USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 34
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at his dwelling house at least two months before the time that is set in the warrant for him to pay the same into the State and County treasury and the said articles are to be at the common market price given by Messrs. Larned & Danforth merchants in Pittsfield."
The following is a list of the clerks of the town since its incorpora- tion in 1777: Asa Stowers, George Sloan. David Martin, Azariah Ashley. James McKnight, Norman Sloan, Larkin Williams, Jesse Ladd, jr., Absolom Deming. Flavius Pease, Jasper Morgan, William Morgan. Hor- ace D. Wells, Elisha A. Wells, John S. Noble, Stephen W. Newton, William G. Ballantine, William F. Bell, Artemas W. Lloyd. Isaac Brooker, Simpson Bell, Alanson B. Pomeroy, John J. Egan.
Among the many worthies that have honored our county, there stands out in bold relief the name of Edwin D. Morgan, who passed from earth February 14th, 1883. His successful and honorable career has a particu- lar local interest for he was a Berkshire county boy, the son of a farmer who lived in Washington, the highest point on the Boston & Albany Railroad.
There the great war governor and United States Senator was born. February 8th, 1811. Mrs. Eames, widow of Alvah Eames, now residing in Becket, was one of the instructors of Edwin D. Morgan, during his early childhood. She is now quite vigorous and speaks with great pride of her distinguished pupil.
The father removed to Windsor. Conn., while the son was young. and the latter, at the age of seventeen, became a clerk. and afterward a partner with his uncle, Nathan Morgan, of Hartford. In 1937 he became a wholesale grocer in New York city.
Space will not permit an account of his brilliant career as a highly successful business man, politician, legislator, governor of New York, and United States Senator. The people of his native town feel a landable pride in the recollection of the fact that this eminent self-made man had his birth among their hills.
1
CHAPTER XXXIII.
TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
BY WILLIAM C. SPAULDING, ESQ.
Incorporation and Boundaries .-.- Geographical Features .- Aboriginal Inhabitants and Propri etors .- Early Settlers .- Organization of the District .- Early Inhabitants .- Building of the First Meeting House .- Churches and Societies .- First Roads .- Post Offices .-- The Revolution .- War of 1812 .- The Rebellion .- Cemeteries .- Schools .- Statistics .- Secret Societies .- Industries,-Miscellaneous .- George W. Kniffin.
THEN the General Court of the province of Massachusetts Bay. by an act passed June 220, 1730, erected into a separate and distinct township the plantation in the ancient county of Hampshire called " The Indian Town." on the Housatonic River, by the name of Stockbridge, the westerly part of the township thus created was what was afterward set off and incorporated as the district, which later still became the town, of West Stockbridge. Stockbridge was six miles square, and was divided north and south by Stockbridge Mountain. so that more than one third of its territory lay west of the mountain.
As early as 1768 the project of setting off that part of Stockbridge lying west of the mountain as a separate parish or district was agitated. and an article was inserted in a warrant for a town meeting. in March of that year, " To see if the town will remit to the inhabitants living on the west side of the mountain, the whole or a part of their taxes, in order for said inhabitants to hire preaching among themselves, such part of the year as their taxes will pay for," and at the meeting it was " Put to vote, whether the town will appoint a committee to form a vote, or scheme, to set off the inhabitants living on the west side of the mountain. to be a parish by themselves, and passed in the affirmative." and Timothy Woodbridge, Esq., Deacon Samuel Brown, and Mr. Stephen Nach were appointed such committee, with instruction to report at the next meeting for choosing a representative. What the action of that committee was does not appear, but the next year, under an article . To see if the town will vote that the west part be a district or society by themselves, anl how far from the west line of the town of Stockbridge, to the ex : vand
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said west part may extend," it was " Voted, the west part of the town be set off to be a town or district by themselves, viz .: two miles and a half from the west line, from north to south," and though the subject was continually before the inhabitants. it was not accomplished until five years later.
Pursuant to a petition to the General Conrt by Increase Hewins and others, presented January 29th, 1774, representing that the inhabitants of the west part of Stockbridge were desirons of enjoying the privileges they might, if incorporated a separate district, on the 234 of February following. the westerly part of Stockbridge, one and a half mile in width from east to west, was incorporated a separate district by the name of West Stockbridge, with all the powers and privileges towns then enjoyed. excepting only that of sending a representative to the General Court. and authorizing it to join with Stockbridge in the choice of a representative. Nothing was done under this act it having been found an error had been made in placing the line of division only a mile and a half east of the original west line of Stockbridge, and at the May and June session fol- lowing, an additional aet was passed, fixing the eastern boundary of the district two miles and a half east of the original west line of Stockbridge, and the benefits granted and the obligations imposed by the first act were affirmed and extended to the district thus incorporated. This divi- sion rendered the form the district a right-angled parallelogram, two and a half miles in width. east and west, and six miles long, north and south: the northeast corner was about sixty rods north of the present residence of Henry K. Kent, the northwest corner about one hundred rods north- west of the passenger house at State Line station. the southwest corner about thirty rods west of the residence of Frederick Fiten, in Alford, and the southeast corner in the northerly part of Housatonic village: the east and west boundaries ran north nine degrees east, and it contained fifteen square miles or 9, 600 acres. It was bounded north by ". Richmont." afterward changed to Richmond, east by Stockbridge, south by Great Bar- rington and Alford (all then incorporated towns), and west by Alford and a part of the territory then in dispute between the provinces of Massa- chusetts Bay and New York, as to jurisdiction, and then known as " The King's District," which is now in part embraced within the towns of Austerlitz and Canaan, N. Y.
Its name was naturally suggested by its relation to Stockbridge. The Indian name was " Qua-pau-kuk." and after the whites began to settle here, before its incorporation, it was called " Queensborough " by them. thus complementing the designation of the adjoining locality as "The King's District." The following letter, while suggesting a name for the proposed district, also indicates the fact that the governor designated the names new towns and districts should bear, when incorporated. It was addressed to Colonel William Williams, the representative of Pittsfield in the General Court, and in favor with Governor Hutchinson : Squire Woodbridge mentioned in it, was the representative of Stockbridge:
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TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
"Sir : We now have a petition in the General Court to have the west part of Stockbridge set off and made a district, which, I suppose, will meet with no opposi- tion. We have called the place Queensborough, sh'd be glad to have it retain that name, if it is agreeable to his Excellency. I forgot to desire Squire Woodbridge to mention it to the Governor, and had I thought of it, I suppose he would have been too negligent to have done anything about it. I would therefore now beg the favor of you, sir, to request his Excellency to call the place Queensborough, if it is agree- able to him. I am, sir, with respect, your very humble servant,
"ELIJAH WILLIAMS. " Queensborough, June 4, 1771."
The establishing of the line of division and jurisdiction between the States of Massachusetts and New York in 1787, which had been in dis- pute many years, caused the first territorial change. The course of that line was made north 15 degrees, 12 minutes, and 9 seconds east, magnetic. and crossed the western boundary about 200 rods south of the northwest comer, and the north line 40 rods east of same corner, thus cutting off from the northwest corner of the district a triangular parcel of land 40 rods in width on the north line, containing 25 acres. The southerly point of this triangle was on the highway leading to Chauncey Smith's house. and the parcel is afterward mentioned in a conveyance of the premises to which it belonged, as lying in " New Canaan." The division also left a larger triangular tract north of Alford, west of this town and in this State, formerly a part of " The King's District, " and called ". The Gore." which was annexed to this town March 3d, 1793. The northerly part of the eastern boundary ran but a few rods east of what is now " the Vil lage," and left a large tract of available territory west of the mountain, still in Stockbridge, and in 1784 the town appointed a committee to apply to the towns of Stockbridge and Alford to join with this town in a peti- tion to the General Court to have that part of Stockbridge lying west of the mountain, and the north end of Alford as far south as the south line of this town, annexed to this town. Though the subject was often dis- cussed and acted on in town meetings, that part of Stockbridge referred to was not so annexed until March 2d, 1829, when it was accomplished. The northern boundary of this parcel was 22 chains in length and placed the northeast corner of the town on the summit of Stockbridge Moun- tain, a few rods southerly of the Lenox road, and from there the bound- ary continued sontherly on the ridge of the mountain a little more than two miles, and then ran due west to the original east line of the town.
Disputes and doubts having arisen as to the precise location of that part of the north line west of the above addition, especially at the west end, which was claimed by some parties to be ten to fifteen rods south of the point where it was finally established. March 27th, 1834. an act was passed establishing the northwest corner where it now is, about sixty rods northwest of the State Line station, and thence running easterly 760 rods to a monument then and now known as " Cone's corner." which was the original northeast corner of the town.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
Instead of acquiring territory from Alford, as proposed more than sixty years before, on March 17th, 1847, the southeast corner of the town was set off to Alford. the dividing line running from the northwest corner of Great Barrington northerly up " Tom Ball Mountain," and on its ridge seventy-eight chains, and thence northwesterly to the west line of this town. Thus its present boundaries were established, and all now remain- ing of the original boundary lines are the parts from the corner of Great Barrington to Housatonic, and thence northerly to a monument about a mile south of the village, in James H. Spencer's field. The Upper Hou- satonic township, within which Great Barrington was formed, extended 770 rods north from the south line of this town, its north line running very near the dwelling house of George H. Cobb. Asalready intimated, the northeast corner of the town is now on the summit of the mountain, near the road to Lenox, the northwest corner is about sixty rods north- west of State Line Station, the southeast corner just in the village of Housatonic, and the southwest corner about 185 rods westerly of the res- idence of Thomas French : the most westerly point is on " Indian Moun- tain," about 230 rods west of the house of Morgan H. Arnold, the terri- ritorial center is on the summitt of "Au.hu-can-tuk." or "Center Mountain," about 130 rods north of west from Heman Ford's house, and the approximate area is 11,325 acres.
The northerly part of West Stockbridge, though somewhat hilly and uneven, contains a large level tract. a part of which was formerly owned by Benjamin Kan-ke-we-nah-nant and known as " Ben's Plain." in which tract lie the "Great Qua-pau-kuk," later known as the " Tuller" or "Crane Pond," the " Small Qua-pau-lack" or "Cranberry Pond." and the southerly part of " Guilder Pond," south of Richmond Furnace. so called from John Van Guilder, who owned fifty acres next to it, and "Flatbrook Swamp." or the " Long Level." The eastern and western borders of the town lie upon and are skirted nearly their whole distance by mountains ; by Stockbridge Mountain on the east-Tom Ball Monn- tain, and crossing the west valley to Indian Mountain, and thence to State Line, on the west. Tom Ball, rising about 1,000 feet, enters about two miles at the south end of the town, and with " Maple Hill." Center Mountain, about 600 feet high, occupies the central portion. The valley in which the old village of West Stockbridge Center is situated, lies be- tween Indian Mountain, and Center Mountain and Tom Ball, while the valley of the Williams River extends through the entire length of the town between Center Mountain, Tom Ball west-and Stockbridge Moun- tain east. The north end, these valleys and the belt lying north of Tom Ball, and between it and Center Mountain connecting the valleys, embrace the improvable lands in the township.
About half a mile north of the old church at the Center, the surface rises and forms the " divide." or watershed of the streams in the valley. ". Suun-kaunk's Kill," or "Seekonk Brook," has its source in a branch rising northwest of the church, and in one from the direction of Tom
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TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
Ball, which uniting, it finds its way directly into the northwest part of Alford, and thence to Green River and the Housatonic. Rawson's Brook rises southerly of Maple Hill, and entering the valley to the west, and uniting with " Whitwood's" Brook, runs north to " Flat Brook," which comes in from Canaan, at State Line, and Flat Brook continuing easterly through the " Long Level, " receiving the outlets of " Crane" and " Cran. berry" Ponds, which enter it on either side, it enters the head of Shaker Mill Pond about a half a mile north of the village, and with Griffin's Brook. coming from Richmond through "Guilder " Pond, and " Cone's" Brook from the southeast part of Richmond, unites and forms the " Tau- pau-goh," or " Williams" River, which enters the Housatonic near Van Deusenville.
There were no open or natural meadow lands ; aside from mountain. stream, ponds, and swamp, forest growth covered the township when set tlers came in. White pine grew on the Plain in the north part of the town, and at intervals on the margin of the streams and in the valleys. Ash and soft maple prevailed in the swamps and moist grounds, and the varieties of wood usually found in this vicinity covered the uplands and mountain sides. It is estimated that not exceeding three fifths of the area of the town is of improved or improvable land, and that there are not now exceeding forty acres of accessible lands which have not yielded their original forest growth to the settler, the iron smelting furnace, and the locomotive, since settlers located here, and some parts brive since yielded later successive growths.
As in Stockbridge, the Indians were the original proprietors of the entire township. Though some indications of their dwelling places have been found on Maple Hill and some other places, it is known one family lived in the southwest part on the flat west of Norton S. Patterson's house. one or two near Russell Woodruff's brick house, and a few in the south part northerly of Housatonic, convenient to the Stockbridge settlement.
Parcels of land granted by vote of the proprietors in the usual way were laid out here as early as 1750, though to a limited extent until white settlers came in. Among the individual Indian proprietors were Captain Timothy Yo-kun, Daniel Po-chos, Captain Jacob Check -aun kun, Ebenezer Poo-poo-nuck. Robert Nau-na-na-want. John Miohk-sin. and there were many others. Of such owners in part, and part by grant- of the Indian proprietors through committees appointed for the purpose of making conveyances of common or Indian lands, not already laid ont. the white settlers obtained their titles. Some of the lands were sold to pay debts incurred by the Indians, and in 1772 they authorized the sale of all their remaining lands here for the benefit of the poor indians. Some conveyances were subject to the approval of commissioners ap pointed by the government to guard the rights of Indians. In 1973, in consideration of 54 sterling, and his past services in surveying lands for them, the Indian proprietors voted to Colonel Elijah Williams, who had established an iron works where the Shaker mill now stands, all " the
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
seraps and pieces of land," not already allotted to other proprietors. ly- ing east of his iron works, to the top of the mountain.
Naturally the first settlers located on the then most available lands for farns and homes and near to sites for mills with water power. It is recorded that Joseph Bryant settled in the extreme northwest corner of the town, at what is now known as " State Line." in 1766. In 1764. Au- gustine Bryant, a resident of " the King's District." purchased of Bar- tholemew Hookaboom, of Mount Ephraim (Richmond), the west half of a sixty acre lot which had been laid out there to Robert Nung-kan-want. and soon after a dam and saw mill were built on the stream (Flat Brook) about forty rods southeast of the State Line railway station, where the Housatonic Railroad crosses the highway. This was the first water power improved and the first mill of any kind built in the town. The mill pond raised, set back up the valley for more than a mile, and the grounds west of the dam, now occupied by the station and railroads, were submerged for many rods above the station, and the spot where the State Line Hotel building stands was surrounded by water, and was known as " The Island." Though Joseph Bryant operated the mill, and it is often re- ferred to as his mill he was not the entire owner, but it belonged to sey- eral neighbors in shares of ninths. Lambert Burghardt, who came from Egremont and settled on the farm adjoining the church grounds at " the Center," and built the house on the location where Thomas O'Brien now lives, next south of the church, is also said to be the first white settler. He died there in 1821, aged 86 years, and the inscription on his tombstone, which was erected by relatives some years afterward, states that he was the first white settler. No means are now known by which to determine whether Bryant or Burghardt was first, but it is certain both were among the very first of the whites who located there.
In 1763 Colonel Williams obtained from Robert Nung-kan-want, above mentioned, a lease for 500 years, at the annual rent of one pepper corn, if demanded on the premises, of a tract of 140 acres of land, which embraces all the northerly part of " the village," and the Shaker Mill Pond and water power, where he afterward erected a forge for the man- ufacture of bar iron, near the present site of the Shaker mill ; the south- erly boundary of this tract is near the Congregational church. This was the second water privilege utilized in town. Some time before Colonel Williams obtained his lease, Elias Van Schaack and some Indians began to build a dam where Colonel Williams built his forge, which was the first known or recorded attempt at any improvement in town. Van Schaack was originally from Kinderhook, and Mr. Taylor says in his his- tory of Great Barrington was a very troublesome fellow, and was driven away in 1739. It does not appear that he and the Indians ever did any- thing more than to make the beginning mentioned. Colonel Williams had acquired the ownership of most of the lands lying northwesterly of the village and along the pond toward " Leet ore bed." and his original purpose seems to have been to have located his works on the outlet of
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TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
" the Great (Qua-pau kula Pond," as he retained the right to flow parts of the "Tuller farm," by a dam to be built there when he sold it in 1769. Samuel Mudge built the first grist mill near where Russell Woodruff's old saw mill stands : JJonathan Rawson had a grist mill where James Dewell now owns ; there was a saw mill and grist mill at Nathan Bough- ton's where Mrs. Freedley lives; Asahel Cone's forge was at " Rock Dale mills," and Stephen Brown had a forge at Williamsville, and there was also a saw mill there.
Colonel Williams established the first store here about 1773. and Samuel H. Lewis kept the first tavern, which is supposed to have stood where Peter Easland's house now stands.
The first minister who lived in town was a Rev. Mr. Thayer, who lo- cated in the southerly or sonthwesterly part, and it appears died very soon after, though no record of the date of his death is found. Rev. Samuel Whelpley, a Baptist minister. came among the first settlers.
The first physicians were Dr. Samuel Baldwin and Dr. Asa Hamlin, who came soon after the town was organized.
The first lawyer was Enoch W. Thayer, who bought a large property of Colonel Williams, and located in the village about 1803. His house stood just west of the Shaker mill and his office just south toward the railroad station.
By the act incorporating the district, Jahleel Woodbridge, one of his majesty's justices of the peace, was empowered to issue a precept to some principal inhabitant to warn a meeting of the inhabitants for the choice of officers, and June 28th. 1774, he issued such warrant directed to Increase Hewins, appointing the meeting at the house of Christopher Brasee, which was at " the James B. Munn place," a short distance northerly of where the church stands at the Center. on Monday the 4th day of July following, at 9 A. M., at which meeting Mr. Woodbridge was made moderator : Benjamin Lewis, town clerk and treasurer ; In- crease Hewins, John Deming, and Benjamin Culver. selectmen an lassos. sors ; Elijah Slosson, constable : John Deming, Simeon Parmelee, Chris- topher Park, John MeKinvin, Josiah Arnold, and Kileon Minkler, sur- veyors of highways : Josiah Arnold. Benjamin Culver, and Moses Prindle, wardens : Elisha Hooper and Roger Woodruff, tithingmen ; Peter Hall and William Tuller, fence viewers ; and Increase Hewins, Benjamin Lewis, and Elisha Hooper, " a committee to meet with the others."
As establishing publie worship among themselves, as well as their convenience, was a great motive and reason for their separation from the mother town, at the first meeting after the organization, held on the 14th of the same July, after choosing Roger Woodruff moderator, their first ac- tion was to express their desire by the following vote: "That said district would raise some money for preaching," and they votel twelve pounds for preaching. eighteen pounds for schools, and forty shillings for contin gent charges, and further voted that the preaching should be divided into
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
.
three places for the year, and appointed Peter Hull, Roger Woodruff. and Benjamin Lewis ministerial committee.
Colonel Williams, Samuel Brown, jr., and Jacob Parsons, of Stock- bridge, acquired large interests here of the Indians. in the new lands. especially in the north and west of the town, sometimes separately and sometimes "in company," presumably on speculation, for though Colo- nel Williams removed from Stockbridge and resided here abont twenty- five years, and Mr. Parsons, going first to Richmond, came into the north part to live for a time, they occupied but a lesser part of what they were int reste ! in, and sold parcels to many of the new comers. They purchased lots already laid out, and also rights of Indians to whom rights had been voted in the common lands, and had lots laid out to themselves on the rights so purchased.
Some of the early settlers were : Josiah Arnold, and Increase Hew- ins-who came immediately from " The King's District," in the north part -Jonathan Woodruff, Peter Hall, Elisha Hooper. Elijah Slosson. Enoch Hinman, John Deming. Amos Fowler. Daniel Mun, John George Easland, Christopher and Hendrick Brasee, John Minkler. Ichabod Mil- ler, Theophilus Westover. and Sammel Young in the westerly part: David Hutchinson. Stephen Brown, Timothy Barnes, and Christopher French in the southern part : Ezekiel Stone, David Pixley, the Boughtons, David Bradley. James and Amasa Spencer, Colonel Williams, and Peter Turner in the eastern part ; Augustus Drake and Benjamin Lewis, John Race or Rees, on Maple Hill : and it is believed that all these and many others not named obtained their lands either directly or with but one interven- ing conveyance from the aboriginal proprietors. Among such propri- etors who figured to a greater extent than some of the others in these sales were : Robert Nung kan-want, John Mtohk-sin, Captain Timothy Yo-kun. Captain Jacob Cheek-sam-kun, Ebenezer Poo-poonnek, and David Tousey. Most of these settlers remained in town several years after its incorporation, and the descendants of some of them yet remain on the farms purchased and cleared up by their grandfathers and great- grandfathers. They were mostly farmers, with now and then a mechanic among them. . No publie works, mining, or mannfactures occapied them other than their own immediate wants demanded. Besides Bryant's saw mill and Williams' iron works already mentioned two grist mills were early established.
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