History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 59

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

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 59

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the securities, and, dumping them in a bag, he " shouldered" it, and in the stillness of the night marched out of the quiet town of Northampton with the million dollars of securities to Amherst, where he boarded the train, and a few hours more found him with his phinder safe in the metropolis.

CONFLAGRATIONS.

Northampton, as well as other towns, has not escaped the march of the fire-fiend, but up to the year 1870 was accounted fortunate, inasmuch as no disastrous conflagrations had oc- curred. In that year, however, it was visited by two fires, which desolated the central part of the village. The first oc- curred on the night of May 19, 1870, when the Hunt building and the Edwards chnreh were destroyed, the loss estimated at 852,000; insurance, $28,250.

Just two months, lacking one day (July 18), from this dis- aster the old Warner House, Warner House Block, and Ly- man Bloeks were burned, which was the most disastrous con- flagration that ever occurred in the town. This fire originated in the kitchen of the hotel and rapidly spread, communicating the flames to the adjoining buildings. The fire raged four hours, and completely destroyed the buildings. The Warner House was owned by Charles F. Simonds, J. C. Orcutt, pro- prietor. The Warner House Block was owned by Win. II. Todd, the Lyman briek block by the Fitch Brothers, of Hat- field, who also owned the Lyman wooden block. A small building west of the Warner House, and a barn and ice-house in the rear of the Lyman Block, were also burned. The total loss was $100,000, insured for $84,600.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The people of Northampton evidently early manifested an interest in the matter of extinguishing fires, as a fire company was in existence at an early day, but its history and the names of the persons composing it are lost in oblivion. The first records which we have been able to secure date back to 1854, at which time a series of by-laws were adopted, and the fol- lowing " engineers of the fire department" were appointed by the selectmen : A. H. Bullen, Ebenezer Strong, Samuel L. Parsons, Lucius Lewis, Luman Bartlett, Oscar Edwards, W. C. Prentiss, A. D. Wade, Justin Thayer, Thomas Musgrove, and Lewis Wright. At a " meeting of the engineers, " held April 13, the following officers were chosen : A. 11. Bullen, Chief-Engineer ; Laman Kingsley, First Assistant ; Ebenezer Strong, Second Assistant ; Oscar Edwards, Clerk and Treas- urer.

The following have been chief-engineers from that time to the present: Ansel Wright, 1855; Benjamin E. Cook, 1856-57 ; II. 1. Hodges, 1858-60; Webster Merrick, 1861 (declined) ; C. W. Bramin, 1861-63 ; S. M. Smith, 1864-67; C. W. Bramin, 1868; Mark H. Spaulding, 1869-70; Samuel 1. Parsons, 1871- 73; Watson L. Smith, 1874; E. V. Foster, 1875-76; Lewis Warner, 1877-79.

The present organization of the fire department is as follows :

Lewis Warner, Chief-Engineer; Levi I. Clark, Joseph Jew- ett, George 11. Smith, Thomas Rowland ( Bay State), George S. Graves (Florence), Charles S. Warner (Leeds), Assistant En- gineers ; John Metcalf, Secretary. No. 1 Ilose Company, 12 men, 550 feet hose; George Hunt, Foreman. No. 2 Ilose Company, 12 men, 350 feet hose; Vetile Francis, Foreman. No. 3, Spare Reel, 350 feet hose; I. N. Taylor, Foreman. No. 5 Hose Company, 12 men, 550 feet hose; George I. Abbott, Foreman. Hook-and-Ladder Company, 15 men ; Calvin B. Kingsley, Foreman. Bay State Hand-Engine and Hose Company, 12 men ; Daniel Kairn, Foreman. Nonotuck Hose and Extinguisher Company, 16 men ; George E. Ballou, Foreman. Florence Hose and Exti isher Company, 16 men ; Albert Shumway, Foreman Engine and Hose Company ( Leeds), 12 men ; An .. Foreman. One

* The attic of the school-house had been used as a rendezvous for the robbers previous to the burglary.

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HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

Steamer, John Tappan, No. 1. Hose,-Centre, 2500 feet ; Bay State, 500 feet ; Florence, 1500 feet ; Leeds, 500 feet.

WATER-WORKS.

The first movement to furnish this town with a water supply was made in 1867, in an attempt to organize a company. The requisite amount of stock, however, could not be obtained, and the project was abandoned. The disastrous fires of 1870, noted above, again brought the matter prominently before the citizens of the town, and at a meeting held July 26th of that year a committee, consisting of D. W. Bond, J. S. Lathrop, M. M. French, Lucius Dimock, and Luke Lyman, was ap- pointed to investigate various plans for supplying Northamp- ton, Florence, and Leeds with water, and to report at a future meeting ; and $1000 was appropriated to defray their expenses. The report of the committee was made in October, and adopted by the town on November 5th. An issue of $200,000 of town bonds was authorized, and the committee were chosen as a board of water commissioners; and in 1871 an aet of incorporation was obtained. Work was begun on the reservoir in May, 1871, and on September 11th the reservoir was filled. It covers an area of between three or four aeres, and has a capacity of 4,000,000 gallons. The reservoir i> fed from various mountain streams in the towns of Northampton, Westhampton, Chesterfield, and Williamsburg, and the water is very pure. The fall of water is all that could be desired, even for fire purposes; it has a fall of ninety feet in Florence, two hundred and twenty feet in the centre of the village of Northampton, and two hundred and forty feet at the Connecticut River depot.

The works were completed in the autumn of 1871, and De- cember 7th, same year, were tested. At Florence a stream was thrown perpendicularly to the height of seventy feet, and eighty feet horizontally. In the centre the stream reached the light of one hundred and fifty feet, and was forced one hundred and eighty feet horizontally.

The last report of the water commission gives the number of miles of pipe laid as 213266; number of gates, 84; and number of hydrants, 123.

The total cost of the works up to February, 1879, had been $208,836.24. The gross income for the year ending Feb. 1, 1879, was $16,611.05, 84000 of which was paid by the town.

The present board of water commissioners is constituted as follows : J. S. Lathrop, Luke Lyman, J. L. Hartwell, Oscar Edwards, Lucius Dimoek, Geo. A. Burr. J. S. Lathrop is President ; Oscar Edwards, Treasurer; Luke Lyman, Clerk ; and Jonas M. Clark, Superintendent.

THE NORTHAMPTON BRIDGE.

The old town records show that in April, 1658, it was voted that as a means of crossing the river a ferry-boat should be built for the common use of the people. Robert Bartle was chosen keeper ; and " if any person or persons have occasion to use the said boat they shall demand the key of Robert Bar- tle, and that all such person or persons, after that they have had the key delivered to them, shall stand to the hazard of the boat till the key be delivered to the proper keeper." It was also voted that " no person or persons that carry over the boat over the river shall not retain it there above one hour and half." The key was also to be returned within an hour and a half, under a penalty of 2s and 6d.

Clark's ferry and Goodman's ferry were subsequently es- tablished, and answered the purposes of the people until the beginning of the present century, when a movement was started for bridging the Connecticut at this point.

In 1803 a company was incorporated for the purpose of building a bridge across the Connectieut, under the name of the " Proprietors of the Northampton Bridge," and the fol- lowing-named persons were the incorporators: Ebenezer Hunt, Levi Shepard, Jos. Lyman, Jr., Asahel Pomeroy, John Taylor, Samuel Henshaw, Samuel Porter, Benj. Par-

sons, Eleazer Clark, Ebenezer Liane, Samuel Hinckley, Josiah Diekinson, John Breek, Benj. Prescott, Benj. Tappan, Enos Smith, Elisha Dickinson, John Smith (2d), Lemuel Warner, Jonathan E. Porter, Eleazer Porter, John Hopkins, Wm. Porter, and Windsor Smith.

The project remained quiet until 1807, when an estimate was made for building a " trussell-bridge" at Clark's ferry. In February, 1808, the proprietors voted to build a bridge, which was built during the summer, and on the 27th of Octo- ber of the same year was opened. This event was duly cele- brated, as will be seen by the following notice, which appeared in the Hampshire Gazette, of Nov. 2, 1808 :

" On Thursday last the completion and opening of the Northampton Bridge was celebrated in this town by the proprietors, and an immense roucourse of people assembled for the purpose. At II o'clock a procession was formed at the house of Mr. Jonas Clark, and moved in the following order :

" Marshal, Gen. Porter, on horseback. " Music. "Capt. Breck's Company of Artillery. " Citizens and Strangers. " Workmen at Bridge. " Contractors. " Two Standards borne by two Lieutenants. " Members of the Corporation. " Directors, " President and Clergy.

" Deymty-Marshal, Maj. Chapman, on horseback.

" In this order the procession passed and repassed the Inidge under the salute of minute-guns, which were alternately discharged from the opposite banks of the river. In the centre of the bridge a temporary arch was erected, elegantly decorated with evergreens, over which three United States standards were taste- fully arranged.

" From the bridge the procession marched to the meeting-house, where an in- genions, elegant, and truly appropriate sermon was delivered by Rev. Mr. Wil- lard, of Deerfield, from these words: 'Hath not mine hand made all these things ?'

" After divine service, a large party, consisting of the corporation and numer- ous civil and military guests, repaired to Mr. Billings', where an elegant enter- tainment was provided."

This bridge was built by Jonathan Wolcott and Peleg Kingsley, at a cost of $13,000. It was an open bridge, and in 1817 was rebuilt on plans made hy Capt. Isaae Damon, who, with Capt. Salmon Graves, of Whately, were contractors. In 1824 the bridge was swept away with a freshet, and it was superseded by a structure costing $33,333.99, built by Capt. Isaac Damon and a Mr. Town, in 1826. The eastern portion of this bridge was carried away by a freshet in 1859. The contract to rebuild was let to Messrs. Harris & Briggs for $20,000; the old half was also raised at a cost of $1075. In 1871 the charter of the bridge company was extended for twenty years ; provided, also, that in case either of the towns of Northampton or Iladley should make application for a free bridge, a commission should be appointed to determine the amount to be paid by the respective towns interested and IIampshire County. Nothing was done in this direction until 1875, when the town of Hadley made application for a free bridge. The commission appointed to determine and award the amounts to be paid consisted of Henry Morris, of Spring- field; C. C. Conant, of Greenfield ; and M. B. Whitney, of Westfield, who adjudged the bridge company's rights and in- terest at $25,000, to be paid as follows : 87000 by Northamp- ton, $4000 by Hadley, $3000 by Amherst, and $11,000 by the county of Hampshire. These sums were paid during the year 1875.

The first toll-gatherer was Jonas Clark, appointed in 1808, who, with his son, Spencer Clark, officiated in this capacity until about 1858. Others have been Robert B. Graves, Ed- ward Clapp, and Hiram Day. The latter served about eleven years.

The amount of tolls received were as follows: in 1850, $4364; in 1855, $3725; in 1862, $3700; in 1866, $5150; in 1871, 85491 ; in 1873, 84523; and in 1874, 85118.

June 14, 1877, the bridge was destroyed by a whirlwind, and it was decided to build an iron structure, and the contract

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

for the same was let to the Canton Wrought-Iron Bridge Co., of Canton, Ohio. The bridge was subjected to a severe test October 3Ist and November Ist, and on the 3d of November was accepted by the selectmen and opened to the public, in ninety- three days from the day the contract was signed. It is a beau- tiful and substantial structure, and was erected at a cost of $33,526.36.

GAS COMPANY.

The Northampton Gas-light Company was incorporated in 1853, by Wm. H. Stoddard, Samuel A. Fish, and Daniel Kingsley, with power to hold real estate amounting to $50,000. In 1855 the company was organized, and the construction of the works begun by the contractors, Sabutton & Co., of Mid- dletown, Conn. The works were completed in 1856, at a cost of $35,000. Dec. 12, 1856, the first building was lighted ; this was the restaurant of L. B. Edwards. The first president of the company was Joseph Lathrop, and the first superintend- ent, J. A. Shepherd.

The charter of the company was subsequently amended, allowing them to increase the capital to $100,000, the object of which was to lay mains to the neighboring village of Flor- ence. This plan, however, failed. The two gas-meters now in use by the company have a capacity of 45,387 feet. Loca- tion, River Street.

THE MINING BONANZA OF 1679.

In the year 1679 the inhabitants of the little settlement were startled with the report that Robert Lyman had discovered a lead mine within the town, and at a meeting held July 27, 1679, a letter was read setting forth the enterprise, and the records state that " after much discourse and agitation" it was voted that the town have a general interest in opening the mines.

The interest in the discovery of this hidden wealth was not allowed to wane, and " at a legal meeting, Oct. 16, 1679, they then having further Conference about the lead mine which Robert Lyman found out, they then voted that all such persons as would join in the Carrying on of that design, Should meet on the 23d of this Instant at Sun one hour high at night, then to give in a list of their names, and to them or to those persons that shall then appear. The Town do hereby give up all their right in that mine, lying about six miles off, at the west side of the Town. 17

The " Mineral Company," formed in 1679, was composed of the following persons : William Clark, Sr., John Strong, Samuel Davis, Israel Rust, Joseph Parsons, Sr., Robert Ly- man, Joseph Hawley, John King, Joseph Parsons, Jr., Pre- served Clapp, John Lyman, Sr., Martyn Smith, Sam'l Bart- lett, Richard Lyman, and Medad Pumroy."

This company, however, failed to develop the " mines," and the excitement incident to their discovery soon died out. Com- panies, mushroom-like, have sprung into existence at various times for the purpose of working them, but have as suddenly failed, and the " hidden wealth" still lies buried in the bosom of mother-earth.

THIE TOWN-HALL.

For many years after the settlement of the town the good people transacted the town's business in the " meeting-house," and subsequently in the court-house. The movement for the erection of a town-hall was begun in 1819, but it was not until 1823 that the building was erected. It was located on the corner of Main and King Streets, and was built by Capt. Isaac Damon, to whom the town for a number of years paid an annual rental of $175. It was subsequently purchased hy the town, and used until 1849, when a new location was secured, and the present building erected. It was dedicated in 1850.

THE CEMETERY.

The people of Nonotuck evidently early manifested an interest in a burial-place for the dead, and until 1661 they were

interred near the church on " Meeting-house Hill." In that year the present cemetery was selected, which has been enlarged and beautified from time to time until it is now one of the most attractive rural cemeteries in New England.

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.

Not only did the pioneers of Northampton manifest an interest in religious matters, but the schools also claimed their early attention, and in 1663 the old town records show that it was " voted to give Mr. Cornish six pounds toward the school and to take the benefit of the scholars, provided that he teach six months in the year together."

In 1666, William Jeanes was hired by the town to teach school one year, and for his encouragement and satisfaction for his attendance upon that work the town and himself came to this conclusion and agreement :

" lly. For the year he is to have ont of the Towne Stock Ten Pounds, which the Townsmen promise to pay.

" 2ly. Four pence per week for such as are in the primmer and other English books.

"3. Six pence per week to learn Audience-writing, casting accounts,

"4. In case there be a neglect that they do not come constantly, 3 days shall be accounted a week."

It is evident that in 1668 the schools were not yet an estab- lished institution of the town, as the records of that year show that it was " voted by the town that they are willing to have a schoolmaster for the year ensuing."

In 1670 one hundred acres were appropriated, or "seques- tered," as it was called, for schools, and in the following year the "town voted and agreed to give the schoolmaster 30 pounds a year, provided that one can be procured fit for such an employment."

Warham Mather and Joseph Hawley were employed to teach the school in 1686, the former to receive forty pounds.

Under date of July 16, 1712, it was voted that the town would maintain a grammar school in its town for the next coming twenty years.

In 1783, Major Joseph Ilawley, a prominent citizen of that period, bequeathed certain lands to the town for the use of schools, which were subsequently sold, and a fund known as the " Hawley fund" established, the income of which has since been devoted to the use of the schools. This fund now amounts to $2906.87.

The first school committee, consisting of four persons, was appointed in 1799, and from this time to the present the schools of Northampton have ever kept abreast with the rapid march of educational progress in this State.

Northampton manifested a lively interest in the establish- ment of high schools, and April 13, 1835, the boys' high school was established. The brick school edifice on Centre Street was erected on lands donated by Hon. Joseph Lyman. In 1836 it was voted by the town that $3500 be expended for the pur- chase of land and erection of a building for a girls' high school, and in that year the girls' high school building, on Main Street, was erected. The schools were long continued separately, but in 1852 the higher branches were united.

In 1863 the present fine school building at Florence was erected by Samuel L. Ilill, at a cost of $33,000, he generously donating the entire sum except $2000, voted by the town. In the year 1864 the present commodious high-school building was erected, at a cost of $36,647.98, $8000 of which was con- tributed by the late J. P. Williston, through whose efforts the movement was started and finally brought to a successful com- pletion. Not content with the generous contributions he had already made, he expended about $6000 in 1864 on the present building on Centre Street.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

Various private schools have flourished from time to time in Northampton, the most prominent, perhaps, being the

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HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

school known as the Round Hill School, which was estab- lished by George Bancroft, the celebrated historian, and J. G. Coggswell, in 1824. For many years it was one of the lead- ing educational institutions of its class in this State, but was discontinued in 1830.

The Gothic Seminary, on Gothic Street, was built in 1835, and opened the same year, by Miss Margaret Dwight, as a young ladies' seminary, and was exceedingly prosperous until the death of Miss Dwight, in 1846, when it was discontinued.

The Northampton Collegiate Institute was established in the defunct Gothic Seminary, mentioned above, by Lewis J. Dud- ley, in 1849, and for many years was continued in a flourish- ing condition. It was discontinued in 1862, and the building was subsequently occupied by the Clark Institution for Deaf Mutes. It is now occupied by Dr. A. W. Thompson's Medical Home for Invalids, and is known as Shady Lawn.

A law school was also established here in 1821 by Elijah II. Mills and Samuel Howe, in what was formerly known as the Lyman brick building. Mr. Mills was succeeded, in 1824, by J. IT. Ashmun. In 1822, Mr. Howe was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas, but remained connected with the school until his death, in 1828. Mr. Ashmun was soon after appointed law-professor in Harvard College, and the school was discontinued.

SMITH COLLEGE.

The grand old commonwealth of Massachusetts has ever been famous for the number and excellence of its educational institutions, and there is no point, even in this State, or the union of States, around which are grouped such a galaxy of literary institutions as Northampton. Clustered within a radius of ten miles are Amherst College, with its extensive art and scientific collections, the Massachusetts Agricultural College, Mount Holyoke Seminary, and Williston Seminary. A new constellation was added to this galaxy, and one whose brilliancy has already been recognized in the literary world, when, in 1875, Smith College. was dedicated.

This institution was founded through the liberality of Miss Sophia Smith, of Hatfield, who died June 12, 1870, aged seventy-four years. Miss Smith's charities seemed to be almost boundless, and her donations to various educational institutions during her lifetime were large. It seems that the absence of institutions for women where they might re- ceive the same advantages afforded by the various colleges to men caused her to resolve that a large portion of her wealth should be donated to the founding of a female college which should be equal in all respects with the highest educa- tional institutions in the land. The estate, at her decease, amounted to $475,000, all of which, except $91,400, with ac- crued interest, by the provision of her will, was devised to the founding of a female college in Northampton, provided the town would raise $25,000 additional. This sum was voted in 1871, which made the fund of the college $411,608.29. By a provision of the will, the expenditure for buildings and real estate is limited to one-half the total amount of the fund. When Miss Smith's will came before the Probate Court for action, objection was made by one of the heirs-at-law and the town of Hatfield, on the ground that she was unduly influ- enced in locating the college in Northampton ; but the evi- dence was deemed insufficient and the will admitted to probate.

In 1871 the college was chartered, and the first move was made toward the location of the college in the purchase, by the trustees, of the Judge Dewey estate and the adjoining es- tate of Judge Samuel F. Lyman, consisting of twelve and a half aeres of land, at a cost of $51,000.

In June, 1873, Prof. L. Clark Seelye, of Amherst College, was chosen president, and the work of clearing the grounds and laying out the plans for the buildings was immediately begun. The ereetion of the first college building and the pres- ident's house was begun in 1874, and in May the following

year the latter was completed, and on the 14th of the follow- ing July the college proper was dedicated and President Sec- lye inaugurated. The dedicatory exercises were of a very interesting character. Addresses were made by Prof. W. S. Tyler, D.D., LL.D., President Seelye, Rev. J. M. Green, Gov. Gaston, and Rev. A. P. Peabody, D.D.

In regard to the construction of the building, its architectu- ral design, etc., we clip the following from Scribner's Monthly :

" To carry out this wish of the founder, the trustees determined to inaugurate a new departure with reference to college buildings. Instead of the immense caravansaries, four or five stories high, in which are gathered recitation-rooms, kitchen, dining- and sleeping-rooms, it was determined, in order to realize both an academic and a home life, to erect one central building for strictly collegiate purposes, and to group around it smaller dwelling-houses which should furnish homes for the students. These residences were to accommodate about twenty- five students, and at the head of each household there was to be a lady who should sustain to it a relation similar to that which a lady in an ordinary home holds to her own family. She should preside over it and give direction to its so- cial and domestie life. Each household should form by itself a separate estab- lishment, and yet all should be connected by similar interests and pursuits as a literary community. The lady teachers might also live in these different fami- lies, and by their society and influence contribute to the general welfare and in- terest. None of the Imildings were to be more than two stories and a half high, in order to avoid numerous staircases. These plans have thus far been strictly adhered to, with gratifying results. The beneficial effects of the home-bike life are very apparent both in the health and manners of the students. The nervous tension and excitement which must necessarily arise where great numbers are gathered together, and regulations multiplied, are avoided, and the quiet and freedom of a smaller family are secured.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 59

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700