USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Great Barrington > History of Great Barrington, (Berkshire County,) Massachusetts > Part 31
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Tinkers traveled from village to village and house to house equipped with soldering iron, spoon moulds and button moulds, doing all sorts of repairing and mending, and casting pewter spoons and buttons for the people.
The hatters of the last century were Joseph and
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EARLY INDUSTRIES.
Elias Gilbert, and Major Thomas Ingersoll. About the year 1801, came Timothy Arnold, with his brothers Fenner and Elisha. They bought the Misses Kellogg place, and Timothy established himself as a hatter. His shop was in the building (previously occupied by "Wise" Isaac Van Deusen) which stood in Mrs. McLean's door-yard. The Arnolds afterwards built the McLean house. Timothy Arnold, and his shop, is still well re- membered, as well as the long row of hat bodies put out to dry on sunny mornings, occupying every fourth picket of the fence in front of his premises. Arnold was a bachelor, with a taste for the comical, which was shared by his apprentices, and his shop was the head- quarters for fun and frolic, the rendezvous of the wags and fox hunters of the town. The shop itself, a long, low building-in the improvements of the premises, made by David Ives, forty years ago-was removed to Castle street, and converted into a dwelling-long oc- cupied by the Moore family-but has since given place to a more tasteful structure.
Blacksmithing was an important calling, for the smith was the fabricator of the door-trimmings and nails used in building, of many of the utensils in house- hold use, and the ploughshare and general imple- ments of farm husbandry, which to-day form staple articles in the hardware trade. Nearly everything of iron, was home-made and strongly made. In addition to the blacksmiths we have mentioned earlier than 1800, were Moses and Rufus Dodge, in the south part of the village. The Dodges were here as early as 1776. Rufus Dodge lived in, and is supposed to have built, about 1781, the so-called "Elm Tree House"-recent- ly taken down-which stood under the great elm, just north of Mount Peter. Amos Olds, too, was a black- smith in that part of the town in 1785, and after 1800 Ede Coy.
Nail making was a trade akin to blacksmithing, and as all nails were made by hand, was a business of some importance. From 1796 to 1800 and perhaps later, Theophilus Pynchon was the principal nail-maker of the village. One Dimmock is reputed to have set up a machine for making cut nails; the first, it is said,
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
made in this part of the country. This was probably about 1812-14, though we have not the date. A little later nails were made here by machinery by Chamber- lain & Alden, as will be mentioned hereafter. For several years a prejudice existed against the cut nails, and when in 1815, George H. Ives built the house, now Ralph Taylor's, he would not permit the use of cut nails in its construction.
About 1805, Aaron Mansir built the house after- wards General Timothy Wainwright's, now M. L. Whitlock's ; he was a wagon maker and built the first four wheeled vehicle made in this town. And within the recollection of the writer Moses Hopkins was the owner of the first one-horse wagon brought here.
The principal merchants of the town in the latter part of the last century were Samuel Whiting and Dwight & Pynchon-later Captain Walter Pynchon. Soon after the Revolution-as early as 1785-and for a period of twenty years, Samuel Whiting had his store at the corner of Main and Castle streets-the site of the present Mahaiwe building-his brother Abraham K. Whiting occupying a portion of it with a supply of drugs and medicines. The business hand-bill of the Messrs. Whiting-printed about 1785, announced their place of business "Next Door to the Court House," and modestly advertised “ a handsome little assortment of dry goods and groceries" and a "moderate retailing assortment of medicines," which they proposed to dis- pose of for "ready pay only," and offered " the highest price for ashes and other articles of produce usual in the mercantile line." Samuel Whiting was a methodi- cal, careful business man, well educated, and for sev- eral years one of the officiating Justices of the town.
In 1805, David Leavenworth and his brother Isaac Leavenworth-succeeding Samuel Whiting-settled as merchants on the Castle street corner, under the firm of D. & I. Leavenworth. These gentlemen erected a new store upon that ground and either together or separately occupied that site for nearly twenty years. The Messrs. Leavenworth were enterprising men, and took a conspicuous part in all the improvements and public business of the town. They introduced a larger
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MERCHANTS.
'stock of goods than had previously been kept here, and their store was long the principal one of the vil- lage. The Castle street corner was then, and for many years, considered the most desirable location for busi- ness in the village. The store of the Messrs. Leaven- worth stood until 1839, when it was burned down. In its upper story was a public hall-the only one in the village-known as Leavenworth's Hall-frequently used for balls, and public assemblages, as well as for meet- ings of the Masonic Fraternity.
Another merchant of that period was Reuben Bacon. who was here as early as 1803. He built the store still standing-now occupied by C. A. Dewey, and, it is said, had his dwelling and store in the same build- ing. This was afterwards occupied by his son James L. Bacon in connection with John Seeley, and has since, to the present time, had a great variety of ten- ants. Reuben Bacon was for a time until 1813 con- nected with George Pynchon-under the name of Bacon & Pynchon.
In 1818, Charles and Ralph Taylor, from Colchester, Conn., purchased of George Pynchon a small store which he had erected on the site of the present stone store, and began business there. About two years later they were joined by Alvenus Cone and the busi- ness was carried on in the name of C. & R. Taylor & Co. Mr. Cone withdrawing from the firm about 1824, moved into the store previously occupied by the Messrs. Leavenworth; and John C. Russell in that year began his business life as clerk for Mr. Cone. In 1827, Mr. Cone took Mr. Russell into copartnership, under the firm of Cone & Russell, and three years later sold his interest in the business to Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell now did business alone for two years, and then formed a copartnership with his brother Asa C. Russell, who had previously been a clerk for him. The firm of J. C. & A. C. Russell, then formed, was con- tinued, in their business relations, to the decease of John C. Russell in 1873. The Messrs. Russell re- mained on the Castle street corner until 1835, when they removed to the stone store, which they had then recently erected, and which they occupied until 1844,
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
their business in the mean time having been merged into the Berkshire Woolen Company. George Pyn- chon, who had previously occupied the store, sold to the Messrs. Taylor in 1818, afterwards erected the brick store, (lately Edwin W. McLean's) where he was~ engaged in merchandising for nearly forty years.
About 1830, Charles Taylor and David Ives built the brick store near the bridge in Water street. This. they conducted for a few years in connection with the- mills near by and the manufacture of scythes. Mr .. Taylor eventually removed to Newark,' N. J., and Mr .. Ives was compelled by failing health to abandon the business. Although there were some others, those we have named were the principal merchants of the town down to 1830. Since that time the mercantile enter- prises of the town have very largely increased, and nu -- merous individuals have been engaged in the business»
Post Office.
Previous to the establishment of a post office here, a few newspapers were taken in town which were de- livered by a post rider traveling from town to town, making his weekly rounds on horseback. The post rider, too, carried such letters as were committed to his care, and did various errands for the inhabitants along his route. Letters from a distance for this sec- tion of country found a lodgement at the post office in Hartford, Ct., and were frequently advertised in the; paper there printed. The first post office in the county was established at Stockbridge in 1792, others at Pitts- field and Sheffield in 1793-4, and the fourth at Great Barrington in 1797. Moses Hopkins, Esq., was the- first post-master here and held the office to the time of his decease in 1838. a period of forty years. The post office during all of these years was kept, in connection with the Registry of Deeds, in the old gambrel-roofed building, originally the law office of Colonel Mark Hopkins, which stood nearly upon the site of the brick dwelling of the late Mrs. Judith Bigelow.
Many of the older citizens still well remember Esquire Hopkins with his cocked hat, short breeches, long stockings, and knee and shoe buckles, seated in a
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THE POST OFFICE.
summer afternoon in the broad front door of his office, and the little rack in the rear part of the room, with the red tape fastened in a diamond form across its front, with a scanty number of letters sticking-super- scription outward-behind the tape.
The business of the office was small as compared with that of the present day. The account of Moses Hopkins with the general post office, for the quarter ending June 30th, 1798, shows the receipts to have been,
Postage collected on letters, $9 77
Postage collected on newspapers and pamphlets, 1 44
Total receipts for the quarter, $11 21
And the postmaster's commission was $5.27.
Even then the franking privilege was in vogue, and it appears, from the account, that the number of free letters delivered from the office was seventy-one, on which the postmaster had a commission of two cents each. Nor had the business of the post office very materially increased down to 1805. For the quarter ending March 31st of that year, the total receipts were $14.223, and the postmaster's commission was $4.58. But the number of free letters had diminished to twenty-one.
Honorable Increase Sumner succeeded Moses Hop- kins as postmaster in 1838, and removed the office to the old Leavenworth store-corner of Castle street- which was soon after burned down. In 1841, Hezekiah. Lathrop was appointed in place of Mr. Sumner, but was removed in 1843 to make room for Samuel Newman, Esq. Mr. Newman kept the office about six years, and was succeeded by Isaac Seeley, Esq., in 1849 During the administrations of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan, Samuel B. Sumner held the office of post- master, and was succeeded by Isaac Seeley, Esq., in 1861. Miss Julia E. Seeley, the present post-mistress, was appointed to the office by President Grant, about. eight years since.
Stages.
The earliest stages through the county, carrying the mail and furnishing the means of passenger travel be-
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
tween Hartford and Bennington and Albany, followed the turnpike roads and did not pass through this village. We have not the date at which Great Barring- ton became a station on the stage route, though we believe it to have been about 1819-20. But, fifty years ago, and until supplanted by railroads, a line of four- horse coaches-plying between Hartord and Albany- ran through the village, daily in the summer season and tri-weekly in the winter. At that time, too, or a little later, stage communication between this place and Hudson was constant, the stages running from Hudson to Pittsfield. The notes of the driver's horn as he approached the town, and the bustle and curiosity of the villagers as the stage wheeled up to the tavern, are still remembered. For the arrival of the stage was a less commonplace event than that of the train of cars of to-day.
Village Taverns.
At the beginning of the century, taverns were numerous in town, and not all confined to the village. A tavern of considerable resort had long been main- tained at the old red house-the Doctor Collins place -and was then kept by Simeon Cooper, the black- smith. This house, sometimes a private dwelling and sometimes a tavern, was open to the public as late as 1833, its later proprietors being John Buel and Robert Linsted. The sign "Rum, Gin, Brandy," which adorned the panels of the bar room door, remained long after it ceased to be a public house. Over this sign the wife of one of the later tenants was accustomed to paste white paper, which, to her chagrin, her husband sometimes persisted in removing. This old house, long since removed, is, in part, preserved in the dwell- ing of Harvey Holmes, in the south part of the village. The old tavern east of the bridge, established by Captain Hewit Root in 1754, was maintained until 1826 or later. Lewis Legrand Gorham, from Stratford, Conn., who came here in 1802, in the employ of Ives & Woodworth at their mills, built the well-known Gorham tavern in Water street about 1815, and kept a public
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TAVERNS-PHYSICIANS.
house there to his decease in 1848. This has since be- come a private dwelling house.
But the principal tavern of the village-built upon the site of an older one-was that erected where the Berkshire House stands, by Josiah Smith in 1770, and which he occupied to the time of his decease in 1784. This was afterwards kept by Captain Walter Pynchon, by Reuben Bacon-perhaps from 1803 to 1812-by Francis Knapp, and after him by Timothy Griswold to his decease in 1825. Since then various parties officia- ted as landlords down to the time of the late Captain Asahel Beebe. During the occupancy of Mr. Griswold, he erected an addition to the house, containing a ball room, which was occasionally used for lectures, exhi- bitions and other public amusements. Previous to this the only hall in the village was the long, low, arched room over the Leavenworth store-known as "Leaven- worth's Hall."
In 1838-9, the old tavern was removed in sections, to different localities, which still form parts of the dwellings of Clark A. Wilcox on Castle street, of Isaac Seeley on River street, of the late Calvin C. Crane and of Timothy Haley on Bridge street. For the first thirty years of this century the old tavern was a notable place of resort, and the scene of much frolic and conviviality.
The Berkshire House, erected by the late George R. Ives, in 1839, was first opened to the public in the summer of 1840.
Physicians.
Doctor Isaac Baldwin from Waterbury, Conn., settled here as a physician in 1804, having his home in the Hen- derson house, which he bought in that year, and in which he resided until 1812. He is spoken of by old people as an affable, agreeable man, with a wooden leg. He continued in practice here to the time of his death February 21st, 1814, when he was fifty-eight years old.
Doctor Samuel Barstow, from Sharon, Conn., came here in 1808, and was for a time associated in practice with Doctor Baldwin. Doctor Barstow had his resi- dence in connection with his brother, Gamaliel H. Barstow, on the late Doctor Collins' place. He was a
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
member of the State Senate in 1812, and died here at the age of thirty-six, June 25th, 1813. Gamaliel H. Barstow removed to Broome County, N. Y. He was a member of the New York State Senate, Treasurer of the State, and also a member of Congress. Doctor Abraham K. Whiting-son of Doctor William Whiting -was engaged in practice here as a physician for many years in the early part of the century.
Doctor Benjamin Rogers, who was in business here as a merchant, as early as 1800, studied medicine -- probably with Doctor Baldwin-and practiced here for many years. He built the house now Bazy W. Patti- son's, and resided there, but removed to Hartford about 1837. Many still remember Doctor Rogers with his sleek horse and yellow sulkey, and with a smile and a bow for every child he met.
Doctor Alvan Wheeler, from New Marlboro, was in practice here as early as 1829, but removed to Green- bush, N. Y., about 1834, and established a boarding school for boys, which he conducted for a time, but eventually settled in Binghamton, N. Y., as a farmer.
Doctor John W. Couch, who died February 16th, 1845, was in practice here for six or eight years previ- ous to his decease.
Doctor Elias R. Hollenbeck, who studied with Doctor Rogers and who was for a long time in business here, is still well remembered.
In addition to these, Doctor Thomas Bolton was engaged in practice here for several years prior to 1830, and several others for short periodsearlier than 1840.
Magistrates.
The business of the Justices of the Peace, judging from some of their records which have been preserved, was much larger in proportion to the inhabitants, sixty years ago, than it has been for the past thirty years. Jonathan Nash, Esq., who became a magistrate soon after the adoption of the state constitution-1780- was the principal acting Justice to the time of his decease in 1793. In addition to Samuel Whiting and Stephen Sibley, who have been mentioned, Moses Hopkins during the early part of the century was a
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MOSES HOPKINS, ESQ.
Justice with perhaps more business than any other. His criminal records extend from 1795 to 1829, and the cases tried before him were very numerous. David Leavenworth, from 1812 to 1830, did a large business, more particularly in civil cases ; the cases entered on his records in that time numbering seven hundred and sixty-four. Saturday was "Court-day" sixty years ago, and the little courts before 'Squire Hopkins were well attended. The petty cases of "as- sault," "profane swearing," and performing labor on the Sabbath, with an occasional case of theft or other mis- demeanor were numerous, and generally interesting.
Moses Hopkins, Esq., son of Rev. Samuel Hop- kins, was born in this town, March 13th, 1751. He grew up with the town, resided here during life, and died March 9th, 1838, aged nearly eighty-seven years. His education-superintended by his father-was good for the times. During the Revolution he was employed here in the commissary department, superintending the receiving and forwarding of military stores and supplies. And after the war he was engaged in mer- chandising. For sixty years-1778-1838-he held the office of Register of Deeds, and was for forty years -1797-1838-the postmaster of the town. He was also a member of the convention for revising the State Constitution 1820, and often officiated on the board of town officers. From 1780 to 1796 he owned and re- sided upon the premises now of Ralph Taylor, and had his store at the north east corner of Mr. Taylor's garden. He afterwards removed to the house erected by his aincle, Colonel Mark Hopkins ( where the late Charles W. Hopkins since lived. In his habits and style of dress he was a gentlemen of the old school. Having been in active life for many years, and possessing a retentive memory, he had stored up much interesting information pertaining to the early times and inhabi- tants of the town. This, united with a natural sociabili- ty, rendered him an agreeable companion to young men. He was universally esteemed and respected by the citizens of the town and county. In his later years he received a pension for his Revolutionary services.
David Leavenworth, Esq., known as Doctor Leav-
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
enworth, who came here in 1805, was a native of Water- bury, Conn., where he studied medicine with Doctor Isaac Baldwin-afterwards of this town-and became, a physician. He removed to the State of New York,, and about 1798-9 was appointed state printer. Whilst ; occupying this position he resided for a few years in Albany. He removed to this town, as above stated, in 1805, and in company with his brother Isaac, engaged in business as a merchant. Doctor Leavenworth was public spirited and enterprising, and for the space of twenty-five years was one of the principal active busi- ness men of the town, sustaining his proportion of the honors and burdens of its offices and taking an active part in its improvements and in all its civil and re- ligious affairs. For three years, 1812-14, he represent- ed the town in the General Court, and for eighteen years, 1812-30, was one of its principal officiating magistrates. He died here May 25th, 1831, in the 62d year of his age.
The first place of residence of Doctor Leavenworth here, was in the old Doctor Whiting house, where the Sumner building stands ; but in 1810 he purchased of Stephen Sibley, the Asa C. Russell premises on Castle street, with a house standing thereon. Here ten years later-1822-he erected the present dwelling which was then considered the finest building in the village, and which gave to the street its name, "Castle street."
Of the children of David Leavenworth, one only is now living, to wit: the Honorable Elias W. Leaven- worth of Syracuse, N. Y., whose childhood and youth were spent in this town. He removed to Syracuse in 1827, when that thriving city had a population of only seven hundred, has been intimately identified with all its improvements and prosperity, and has filled numer- ous positions of responsibility and honor in the State of New York.
Lawyers and Other Notables.
Colonel Mark Hopkins, David Ingersoll, Junior, and Theodore Sedgwick, who have been particularly men- . tioned, were all the lawyers in practice here before the ..
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GEN. THOMAS IVES.
Revolution. After the decease of Colonel Hopkins-in 1776 -- no lawyer resided here until 1782, and as for most, of that time no courts were held, there was but little legal business done in the county. After the reorgan- ization of the courts under the State Constitution, Thomas Ives was the first lawyer to settle here, and was for many years the principal legal practitioner of the town.
General Thomas Ives was a native of North Haven, Conn., born February 2d, 1753. He entered Yale college at the age of twenty, graduated in 1777, and three years later received his degree of Master of Arts. Whilst in college, the war broke out, and he, with other students, left college for a time and did service in the army. After his graduation, he studied law with Tap- ping Reeve, Esq., at Litchfield, Conn., and in March, 1780, was admitted to the bar in Litchfield County. He was then, for a time, in the law office of Hon. Theodore Sedgwick in Sheffield, and in the autumn of 1781, was with a brigade of Berkshire militia-of which he was- for the time Major-called out for special service at Still- water, N. Y. During part of the next year, General Ives was employed by Oliver Phelps & Co .- contractors for furnishing provisions for the army-as superin- tendent of their post at Burlington, N. J. Soon after the expiration of this engagement, he came to this town-in August, 1782-and settled in the practice of his profession. He married, March 27th, 1786, Ruth Foster, daughter of Honorable Jedediah Foster of Brookfield, Mass., and granddaughter of General Joseph Dwight.
In 1783, General Ives was chosen, by the General Court, collector of impost and excise for this county, and continued in that office until the laws, regulating the collection of these duties, became so unpopular, and in his opinion so oppressive, as to induce him to re- sign it. He represented the town in the General Court for thirteen years, between 1785 and 1811, and in 1797 was a member of the State Senate. General Ives was much interested in military affairs, and filled the various offices of Captain, Major, Colonel, Brigadier General, and Major General, in the ninth division of Massachu-
24
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
setts Militia, to which last office he was commissioned by Governor Caleb Strong in 1805, and which he re- signed in 1809. In 1809, he was commissioned by Governor Gore a Special Justice of the Court of Com- mon Pleas for the county. In the troubles incident to the Shay's Insurrection, General Ives was a firm sup- porter of the government, both in the Legislature and at home, and was present and participated in the final skirmish between the Shays party and government men in Sheffield in 1787. In politics he was a Federalist, and a zealous one. At the time of entering upon his profession here, the business of the courts-long sus- pended-was reviving, and his legal practice soon be- came extended and remunerative.
In addition to his professional calling, he devoted much attention to agriculture, and in 1793, became a member of the Massachusetts Society for promoting agriculture, incorporated the preceding year. General Ives was much in public life, a prominent, representa- tive man, and a man of great energy and perseverance. For a period of thirty years he was identified with the public improvements of the town and of the south part of the county. He died March 8th, 1814, at the age of sixty-one years.
Erastus Pixley-son of Moses Pixley-a native of this town, and a graduate of Yale college in 1780, prac- ticed law here for a few years, about 1784 to 1790, but removed to Vermont. Some of his descendants were living a few years since at Glens Falls, N. Y.
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