USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 22
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522
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
Free Quarter is in the southeastern section of the town. What gave it the name no one seems to know. This section is very uneven, but it contains some warm and very productive land. No manufacturing is done in this quarter. The first place west on the old road leading to the Center is where some of the heirs of Jonathan or John Deming lived, and perhaps said Deming himself. A little further east is where the Wil- liamses lived, three brothers. Still further east David Crane settled where J. M. Sears now lives. James Belden, an early settler from Wethersfield. Conn .. settled near by. George Wilcox lived a little east of the school house, where C. N. Richardson now resides. Charles and Timothy Warner, in 1772. lived near the school house. Their children went to school barefooted in the winter. On the east and west road lead- ing to the New Hartford road the first place west was where Levi and Elisha Smith lived, next Flavel Manley. Ezra Mallison. a soldier in the war of 1812, lived on the corner near Smith's : then a little south of the corner is the Martin Belden place, next the place where Deacon Allen Seymour lived, also Stephen Seymour. On the next corner east lived Jerry Thorpe. Following the main road that leads into what was known as the Southfield District, south 11,000 acres, we strike the main road running from Farmington River directly west to the New Hartford road, and most of the families lived on this road. The numerous family of Bettes's lived in the eastern part of the district ; next came the residence of John Baxter. The Cranes had a saw mill near the outlet of Simons' Pond, then there were several families of Simons, Sammel Chappel, and the Bailies. Lientenant Henry Smith lived a little off from the main road. On the New Hartford road near the State line Enoch Persons resided, and there were formerly two other houses near his residence : but who the occupants were cannot now be ascertained. Then, going north. Church Smith and Joseph Smith lived near the first corner, and near them Joseph Sears and Daniel Sears, Esq .: then came the place of Dr. Amos Smith. A few rods further was Benjamin Persons, then Elihn Per- sons on the place where Byron J. Persons, his grandson, lives. He man. ufactured boots and shoes, and tanned his own leather. Prior to his set . tlement a tavern was kept on the same premises, by Benjamin Pierce. Next came Elizur Spencer, a manufacturer of spinning wheels, quill wheels, " reels, swifts, and paring machines. Benjamin Smith, sen .. lived about half a mile east of the main road. Farther north was the Major Samuel Wolcott place.
Major Samuel Wolcott came from Wethersfield, Conn., soon after settlements commenced, abont 1765. It is claimed that the house he built in Wethersfield, near the old church, is standing and it is noted as being the headquarters of Washington in 1781, while the guest of Jona- than Trumbull, and where was planned the campaign of Yorktown.
His son, William, lived next. He wasa cabinet maker and also made the once fashionable sleighs known as the "gan boat sleighs." He was
* Wheels for filling quills and spools with yarn for the loom.
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
captain, at one time, of the South Company. His brother. Captain Sam- uel Wolcott, lived next, and made and repaired farmers' tools and vehic- les. Next was the residence of Samuel Sage; then the Cones, on the corner of the road leading to New Boston. On the New Boston road was the Phinehas Smith place, which was at a little distance from the pres- ent highway. Sparrow Snow lived next, then Eleazer Smith, next Eb enezer Mills, then Captain Lemnel Smith. The Snows and Smiths came from the " Cape." About one half mile east of Lemuel Smith's at the end of a road. lived Gen. Josiah Wolcott, son of Joseph Wolcott, who settled a little east of the Center about 1765. General Wolcott was an influential man, holding many offices, and was one of the wealthiest farmers in town. Going back to the corner on the New Hartford road and then turning north is the Joseph French place, also Richard French, and at another corner of a road leading to South Sandisfield lived Amos Hall, and next Willard Knowles, who was a blacksmith, and a little further west the Kneelands. Then came the house of Abel Wilcox. where the writer was born. Going back to the corner and proceeding north, there was another family of Cones, and then half a mile further on was the place of Uriel Smith, sen., afterward occupied by Uriel. jr .. and then by his son Myron. On the next corner of a road leading to New Boston lived the Joel Todd family, then farther east was the place where the Lees lived, next the Kibbees, then Samuel Couch. Going back to the corner then turning toward the Center, is found the place where lived Drake Mills, Esq., who was a prominent man in town in his day. The two next houses were occupied by two brothers, Obadiah and Pitt Fuller, who came from Windsor, Conn. Dr. Buckman first occupied the house where Pitt Fuller lived.
Town Hill lies north of Montville, and there are some excellent farms for grass in this section. The old settlers who lived on the Town Hill road were Lot Fuller, Judah Fuller, Joseph Fuller, and several of their descendants ; Abraham Benton, who had a numerous family, Benajah House, Rockwell May, Aquilla Underwood, Thomas Deming and his sons, Abisha Rice, Samuel Merrill, Consider Warner, Seth and Jacob Hubbard, Samuel Allen, John Allen, and his son John H. Allen. Elijah Deming, father of Thomas, was one of the first settlers in that section. Heman Dowd lived where H. Kimberly resides. Eliphalet Baker lived where H. N. Fuller now lives. On a branch of Clam River near Myron Thompson's were formerly two saw mills. On the road leading from Town Hill to Beech Plain there was formerly a grist mill called " Bor- den's mill." Samuel Deland lived off from the road. Timothy Elmore and Joel Elmore lived on this road. and the first was a shoemaker. - little north of where he lived is a road leading to Monterey. John Hub- bard lived in the first house on this road. A little further west, where was formerly four corners, lived Joseph Wentworth. A little north of his place, on a road now discontinued. lived Indimer Hubbard. Another road leads from where H. N. Fuller lives across to the old Tyringham
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
road. First on this lived Jesse Heath, also Samuel Scripture Heath. Near them was formerly a tannery, but by whom oven pied no one knows. The site was discovered a few years since by Deacon Orville Merrill. He was digging muck on a marshy piece of ground, and in the process un- earthed the tan vats. The next family was that of Thomas Abbey. Near where the road crosses Buck River lived Nathaniel Smith. He had a tannery on the river. Some distance below on this stream were one or two saw mills. The next place was that of Theophilus Hubbard. There were at one time many Hubbards as well as Smiths in Sandisfield. Their ancestor in this country was George Hubbard, who came from Essex county, England, to Boston in 1633-4. One of the main branches of this ancestral tree extended into this town. John and Theophilus were of this branch, also Josiah Hubbard, and Rev. Alfred, his son. Rev. Charles Hubbard was the son of Theophilus. Rev. A. Hubbard has two sons in Philadelphia, extensive book publishers. Another branch extended into Sheffield, of which Rev. Nathan Hubbard was one, who, it is claimed, was the first minister settled in the county of Hampshire, that portion of it now embraced in Berkshire.
West street is located on the old Tyringham road. Most of the citi- zens now, and nearly all the first settlers, were good substantial farmers. This precinct formerly embraced Chestnut Hill, which was set off to Mon- terey a few years since. The Fargos, Jabez, Samuel, Moses, and Ezekiel. settled in that section ; also Aaron Heath.
Samuel Fargo, sen., came from New London. Conn., was a shoemaker. then farmer. He had seven children. Samuel Fargo, jr., born September 1st, 1779, was married January 30th, 1822, to Eliza Buel. He engaged in mercantile pursuits, first in Monterey, next in Tyringham, and in 1855 moved to Dixon, Ill., and is still living. Two of his sons, Edward and James B., are in Dixon, Ill. Charles H. and Samnel W. are in Chicago. All of them are manufacturers and dealers in boots and shoes, and do a business exceeding $1,000, 000 annually. All of these families are of un- questionable reputation and highly respectable.
Derick Morley and Simeon Sears lived about one half mile west of the West street school honse. Obadiah Deland and Seth Miller lived not far from the school house. Abner Miller lived where William Hart now resides, and a little south of there, Abner Claflin. Next was the Roswell Heath place, then Francis Dodge. He was one of the solid men, weigh- ing 375 pounds. John Jones, the elder, lived on the place where A. W. Merrill resides. Amos Sears and Joshua, his father, lived on a cross road a short distance from the main road, where N. Smith now lives. Amos was one of the wealthiest men in town, except, perhaps, Jonathan Kill- born, the tanner. On the road leading from West street to Montville lived, first John Bosworth, next Elijah Allen. Dan Smith, Solomon Smith. Jedediah Sage, and Joseph Paine lived near each other in Upper South Sandisfield. Stephen Smith, father of Elizur Smith, of Lee, lived Dear them. Reuben Smith, senior and junior, also Dr. Ira Smith and
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
his father, Joshua Smith, jr., lived in that precinet. Dr. Ira Smith never practiced extensively, though liberally educated for the profession, but spent much of his time trying to invent a flying machine. Michael Clark, soldier of 1812. lived a little east of Ira Smith's. Panl Knowles lived about one and one half miles east of Montville, near Clam River. There was formerly a saw mill near where he lived. East of the Center, on the old road leading over the hill to New Boston, Richard Roberts lived, and near him JJoel Smith, and Noadiah Pease on the same road, near the " Sandy." so called. Aaron Pickett. father of Rev. Aaron Pickett, lived a little west of the Center on the New Marlboro road, also Elisha Smith and Daniel Kingsbury, and farther on David and John Canfield : next Jabez Bosworth, sen. JJames Ayrault, a prominent man among the first settlers, lived near the Center. Charles Wright lived under the hill a little east of the Center, and David Deming, one of the oldest settlers, lived in Montville : also Enos Parsons.
It is impossible to state the year of settlement of those named, nor can it be definitely stated whence they came ; but those named were mostly the first settlers, or those who settled some time previous to 1800.
Among the early families of Sandisfield was that of the Dowds, de- scendants of Henry Dowd, who came from England about the middle of the 17th century and settled in Guilford, Conn. Four thousand of his descendants are said to be living in America at the present time, many of whom served in the nation's wars, and many of whom were also church elders. Herman Dowd and his son, Jared Bishop Dowd, were born in Sandisfield. The latter married Sallie Smith, of the same town. and died in 1862. She died in 1880. They reared several children, most of whom are still living in the county.
Other early settlers in the town were Jonathan Arnold, Allen Butler. Jeremiah Comstock, Capt. Solomon Deming. Renben Griswold, Samuel Holden, Ebenezer Kelsey, Joseph Munsel. Jesse Nickerson, James Nel- son. James, Abel, and Sammel Smith, Ephraim Sprague, John Stocking, Chauncey Sedgwick, Aaron Thorp, Cornelius Thayer, Justus Wilson, and Elihu Ward.
Some of the principal magistrates in town have been Daniel Brown, Joseph Sears, Daniel Sears, Amos Sears, George Hull, Eliakim Hull, Thomas Twining, Samuel C. Parsons, Josiah Wolcott, Lyman Webster, Frank Abbey, Joshua M. Sears, Orlow Burt, Orlow Northway, L. K. Strickland, Uriel Smith, and others. The present magistrates are J. M. Fuller, H. S. Manley, and George A. Shepard, who is also trial justice.
The present assessors are George A. Shepard, Edward Ingham, Wes- ley N. Clark. Town school committee, George A. Shepard, Charles A. Claflin, and Timothy C. Ryan. Selectmen, J. M. Fuller, H. M. Wilcox. and Henry Deming. Town clerk, George A. Shepard. Treasurer, O. B. Jones.
Joseph M. Fuller was born in Sandisfield. Mass., April Sth, 1819. He was the son of Joseph H. Fuller, one of the soldiers from this town
526
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
in the war of 1812. He was educated in the common schools. His prin - cipal occupation has been farming, but he works at repairing wagons and carriages at present. He has been first selectman for over fifteen years, filling the office with ability and giving general satisfaction.
Oliver B. Jones, of Welsh descent, was born in Sandisfield, Decem- ber 26th, 1832. He is a son of Deacon Sylvester Jones, and grandson of Israel Jones, who was among the early settlers. He is a successful far- mer. He married Elvira King, who was granddaughter of Dr. Robert King, one of the early physicians of this town. He has been an assessor several years, and now holds the office of treasurer and collector, con- ducting the business with much credit to himself.
James H. Merrill was born in Sandisfield, Mass., July 26th, 1830. He was a son of Deacon Orville Merrill. He was educated in our common schools, and at the Normal school in Westfield. He followed the road several years as a trunk peddler, then commenced the manufacture and peddling of ready made clothing, making it a specialty, and he still con- tinnes the business. He has also a dry goods store in Montville, and is postmaster in the same village. He has a farm also.
Henry S. Manley, son of John Manley, was born May 30th, 1836. He was educated in the common schools, and has been most of his active life a farmer. He was appointed deputy sheriff under Graham Root, was reappointed under the present sheriff, and still retains the office. He is also justice of the peace.
Albert Hull was born in Sandisfield, Mass., June 15th, 1821. He was a son of ex-Lieutenant Governor George Hull, deceased. In the earlier part of his life he was clerk in his father's store. He next, in company with his father, turned his attention to tanning, commencing in the Kill- born tannery of Montville. Subsequently they extended their business, till it embraced the tannery west of the village of New Boston, also the one north of the village, known as the Burt tannery. The one in Mont- ville was burned and was not rebuilt. One of the others passed into the possession of Deacon Orlow Burt. The one north of New Boston he re- built on an extensive plan, embracing most of the modern improvements and it stands on the east bank of the Farmington River in Tolland. Mr. Hull is an active, energetic man, adhering strictly to business ; is a close observer, and is thorough in having things well done about his premises.
Charles H. Hunt was born in Blanford, Mass., in 1831. He spent some time in California, returned, married a daughter of Lyman Deming of this town, bought a farm near Montville and worked it for several years. then purchased the New Boston Hotel which he subjected to thorough repairs, and converted into a first class country hotel. and he is still the proprietor.
Lincoln E. Deming, son of Orlow A. Deming, was born in Sandisfield. in 1859. His ancestors were among the first settlers in town. He was edu- cated, mostly in the common schools. Early in life he developed a good business capacity, and soon after his majority he engaged in mercantile
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TOWN OF SANDISFIELD.
pursuits at New Boston in company with Albert Northway, and by fair dealing and good address is working up a good trade. He is postmaster at New Boston.
Wesley N. Clark was born in Sandisfield. He is a cigar manufac- turer by trade, also deals in fruits and groceries in New Boston, in con- nection with his trade. He is one of the board of assessors.
Orlow Northway was born in Sandisfield, 1820. He is quite an ex- tensive farmer, and deals considerably in stock, and is one of the wealthi- est men in town. After the organization of the Lee & New Haven Rail- road Company, he was chosen president, and was energetic in trying to consummate the project. He has at times held the office of selectman. He is a good financier.
Henry M. Wilcox was born in New Hartford, Conn., in 1843. When young he was clerk in the store of S. C. Parsons & Son, and when they removed from town he bought their stock of goods in New Boston, and has continued the business ever since. He has represented this district (No. S) twice in the Legislature, and has been selectman for several years. He has good business ability and is on a sound basis.
Albert C. Butler was born in Lenox, Mass., in 1842. He came to this town some years since and purchased the farm formerly occupied by ex- Lieutenant-Governor Hull, deceased. He is one of our best farmers. being a good manager, thorough and industrious. He is postmaster at Sandistield.
George H. Butler, brother of the above. was born in Lenox, Mass .. in 1846. He owns considerable real estate in and around Sandisfield Center. He is vigorous, active, and a very obliging citizen. He was postmaster previous to his brother.
Henry J. Veits was born in Tolland, Mass., 1844. He is a farmer. He has taught schools many winters and has served on the school com- mittee. He is a well read scholar.
CHAPTER XXVII.
TOWN OF SAVOY.
BY REV. A. B. WHIPPLE.
Grants, Sales, and Surveys. - Settlement. - Population. - Present Condition .- Schools. - Prominent Settlers and Citizens,-Churches.
A S the writer of this history has had frequent occasion to look into the history of Northern Berkshire it seems, in his view, proper to have something like the original plan of the earliest survey sometimes before the eye of the reader. Accordingly, a copy of the original survey by order of the General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, June 11th, 1762, made by Nathaniel Dwight during the same year, is given in this work. By comparing this draft with the modern map of Berkshire one can easily see what changes have been made in the boundaries of the several towns,
Among the townships sold in Boston June 20, 1762. was the present town of Savoy, then called No. 6 because it was the sixth in the order of sale. It was purchased at auction by Abel Lawrence for $1,350: $20 earnest money being paid down by him, and his note, with Charles Pres- cott, Esq .. as surety, was given for the remainder. Eight years later the same township was given by the General Court to Colonel William Bul- lock, of Rehoboth. Bristol county, agent for the heirs of Captain Samuel Gallop & Company, for services and suffering's rendered and endured in an expedition into Canada during " King William's war," about 1690.
History tells us of the sufferings in this war, and that the expense was so great that for the first time in this country the General Court all- thorized the emission of paper money, or notes of credit, making them in all payments a legal tender. The cost of the war was great, and the brave and suffering soldiers died before getting more than those paper promises for pay, and left these to their descendants as their only legacy. Among such legatees, eighty years after the war. were grandchildren of Captain Samuel Gallopand his company. The government, though slow, was not unmindful of the service rendered, and appointed as their agent
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TOWN OF SAVOY.
William Bullock, himself a colonel, and gave him authority to select and locate for them a tract of lant six miles square. from any of the un- appropriated lands belonging to the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He located said grant of land mostly in township No. 6. As this grant was made April 25th, 1721, and said land had been sold in 1762, to Abel Law- rence, a question naturally arises how could the general government give it to the heirs of Captain Samuel Gallop and his company : From records in the Pittsfield Registry of Deeds it is made evident that Mr. Lawrence never deeded any of this land in township No. 6 to any one. It is further found that this whole township. within five years after the sale in 1762, was treated as unappropriated or province land, hence an inference that soon after his purchase he forfeited or surrendered his title to it. Having thus reverted to the province, it was in the power of the goverment to dispose of it as a gift or reward to the heirs of the gallant captain and company. In the original sale the following boundaries are given, and they can be traced on the plot of the first survey :
"No. 6. A township to begin at New Framingham, northeast corner, thence northerly to East Hoosuck south line nine hundred and fifty rods, west of East Hoo- suck southeast corner, thence easterly to the southeast corner of said East Hoosuck, thence northerly on the east line of said East Hoosuck three miles one hundred and seventy rods, thence to extend twenty degrees south so far as to mike the contents of six miles square, to Abel Lawrence for $1,350 and have received of him f20, and taken his bond, together with Charles Prescott, Esq., for {1, 330."
Its present boundary is Florida on the north, Hawley with corners of Charlemont and Plainfield on the east. Windsor on the south, and Cheshire and Adams on the west.
In laying out the townships, as ordered by the General Court. so as to make each equivalent to six miles square, the surveyor overlapped some of the lands previously sold and conveyed by deeds. Thus, No. 5 (Cummington) lapped over on Windsor, and was set back, so that the east line of Windsor now is continuous with the east line of Peru (see plot). So also portions of No. 5 and No. 7 had been deeded to Hatfield. but were then included in the new townships. The individual owners were not always disturbed by the transfer, but the town of Hatfield made claim for the land as soon as the survey was accepted by the General Court, and the same year there was awarded to Hatfield an equivalent on the west end of No. 6, extending as far west as the west line of East Hoo- suck, then south to New Framingham. This was a Hatfield grant, and by that town was thrown into the market. Israel and William Williams. of Hatfield, and Israel Stoddard, of Pittsfield, June 28th, 1765, soll this grant for 5262, 10s., to Nicholas Cook, Esq., of Providence, R. I., and to Joseph Bennett, of Coventry, R. I. This land thus became a part of Cheshire ; and it forms in part the west boundary of No. 6. This sale diminished the township by 1.176 acres. From recorded deeds in Pitts- field it is further learned that one year later. June 26th. 1766. John Worthington (from whom No. 3 took its name) and others, for the sum of
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
£935, conveyed by deed to the same Cook and Bennett 3, 740 acres and 14 perches lying northerly of and adjoining to Lanesborough partly. and partly on the new township, No. 4 (Windsor), Berkshire county, being a part of a grant of land made to Aaron Willard, jun., Esq .. with his associate purchasers of the new township No. 3 in the county of Hamp- shire, as an equivalent for a deficiency of land taken off from said No. 3. Omitting boundaries it is found that that land surrounded on three sides the previous purchase-" that is to say excepting 1. 176 acres of land circumscribed and included within the above lines and limits, a grant made sometime since to the town of Hatfield and now held and owned by said Nicholas and Joseph, under said town and not now conveyed," etc.
These two purchases make the whole of New Providence, better known as Stafford's Hill purchase, divided into thirty-three lots, and laid out. as may be seen in the survey map of said purchase in the history of Cheshire. All this was done before a single settlement was made in town- ship No. 6. As Colonel Bullock was authorized to select unappropriated lands to equal six miles square he met another difficulty. Some years before this the town of Bernardston, in Franklin county, named for Gov- ernor Bernard (of whom mention is made in the history of Peru), for loss of land incurred by running a line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, recovered as an indemnity the western part of Florida, in- cluding a portion surveyed in the later Bullock grant, on the eastern side. This was given up, and so No. 6 lost more of its acres to help form the town of Florida. This irregular township No. 6, now touching seven towns, was for awhile called Guilford. Three fourths of the town was south of Bernardston grant. and by the inhabitants was called New See- konk. Colonel Bullock was from Rehoboth, near Taunton, almost diag. onally across the State. It is not strange, then, that the first settlers were from that region, and perhaps the very descendants of the captain and his company.
A man by the name of Robinett was the first to settle in the town, in 1777, near the coal kilns. His after history is unknown. Into the south part of the town in the same year came Captain Lemuel Hathaway. from Taunton, a man who left to his descendants ability and good ehar- acter. Of the thirty-four families which followed him during the next ten years eight were from Taunton, six from Attleboro, two from Norton, three from Sharon, and one each from Rehoboth, Easton, Brimfield. Shutesbury, and Warren, R. I. By 1800 the settlers numbered 430, and in 1810 they had increased to 711 ; ten years later. 852; and in 1850 the largest census was 1,003. Present population (1885) is Số1, for the most part settled on 150 farms, valued at 8268,000, including sixteen saw mills making lumber from 6,000 acres of woodland. From the farms about 820,000 worth of dairy prodnets annually find their way to market.
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