History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 115

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 115

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Talcott Rogers is the only representative of the family in town. The old family homestead has been in the Rogers family for more than one hundred and twenty-five years.

There is a tradition that a few rods north of this house there used to be a favorite camping-ground of the Indians, and many arrow-heads and other relics are found in that vicinity.

Of the Parsons family, Ebenezer was a prominent man about 1700. He was for fifty-two years a deacon in the First Church. Ilis grandson, Jonathan, owned the property on the south side of the park, and lived in the " Old Parsons House," which was taken down in 1872. He was born in the old Par- sons homestead, which formerly stood one hundred rods east of his later residence, and was the oldest of an old-fashioned family of ten children. His early fondness for military life led to his election as captain of the Hampden Grays, and his subsequent choice as colonel gave him a title with which his name was ever after associated. A man of rare good judg- ment, and with a genuine adaptability to public life, he was several times chosen to both the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives, and held for many years the town offices of select- man, assessor, overseer of the poor, clerk, treasurer, and school committee. He was also one of the trustees of the Ashley fund. lle was one of the most prominent advocates of the separation which led to the formation of the new Park Street Church and the improvements in the park fronting the church.

The Smiths have formerly had a large representation in West Springfield. Jonathan, who was born in 1697, seems at one time to have been the leading business-man of the town, especially in that part called " Pauquetuck." He is said to have been a very conscientious man. No unnecessary work was allowed to be performed on his premises after the going down of the sun on Saturday until the close of the Sabbath ; and on one occasion, his son David, when a grown-up man, returned home from a hunting excursion -- for which he was said to be famous-after sundown on Saturday; his father obliged him, with unshaven face, to go four miles to the old church on the common, the next day, so serupulous was he in his observance of the Lord's day.

Simeon Smith was "a man of science," and also lived at " Pauquetuck." During the Revolutionary war he manufac- tured saltpetre, and also distilled New England rum for the army, from Indian corn. Some of the machinery remains to this day. Another family of Smiths have resided at Ash- leyville. Horace Smith was for many years deacon in the First Church. It is said of him that he always came to meeting, rain or shine, and his prayers were so simple and fervent that they touched every heart. Ilis son, Franklin, is now a deacon in Park Street Church, and his grandson, Joseph, deacon in the First Church.

Reuben Champion eame to West Springfield as a place of refuge for his family, and located in that part called "Amos- town" (supposed to be named after Amos Taylor). He pur- chased the spot, now owned and occupied by John Carleton, of Zinee Hopkins, a son of Rev. Hopkins. He went to the Revolutionary war as a surgeon, taking his son, Mede, with him, and died in the service. His son, Reuben, Jr., built the present Champion homestead in 1794. His daughters, Flavia and Maria, with their nephew, James, still reside on the old Amostown homestead. It is related of Reuben Champion that when Shays' men were marching through the town, under the lead of Capt. Luke Day, coming over Meeting-house

Ilill, Mr. Champion was passing around the bill alone. Com- ing out from the " dingle" on the place now owned by L. F. Mellen, the Shays men were suddenly upon him. Ile raised his staff and shouted back, " Come on, boys, we've got them !" which led them to suppose there was a company of men in ambush, and they all ran back over the hill. The ruse had prevented his capture, and perhaps saved his life.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.

The following is a copy of the first petition of the parish to be set off as a town in 1756 :

" At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Second Parish of Springfield, July 15, 1756, Capt. Benj. Day, Moderator, It was voted, 1st. To chuse a Committee to prefer a l'etition to the Great & General Court of the Massachusetts Bay, That they wouldl set off all the Inhabitants and the lands on the west side the Great River in Springfield, To be a Distinct Town with all Privileges belonging thereto. 2ndly. That Capt. Benj. Day, Doct. John Van Horne, Capt. Joseph Miller, & Mr. Josiah Day be a Committee for that purpose."

The subject was agitated for several years, sectional ditfer- ences were constantly arising, until it became an impossibility to ignore it longer, and the town of Springfield, at their an- nual town-meeting, March 23, 1773, were called upon to con- sider the condition of the town, and settle, if possible, their differences. Committees were appointed, reports were made, copies of which are given ; action was taken at different times until Jan. 20, 1774, all of which culminated in the incorpora- tion of West Springfield, Feb. 23, 1774.

March 23, 1773 .- In the warrant for the annual town-meet- ing of Springfield the following item occurs :

" IGebly. To consider the state of the Town Respecting any Divition of the same into Separate and Distinct towns or Districts and pass any acts or vote rela- tive thereto. Particularly to take the minds and sentiments of the town relative to a Divition thereof into two separate and Distinet towns, having Connectient River for the Boundary line, saving & excepting that any and all Land, lying in the Great & General field, so called, on the west side said Hiver, held and jumsessed by persons Inhabiting the first parish in Springfield, shall not be annexed to the town to be made on the west side sail River, but shall be and remain part and parcel of, and appertain to the Town ou the east side of the River to all intents and purposes, and pass all proper votes, thereon or respecting a Divition of said town into three or more separate towns or Districts with such boundarees as may be determined njion."

"At this meeting voted to adjourn to the 25th day of March, Instant, to ten o'l'k in the forenoon, to the Meeting-Honse in the second Parish of Springfield."

March 25, 1773 .- " Met pursuant to adjournment. Voted to choose a commit- tee to consider the present State of the town, the Disputes and Animosities that subsist between the several jurts, the matters that lie before this meeting to be acted upon, and the unhappy Embarassments that attend the same, and to pro- ject sonne method to remove them, and to report at this time. Col. John Worth- ington, Moses Bliss, Esqr., Den. Daniel Harris, Dea. Nathaniel Fly (2d), Mr. Moses Field, Mr. John Hale, Col. Benj. Day, Dea, Jonathan White, L' John Morgan, L' Benj. Leonard, Mr. Asaph Leonard, Abraham Burbank, Esy., Mr. Joseph Ely, Dea. Edw'd Chapin, Ensign Phineas Chapin were chosen the con- mittee for the purposes aforesaid. Voted that this meeting be adjonrued to tens- day, the 30th March, instant, at the Court-House in Springfich]."

March 30, 1773,-" Met pursuant t, adjournment from 2d inst. Voted that this meeting be adjourned to Wednesday, the 31st day of March, Instant, to ten of the clock in the forenoon, at the Meeting-House in the Second Parish of Springfield."

March 30, 1773 .- " The Inhabitants assembled according to notice and voted and accepted the Report of the Committee, which report was as followeth : The Committee appointed by the Town at the meeting before the Last Adjournment thereof to consider the present state of the Town, the Disputes & Animosities that subsist Between the several parts, the matters that lie before the meeting to be acted npon, and the unhappy Embarassmeuts that attend the same, and to project some method to remove them, and to Report at this time, have attended that service, maturely considered the matter referred to them, and report their opinion as follows, viz. :

" That the said town is in a most unhappy and melancholy State; that, con- sidering the situation and circumstances of the town and the Inclinations and tempers of the Inhabitants, there is no prospect they can Longer manage their public affairs to mutual & General Advantage in one entire corpunate Body, but that it is quite nessessary there should be some Division thereof.

" That no mode or Form of Divition can be devised which the Generality of the Inhabitants in the Several parts of the town would acrede to acquiesce in.

"That it is consequently Absolutely Nessessary for the Peace and Happiness of the whole that the Mode and Terms of their Divition should be Referred and submitted to the Determination of Judicions & Di-interested persons from abroad.

" They therefore fin ther Report their opinion and Advise to the town that (as the only expedient to restore Pence or to prevent the vations increasing Mischiefs of Discord and Contenti on among them and to Remove Embarrassments aforesaid)

904

IIISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

they should now unitedly agree to choose an Indifferent and Judicious Conmit- ter of Disinterested Persons in the neighboring towns to Repair to this town to view the Situation of its Parts, to consider its circumstances, and to Judge at Large thereon what Divition and on what terms and Conditions shall be inule thereof, and to Report the same, to the End that the town may be divided in such manner as may in all respects he best ; that whereas the said town heretofore Voteil the sum of 200 pounds toward Imilding a Bridge over Agawam River, and appointed a Committee to build a Bridge in case, &c., as by their votes ap- pears ; and whereas the said Committee have proceeded in said business, and pro- vured great part of the timber for the same, touching which the said Comunittre are Apprehensive Great and Sharp Disputes and Contention will arise unless pre- vented by some prudent and amicable Composition & Agreement : They beg leave to report the following proposeal of an Agreement thereon which they ap- prove themselves, and recommend to the town for their acceptance, viz. : That of the stock of Money or Securities for Money in the Treasury of said Town brot in or due for Land sold, or otherwise not bro't in by Taxes nor specially ap- propriated by the Donors to the support of the poor, nor otherwise specially ap- propriated, amounting to about $459 168, 7, the Inhabitants on the West Side Connectient River in said Town should have such propin tion of the same as they are assessed in the Last Assessment in said Town, and the Inbalitants on the East Side of Said River in said town shall have the residne thereof when Divition shall take place Between them ; that at present the said Committee for building said Bridge should receive of the same to the Amount of two hundred pounds as part of the proportion aforesaid of the Inhabitants on the West Side of said River, to be Improved in defraying the Charge aml Expense of building and finishing suid Bridge, the said Committee Indemnity ing the Town from any fur- ther expence for the same Bridge in future ; and that on such proposed Divition of the said town, the Inhabitants on the west side said River to receive the Resi- ilne of the proportion aforesaid of such stock in the treasury, the Remainder thereof to be for the Inhabitants on the East side, to be disposed of us they shall agree, or as shall be ordered for them ; the Divition of said Stock bothe at present and hereafter to be male Reasonably, having proper Regard to the Quality of said Debts, and the probability of speedy payment thereof by a Committee to he appointed for that purpose.

" Voted that inasmuch as the two hundred pounds before mentioned for build- ing a Bridge may be wanted sooner than it can be collected out of part of the debts aforesaid due to the town without Distressing the Debtors, that the vote aforesaid, respecting the same, be so far Reconsidered as Respects present Equal Divition of them, and instend thereof the treasurer be directed to raise out of the whole two hundred pounds, and to pay it as soon as he may to the Committee for building said Bridge, under the General Agreement, however, in said vote men- tioned.

" The above Report of the Committee Voted & Accepted."

April 2, 1773 .- " Voted to choose a Committee of three persons to consider the State of the Town Relative to a Divition thereof, Agreeable to a Report of a Com- mittee accepted and agreed upon in this meeting. Voted that the Committee who prepared the Report for a Divition of the Town Le and are Desired to Con- sider un some propper persons in the neighboring towns for that purpose, and Report their names to this meeting at Adjournment. Voted that Williams Williams, Erastus Wolcott, & Joseph Root, Esqs., be a Committee to Repair to this town to view the situation of its parts, to Consider its Circumstances, to Judge at Large thereon what Divition & what terms and Condition shall be midle thereof, and to report the same. fol. John Worthington, Col. Benj. Day, Maj. Jonathan Bliss, chosen a Committee to send to the Gentlemen Chosen by the Town to Repare to this Town as soon as may be to take into Consideration all matters that there may be Laid before them, contained in a Report excepted by the town for that purpose. Meeting Adjourned to May 6th, 1773, to receive the Report of the Committee chosen by the Inhabitants of the town, and to pass all propper votes thereon.

" The Committee reported at this meeting as follows :

" To the Inhabitants of the town of Springfield :

" GENTLEMEN,-Agreeable to yore Desires we have taken into our most deliber- ate consideration the several matters you have thought fit to lay before us re- lating to the Unhappy Contention subsisting among yon, which has brought to n Determination that some Divition of your town is necessary, concerning the muale of which Division you have been pleaseil to Refer yoreselves to us for Ail and advice. Our opinion upou the matters submitted to us you have in the fol- lowing Report :

" The Committee consider it as Great Unhappiness that the most ancient and respectalde town in the County of Hampshire, the wi-e and peaceable conduct of whose public affairs has ever to this day done much Honour to the Inhabitants, and established a just veneration for their leading men, should by means only of the supposed or Real Jurisdiction and mistakes of a few persons be Reduced to the necessity of a Division in order to the Amicable management of your pub- lic affairs for the future, and tho' the manner only in which this Divition shall take place seems to have been refferred to ns, yet we Conceive it proper to declare our Concurrence in sentiment with you that some Divition is become necessary touching the manner in which a General Division (which appears to be the principal object) shall be made, it is the United opinion of the Committee that the town be divided into Two Touns in all respects, and to every pur- pose Distinct, with equal Powers, privileges, & Immunities, by Connecticut River ; that the Land lying on the West side of the said River, notwithstanding, shall be holden to pay taxes of every kind to that part or place in which the owner or person in Actual possession and Improvement of the same shall happen to dwell forever ; that each toown shall hold & enjoy the Estate given for the use of the ministry in the town of Springfield, in manner as the same has by order of the General Court been heretofore assigned and confirmed to the parish or precinct Respectively ; that the Public Monies now in Stock in the Town Treas-

ury and there secured to your Treasurer for the use of the Town (in which it is intended to include all Donations to the tonn) shall Ir received by the said proposed toune Respectively, According to the Report of the town Committee received and accepted at your adjourned Meeting on the Thirty-first Day of March Jast ; and as to any Public Buildings, that rach of the said Proposed tonns shall have and enjoy those which happen to stand within their Respective Limits without rendering to the other any consideration for the same : and that vach of the said proposed towns shall contribute toward the support of the poor now in the toun of Springheld so Long as they shall need support, in the same proportion as they respectfully share the Public Monies above mentioned. The local circumstances of the people living in that part of the toun called Stony Ilill appear to ns such as to make it Reasonable they with their Land should be a District in the manner the toun has voted them off, with this addition, that thr firms in possession of Zachariah Warner, Zachariah Warner, Jun., & Eze- kiel Squire should he annexed to the District in Case the West line of the His- triet, as settled by the Toun, shall not include them. The Committee are of opinion that these people have their proportion of the said Public Monies (ex- cept any that may have been given for the use of the poor), amil that they ought not to be charged with any part of said support of the present poor of the town.

"The General Benefits & Advantages aceruing to the Community from that Constant and Unavoidable Intercourse occasioned by the Public Busines of every town, particularly as it is a mirans of producing greater sociability and more generous Sentiments among the Inhabitants, have appeared on this Occasion, More especially, in so striking a Light to the Committee as to give them the fullest Conviction that nothing but Alsolute Necessity can ever justify the less- ening or Dividing the town. The Committee are also persuaded that nothing Int oppression or Injustice-or the evident want of harmony and peace-in the joint management of the common Concerns of a Town, consisting of Divers parts or Parishes, can create that Nessessity. Convinced, also, from the known integrity of the Lending Members of Each of the proposed towns, that the for- mer is not likely to take place in cither, and that the Uneasiness now sul.sisting in this town must therefore soon Je Removed, and a good understanding among the several parts soon be recovered, and that the small inconveniences of atten- ing the Public meeting's in the first and second Parishes by the Inhabitants of the Others are by no means equal to the advantages which must arise there- upon, or to those Inconveniences and evils which may be justly apprehende.l from a further Divition of the town of Springfield, they find themselves obliged, however Reluctant, on arcount of that uneasiness which may thereby be pera- sioned to some of the people, to give it as their Opinion that no farther Divition of the town is eligible at present. If, however, npon farther trial it shall he found that the Harmony which has heretofore subsisted, It is now in some measure lost, cannot be recovered, it is the advice of the Committee that the third and fifth parishes in the town be divided from the other parts of the proposed towns by their present parochial bounds, and incorporated into Districts,-the Inhah- itants of the Respective towns and Districts to enjoy their lands under their actual improvements in the same manner and to the same purposes, it is above pro- posed the Inhabitants on the east side of the Connectient River should holdl and enjoy their lands in the Great and General field above mentioned.

" We sincerely wish that peace and harmony may again take place among the people of the several parts of this Great Town, and that we may have the pleas- ure to know that our endeavors have in some measure contributed towards effecting an Event so valuable, so important to you.

" We are, Gentlemen, your Obedient, humble Servants, " ERASTUS WOLCOTT, " JOSEPH ROOT, " WM. WILLIAMS, Com

"SPRINGFIELD, Ap'1 14, 1773.

" The Question was put whether the Town would Receive & Accept the fore- going Report of the Committee, it passed in the Negative."

Dec. 7, 1773 -" To see if the Town will choose an Agent or Agents to make Answer to the Petition of the Inhabitants of the first Parish in said Town and the l'etition of Renoni Banister and other inhabitants of the third and fourth Parishes in said town, and the Petition of John Hubbard and others Inhabitants of the place called Stoney Hill in said town praying the Gen'l Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, that the said town may be divided according to their Petition and to their l'anse, if any they have, on the Second Tuesday of the next setting of said Great & General Court why the prayer of the Petitioner should not be granted, Agreeable to the Notification of said Conrt aml the Coppies of said Petition with which the said town is served, and to pass all proper votes Relating thereto hereof you are not to fail.

" The question was put to vote whether the town will make any answer to the General Court to the several Petitions for a Divition of said town; it passed in the affirmative. Voted that Col. Benj. Pay, Lient. Benj. Leonard, Dracon Na- thaniel Ely, be the Agents to make Answer to the General Court Relating to the several petitions now Depending in sail Court praying for a Division of the town of Springfield. Voted to choose a Committee to ilraw up instructions for the Agents to prefer to the Gen'l Court relative to the several petitions praying for a Divition of the town of Springhell, Dr. Chas. Pynchon, Justin Ely, John Hale, Jonathan White, Benj. Ely, Abraham Burbank, chosen a Committee for that purpose & report to this meeting. Voted That the town consent that the third parish in Springfield be set off as a district Town or District, with the limmits as they now Injoy as a parish, they to take their proportionable part of the pour of said town, and their part of the stock of Money or Securities for Moneys in the town treasury excepting four Hundred pound, Voted to be Appropriated or Raised in said town for the building a Bridge across Agawam River and Chee- qucopee River."

Jan. 20, 1774 .- " Voted to accept the Report of the Convention appointed to draw up Instructions for the Agents and that they prefer to the General Court

905

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

the answer of the town to the several petitions for a Divition thereof, which is as followeth :

" We the subscribers being appointed by the town of Springfield a Committee to draw up Instructions for the Agent to prefer to the General Conrt, relating to several petitions for the Divition of the town, beg leave to report as follows, viz. : " To Col. Benj. Day, Lt. Benj. Leonard, & Dea. Nathaniel Ely :

" GENTLEMEN,-Your being chosen by the Town as Agents to make answer to the General Court to several petitions now depending there, praying for a Divi- tion of said Town, We do desire yon to use your Influence with the Represen- tative of said town to prevent by all proper ways & means in their power any General Division thereof, and that you make use of counsel to assist you therein as you shall think necessary, and that you can offer such reasons against any General Division thereof as you shall think propper & reasonable, also that you prefer the following to the Great & General Court as an answer to the petition now depending therein praying for a Divition of said town of Springfield, Jan. 20, 1774.

" JOHN HALE, " JONATHAN WHITE, " BENJ. ELY, " JUSTIN ELY.

" PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY :

" To his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esqr., Captain-General & Governor- in-Chief in and over his Majesties Province of Massachusetts Bay : the Honor- able his Majestys Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston, on the 20th day of Jan., 1774.

" May it please your Excellency & Honours, the town of Springfiell have lwen notified and cited to shew cause, if any they have, why the Petitions of the first Parish, and also the petition of part of the 3d and 4th parisbes, and also the Petition of a place called Stoney Hill, in said Springfield, now Depending in the General Court praying for a Division of said town should not be granted. The town suppose no General Division thereof at Present either necessary or Eligible, bnt that if any particular part thereof are Dissatisfied with their connections with the main body, it is but reasonable they should petition to be made a Dis- tinet Corporation, but as the Petitioners have alledged a number of Facts in their Petition which we think have a tendency to give your Excellency & Honours a misunderstanding of the state of this town, we must beg leave to make some few Remarks thereon.

" The Difficulties that have arisen in the town have been too notorious to be wholly concealed, and we hartily wish we could say that any Particular Parish had not been the Occasion thereof. A Particular Detail of farts might be made. but we choose a veil of oblivion should be forever drawn over them excepting so far as may be nessessary to set the conduct of the rest of the town io a faire light.

" A number of circumstances coneured last March to luing the town generally to gather at their Annual Town Meeting for the choice of Town Officers, &e., in which the Town chose to make some alteration in their officers, which was so disagreeable to several Person> in the first Parish that they emleavored, in an unprecedented manner, to obstruct and hinder the business of the meeting by a sufficient number appearing to object to almost every vote, when it was indis- potable to every Body present, and this not only in matters important, but also in the choice of the most inconsiderable offires, whereby the List of the Voters was obliged to be called, which nessessarily took up some Hours; and this was followed about three days and a half with the express and avowed design to get the town to send to the general Court for a Committee to Divide the same,-a measure theu and ever seems very disagreeable to much the greatest part of said Town,-and this was continued until within a few hours of the extent of Time allowed by Law to make choice of Town Officers, whereby many considered themselves under a nessessity of complying to have a Committee. The Peli- tioners are very much mistaken in their representation of a Report made by a committee of the town, that an Application to the General Court for a committee to divide the same was the only expedient to restore Peace and prevent Discurd and Confusion; for we are informed by a member of said committee that no such Report was paule or agreed to by the major part of them, and we are cer- tain there is no such Article in their Report as entered on the Town Records, but their Report was to choose a committee in the neighboring towns, &c. The town had always avoided applying to the General Court, because they would be Left at Liberty about accepting a report of any committee abont a Division of the town, as they should think eligible or not; and the charge of Insincerity is utterly groundless and withont foundation, and only mentioned, as we conceive, with the Design of Representing the town in an unfavorable light to your Ex- cellency & Honours. The Petitioners alledge a vote of the town that a Divition thereof was nessessary, and that it should be remembered that there had been an application before that time by Stoney Hill (so called) and Long Meadow to be made separate towns or Districts, and they had obtained the towns consent thereto. These people might vote in that manner from their own particular cirenmustances; others from the necessity they was then under, as before ie- ferrell to, &c .; but when the Report was made, the town could not consent to it, and the following, with others not mentioned, might be their reasons for regeet- ing it, viz .:

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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. II, Part 115

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896