot. The log house was the home while the main part of the present house was being built about 1820 (date obtained from Russell Shearer's aunt). In its construction the northwest corner overstepped the town line into Colrain and may account for vari- ances in birth recordings.


It was a story-and-a-half house with large central chimney. The ell was added later. Following a fire which damaged some of the house, "Rock" Shearer remodeled his house in 1913. The roof was raised. giving more room upstairs. The stairway in the box- like front hall has two steps, then a landing with straight climb. Two of the original fireplaces have been closed, but the kitchen fireplace and brick oven remain as formerly.


"Through days of sorrow and of mith


Through days of death and days of birth"


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the old wooden wheel clock given to Jane Handy and Wallace Shearer as a wedding present in 1836 faithfully ticked on the same shelf in the living room for 103 years, until the last Shearer left his ancestral home and, still in perfect time in the home of Russell Shearer, rhythmically repeats its never-ending rhyme - "Forever-never! Never-forever."


"Rock" Shearer related to his children a tale which dated back to the old log home of his grandfather. It happened on a cold night in winter that one of the children became ill. Grandmother Shearer walked a mile and a half to a neighbor's home for herbs for her sick child. Coming home she was followed by howling wolves and only after getting inside the house and bolting the door, did she feel safe.


In this history of the present Worth Root house the question arises, "Where did Oliver Clark live?" It has been stated that he lived in the old Shearer house. We know that in 1796 he was taxed $288 for Shelburne real estate, and since Mr. Taylor's re- search has informed us that Oliver Clark was the original owner of the farm, he surely had a home. Perhaps the log house over the town line in Colrain.


PAUL S. PIRMOV'S HOUSE --- Northeast District. The home of Sophie and Paul Pirmov with its large central chimney is old; however, renovation has re- moved original interior features. Situated on the Brook Road in the northeast near the old Wilson houses, it may have been built by one Wilson, or per- haps by someone who drifted down from Colrain.


Ownership changed frequently. It was the home of Franklin and James Jones, who owned and operated a "Cloth Factory" on the "Hinsdale Brook" (later called Fisk Brook). Samuel Brown and Joseph W. Miller were later residents. The earliest resident recalled by living memory is Ashman T. Graves, who purchased the place in 1868. George, Florence, and Wilson, children of Ashman and Delia Wilson Graves, were born in this house.


When the Graves family moved down the road to the old Clark Tavern, Andrew Campbell, his wife and three sons (Joseph, John and Moses) came to the house. During the many years of Campbell owner- ship, Joseph brought his wife to the home; the father and mother died ; and finally one son, Joseph, sold the place to the present owner.


TAVERNS OF RURAL SHELBURNE


TRADITION has oft repeated "every third house was a tavern," but among the old frame houses now stand- ing only three are known to have been taverns or small inns; the exact location of five others is known; and, of the number long vanished, the district location of at least six has been established.


The old inns now standing are the homes of Earl Smead on the Bell Eden Road near Greenfield, of Ira Graves on the Brook Road in East Shelburne, and of Robert Crafts in the central east near the Mohawk Trail.


Three of the five inns whose locations are known stood near or on the sites of the present homes of Charles Clark on "Cemetery Hill" above the church, John Cress on the west edge of the Center, and L. O. Wheeler northeast of the Center. Another stood in Peckville near the present Alfred Carpenter residence. The fifth was the large old house next to the Church Vestry.


Six vanished inns which did business during the early years of our town were in or near the village on the hill. Town meetings held in the village naturally adjourned to those inns close by, and the following items from records of town meetings con- firm those landlords' names and the village location on "Old Hill."


In December 1775, town meeting "met to Land- lord Kemp's according to adjournment"; in 1777 town meeting was held at Landlord Kemp's; in 1787 and 1791 - "voted to adjourn this meeting for one hour to Landlord Ransom's house"; in 1795 and other


years - "adjourned meeting to Landlord Hubbard's"; in 1805 meeting "adjourned to Landlord Skinner's," also voted "to see if the town will pay Landlord Skinner for liquors spent in raising the Belfry"; in 1812, 1814, and 1815, "adjournment at Charles Stearns," who was an innholder and retailer of liquors from 1812 to 1816, inclusive (license seen) ; in 1812, 1816, and 1817 - "voted to adjourn to Esq. Tay- lor's." There was Lt. John Wells, presumably an inn- keeper on "The Hill" in late 1700.


A few other names with title "Landlord" are found in early town records, but no clue can be found to indicate that these men were innholders in Shelburne. For example, one memorandum stated, "met and open the vendue at Landlord Townsend's." In 1778 the name Landlord Heaton appears on the school com- mittee. Quoting from the Heaton genealogy - "John Heaton (born 1744) settled in Shelburne, called 'Landlord' ; had five children born in Shelburne."


Not long after the first pioneers settled, four public houses were erected. In the next few years others were built. For half a century or more those small inns thrived. Then in 1842 a petition to the Com- missioners of Franklin County signed by the "inhabit- ants and legal voters" of the town stating, that "in our opinion the Public good does not require you to grant licenses for sale of intoxicating drinks for the ensuing year, and we pray your Honors to withhold such licenses from all such applicants in the courts" marked the beginning of the temperance era in Shel- burne and the decline of taverns.


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From the statement of Rev. Theophilus Packard, D.D. in 1849 when he said, "of six distilleries in town manufacturing alcoholic liquor and five public houses furnishing it as a drink, only a limited quantity is now made in a single place," we infer there were only five inns in all Shelburne. No innkeeper's license in rural Shelburne has been found after the year 1845. Thus it seems that by the middle of the 19th century rural Shelburne's taverns were no longer public houses, but private dwellings.


STEBBINS TAVERN


With a central chimney predominating. Earl Smead's home on the Bell Eden Road near Green- field's town line was built, so says tradition, in 1770 by one Joseph Stebbins of Deerfield, and operated as a tavern by Eliphalet Stratton. Not knowing the name it bore, let us call this inn Stebbins Tavern.


The name Joseph was repeated so many times in the Stebbins families that it is not certain which Joseph built the tavern. Because Joseph (born 1718) had a daughter who married Eliphalet Stratton, it is logical to assume he was the builder and probably house resi- dent. Town records of 1770 and 1790 tell us one Joseph Stebbins lived in this vicinity and that he lived near his son, Col. Joseph, who, from the early history of Fred Dole's property, we may believe lived in the first house on the Dole lawn (north). Dr. Long's diary also mentions both Joseph, Sr., and Col. Joseph. Doubtless these men did not remain many years in Shelburne, because a town record of 1796 lists both Joseph and Col. Joseph Stebbins nonresidents.


The old Stebbins Tavern is one of the oldest houses in town and, in retaining most of its original features, is architecturally interesting. Only very old houses expose large tapering corner posts seen in this house. The big fireplace and brick oven are still intact. Snug in its corner, the old cupboard that kept the liquors still stands erect. How long it served refreshment to guests who dropped in is not known. No innholder's license as late as 1812 has been found. A town rec- ord of 1806, mentioning E. Stratton's cider mill, informs us he was still living in the tavern that year. In 1823, following his death, his estate was advertised in the newspaper.


In the year 1858, Thomas Smead, father of William C. H. Smead who taught school in Shelburne, bought this place of W. Newton, and it has been in the Smead family ever since.


CLARK TAVERN


For many years it has been said that the house now owned by Ira Graves is the oldest one in Shelburne and dates back to 1762, when Alexander Clark came down from Coleraine and built a house 75 rods north of the present location, where it was moved in 1805 by his son, Joel, who made renovations and additions suitable for a tavern. The highway then went up "Clark's Hill," east of the house, over to the Wilson homestead in Coleraine.


Verbal history tells us Joel Clark operated this prosperous tavern from 1805 to 1830 or until the "Brook Road" was built, but no innkeeper's license after the year 1816 has been found. Beginning with the year 1812 the innkeepers' licenses of the county have been carefully preserved in the County Court House; however, it is possible that a few of those small slips of paper were overlooked or lost years ago.


The Clark house convincingly proves its age with tapering corner posts in all rooms. The present dining room was the barroom; and the kitchen, which was the old parlor, still has the original pine wainscotting. some boards being two feet wide. There was no dance hall. It was in the "north room" that Joel's mother, Anna, fell into the huge fireplace and burned to death in 1828.


In 1831 Hugh Wilson purchased the Clark farm in East Shelburne and ten years later remodeled the house. His wife was Polly Clark (born in Coleraine in 1783). This couple was known as "Uncle Hugh" and "Aunt Polly."


Of Hugh Wilson, B. Frank Severance wrote the following: "By strict economy and great industry he was enabled to add an adjoining farm to his estate, and later still, purchased an additional tract covered with heavy growth of chestnut timber which was con- verted into charcoal for blacksmith's use. Although much of this land where this chestnut forest once stood has been cultivated, the sites of several old pits are still discernible." In 1842 Hugh Wilson "erected a sawmill on Fiske Brook.


Hugh's son, Clark Wilson, lived on his father's farm, adding a shingle mill and a gristmill. After his death his widow married J. N. Levi, who came to the Wilson farm, where he farmed until Ashman and Delia Wilson Graves purchased her childhood home.


The house was repaired by Ashman Graves. His son, Wilson, followed in ownership. Wilson and Rose Chapin Graves lived their entire married years in the old house.


Today the "Clark Tavern," owned by Ira Graves, son of Wilson, is the home of the Ira Graves family.


The Graves family tells a traditional story dating back to the beginning of the 19th century.


In the heyday of small and early taverns, a group of young men enjoyed making a surprise visit to the inn for the purpose of drinking the bar dry to embar- rass its landlord. Such a company of jokers dropped into the Clark Tavern one evening. Landlord Clark, well acquainted with the boys, suspected their motive. After pouring out the first drinks, he quietly left the bar and awoke his sleeping son, whom he ordered to bridle their swiftest horse and race over to Temper- ance Tavern, or down the road to Stebbins Tavern (tradition doesn't recall which one), for more liquor. When a second round of drinks had disappeared and the time for loud laughter was due, Landlord Clark swung a full three-gallon jug upon the bar and good- naturedly asked, "Now, my boys, what do you say? Will we open this jug?"


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THE WELLS TAVERN


The ell of the present Robert Crafts' house was the home to which Captain Walter Wells took his bride. Charles M. Taintor wrote in a letter of 1889, "the Boyds owned and lived on the place where Charles Wells now lives," which doubtless was the old ell. In 1796 John Boyd owned real estate valued at $1610. In town records his name is often mentioned in a description of a "road from John Boyd's to the Meeting-house." It may be that he lived nearer the Dragon Hill Road that connected with the "east and west road" to the meetinghouse; however, because his land bordered on David Wells' land, it is possible his home was the house which became the tavern ell.


From a road description in the town records of the 1790's we may gather Samuel Boyd lived in the tavern's predecessor.


In 1816 the rest of the house was brought from a lot near the Taylor farm in the southeast corner of Shelburne. This fact is substantiated by Mrs. Fannie Barnard Long, who wrote in an historical paper years ago that Mr. Wells owned an outlying farm on which stood this house on a hill northeast of the original Taylor place. (Was it the old Grinnell place which was east of the present Koch house ?) It was reconstructed into a tavern with the barroom on the first floor, now a living room, and the large cupboards with shelves on three sides held the liquors. The ballroom upstairs has been made into three bed- rooms. From "Old Shelburne Taverns" written by Mrs. Florence Cummings, who interviewed a Wells descendant living in Deerfield, we read that the sconces that lighted the ballroom are on the walls of a Deer- field home where Mrs. Katherine Wolfe Wilby, a descendant, lives; in that home is also the desk which for years was the post office in the old tavern. Fur- ther, Mrs. Cummings wrote: "The mail in 1820 arrived by stage at midnight, and while the passengers waited or refreshed themselves at the bar, Postmaster Wells dumped the mail bag onto his desk, sorted out the Shelburne mail, and returned the rest to the bag. The local mail was then tucked into pigeon holes in the high top desk ; letters for anyone living at a dis- tance were usually hung on the wall in conspicuous places so that everyone going in that direction would see them and take them."


When a group of Dr. Packard's congregation dis- agreed with him and seceded from his church, the ballroom was used as a Unitarian meetinghouse.


From 1817 to 1835 inclusive, perhaps until 1840, Walter Wells was licensed an "innholder and com- mon victualler" and retailer of spirituous liquors. To hold and read those original licenses makes the past seem very real. A copy of one for the year 1831 follows: "Walter Wells, a common victualler, inn- holder, taverner, or seller of Brandy, Rum, or any strong or Distilled Liquors and of wine, ale, cider, or any fermented liquors. - Signed Joel Bardwell, Wm. Long, Jr., David Wells."


After the death of Walter Wells in 1835 the old house passed to his son, Charles, and was known for many years as "the Charles Wells place." During a part of his residence, the "Lending Library," where such books as "The Eight Cousins" and "Rose in Bloom" were stacked, was in a downstairs room of his home. Archie and Fannie Gleason Long purchased this interesting house of many vicissitudes from Charles Wells, who moved to Deerfield. The Longs lived about twenty-five years in the old tavern house and there their children were born and reared. Following the death of Mr. Long, the place was sold to a retired businessman named Donovan, who with his wife lived in it a few years before transferring the property to Wallace E. Mason, who sold to the present owner.


With part of the roof longer on the original salt- box section (ell), the house still suggests age, even though the large chimney has been removed and a front porch added. Two of the original fireplaces have been removed. The front porch was removed in 1957.


SEVERANCE TAVERN


In the first Shelburne Center on the "Old Hill," on the site of the present Charles Clark house, stood a tavern with dance hall.


In historical sketches, it has been erroneously called the "Smith Tavern." If it was ever owned or oper- ated by a Smith, he was not Lyman Smith, father of William Smith. William Smith bought the tavern for a home in 1861 from W. Fox, who became owner in 1858.


Ella Dole ( Bardwell) wrote in her Dole history - "Among the children of Daniel and Charity Childs Nims was Lydia (born 1767), who married Joseph Severance, who kept a tavern on the place now (1905) owned by William Smith on Old Hill."


Licenses have been seen to prove Joseph Severance, a tailor, received an innholder's license from 1821 to 1835 inclusive, it is believed as early as 1800, and in 1836 "Joseph Severance has applied to us to be recommended as an innkeeper or seller of wine, brandy, rum or any other spirituous liquors, at his house. - David Wells, Abner Peck, Selectmen."


Town records furnish further proof that Joseph Severance kept a "public house" near the town house on the hill when, in the town meetings of 1823, 1824 and 1827, it was "voted to adjourn meeting to Joseph Severance's."


In 1878 Rev. Theophilus Packard, Jr., wrote from his home in Illinois a Semi-Centennial Anniversary letter to the people of his former charge in Shelburne, and from this letter we read on the day preceding his ordination in March 1828, "a council of 23 pastors and delegates convened at the public house of Joseph Severance" to examine the pastor-elect.


In 1849 at the 50th Anniversary of the town, Dr. Packard listed "individuals in town living on the


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same estates on which they lived 50 years ago" and in that list the name of Joseph Severance appeared, which seems to prove the old tavern, and possibly an earlier house on the site, was his home for a long time. He married in 1790.


Until the church was rebuilt down the hill, the congregation undoubtedly found refreshment between sermons in this tavern.


Failing to find innkeepers' licenses before 1812, or one for Joseph Severance before 1821, it is not known if the tavern was operated before Joseph Severance became innkeeper, presumably in the late 1700's.


THE NIMIS TAVERN (Near the Mohawk Trail)


Situated on the old Charlemont Road on the site of the house owned by the John Cress family was the old Nims Tavern. Originally it was a story-and-a-half house and later was reconstructed for rooms upstairs.


Reuben Nims (born 1740) came to Shelburne in 1767, settled on a large farm, and kept a hotel which was well known throughout the surrounding county as "Nims Tavern." A son, Joel, (born 1782) in Shelburne, was also a farmer, and he continued to keep the hotel after his father's death. He received an innholder's and common victualler's license as late as 1818 but no license has been found since that year. We know Reuben Nims kept this tavern during the latter part of the 18th century, but have been unsuc- cessful in locating innholders' licenses before 1812.




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