USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Granville > History of Granville, Massachusetts > Part 12
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
In every place where power could be developed it was done and put to work making a livelihood for its owner and others. Where land could be cultivated with reasonable effort, it was so treated. If any individual had an aptitude for any particular line of work, he did that. In the horse and buggy days hundreds of thousands of
* He was a wood turner.
+ The Dickinson drum shop.
# This is error. It should be Miles J. Rose.
§ This date should be 1879.
123
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
horse whips were annually made in Westfield, and many of the lashes were braided in Granville.
Once upon a time Granville had its own cranberry bog. This was on the easterly side of the Old Westfield road about a third of a mile north of the house where Michael Laptew formerly lived. At that point there is a small swampy place with a small brook meandering through it. Mr. Silas Noble saw the possibilities of the place, and in October 1882 set out a field of cranberries there. A dam was built across the brook and so arranged that in case of a cold night when it seemed that the berries might freeze, the flow of the brook could be stopped and the bog flooded and the crop saved. It was all in accordance with the most approved and up to date procedure for the crop. That it was successful is indicated by the fact that as many as 1200 barrels of cranberries have been shipped from that little bog in one season. After Mr. Noble's death less care was expended upon this enterprise, and cranberries will not grow without care, and the marsh has gone back to bushes and trees.
A very necessary, and often picturesque, individual in the early days was the cobbler, generally an itinerant craftsman. He not only made and mended boots and shoes, but he also was a sort of travel- ling news vendor. At least one lived in Granville and kept the people "shod" according to their needs. Christopher Miner was for many years such an artisan. Having lived in different towns in Connecticut he finally came to Granville and for a time plied his trade there. His account book covering the years 1763-1801 is extant and the various items appearing therein and the prices thereof give a vivid and interesting picture of one phase of country life during that period. All the money entries are kept in the terms of pounds, shillings and pence (New England values ), even after the United States currency was in denominations of dollars and cents. Here are a few items taken at random which show the variety of his labors :
£ s. d. 4 10 8
soling a pr. of shoes a pr. of shoes
£ s. 2
d.
making 3 pr. shoes
mending pr. pumps 2 pr. Chanels stitching 2 yds. 2
4
making 3 pr. cloath shoes with heavy boxes 12
2 days work 6
a pr. of shoes
2- 6 tanning 1 hid and 3 skins 17- 6
124
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
£ s. d.
£ s. d.
making 2 pr. cloath shoes 9
2
taning and curying 2 calf skins 8
soling a pr. of pumps 1- 6
a pr. of sheep skin shoes 5
8 pr. of heals
6
5 pr. heals 10
soling a pr. of boots 1- 3
thread and binding pr. of shoes 6
1
currying a piece of leather 1- 3
making a pr. of moger-
sons
3
mending one boot 1
Here are some of his credit items :
1 bu. wheat 4 1 qt. rum 1- 2
1 felt hat 4 1/2 cord of bark 5
2 bu. oats 3
1 1/2 bu. apples 1- 6
making a bed cord 1
a pr. silver Buckls
1- 2- 0
2 bbls. sider 9
1 qt. brandy
2
1 bu. corn
2- 4
Granville was always a town where its citizens obtained the principal part of their living from the soil. What these farmers produced and the prices they received for what they had to sell, in view of the prices prevailing today, is most intriguing. From the account books of two typical farmers the following items are taken. First from the book of Silas Root over the period 1808- 1845, which he still kept in the terms of the Colonial currency.
1/2 bu. potatoes 1
15 1/2 lb. veal 4- 8
3 hens
6
1 doz. candles 9
5 days work 15
leather for taps 1- 6
3/4 lb. butter
6
1/2 bu. potatoes 9
4 1b. cheese 2- 2
2 loads of wood 6
2 1b. cheese, late made 0- 0- 9
1 lb. butter 10
2 qt. vinegar
7 3 1b. pork 1-10
4 qt. lime mortar 3 8 loads of wood standing 8
4 old clapboards 10 ft. long
1 hind qr. beef,
7 113 1b. 1- 7-11/2 3
3 qt. salt
2- 7
3 1b. flax
1 lamb 7- 6 3 qt. seed corn 7
soling and healing 1 pr. shoes 1
currying 2 sheep skins 1
making a pr. of boots
10
5 1 last
toeing a pr. of shoes
soling and healtaping pr. of shoes 2
mending 20 pr. shoes 19- 6
leather apron making a pr. of boot straps 1
125
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
s. d.
£ s. d.
14 1b. wool
2 bu. green apples
3- 3 3 10- 6
1814 1b. cheese 6- 7
1 bbl. cider
9
64 1b. beef 15- 4
2 bu. corn 4- 6
1 bu. rye 5- 6
1/2 days work 1- 6
25 cts cash
1- 6
6 bu. turnips 6
214 yds. full cloth 13- 6
credit by 1 dollar cash 6 11 1b. 7 oz. mutton 2- 9
2 qt. molasses 2- 3
2 1b. hogs lard
2
8 1b. flower 2- 6
From the book of Carlos Gibbons over the period 1815-1857.
18 bu. of potatoes $6.00 5 bu. rye 2.50
my wagon to Granby .32
a pair of oald trousers .17
2 bu. apples .50
9 lbs. veal .36
3 bu corn (July 1, 1816)
3.00
6 bushels oats 2.00
keeping 17 sheep July 10 to Oct. 14 9.39
my wagon to Hartford
1.89
1 days work shaving shingles
.58
3 bu turnips
1.00
weaving 25 yards of cloth 1.75
1 gallon vinegar
.17
416 lbs. hay
4.16
4 jags of wood .50
my wagon to Crag mill
.16
16 1b. 3 oz. buckwheat flour at 4 cts .65
bundles of flax to
plowing garden
.50
dress and return to me two thirds
one pair steers
30.00
1 barrel cider 1.50
four cords oak bark
23.00
my hors to Dr. Humphreys .16
2 gallons vinnegar .16
my mare to Hartford
1.00
7 1b. beef .75
10 lb. and 3/4 of cheese
.86
1/2 bu. turnips
.08
making cider in my mill
.16
338 ft. of boards 3.38
pasturing 8 sheep 17wk 1 d 2.00
219 bricks .60
12 1b. 4 oz. cheese at 4 c
.49
11 lbs. beef .55
1 gallon brandy .40
myself and team sledding wood 1.50
6 lbs. 12 oz. pork .67
my mare to Blandford .25
62 ft. joice 2 in. by 7
.75 Mr. Mots chopping one day .58 4 cords and 1/2 wood 4.50
Samuel Gillet took 13
4 quarts white beans .16
one days work shinglin .75
digging grave for J. B. Holcomb 1.00
It must not be thought that the male population of Granville had any monopoly of the virtue of courage. It was not, and is not so. There is a well authenticated exploit of a young girl of about twenty
keeping 2 sheep Aug 21- Nov 21, 3- 2
1 fat lamb
126
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
years, Sybil Root, by name, who lived with her parents in Hebron, Connecticut, which is about forty miles from Granville. She had met young Edmund Barlow of Granville and had fallen in love with him. Edmund was busy with his farm in the spring of 1762, and could not well devote much time to journeys about the country, even for this fair maid, although he was, without doubt, much in love with her. Spring is the seed-time for a farmer and Sybil knew it quite well, for she had grown up on a farm. It is most probable they were at that time engaged to be married. She had some urgent reason for wishing to see him, so she set out alone on her horse to accomplish her desire. This was in the days when one travelled either on foot or on horse-back. She came to Granville, made her visit and in due season started back to Hebron. When she left Granville it was later in the day than she thought, and when it became night she was still some distance from her journey's end. Soon she lost her way and made up her mind, after considerable wandering around, that she was lost. Did she give way to hysteria and despair ? Indeed, she did not. She dismounted where she was, tied her horse to a sapling, took off the saddle, and climbed a tree where she waited for day- light to come. As it began to grow lighter in the east she heard the familiar sound of a rooster crowing in the distance. It turned out to be one on her father's farm. She and Edmund were married June 3, 1762, in Granville.
One of the colorful personalities in the earlier days of this historic town, was John Phelps. Born in 1768, he had the ambition to get an education. This he acquired according to the standards of that era, studied, or, in the vernacular of that day "read," law and appears to have been the first one to practice that profession in Granville. He lived in Middle Granville. In 1792 he married Betsy Boies of Blandford. He at once became interested in public affairs and in 1797 was elected Town Clerk, in which office he served the Town ten years. Two years later he was chosen one of the Town's repre- sentatives to the General Court. He served the Town seven years in that capacity. In 1802 he was elected one of the Selectmen, which office he held four years. His political faith was that of the Fed- eralists. It so happened that he was a member of the General Court in 1811 and 1812, when the matter of creating Hampden County
127
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
was agitated and finally determined. The new County was set off in 1812 when Elbridge Gerry, a Jeffersonian Democrat, was Gov- ernor. This was a time of extreme political activity, coming as it did just before and at the time of the outbreak of the 1812 War, and political bitterness was very intense. Of course, the new County must have a Sheriff, and equally of course, the Governor would appoint a Democrat. The fly in the ointment, however, was this. The Governor's term of office was to expire before the County govern- ment of the new County was to begin to function. In those days the sheriffs of the Commonwealth were not chosen by election, but were appointed by the Governor. That method obtained until 1856, since which time the sheriffs have been chosen by the electorate. Before the end of Governor Gerry's term there occurred another election, which all the criteria indicate was a real hot one, and the Federalists came into power. In this election Governor Gerry fell by the way- side and Caleb Strong was elected. One of the things Governor Gerry did before he stepped down and out of his office was to appoint Jonathan Smith, of West Springfield, to be the Sheriff of Hampden County, the appointment to take effect when that County became a separate political unit. The Governor was going to save what political spoils he could for his party. He also appointed Samuel Fowler of Westfield to be Judge of Probate in Hampden County in the same way he had appointed Smith to be the Sheriff. When Mr. Strong took up the duties of the Governor's office, he appointed Federalists to both of these offices, John Phelps to be Sheriff and John Hooker to be Judge of Probate. The new Judge of Probate was a fighter, and when Mr. Fowler would not let him take possession of the Probate office, he caused the State to bring a suit to get possession of it .* As the question was the same regarding both offices, one suit was enough to determine the principle and John Phelps did not sue for his rights. The Supreme Judicial Court quickly held that Governor Gerry's appointment of Mr. Fowler was void, and in conformity with that decision Mr. Smith peaceably surrendered the office of sheriff to Mr. Phelps, who thus became the first Sheriff of Hampden County in 1813, which office he held until his death in 1831.
* Commonwealth vs. Samuel Fowler, 10 Mass. 290.
128
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
He kept his residence in Granville and went to Springfield to open every term of court. He built the house where he lived. It is the brick dwelling in the present village of West Granville, and the brick used in the construction were made just below Fred Coe's house,* which was the third one south of the County Road, as one goes toward Hartland Hollow. In those days Granville was farther from Springfield, in point of time, than it is now, and sometimes Sheriff Phelps would arrive home in the last part of the day or early evening with a prisoner to be lodged in the Springfield jail. This was at times embarrassing, but he was equal to the emergency. He had a couple of brick cells made in the cellar of his house, a sort of private jail, where he used to keep his prisoner until daylight.
John Phelps was of the old school. He believed in the majesty of the law and the dignity of the Court, and that the Sheriff should be the first gentleman of the County, in accordance with the English tradition. In those days to be the sheriff meant more than to be a server of writs and a catcher of criminals. It was considered that only a lawyer made a fit and proper Sheriff and that the office was one of great dignity. Until 1845 the Sheriff wore a uniform and dress sword, brass buttons, buff colored vest, silk hat and cockade. A contemporary said of Sheriff Phelps : "His passage from Granville to the County seat attracted not a little attention, as he usually traveled in a fine coach and in a style befitting 'the first gentleman of the County.' He was a large man with gray hair, well cut features and a voice in proportion to his physical endowments." Another described him as "the abrupt and loud voiced Sheriff Phelps, prompt in the maintenance of order, but always kind, polite and courteous." In the court room he was a martinet and allowed not the least dis- turbance or disorder. He was said to have been very kind and patient with children. It was his custom to call at the hotel where the Judge was stopping and ceremoniously escort him to the court house, and then after the session was over, escort him with equal ceremony back to his hotel. One can easily imagine him opening court. He would stand at his desk, strike three resounding blows with his gavel, and command in a loud voice "All rise." Then when all were at attention and silent, in a sonorous tone which could be
* This house was taken down as it was in the Hartford watershed.
129
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
heard all over the court room, and probably outside as well, go on with the ritual, "Oyez, oyez, oyez," etc. He maintained the office according to the best tradition.
John Phelps was not the only lawyer in Granville. About 1811 or 1812, James Cooley, born December 29, 1779, in East Granville, began the study of law under him, and so zealous was Mr. Cooley, or so fine an instructor was Mr. Phelps, or both, that Mr. Cooley was admitted at the County seat to practice his profession in 1814. Until his death he had his office in a small building, built for the purpose, on the north side of the main road in East Granville. In addition to his law practice, he served the Town as its Clerk ten years, and it is due to his sound judgment and meticulous care that any of the earliest records of Bedford are preserved to us. He served two years on the board of Selectmen, and six years as the Town's representative to the General Court. He died in 1851, having lived all his life in Granville.
Still another Granville boy became a lawyer and practiced in West Granville until wider horizons beckoned him to a larger field. Patrick Boies, born February 21, 1787, without doubt studied under John Phelps and was admitted to practice in 1815. He too, served the Town as well as practicing his profession. He was Town Clerk for six years, one year Selectman and three years one of the Town's representatives in the General Court. In 1832 he was a member of the Governor's Council, and in 1833 and 1834 he was elected to the State senate. About 1834 he removed to Westfield, where he was very successful in his practice. In 1853 he was appointed to the office of Sheriff of Hampden County by Governor John H. Clifford, and filled that office two years, being the last Sheriff of Hampden County to be appointed by the Governor.
In Middle Granville on January 23, 1779, there was rejoicing in the family of Colonel Jacob Bates, even if it was a cold winter. There was a new boy in town. They named him Isaac Chapman. He was a bright lad. He grew to be a strong youth, active physically and keen mentally. After the usual common school studies had been completed, he studied under that famous teacher, Dr. Cooley, who had married Isaac's half sister, Content Chapman. Here he was fitted for college and went to Yale where he was graduated valedic- torian of the class of 1802. He then commenced the study of law
130
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
in New Haven. Soon, however, we find him in Northampton study- ing in the office of Judge Samuel Hinckley. He was admitted to the bar in Northampton in 1805. While in college he developed great ability as a writer of excellent English and as a convincing speaker. Soon after his admission to the bar, he had an opportunity to make a public address upon an historical occasion in Northampton. His commanding presence, silvery voice and pleasing delivery attracted attention. He represented Northampton in the General Court in 1808-9 and also in 1835-6. In 1827 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served in the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd Congresses. He was a member of the Governor's Council two years and in 1836 he was a presidential elector on the Whig ticket, and again in 1840. In 1841 he was elected to the United States Senate for the unexpired term of John Davis and then re-elected for a full term 1841-7, and died in Washington, D. C., March 16, 1845, shortly after making a notable speech opposing the admission of Texas into the Union. He married Martha Hen- shaw, September 21, 1807, by whom he had three sons and five daughters. Hon. Isaac Chapman Bates was one of Granville's most illustrious sons.
Another great lawyer who was born in the Granville hills was Hon. Anson V. Parsons. He was a son of Joel and Phebe (Robin- son) Parsons, and was born September 1, 1799. After getting his education he drifted to Philadelphia, where he studied law and was admitted to practice. After some years in his adopted city, he was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas there, which posi- tion he filled with the utmost credit. He was intelligent, fearless and honest, an ornament to any court in any state. He married first Mary Hepburn, by whom he had eleven children, and second Sarah R. Myer. His death occurred September 23, 1882.
Then too, there were Elijah Bates, one of the most influential men of his time in Hampshire County, also his son, William G. Bates, a prominent lawyer and the historian of the Hampden County Bar, and Charles F. Bates, another sound lawyer from the green hills of Granville.
Not all the product of the Granville hills attained distinction in the law. Shining examples are found in other fields. One of these is
131
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
Oliver Phelps. Born October 21, 1749, in that section of Windsor, Connecticut, called Poquonock, the seventeenth child of Thomas and Ann (Brown) Phelps, he came to Granville when he was twenty-two years old and started life as the proprietor of a small country store, having been previously employed in such a store in Suffield, Connecticut. He married Mary Seymour of Hartford, Con- necticut. It is a marvel how he did all the things he is credited with having done, and which are a matter of record. His first public service was as one of the Committee of seven who were chosen July 11, 1774, "to inspect the debate between the Colonies and Great Britain," as previously noted. It is said that he was present at the battle of Lexington. His experience as a merchant had led him into a wide acquaintance in the Colony, and by reason of his ability he was in 1776 appointed Deputy Commissary of the Colo- nial Army on the staff of General H. Champion, at that time Com- mander in Chief. Thereafter he was made Superintendent of Pur- chases for Massachusetts in the Revolutionary Army. He was a member of the Governor's Council. All these duties for the nation and state were carried on with dispatch and success, in addition to which he kept up his store at home and performed various public duties there. In 1778 he was elected Town Clerk, which office he held for nine consecutive years. This period included all those diffi- cult days in the latter part of the War for Independence and the days immediately thereafter. He served as one of the Selectmen six years beginning 1779, and he was one of the Town's represen- tatives to the General Court in 1779 and 1780. It would seem that his knowledge and ability were appreciated wherever he went, for his capacity for work seems to have been without limit.
Due to the terms of their charters, for many years there had been conflicting claims by the Province of Massachusetts Bay and the Colony of New York to certain land now within the limits of the State of New York. When independence was secured, the dispute was still unsettled. Finally the two states agreed to meet in conven- tion at Hartford, Connecticut, and try to settle it. This convention was held December 16, 1786, and the long standing dispute was settled. By the terms New York granted to Massachusetts the right to purchase from the Indians a tract of land in the western part of
132
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
the state, called the "Genesee Country." This tract contained 6,000,000 acres and included all the land west of what was called the "Old Preemption Line."
Without doubt Oliver Phelps learned the details of this matter through his intimate relations with Massachusetts officials. But whether he learned of it that way or not, he and Nathaniel Gorham bought the whole tract from the Commonwealth the very next year, and the following spring left Granville and went to see what his new purchase looked like and make his peace with the Indians. It turned out that the Indians had title to only 2,250,000 acres. He made a treaty with the tribes for this amount of land. Finally he abandoned his claim to the remainder. Just what became of Gorham does not appear, but he seems to have been inactive in the scheme, and Phelps appears to have carried it through alone. There is a town by the name of Gorham in what was a part of this tract and it may well be that it was established by Mr. Gorham on a part of his share of the original purchase. The next year, 1789, after the deal with the Indians he drew up a system for the survey and layout of large tracts of land by sections and ranges, which with very slight changes is the system adopted by the United States land office and now used for the handling of all the public lands. Having the land in shape to convey it, he opened at Canandaigua the first regular land office in the United States for the sale of land to settlers.
Canandaigua became the shire town of Ontario County and with the rapid growth of population in this fertile area, a court was established and in 1792 Oliver Phelps was appointed to be the Judge of Ontario County. He also was elected in 1803 to the United States House of Representatives. He raised the first wheat grown in the Genesee Country and built and operated the first grist mill in that region. In 1799 he gave to Canandaigua Academy 6000 acres of land as an endowment. He was interested in, and worked to promote, everything for the improvement of society, whether economic or social. He was a personal friend and supporter of Thomas Jefferson. Not a few families went from Granville to Canandaigua in the latter years of the eighteenth and the early years of the nineteenth centuries, and the reason no doubt was their friendship and esteem for him. He moved his family to Canandaigua
133
GRANVILLE FROM 1810
in 1802 where he remained the rest of his life. He died February 21, 1809, leaving a wife and two children. He is buried in the old ceme- tery in Canandaigua and the monument at his grave bears the following inscription :
This is erected To the memory of The Hon. Oliver Phelps, Esq. Who died 21st Feb., 1809, In the 60th year of his age.
He was born in the Town of Windsor in the State of Connecticut. At the age of 7 years he removed to Suffield. And at the age of 22 years he removed from thence to Granville in the State of Massa- chusetts where he was honored with many important trusts under the Government of that Commonwealth.
At the commencement of the Revolutionary War he took an active part in the defence of his country and in various offices and relations remained with the American Army until Great Britain was compelled to acknowledge the Independence of the United States.
On the 1st of April, 1788, the deceased, in company with the Hon. Nathaniel Gorham, Esq., purchased of the commonwealth of Massachusetts its preemptive right to the Lands now comprised in the Counties of Ontario, Steuben, Genesee, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chatauqua and Alleghany, in July of the same year, he extinguished the Indian title to that part of it now comprehended in the Counties of Ontario and Steuben and immediately thereafter opened the settlement of the Country, which has been generally known by the appellation of the
GENESEE COUNTRY.
In March, 1802, he removed with his Family to this place, where he resided until his death. He was appointed First Judge of the County of Ontario and elected a Representative in Congress for the District.
Enterprise, Industry and Temperance cannot always ensure suc- cess, but the fruit of these virtues will be felt by Society.
Truly, the Hon. Oliver Phelps must have belonged to a race of Titans.
Timothy Rose, who had served three years in the Colonial Army, was another early settler who had the courage of his convictions. It having been decided early in 1805 that numerous families in Granville would remove to Ohio and there found a Town upon a
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.