USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 37
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His two sons are men of fine business ability. Charles W. has served one term in the Legislature. He has two children : Lottie S. and George
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TOWN OF WEST STOCKBRIDGE.
Edson. The latter served in the Legislature in 1883. William M. was for twelve years general manager of the Pomeroy Iron Works at West Stockbridge. He is still living in West Stockbridge, and has the charge of the Pomeroy Iron Works property and retains his interest in the store with his brother, C. W. Kniffin.
Charles W. Kniffin enlisted in the 49th Massachusetts Regiment of volunteers ; was first lieutenant in Company B, of said regiment ; was in New Orleans under General Butler ; a member of the forlorn hope at the siege of Port Hudson and badly wounded by a shell, and sent home be- fore the regiment, and honorably discharged with his regiment.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
TOWN OF WINDSOR.
BY REV. A. B. WHIPPLE.
Grants, Surveys, and Sales .- Records .- Incorporation of Gageboro .- Change of Name .- The Town during the Revolution .- Congregational Church .- Baptist Church .- Schools .- Biographical Mention.
L IKE the first dawn dimly revealing the outlines of hills and trees, then rocks and flowers, so the light of history. working westward. long after it had revealed the landing of the pilgrims, beamed on the hill tops of Berkshire, then down their divergent slopes into the ravines and valleys where the roads and railroads of to-day are the descendants of the primal pathways along the highlands. Here, among the Windsor Hills, long before Governor Carter was the first chief magistrate. the In- dians were wont to come to their summer hunting grounds, as their own name, Ouschanpamaug, implies. As the whites increased in the valley of the Housatonack, the Indians less frequently visited the hills, and the white man began to prospect them. In various parts of the town the smoke of the log cabins had acquired the poetic curve long before the mountain range from Vermont to Connecticut, in the April showers of 1761, had been christened Berkshire.
It would seem that the good old motherly commonwealth was in need of pecuniary assistance to meet the wants of her growing family ; so, in council, it was determined to exchange a portion of the estate for a little silver and the promise of more, from those whose bond was better than their word. As, even then, the red tape had begun its perpetual coil, so let us unroll till we reach Vol. 24 of General Court Records.
" Anno Regni Regis Georgii Tertii Secundio. At a great and General Court, for his Majestie's Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, held at Boston, May 27th, 1761, and continued by Sundry Prorogations till the 13th of January following. and then met, being the third session of said Court."
" February 17th, 1762. In the House of Representatives voted * Also a township lying east of New Framingham, to begin at the Northeast corner thence outheriy on the line of said township till it meet with the line of the Ashuelot S
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
Equivalent, so called, thence in the line of said Equivalent to the northeast corner thereof, thence east twenty degrees south so fat as to make the contents of six miles square. Said township to be sold to the highest bidder at a public vendue in Boston by a committee of this Court on the second Wednesday of the next May session, and that public notice of such intended sale be inserted in the meantime in all the Boston newspapers, and that said township be set up at £800 lawful money.
" And those persons who may purchase the same and performing the following conditions shall have the same granted and confirmed unto them, viz .: that there be reserved to the first settled minister one sixty- third of said township, and one sixty- third part for the use of the ministry, and the like quantity for the use and support of schools in town forever. That within five years from the sale there be sixty settlers residing in the township who shall each have a dwelling house, twenty four feet by eighteen and seven feet stud, and have seven acres of land well cleared and fenced, and brought to English grass or plowed; and also settle a learned Protestant minister of the Gospel within the term aforesaid; and that upon the conditions being fulfilled, said land be confirmed to him or them or their assigns, and not otherwise.
"Voted that Colonel Partridge and Mr. Tyler, with such as the honorable Board shall join, be a committee to make sale of said township, and that the pur- chaser or purchasers shall pay twenty pounds earnest money; and the remaining sum the purchaser shall give bond to pay to the Province Treasurer with sufficient sure- ties within one year from the time of sale without interest."
On the 11th of June, 1762, the committee reported selling nine townships and 10,000 acres lying in Hampshire and Berkshire, on the conditions mentioned above. Sold the 2d day of June, 1762, at the Royal Exchange Tavern on King street -- " No. 4 to Noah Nash for £1,430 and have received of him $20 and taken his bond together with Oliver Partridge. Thomas Morey, William Williams, and Josiah Chauney for $1,410."
"June 10th, 1762, Received the money and bonds as above. H. GRAY, Treasurer."
On the same day Captain Nathaniel White, of Belchertown, was ap- pointed surveyor and ordered to make plans of the whole and return them to said court. Such are the earliest records of No. 4. but evidence of earlier settlements is found in a deed by Noah Nash to David Par- sons of a certain right of land in the new township, known by the name of Williamsburgh, formerly called Dewey's town, or Bigott's town, alias No. 1. These names were given to the place by earlier settlers, with their respective names. The town was called No. 4, being the fourth in the order of sale.
"In 1767 Noah Nash and his associates petitioned the Province to suspend putting in suit the bond given to the province in 1762. &c." This petition was granted until further notice, provided interest due be paid and so annually, otherwise to be put into court next following the failure. We judge he could not meet the conditions even then, for in January, 1768, he petitioned, as he had paid upward of 8400 on his purchase, as improvements had been made, as he had sold the greater part of said township and as many had begun settlements. that he
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
might have a grant of said township so as to give warranty deeds to pur- chasers. His request was granted, and so, in 17CS, he could make valid all titles to land hitherto sold by him. A look into these sales and spec- ulations may interest some. In 1765 he claimed to have sold the greatest part of the township. By the registry in Pittsfield it is found he had only sold to four persons, and all in the month of October, 1765, none of whom settled in No. 4, eight and one half lots for $153. 1os. As he had paid upward of $400 and received only $153. 103., it can be seen why he was hard pressed and must have borrowed. Up to May 21st, 1784. he had soll 34 lots, in all 4.30 acres. or about one fifth of the township. Probably others bought with him, or in his name, and doubtless his bondsmen among them. All the sales by Noah Nash amounted to $1, 070, 15s. Yet he paid $1, 430, losing $359, 5s. if he bought the whole ; and making $73, 5s., if he was one fifth owner and sold all his portion. Ho was twenty years in these transactions. With interest at six per cent. for an average of ten years he lost £98, 7s. By such speculations are townships settled.
The first log house in the town was near the present saw mill of Mr. J. L. White, about two miles west of Windsor Hill. Some rains are yet visible, owing, perhaps, to the fact that after 1777 it was used as a pest house for small pox ; and so not eagerly visited by relic hunters.
The records of the town are complete, and from them it is learned that Perez Marsh, justice of the peace, issued his warrant to Elihu Wil- liams August 19th, 1771, to call the first town meeting in a town by the name of Gageborough. A meeting was held in the house of John Hall. innholder, on the 27th of August. Leicester Grosvenor was chosen town clerk. John Hall being moderator, and Lieutenant Elihu Williams, treas- urer. For selectmen, Captain Edward Converse, JJeremiah Cady. Henry Tibbit, Lieutenant Elihu Williams, and Simon Stephens : constables. Wil- lard Sheperd and John Burrus : surveyors of highways. Peleg Whitford. Edward Walker, Jeremiah Cady, John Hall, Israel Walker, and Seth Barge : tithingmen, Joseph Haskell and John Hall ; wardens, Joseph Chandler, Simon Stephens : leather sealers, Joseph King, Dave Refe, and Jacob Lyons. So these were some of the early settlers.
It is written that the town was called Gageborough when incorpo- rated, July 20, 1771. in honor of Governor Thomas Gage. Governor of what ! He was appointed to supersede Hutchinson as governor of Mas- sachusetts on his arrival in Boston, May 17th, 1774, during the excite- ment of the Port Act. This was nearly three years after the town had been incorporated in his name. His subsequent history made the town discard his name and select the name of Windsor in 1778, from Windsor. Conn.
For a few years after the incorporation the votes recorded were mostly concerning roads, a site for a meeting house, and hiring a minis- ter. Hardly had the young town a hundred inhabitants when the excite. ment antecedent to 1776, borne on the east winds from Boston and the
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
southwest winds from New York and Philadelphia, met on her cooler mountain tops and condensed into a shower of patriotism. In June, 1776. the House of Representatives requested the sentiments of the towns con- cerning the independence of the colonies. Twelve days later Windsor "resolved, nem. con., that if the Honorable Congress, agreeable to the earnest desire of this town. for the safety of the colonies, shall declare the said colonies independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain. the said inhabitants will cheerfully, to the utmost of their power, support them in the measure." As other towns had like requests, and for the most part had given : inilar answer .. , it can be seen that the Philadelphia Congress had the will of the people to strengthen them in their Declaration of Independence, made only fifteen days after the above vote of Windsor : and when the old bell rang out the ery of liberty in Philadelphia every rock in Windsor was ready for the echo.
In September following they chose Elder Peter Werden, a Baptist democrat, as their representative. He was from Cheshire, and in the his- tory of that town the reader will find more about him. For some seven years he had made his political, as well as his religious influence felt in the several townships which united in his election. In the same month. though later, " voted that the northeast corner of Gageborough be dis- missed from the incorporation as far as the military line between the camp of New Providence and the camp of Gageborough." That ling forms and accounts for the re-entrant angle in the northwest corner of the present map of Windsor, at first a military but now a social neces- sity, as one travelling over the mountain can easily see. In January, 1777, " voted not to support the civil authority of this county, agreeable to the new established form in this State, and that William Clark repre- sent this town at Stockbridge the 14th touching this matter." After the judicial system of the province was broken in 1774. Gageborough assumed. without dissent, the authority requisite for public necessity, and decid- ed in town meeting directly on matters to be adjudicated. For the vote mentioned above, in January, 1777, Parson Allen, of Pittsfield, had well prepared them in a stirring speech as to whether the Court of Common Pleas and of General Sessions should be held in the county before a bill of rights and a constitution were framed and accepted by the people. Two yeas and sixty-one nays to each count was the vote of Gageborough, including nearly every voter. No town in the county had so many nays as Gageborough, save Lenox, which had sixty-nine. Windsor's interest in county and State affairs was neither spasmodic nor sluggish, for while nearly one third of the towns in the State did not take action until May she acted in February, on the following request of the committee of Safety, November 25th, 1776: " The vote relative to the forming of a sys- tem of government for this State is agreeable to the inhabitants of this town and that the town committee manifest their approbation of said votes in the convention of Committees of the county of Berkshire to be held in Stockbridge the 19th instant."
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
Hardly three weeks pass before the people with one accord "vote that Captain Leicester Grosvenor, William Hatfield, and Captain William Clark be a committee to apportion upon the inhabitants the duty which each man ought to do in support of the American arms against the com- mon enemy of our country, in which they are to have regard to services already done." This committee report " that in their opinion Capt. John Brown, Captain Thomas Bussey, Lieutenant William Cleveland, Messrs. William Hanks, Joshua Read, Stephen Warren. Asa Kenedy, James Eddy, Michael Falshaw. Elaezer Brown, Amasa Converse, Samuel Brad- ford, Joseph Cole, Moses Smith, James Dodge, John Lanfer, and Amasa Woodward ought to give a bounty of ten dollars each to encourage the raising of our complement of soldiers for the Continental army; and in so doing they will do an equal turn in general with the rest of the com- pany." Voted " the doings of the committee are agreeable to the sense of the town." But why those seventeen men should give a bounty of ten dollars each is not stated. or how, in so doing, they would do an equal turn with the rest of the company. Were they a part of the com- pany, and did the others pay ten dollars each ? At an adjourned meet- ing, "voted that the above persons who shall pay the sum of ten dollars to Captain Clark by the 21st instant, shall be considered as doing a turn in the war equal with the rest of the company in general ; and those that refuse or neglect to pay as aforesaid shall be considered as finally refus- ing and may expect to take the consequences." One thing is evident, a desire of equality in military burdens, yet some tried to avoid it, as the vote of August 11th, 1777, shows: " Voted that in future if any one drafted to serve in the war against our enemies shall refuse to march or procure a substitute, he shall within 48 hours pay the sum of $40, for the collection of which fine the Captain is to issue his warrant to the clerk to take the said delinquent's estate and sell it at public auction, and what arises from the sale of said goods, over the fine, shall be returned to the delinquent-that the money collected from fines from drafted men be paid into the town treasury to enable the town to fulfill the promise to the men who have marched." Three days later, according to the pay roll of Captain William Clark. he was, with his company of 62 men, in Colonel Benjamin Simmond's regiment of militia, by order of General Stark, on their way to Bennington. This was AAugust 14th, 1777. They served eight days, traveled 95 miles, and each man received 12s. and jod. The earliest muster roll of minute men is of Captain Nathan Watkins, April 22d. 1775. with 21 men from Gageboro. In this company William Clark was lieutenant. Where they went is now uncertain. Some are cred- ited with 131 miles travel and 14 days, some 30 days, and some did not re- turn in two or three years. Captain Noble's company, from Pittsfield. marched the same day, but served only nine days. September 5th, 1777, Captain Clark and company marched to reinforce General Lincoln at Pollet : twenty -five men, twenty-seven days, Soy each to privates. Cap tain Clark's pay roll from Windsor to Shaftsbury, October 13th, 1780,
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
eighty-eight men, ninety-five miles, twenty-eight days, $2, Ss., 6d., or ls .. Od. per day. The same company was put on an alarm October 21st, 1780, and marched eight miles and back ; twenty-nine of them getting 11s., 6d. each. A month before the battle of Bennington. July, 1777, Captain Clark and company of twenty-five marched to Manchester, Vt., by order of General Schuyler, traveling 55 miles. The names of 163 men are given, not mentioning some who were in an independent company from New Providence, Lanesboro, East Hoosick, and Gageboro, who fought in the battle of Bennington : forty-one men credited with six days, thirty-two and one half miles' travel, and 5s., 4d. each. During all this time the men who marched were cared for by the men at home, as the votes fully show, voting money for clothing " the continental army," -- they seemed to like that phrase. Also, that each man in town pay Captam Clark for one pound of powder. They raised a committee to look after the fami- lies of " the Continental soldiers."
In May, of 1778, a new constitution having been drafted and sent to Gageborough, after careful reading in town meetings, it was rejected by a majority of eighty-seven. In September. 1778, "Voted to receive Ashuelot Equivalent to be incorporated with the town of Gageboro': also to give the town a new name and adopted Windsor." There must have been something attractive about Gageborough that both New Provi- dence (Cheshire) and Ashuelot Equivalent (Dalton) should seek to be a part of it.
In July, 1779, they chose Hezekiah Green and Captain L. Grosvenor to meet other delegates at Cambridge to form a constitution for this State, and $150 to support them on duty. No doubt they did "their equal share" of the 300 constitution makers.
Leaving war matters let us turn to the question of land. By some mistake of the surveyor Cummington (No. 5) overlapped Windsor on the cast. Jealous of her "equal share" a committee was chosen " to per- rambleate ye lines between No. 5 and this town, and that the selection perrambleate the lines." "Voted to give $30 to any one who would kill a grone wolf ; and £30 per head for Cilling Bares, and half as much for cubs and pups, provided they bring the heads to one of the select men"-probably the best judge of pups. In 1780 " voted £3,000 for roads and $20 a day for a man's work thereon." Silver to currency as one to forty, or fifty cents per day. The first vote for governor under the new constitution was sixty-four for John Hancock, and fifty-three for General Artemus Ward. Captain William Clark was the first repre- sentative.
The history of the Congregational church is found very largely in the records of the town ; as the settlement of a minister, and the build- ing and locating of the meeting house were matters of town vote. By requirement, a learned Protestant minister should have been settled as early as Jame. 1967, but at that time only four purchases of land are re- corded ; in 1773, sixteen purchasers, some of whom settled there. In
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
September, 1772, " voted to build a meeting house and to set it on Brad- ford's hill." During the same year a church was organized with ten members: John Hall. Samuel Cole, Dolly Cole, Stephen Jewit, Mehita- ble Jewit, Oliver Pierce, Seth Burges. Edward Converse, William Cleve- land, and Jacob Lyon. The first pastor, Rev. David Avery, was installed March 25th. 1773. Meetings were held and clergymen helped before that, for Mr. Avery "had been well informed that Daniel and Celia, chil- dren of John Hall, were baptized before his installment." Mr. Avery graduated at Yale College in 1769, and before coming to Windsor had been ordained an evangelist. Having served in Windsor a little more than four years Ire sought dismission, that he might serve as chaplain during the Revolutionary war. He served through the war. settled in Bennington, later in Wrentham, and afterward in Connectiont. He died in 1919. The votes about that meeting house for six years would be in- teresting reading were there space for them. For example. in May, 1779. "it was voted to build a meeting house in the senter of the present inhab- itants, who shall be reconed as builders of the same." " Voted that each man that is 21 years of age that will agree to build in the centre of said inhabitants shall be counted as to travil. A commission of seven was chosen to find the centre of inhabitants." In October, 1779, it was voted to build on Captain Converse's hill a house forty by fifty and twenty feet high. When finished, some years later, the ladies met to clean it. From a fire without, sparks set on fire the shavings under it and it was wholly destroyed. There was no permanent pastor till 1785. when Rev. Elisha Fish was ordained over it. To the time of his coming no church records were kept, except on bits of paper. By his advice a book was obtained. and all records possible were transcribed. From the records it appears that Mr. Fish kept things moving, revising all the articles of agreement and votes of the church which concern the regulation of conduct, etc. " Voted that we will admit members of other churches who do, or may reside among us, to occasional communion for the term of one year, and no longer ; beginning to reckon the year of those who now commune in this manner, from date." From December, 1785, to January, 1792, only seven church meetings are recorded and all those concerning two cases of discipline. Difficulties abont his support and some dissatisfaction with his manner of preaching ended his pastorate in July, 1792. No record of deaths or births was made till 1794, or marriage till 1795. July 1st. 1795, Rev. Gordon Dorrance was ordained, and remained pastor thirty- nine years. During all these years only thirty-three records are on the church books, all in his handwriting, and twenty-one of them cases of discipline, mostly concerning intemperance, both men and women.
In the last month of 1813, at a meeting about church regulations, eight articles were adopted; the third as follows : "Also voted that. the pastor's is esteemed no more than that of a private brother ; and that it is his duty to faithfully record the votes of the church, however contrary they may be to his private opinion."
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TOWN OF WINDSOR.
October 27th. 1814. the auxiliary society in Windsor for the promo- tion of good morals was formed. Of the fifteen articles the second is given : " The object of this society is the suppression of vice and im- morality, together with the encouragement of reformation and virtue. The accomplishment of this design is to be sought by friendly admo- nition, persuasion, and entreaty, and by promoting a faithful execution of the laws." Forty names of members appear, only one now living ( 18%), Alpheus Brown, aged ninety three, now a deacon and living in Dalton. In reading the preamble and resolutions of this society it is seen that even then they looked upon their times as sadly deteriorated. and wailed over it, as some do now. The society for the suppression of vice did not wholly reform the town. Only three records of church meetings are recorded between 1815 and 1825 ; two of these touching cases of intemper- ance, and one the choice of a deacon ; though, perhaps, the infrequency of church meetings might be cited as showing that little discipline was needed. One case in each of the years 1828, 1829, 1830, and 1831. " for- given and restored," and one excommunicated, all through intemperance. In 1834 Mr. Dorrance was dismissed. He was a man of marked influence, and was widely and favorably known.
One year later Rev. Philetus Clark was installed by a conneil, of which Mr. Dorrance was moderator. In May. 1844. he was dismissed with commendations ; reasons, inability of the church to support him. Regular records fail us for nearly four years : but in 1845 we find the name of " Francis Norwood, stated supply." That he occupied the par- sonage then, and for a season afterward, is certain. Rev. George R. Entler was installed December 1st. 1847. The candidate was a gra luate of Williams College in 1842. During his three years' work forty two church meetings are recorded, not so much for disciplining as for receiv- ing new members, though some hard charges were made by the pastor himself, for an account of which the enrious in such matters must consult the church records. In July, 1850. his pastoral relations closed.
No mention of a settled minister is made till 1854, when, at a church meeting, Rev. Mr. Duncan was chosen moderator. Reading on among the records we come to an invitation to an ordination in Dalton. Deacon Cady, and the pastor, J. C. Perry, were chosen. Up to September. 1865, there were 324 members for all the history of the church ; 85 males. 23S females. During that time there were baptized 561. Of those, 237 did not join in Windsor. 180 marriages are recorded and 698 deaths, of which 110 were over seventy years of age, 65 men, averaging seventy- eight, and 45 women, averaging eighty-two.
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