USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 19
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December Sth. 1737, Daniel Deuny presented a plan or survey of the home lots, which survey was approved. November 30th, 1737, Nahum Ward and Ephraim Williams. Esq .. for themselves and in behalf of the rest of the proprietors of the four new townships, presented a petition to the General Court, setting forth that " 1,200 pounds had been put into the hands of the Committee of the Court for defraying the charge of sur- veying said towns and other charges, as also there might be a sufficient sum of money in hand ready to purchase the land of the Indian owners in case there should be occasion, as was then apprehended there would be." In order to keep peace with the Indians, and that " they might have no grounds of uneasiness." they went on to state that they did, by advice of said Honorable Committee, " make a purchase of said lands with some others adjoining of John Poph-no-hon-un-wok, alias Kinke- pot, the chief of the Housatonic tribe and sundry other Indians, which deed is duly executed and acknowledged before the Hon. John Stoddard. Esq., the consideration being three hundred pounds, which sum they have actually paid, and which your petitioners did not at first expect." and that they " humbly apprehend that they are equally entitled to the justice and favor of government. as the grantees of other new towns"; therefore they asked that certain broken lands included in their deed. covering more than said four townships, be granted them as a relief, in consideration of their paying said sum of money (300 pounds), and that their said deed may be "approved and fully ratified."
In the House of Representatives, December 7th, 1737, the petition was duly considered, approved, and ratified. Certain grants were made to the four townships and bounds established, in connection with which was a certain tract, bounded southerly on the colony line, westerly on No. 2 (New Marlboro), northerly on No. 8, and easterly on Farmington River : containing about 11,000 acres, afterward incorporated into the district of Southfield. and subsequently annexed to Sandisfield. In granting these equivalents the conditions were that the "Grantees should settle seven families more in each Township :" thus making in each sixty seven families. October 31st, 1738, the proprietors met and arranged for settle-
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
ment of the seven additional families, and they were permitted to draw their lots at that meeting. The grantees met at Westboro and drew their lots, January 31st, 1738. November 15th, 1749, the proprietors voted a second division of home lots, of sixty acres each. Voted also that the tickets bearing the numbers of the lots " be put into a hat and be drawn by an indifferent person." Their meetings were sometimes adjourned to meet at a certain day at six o'clock in the morning, and sometimes at four o'clock in the afternoon.
There were nine meadow lots laid out in the town. the first being Sandy Brook Meadow, situated in the southwest part of the town. con- sisting of fifteen lots : the second, Spectacle Pond Meadows, bordering on said pond, ten lots ; third, Bishop's Meadow, lying northwesterly from the center in third division, nine lots ; fourth, Brown's Meadow, probably near the center, three lots ; fifth, Bare Meadow, lying a little westerly of Sandy Brook Meadow, nine lots : sixth Cherry Meadow, seven lots; seventh, Pine Meadow, eight lots ; eighth, Rock Meadow, two lots : ninth, Pond Meadow, which lies northwest of the center and now belongs to Monterey. A third division was made November 15th, 1752, of eighty acres to each house lot.
The proprietors, the most of whom lived in the county of Worcester, held many meetings, voted money, laid plans for bringing forward settle- ments, appointed committees, and empowered them to open up roads and construct bridges suitable for the time. The meetings were called in the name of the "Proprietors of the Housatonic Township, No. 3, lying be- tween Westfield and Sheffield." until Granville was incorporated, then between that town and Sheffield. At a meeting in Woodstock. Novem- ber 14th, they proceeded to draw their meadow lots, Ebenezer Wilcox being assigned the duty of drawing. The first meeting of the proprietors in this township was September 25th, 1754. John Stillman was appointed proprietors' clerk, and Daniel Brown and Daniel Denny were chosen a committee to take care of the south 11,000 acres. December 28th, 1757. " voted to lay out the fourth Division of land." The whole number of divisions made was six.
A committee was appointed in 1758 to receive conveyance of one acre for a burying ground, the place being a little northerly and short of half a mile from the meeting house. The first person buried there. as nearly as can be ascertained, was Mrs. Sylvanus Adams. This com- mittee, also, were to receive a conveyance of one and one half aeres for a "training field."
The town was incorporated March 6th. 1762. The first town meeting called after the incorporation was by virtue of a warrant issued by Joseph Dwight. Esq., of Great Barrington, justice of the peace, April 7th, in the "second year of the reign of George the Third of Great Brit- ain, 1762." The warrant was issued to Daniel Brown. Agreeably to the warrant they met at their meeting honse April 19th, 1762, and chose Daniel Brown moderator of said meeting. Daniel Brown. jr., was elected
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town clerk ; Solomon Smith, constable ; Daniel Brown, John Stillman. Thomas Brown, Hezekiah Hale, and James Ayrault, selectmen ; David Deming, treasurer ; Thomas Brown, Hezekiah Hale, and James Ayrault. assessors ; David Moody and Reuben Harmon, wardens: Paul Sears. Joshua Sears, Joel Smith, and Rogers Underwood, haywards ; and Ben- jamin Smith and William Underwood, tithing men. Subsequent meet- ings were soon called to act upon matters in the interest of the town, which will be alluded to under their appropriate heads.
Sandisfield is the southeast corner town of the county, and is bounded on the extreme north by Otis, on the east by Otis and Tolland, on the south by Connecticut, and west by New Marlborough and Monterey. It is about nine miles in length, and averages about six miles in breadth. There have been some additions and one set-off since it was incorporated. Southfield District-south 11,000 acres-was annexed to it in 1819; part of the east 11, 000 acres was annexed April 9th, 1838 : a part of the boundary line between Tolland and Sandisfield was arranged by the Legislature May 4th, 1853, and a section of the town. known as Chestnut Hill, was set to Monterey April 24th, 1875. The town is about thirty miles south- easterly from Pittsfield, nearly one hundred and forty miles west of Boston, and about three hundred and seventy-eight from Washington.
The surface is uneven, and hills of considerable elevation, but not towering, are seen in every direction, majestic in appearance and crowned with verdure. The highest elevation of land, it is claimed, though doubted by some, is "Seymour's Mountain." It is in the sontherly part of the town. The most remarkable elevation is " Hanging Mountain," in the southeasterly section of the town, bordering Farmington River, and rising above the same about 450 feet, the front presenting an almost perpendicular mass of bare, jagged, granitic rocks, in places projecting beyond their base line, seemingly ready to break from their fastness and come crashing down. This appearance gives rise to the name, Hanging Mountain. A range of hills overlooks the Farmington on either side. Their surface is rocky, but they are generally well wooded. Another similar range follows Clam River, but there is quite an interval between New Boston, East and West New Boston. Buck River is bordered also by hills of considerable elevation, but not lofty. Williams' Mountain, Pond Hill, Bnek Hill, Fuller's Hill, Cowles Hill, Abbey's Hill, and Bel- den's Hill are all quite prominent, and the view from their summits is quite extensive.
Never failing springs of cold, pure, and salubrions water gush forth from mountain base and hillside, soft, limpid, and delicious. The town is well watered by numerous running streams, some of which have con- siderable volume. Farmington River runs through the eastern section of the town. This river is fed by the " Big Reservoir" in Otis, and affords a water power, with mill sites, rarely surpassed. Clam River is a tribu- tary of Farmington, its two first branches rising, one in West Otis and one in Monterey, and it is fed and its volume is much increased by a
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
stream issuing from Spectacle Pond. It affords water for mills or facto- ries, and takes its name from the " fresh water clams" found along its course, that wash ont of Spectacle Pond. Buck River is a tributary of Clam River, and takes its name from Buck Hill, along the base of which it meanders in its upper course. It furnishes water for mill privileges a portion of the year. A substantial dam was built, in the autumn of 1883. across the stream, about two miles from Montville, causing a flowage of about one hundred acres, which adds much to the permanency of the water. Its takes its rise near Monterey. Sandy Brook is a tributary of Farmington River. One of its upper branches rises near New Marlbo- rough line, and the other a little north of South Sandisfield, furnishing water for saw mills and for other uses. Some of the older people claim that it takes its name from one Sandys, an early settler (they say) in that vicinity, and they even claim that Sandisfield derived its name from the same source. This, however, lacks confirmation. The Browns, who set- tled in New Boston, were claimed to be the first settlers, and they did not. it appears, move into town till 1750, the same year that the meadow lots were laid out, and the meadows lying along this stream were at that time called "Sandy Brook meadows." The records make no mention that can be found of any such person. If named from Sandys he must have been a noted man living elsewhere. There are many other brooks of less magnitude and importance in town. which furnish water for saw mills and other purposes requiring but little power.
There are no large natural bodies of water in this town, Spectacle Pond being the largest. It is so called from the fact that it consists of two bodies of water, about one half mile apart, connected by a stream, suggesting, by their relative position and connection by a stream. the idea of a pair of spectacles. In 1879, during a violent freshet, the dam that held back the water of the upper bay for mill purposes gave way. and the water at the outlet wore a deep channel. of such depth that it has nearly drained the basin, and it did much damage to roads and bridges through Clam River and Farmington River valleys.
There is another pond in the southeastern part of the town called "Simons" Pond, so named from the Simons families that formerly lived near it.
The soil in the central, western, southern, and northern sections of the town is a dark, heavy loam, with a compact subsoil that in places is slightly argillaceous, and of a nature to withstand protracted drought ex- ceedingly well. A soil better adapted to grass is rarely found. In the eastern section of the town, bordering Buck, Clam, and Farmington Rivers, the soil is more friable, in some portions quite sandy, and the sub- soil is porous in patches, so much so that it is somewhat leachy. It is not as capable of retaining fertilizers or withstanding the dronghts as that on the hills, but with good tillage and suitable rains it usually re- turns remunerative crops. The season in New Boston is nearly two weeks earlier than on the surrounding hills.
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
There are no indications that there were ever any Indian settlements in this town, but without doubt they fished in these rivers, and ransacked these hills and once dense forests in pursuit of game. Arrow heads. carved from flinty stone, have been found, and in one place a quantity of them were discovered stored between two rocks.
So far as relates to this town it may be truly said that " grass is King." In 1875. the amount raised was estimated at 4,257 tons, and there were but six towns in the county that exceeded that amount. Double that quantity might be cut if it was all fed on the farms and the fertilizers were carefully husbanded. The hillsides afford good ground for grazing if kept clear of bushes and worthless shrubbery. In some parts of the town the farmer's greatest pests are the persistent hard hacks, alders, and obnoxious ferns called brakes.
The first settlers early turned their attention to raising cattle and some sheep, and a little later, butter and cheese became the staple arti- cles of farm produce. In 1855 the amount of cheese produced was 175 .- 500 pounds. Since then the amount has steadily fallen off till, in 1875, it was 55, 689 pounds, and it is less now ; but the quantity of butter has increased, being 24, 790 pounds in 1855, and 58.265 in 1875. The pioneers and their immediate successors fatted but few calves, and what were not raised were " deaconed," as they called it ; but of late making veal has grown to be quite a business. In 1875 the amount furnished was 33,733 pounds, and it is steadily increasing. The amount of beef produced was 41,616 pounds, and of pork, 48,520 pounds. In maple sugar this town takes the lead of any other in the county or State-Worthington. in Hampshire county, coming next. The product in 1875 was 84,310 pounds: but the amount varies with the seasons. Of late. vast quantities of maple wood have been converted into charcoal for the Great Barrington and Canaan furnaces ; but the younger growth is continually taking the place of that being consumed. The amount of charcoal made in town has reached as high as 188,000 bushels in a year.
Rye does well on land recently cleared, and oats are generally a sure crop ; nearly every farmer raises a little corn, and the yield is usually good. The first settlers made the raising of flax quite a business, and there were several oil mills in operation. They raised more bread stuffs than are raised now ; in fact, they produced all they needed for home consumption. Among the esculents potatoes, for which the soil seems well adapted, take the lead ; but the blight frequently cartails the crop. Some attention is given to turnips and other edible roots, but gardening is not a favorite pursuit. Our fathers early turned their attention to planting and cultivating apple orchards. Sheltered locations were se- lected, where practicable, and, on almost every farm in the town orchards. more or less extensive, were started. They seemed to Inxuriate in the virgin soil ; growing rapidly and bearing enormously, making cider mills in great demand. Little regard was paid to quality, and grafting was seldom thought of ; but some trees of choice fruit were usually found in
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
most of the orchards. Some of the old orchards have gone to decay. and those of recent setting have been of better varieties ; some of the old trees have been grafted, resulting in plenty of superior apples. But lit- tle attention is paid to other fruits. Only a few pears are raised, and the curculio is such a nuisance among plums and cherries that but few are raised. Blackberries and raspberries are abundant in their season. growing spontaneously in favorable places. In early times whortleber- ries were rarely seen here, but now, in portions of the town. there are extensive ranges of them, and they are increasing rapidly. Cranberries are found only in small patches. The timber consists principally of rock and soft maple, beech, birch, ash, and hemlock. Various other kinds are intermixed. There was formerly some walnut, but it is scarce now. In the region of South Sandisfield, years since, there were fine forests of chestnut, but it is now scarce. For shade and ornamental trees the tastes of our fathers ran to the Lombardy poplars, which are now almost ex- tinct.
The original settlers of the town were, in some respects, a peculiar people. However uninviting the vast expanse of wilderness, however formidable appeared the towering monarchs of the forest and the granite boulders that covered the valleys and hillsides, they shrank not from the task suggested by these giant obstacles. With brawny arms they phed the keen-edged, glittering steel, and the old, tempest-swayed. but defiant looking forest trees fell beneath their sturdy stroke. With lever and with fulcrum rocks after rocks were hoisted from their beds and reared into long lines of walls to guard their field crops from the ravages of cattle.
The ladies possessed much of the same hardihood and perseverance. Though, unlike the lilies of the valley, they did " toil and spin." yet. when arrayed in the garb fashioned by their own hands, and with cheeks aglow with the crimson touch of health, no lilies could compare with them. They were a church-going people, and were strict observers of the Sabbath, which with them commenced on Saturday evening. There were no fires in their churches, and foot stoves were in good demand. They chose tithing men to watch the young and others, and to restrain any irreverent outbursts of pent-up nature. Preaching was supported by a tax upon the people, and all tax payers had to yield to the demand. Com- mittees were appointed to " seat the church, " and were cantioned to have some regard to wealth and stan ling, which sometimes gave rise to a little bitterness of feeling. They used plainer food than is used in our day, but still they were good livers. Their diet consisted largely of beef and pork, potatoes, rye bread, johnny cake, flap-jacks, bean porridge, and mush and milk, substantial food. They made much ado over Thanks- giving, and then their tables groaned beneath the most savory viands and delicacies. They paid little regard to Christmas. The well filled cider mug was commonly found on the table. Election day and the 4th of July were their most jubilant holidays, and ball was one of their most
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
attractive games. "Training-day " called ont a large crowd of the male persnasion, but ladies did not intermingle. Weddings were important occasions. Cake and cheese then predominated, and wine flowed freely. Neighborhood gatherings were of frequent occurrence. Husking bees. apples bees, quilting bees, logging bees, drawing bees#, and evening parties were of frequent occurrence, and were seasons of mirth and gaiety. Shoemakers went from house to house with their "kits." to make the family supply of boots and shoes, and the seamstress to make their wear- ing apparel.
Their town meetings were conducted with considerable dignity. They frequently took a vote to determine whether men might wear their hats in town meeting. They had frequent adjourments of from three to fifteen minutes, and occasionally to meet at the public inn and finish the remaining business. They were liable to become thirsty then, as well as some people now. They never failed to choose " haywards, wardens, tithing men, deer reeves, hog reeves," and sometimes "hog constables." In hot weather men were frequently seen at church in their shirt sleeves. and their children bare-footed. A man with two or three thousand dol- lars in his own right was considered rich. In farming, trade, or mechan- ism they followed the custom of their fathers, and seldom experimented or made efforts to get out of the old ruts. As a general rule they were a self-supporting, law abiding, Sabbath-keeping, God-fearing, reverent. and devout people.
Many of the first dwelling houses were rude structures built of logs. The first frame buildings were nearly square, with small windows, board ceilings, large stone chimneys, usually in the center, huge open tire- places, and brick or stone ovens. The roofs sloped at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and ran low down. The next style of houses was two story in front. a narrow front roof, and a long steep back roof, running to within a few feet of the ground, giving two square front rooms and a long back kitchen. Another style prevailed to some extent about the same time, called the " gambrel roof " house, so called from each slope being divided into two sections, the lower section the steepest, and the two combined having the outline shape of a cambrel or gambrel. a stick with a crook at its center, on which to hang the carcasses of slaughtered animals. They had large chimneys, two front rooms, and a long back room. A little later a few houses with more pretentions to style were erected. They were nearly or quite square, with spacious halls running through their centers, and rooms on each side. They were two stories high, and the roof at the ends sloped in the same degree as at the sides. and ran nearly to a peak in the center. These were known as hip- roofs. Those honses were spacious, and were considered elegant in their day.
The first brick structure in town was a school house built about 1826
*People with their teams would help a townsman move a barn or shed, and such gather- ings were called drawing bees.
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HISTORY OF RERKSHIRE COUNTY.
by Lewis Shepard, who also manufactured the bricks of which it was built. It is still standing in the south part of the town on the New Hart- ford road. The other brick buildings. erected subsequently to this, were the house of Abijah Hall, South Sandisfield. anl another in that section built by Ira Cone. Uriel Smith built one about a mile south of the center. and Joseph Cone built one in New Boston West, about two miles east of the center. They are all substantial, well built structures.
The first birth of a white male child in this town. it is claimed, was that of Lot Smith, who was born February 29th, 1756. It was proposed in a warrant for a proprietors' meeting that they should consider the question of granting a lot of land to the first male child born in town; but for some reason no action was taken in the matter, and the mother of Mr. Smith said he should have a lot, so called his name Lot. Many children of the first settlers were born before their parents moved into towi:, and they were recorded here, but no statement where they were born. therefore there is a degree of uncertainty in this matter. Elizabeth Deming, the first female child, was born September 20, 1754. She was a daughter of Lientenant David Deming.
The first recorded marriage in town was that of Abraham Benton to Martha Cook, May 14th, 1759. The second was that of Ebenezer M. Wilcox to Mary Eddy, November 17th. 1760; then follow Joshua Sears to Sarah Blackmore, November 28th. 1760: Cornelius Cone to Phebe Johnson, November 16th, 1761 ; Jonathan Shepard to Mary Underwood. January 31st. 1765 ; Nathan Porter to Pruda Lewis, April 14th, 1766 ; Nathan Haven to Tabitha Sumner, September 12th, 1768 ; David Moody to Rhoda Kelsey, January 17th, 1769.
The first death, as appears per record, was that of a son of Ephraim Sprague, September 25th, 1756. Next in order were Ambrose Sprague. July 15th, 1760 ; Abigail Sprague, May 5th, 1764; Sarah Hubbard, daughter of Nathan Hubbard, October 26th. 1764; Delight Lee, wife of Giles Lee, May 14th, 1766 : Samuel Underwood. August 31st, 1767. Many died between 1770 and 1780. The ages at the time of death are given only occasionally, and then generally in cases of those of extreme old age. The following are the names of a few who reached ninety years and up wards : Francis Dodge, died 1821. aged 95: Elizabeth Deming. 1821, 93 : Obadiah Deland. 1824, 95 ; Elizabeth Couch, 1807, 90 ; James Belden, 1840, 91 : Nathaniel Bosworth, the oldest man that ever lived and died in town, 1807, 90 ; Richard Dickson, 1830, 90 (colored) : Solomon Deming. 1832. 95: Mrs. M. Dowd, mother of Nathaniel B. Dowd, March 25th, 99 : Jacob Fleming, 1841, 92: Mary H. Hubbard, mother of John Hubbard, 1812, 97; Ebenezer Holt, 1836, 96: Josiah Hulett, sen., 1824, 91 : Eliz- abeth Root, 1837. 90 : Ruth Smith, 1822, 90 ; Susanna Smith, wife of Sol- omon Smith, 1798, 90; Mary Smith, widow, 1823. 90; Eli Simons, sen., 1828. 92 : Mary Simons, 1833, 92: Eleazer Smith. 1835, 93: Paul Sears, sen., 1832, 94 ; Mrs. Paul Sears, 1850, 98 ; Sammel Couch, 150. 96 ; Mrs. Sarah Allen, wife of John Allen. 1851, 94: Phebe, wife of Benjamin
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
Smith, 1852, 91 ; Hannah, wife of Nathaniel Smith, 1857, 92; Mrs. Wil- liams, 1847, 103 years, 7 months, the oldest person that ever died in town; Amos Sears, 1861, 91 ; Osmond Bosworth, 1862, 91 ; John Hubbard, 1866, 97; Zina Downs, 1868, 99: Polly Persons, 1869, 92 : Joseph Shepard. 1874, 92 ; Miriam H. Smith. 1869, 91 ; Mary Seymour, 1875, 92. There is a long list of those who lived far beyond three score years and ten. The two oldest persons in town are Josiah H. Hulett and wife. both in their ninety-fourth year, with mind and memory good and clear. JJosiah Hulett, sen .. came from Windham county, Con., in 1780, and settled near Spectacle Pond.
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