USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 165
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At the meeting of October 7th the resolves of the Assembly of the State were considered, providing the steps to "erect such a constitution for this State as shall be judged most to the safety of said State in all future generations."
The following are the instructions of the town of Chester- fieldl to the representative of said town, viz., Benjamin Mills, Esq., May 26, 1776 :
SIR,-You are required and enjoined by your constituents toattend the follow- ing instructions relating to your representative capacity the ensning year :
Ist. That you give a general attendance upon your duty at the House of Rep- resentatives for the year ensuing, more especially at the election, and till the tax bill is passed.
2d. That you use your influence that as soon as may be a bill be passed, that no act of the General Court be valid unless a majority of the Representatives of the colony be present.
3d. That the Representatives be paid out of the public treasury as other public expenses are, and not hy the particular towns they represent.
4th. That the House and Council act in conjunction, and not as two separate bodies.
5th. That every town have the privilege of registering their own deeds.
Gth. That ministers pay taxes equally with other people according to their in- terest, and that the grants to the president and other officers of llarvaid College be forever hereafter suspended.
7th. That you use your influence that the gospel be maintained by free con- tributions, and no other way.
8th. That every town be empowered to settle their disputes, and choose a com- mittee to settle all debts and controversies between man and man whatsoever.
The town-meeting of June 9, 1776, was held at the meeting- house. It was called by the signatures of Benjamin Bonney and Ezra May, selectmen, and warned by Malachi Ewell, constable. The meeting is a memorable one in the history of Chesterfield, when the declaration of support to the Continental Congress was passed, twenty-three days before the passage of the Declaration of Independence. It was a brave resolution, bravely passed, pledging " their lives and fortunes," as the members of the Continental Congress pledged theirs three weeks later.
The committee of safety and inspection, 1777, were Ben-
497
HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.
jamin Mills, Capt. Benjamin Bonney, John Stephenson, Capt. Christopher Bannister, Ephraim Patch, Joseph Burnell, John Wilder, Seth Sylvester, Eleazer King, John Ewell, Joshua llealey.
Nov. 16, 1778 .- Voted to choose a committee of 3 to make further provision for the clothing of the Continental men. Voted to raise 500 pounds for that pur- 1www. Voted to choose a committee of three to procure powder and other warlike stores. Committee, Jolin James, Nathan Lane, Ephraim Patch. Voted to raise 250 pounds for the purpose.
Jan. 21, 1779 .- Voted to build a parsonage 38 by 28, and a barn 30 by 30, and clear 50 acres of the parsonage farm.
June 26, 1779,-Voted to raise 720 pomuds as a bounty for six men, to lu raised in mid town for the Continental service.
July 5, 1779 .- Voted to raise 19 pounds 16 shillings as mileage for the soldiers going to Springfield. Voted a committee to procure firearms,-Capt. Benjamin Bonney, Capt. William White, Nathan Lane.
Ang. 9, 1779 .- Voted that Capt. William White and Mr. Luke Bonney be dele- gates to the couvention to meet at Cambridge to form a new constitution. Voted to raise 750 dollars for the clothing of Continental soldiers.
March 6, 1780 .- Voted a committee to care for the families of Continental sol- diers,-Lieut. Everton Beswick, Lieut. Daniel Littlefield, John Rogers, Capt. Pole, Benjamin Pierce, Timothy Bannister.
Oct. 20, 1783 .- Voted to send Charles Kidd and Lieut. Aaron Jewell delegates to the Hatfield Couvention (Shays movement).
The letter of instructions closes with the following passage :
"Finally, relying firmly on your integrity that you will strictly adhere to the instructions of your constituents, and that you will seek the public good, our hope is that the county will unite in measures salutary to the present period and productive of future benefit to posterity."
No treason about that commission, whatever the Shays men may have attempted at a later period.
The currency question is not new to 1878. It is found in the hard times of 1784, and the warrant for a town-meeting in Oct. 25, 1784, Chesterfield, contains the clanse : " To see if the town will vote that a paper currency is absolutely neces- sary, sufficient to defray our quota of the debt contracted by this commonwealth in the late war, and what order the town will take upon it." The town voted that it was necessary, for- eign debts excepted.
Jan. 31, 1785, a general division into school districts was made ; six were arranged. Feb. 14, 1786, the town voted that a new emission of paper money ought to be issued by the General Court on such principles as shall be just and honor- able to the inhabitants of the commonwealth. Oct. 4, 1790, seven school districts were arranged.
Town-meetings were held as follows: 1762, at the house of Elisha Warner ; 1763, at the house of Benjamin Tupper ; also, 1763, at Mr. Jonathan Anderson's ; 1764, at the house of Jere- miah Spalding; 1765, at the house of Benjamin Tupper ; 1766, at the house of Archelaus Anderson ; 1767, at the house of Jeremiah Spalding ; 1768, at the house of Lieut. Abner Brown, and also at Jeremiah Spalding's ; Aug. 16, 1768, " at the pub- lic meeting-house." Dec. 11, 1769, met at the meeting-house, but adjourned immediately to the Widow Spalding's. Was the meeting-house warm enough Sundays, but too cold on week-days ?
The town-meetings were held at the meeting-house for many years. In later times, commencing about 1836, the people met at the old town-house, now the public-school building of the centre village. After the Methodist Church had ceased to use its house of worship that building was purchased, and now constitutes a neat and convenient town-hall, located on the southeast corner of the public square.
SELECTMEN FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
1762 .- Joseph Burnell, Benjamin Bonney, Everton Beswick.
1763 .- Ezra May, Abijah Tucker, Benjamin Bryant. 1764 .- Ezra May, Abijah Tucker, Benjamin Bonney. 1765 .- Joshua Rogers, Abijab Tucker, Benjamin Bonney. 1766-67 .- Ezra May, Abijah Tucker, Benjamin Bonney. 1768 .- Joshua Rogers, Eleazer King, Robert Webster. 1769 .- Ezra May, Benjamin Bonney, Lieut. Ahner Brown. 1770 .- Benjamiu Bonney, Joshua Abel, Joshua Bailey.
1771-73 .- John Stephenson, Christopher Bannister, Benjamin Bonney. 1774 .- Jolın Stephensou, Abijah Tucker, Benjamiu Bates. 1775-76 .- Benjamin Bonney, Ezra May, Joseph Bailey.
1777 .- Benjamin Bonney, Benjamin Mills, Esq., Ezra May, Ephraim Patch, Jo- soph Bailey.
1778 .- Benjamin Mills, Benjamin Bonney, Ruger Sprague, Ephraim Patch, Robert Webster.
1779 .- Benjamin Mills, William White, Benjamin Pierce, Reuben Dresser, Daniel Littlefield.
1780 .-- William White, Samuel Rhoades, Luke Bonney, Johu Ewell, Benjamin Bonney.
1781 .- Benjamin Mills, Esq., Samuel Rhoades, John Ewell, Benjamin Bonney, Richard Sylvester.
1782 .- Josephi Bailey, Luke Bonney, Mr. John Russell.
1783 .- Benjamin Bonney, Benjamin Pierce, Russell Kellogg.
1784 .- Russell Kellogg, Paul King, Thomas Wright.
1785 .- Benjamin Tupper, Benjamin Bates, Benjamin Bonney.
1786,-Benjamiu Bates, Joseph Bailey, Thomas Wright, Luke Bonney, Peter Strong.
1787 .- Benjamin Bonuey, Benjamin Bates, Luke Bonney, Peter Strong, Charles Kidd.
1788 .- Benjamin Bonney, Charles Kidd, Spencer Phelps.
1789 .- Benjamin Bonney, Charles Kild, Luke Bonney, Samuel Rhoades, Amasa Clapp.
1790-91 .- Joseph Bailey, Oliver Edwards, Win. Bannister.
1792-94 .- Joseph Bailey, Oliver Edwards, Spencer Phelps.
1795-96 .- Benjamin Bates, Joseph Bailey, David Macomber.
1797 .- Joseph Bailey, Benjamin Pierce, Spencer Phelps.
170%,-Spencer Phelps, Thaddeus Baker, John Burnal.
1799 .- Spencer Phelps, Ens. Thaddeus Baker, Joseph Rhoades.
1800 .- Spencer Phelps, Oliver Edwards, Thaddens Baker. 1801-6 .- Oliver Edwards, Walter Bonney, Reuben Cowing. 1807-9 .- Spencer Phelps, Walter Bonney, David Macomber. 1810 .- Walter Bonney, Elias Parsous, Thomas Bush. 1×11 .- Walter Bouuey, Thaddeus Baker, Isaac King.
1812 .- Walter Bonney, Thaddeus Baker, Calvin Cowing.
1813 .- Isaac King, Eliakim Sylvester, Calvin Cowing. 1814-16. - Isaac King, Calvin Cowing, Joseph S. Bailey. 1817 .- Isaac King, Abijah Whiting, Capt. Asahel Kingsley. 1818-20 .- Calvin Cowing, Joshua Nichols, Thaddeus Baker. 1821 .- Calvin Cowing, Joshua Nichols, Samuel Davis. 1822-25 .- Isaac King, Calvin Cowing, Samnel Davis. 1826 .- Isaac King, Samuel Davis, Elkanah Ring. 1827 .- Isaac King, Samuel Davis, Gideon Wood. 1×2%. - Isaac King, Ira Clapp, Thuothy Phelps. 1×29,-Samuel Davis, Luther Edwards, Simeon Reed.
1830 .- Samuel Davis, Luther Edwards, Haac King. 1831 .- Samuel Davis, Isaac King, Horace Cole. 1832 .- John Hatch, Rufus Burnell, Alvan Macomber.
1833 .- Johu Hatch, Alvan Macomber, Ira Clapp. 1834 .- John Hatch, Alvan Macomber, David Taylor. 1835 .- John Hatch, David Taylor, Horace Cule. 1836 .- Jonathan Ring, Horace Cole, Ralph Utley. 1837-38 .- Isaac King, Horace Cole, Edsel Witherell. 1839,-Timothy A. Phelps, Samuel Davis, Hudson Bates. 1840-41 .- Samuel Davis, Alvan Macomber, Hudson Bates. 1842,-Bela P. Clapp, Alvan Macomber, Hudson Bates. 1843 .- Alvan Macomber, Luther Edwards, Jonathan Ring. 1844 .- Alvan Macomber, Edsel Witherell, William L. Stetson. 1845-46 .- Job Cudworth, Edsel Witherell, William L. Stetson. 1847 .- Edsel Witherell, Varnum Nichols, Thomas K. Utley. 1848 .- Edsel Witherell, Varnum Nichols, Job Cudworth. 1849 .- Edsel Witherell, Varnum Nichols, John Cole. 1850 .- Edsel Witherell, Charles Cudworth, John Cole. 1851 .- Timothy A. Phelps, Charles Cudworth, John Pomeroy.
1852 .- Timothy A. Phelps, Charles Cudworth, Panl If. Cudworth.
1853 .- Charles Cudworth, Sanmel C. Tinker, Patrick Bryant. 1854 .- Edsel Witherell, Samuel C. Tinker, Patrick Bryant. 1855 .- Elsel Witherell, Lyman Rice, Ebenezer Edwards. 1856 .- Edsel Witherell, Patrick Bryant, Albert Nichols. 1857-58 .- Lyman Rice, Ephraim Cole, Charles Cudworth. 1859 .- Albert Nichols, Ephraim Cole, Eli A. Sylvester. 1860 .- Ephraim Cole, Eli A. Sylvester, Loreu L. Tower.
1861-62 .- Eli A. Sylvester, Loren L. Tower, Sanmel House. 1863 .- Loren L. Tower, Samuel Ilouse, Ephraim Cole. 1864 .- Patrick Bryant, Ebenezer Edwards, Chauncey Witherell. 1865 .- Patrick Bryant, Samuel House, Chauncey Witherell. 1866-68 .- Ephraim Cole, Charles Cudworth, Loren L. Tower. 1869 .- Ephraim Cole, Albert Nichols, Spencer Tower. 1870 .- Jolin Cole, Patrick Bryant, Levi Baker.
1871-72 .- Ephraim Cole, Levi Baker, Horatio Bisbee. 1873-75 .- Ephraim Cole, Loren L. Tower, Franklin HI. Bryant.
1876 .- Albert Nichols, Washington I. Rice, Eli A. Shaw. 1877 .- Ephraim Cole, Franklin HI. Bryant, Eli A. Shaw. 1878 .- Ephraim Cole, Eli A. Shaw, Washington 1. Rice.
1879 .- Eli A. Shaw, Washingtou 1. Rice, Loren L. Tower.
TOWN CLERKS.
Eleazer King, 1762; Joseph Burnell, 1763-67; Benjamin Tupper, 1768-71 ; John Stephenson, 1772-82 ; John Russell, 1783; John Stephenson, 1784-92 ; John
63
498
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
Russell, 1793-98; Joseph Merick, 1799-1801 ; Alanson Anderson, 1802-4 ; Thos. Mayhew, 1805-8; George H. Sylvester, 1>09-15; Alvan Rice, 1816-22; Oliver Edwards, Jr., 1823; Alvan Rice, 1×24-33; Timothy A. Phelps, 1834; Dyar Ban- croft, 1835; Oliver Edwards, 1836-45; Quartna Ely, 1846-47; Oscar Edwards, 1848-49; Quartos Ely, 1850; Oscar Edwards, 1851; Talcott Bancroft, 1852-55; Edward Bancroft, 1856-58; Oliver Edwards, 1859; Albert Nichols, 1860-76; Or- son M. l'earl, 1877-80.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT.
Benjamin Mills, 1775-77; Matthew Buck, 1778; Benjamin Barney, 1780; Benjamin Mills, 1781 ; Russell Kellogg, 1782-83; Benjamin Tupper, 1785; Ben- jamin Bonney, 1787-91 ; Thompson Maxwell, 1793; Spencer Phelps, 1797-1800, Benjamin Bonney, 1801-2; Alanson Anderson, 1804; Benjamin Parsons, 1805-8; Thomas Mayhew, 1809; Eliakim Sylvester, 1810; Oliver Edwards, 1812; Joseph S. Bailey, 1813-16; Alvan Rice, 1823; Dyar Bancroft, 1826; Alvan Rice, 1827; Dyar Bancroft, 1829-30; Samuel Davis, 1831; Dyar Bancroft, 1832-35; Oliver Ed- wards, 1837 ; Belah P. Clapp, 1838; Timothy A. Phelps, 1839; Samnel Davis, 1840; Timothy A. Phelps, 1842; Alvin Macomber, 1844; Asahel Pierce, 1845; Rufus Burnell, 1846; 1Indson Bates, 1850-51; Edsel Witherell, 1852; Paul II. Cud- worth, 1853; Lorin L. Tower, 1855; Albert Nichols, 1861-65; Edward Clarke, 1,70; Orrin Bryant, 1876.
VILLAGES.
CHESTERFIELD VILLAGE
is delightfully situated, and commands an extensive view of the surrounding country. It contains a number of fine pri- vate residences; the meeting-house of the Congregational Church; a town-hall, formerly the house of worship belonging to the Methodist Church ; one store ; the old Clapp tavern, now a place of hospitable entertainment under its present proprie- tor, Joseph Kelso; several shops and business places. The village has many attractions. "No Mill River disaster can ever happen there," said a chance acquaintance of the writer. Swept by mountain breezes, with an enchanting prospeet spread out before the eye of the traveler, it is no wonder that the people of Chesterfield are enthusiastic in their love of home, or that summer tourists linger here with delight.
This village has always been the business place of the town, merchants and professional men carrying on their business and residing here more uniformly than at any other point. The extraets from the Hampshire Gazette, already given, afford many items of interest upon these points.
The longest-continued mercantile enterprise hy any one citizen was that of the late Oliver Edwards, who, commeneing in business about 1812, remained in trade until 1865. Ben- jamin Parsons, the first lawyer of the town, resided here, and it appears that he mingled with the hard and knotty problems of the law the softer notes of music, as he held for a long time the secretaryship of the Hampshire Musical Association. Dyar Bancroft was a prominent lawyer of Ches- terfield. Hle was born in Torringford, Conn. He studied at Yale one year, then went to Williams College, and grad- uated in the class of 1809; taught school in Brattleboro', Vt. ; studied law with Ilon. Daniel Dewey, of Williamstown, and was a tutor in Williams College a part of the time. He was admitted to the Bar at Lenox, and came to Chesterfield, Feb. 4, 1814. He married, May 25, 1815, Sallie Hayes, of Brattleboro', Vt., an aunt of President Ilayes. She survives Mr. Baneroft, and is now residing in Chesterfield at an ad- vanced age. Mr. Bancroft had a large and successful law- practice ; was postmaster more than twenty-five years, and the office was established through his efforts, there being none pre- viously nearer than Worthington. Ile was often a represent- ative in the Legislature, and tilled a large number of public offices. He died Dec. 13, 1866, aged eighty years and five months. One daughter, Mrs. Putney, of Goshen, died some years ago. One son, Edward, died in early life, and two sons, William and Talcott, reside upon the old homestead. Benja- min Parsons was the first postmaster. Dyar Bancroft was suecceded by Oscar Edwards, by Oliver Edwards, and by the present incumbent, Joel Engram.
Dr. Robert Starkweather was a practicing physician for more than fifty years at Chesterfield Centre. He was from Stonington, Conn., and settled here in 1790. His later resi-
denee was the present homestead of Oliver Edwards. His practice extended largely into other towns, and he was often consulted by the medical profession of the county. Of his children, Horace went to Michigan; Rodney remained in town many years, and late in life removed to Ohio. Daugh- ters were : Mrs. Oliver Edwards (the mother of the present Oliver), and Mrs. Emmons Putney, of Goshen.
Other physicians succeeding him were Drs. Ellis, Wilson, Perry, and J. H. Richardson, who remained ten or twelve years ; now resides in Medfield, Mass. The present physician, Dr. D. M. Streeter, settled at the centre in 1866, and has con- tinued in practice since that time.
The Oliver Edwards store was the present place of Joel Ingram, Jr., who succeeded to the business of Oliver Ed- wards & Son, and is also postmaster.
In early times Benjamin Bryant bad a store on the site of the present town-hall, and it was known as " the store on the rock." Asa White had a store at the centre for several years before and after 1800, and his business passed to Oliver Ed- wards.
The Clapp Tavern, now kept by Joseph Kelso, is seventy- five or eighty years old ; receives its name from Amasa Clapp, who kept it for a long series of years.
Timothy A. Phelps was a noted magistrate for many years, and often practiced law.
WEST CHESTERFIELD,
as its name implies, is situated in the west part of the town, about two miles from the centre village, and on the Westfield River. It contains one store kept by Nelson A. Higgins, another by Henry Edwards. Its mills are mentioned else- where. There is a post-office, Nelson A. Higgins postmaster. A room is fitted up for meetings, the pastor of the centre church preaching there Sunday evening. On the river below, at the " Gate," were formerly a store and a tavern,-the latter kept by Zebulon Robinson, in the old times when the stage- route flourished, and the former by his son, Asa. Patrick Bryant speaks of the old militia-trainings which took place at that point. The post-office of West Chesterfield was estab- lished about 1850. The postmasters have been James M. Angell, Job Cudworth, Ansel Thayer, Joseph M. Tirrell, and the present incumbent.
SUOAR HILL
was the place where Elisha Warner lived, and where the first town-meeting was held, the place so long occupied in after- years by Luther Edwards. It is said to derive its name, not, as one might suppose, from the maples and the maple-sugar for which Chesterfield is famous, but from a circumstance that happened at the tavern of Paul King, opposite the Luther Edwards place. It was in the old days when New England rnm was sold by the hogshead, and at country stores a barrel was easily used up at the raising of a single meeting-house. The landlord is supposed to have been a little mellow, when a thirsty traveler called for a drink. The liquor was poured out and the sugar set before the stranger. Lifting in a rea- sonable quantity, he waited for it to dissolve as well-behaved sugar ought to, but it refused, and actnally floated. The sugar was only brown bread, hence the name.
BOFAT
is a name applied to a portion of the eastern part of the town. Tradition gives the following account : Bofatis an old-fashioned word of French origin, describing a cupboard built so as to cut off the corner of a room,-a sort of a three-sided affair. Benjamin Bryant, onee having collected a tax from a eitizen over toward the Williamburg line, was asked how they got along over there. " Poor as the devil's Bofat," was his reply, and the name arose from that circumstance. "They say" is our authority.
499
HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.
Ireland Street is the old name of the first road laid out by town authority,-already described in another place,-running north and south past Mr. George Buck's well. The road re- tains to the present day nearly its original course, and the old well is still visible at the roadside. It was the earliest settled portion of Chesterfield, and some of its first settlers were of Irish nationality, giving occasion for the honorable name it has horne so long.
What is now known as " Utley's Corners," north of the centre,-being the location of the meeting-house in the old times for twenty years,-was then likely to be a place of busi- ness, but the setting off of Goshen and the consequent change to the centre of Chesterfield deprived this place of its impor- tance. Near the Westhampton line, on the Dead Branch, is something of a business point, containing a store by J. E. Witherell, and a basket-factory, of which Mr. Witherell is the proprietor. Near the Huntington line, on the Dead Branch, not far from its junction with the Westfield, is another point of business. There is a store by H. K. Weeks, and cutlery- works, of which Mr. Weeks is also the proprietor. The heights northwest of West Chesterfield village were called Mount Livermore, from the name of the first settler. Afterward his name was dropped, and the place was known as " the mount." His son lived where Rev. Edward Clarke now resides. A curious dwelling-house, built at the " Ledges" by either father or son, was called " Solomon's Temple."
SCHOOLS.
The first official action was rather negative. Dec. 21, 1767, the town voted to have a school or schools, but soon after refused to vote any money for their support. Sept. 28, 1768, it was voted to raise £9 to be expended in schooling, and three districts were determined upon. All beyond the river consti- tuted the west district, and a line from east to west past the meeting-house divided the north district from the south. A committee of three was appointed for each district: South Distriet, Benjamin Tupper, Everton Beswick, John Wilder ; North District, Ezra May, Joseph Burnell, Robert Webster ; West District, George Buck, Ephraim Patch, Seth Sylvester. They were empowered to hire " masters and dames," and to find places for them " to keep at." A memorandum among the papers of Deacon Oliver Taylor shows that he hired a dame for fifty cents a week, and that she boarded herself. May 8, 1769, it was voted to raise £12 for summer schools. The town was divided into five districts, and one man ap- pointed committee for each, as follows : Deacon May, Benja- min Bonney, Joseph Burnell, Robert Hamilton, and John Buck. Dec. 11, 1769, they voted £18 for winter schools, and each district was authorized to build a school-house.
Dec. 11, 1769, four school districts were arranged : Ist, all . west of Westfield River ; 2d, all between said river and the East Branch, and south of the county road; 3d, all north of and upon the county road between Westfield River and the East Branch, and so to the north line of the town, and ex- tended east to include Mr. Healey, David Russell, John King, and Mr. Burnell, Mr. Barrett, and Mr. Stearns ; 4th, all the remainder in the northeast part. Dec. 22, 1772, they voted £24 for schools, and March 7, 1774, they appropriated £30. The progress and the condition of the modern schools are shown by the following statistics from the report of the Board of Education of this State, at intervals of ten years each :
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
Jannary, 1837 .- Ten schools; attending in summer, 273; average, 222; winter, 339 ; average, 289; in town between 4 and 16, 339 ; summer schools, 40 months, 15 days; winter, 33 months, 15 days ; summer teachers, 10 females; wioter, 4 males, 6 females; average wages of male teachers per month, $12.75; female teachers, 85.
January, 1×47 .- Ten schools; attending in the summer, 216; average, 172; winter, 250; average, 197; number of children in town between 4 and 16, 297 ; attending under 1, 23; over 16, 30; summer school, 38 months; winter, 28 months, 21 days; total, 66 months, 21 days; teachers in summer, 10 females;
winter, 7 males and 4 females; average wages of male teachers per month, $20.57; female, §11.60.
Jannary, 1857 .- Ten schools; attending in summer, 173 ; average, 130; win- ter, 194 ; average, 151; attending under 5, 22; over 15, 29; in town between 5 and 15, 209 ; summer teachers, 9 females ; winter, 6 males, 3 females ; summer schools, 41 months, 12 days ; winter, 27 months, 12 days; total, 69 months, 4 days ; average wages of male teachers per month, $23; female, $18.66.
January, 1867 .- Ten schools; attending in the summer, 155; average, 122; winter, 163; average, 131; attending nnder 5, 8; over 15, 35; in town between 5 and 15, 222 ; summer teachers, 10 females; winter, 1 male, & females; summer schools, 36 months, 11 days; winter, 25 months; average wages of malo teach- ers per month, $29.40; female teachers, $22.60.
January, 1878 .- Nine schools; attending, 141; average, 107; under 5, 7; over 15, 15; in town between 5 aud 15, 147; teachers, 1 male, 14 females; school, 57 months, 5 days : average wages of male teachers per month, $30; female, $23 ; hy taxation, 81100; board and fuel voluntarily given, $500; expenses of committee, $50; printing, $10; vested funds, 8600; income of fund aud dog tax, $47; 1 pri- vate school, 20 scholars; tuition, $175; town's share of State funds, $224.41.
No attempt to establish an academy was ever made at Ches- terfield, but many seleet schools have been maintained. The teachers have often been students from Amherst College, and many of the present citizens enjoyed in the schools the means of obtaining the elements of higher education. The following graduates from college were natives of Chesterfield : Samuel Utley, Union College ; George Waters, Amherst College; Edward Clarke, Williams College; Merrick Knight, Amherst College.
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