USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > History of Greenfield : shire town of Franklin county, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 40
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SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH
The Second Baptist Church in Greenfield was organized September 8, 1898, and was recognized by a council of the Franklin Baptist Association, with forty-six members.
Reverend Miles N. Reed was called to be its pastor Jan- uary 15, 1899, and served until August 18, 1901. Rev- erend W. Roy Timeson was ordained the successor of Mr. Reed, March 19, 1902. Recently the society has erected a church building on Pierce street, and has become incorpo- rated as the Pierce Street Baptist Church.
CHAPTER XXXV
CHEAPSIDE
T HE name first appears in connection with Deerfield in 1689. The location of this village is one of great beauty, the winding river, flowing through the green meadow which stretches off to the south, the pretty elevation known as Pine Hill, which lies like an island in the broad acreage of the valley, the Pocumtuck hills upon the east and the Sunsick mountains upon the west, the glimpse of the vil- lage spires of Deerfield among the trees, all combine to charm the senses into a comprehension of the unsurpassed loveliness of the scene.
Here was the chosen home of the once powerful Pocum- tuck nation, and yonder in the meadow at the junction of the Pocumtuck (Deerfield) and the Picomegan (Green) rivers, on the elevation called by our forefathers " Fort Hill " stood one of their strongholds.
The meadow land lying about the mouth of Green river and on the north side of the Deerfield was taken up very early and held by persons living in the old street. The original road leading north from Deerfield street ran across the north meadow and along the east side of Pine Hill to its north end and then crossing the Deerfield by ferry followed up the east side of Green river. It was liable to be overflowed during high water, and in 1787 a new road was constructed from the old street to Cheapside as now used. Moses Chandler, the ferryman, the father of Reverend Dr. Chandler, moved with his family and his boat down to the new ferry, and, there he re-
505
506
THE TOLL BRIDGE
[1798-1868
mained and was toll gatherer on the bridge which was built in 1798, upon the present location, under a charter granted, after a hard fight, to Jonathan Hoyt of Deerfield, David Smead of Greenfield, and others. The bridge was opened November 8, 1798, and was a cheap affair, supported by wooden abutments and piers, and cost $5,040. The contractors, Fellows & Atherton, slighted their job and were compelled to pay $1,364 damages. It earned seven dividends amounting to $4,700.
The second bridge was opened a few days before January I, 1807, as it had earned $51 at that date. It cost $8,107.50 and in twenty-two years had earned $17,857.80. This was up to September, 1829, since which time dividend sheets have not been found.
The bridge charter granted the right to take toll for seventy years. At its expiration the corporation was to leave a good substantial bridge for the free use of the people. Toll payers looked forward to the luxury of a free bridge as the period approached when they supposed the right to take toll should cease. Naturally the stockholders were in no haste to cease taking tribute, and they left the public to find out when the bridge was first opened. Here the practical use of an anti- quarian became evident. When he thought to examine the books of the village doctor of 1797, and found that when he visited a patient at Cheapside he habitually made a separate charge for ferriage, and at a certain date he charged ferriage, and three days later he charged toll, all agreed that the problem was solved. It has been intimated that the bridge left for the free use of the public was hardly the " good and substantial " structure called for by the charter.
This was the era of turnpikes and canals. The fifth Massa- chusetts turnpike was laid out overlooking Cheapside in 1799 and was in operation in 1801. Montague bridge was opened with great ceremony November 26, 1802, and the turnpike from Greenfield to Charlemont was chartered the same year.
Cheapside, being the natural head of river navigation for
507
PROSPEROUS DAYS AT CHEAPSIDE
1795-1845
this region, became an important point. In 1795 traders be- gan to appear, Joseph Swan being the pioneer. He has 300 bushels of Turks Island salt to exchange for flaxseed. Wil- liam Wait, cooper, removes from Greenfield to Cheapside and has taken Cephas Hoyt as partner and has salt for sale. 1798, Calvin Burt & Co. have removed to Cheapside Landing and will supply goods of all kinds.
1799, John Williams, Jr., opens a store just below the bridge and has all kinds of goods to exchange for staves, headings and hoop poles. Jonathan Hoyt and John Williams own all the good land about here, and Hoyt hangs out a sign board showing a white horse painted on a black ground, and will keep the " White Horse Inn."
1800, John Williams, Jr., established a packing house for beef and pork in the meadow just above the bridge. James Mayo has 500 bushels of salt to trade for flaxseed. Samuel Saxton has 600 bushels and will take either flaxseed or white beans.
1801, John Williams, Jr., has a few hogshead of rum at reduced price, and also 10 tons of plaster.
In 1810, Landlord Edward Houghton of Northfield and his son Clark Houghton built what was afterward called " the old storehouse " just adjoining the bridge, the build- ing being now a part of the barn on the old David R. Wait place. He owned a line of "luggers" which ran between Cheapside and Hartford for many years, and did a very large business. In 1823 he advertised his business for sale, being nearly or quite blind, and says that it is " one of the best stands in the country where immense quantities of goods are landed in the boating season, which supplies a vast country west and north." At this time flaxseed was a staple crop, and one season (1819) at this store 500 bushels were exchanged for Turks Island salt.
Here is an advertisement which Edward Houghton inserted in the local paper in 1792:
508
THE ABERCROMBIES
[1830-1846
PLEASE TO READ IT. To all concerned this tiny Note I send, Bring in your debts and help a needy friend. Bring what you have-a little cash will do. Who pays, I'll then discharge Who fails, I'll SUE.
Captain Ambrose Ames and John J. Pierce had an oil mill on the east bank of Green river about opposite the present Wiley & Russell Company shops. George P. Field started the first bakery in these parts in the Houghton store.
Isaac Abercrombie, Jr., came to Greenfield about 1828, and was a deputy under General Epaphras Hoyt, Sheriff, and kept tavern where the Union House now is. He was inter- ested in the Boston and Albany stage line for a short time and was its agent at Greenfield.
About 1830 Isaac Abercrombie, Sr .; removed from Pelham to Greenfield, with his sons Ira and Asiel. The three sons purchased the Houghton store at Cheapside, and the old River Tavern, which for some years had been kept by Nathan F. Henry, and they entered largely into freighting, farming and speculating. Isaac and Asiel devoted their attention to farming and the care of the land which they acquired in that vicinity and they continued in successful business until the building of the railroad put an end to the prosperity of Cheap- side as a business centre. Ira was prominent in town affairs, became interested in the Franklin County Bank and was a director and afterward president of that institution. Asiel the father of Robert Abercrombie, was the only one of the three brothers who ever married. In 1834 they bought a boat called " Voyger " and when repaired she had cost $ 184. They changed her name to " Free Trade," and the boat made three trips to Hartford during that season, netting them in all $ 128.90. Their freights down were composed of ash plank, brooms, cider brandy, fire frames, boxes of hats, cranberries, poles, scythe snaths, broom handles, rake and fork stales, spokes, felloes, shafts, leather, lime, axes and great quantities
509
ALLEN & ROOT
1835-1846]
of wood. The up freights consisted of English and West India goods, rum, flour and cotton. Down freights were from $ 2.25 to $ 2.50 per ton and up freights about twice as much.
In 1839 the Abercrombie's bought the " Donner," costing, when ready to sail, $ 309. She made four trips during the season and netted $ 297.89.
In 1835 Allen & Root built a store on the river bank, nearly opposite the tavern. They owned the steamer "Green- field" run in 1835-6-7, by Captain T. M. Dewey, according to his account. In 1837 Allen & Root and Stockbridge & Wells, and Stockbridge, Culver & Co., who also had lines of boats, consolidated under the name of Stockbridge, Allen, Root & Co. and so continued under the different firm names until the building of the railroad, which killed the river freight- ing. When boating® was given up the old Allen & Root store was moved up near to the railroad station in Greenfield and was the storehouse of C. & S. B. Root, and later was "Shattuck's store" for many years. Rufus Howland was the agent for Allen & Root at Cheapside for eleven years. Wil- liam Elliot, another old-time Greenfield merchant, was also clerk at Cheapside for the Houghtons.
Robert Bardwell opened a new store at Cheapside in 1804. He owned at least one boat, for he advertised freight by his " Sloop Flying Fish."
Daniel Forbes, a Greenfield merchant, opens a store at Cheapside in 1806, and wants "horses," "beef and pork " for barreling; " 3000 hogsheads and hoop poles." He also wishes to sell his Greenfield store.
Pliny and Caleb Alvord, other Greenfield men, also have a store in 1807 and are running freight boats on the river.
Samuel E. and Geo. P. Field are making both wrought and cut nails in 1808. The next year, Orin Dole has a copper- smith shop here.
April 27, 1810, Munson & Swan raise the frame to their
.
510
RIVER TAVERNS
[1795-1846
sawmill, just below Ames & Pierce's oil mill on Green river. Jehiel Jones and afterwards Pardon H. Merrill are the black- smiths, Densmore Dole the hatter, and William Emmons and Loring Thayer, cabinet makers, had shops at Cheapside, and Richard E. Field had a chaise and carriage shop which is now the residence of Henry Wait.
In 1819 Bardwell sold out his store to Elijah A. Gould. He was the man who built the Henry W. Clapp house in Greenfield.
Nathan Henry kept the tavern from 1832 to 1838 when he went to Montague City, and Asiel Abercrombie succeeded him at Cheapside.
In 1796 a line of stages had been established from Hartford. to Hanover, N. H., and also a line from Troy to Boston crossing the Hoosac mountain, and Greenfield had become quite a stage centre. Both these lines passed through Cheap- side, and there was some business rivalry between the two places.
The old county of Hampshire included all the territory now embraced in the counties of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden. Many of the towns were far from Northampton, the county seat, and some writers in the public press had asked for a division of the county. At a Greenfield town meeting held November 5, 18ro, one of the articles of the warrant was " To see if the town will chuse delegates to meet in con- vention at Calvin Munn's* on the first Monday of December next, for the purpose of taking into consideration the expedi- ency of petitioning the Legislature for a division of the County of Hampshire, or act as they may think proper re- specting the same." The result was, " Voted, chose Solomon Smead and Elijah Alvord, Esquires, delegates to meet in con- vention at the place & for the purposes as mentioned in the above warrant."
* Now the Mansion House,
511
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE COUNTY SEAT
1811-1812]
The convention was held and a petition was drawn up and signed by many prominent men of the towns of northern Hampshire, but Conway, Hawley, Leverett and Whately by town action remonstrated against the partition of the old county. The legislative committee reported in favor of di- vision, June 18, 1811, and the Senate voted to refer the sub- ject to the next session, but on the 19th, the order was re- considered, the report of the committee was accepted, and concurred in by the house. By this act Greenfield was made the shire town of the new county. But now came the tug of war. Cheapside, backed by Deerfield, undertook to get that part of the act making Greenfield the county seat changed, before the county buildings could be built. General Epaphras Hoyt, Rufus Saxton and Pliny Arms, leaders on the part of Deerfield, were pitted against Richard E. Newcomb, Elijah Alvord and George Grennell on the part of Greenfield. Greenfield raised $500, and Cheapside $1,900 toward the building of the courthouse and jail, provided the county build- ings were located as each desired.
A convention was held in Greenfield November, 1811, called with a view to change the act, and remove the shire to Cheap- side. It was very fully attended and all the towns in the county but two were represented. Great excitement attended its de- liberations, if the action of the convention might be so called. I quote from the Honorable Whiting Griswold's address at the reopening of the courthouse, in March, I873 :
"No question of equal importance, taking such deep hold of the public feeling, or where the animosity engendered rankled so long, ever agitated our people. Horse flesh was put in requisition, and the site of the proposed shire swarmed with excited delegates and interested outsiders, like a hive of bees in June ; reminding one (if tradition has not overwrought this piece of local history) of the famous lines of Cowper, in the race of John Gilpin :
512
GREENFIELD versus CHEAPSIDE
" 'Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folk so glad ;
The stones did rattle underneath, As if Cheapside were mad.'
" A petition to the Legislature to annex the northern tier of towns of Hampshire to Franklin county was first adopted by the convention, and while it was lying on the table for signa- tures of the delegates-three or four having signed it-it suddenly disappeared, and was never afterwards found. But the record of this alleged fraudulent abstraction, with all the reasons for removal to Cheapside, were presented to the Legislature."
December 2, 1811, the town of Greenfield chose a large committee to oppose the petition of the several towns for the removal of the county seat, and passed a series of resolutions to be presented to the Legislature. May 14, 1812, the town chose another committee to meet a convention to be held at Deerfield upon the same subject.
The Cheapside men finally brought their petition before the Legislature, and (quoting from Mr. Griswold's address) these reasons for the location at Cheapside were given :
" That it was the territorial and travelling centre of the county ; that the towns east of the Connecticut, and south of Deerfield rivers, could save toll by leaving their horses and carriages, and paying only as foot passengers ; that the water at Cheapside was excellent, while that at Greenfield was very bad and unwholesome; that its vicinity to the villages of Greenfield and Deerfield would ever prevent the exorbitant demands of taverns and boarding houses ; that all kinds of common labor and all kinds of materials were much cheaper ; that it was in the midst of excellent land for pasturage, sur- rounded with an abundance of the best wood, and contiguous to the best hay in the county, from which Greenfield received large quantities ; that it was the head of boat navigation for this part of the country, and even the lower part of Vermont ; that it was growing in commercial importance, and was the
513
QUARREL OVER THE COUNTY SEAT
1811-1812]
great outlet for the produce of the farmers and the desposit from which a great part of the importations of the country were received ; that it was pleasantly situated on the margin of the Deerfield river, and overlooked the adjoining meadow ; that the south and east portions of the county would have to pass through Cheapside to get to Greenfield ; that two responsible gentlemen stood ready to build two tavern houses the coming season, and that every desirable accomo- dation for courts will soon be furnished, and at much cheaper rate than in Greenfield, the price of land being only as ten to one hundred ; that Cheapside subscriptions in cash, land and materials, exceed those of Greenfield ; that a large majority of the towns, the people, and the valuation of the county, favor the change ; that it is in the vicinity of a fine quarry of stone, a running brook, and excellent materials for making brick ; that it is nearer Erving's Gore, from which most of the lumber for the new buildings must come ; that wood is 67 cents per cord, and team work 25 per cent cheaper than in Greenfield, and the board of laborers 50 cents a week cheaper ; and finally, that a gentleman of undoubted responsibility (John Williams) had offered in writing, for $1,900 of the Cheapside subscription, to build a courthouse as large as the one at Northampton, and a fireproof clerk's office, and turn over the balance of the subscription to help build the jail.
" On the part of Greenfield it was claimed : First, to be the territorial centre. Second, the travelling centre of the county. Third, that there were few inhabitants at Cheapside-being only seven houses and five of these very small, and the other two unsuitable for boarders. Fourth, very desirable accomo- dations at Greenfield ; twenty well built commodious dwelling houses, and the most considerable place of trade in the county. Fifth, that Greenfield has spent large sums of money in the construction of roads, bridges and turnpikes, to accommodate the public ; that she has built most of the bridge at Cheapside, one half of the Connecticut river at Montague, and one eighth
33
514
ERECTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS
[1812-1813
of the great turnpike road to Leominster, which was projected in Greenfield, and cost $60,000.
" Among others the following certificate or affidavit was submitted to the Legislature to influence its decision in this matter :
"' I hereby certify that I have heard, within four years from date, Col. Richard E. Newcomb, once, and I believe several times, declare that there was more business done in Cheapside in one day, than there was in Greenfield in a week, or words to that effect. .
"' SAMUEL E. FIELD.
" ' Cheapside, Deerfield, 10th January, 1812.'"
But in spite of "The river gods " the Legislature, very wisely, as all now agree, refused to locate the county buildings at Cheapside. The question at last being happily settled, at the first meeting of the " Court of Sessions," held in the old Willard tavern, the first Tuesday of March, 1812, a com- mittee consisting of Eliel Gilbert of Greenfield, John Arms of Conway, Ezekiel Webster of Northfield, Charles E. Robertson of New Salem, John White of Whately, Hezekiah Newcomb of Leyden and Roger Leavitt of Heath, was ap- pointed to procure plans for the public buildings.
At the April meeting, in 1812, Eliel Gilbert, Esq., Captain Ambrose Ames and Mr. David Ripley were appointed a committee to superintend the erection of the public buildings. The first licenses to innholders and retailers of liquors were granted at this session, the number of applicants amounting, in the county, to about one hundred and twelve. The jail limits were also established at this term.
At the March term of 1813, Elijah Alvord 2d, was ap- pointed commissioner to meet the commissioners of Hamp- shire and Hampden counties, for the purpose of adjusting unsettled matters between them.
Appropriations for county buildings were made as follows :
515
1835]
J. RUSSELL & CO. WORKS
1812, $2,000 ; 1814, $2,100; 1815, $1,900; 1816, $2,160; total, $8,160. These amounts probably cover the cost of both courthouse and jail, which were probably erected in 1813. The thorough work done by the builder of the courthouse is shown by the Gazette and Courier building of to-day.
Although the glory of Cheapside proper, departed with the change of methods of transportation from the river to the railroad, the establishment of the great industrial works of the Russells upon Green river, brought to her northern borders greater prosperity than any she had previously known, and time brought the building of a pleasant hamlet near the Mon- tague bridge, along the bank of the Connecticut, and the coming of the electric cars has brought close connection with large centres of population. After a fight of a century and a half she has become a part and parcel of Greenfield, and Cheapside is happy ..
The story of the long struggle between Deerfield and Greenfield for the possession of Cheapside is told in the gen- eral history of the building of the town.
CHAPTER XXXVI
BOATING ON THE CONNECTICUT
1 T is conceded that Estevan Gomez, in 1525, was the dis- coverer of the Connecticut river, but the Dutch from New Netherland first laid claim to its shores for settle- ment, although men from Plymouth, upon information ob- tained from the Dutch, first opened trade with the red men living upon its waters.
Bradford tells us that when the Dutch heard that the Pil- grims had opened trade with the Indians on the Fresh river, they hurriedly gathered men and materials and built their lit- tle fort "Good Hope " at Hartford, that they might claim priority of settlement. But they had hardly finished their fortification and mounted their two pieces of ordnance, when the Plymouth men made their appearance, and notwithstand- ing the threats of the Dutch they moved on up the river and built their trading house.
For unknown ages the " Long river" had been the highway of the redmen who traversed it in their bark canoes, and they undoubtedly gazed with awe upon the little ship Restless when Adrien Block took her into the rivers mouth, the first white man's vessel to cleave the waters of the beautiful river. In 1632, John Winthrop's little bark, the Blessing sailed up the stream, on a voyage of discovery, and when in 1633 the Dutch built at Hartford and the Pilgrims built their store- house at Windsor, navigation may be said to have opened.
Probably no more picturesque scene ever took place upon the waters of the Long river, than the appearance of the fifty
516
517
THE "LONG RIVER
1636] .
canoes of the Pocumtucks, in 1636, loaded with corn for the succor of the starving settlers at Windsor, Hartford and Weathersfield. The English settlements at Windsor and Aga- wam soon caused a considerable traffic between Massachusetts bay and the river, and the white sails of vessels were no longer a rare sight upon the " Long river." William Pynchon owned a shallop which he kept below the Enfield rapids, where he had a trading house. This was one of the vessels impressed by Captain Mason when he took his little army down the river and along the coast to attack the Indians, at the time he wiped out the whole Pequot nation. It was impossible to bring vessels which could be trusted to navigate the sound, above Windsor ; but canoes could navigate the Enfield rapids, and soon flat bottomed boats were built which by the aid of poles could be pushed up the six miles of swift river, and they became the regular means of transportation. As the settlements increased along the upper river, many vessels were built upon its banks, advantage being taken of high water to float them safely to the sea.
In 1749 a schooner was built at Chicopee, and in 1775 a man-of-war named the Oliver Cromwell was built at Essex, which carried twenty-four guns.
The navigation of the flatboat down the Enfield falls re- quired much practice, skill and muscle. The books of William Pynchon often showed Miles Morgan and Joseph Parsons credited with charges for piloting such vessels over the rapids. Pynchon was the licensed fur dealer in this vicinity, and for every skin he had to pay a fee, so he was obliged to keep an accurate account of all his shipments, which constituted for many years the greater part of the exports from the river. But late in the 17th century, much produce was taken down the river and sent around Cape Cod to Boston. About this time the fort at Saybrook, under orders from the government of Connecticut, undertook to collect a revenue from all the exports passing down the river, but Pynchon
518
LOCKS AND CANALS
[1792-1829
wrote Governor Winthrop, " I think no man will dwell here to be brought under such payments," and the General Court soon resolved: "Itt is ye minde of this House yt none of ours should pay any import to any of Connecticut in relation to ye passing through any part of Connecticut river."
At the close of the Revolutionary War the settlement of the vacant lands along the upper reaches of the Connecticut river in Vermont and New Hampshire, proceeded with great rapid- ity, and the necessities of the people called for quicker and less expensive transportation, the river being the great natural highway for the conveyance of their produce to market. In 1792 a charter was obtained for a canal around South Hadley Falls and also around Turners Falls, and two years after the two canals were made separate corporations. The South Hadley canal was opened in 1795 and the Montague canal in 1800. A short canal at Bellows Falls was opened soon after. Great things were expected from these improvements.
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