USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
Of necessity public meetings were held wherever circonstances and convenience permitted. Meetings for public worship were held at dwel- lings mostly. though occasionally in baras, and were for stated periods held at different places by vote, sometimes in the southerly part near Four Corners, then near the Center, and then northerly at John Dem- ing's. and also at Williams' iron works, but mostly at Deming's house and Amos Fowler's barn. Town meetings were also held at Fowler's and Deming's. and Samuel H. Lewis' tiveru.
In June, 177%), it was voted " That the town will do something to pro-
-
633
TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
mote the public worship of God on the Sabbath," that they " would not raise any money to hire preaching," that " the town will build a house for public nse," that it should not be a log house, but framed, 35 by 45 feet, that it should be set between John Deming's and Lambert Burg hardt's barn-points separated by about 275 rods distance, and appointed committees to " pitch the stake" for it, and to take charge of and carry on the work. Much contention and delay with regard to the location fol- lowed this action. It was referred to other committees of men both in and out of town, and votes were passed accepting reports made as to the location, and then rejecting them, and then again adopting some rejected action of a committee with the resolution " never to depart therefrom." In June, 1786, being unable to fix upon the spot. Dr. Oliver Partridge. Isaac Curtis, and Asa Bement, of Stockbridge, were appointed a commit. tee to determine the matter. They acted, and at a meeting held ten days afterward they reported an agreement with Lambert Burghardt. Their report was accepted, all previous action as to the location was rescinded. and measures were immediately adopted for building the house at the place they recommended. It was voted to have the house 4? by 54 fee :. with posts 23 feet high, and they again appointed a committee to have charge of and go on with the work. The site selected was the most ele- vated, accessible spot near the center of the valley, which was on the west side of the highway in the northeast corner of Lambert Burghardt's of- chard at the Center ; and in consideration of his being exemptel from any tax on account of building the meeting house, and on condition that the town should build and keep in repair a house thereon for public worship. he gave to a committee of the town a lease of two acres there for that purpose, to run as long as the house should be kept in repair, and so used, but the lease was not actually made till March, 1708. The mate. rials were provided by the inhabitants delivered on the ground, they being classe, and certain materials and work were to be provided by each class. They raised $300 by tas, to be paid in materials and produce at fixed prices. But the beginning lingered until the spring of 1788. when the framing and covering of the house was let to Joshua Stevens on a bid for eighty pounds and ten shillings. It was not finished that year. but the first town meeting was opened there in December and adjourned to a private house. This was the present " Center " church, and has ever since been used for the purposes stated. The seats, windows, and inside work, including stairs were not completed until 1703-4, for which 975 were appropriated. It was turned one quarter way round to the north, repaired, an la steeple and ball added in 1825, and it has since been rearrange i inside. Town meetings continued to be held in the church till Is20, when a school house, with a hall in the second story. having been built in the village, an ! the's gos! district having offered its use to the town for that purpose, town ima ging- were held at this hall a part of the time till 1-19, when the rise of the church for such purpose.
-
63-4
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
was discontinned, the town house being used for town meetings after it was built in 1852.
The church organization of the Congregational denomination was effected June 4th, 1789, with seven male and three female members, Robert Johnson and Elijah Williams being chosen deacons. There was no settled minister until 1793, when Rev. Oliver Ayers was settled. Rev. Samuel Whelpley, who lived here, preached occasionally. Mr. Aaron J. Bogue, Mr. Mills, Mr. Eels, J. Watkins, David Rathbun, and some others preached for longer or shorter periods, some as candidates for settlement. The successors of Mr. Agers as pastors were: Joseph Edwards. John Waters, Nathan Shaw. Munson C. Gaylord, Sidney Bryant, and Lewis Pennell, who was the last settled pastor, and resigned several years ago without dismission ; he removed to Southport. Conn., in 1881, and died there in 1883. The last deacons were Russell Woodruff and James Shead, who removed to other places. The organization is still kept up, the preach- ing being by stated supply. At what date the society was organized there the records do not state, but it was as early as 1820. when. as to society affairs, control appears to have been relinquishel to it by the towa. For several years afterward, as well as always when under control of the town. the "seating of the meeting house" was un ler direction of committees charged with that duty, and in its execution they sometimes receive l de cided and ardent expressions of views from some who took an interest in the seating, but finally they voted " to sell the slips," and with the pro. ceeds of this and the income of funds held by the society, which now amount to $2,000, the expenses have been and are met. As the money "to hire preaching" was raised by town tax, in the same manner as money raised for other public purposes, and all citizens of the town were entitled to all the benefits of it, still the convenience of those located nearer other meetings, and the choice of those who were " not of the Con- gregational Order " to worship elsewhere were always respected. and the spirit of liberality and toleration among those of different denominations always prevailed, and when they came to consider the settlement of a minister they "voted all denominations dissenting from the Congrega- tional order be excused from paying any part of the settlement or salary."
The town early voted that those who brought certificates of their at- tendance at church elsewhere should be in a part exempted from the " ministerial tax " assessed, and later, their " minister's rates" were re- mitted in full. The other denominations which then existed here were Baptists, of which there were probably one third of the inhabitants, and a few Episcopalians. The Baptists first held meetings where Chauncey Smith lives, and so much increased in numbers and means that in 1794 they were incorporated as "The First Baptist Society of West Stock- bridge," and the town voted to adjust with them the amount they had paid in by tax toward building the meeting house then erected for their right in it, to aid them in building another for their own use, and in 1795
---
635
TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
the "Meeting house and ministerial taxes" of thirty-nine citizens who were Baptists were remitted, also the "meeting house" taxes of nine others, some of whom are known to have been Episcopalians : and in the same year twenty four residents here were by vote authorized to apply to the General Court for incorporation with this society, and they were so incorporated. In 1808 their numbers were further increased by new mem- bers from Stockbridge, and still further in 1811 by others from the same town and Great Barrington. They built a church previous to 1798 and placed it on the northwest corner of the same two acre lot on which the other stood and now stands. They maintained their organization for a number of years, but became reduced in numbers and means and finally the organization was given up and the church sold, the materials of which are now in the dwelling house of Walter Crow. Among the ministers who preached in this church were Mr. Whelpley, already mentioned, Elder Elnathan Wilcocks. and Rev. Nathaniel Culver. The church re- cords proper are not found ; the church is said to have been organized in 1792.
In 1800, Ezekiel Stone, John Rees, and Lambert Burghardt, with others in Egremont, were allowed by special act of the General Court to join the Protestant Episcopal society in Great Barrington, and to con- tribute to its support. The result of all these votes and changes was to require a special tax to be assessed on the inhabitants of the town who were not thus exempted, known as " the ministerial tax" for the sup- port of the original Congregational church, and yet some who desired so to do were allowed to divide their tax and pay what they chose for either of the two churches established here, and in one case they voted to remit one man's tax "on his claim that they (he and his family) are . Uni- versalists.'"
Eliphalet Slosson and his family were Shakers in belief, and Ann Lee and other of his Shaker friends held meetings at his house, and coming from a distance, in the autumu he would allow them to recruit their horses in his aftermath, for which he incurred the remonstrance of his neighbors, they regarding it as high extravagance. On one occasion Ann Lee, having been to Great Barrington to visit some Shaker friend who is said to have been imprisoned there, called at his house, which stood where Walter Crow now lives, and seeing Euoch Slosson there, a young man. who was strongly inclined to embrace the faith and doctrines of the Shakers, she tried to persuade him fully. In reply to her request and arguments he stated his desire to become a Shaker, but declared the im- possibility of it. She insisted that he should inform her what such an obstacle and objection could be, when he told her he was engaged to be married to the daughter of a very worthy townsman, and he could not break that promise and honorably become a Shaker. Her response was " Keep your promise, go and marry the girl and then bring her to me." and he did so ; she was Rebecca, daughter of Simeon Gillett, living near Leet Ore Bed. It is said they never assumed marriage relations, but went to
636
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
live with the Shakers at New Lebanon and Hancock, and there is now living in town a relative of the girl who remembers visiting her with other relatives when he was very young and seeing her there, where she lived to a ripe old age and died there many years ago.
As distinguished from the locality which has long been known as "the Center," " the Village" proper, of which Colonel Williams' iron works was the nuclens, is located in the northeast corner of the original town, and is where the public business is done and the railroad station is located. Business enterprises began to tend to the village from the Cen- ter as early as 1820 and the inhabitants had gained so much in number that in 1833 it was deemed expedient to organize another religions society Certain residents of the village, to the number of forty-five, having asso- ciated themselves together for that purpose, on the petition of the late Hon. John Z. Goodrich, then a resident here, the Congregational Society of West Stockbridge village was formed, and he was chosen the first clerk. There was no church building and the hall in the school house was used for church purposes until 1843, when a church was erected at an expense of $3,000, including furnishings, and a small organ procured sometime afterward. This building was burned on the night of May 26th, 1881. Another church was built as speedily as practicable, on the same site, and was dedicated February 22d, 1882, the cost of which, com- pleted and furnished, was 87,091.22. It contains four memorial windows. in memory of Rev. Nathan Shaw, Sylvester Spencer, Matthew Freedley. and Marcus Truesdell. A very good organ has since been added and a library room annexed. The society has a fund of $2,000. a part of which is invested in the parsonage near at hand. The church was organ- ized December 25th. 1833. at the house of Rev. Mr. Shaw. Rev. Dr. Field, of Stockbridge, presiding, with twelve members, of whom but one is now living. The first settled minister was Rev. Charles Lester, later known as "Charles Edwards Lester." who was ordained and installed July 12th, 1838, and was dismissed the next year. The succeeding set- tled ministers have been John Whiton, Nathaniel Lazelle, Daniel D. Frost, Charles F. Bradley, and Samuel Hopley. The office of pastor has been sustained at intervals, sometimes for several years, by a state l sup- ply. and is now occupied by Walter W. Curtis. The deacons of this church have been George Younglove, Samuel Gates, Henry Mansir. Thomas Cone, and Samuel S. Dorr, and those now in office are Janes H. Spencer and George W. Kniffin.
No matter of local character ever caused so much agitation and ex- citement in this community as did the Mormon revival, which occurred here in 1839-40, the result of which was that several families left the place and united, and have ever since remained with " the Church of the Latter Day Saints."
In December, 1839, there appeared in the village a stranger professing to be a missionary of the new faith. Daniel Spencer, jr., having charge of the hall of the school building, permitted him to speak there, the late
637
TOWY OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
Edwin D. Morgan. of Lee, volunteering to warm and light the room. and so was begun a series of meetings the event of which was that in the fol- lowing spring "a branch" of about thirty individuals, believers who bad accepted the new faith, was organized here under Mr. Spencer as presi- dent. Daniel Spencer, the elder, and his wife, who was Chloe Wilson, aged people, who had been members of the Baptist church or more than thirty years, joined their sons at Nauvoo soon after, where they died at the house of their son Orson at the ages of eighty-three and eighty-four years. Their sons, Daniel, jr., Hyrum, and Orson, Lyman Hinman. Dan- iel Hendrix, Gustavus Williams, Stephen W. Crandall, and David Devol and their families were the principal converts. Daniel, jr., removed to Nauvoo in 1841, where he at once became prominent, occupying positions in their church and local government, and was mayor of Nauvoo at the time of Joseph Smith's death, and on their removing farther west in 1846 he was made president of a division, and in the following year camped with his company of pioneers, the first emigrants locating there. on the site of Salt Lake City, the location of the future city having been pre- viously selected by Brigham Young. He made several missions to the States and to Europe, was a member of the High council, a regent of the University of Deseret, and at the time of his death, in ISGS, had been president of the Stake of Salt Lake City for more than twenty years. He died at seventy-four, leaving eighteen children surviving him in comfort- able circumstances, the youngest being a son seventeen months of age. While the meetings were going on here with some of his family, Mr. Spencer was on his way one evening to meeting, and passing Rev. Nathan Shaw's house. and seeing Mr. Shaw within, he sent his little son, Cland- ius Victor. to invite Mr. Shaw to attend the meeting with them. Mr. Shaw, responding to the invitation in a voice and manner which every. body who ever knew him will readily conceive, replied : " Young man. tell your father I will as soon go to hear the devil preach !" Claudius V., his son, who was born here and was a lad when they left, became a Mormon, and has always held an important place, which he now does. in their church and community. Hyrum Spencer emigrated with his brother, Daniel, to Nauvoo in 1841, and became largely interested in prairie lands there. He was made captain in the division of his brother, Daniel, on their exodus from Nauvoo, and died in the wilderness on their way west in August, 1846. He left two sons and five daughters, who were born here, and his family now in Utah numbers fifty-one persons. Orson Spencer, a brother of Daniel and Hyrum, graduated at Union College and Hamilton Theological Seminary and became a Baptist minister in 1829, and was pastor of a church in Say- brook. Com., and at Middlefield. Mass., preaching about twelve years. Abandoning the Baptist church and uniting with that of the Mormons, with his wife and six children, he joined the Mormons at Nauvoo in 1841. Orson's wife was Carmine Curtis, of Canaan, N. Y., and being delicate in health, and too frail to stand the hardships of the emigration from
638
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
Nauvoo, her father desired her to return east and remain until her hus- band should have established a new home ; but so strong was her attach- ment to the church of her last choice that she preferred to remain with it, and brave the perils and hardships of the journey further on ; she undertook it, but died on the way, in March, 1846. Soon after settle- ment at Salt Lake City Mr. Spencer was made president of the British missions, and editor of " The Millennial Star." a journal published in Liverpool, and published "Spencer's Letters," a work of much repute among the Mormons. He went on several missions, one being to Prus- sia. but was expelled from the kingdom. In 1855 he was made editor of " The St. Louis Luminary," and went on a mission to the Cherokees. during which he incurred disease which ended in his death at St. Louis in the autumn of that year. He was twice married after settling at Salt Lake City. With the exception of Stephen W. Crandall, who "aposta- tised." and returned, and David Devol. who located in Iowa, the people who went from here, some of whom are now deceased, adhered to and still remain in the Mormon church.
The Methodist Episcopal church was formed here about 1834. There was some denominational opposition to it at the outset. Rev. Aaron Rogers was the first pastor. Meetings were held in different places in town till 1838, when a site was purchased and the present church built in the village. It has always been part of a charge or cirenit in connection with other places, the pastor of which for several years past has resided in the village. As the custom is. the pastors have been changed after one, two, or three years' service, the present pastor being Rer. W. H. Peters. The church is a plain, comfortable, and sufficient building, and the parish has within a few years acquired a very pleasant parsonage, mainly through the liberality of one of the female members. Though few in numbers the church is in a fairly prosperous condition.
The Roman Catholic church was organized here in 1869 and a large church building erected, being 50 by 100 feet, under the superintendence of Rev. George HI. Brennan, of Lee, and on its completion Rev. JJohn J. Loughran became pastor, and so remained till his decease in March, 1874. He was succeeded by Rev. Michael Carroll, the present pastor, who is assisted by Rev. William H. Hart. The communicants are about 500. residing mostly at and near the iron mines in this town and Rich- mond, where they are employed. They have a fine parsonage here. Stockbridge is within their parish, and their church there is under the charge of the pastor who resides here.
The first lines of travel were the Indian trails, of which the principal were three : one leading from Stockbridge west over the mountain and on by " Griffin's" and State Line toward Kinderhook ; the second from Great Barrington up through the valley of the Williams River to Rich- mond ; and the third from Great Barrington through Seekonk and Alford, entering the southwest corner of the town, and on which Joseph Bloss and John G. Eastand settled.
639
TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
It is probable that ways or " paths" were prepared for immediate use by the earliest settlers before public roads were laid out and estab- lished, especially in the west part. In 1769 the Court of General Sessions authorized a road to be made from Great Barrington through this town to Richmond, " keeping the path that is traveled from Great Barrington to Major Williams' in Stockbridge and so to Richmond aforesaid, as near as may be convenient," which was afterward especially called "the County road." It entered the town near where the railroad is located below Williamsville, and continued on the east side of the river on the dryer ground to the village, and thence to Richmond nearly, but part of the way a little easterly of the present " Pittsfield road," and this was the road used for many years and until the present county road was estab lished substantially in its present location. In 1798 the road which had been in use from Stockbridge over the mountain was laid out and legally established and improved. From the summit of the mountain northwest it was laid near the mountain easterly of its present line, and came into the village on the ridge near the house of H. M. Truesdell. In 1800 the Housatonic River Turnpike was established from State Line to Lee through this town and Stockbridge, and was laid near the location of the present road up the mountain, and was the main line of travel toward Albany and the west. In 1SOS the Hudson branch of this turnpike was authorized from the village west through Leet Ore Bed and to the line of New York ; this was the route to Hudson and the southwest. This branch was discontinued as a turnpike in 1841 : the other was also dis- continued and both are now county roads. Being diverging stage rontes and post roads from this point, the village became a place of some local importance in business and as a staging station in consequence. In the west part the early road ran near the Indian trail from the house of Alexis Bonoteau northerly along the foot of the mountain by the house of Hiram Shead and over " Co an Hill" to the Kinderhook road. A cross road ran from this last easterly and came out at the Center church. Most of the roads in that section were made from time to time in detached sections. and many which were voted were never worked. The principal cross roads were one from Williams' iron works, by Augustus Drake's. over Maple Hill to Mudge's mill, long since discontinued : and one from John Minkler's, near Four Corners, over " Sweet Hill " to the county road to Great Barrington, now in part discontinued.
There have been post offices in four localities, one of which is now discontinued. They are as follows, with the names and dates of appoint . ments of postmasters, the first date in each case being the date of estal. lishing the office: West Stockbridge : Philander Rathborn, October Ist. 1804 ; Ethel Burch. July Ist. 1805; Amasa Spencer. jr .. December 21st. 1810; Edward Kellogg, June 3d, 1830; James H. Warner. October Sth. 1831 ; Robbins Kellogg, March, 1833 : Martin R. Kellogg. November 19th. 1841 ; Cyrus H. Woodruff. March 12th. 1846 : Henry B. Boyatou. September 6th. 1856 : William A. Rees, March 34, 1857 ; William C.
640
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
Spaulding, June 5th, 1861, who assumed the duties May 19th, 1862. West Stockbridge Center, which was first called West Center Stockbridge: Benjamin H. Lewis, January 13th, 1829; Dr. Thomas Miner, June 9th. 1832 ; Orlando Edwards, July 11th, 1832 ; Morris Ward, March Ist, 1852 ; discontinued September 6th, 1852; reestablished as South Stock- bridge Center ; Morris Ward, March 27th, 1858, and changed again to West Stockbridge Center May 3d, 1858 ; Charles Arnold, March 10th. 1863 ; James B. Munn, April 8th, 1865 : discontinued November 20th, 1879. State Line: Mallory D. Schoonmaker, December 17th. 1849 ; Charles Arnold. April 12th. 1850: discontinued August 5th, 1850 ; rees- tablished, Reuben R. Peet, April 26th, 1856 ; Frederick W. Tanner, Feb- ruary 6th, 1864 ; Orton W. Jennings, October 7th, 1891 ; George Arnold, June 18th, 1867 ; Abbie A. Arnold, January 5th, 1875 ; Charles P. Strick- land, April 6th, 1880 ; Louis F. Smith. August 15th, 1881. Rock Dale : Charles S. Platt, March 16th, 1870 ; changed to Rock Dale Mills May 23d, 1870 ; Erwin F. Barnes, May 14th. 1877. The three now existing are of the fourth class and located on the line of the railroad.
Revolutionary and Later Wars. - It was a coincidence in dates which has often been remarked, that the district was organized on the fourth day of July, just two years preceding the declaration of independence. Portending events had their full influence in the unmistakable and pro. nounced action of the inhabitants which the stirring patriotic spirit of the times evoked. Committees of correspondence were chosen, delegates were sent to the frequent county and local conventions and meetings held in the succeeding years, and committees of inspection were organized to see to the protection of the inhabitants and their interests at home. At a special meeting held November 10th, 1774. they voted unanimously to concur with the resolve of the Provincial Congress respecting the prov- ince and county moneys in the hands of the collectors ; to indemnify the collectors against any execution that Harrison Gray, treasurer of the province, might issne, provided the collectors should collect and pay in the provincial and county moneys to the district treasurer; to concur with the act of the Provincial Congress passed October 21st. 1774 ; and with the proposal of the congress in respect to choosing military officers ; and they immediately chose Increase Hewins captain, John Deming lieu- tenant, Christopher Park ensign, and the other usual company officers preparatory to the military organization recommended. In May, 1775, they voted to procure a town's stock. of ammunition, of 120 pounds of powder, and lead and flints answerable, to be provided and kept ready by the selectmen, and afterward a committee of safety was chosen. In 1778 $100 were raised for the support of the Continental soldiers' families. Forty-eight men served in the Revolutionary army from this town, and it is a singular fact that the names of none of them appear as soldiers in the records of the town during the years of the war. Some served for bnt a few months, but when the requisition of 1780 was made for seven men to serve for three years a committee was appointed to raise the men.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.