USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 2 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
"In the name and by the order of the committee, " JOHN STODDARD."
This report was read in the upper branch of the Legislature : then the Council was sent down to the lower branch which proposed several amendments which were rejected by the Council ; the two branches finally came together as follows:
"In Council January 25th, 1738-Read and non-concurred, and ordered that Ephraim Williams, Esq., with such as shall be joined by the Hon'ble House a com- mittee carefully to view the land situate on or near Hoosuck River; and if they find the land accommodable for inhabitants, that they survey and lay out one or more townships of the contents of six miles square and Return a Plat or Plats thereof to this Court at their next May session with an account of the Quantity and Quality of the said land, so that this Court may dispose thereof as they shall think proper.
"J. WILLARD, Sec'y."
5.17 . 30 W
2570 R.
W. 17-30'N
E. 17. 30' S. 1000 R.
Ashshumitica
BOOR.
Howbuck .
1830 R.
3.05 .LIN
"A Plan of 23,040 Acres of Land
lying on East Side of Ashshuwithiook River and South Branch of Hoosuck River, beg'ing at & Hemlock Tree markd. o+.
"Surveyed May 1739, by the needle of the surveying Instrument,
By MR. NATH. KELLOGG,
Surveyor.
=
LEON
108 A.
11/1.
LOJA.
115A.
Nº 24.
Nº29.
Nº 30.
103 A.
103 A
93A.
Nº 32
Nº33.
144 A.
Nº 22
ISLA.
for
Nº 6.
31.
156.A.
Nº 1
Nº 4.
Nº 7.
200 A.
200 A.
137 A.
Nº 2.
Nº 5
Nº 8.
200 A.
200 /A.
257 A.
NYC 15.
Nº 12
IV: 9.
Nº3.
101.A.
... A.
200 A.
O.A.
Nº13
Nº 10.
Nº 20- 100 A
200A
110.A.
19 21
Nº 18
Nº19
Nº11.
S. A.
100 A
105A
Nº19
7. A
CHESHIRE.
" Feb. 7, This Red & recorded from the original. MARK HorKINS, Reg. h
662 201
ADAMS, May 2Nd, 1795.
We, the subscribers, being appointed a committee by the town for the purpose of surveying it, agreeable to the Act of the General Court, certify that the Plan! of the Town of Adams, which accompanies this, signed by Israel Jones, surveyor, was taken from actual sur- vey agreeable to the Ver, and is accurate to the best of i our knowledge.
ABRAHAM HOWLAND, I Selectmon IGRAFI. JONES. 1 of Adoris.
CHAS PARSONS, Committee.
Bennett & Nicholas Cook who have caused this plan to
be made and put on Record : said land being In Berkshire Co.
"Done this 31st day of october, Gift. By JOAN STAFFORD, Surveyor.
Ro
3. KIN
WMO1
between Lanesboro & Enst Housie.
1280 R
Hoosusk River.
From this crotch
WITOSON. SOO R
Nº25
Nº 23.
Nº/B
100 A
445
ADAMS AND NORTH ADAMS.
1
" Sent down for concurrence. In the House of Rep'tives January 26th, 1738. Read and concurred and Thomas Wells is joyned in the affair.
"J. QUINCY, Sp'kr.
" Consented to,
" J. BELCHER." -
In May, 1739, this committee appointed by the Legislature repaired to the Hoosac River, and with the aid of Timothy Dwight and Nathan Kellogg, surveyors, laid out three townships lying along its banks and submitted to the Legislature, in June of that year, the following report:
" Pursuant to the order of the Great and Supreme Court or Assembly of this Province in Jan'y last we the subscribers have carefully viewed the lands on and near the Hoosuck River and finding the same very accommodable for settlement have by the assistance of Timothy Dwight, Esq., and Mr. Nathan Kellogg, survey's, laid out three townships each of the contents of six miles square. Two of which are adjoyning and lye on Hoosuck River the other on Mayoonsok, being the northern branch thereof about three miles northward of the lowest of the two towns all which will fully appear by the plans herewith humbly presented we have not perfected all the lines occasioned by the Great Opposition we met with from Sundry Gent'n from Albany a particular account of which we are ready to lay before ye Excellency and Honours if thereto required and are your Excellency's and Hon's most obedient and dutiful servants.
" Boston June 6th, 1739.
" EPHRM WILLIAMS " THOMAS WELLS Committee."
The townships laid out were West Hoosuck, afterward Williams- town, East Hoosuck, afterward Adams, and Clarksburg, which originally included part of the territory of Florida. The map which accompanied the report, however, shows only the township of East Hoosuck and part of the township of West Hoosuck, as will be readily seen. This map was made by Nathan Kellogg, surveyor, and it is the first map ever made in the town of Adams.
The report of the committee was read in the lower branch of the Legislature on the 7th of June. 1739, and in the Council on the Sth of June in the same year. The Council ordered "that William Dudley. Jacob Wendell and Joseph Wilson, with such as shall be joined by the Hon'ble House of Representatives, be a committee to take under consideration the above report with the plat therein mentioned and make report as soon as may be what may be proper for the Court to do therein."
On the 16th of June, a few days after, the House of Representatives "joined in this affair" Ebenezer Pomeroy, John Chandler, William Pynchon, and Joseph Dwight. This committee reported in the following words:
" The committee to whom was referred the Report of Captain Williams and Wells and their doings with the platt of the three townships lately surveyed and laid out at or on Hoosuck River &c. Offer as their opinion that for the better securing the undoubted rights this governm't have to those and other lands thereabout lying in this province that the most northerly of the three townships aforesaid of the contents
446
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
of six miles square adjoyning thereto and southward thereof which the said Williams and Wells had not time to take a survey of tho' well assured of it and accommodable for a town and whereon some few people have already got and inhabit; Bee granted to such of his Majesty's subjects as will effectually settle the same in the space of two years with fifty or sixty familys on each tract and give sufficient bonds therefor and that there be sequestered a sufficient portion thereof for the ministry in each township and to pay such sum or sums of money for the reimbursement of the Province treasury what has been expended in this affair as also such other sums and according to the terms and conditions as this Court shall order and that a committee be accordingly appointed and as to the other two tracts surveyed and platted as aforesaid that they be disposed of as this Court shall order and that the government of New York be informed by proper letters of the Resolution of this Court herein and that we are ready to join commissioners with such as shall be appointed by them for the staking and perambulating the bounds between each province according to the prior grant. All which is submitted by order of the committee,
" WILLIAM DUDLEY.
" Dated the 21st June, 1739."
This report was accepted by the Legislature, but nothing further was done until the 18th of April, 1749, ten years after, when the Legislature adopted the following order :
" In the House of Rep'ves April 18th, 1749, Ordered that Col. Dwight and Col. Choate with such as the Hon'ble board shall joyn be a committee to Repair to the Prov- ince lands near Hoosuck as soon as may be with a skillful surveyor and chainmen under oath and lay out two townships of the contents of six miles square in the best of the land and in as regular form as may be, joyning them together and Return a correct plat of said townships to this Court for their further order thereon. And also that the same committee be directed to Return an account of the course and distance the said townships bear from Fort Massachusetts and as near as they can the quantity of intervale land contained in each township and what the quality of the soil adjoyning to the said township is.
" Sent up for concurrence,
"W. THIRLBY.
" In Council April 19th, 1749, Read and concurred and Oliver Partridge, Esq., is joined in the affair.
" Concurred,
" J. WILLARD, Sec'y. " W. THIRLBY."
This committee went to work in October, 1749, and what they did may be read in their own language.
"The Committee appointed by the Great and General Court in April last to repair to the province lands near Hoosuck to lay out Two Townships of the contents of six miles square report:
" That on the 26th day of Octo. the Com'tte went from Hatfield and the next day came to Fort Massachusetts (having obtained Mr. Nath'l Dwight a skilful sur- veyor to survey the Townships) the next day we went out to view the lands. Order- ed the surveyor to measure the distance from the fort to the line that is run between this government and New Hampshire (which was run some time since by Mr. Hazzen) and on Monday and Tuesday following we proceeded to view the lands. In the
٢
447
ADAMS AND NORTH ADAMS.
meantime directed the surveyor to take the course and distances of the adjacent mountains and when we had sufficiently satisfied ourselves in what form the town- ships should be laid out we directed the surveyor to lay them out agreeable to the plan herewith presented (having caused the Surveyor and chainmen to be sworn). On the west side of the west town lays a range of mountains and between the two townships lays another range of mountains over which the dividing line runs. As to the Quantity of Intervale contained in the townships we made no particular meas- ure thereof by the surveyor but carefully viewed the townships and would inform that the Rivers running through the center of the east township for more than four miles northerly and southerly and about half a mile east and west appears rich and good a considerable part thereof is intervale. In the west township there is not so great a quantity of intervale but a very valuable and large tract of land in the middle of the township, insomuch that the Com'tee do esteem the West Township the most valuable. Great part of the Land in both townships is considerably Loaded with timber-as to the Quality of the Lands adjoining to S'd Townships the Com'tee would inform That in the East of s'd Townships lies the Great Hoosuck Mountain (so called) which is about seven miles from side to side on which mountain there is a sufficient quantity of land for a township or Two a great part of it valuable. Between the North line of the East Town and the province line the land is mountainous and broken.
" And the Land on the South of s'd Towns is some very poor Broken and some of it good accommodable for the settlement.
" All which is humbly submitted in the name and by order of the Com'tee. "O. V. PARTRIDGE.
"November roth, 1749.
" In Council December 8th, read and sent down."
East Hoosuck or Adams was laid out seven miles long from north to south, and five miles broad from east to west; the east and west lines running along the summits of the mountains forming the valley of the south branch of the Hoosac River. It was the only township in the county of perfectly regular form. A plan was prepared by Nathaniel Dwight and on this plan were designated as monuments, marking the corner bounds of the township, trees bearing the initials of the surveyor and of the several members of the committee. The township projected was, in form, a parallelogram, 2,300 poles in length and 1,600 poles in width, allowing "one rod in twenty for stray chain," and contained, therefore, almost precisely the area required by the General Court, which was, " of the contents of six miles square."
In the year 1750 the State granted 200 acres of land in East Hoosuck, on condition that there should be reserved from it ten acres for a fort and should be built and kept in repair for twenty years a saw and grist mill. This 200 acres was situate about a mile below the union of the two branches of the Hoosac River and comprised the present Harrison farm. Upon the ten acres reserved from it was built Fort Massachusetts. The history of this fort properly belongs with the history of Berkshire county, but there are many incidents relating to its early history which concern that of East Hoosuck.
448
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
It is probable that at least three fourths of an acre of land were in- cluded within the stockade, and that in this enclosure there were five or six block houses with families resident therein.
The site of the fort, as is well known, is in the meadow which forms part of the Harrison farm, lying in North Adams near the Williams town line.
Captain Clement Harrison, who purchased the farm of the adminis- trators of Israel Jones, in 1830, discovered in his work of renovating the soil many relies of the old fort, which are significant ; hundreds of bul- lets, corroded and turned white ; Indian arrow heads, curiously carved from flint ; a metal tomahawk ; the muzzle of a small cannon ; pieces of pots and kettles ; broken bottles in which the pretended " good liquor" of former days was contained ; a silver spoon, with a very large and nearly round bowl ; strongly made but badly rusted jack-knives were among these curious and suggestive mementos. Captain Harrison, from the indications discovered in clearing up that part of the farm where the fort stood, was of the opinion that there were six different houses or log cabins within the enclosure, scattered three or four rods apart ; and that the enclosure may have been double the size mentioned above, or one and one half to two acres. Solid large beams of pine timber were found in one place, and piles of brick where the six chimneys had stood.
Southwest of the fort, and near where now stands an apple tree, was the burial ground. A head-stone was found half buried in the ground, in the summer of 1852, and carried to Williams College, by Captain Har- rison's permission. The stone was shaped like the letter V with the bot- tom cut off. It was a common dark stone and had never been wrought, except to cut an inscription upon its face, which read as follows :
JUNE 12, 1745 E. NIM At. 26 y.
In the grave beneath this stone the partially decayed skeleton of a man was found, and lodged in one of the vertebrae was the bullet which caused his death. This bone is now preserved in the museum of Wil liams College. Tradition states that this young man, Elisha Nims, was shot on the 11th day of June, 1745, while obtaining water from a spring on the outside of the fort.
In the burial ground near the fort were four other small head-stones, but they bore no inscription and they have disappeared. During the ministry of Rev. John Alden, of North Adams, there was an effort made to erect a monument on the site of the fort. Consent was cheerfully given by the owner of the land, a subscription was started and partially filled up ; several plans were made-one by Phineas Cone, a student of Wil- liams College : but the attempt failed, and nothing now remains to show where old Fort Massachusetts stood, save an elm tree, planted by Profes- sor Perry, of Williams College.
On the 16th of February, 1762, the House of Representatives voted that the township of East Hoosuck, with several others, be sold to the
449
ADAMS AND NORTH ADAMS.
highest bidder and be "set up at eight hundred Pounds lawful money each." The following conditions were annexed, viz : "that there be re- served for the first settled minister one sixty-third part of each of said townships and one sixty-third part of each of said townships for the use of the ministry and the like quantity for the use and support of a school in each of said Townships forever. That within the space of five years from the time of sale there be sixty settlers residing in each township, who shall each have a dwelling house of the following dimensions, viz : twenty- four feet long, eighteen feet wide and seven foet studd and have seven acres of land well cleared and fenced and brought to English grass or Plowed ; and also settle a learned Protestant minister of the Gospel in each of said townships within the term aforesaid."
It was voted " that Colonel Partridge and Mr. Tyler, with such as the honorable board shall join. be a committee to make sale of the town- ships and tracts and that the purchasers of each of said townships shall pay twenty pounds earnest money and the Remaining sums the said lands shall be struck at, the purchasers shall give Bond to pay the same to the Province Treasurer with sufficient sureties within one year from the time of sale without interest." The Council concurred with the House of Representatives and " joined Thomas Flucker in the affair."
This committee, after giving public notice of the time and place of sale, attended to their duty, at Boston, on the second day of June. in the same year, at the Royal Exchange Tavern in King street, sold the town- ship of East Hoosuck at public auction to Nathan Jones, of Weston, for £3,200. received of him $20 of earnest money. took bonds of him with Elisha Jones and John Murray for £3,180. Afterward, on the 11th of November. 1766, the Legislature, upon the petition of Nathan Jones, Elisha Jones, and John Murray, setting forth that they were equally in- terested in the affair, and that they had admitted many settlers to the land, and could give no sufficient deeds, granted and confirmed the township of East Hoosuck, exclusive of the grant formerly made to Colonel Williams. to the petitioners who were to complete the settlement as originally en- joined. The first meeting of the proprietors of East Hoosuck was begun in this fashion :
" Province of Massachusetts Bay.
"To the Hon. Samuel Danforth, Esq., one of his majesties Justices of the peace through this Province --
"The petition of James Otis, John Murray and Elisha Jones, Esqs. the major part of the owners and proprietors of the township No. one called East Hoosuck in the county of Berkshire of the contents of six miles square (exclusive of grants already laid out by the order of the General Court) that your Honor will be pleased to call a meeting of the aforesaid proprie- tors to be held at the dwelling house of Mr. Seth Blodgett inn holder in Boston on Thursday the sixth day of June next at three of the clock in the afternoon to transact the following business-
"First. To choose a moderator, clerk and such other officers as are usually chosen by other proprietors-
450
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
" 2dly. To pass orders for managing, improving or dividing the common lands in said township and admitting settlers in the same township agreeablee to the conditions of the grant of the General Court in order for bringing forward the same-
" 3dly. To raise money for any other necessary charges for forwarding the same settlement --
" 4thly. To appoint such method for calling meetings of the afors'd proprietors for the future as they shall judge most convenient.
" JAMES OTIS,
" JNO. MURRAY, " ELISHA JONES."
"L. S. Province of Massachusetts Bay.
" Suffolk ss :--
"To the Hon. James Otis Esqr. one of the principal proprietors of the Town. ship aforesaid in greeting-In his Majesties name you are hereby required to give notice in the time and manner as the law directs to the several proprietors of said township that they meet at the time and place named for the purposes mentioned in the foregoing petition.
" Given under my hand and seal this eighth day of February Anno Domini 1765 and in the fifth year of his Majesties Reign.
"S. DANFORTH,
" Justice of the Peace throughout the province aforesaid."
"By virtue of the above warrant I do hereby notify the above said proprietors to meet at time and place as in said warrant is directed for the purposes aforesaid.
"JAMES OTIS."
This meeting was held on the sixth day of June, 1765, at the house of Seth Blodgett, in Boston, as according to the above warrant. "James Otis was chosen moderator, then Elisha Jones was chosen clerk to said propriety, and sworn to the faithful discharge of that trust." The meet- ing was then adjourned from time to time until the 4th day of June, 1766, when it was voted "that Elisha Jones, of Pittsfield, who was em- powered by said proprietors to make sale of settling lots in order to bring forward the settlement of said township, be directed to lay an account of his proceedings before the said proprietors in order for the settlement of his account as soon as may be-and also to lodge the securities he has taken for lands sold, with said proprietors." It was also voted "that Israel Jones, who being now settled in said township, be appointed and empowered to lay out a further number of lots not exceeding twenty, of a hundred acres each, to accommodate the settlement and also to admit settlers on the lots not yet disposed of so as to complete and make up the number of sixty settlers agreeable to the vote of the General Court and to take security for the proceeds of the sale of said lots and lodge them with the proprietors."
The meeting was then adjourned from time to time until the thir- teenth of June, 1767, at three o'clock in the afternoon, when " the pro- prietors aforesaid being met voted that the lands in East Hoosuck that are not already settled shall be laid out into 200 acre lots in order for a
6 .
0
N
38.
39.
40.
3 9
40
31
35.
V. Jones
37. James Otis. .
N. Jones
N. Jones
E. Jones.
Nãomes
Train. Debel
Evonas.
EXI Jones
28
27
25 Ballard
SOLL Sy A.
43
2:
ams
Trasn.
Mill Det.
Mill Lot
Murray.
35.
23
23.
44-
73
Blakeley
E Jones.
27.
E. dones
22
2 2
Nathan Jones
Abld Smith.
N Jones.
David Miller
33.
3 x
× 2
21
29
2 4.
Abid Smith
E Jones.
Evenes
Ofis.
E. vores.
Murray.
20
20
Andrew Parker!
Hall
7%.
and dir.
A. Brown
A. Brown.
t. A. Brown !.
Uno Kilborn.
Poter Jenkse
E. Jones
4
3
30.
23
J. White.
Lovensworth
18
18.
E. Jenes
Nathan Jones.
J. Nichels.
Samt Terry
17.
22
4.5
69.
Lund deaded to
1.
3.
John Murray idand to Howland.
16
16
JerBranch Wilbur
176 A.
Sold to
D. aldrich.
15
10
.
2
We Tower sixir
2 1
i Jonas
Colgrove
E Janner.
E.Jonas.
Javel
100 A.
3) A. 279-
Murray
26
19
20
Samil Toda
51
6€
Sold to Simon Sweet.
Murray Jan Otis.
12. 1.
12
N. Jones.
E. Jones.
Reuben Hinman
E. Sowas. David Jewett
Elijah Soraque
11
17
Nidaros.
52.
65
MiFarting
N Joke:
N. Jones.
10.
10
Murray
N. Allen.
Ms Feeling
dos Balding.
53
64
14
15.
9
9
Otis
Duvin J. Reynoldsy
Jon. Smith
Tuttle
Comsteek
Arnalds, Patara El.
30.
8
8
Sold to Kimball.
15
12 Murray [3]
Somis
MS Nos
Hurd.
54
63
EJonas.
M'Nei!
7.
N Jonas Soldto Miller
E Janos
Sold to
Harrington Preston Sanjon
Mª Ne ..
Smith : Hurd.
Arnold Miller.
Smith ..
32
6
G
OILS.
E. Jones
352A
E.Jones
Jacob'in I. Smith
otic
N. Jones
F Jonas Com stock
56
6%.
Ged Sprague N. Comstock.
Gid Sprague 4
7
8
7
deed to .
Murray
to Chas Aunold.
Janon White
N. Jones
Nathan Jones
N
Edmund Jenach 5.
3
ST.
60
Comfort Arnold
Ben Barker.
E. Jencks
Murray
E Jones
Rhodos Hathaway
N. Jones
E. Jones
E. Jones
Sont Enion
58
53
weed zeven Smith
Carnestock
E dones
Murray
£ ,50
iiwilmarTh
dead to Tim Johnson. Vont Eatone.
1
A PLAN OF THE TOWNSHIP OF EAST HOOSICK.
5
"SUR
SURVEYED BY CHARLES BARNES, NOV ID, 1757.
1
N Jones.
Modiga
E Whipple
John Murray
3rd dir
-14
14.
6%.
reat
18. OTTO
OILS
Sale to
Sold to
Noah Simmons
Sold to Bakar.
WillburgSons
Grand Hoosick
E. Jones Powers
Murray
John Fish.
Nathan / 1809. Sold to M. !!
WW. Petary
10
11.
Entraine Sanford Jon Smith.
Roger Shedding
Read
Otis
5
F. Sprogha
9
E Jones
N. Jones Pierce
I Jonas Ctus
2
3
Janur vewelt.
Solid
das Marqué
dead. to E. Vencto
Warren
Curstock.
N. Janos
wm. Peters
55
CE.
34: dames
Minister
Vos Jones.
49
Southgate
: 100 A
70.
47.
der Wilbur.
John Murray
E Jones
19
/9
45.
72.
John Murray.
Nathan Jones
Andrew Parker
Dobet
Tendones
37
36
front
D. Harrington
James Otis
24
N Jones
200 die
love! Este ..
Wilson
Cook.
42
38
.6
E.Jones
Dead of Adams
Sold by Committee
46.
John S Anthony
Leavenworth
Gro. Lande.
Minister
13.
Sharman
4:
Levison.
451
ADAMS AND NORTH ADAMS.
division thereof and that Cap'n Nathan Dwight shall be employed as a surveyor to lott ye said lands if he can be obtained to do it in ye month of October next, and if not then voted that Cap'n Charles Baker shall be employed as surveyor to lott out ye said lands."
The meeting was adjourned again from time to time until Friday, the 5th day of February, 1768, at four o'clock in the afternoon, at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern. At that meeting Captain Charles Baker, who had been employed in the mean time to lay out the township into two hun- dred acre lots, according to the vote of the proprietors, returned a plan " of the said settling lots laid out by Daniel Jones, Esq., and others and also of his own survey of the said two hundred acre lots, &c." It was voted, " first. that said plan be accepted and recorded and that each lott shall be marked to the owners as they are now drawn." It was also voted "that the plan of each lott returned by said surveyor amounting to the No. of Seventy-three shall be recorded in the book of records as they are drawed by the several proprietors."
The titles to real estate in North Adams and Adams are still traced back to this plan of settling lots.
The act for incorporating the " Plantation called East Hoosuck in the county of Berkshire, into a town by the name of Adams," was passed October 15th, 1778.
The name of Adams was given to the town in honor of Samuel Adams, the illustrious leader of the Revolution, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and afterward governor of Massachu- setts.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.