USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Great Barrington > History of Great Barrington, (Berkshire County,) Massachusetts > Part 16
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In the act for incorporating the town-1761 -- Gen- eral Dwight was authorized to issue his warrant for convening the first town meeting of its inhabitants ; he was chosen moderator of that meeting and also one of the selectmen of the town. General Dwight died June 9th, 1765; his remains were interred in the south burial ground, where a broad, antiquated and some- what elaborately carved slab of white marble marks his grave and bears this inscription :
Sacred To the memory of Brig'dr Gen'l Joseph Dwight Died June 9th 1765. Æ 62.
Though great in council and in arms, The pious, good, and just. Yet death her cruel debt demands, Dwight slumbers in the dust.
The widow of General Dwight continued to reside,. for several years in this town, but eventually re -- moved to Stockbridge, where she died February 15th, 1791. In a notice of General Dwight, in the History of Berkshire, it is said: "His personal appearance was. very fine. He was dignified in his manners, an upright judge, and an exemplary professor of the religion of
177
JOSEPH DWIGHT.
the gospel. No man in the county, in civil life, was more esteemed ; and aged people still speak of him with great respect." Another writer says, "he was a man of singular veracity; and all who knew him spoke of his virtues with enthusiasm."
General Dwight had a large family of children, among whom were: Dorothy, who married the Honor- able Jedediah Foster of Brookfield, and whose daugh- ter-Ruth Foster-was the wife of General Thomas Ives of Great Barrington ; Elijah, who was first Clerk of the County Courts, and a prominent citizen of Great Barrington ; by his second marriage-Pamela, who be- came the wife of Hon. Theodore Sedgwick, and Henry Williams Dwight who resided in Stockbridge and was for many years Clerk of the Courts. 12
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CHAPTER XIV.
WATER POWER AND ISRAEL DEWEY'S MILLS.
1762-1791.
The town early directed its attention to recovering possessionof the water power of the Housatonic River, which had thirty-five years before, been sequestered by the settling committee for the joint use of both the Upper and Lower Townships, but which had for a long time been occupied by David Ingersoll, and of which, John Williams, as successor of Ingersoll, then claimed possession. At the meeting of November 16th, 1761, Joseph Dwight, Timothy Hopkins and Daniel Allen were chosen agents, in behalf of the town, to join and act with agents that might be appointed by the town of Sheffield, "in ejecting and dispossessing any person or persons who may unlawfully hold the aforesaid towns out of their right to such part of the Housaton- nock River, so called, which is the joint right or in- terest of said towns." This action was with reference to the water privilege now occupied by the Berkshire Woolen Company, as well as to that on which, a little lower down the stream, the now abandoned, India Rubber Works stand. Some allusion has already been made to the earlier occupancy of this water privi- lege, and to the decrees of the settling committee, made with reference to it. It will be remembered that the divisional line between the two townships, as establish- ed by the settling committee in 1726-afterwards the north line of Sheffield-crossed the river at the Great Bridge, or, in the language of the records, "that the Lower Township shall extend up the Maine River, from ye Path yt goeth over ye River by ye Great wig- wam, something above the Middle Falls, which is some-
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WATER POWER RECLAIMED.
thing above half a mile from s'd Path, and if there should be a mill or mills sett up there in ye Great River, that each Town shall have ye privelege of ye streame for yt Porposs ;" and that the committee also decreed that the proprietors "must not divide the land above the path that goes over the river by the Great Wigwam." This reservation of the water power was definite and explicit, and the premises were carefully guarded by the provision that individuals should not lay out the land adjoining the falls of the river. But, in 1736, Moses Ingersoll, disregarding the decrees of the settling committee, made a pitch of land, of seven- teen and one-half acres-lying on both sides of the river-which extended from the divisional line south- erly, nearly to the present "Rubber Bridge," and in- cluded a large part of the water power. Three years later-in 1739-Moses Ingersoll, by deed, conveyed this property to David Ingersoll, who -- as we have be- fore stated-built a dam, and erected a saw-mill, grist- mill, and forge on the east bank of the stream, a short distance below the Great Bridge. It is probable that doubts then existed as to the validity of Ingersoll's title-though we have no evidence that his right of possession was disputed-but as his improvements were both a convenience and a public benefit, it may be inferred that he was, by common consent, per- mitted to remain in occupancy. It is, however, a note- worthy circumstance in connection with this convey- ance, that the deed, though dated in March, 1739, was not officially acknowledged until February 1749, nor placed upon record until 1752-after the decease of Moses Ingersoll. David Ingersoll continued in occu- pancy of the premises for several years, but became pecuniarily embarrassed ; and in December 1755, the "corn-mill and saw-mill, mill-dam and stream," together with about one and one half acres of land adjoining- on the east side of the river-the whole appraised at £133. 6s. 8d .- were taken on execution, to satisfy a judgment which had been obtained against him by one Jonathan Mason. Probably under title derived from Mason, John Williams-who was also the proprietor of the mills at Van Dusenville-obtained possession o
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
the water privilege and premises taken from Ingersoll on this execution, and was holding them in 1761. It was for the purpose of ejecting Mr. Williams and re- gaining possession of the water power that agents were appointed by the town as above narrated.
Sheffield joined with this town in the affair and ap- pointed Nathaniel Austin its agent to co-operate with the agents of Great Barrington. A suit was brought against Williams, to be tried before the Justices of the Superior Court of Common Pleas, to be held at Great Barrington on the first Tuesday of September, 1762. In the writ, which bears date August 24th, 1762, the plaintiffs " demand against the said John, as ye joint right and inheritance of the said towns of Sheffield and Great Barrington, that part of Housatonnock River (so called) called the falls of the Great River being in said Great Barrington, near the meeting-house in ye last mentioned town, which falls are one hundred and fifty rods in length and the breadth of said river," reciting the fact that the falls were sequestered and set apart by the settling committee for the common use and benefit of both towns, "and into which ye said John hath no entry but after the disseizen which David In- gersoll unjustly and without judgment committed against the said towns." The case was entered in court at the September term, 1762. Mark Hopkins appeared as the attorney for the plaintiffs, and the defendant ap- peared by Daniel Jones his attorney, who plead his plea, to which the plaintiffs demurred. Judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs on the demurrer, and the defendant appealed to the Superior Court of Judicature to be held at Springfield on the last Tuesday of the same month. A careful search of the records of the Superior Court, furnishes no further trace of this suit ; it is therefore to be presumed that Williams abandoned his case, and his claim to the disputed premises. The town had virtually taken possession of the stream about six months previous, and it is probable that the dam and mills erected by Ingersoll were then in a dilapidated condition and that the forge had disap- peared. After the appointment of agents in this mat- ter, and before the commencement of the suit against
181
GRANT TO ISRAEL DEWEY.
Williams, the town, acting upon the petition of Israel Dewey, made to him a conditional grant of the water power, as by the following vote passed March 10th, 1762. Voted, "that Israel Dewey have leave to build a saw-mill and grist-mill upon Housatonnock River, within any part of the same between the present Great Bridge on the County road and the north part of En- sign Aaron Sheldon's land, viz : his present homestead, and to use and improve the same for sawing and grind- ing at the usual rates at which the same is done in this province ; and that he have leave to keep up and main- tain the same so long as he shall keep them in good repair and afford suitable attendance at them for the common use and benefit of the town ; always provided that the said Israel build said mills within twelve months from this time." Mr. Dewey complied with the conditions of the grant, and immediately proceeded to erect a saw-mill and grist-mill, which he did upon his own land. Mr Dewey at that time owned and dwelt upon, the premises known as the Rosseter-now Henry Dresser's-place, and his mills were built nearly in rear of his dwelling, on the west side of the stream, the approach to them being by a lane where Dresser street now is. His dam was upon the site of the present Rubber Works dam, a little below which some of its timbers are still visible. "The north part of Ensign Aaron Sheldon's land" in the vote last quoted, was near the present north line of Robert Girling's premises.
This vote gave Mr. Dewey control of all the water power from the Great Bridge, southerly, to the point where he erected his works; and if the evidence of aged and reputable witnesses, taken in the trial of the noted water suit between the Berkshire Woolen Com- pany and Horace H. Day, in 1849, is entitled to credit, Dewey's dam must have rendered the works above it useless, for, as was then testified, this dam was about six feet high, set the water back above the bend of the river, north of the bridge, and raised the water two or three feet at the bridge.
Dewey's mills, a grist-mill and saw-mill, both prob- ably under one roof-as was not an unusual custom in building at that time-constituted, for thirty years, all
182
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
the improvements, in use, of the water power of the Housatonic River in this town. These mills, though somewhat inconveniently located on the steep bank of the river, were important works; for. though saw-mills were sufficently numerous, with the exception of the Williams grist-mill at Van Deusenville, there appears to have been no other place in town at which the in- habitants could have their grain converted into flour or meal.
It is commonly difficult to arrive at the precise time of the erection of old buildings or of the making of improvements, but in the case of Israel Dewey's mills this difficulty is obviated by the preservation of his account book in which is recorded :
" Oct. 14th, 1762, Wheeler Finished the mill and went off all but Bill. Bill Lain worked five days after Wheeler went."
We also gather from the same book the names and time of the workmen upon the mill as follows :
"Elijah Wheeler's work days 72 days 81, 81, 106, 86,"
Eliphalet Wheeler
Na'l Herrick,
Bill Lain
John Dow
and the "Price of the Bolting cloath £1. 17s. 3d."
Mr. Dewey operated these mills to the time of his decease-1773-and they were afterwards in the oc- cupancy of his sons, Justin and Hugo, until 1791, who then conveyed the premises to Major Thomas Ingersoll and Moses Hopkins, Esq., "with all the privileges of the stream which were granted to our father Israel Dewey deceased, by the proprietors of Housatunauk River in Great Barrington." This conveyance gave to Messrs. Ingersoll & Hopkins all the water power of the stream from the bridge southward. which had been originally granted by the town to Israel Dewey. During the thirty years in which the Dewey mills were main - tained, no works were erected between them and the bridge.
In 1792, Ingersoll and Hopkins abandoned the Dewey mills, and built a new dam on the site of the old one of David Ingersoll-the same now occupied by the Berkshire Woolen Company-removing at the
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INGERSOLL AND HOPKINS' MILLS.
same time a portion of the Dewey dam in order that their work might not be impeded by the setting back of water. In prosecuting this work they found re- mains of the dam built by David Ingersoll more than fifty years before. These gentlemen erected there a grist-mill on the west side of the stream-the old red mill, taken down in 1852-and also a saw-mill on the east side. These works with other improvements in that vicinity will be hereafter more particutarly men- tioned. The Dewey mill is said to have been removed to another locality and converted into a distillery ; but we are uncertain as to its new location and use ; though it may be surmised that it was removed to the Robbins grove on Castle street hill, where Doctor David Leavenworth-several years later-had a distil- lery for the manufacture of cider brandy.
CHAPTER XV.
RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS-QUARRELS OVER THE
MINISTER'S SALARY.
1757-1769.
We have alluded to the disagreements relative to the raising of money for the salary of the minister, which was a subject of dispute in the town meetings from 1761 to 1769; but the causes of variance had their origin in circumstances of an earlier date. Of the first settlers, the Dutch-as their traditions assert-were attached to the Lutheran church, in which they had been reared in the state of New York, whilst the Eng- lish who had been brought up in the Orthodox faith of New England were Congregationalists. But if the early impressions made upon the Rev. Samuel Hop- kins, in his intercourse with these settlers, are to be relied upon, there was a deplorable want of religious sentiment amongst them, and but few of the whole number were truly religious. The meeting-house had been built by a tax equitably assessed upon the pro- prietary rights to the land, and each proprietor, resi- dent or non-resident, or of whatever religious persua- sion, contributed his just proportion, according to the number of rights which he owned.
In the charter of the parish, as was the custom of the time, provision was made for the "support of an able, learned, and Orthodox minister;" for the laws of the province required that the inhabitants of towns and parishes "should take due care from time to time to be constantly provided of a Learned, Able and Orthodox minister," and further "that he should be suitably maintained by the inhabitants of the town." The salary of the minister, under the law, was raised by a tax upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants. Towards the building of the meeting-house, the Dutch proprie-
185
DISSENSIONS.
tors had paid their exact share; and in raising money for the support of the minister, both Lutherans (1) and Congregationalists were equitably taxed. So far as we know, the Dutch and English united cordially in giving Mr. Hopkins a call to settle here. At least the call was unanimous, as is shown by the record, as well as by the statements of the minister.
In the earlier years of Mr. Hopkins' ministry, there is no evidence of any want of harmony between him and his parishioners. It is true that his salary was not paid with commendable prompitude; but this, at first, is attributable rather to poverty and a general negli- gence of duty than to any want of friendly feeling towards the minister. Mr. Hopkins visited and taught alike both in the English and Dutch families, and says of the latter "they appear to be a kind people," which no doubt was true, for, than the Dutch none were more remarked for their hospitality. But the Dutch, differ- ing from the minister in their views of church privi- leges, were not long, if ever, his very earnest support- ers, and few if any of them united with his church. It is probable also that some were not sufficiently con- versant with the English tongue to comprehend his preaching. Some of them wished to have their child- ren baptized, but as they were not church members, the minister could not perform the ceremony. This was, with them, a cause of grievance.
It is said that the Dutch asked the privilege of hav- ing preaching from time to time, by a Lutheran minis ter, in their own language, in the meeting-house, and that this, not unreasonable request, was denied them. From about this time, some of them habitually absented themselves from meeting, and their seats were vacant Sabbath after Sabbath. From the events which fol- lowed it may be inferred that much acrimony of feeling existed both with the Dutch and with the supporters of the minister.
(1) In classing the Dutch inhabitants as Lutherans we have followed their tradition and history as heretofore written ; but we are informed. there was at that time no Lutheran church in the vicinity of Kinderhook, whence they emigrated, nor indeed above the Highlands of the Hudson River.
186
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
Under the stringent colonial laws, attendance upon public worship as often as once in three months, was obligatory upon the inhabitants, and negligence of duty, in this respect, was a penal offence. The tything men, in the discharge of their official duties, lodged with a magistrate, complaints against the Sunday absentees. Those who had offended against the law were sum- moned to appear before the magistrate, and having no defence to offer, plead guilty to the offences charged. The magistrate could do no less than pronounce upon them the sentence which the law required. The penal- ty prescribed by the statutes, was the imposition of a fine, or confinement in the public stocks. The magis- trate humanely gave them the choice of paying a fine or sitting in the stocks, and at their request, kindly granted them a few days' delay, that they might have time for consideration before determining their choice of punishment. The delinquents chose the stocks, and as there were none in the parish, were taken to Shef -. field to suffer the infliction. Amongst the number condemned were Isaac Van Deusen, Peter, John, and Garret Burghardt-brothers. Confinement in the stocks was frequently attended and aggravated by jeers and insults from the lookers on; and on this occasion, with the intent to protect the sufferers from abuse, Hendrick Burghardt-an elder brother of Peter, John, and Garret, went with them to Sheffield, armed with gun, powder-horn, and bullet-pouch, and taking his stand beside the prisoners as they were placed in the stocks, made bold declaration that he would inflict con -- dign punishment upon any who should offer them in -- sult. Timothy Woodbridge, Esq., of Stockbridge, whose sympathies were enlisted in behalf of the offend- ers, was also in attendance and by the prestige of his. character as a public man aided in preserving decorum and good order. The day of affliction became one of hilarity and mirthfulness; and whatever effect the vin- dication of the law may have produced upon the trans- gressors, it reacted upon those who caused the law to be put in execution. From that time the Dutchmen attended meeting often enough to comply with the re- quirements of the statute; and afterwards employed
187
RESULTS OF INTOLERANCE.
Dutch clergymen to preach to them at stated intervals.
In the foregoing brief statement of this ill-advised and discreditable transaction, we have followed the ac- count written about 1828, by "Wise" Isaac Van Deu- sen, or as he is still sometimes called "the Wise man;" though his history of the affair -- which has been several times printed-evidently written with some degree of partiality, is more circumstantial in detail than we have cared to be. We have not the date of these occurren- ces, but the time was probably about 1758-60.
There are, ordinarily, two sides to a quarrel, and such no doubt was the case in the present instance; we have presented but one-that which has been pre- served-the other, with whatever extenuating circum- stances may have existed, so far as we know, has never been written The course pursued with the Dutch, savoring as it did of oppression and intolerance, proved disadvantageous to the supporters of the minister. But the opposition to Mr. Hopkins was not confined to the Dutch; some who differed with him in theologi- cal views joined in it, and others, who cared little for the support of religious institutions, were readily allied against him. All these, united, constituted quite a formidable party.
Though some, as early as 1760, were unfriendly towards Mr. Hopkins, he was by no means unpopular, but enjoyed the support, sympathy, and esteem of the greater part of the people. In evidence of the truth of this statement, we have the fact that the parish in 1760 added £15, and the town, the next year, £20, to his stated salary, without (as he says) any especial request on his part. During the year 1761, the disaffection towards Mr. Hopkins had been on the increase, and had assumed such proportions as to cause him much solicitude and to lead him to doubt whether or not his ministrations would long continue to be acceptable to his people. He was willing to remain so long as his stay might be productive of good and the people might furnish him a competent support; he had no desire to leave; he had calls to go elsewhere, which, provided he could not be maintained here, he felt it his duty, and for his interest, to accept, and he therefore desired an
1
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
expression of the sentiment of the people upon the sub- ject. Prompted by these considerations, on the 29th of May, 1762, he addressed to his church the following letter-still preserved in the files of the town:
" To the Bretheren of the Church of Christ in Great Barrington.
"DEAR BRETHEREN :- As I have devoted myself wholly to the service of the people in this place in the work of the ministry, I shall willingly and cheerfully serve them so long as I shall be ac- cepted and received in this character. And I now solemnly de- clare that I have no desire to leave you, but choose and desire to spend my life in your service, if I may be acceptable to you, and have a reasonable maintenance. I mean that which is necessary in order to my attending on the work of the ministry, so as there may be a rational prospect of answering the good ends pro- posed. And therefore no consideration will make me think of leaving you, for the sake of any offer whatever, unless I should think myself to be rejected by you ; which I hope, and pray GOD never may be.
"I should be ungrateful if I did not thankfully take notice of the generosity that has been shown, in making me an additional grant of twenty pounds the two years past, even without my asking it. And I should have reason to rely upon the generosity of the people, and conclude they were ready to give me an honor- able maintenance for time to come, were it not for some special difficulties, which I need not particularly mention, as they are well known to you, which have been increasing since the last grant was made ; so that 'tis generally thought by you, I con- clude, that 'tis at least very doubtful whether the people are dis- posed to afford me a sufficient maintenance, so as to put me under proper advantage to give myself wholly to the work of the ministry among you; but that most had rather part with me, than comply with this.
"Now if this be the case, I should be glad to know it soon, as I have an invitation to go to Halifax in order to settle in the work of the ministry there; which I may think it my duty to comply with, if I can not be received and maintained here; but shall find myself rejected by this people. I therefore desire that the Inhabitants of this Town may be called together, that I may have an opportunity to lay this matter before them for their con- sideration, and that they may consider and determine :
"I. Whether I am so acceptable to them in the work of the ministry, that they are willing to receive me in that capacity still, and afford me a reasonable and compleat support.
"II. To consider and determine what sum is reasonable and sufficient to be a stated salary during my continuance in the work of the ministry among them.
I am your Servant in the Gospel Ministry,
SAMUEL HOPKINS.
Great Barrington, 29th May, 1762."
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SALARY ESTABLISHED.
In connection with this letter-which sufficiently explains itself and the position of the minister-is a petition, in the handwriting of Mr. Hopkins, addressed to the selectmen, requesting "that the Inhabitants of the town may be called together as soon as may be" to act upon the articles proposed in the letter, "and also Particularly to agree upon and vote the sum they will give him for his services the current year." This pe- tition was signed by Daniel Allen, Josiah Phelps, John Hamlin, Phin. Nash, Timo. Hopkins, Jona. Nash, and Wm. Ingersoll, all members of Mr. Hopkins' church.
The selectmen called a town-meeting-held on the 4th of June-at which Mr. Hopkins is presumed to have presented his case, and with results more flatter- ing to himself than he had anticipated. The following abstract from the votes passed at that time indicate that he still retained the confidence and esteem of the people and that they were determined to sustain him.
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