USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Ware > History of Ware, Massachusetts > Part 5
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Tradition has it that Jabez Omstead built a house just on the west side of Ware River at the end of the ancient bridge above the village. The cellar-hole, long an object of in- terest and curiosity, has recently been filled up in grading for the road through Grenville Park. Great quantities of ashes mixed with the earth about the spot lead to the spec- ulation that Jabez set up a leach near his house for the man- ufacture of potash, - an industry pursued by the early settlers in their spare time to a considerable extent.1
1 Jabez sold his farm in Brookfield July 9, 1729, which helps us fix the date of his removal to Ware. Apparently a later house was erected east of the Bank - "It was a large two story house, called ' the Great House,' and was standing when the first movements were made to erect factories here in 1813. Mr. Demond occupied it for a year or more, and it stood till 1821." Hyde, Hist. Add.
A Plan of a tract of Land Situate in the County of Hampfhire in His Majefties Province of the Mafsachufits Bay in New Eng- land (viz) 14432 1' - 27PF a Countery Grant Belonging to Thomas Marfh and. Compny Bounding Northerly on Hardwick Wefterly on John Read Efq' His ten thoufand acres Southerly on Kingston & Eafterly on Ware river alfo 2959 acres 2 roods and 25 rods out of Kington Exclufive of Jabez Omfteds farme the said Kingston Land bounds Northerly on Thomas Marfh & Comp aforfaid Weft on Efq' Reads Land and runing Eaft by the Neadle from Efq' reads South Eaft Corner till it Strickes Weftern Line as may be Seen in the plan and Eaft Bounding by Brookfield Line alfo a farme which belongs to Jofeph Brooks Jun' which Lies for Sixty acres within the Bounds of Brookfield on the Weft Side of Ware river alfo a Line Drawn Et from Efq' Reads South Weft Corner at Swift river through Kingston Et by the Neadle till it Strikes Weftern Line Containing 489ª- 11- 20P
Surveyed Nov. 25 and 26 - 1742 p Nath11 Dwight Sur- veyor Chainman & Surveyor under Oath Plated by a Scale of 240Pr to one inch
Et by the Vedle from Efor
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of Corner q reade
Reproduced from Mr. E. .
13CM.
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Onfeeds 521元
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Thomas Harfli &
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Brookses
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2959 -2-202. · Belonging to Kingston
It former to hostern he ine
"Early Grants"
Western Line
eltern Korner : a heap of Stones
489-1-20
Corne
Brookfield Line
A
49
SETTLING ON THE LAND
To Jabez Omstead is due the credit for establishing the first mills, locating them at the point in the river now occu- pied by Stevens's dam. There are no means at hand for de- termining the date of the establishment of Omstead's Mills. Hayward's Mill in Brookfield was set up before 1708; a grist-mill was put in at the falls in Western (now Warren) about 1720. In 1731 a saw-mill was in operation at the outlet of Potaquatuck Pond (Forest Lake) and a grist-mill in 1737. In 1736 a grist-mill was erected on Steward Southgate's mill-lot on the Ware River, south-west of Pota- quatuck Pond. It is supposed that Omstead's Mills ante- dated these last-named, and were the first mills erected on the Elbow Tract.
The earliest reference to them that I have found occurs in a deed dated 1743, when Jabez, "in consideration of the tender respect I bear unto my loving son Israel Omstead," gives him 94} acres of land "on the East side of Ware River, beginning at the end of the bridge below the mill." Nine years later, in 1752, Jabez Omstead for £50 sells to Job Lane of Brookfield,
the one half of my Grist-mill and Stream on Ware River at the falls where the Mill now stands with all priviledges and appurtenances thereto belonging or in any wise apper- taining.
April 2, 1752.
bis Jabez X Omstead mark her
Martha X Omstead mark
Jabez Omstead died in 1753. In 1759 certain of his heirs, Noah Gilbert and Sarah Gilbert, husbandman and spinster, both of Ware, for £233,,6,,8, sell to Isaac Magoon the tract known as the Omstead farm, "with appurtenances and privileges to the same belonging, viz. House and Barn, Saw mill and Grist mill with all the appurtenances to them belonging." Exception is made of the rights and titles of the heirs of Martha Omstead, wife of Thomas Hammond, and of Thankful Omstead, wife of Timothy Brown. Ruth Brown of Palmer in the same year sells to Magoon her share in "the estate of my honored Grandfather, Jabez Omstead
50
HISTORY OF WARE
late of Ware River," for £2,,8. Quitclaims of the other heirs I have not found.1
Judging from the numerous traditions that have survived even to the present day, we may be sure that Jabez Om- stead was indeed a man of importance. He was probably born in Connecticut about 1690. He was a soldier in Queen Anne's war from Deerfield, Massachusetts, in 1709. In 1712 he married Thankful, daughter of Thomas Barnes of Brookfield. Eleven children were born, part in Brook- field, part in Ware. A second wife, Martha, he married in later life.
In 1736, seven years after his removal from Brookfield to Ware, we find a petition of Jabez Omstead of Ware River praying for a grant of province land "in consideration for his good services in the late Wars against the French and Indians, and the Wounds he has received with the expense he has been at for the cure of them." It was ordered that 200 acres be granted him of the unappropriated lands, provided he returns a plot within twelve months for confirmation, and provided the petitioner, his heirs or assigns, " build on the premises within three years a house 18 feet square at the least, and 7 ft. stud, and break up or bring to English grass five acres, and fence the same." In 1738 Omstead prays for further time, "as through some disappointments he has not been able to lay out the same within the time limited." It was ordered "that the time be extended 12 months from the present, and two years to fulfill the conditions of the grant." I find no records to show that he ever located the grant.
In the Old French and Indian Wars (1744-49) Capt. Jabez Omstead was active, taking part in the expedition against Louisburg in 1745. He commanded the 10th Co. in Col. Samuel Willard's 4th Mass. Regiment.
The fact that he held a commission disposes of the tra- dition that Jabez had Indian blood in his veins, none but white men holding commands in the Indian Wars, - at least on the British side.
1 Large portions of the original tract were sold at various times by Jabez Om- stead, and much of his estate given to his children before his death.
Previous to this sale, in 1758, Jeremiah Omstead for £15 quitclaimed his share in the estate of Jabez Omstead, his father, to Noah Gilbert of Ware River Parish.]
51
SETTLING ON THE LAND
That he was a "mighty hunter" is altogether probable, for much of his life was passed in the woods. It is doubtful whether he could read and write. He usually made his mark to legal documents, yet signatures purported to be his are in existence, and we know that commissioned officers ordi- narily made reports under their own hand.
The following anecdote is preserved by Mr. Hyde - " On the return of the army to Boston from Louisburg, he was in- vited with the officers to dine with Governor Shirley. The pudding he found to be too hot; and taking it from his mouth, and laying it upon the side of his plate, he said he would keep it to light his pipe with."
Following is the inventory of his estate, interesting as showing the substance of a well-to-do man of the period, and one of our earliest settlers. Appraisal dated April 10, 1753.
To
£ sdq
Chairs
0 10 8 0
Cart boxes & hoops
0 10 1 3
Plough-irons
0 540
Fire peate & tonges
0 340
Betel rings & wedge
0 383
Stiliards
0 400
Pepper mill
0 540
Tramil pot & pot hooks
0 12 0 0
One Iron Kittle
0 340
One Brass Kittle
0 12 0 0
One scythe
0 140
Old puter
0 762
One wine glass
0 080
Woodden ware
0 800
One hetchel
) 680
two axes
0 480
One frying pan
0 340
Woodden dishes
0
180
One jugg
0
043
Three chairs
0
360
One table
0 340
One small table
0 243
One chest with draws
0 680
Books
0 200
52
HISTORY OF WARE
One foot wheel
0 12 0 0
One woden wheel
0 14 0
Wool cards
0 14 1
One powder horn & bullet pouch Two Sives
0 080
0 200
Baskets
0 140
One paire of shears
0
103
One pair of bridle bits
0 060
One bushel
0 1 4 0
One half bushel
0
092
One bed stead
0 280
One cheas press
0 140
One sickele
0 140
One Kneeding trough
0 103
Harrow teeth
0
321
One pitch fork
0
103
Knives
0 100
Flax
1 131
One Saddle
0 400
beds and beding
2 16 3 1
his wareing cloaths
2 11 8 3
four swine
1 680
One yoke of young oxen
7 680
One horse
5 680
One read cow
2 13 4 0
One Brown cow
2 5 4 0
One calf
0 800
The one half of a grist mill and priviledge for the same
40 000
The Dwelling house and the Barn and all his lands lying in one body
195 13 4 0
Sum total
269 16 3 0
Job Lane
John Downing
Samuel Davis
Appraisers of said estate.
CHANGES IN BOUNDARIES
The Land Grants settle for us the original town bounds, but these bounds underwent important and interesting changes as the years went on. The first of these changes
53
SETTLING ON THE LAND
was one comprising the Magoon farm. The history is briefly related in the General Court Records:
May 29, 1761. A Petition of Isaac Magoon and Alex- ander Magoon Sons and heirs to the whole of the Estate of Isaac Magoon late of Ware River Parish in the County of Hampshire deceased - Setting forth - That they own about four hundred Acres of Land in the Northerly part of Palmer, which lyes five miles distant from Ware River Meeting House, and the Road naturally good And Praying that they may be annexed to said Ware River Parish.
In the House of Representatives, Read and Ordered That the Petitioners serve the District of Palmer with a copy of this Petition, that so they may shew cause (if any they have) on the first Thursday of the next Sitting of this Court why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
In Council Read and Concurred
Nov. 18 1761 A Petition of Isaac Magoon and Alexander Magoon - Praying as entered 29th May last that Four hundred Acres of land the Estate of their late Father Isaac Magoon, lying in Palmer may be annexed to Ware River Parish.
In Council Read again and it appearing that the Peti- tioners had pursued the order of Court with regard to noti- fication. Ordered that the Estate mentioned in said Peti- tion be, and it hereby is annexed to the Parish of Ware River and the Inhabitants or Possessors of the said Estate to do duty and receive priviledge therein.
In the House of Representatives Read and Concurred Consented to by the Governor 1
This change accounts for the curious irregularity in Ware's southern boundary line.
More important than the land thus added to the town- ship was the annexation of the Magoon family, several mem- bers of which had already partially annexed themselves; Isaac Magoon having bought the Omstead farm and the mills less than two years before. It was a sturdy Scotch- Irish family, one always to be reckoned with in affairs both of church and state, ever ready to "make trouble " if so moved. One member or another of the family was frequently
1 General Court Records, Vol. XXIV, p. 110.
54 .
HISTORY OF WARE
being disciplined in the church.1 It is not recorded that the Palmer people protested in any way against this transfer of territory and of allegiance.
EAST OF WARE RIVER
The bounds of Ware on the east are thus given in the peti- tion for incorporation in 1742. "On Brookfield to Wear River, thence on Wear River to Hardwick."
Now the town bulges out on the east side of the river. The addition of that tract to Ware took place in 1755, as may be seen from the following: 2
The petition of Ebenezor Gilburd Henry Gilburd, Oliver Gilburd and Samuell Densmore all of Brookfield Humbly sheweth that your memorialists have ever lived at a very great distance from the place of public worship in said town that we nor our families have not been able to attend Publick worship (w)her we have lived, But about half so far from hardwick or Ware River place of worship yet in the year 1749 we paid a heavy tax ... etc. (Further reasons for being set off to Ware River Parish) . .. that we with our inhabitants be sett off from said town of Brook- field and be annexed to Ware River Parish in the County of Hampshire our situation from Ware River Parish Being almost three times so nere as to the meeting house in our said first parish .
In House of Rep. June 10 1755 Read and ordered that the petitioners serve the First parish in Brookfield also Ware River Parish with this petition that they may show cause why the prayer should not be granted.
Dec. 26 1755 - Read again.
No answer having been received from Brookfield or Ware River, the petition is granted. "The petitioners with the estates where they live be annexed to said Parish at Ware River, there to do duty & receive privilege as other inhabi- tants there do."
In the house Read & Concurred.
Consented to by the Governor
1 For example (one of many): May 21, 1790: "Voted to chuse a committee of two to go and converse with Isaac Magoon and wife for not attending Publick wor- ship but seldom, and sundry other things." Also "to converse with Mary Ann Magoon."
2 This petition escaped the notice of Mr. Gilbert. See "Early Grants," p. 43.
Broonão
for of Palmer
Hardwick
River
AMeting House
Have
Boston
Palmer
Greenwich
from,
Palmer
Road
Put
Saw All
Belchertown
TOWN OF WARE Taken from a survey made in April, 1795
Daniel Gould Simeon Cummings David Brown
Selectmen
of
Ware
Isaac Pepper
١
55
SETTLING ON THE LAND
Feb. 22, 1757 -
An order on the Court that these persons pay Province County & Town Taxes assessed since the dividing of said First Parish in said Town to the time of their being annexed to the Parish of Ware River.
DANIEL CONEY FARM
The last piece of territory added to the town was the Daniel Coney farm, in 1823.
That farm in the south-east corner of the present town, which lies in the angles caused by the irregular lines on the eastern side, was the property of Daniel Coney, who secured in 1823 the passage of an act of Legislature which annexed him to Ware. The Act reads as follows: 1
An Act to annex Daniel Coney, with his Estate, to the Town of Ware.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that Daniel Coney, with so much of his estate as is within the bounds of the Towns of Brookfield and Western, in the County of Worcester, be, and they are hereby set off from said towns and annexed to the Town of Ware, in the County of Hampshire; and he shall hereafter be subject to all the duties and entitled to all the privileges of an in- habitant of said Town of Ware: Provided however, said Daniel Coney shall be liable to pay all taxes that have been legally assessed on him, by said Towns of Brookfield and Weston.2
Approved by the Governor, February 8th 1823.
Three attempts were made to change our boundary lines which failed. The first was in 1825 when a petition was pre- sented to the Legislature by Ebenezer Sherman, Edmund Pope, Snow Sherman, John Shaw and Josiah Woodward that a tract of land in the north-west corner of the town containing 488 acres, comprising the territory of what has of late been known as West Ware, be set off from Ware, and
1 Gilbert, "Early Grants "
2 Laws of Mass., Vol. LX, p. 114, chap. Ixxvi.
56
HISTORY OF WARE
annexed to Enfield. The reasons given are that the ordinary business of the petitioners is transacted in Enfield, the roads are better in that direction, and each of the petitioners lives nearer the meeting-house in Enfield than in Ware. A care- fully elaborated table of distances is given with the petition, in which the differences are ridiculously small, varying for the different individuals from a few rods to a mile and a quarter.
A committee of the town of Ware consisting of Alpheus Demond, William Bowdoin and Homer Bartlett make formal objection to the change, replying that the reasons set forth by the petitioners are frivolous; that the town of Ware is none too large; that the change would upset the ar- rangements of School Districts; that the tract is bounded in such manner as to skilfully avoid its share of highways and bridges.
The petitioners were promptly granted "Leave to With- draw."
In the same year, 1825, a petition was presented to the Legislature signed by Joseph Cummings, Jr., Samuel Gould, Downing Gould, John Gould, Benj. Paige and Alpheus De- mond, requesting that certain lands which they owned in the north-easterly corner of Palmer, amounting to about 160 acres, be annexed to Ware, "that the line of Western and Ware may join so as to take the road into the towns of Western and Ware." An order of notice was passed, but the matter was referred to the next General Court. The peti- tion was repeated in 1827. It appears from the records that the town of Ware opposed the petition, and the petitioners were granted "Leave to Withdraw."
The other attempt, equally unsuccessful, was that of Sylvester Bowen in 1851. His farm occupied the southern section of what was known as the Hardwick Gore.
The Gore is a long narrow strip of land lying east of the northern part of Ware, bordering on the Ware River. The south-west boundary stone of the tract stands in the centre of Quabbin Island, just below the old log bridge across the river. The tract contained about two hundred acres of land, and by some curious oversight had remained unincor- porated until 1833. The few inhabitants, possessing no
57
SETTLING ON THE LAND
town privileges, had voted for state officers at Hardwick, and were there assessed their state tax.
Attempts were made from time to time to annex the Gore to Hardwick, but the final accomplishment was not affected until Feb. 6, 1833.
The importance of the Gore today lies in the fact that nearly the whole of the village of Gilbertville has grown up upon it.
About one-third of the Gore, the southern portion, be- longed to Sylvester Bowen. On Jan. 20, 1851, he petitions the State Legislature that his land, together with all the buildings, may be set off from Hardwick and annexed to Ware.
The Hardwick Selectmen remonstrate that
(1) But a few years since Bowen petitioned to be an- nexed to Hardwick, his land at that time belonging to no incorporated town.
(2) The expense to Hardwick of building roads to Bowen's property has been nearly $1,500, which the town would not have been subject to had not sd Bowen with others been annexed to our territory.
(3) Bowen has been allowed his portion of school money from his own district, and permitted to use the same in Ware where he has been better accommodated.
(4) The territory is of value to us as a town, present and prospective, and as long as we have " shook the bush" we think we are entitled "to the Bird."
(5) The change would require alteration of the County Line.
(6) There is no reason why Bowen's estate should not remain within its present incorporated limits.
Bowen is given "Leave to Withdraw."
The last boundary change of any sort was accomplished in 1908 when the zig-zag line between Ware and Palmer, left by the irregularity of the Magoon fences, was straight- ened somewhat, and simplified.
IV
THE PARISH
THE first move toward corporate life in any community of settlers was the establishment of public worship. The support of such worship was not a private and voluntary matter as it is today. Religion was a public institution, and its support by the citizens obligatory. A man was obliged to belong to some parish. John King, who built his log cabin on the Elbow Tract in 1716,1 acknowledged a quasi residence in Springfield; i.e. had religious privileges there, it being the meeting-house nearest his dwelling-place. For though he was a squatter on Province land, he was required by law to attend religious worship with the organized church next to his abode.
The people who settled on what is now the territory of Ware were obliged to attend and support preaching at the Elbows, where the first meeting-house was erected in 1735 at what is now Palmer Centre. We know there had been regular pastoral ministrations for a number of years pre- vious.
To form a parish, the consent of the General Court was required. Early in the spring of 1742 the families living in the remote northern portion of the Elbow Tract resolved to ask permission to establish and maintain public worship among themselves. The following petition tells its own story.
To his Excellency Wm Shirley Esq. - Captain General and Governour in Chief, the honorable the Council and Representatives in General Court assembled 26th May 1742. The petition of Thos. Marsh and others to the number of 33 householders about & between Wear River & Swift River near Brookfield, humbly sheweth. That your Peti- tioners are settled on a tract of land bounded, beginning at
1 Temple, "History of Palmer," p. 32.
59
THE PARISH
the South West 1 Corner of the ten thousand acres of Equiv- alent Lands at Swift River, thence running due East to Brookfield bounds, thence on Brookfield to Wear River, thence on Wear River to Hardwick, thence on Hardwick to the ten thousand acres of Equivalent Lands aforesaid and thence on the bounds of the said said Ten thousand acres including the same unto the first mentioned boundary. They dwell at a great distance from any place of publick worship, most of them six or seven miles and therefore cannot injoy that privilege in their present condition: but as their hearts are sincerely desirous of the public worship of God they persuade themselves they shall be able chearfully to bear the charge that will attend it. But as some of them belong to the town of the Elbows, some to Brookfield and the rest of them live on farms of the Province Grants they cannot properly and lawfully proceed to erect & maintain the public worship of God among them without the aid of this Court, & therefore Pray this honorable Court by a suitable Com- mittee of this Court, to inquire into their state & circum- stances & make them a separate & distinct Township or Parish & your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c. (Signed)
John Read, for the Petre
Thomas Marsh
Edward Ayers
Jacob Commins jun
Isaac Magoon
Isaac Magoon jun
Naum Davies
John Post
William Patteson
James Commins
Samuel Davis
Joseph Simonds
Joseph Marks Sen"
Jabez Omsted
Job Corly
Joseph Marks
Joseph Marsh Samuel Marsh
Joseph Brooks
Richard Rogers Judah Marsh
Bengman Shiple
Jacob Commins
Ephram Marsh John Andrason
Samuel Allen
Jeramiah Omstead
Thomas Chapen
Paul Thurston
Israel Omstead
Daniel Housten 2
In the House of Representatives June 8th 1742 Read & Ordered that Capt. Partridge & Capt. Converse with such as the Hon ble Board shall joine be a committee to
1 The petition begs that the south bound be run east from the south-west corner of the Read Tract, while the report which was accepted actually runs this bound from the south-east corner, thus granting 489 acres less than was petitioned for. Mr. Hyde gives south-west corner in both cases, but in this is incorrect. - General Court Records, Vol. XVII (3), p. 529.
2 The original petition is preserved in the State Archives. The signatures are here copied exactly from the original.
60
HISTORY OF WARE
view the state & circumstances of the Petitioners, they giving seasonable notice to the Inhabitants or Proprietors of Brookfield & the Elbows (so called) & the Inhabitants of Western who may be affected thereby that they may be present at the meeting of said committee if they see cause: The Committee to report as soon as may be, what they judge proper for the Court to do in answer to this petition.
In Council: Read & Concur'd, and Joseph Wilder Esq' is joined in the affair
Consented to
W. Shirley
Dec. 7th 1742 Joseph Wilder Esqr from the Committee of both Houses on the Petition of Thomas Marsh & others gave in the following report vizt.1 The Committee appointed on the Petitions of Thomas Marsh & others living near Wear River in the County of Hampshire have attended on said service, been upon the spot and viewed the Lands prayed for to be erected into a Township, inquired into the circumstances of the Petitioners, heard the objections of some of the Inhabitants of Kingston and are of opinion that the Petitioners at present are not in sufficient order to erect a Town with privileges &c .; but in as much as they live at a very great distance from any place of publick Worship and meet with great difficulty thereby, We are further of Opinion that the Petitioners living Northward of a line running due East from the South East corner of the land belonging to John Read Esqr to Western Line, be freed from all Taxes to any other place or Town during the pleasure of the General Court, so that they may be able to provide Preaching among themselves
In the Name and by Order of the Commtee
Jos. Wilder
'In Council; Read & Ordered that this Report be Ac- cepted, and that the lands within the Limits above men- tioned and the Inhabitants thereon be erected into a Pre- cinct, and that the said Inhabitants have the Powers & Privileges which other Precincts do or by law ought to enjoy, and that they be and hereby are obliged to maintain the publick Worship of God among them in the support of a learned orthodox Minister.
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