USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 21
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Dr. Julius Rising practiced several years in town and lastly settled in New Marlboro.
Dr. Samuel C. Parsons came from Granville, Mass .. and settled at New Boston, in 1832. He graduated at the Berkshire Medical College. Pittsfield He was in practice here about forty years, and occupied a wide field. extending into Otis, Monterey, Tolland. Granville, Colebrook. and Hartland. He was postmaster about thirty-two years, and was en- gaged in mercantile business most of the time for thirty-seven years. He was trial justice for nine years and justice of the peace about forty years. He was a delegate from Sandisfield to Boston on the constitutional amend- ment in 1853. He was born in 1809. On account of failing health he re- moved. in 1872, to Kansas City, where he still resides.
Dr. John C. Beach, son of Dr. Erasmus Beach, was a graduate of Berkshire Medical College, and is in practice at Springfield, Mass. His professional career has been marked with success. He was succeeded by Dr. Foster Benjamin, from Sand Lake. N. Y., who remained six years and was very skillful.
Dr. Charles E. Bushnell, from Colebrook, Conn., is the present physi- cian. He has a very extensive field and all he can do.
Dr. Henry Mellen, a Thompsonian, settled in Sandisfield about forty years ago. lle lived most of the time in Montville and died in 1881.
The first in the legal pro ession here was Ephraim A. Judson, son of Rev. Ephraim A. Judson, of Sheffield. He was a graduate of Williams College in 1797, was admitted to the bar in 1800, and died in 1807, aged thirty-one.
David B. Curtiss came from Granville, Mass. He graduated at Wil- liams College in 1801, and became a member of the bar in 1806. He prac-
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ticed in this town several years. In the war of 1812 he enlisted in the army, and died in the service at Black Rock, N. Y.
Thomas Twining was a native of Tolland, Mass. He studied law with Lester Filley, of Otis. and entered the profession here sometime previous to 1818. He represented the town in the Legislature in 1828 and 1829. He remained in practice here till chosen sheriff of this county in 1838. He was succeeded in that office by E. F. Ensign in 1843. Mr. Twining succeeded Mr. Ensign. He was again appointed sheriff in 1848. He afterward practiced law in Great Barrington, where he died not many years since.
Benjamin Sheldon practiced law in the town for a few years.
Lemuel K. Strickland was the successor of Mr. Twining. He was noted as an upright lawyer. He was a lover of justice, and was highly respected. He was a member of the Legislature in 1855. He died in 1860, aged 56.
The first school of which the records make any mention was kept at the Center by Giles Lee, during a term of twelve days. Mr. Lee received a compensation of twenty shillings for his services. In 1766 there were four school districts in town, viz : Town street, South, Northwest, and Town Hill districts. £35 were raised that year for "schooling," which "might be paid in produce, the same manner and same price as agreed upon for the half payment of Rev. Mr. Storr's salary." In 1773 a gram- mar school was established at the Center, and provision was made for maintaining it. About this time, however, a complaint was made against this town for not keeping up the grammar school in accordance with the provisions of the law, but after some litigation the matter was adjusted. The town filled up quite rapidly with settlers, and schools increased proportionately. The highest number of districts reached was sixteen. Each district furnished a large number of pupils, the families being large. It was no uncommon thing to find from eight to fifteen children in a family. In 1840 the whole number of scholars in the schools was 374, of whom the number of school age was 346. The aggregate term of the schools that year was 94 months, there being fourteen districts. The average wages of male teachers per month was 820.35; females, $19.55.
At that time there was one unincorporated academy, with an average of eighteen pupils. The amount raised and appropriated by tax was $800. In 1882 the whole number of pupils in the schools was 217. with an aver- age attendance of 168. The appropriation that year was $1.500, and the amount raised by tax in 1884 was 82,000. The average wages of males per month was 832.00; of females, 820.05. Number of public schools at present, twelve. The people have manifested considerable interest in education, and the schools will not compare unfavorably with the general . average in this State.
About 1808 or 1809 two public libraries were established, one at San- disfield Center, of nearly 350 volumes, and one at New Boston, of about the same number. Additions were made from: time to time. The one at
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New Boston was kept up about thirty years : the one at the Center was continued in existence till about 1853 or 1854, when the books were sold at auction. The churches have maintained a Sabbath school library.
There are four post offices in town. One was established at the Center in 1805, with George Hull postmaster. He held the office about fifty years. His successors have been : E. Taylor. Edward Balch. Miss Putnam, A. Sackett, Austin Hawley, George T. Butler, and the present incumbent, A. C. Butler.
The post office at New Boston was established in 1825. with Lyman Brown postmaster. His successors have been : A. Twining, Dr. Samuel C. Parsons, Orlow Burt, Bruce Persons, and Lincoln E. Deming.
The post office in Montville was established in 1853, with W. W. Langdon postmaster. He was succeeded by Thomas Judd, S. M. Cas- tle, and the present incumbent, James HI. Merrill.
South Sandisfield post office was established in June, 1868, with Rollin A. Webster postmaster, and he was succeeded, in 1872, by A. S. Webster ; the present postmistress is Mrs. James Smith.
There is a daily mail at each of these offices. Formerly a stage ran from the Center through Colebrook Center, Conn., to New Hartford. For many years there was a stage route from Sandisfield to Lee, and another stage ran tri-weekly between Sandisfield Center and Westfield, Mass. There is one line now, which runs between Winsted and Sandisfield, passing through South Sandisfield. Another line runs from Winsted to Otis, supplying the office at New Boston, and a branch route from New Boston to Montville furnishes the mail at the latter place.
After the building of the "Tenth Massachusetts Turnpike," better known as the Farmington River Turnpike, the line of stages running over this road from Pittsfield to Hartford carried also the New Boston mail when the office was first established. The mail from Tolland, Mass., to Sandisfield was discontinued in 1881.
Some provisions were made by the original proprietors for construct- ing roads. Some of the first roads were of rude construction, a way being opened by cutting out the timber and removing the stones so as to be passable for carts, and for "slays" in the winter. To avoid low and marshy land the roads were constructed over many of the high hills. The proprietors appointed a committee to see about opening a road through townships Nos. 3 and ? to Sheffield a little prior to the first set- tlement of the town, and in 1748 £60 were appropriated by them to build a bridge across Farmington River at New Boston, and the first road made passable for travel was the one extending through this and New Marl- borough to Sheffield. One of the first substantially built roads passing through the north part of this town east and west, crossing the Green Mountain range, was the "great Boston and Albany road." It was much used during the Indian wars, and was one of the greatest thoroughfares in this region during the Revolutionary war.
In 1750 steps were taken to build a bridge across Clam River, and
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
another over Saw Mill River, one of its southern branches. A county road was built through the south 11,000 acres in 1756. The county road running east and west through the center of the town seems to have been one of the main trunks, and there were many roads branching off from this to the north and south. It was one of the first and most important roads. In 1762 the selectmen laid out ten roads, several of which con- nected with this county road. What was called the South road, leading from the Center to Prospect Hill. better known as Cowles' Hill, was laid out in 1769, and the New Hartford road about 1770. A road from Gran- ville across Beech Plain was laid out about 1780. What was known as the Tyringham road, running through the northwestern section of the town, was constructed soon after the town was incorporated. The Free Quarter road, connecting with the New Hartford, was laid out in 1780. The road leading from New Boston West to the New Hartford road, com- mencing near the brick house where James Ryder now lives, was laid out in 1773. Nearly all the important roads were constructed prior to 1800 ; but there have been many changes to avoid hills and shorten distances.
This town took vigorous action to secure a railroad through the Farmington River valley. September 17th. 1870, it voted to take $40, 000 stock in said road. and issued bonds to that amount at seven per cent. interest. Much grading was done on the line in Sandisfield. Otis, and other sections. Sandisfield expended $26,000 and Otis $16.000 of their bonds. 82,000 were spent for contingencies, and $24.000 was refunded by the State. The effect of the failure of this road upon this town was dis astrous. The valuation of real estate rapidly decreased, and there was a gradual depletion of population. Many stripped their farms and sold them for whatever they could get. Thus things continued, growing worse and worse, till 1882, when the towns decided to make an attempt to have the State reimburse them. They called a special meeting, and this town appointed George 1. Shepard as their sole agent to press their claim before the Legislature, and the town of Otis appointed Deacon Wil- liam Tinker their agent. Judge Norman W. Shores, a member of the House, presented the petition, and rendered salutary aid. H. J. Dun- ham, Esq., of Stockbridge, was counsel for the town, and Hon. Frank W. Rockwell, of Pittsfield, was a faithful advocate in the Senate, all of whose services the towns highly appreciate. Success came after nearly two months of effort. The State has refunded the money, and the road to prosperity is once more open to the town, but it is without a railroad. This was a turning point for the better, as seen in the growing demand for real estate and comparative contentedness of the people.
This town must have been settled rapidly, for in 1775 it had 160 effective military men. In 1791 the population was 1,581 : in 1800. 1,857.
Most of the first settlers came from Connecticut, but some were from the vicinity of Cape Cod. in this State. The first man that settled in town was Thomas Brown, and his father, who had a numerous family, fo !-
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lowed soon afterward. They came from Enfield. Conn., in 1750. Their place of nativity was near Boston, and when they came here they named the east part of the town, lying on Farmington and Clam Rivers, New Boston. Daniel Brown appears to have been a vigorous, active man. He drew many lots, and owned quite a large portion of the town. The New Boston precinct extends several miles along the Farmington River, and also two or three along Clam River, and extends southerly some distance on Saw Mill River, and the two sections are distinguished as New Boston Fast and West. It lies mostly in a deep valley, and Tolland Mountain on the east shuts close down to the village. The Farmington River affords excellent water power, which has been but slightly developed. A grist mill was erected by the first settlers near Hanging Mountain, another in the village, one on Clam River, West New Boston. by Elisha Killborn, and one on Saw Mill River, near where James Richards resides. A saw mill was built in the village of New Boston East directly after set- tlement commenced. Sawyers and millers were appointed by the town, and given certain quantities of wild lands as an encouragement to build and maintain their mills, and were required to give bonds with conditions to faithfully proseente the business.
John Oviatt built a forge on the Farmington about one mile and a half below New Boston, and manufactured scythes, and a saw mill was afterward erected near the same site. There was another saw mill on Clam River, a little south of John Northway's, and another on Saw Mill River, near Amasa Clark's, which was owned by David Sears, a brother of the late Rev. Barnas Sears. Another was built on a branch of the same river in a secluded place, nearly half a mile from any road, but the stream there is better known as Rice's Brook. There is one now in New Boston East, and another one mile and a half below, near where Jabez Cowdry lived, an original settler.
A Mr. Mills built a scythe factory in the village soon after settlements commenced.
Years ago Oatman & Parsons erected a wagon shop on the Farming- ton, near Colebrook River, and did an extensive business, and Denison Stephens followed the same business, having become the owner of the premises. He left, and shortly afterward one Lawler converted the shop into a silk factory, but soon removed his business to Winsted, Conn. The place is now occupied by the Greenleaf Manufacturing Company, J. C. Greenleaf manager. They mannfacture all kinds of martingale rings made of wood. They have machinery for various kinds of turning and they are continually extending their works. They employ from ten to twelve men, and are steadily increasing their capital.
A large shop was built about three quarters of a mile below New Boston village many years since by Jared Smith, a brother of Elizur Smith, of Lee, Mass., and plane handles were manufactured there. After his decease it passed into other hands and was used as a chair factory. It is now occupied by O. D. Case & Co. extensive book publishers of
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Hartford, Conn .. for manufacturing school furniture. They employ twelve hands, and have a capital of about $20,000 in the business.
Hull's tannery stands across the river in Tolland, about one half mile north of the village, but A. Hull, the proprietor, resides in this town. His works are quite extensive, and when the business is good he employs from twenty to thirty hands.
R. Gladding, carpenter and joiner, also wagon maker, has a large shop in the village, and a smithery is connected with it.
Joseph Clark, box and stanchion maker, runs his works by steam, and they are managed by himself and sons.
Twining & Whipple have a slaughter house near the village.
Wesley N. Clark is a manufacturer of cigars, and deals in fruits and groceries.
The first store was built and managed by the Browns, and Sandford Brown built and run a hotel. Alfred Twining was proprietor of another store. There are now two stores in the village. H. M. Wilcox is pro- prietor of one and Lincoln E. Deming of the other.
There is a commodious and well conducted hotel, C. H. Hunt, pro- prietor. Two miles below New Boston East, on the place Zina Hawley once owned-an early settler-a hotel was kept a long time.
E. P. Hood has a furniture shop and saw mill at New Boston West.
Between forty and fifty years since there was a woolen factory on Clam River, near Hood's shop, built by a stock company. This was destroyed by fire. and another factory was erected on the same site, and occupied for a time by Daniels & Bidwell for making papier-mache. It was soon burned down. L. King's blacksmith shop and the town hall are near by. Between the two villages was Burt's tannery, now extinct.
Among the early settlers in New Boston were the Browns. Demings, Grangers, Marvins, Denslows, Beldens, Hawley, Oviatt, Mills, Pratt, Sears, Spelman, several Smiths. Roberts, &c. One Stephen Palmer. saddle and harness maker, and many years deputy sheriff in town, it is said, kept a hotel in New Boston West.
On the east side of Clam River, between the two villages, lived David and William Granger, blacksmiths, and near the corner of the road leading past Capt. Russel Deming's, lived Caleb Bush. one of the oldest settlers. Nathaniel and Deacon George Marvin lived near the town hall.
Montville was formerly known as " Slab City," then as Mechanics. ville. It is a long and somewhat irregular village, sitnated on Buck River, and it is shut in by hills on either side. Far back in the history of the town Jonathan Killborn erected an extensive tannery for those days on this stream, and Robbins Killborn built a grist mill near by. Another grist mill was erected a little farther down the stream, controlled by David Manley. Near the junction of Mad Brook with Buck River was a carding and clothing works. The present saw mill of seth Sey-
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mour is near the site of this old clothiery. Just above. on the bank of Mad Brook, was a building used for dressing cloth.
Making hand rakes has been the most extensive business in this village, and the business at present is conducted by E. A. Whitney in the upper shop, and A. Claflin in the lower one. Jones & Barker for- merly manufactured many rakes and keelers. They owned the first-and it is said the only-keeler machine ever made. The company dissolved. and Barker & Son made keelers and toy hoops for a time. then sold to Whitney & Seymour, and they run the works about one year and sold to John Watrous, of Thomaston, Conn., who continues the hoop business.
There was no dry goods store till about 1853 ; there are two now, J. H. Merrill being proprietor of one, and Norman T. Sears of the other.
L. J. Richardson makes and repairs wagons, occupying the shop of Levi Pease, deceased. J. M. Fuller has another repair shop further down.
The Baptist church is in this village.
Lot Smith. the first white child born in town, was born a short dis- tance east of this place.
Sandisfield Center early became the great business center of this sec- tion of the country. The first church and society were formed here, the first church built, the first school started. and the first post office was lo- cated here. One of the merchants was Solomon Robins, whose store was a little east of where the church stands, near the residence of Lamartine Haw- ley. He had a family of twelve children. William Lucas dealt in mer- chandise, had a pot ashery and manufactured some pearl ash. A Mr. Mudge had a store here soon after the town was settled. Eliakim Hull started a store about 1800, and his son George succeeded him in the business. Smith & Stephens started another store near where the school house stands. and afterward erected a new store a little further south. which subse. quently passed into the hands of Jabez Bosworth and his son. Edwin. A few rods from this, on the opposite side of the way. Joel Sage dealt in merchandise for years, till a Farmers' Company was formed and bought the premises for their use. A few rods west of this, Roswell Canfield started a store and tavern combined. One of the first tavern keepers was a Mr. Smith. James Graham was a tavern keeper there soon after settle- ments commenced. On the New Marlborough road, near the town line. Thomas Holman kept a tavern for many years. He was among the first settlers. Jabez Bosworth kept a hotel across the way from the old church edifice a long time, and it was the last one kept in the village. He was a saddle and harness maker by trade, and kept up the business till near the close of his life. Stephen Bosworth had a hat shop under the hill, a short distance east of the meeting house, and made the prevalent styles of hats in those days. Brainard Selby lived on the south road but a short distance from the meeting house. He was an early settler and manufactured axes and scythes, forging them all by hand. There was generally no lack of tailors, milliners, dressmakers, blacksmiths,
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shoemakers, and cobblers. It was for nearly three fourths of a century the great mart for butter, cheese, and maple sugar for this and adjoining towns. Their nearest points of shipment were Hartford and Hudson, and farmers frequently went with ox teams to those places to carry produce and bring merchandise.
South Sandisfield is situated on Sandy Brook. in the southwestern part of the town. The Sages, Websters, Shepards. Kellogg's, Goodriches. and others were among the first settlers. A grist mill and saw mill were soon erected under the hill, just west of A. S. Webster's. the saw mill by Asa Kellogg and the grist mill by a stock company. Another saw mill was soon erected a little above the one mentioned, by Abel Wilcox. A short distance below Stephen Sage built a carding and clothiers' works. which was afterward sold to Harvey and William Wolcott, and was last owned by Joshna Bolles. A. S. Webster purchased the Kellogg saw mill. rebuilt and enlarged it, and put in machinery for cutting scale boards and making shingles. Earl Bacon built, about half a mile further down the stremin, another saw mill. Harvey Wolcott and Ira Cone built in the vil- lage quite a large tannery, which was last owned and worked by John Miller. The first tannery built in that section of the town, on a small scale, was that of Charles Beecher, near the Philemon Sage place, and Mr. Sage had a tannery on his place. Joseph and Lyman Shepard had a wagon and repair shop in the village. Abner Webster, sen., was a blacksmith, and was famous for making butcher knives.
On the west road leading to Norfolk lived Stephen Sage and Silas, his son Amos Hall, sen., a cooper, Jonathan Webster, and D. Love- land.
On the upper road leading northerly from the Philemon Sage place lived C. Beecher, Abel Sage, John Stephens, Dr. Herrick, William Shepard, and Ebenezer Webster, who committed suicide, and the place passed into the hands of Jonathan Shepard. Lyman Webster, a self- educated mathematician and efficient surveyor, lived on the place ad- joining.
First settlers in this section : Stephen Sage. Jacob Webster, Asa Kellogg, and Micah Goodrich.
Beech Plain lies in the northern section of the town, and joins Otis. It is an elevated plateau of land, located between Farmington and Clam Rivers, but no casual observer would think of calling it a plain. It was once heavily wooded with beech, which suggested its name. When first settled it was quite a business portion of the town, but its former glory has nearly departed.
J. Adams and Abram Downs built a grist mill near the outlet of Spectacle Pond, soon after settling, the first that was built in that sec- tion. A short distance below this another grist mill was built soon after- ward. A little further down on Spectacle Pond Brook, Captain John Allen, Seth Hubbard, and Judah Fuller, sen., built a saw mill, and two have been built since, on the same stream, one by Andrew Downs, and
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another now owned by William Hawley. Captain Allen built an oil mill near by, and John Churchill a clothier's works. Benjamin Holcomb built a dish mill. and Seth Hubbard a rake factory, all on the same brook. Isaiah Woodruff built a tannery on the corner a little north of Laura Allen's, and about a quarter of a mile east was a potashery, owned by Richard Adams. The Adamses had a store and hotel on the corner of the Otis and Cold Spring Road, and one Lewis had a blacksmith shop near by. There was another hotel -- taverns they were called-on the E. Strickland place, then owned by James Adams. Richard Adams lived near the store mentioned, and Samuel Adams a little west of it. About one mile north from the corners. on the Otis road. a hotel was kept on the premises of Ichabod Crittenden, whose father was an old sailor of Irish descent. Another hotel was kept on the great Boston and Albany road, between the upper and lower basins of Spectacle Pond, by Henry Spring, and he was crowded with customers much of the time, frequently having to stable twenty horses. Cider mills and distilleries abounded here.
Many of the first settlers located in this section. The Hnletts came from Windham county, Conn., and settled east of the pond. The Springs came from Brookfield. Mass .. and settled near it. Abraham Downs came from Derby, Conn . and located. on the east side of the pond. Benjamin Clark lived on the Lanra Allen place. Lemuel Kingsbury, a Revolution- ary soldier, lived a few yards east of the same place. Jolin Pickett settled on the Harry Hawley place on the Otis road. Peter Strickland lived on the same road and not far from the Otis line : also Oliver Holcomb. Lemuel Dunham, grandfather of the late Gamaliel Dunham, came from Wilbra- ham, Mass., one hundred years ago, and settled near the outlet of Spec- tacle Pond. All of his sons went to the war. Runa Judd settled near the T. Webb place, west of the pond, and Orrin Judd a little further east on same road. He was the grandfather of Orange Judd, late publisher of the American Agriculturist, New York. Enos and Simeon Parsons lived in the eastern section of the Plains, on the Barker place. Israel Jones lived where Deacon J. Mansfield now resides. This branch of the Jones family came from Wales, two brothers with their families, and settled in Greenfield, Mass. They were all massacred by the Indians but one child : that was supposed to be dead, but revived, and that child was the grand- father of Israel Jones and the great-grandfather of Deacon Sylvester JJones, now living at an advanced age in Montville. Thomas Tilden. an eccentric character, settled near the school house corner, and Dr. John Hawley a little north of the same corner. Daniel Hurd lived on the corner a little east of John Spring's. He came from Woodstock, Conn. Ezra Sackett settled where John Spring now lives. Simeon Underwood and Chandler Pease lived a short distance south of Deacon Mansfield's : also Hezekiah Soper. Nathan Porter lived near Clam River on the Town Hill road. The Wilcoxes came from Hebron, Conn., and were prominent men. Eben- ezer Wilcox was one of the first settlers. Abel Wilson, an old pioneer. settled in a remote part of the Plains.
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