History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 79

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 79

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Thus much of this episode in the history of Amherst College

* The Amherst House.

+ Prof. W. S. Tyler's " History of Amherst College," which has been freely consulted for the present sketch. Those wishing a more minute history of the academy and college are referred to its genial, ample pages.

Photo. by Lovell, Amherst.

Saml, C. Carter

SAMUEL CUTTS CARTER, the subject of our sketch, was born in New- buryport, Mass., March 9, 1803, and was the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Cutts Carter. Ilis mother was a granddaughter of Edward Holyoke, D.D., a former president of Harvard College. Ilis father was a prominent merchant and importer of Newburyport previous to the great fire of 1811, by which, and by losses at sea, and by the French spoliations about the same time, he was reduced from wealth to a small competence. This was an important erisis to young Car- ter, and forced him to forego his hopes of a higher and easier walk in life and adopt one of toil. To the end that he might do so profit- ably as well as honorably he chose to learn a trade, and for this pur- pose entered the establishment of Jonathan Leavitt, of Andover, Mass., where he undertook a regular course of instruction in book- binding. Serving five years as an apprentice, he arrived at man- hood independent of the chances of trade or fortune so far as the means to secure an honest livelihood were concerned. Before going to Andover he was engaged in the book-store of Charles Whipple, in his native town, and in the extensive publishing house of Wells & Lilley, Boston. Book-making seems to have been his natural calling. for he was engaged in some department of that pursuit from the time he commenced nntil his retirement from active business. In September, 1825, Mr. Carter settled in Amherst, and at once entered inte partnership with Mr. John S. Adams, under the firm-name of Carter & Adams, and established a book-store, printing-othee, and bindery. The first volume published was an octavo of some three hundred and fifty pages of sermons, by Rev. Daniel A. Clark, a former pastor of the First Congregational Church. This work was followed by several volumes of Scott's novels (Waverley) for a Boston firm. In June, 1826. they commenced the publication of an octavo serial called The Chemist, with Prof. John R. Cotting as editor. In December, 1826, they started the first newspaper in Amberst, the New England Inquirer, with Hon. Osmyn Baker as editor. In 1827, Mr. Carter dissolved his partnership with Mr. Adams. During this year he organized an engine company in Amherst, being mainly instrumental in raising the money for the purchase of the engine. He was connected with the company for more than twenty years, and was foreman for a long time. In 1828 he was chosen librarian and treasurer of the Amherst Lyceum, also secretary and treasurer of the West Amherst Temperance Union, which offices he held twelve years. It was wbile in his position in the temperance society that he was instructed to collect statisties touching upon intemperance in the vicinity of the society. The care bestowed upon the work, as exhibited in the extract we give from the records, is but a sample of the thoroughness with which he did everything intrusted to him. The record says that during the year 1827 eighty hogsheads of ardent spirits were sold, besides what was retailed in six taverns, making a fair estimate of one hundred hogsheads sold during the year, besides about two hundred barrels of cider. It was reported that there were forty-eight drunkards in town, and twenty-three widows who were male so hy rum. Deaths forty-five, one-ninth of which were directly traceable to intemperance. Three-fourths of the pauperism were also

traced to the same cause. Five erimes were committed, and five licenses to sell liquors were issued. On the first night of meeting only ten names were obtained, but in eight years no less than nine hundred and seventy-three names were added, a large majority of whom remained faithful.

In 1829 he was appointed librarian of the West Parish Sunday-

school, and for nearly fifty years has heen directly connected with that school, either as scholar, librarian, teacher, or superintendent, a fact which speaks more for him than could columns from our pen. llis connection with the church and the parish is quite as remarkable, he having held the positions of clerk and treasurer, and served as one of the parish committee. Ile is now one of the trustees and also treas- urer of the parish sinking fund. By referring to the town records we find how honorable has been his connection with the affairs of the village. In 1837-39 he was one of the prudential school committee. In 1837 he was appointed town agent to receive and loan all the money received from surplus revenue of the United States. In 1841 and 1842 he was representative to the General Court, and here again he made his mark, being one of the committee to draft what is now known as the registration law. This selection was a fitting recogni- tion of his ability, and made in consideration of the fact that for three years before he had made the registration of births, marriages, and deaths a matter of investigation. Finally, in connection with Judge G. F. Bigelow, he secured the passage of the law above referred to. Of its inestimable value to our town and city records there can be no possible doubt, and its authorship is an honor he may proudly wear. In 1841 he was appointed postmaster, and held the office nine years. There are many who remember distinctly the outburst of feeling eaused by his removal, coming as it did from men of all parties, his gentlemanly hearing and courteous manner having won to his defense many who differed from him in politics. Mr. Carter's contributions to the press have heen frequent and valuable, his statistics on ednea- tional and farm matters being standard authority. But his greatest work has been in the position of town clerk and treasurer, which office he has filled for thirty-two years, during which time he has re- ecived and disbursed $1,300,000. He has kept statistics of the schools that are interesting, and as zealously guarded their welfare and success as it was possible for man to do. Another work to which he has de- votel over a year's time was the preparation of the descriptive list of the soldiers of Amherst in the late war. It is sufficient to say that it is perfect, every man's name, age, occupation, date of enlistment. battles in which he or his regiment or company was engaged, pro- motion, and final " muster out" or other discharge, being accurately arranged, the whole in alphabetical order. It is a work for easy reference in all time to come, and he deserves the highest praise for his labors and untiring research. Nor did his work for the soldiers end there. Ilis pleasant face and kindly word, as he min- istered to the widows and orphans of those who "sleep the sleep of the brave," made the small amount he was commissioned to deal out to each seem the more that it was delivered by a cheerful giver. In 1865 the Amherst Savings-Bank was organized, and Mr. Carter be- came its treasurer, which office he still holds, discharging this as well as all other trusts with the same unvarying fidelity. Mr. Carter was married in 1826 to Miss Matilda Ayers, of Haverhill, and after her decease to Miss Elizabeth D. Jackson, of Boston, in 1835. Mr. Carter's five children all died in their infancy or early youth. Although in the seventy-seventh year of his age, his step is as firm and quick as most men at fifty, and his appearance indicates that he may be spared many years. It is perhaps needless to say that he owes his long life and perfeet health to his strictly temperate habits. He never used tobacco or spirits in any form. It is safe to say that no man in Am- herst is more honored or respected, or would be missed more, than Samuel C. Carter. He has built his own monument, and built it well.

P. F. Go'st, Del.

AMHERST COLLEGE, AMHERST, MASS.

L. H. Everts, Pub'e, Phila.

OREN WILLIAMS was born in Amherst, Hampshire[. Co., Sept. 16, 1812, son of Justus and Sarah (Warner) Williams. His grandfather, Justus Wil- liams, was one of the early set- tlers of Amherst. He had six sons and two daughters. Three of the sons and the two daughters, the latter wives of Dr. William Sellen and Isaac Robbins, settled in Amherst. Justus Williams, his father, was born in Amherst, April 7, 1766; married, Jan. 1, 1800, Sarah Warner, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Cole- man) Warner, by whom he had children as follows : Zebadiah, born Dee. 27, 1800, who died in the State of Maine, date not known. Jonathan, born Sept. 3, 1802 ; married, removed to California, and died there. Mary Ann, born July 5, 1805 ; died in Amherst, of consumption. Oren and Onam, twins, born Sept. 16, 1812. Onam died in infancy. Onam (second), born Aug. 3, 1824; died in Lamoille, Ill., June 1, 1878. The father died in 1824; the mother, Dee. 29, 1838. Both are buried in the cemetery at South Am- herst.

OREN WILLIAMS.

Gren Williams

Mr. Williams from an early age was thrown upon his own resourees. His opportunities for education were quite limited, being confined to the district school, and one term at Amherst Academy. He was married, May 29, 1836, to Eliza J. Howe, daughter of Sylvanus and Sukey Howe. Mrs. Williams was born in Enfield, Mass., Nov. 17, 1812. They have no children. Upon the death of his mother he came into possession of the home- stead and three aeres of land, which constituted his start in life. By indefatigable industry and strict economy he was en- abled to add to the original three acres nearly fifty more. In 1841 he exchanged the place now known as the Wellington farm for the home and farm of Deaeon Nathaniel C. Dickinson, border- ing " Fiddler's Green," South Amherst. To the original one hundred aeres constituting the farm he has added about one hundred aud fifty acres.

In politics he is a Republican. Both himself and Mrs. Williams have for many years been mem- bers of the South Amherst Con- gregational Church.

RESIDENCE OF OREN WILLIAMS, SOUTH AMHERST, MASS.

251

HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

is given in order the more clearly to show the difficulties and anxieties attendant upon her days of incubation, and because the questions involved aroused the people of the " Connecti- cut Valley" and of Western Massachusetts in scarcely less de- gree than those graver ones which, nearly a half-century be- fore, had precipitated the Revolution. The later combat, how- ever, was one of words, not swords.

At the time of this agitation Dr. Zephaniah Swift Moore was president of Williams College, and in all honorable ways favored its removal to some more promising situation. The same is true of Rev. Theophilus Packard, then one of the trustees of that college.

First College Building .- The field was thus made clear for action, and on the 15th of March, 1820, the trustees of Am- herst Academy took appropriate steps to secure and augment the Charity Fund, and "erect the necessary buildings."

Although dependent almost entirely upon voluntary contri- butions of material and labor,* the work progressed like magic, and the corner-stone of the first college edifice in Amherst was laid by Dr. David Parsons, the president of the board, on the 9th of August, 1820. On that occasion Noah Webster de- livered an address, and Rev. Daniel A. Clark a sermon.

The trustees of the academy and of the fund at this time were Rev. David Parsons, President ; Noah Webster, Vice- President ; Revs. James Taylor, Joshua Crosby, Daniel Clark, Nathaniel Smith, Samuel F. Dickinson, and Rufus Graves. Dr. Parsons resigned at the close of the exercises of the day, and was succeeded by Noah Webster.

The act relating to the Charity Fund provided for the elec- tion of a board of "overseers of the fund." The first board was chosen by the subscribers on the day the corner-stone was laid, viz. : Henry Gray, of Boston; Gen. Salem Towne, Jr., of Charlton ; Rev. Theophilus Packard, of Shelburne; Rev. Thomas Snell, of North Brookfield; Rev. Luther Sheldon, of Easton ; Rev. Heman Humphrey, of Pittsfield; and II. Wright Strong, of Amherst.

Ninety days after these events the roof-timbers were put in place, and before the end of September, 1821, the building was finished and a large part of the rooms had received their furni- ture. This structure was of brick, was four stories high, and in size 30 by 100 feet. It was erected on land set apart for the purpose by Col. Elijah Dickinson, and which contained " nine aeres, more or less," as conveyed, Nov. 22, 1820, by his widow, Jerusha, and his son, Moses, to the trustees of the college. This land contains all the earliest buildings, and is the centre of the college grounds. The college well was dug during the progress of the building.

First President .- By unanimous vote of the trustees, May 8, 1821, Zephaniah Swift Moore was called to the presidency of the " Charity Institution," which office included that of professor of theology and moral philosophy. Dr. Moore, at the time president of Williams College, in his letter of accept- ance, June 12, 1821, signified his previous intention to resign that office, and says,-

" In my opinion no subject has higher claims on the charity and benevolent efforts of the Christian community than the education of pious young men for the gospel ministry. Their classical education should be thorough, and I should be wholly averse to becoming united with any institution which proposes to give a classical education inferior to that given in any of the colleges of New England. On this subject I am assured your opinion is the same as my own, and that you are determined that the course of study in the institution to which you have invited me shall not be inferior to that in the colleges of New

England. I am also assured that you will make provision for the admission of those who are not indigent and who wish to obtain a classical education in the institution."

The board; were in accord with the sentiments of this let- ter, and gave public notice that " young men who expect to defray the expenses of their education will be admitted into the collegiate institution on terms essentially the same as those prescribed for admission into other colleges in New England."

Inauguration and Dedication .- President Moore was in- augurated and the college edifice dedicated Sept. 8, 1821, the ceremony taking place in the parish church, Noah Webster presiding. On this occasion the prayer of dedication was made by Rev. Mr. Crosby, of Enfield, a sermon preached by Rev. Dr. Leland, of Charleston, S. C., and Professors Olds and Estabrook formally inducted into their positions,-the former as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, the latter as professor of the Greek and Latin languages. The concluding prayer was made by Rev. Mr. Snell, of North Brookfield. The day's exercises were finished with the cere- mony of laying the corner-stone of the president's house .;

On the day following, the 19th, " the college was opened and organized by the examination and admission of forty- seven students, some into each of the four regular classes."

The senior class had two members,-Pindar Field? and Ebenezer S. Snell (subsequently professor),-who roomed to- gether " in the southwest corner of the fourth story" of the college, and there received daily instruction from President Moore.

During Dr. Moore's administration the president's house was completed, the present North College erected, the first lectures in chemistry given, by Colonel Rufus Graves, and others afterward in the North College by Prof. Amos Eaton ; the first catalogue published March, 1822, the Alexandrian and Athenian Literary Society formed and their library es- tablished, and the first revival of religion enjoyed. He pre- sided at the first commencement exercises, when Senior Snell delivered a salutatory in Latin and Senior Field an oration in English.| The juniors, six in number, generally supplied the remainder of the exercises. Gerard Hallock, then princi- pal of the academy, delivered a poem.

The following at this period constituted the faculty : Rev. Zephaniah Swift Moore, D.D., President and Professor of Divinity ; Rev. Gamaliel S. Olds, A. M., Professor of Mathe- matics and Natural Philosophy ; Joseph Estabrook, A.M., Professor of Languages and Librarian ; Rev. Jonas King, A.M., Professor of Oriental Literature; and Lucius Field, A. B., Tutor. Prof. King was never installed.

Until the college was duly chartered, graduates received testimonials in Latin that they had completed the usual col- lege course. All such afterward received the degree of A.B.

The death of Dr. Moore, which occurred June 29, 1823, after a short illness, spread such a gloom over the brightening prospects of the college that the senior class, then nearing graduation, were with difficulty persuaded to remain. Dr. Moore was born Nov. 20, 1770.

Rev. Heman Humphrey succeeded to the presidency, and was installed Oct. 15, 1823. In spite of much bitter opposi- tion, similar to that encountered by " Queen's College," the institution made marked advance during his incumbency. Largely through his efforts, after repeated applications to the Legislature, the act incorporating the college was secured, and became operative Feb. 21, 1825.

During his incumbency, another dormitory was erected, 1828, which was dubbed North College, [ a new house for the

* Prof. Tyler records that one afternoon the lime gave out, and the workmen, who were about to pack their kits and leave, were persuaded to delay till morn- ing. That night " a strange team was seen coming through the village from the north. It proved to be a wagon loaded with lime, sent some twenty-five miles by a man not a subscriber, but a friend of the cause," and who knew nothing of the emergency. It was easy to believe the aid providential.

+ The trustees of the academy were also trustees of the college until the lat- ter was incorporated, Feb. 21, 1825.

# The house now occupied (1879) by M. A. Allen.

¿ Founder and first superintendent of the first Sabbath-school in Amherst.

| The third Senior, Ezra Fairebild, who had joined the class, left before the

close of the year,-afterward received his Bachelor's degree, in 1852.

" Burned in 1857. The site is now occupied by " Williston Hall."

252

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

president, in 1834-35, a " College Church" organized 1826, of which he was installed pastor, Feb. 28, 1827, and a gymnasium and bathing establishment provided by the students. In August, 1830, the " Antivenian Society" was formed .*

This period of prosperity was followed in 1837, '38, by one of adversity. " Zeal for orthodoxy and evangelical piety was no longer at a white heat. The passion for missions and the education of ministers had somewhat cooled," and, worse still for the college, the question of slavery gave birth to opposing forces + within its halls, which contained many students from the South. The "home influence" of these wrought injury, which the embarrassed financial condition of the college made still more grievous. To crown all, many students became dis- affected toward the president and others of the faculty, and a change was somewhat persistently sought. Dr. Humphrey resigned in January, 1844, and was succeeded by Prof. Ed- ward ffitcheock, April 14, 1845. Between 1825 and 1836, the number of students increased from 126 to 259. Dr. Ilumphrey died at Pittsfield, April 3, 1861, aged eighty-two.

A new policyt was inaugurated with the incoming president, which proved advantageous. The self-sacrificing action of the professors met its full fruition in the generous gifts that thence- forth blessed the institution. In 1847 the " Woods Cabinet and Lawrence Observatory" was erected on " Meeting-House IIill," on the site of the first meeting-house, and a grant of 825,000 obtained from the Legislature, after repeated failures, in 1837-38 and '39 ; the library building appeared in 1852-53, in which stone was first used as the chief material, brick having hitherto prevailed. A fund of $15,000,2 raised by Pro- fessor Bela B. Edwards, William S. Tyler, and others, was ex- pended for building and books,-one-third for the latter.

In 1853 a scientific department was opened, embracing studies somewhat collateral to those of the regular college course ; but the " Parallel Course," established for a similar purpose in 1826, proved a failure, and after a trial of about four years was dropped.

Many and generous were the gifts and endowments that flowed in upon the college during Dr. Hitchcock's presidency, a full account of which, and of the multitude of benefactions at other periods, would consume too much space in this history. The admirable work of Prof. Tyler makes enduring record of these. Before the retirement of Dr. Hitchcock, four profes- sorships had been permanently endowed, and important sei- entific collections secured. Not the least of these acquisitions was the doctor's own collection of "fossil footmarks," which he gave to the college a few months previous to his resignation.

Dr. Hitchcock resigned the presidency, to take effect when his successor should be appointed, but retained the professor- ship of natural theology and geology.

Prof. William A. Stearns was chosen president and professor of moral philosophy and Christian theology, and inaugurated Nov. 22, 1854. He was given a brilliant welcome; the col- lege buildings were illuminated, and kind words of greeting spoken. Thus auspiciously, with all the affairs of the institu- tion in a prosperous condition, began the last of the adminis- trations of Amherst College which have become historic.

Six new buildings were added to the group of college struc- tures during this period, and the donations for buildings and

other purposes amounted to nearly $800,000. Among the buildings added were the Barrett Gymnasium, Williston Hall, Walker Hall, and the College Church, which are the finest and most costly of the structures on College Itill.

Dr. Stearns possessed rare executive ability, yet his govern- ment was characterized by a wise gentleness, as of one who believed in " moral suasion," which drew rather than forced obedience. His excellent qualities of head and heart, his Christian character, his forbearance and kindly sympathy, and not less his firmness and persistence in pursuit of truth and right, were characteristics which insured, as they surely brought, to Amherst College a condition in name and sub- stance she had not before attained. During his presidency the teachers in the college increased from JI to 21, the students from 201 to 338, while the alumni were more than doubled in munber.

Dr. Stearns died June 8, 1876, after a sudden attack and brief illness, at the age of seventy-one.

Dr. Julius II. Seelye, the present head of the institution, was inaugurated May 24, 1877. While not inferior in admin- istrative ability, his superior qualities as an instructor chiefly distinguish him from his predecessor. There is little of historie interest that can be said of this, the dawning of a still more hopeful era, and this sketch of Amherst College may be fitly closed with a record of the fact that never were the prospects brighter than to-day, when students from every clime have come to drink at her ample fount, whose sources were unlocked by the pious, worthy fathers amid the sturdy hills of Franklin and Hampshire more than a century ago.

The total number of students, by the catalogue of 1878-79 is 333, distributed as follows : seniors, 76; juniors, 75; sopho- mores, 00; freshmen, 92. There are two resident graduates.

Buildings .- " South College," a dormitory, erected in 1820 -21, at an ultimate cost of about $10,000, has already been sufficiently described.

" Middle College," the second dormitory, was erected in 1822, at a cost of $10,000. It is four stories high, and in size the same as South College; it contains the reading-room.

" The Chapel," or " Johnson Hall," dates from 1827, and cost $15,000. For a long time it was known by the name of its principal donor, Adam Johnson, of Pelham, who had be- queathed $4000 for such a structure. It has always been used for morning and evening prayers, and public worship. The chapel proper is in the second story. Below are recitation- rooms and an herbarium. The tower|| contains the college clock. The chapel was renovated in 1863-64 at a cost of $16,000.

" North College," a dormitory erected in 1828, cost $10,000. It was burned in 1857, and its site is now occupied by Willis- ton Hall.

" The President's House" was built in 1834, on land pur- chased from the estate of Dr. Parsons. The house built for Dr. Moore in 1821 was sold, and the proceeds, with additional funds, applied to the erection of the new residence, which is of brick, and cost $9000.

" The Woods Cabinet and Laurence Observatory," creeted in 1847, at a cost of $9000, occupies a prominent situation in front of Chapel Row, and contains the geological collection, embracing specimens from the formations of Europe and the Missionary, United States, and other collections. The ob-

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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 79

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