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 119
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Peter Folger, the grandfather of Benjamin Franklin, was invited to Nantucket Island, in 1663, to act as miller, weaver, and interpreter with the Indians, and there the mother of Franklin was born.
llis mother died Feb. 4, 1875. Captain Phelon first went to sea with his father, the late Captain Henry Phelon, in 1848, but the father's last expedition was only the beginning of ocean life with the son. Upon his return from Peru, he was still at- tracted to lead a seafaring life. The calm of his rural home was more galling than the stormy sea, and accordingly, in 1850, he embarked as a sailor on a voyage for Europe, and for nearly ten years Captain Phelon was on whaling voyages, in the merchant service, and roasting, visiting almost every por- tion of the world, and sailing twice around the globe. He rose from a subordinate station to the highest in command.
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When the war of the Rebellion broke out, Captain Phelon made haste to offer his services to his country, and in February, 1862, he was commissioned as acting master in the United States navy, and served as executive officer of the U. S. S. " Victoria" and " Commodore Perry," and was subsequently placed in command of the gunboat " Shawsheen, " which was destroyed in the advance up the James River. She received a shot in her boiler, which exploded, and Captain Phelon and many of his officers were supposed to be killed. The press thus eulogized him: " lle was regarded as one of the best officers of the navy; a braver man never trod the quarter- deck, and his unusual social qualities made him the favorite of all who knew him." Subsequently, he was executive officer of the iron-clad " Atlanta," and in July, 1864, took command of the U. S. S. " Monticello," under S. P. Lee, acting rear-admiral, commanding N. A. B. Squadron. It was during his command of this war vessel that Captain Phelon, while cruising off " New Inlet," N. C., in the night, discov- ered the rebel gunboat " Tallahassee" standing for the shore under a full head of steam. After a challenge and no reply, Captain Phelon opened upon the mysterious vessel with shell and grape, and after a short but sharp contest the rebel gun- boat disappeared, but was seen the next morning lying serenely under the guns of Fort Fisher, having esenped notwith- standing the vigorous lookout of the blockading fleet. Upon this occasion, Captain Phelon was noticed as follows: " To Captain Phelon all honor is due ; to him belongs the credit of first engaging the rival of the destroyed ' Alabama.'" Soon after he took command of the U. S. S. " Daylight," which he continued to command until the close of the war.
Ile was complimented a number of times by the command- ing officers of the squadron. Commodore Davenport, in writing to Admiral Lee, says: "I desire to call your at- tention to the zealous and very efficient manner in which he has performed his duties while here. He has made a number of very important captures of rebels, and his good conduct generally recommends him to your most favorable consider- ation."
At the close of the war Captain Phelon returned to West Springfield, and was married, June 13, 1865. to Miss Josephine, daughter of C. C. Brand, of Norwich, Conn. (who was the inventor of the whaling " bomb-lance"). He was a merchant and postmaster at West Springfield from 1867 to 1876, and in the year 1877 he was appointed to a position in the eustom- house at Boston, which he now holds.
He has only one brother living, Charles I. Phelon, who has also seen much of the world, his business for the past fifteen years having called him to every city and town of im- portance on this continent. The two brothers still own and have their home under the old paternal roof.
HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
913
" Private Ilenry Hubbard, 34th Mass. Regt., died in hospital near Alexandria, Va., March 5, 1863; buried in Springfield Cemetery.
"Private I'hilip Leahey, 34th Mass. Regt, killed at the battle of Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864; buried on the battle-field.
" Corp. Fred. Moran, 34th Mass. Regt., killed at the battle of Winchester, Va., Sept. 19. 1864; buried on the battle-field.
" Private Joseph Ungerer, IOth Mass. Regt., died of wounds received in battle, Dec. 10, 1863 ; buried in the Meeting-House Hill Cemetery. (His father, Jacob Ungerer, was one of the Prussian soldiers in Napoleon's battles, and now lives on the Agawam road.)
"Private James Hill (colored), eolisted in Mass, Heavy Artillery, and died while in the service. It is not koowo where he was Imried.
" Private James Hayward, IOth Mass. Regt., killed by a railroad accident. Was brought home and buried in the Hill Cemetery.
"Capt. Henry L. Burpee, died in the service Feb. 9, 1864; buried in Park Street Cemetery.
" t'apt. Theo. Smith, enlisted in 93d N. Y. Regt., was wounded in battle, died at home, and was buried in Park Street C'emietery.
" Private John Hayward, enlisted in the 13th Conn. Regt., died on a war-ves- sel, and was buried at sea. A monument has been erected in the Hill Cemetery. " V'orp. Robert Best, Jr., 10th Mass. Regt., was taken prisoner at Florence, S. C., thence to Andersonville prison, where he sickened and died, and was buried there. " Private Cassander Frisbie, IOth Mass. Regt., died at Annapolis, Mid., July 10, 1862, and was buried there.
" Private Jere. Sullivan, 10th Mass. Regt., died in the camp-hospital at Wash- ington, D. C., Sept. 24, 1861, and was buried there.
" Private Henry F. Bellows, 34th Mass. Regt., died in hospital at Annapolis, Mdl., March 8, 1865, and was buried there.
" Private Albert HI. Gaylord, 34th Mass. Regt., died in hospital March 8, 1865, and was buried there.
" Private Florence Burke, 37th Mass. Regt., killed instantly at the battle of Petersburg, Va., June IS, 1864, and was probably buried on the battle-field.
" Private James Gendron, 37th Mass, Regt., killed at Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864; buried on the battle-field.
"Sergt. Charles F. Koox. 57th Mass. Regt., died from wounds received in the battle of the Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864. It is not known where he was buried.
" Private Clarence Morgan, dird from sickness in a hospital in North Carolina, and was probably buried there.
"John Sullivan, 10th Mass. Regt. (officer's servant), died at Alexander, Va., and was buried there.
Besides the volunteers, the town was very prompt in filling the several drafts for men who went to the front when the nation was in peril. The whole number of men furnished for the war was 228,-a surplus of 24 over and above all de- mands. Six of these were commissioned officers. The amount of money expended, exclusive of State aid, was $35,486.76. The aggregate amount of money furnished by the town, and voluntary contributions by citizens, was more than $50,000.
The following is a list of men who enlisted from West Springfield during the Rebellion :
Algernon S. Smith, 10th Mass. Regt. William E. Smith, 10th Mass. Regt.
William II. Smith, IOth Mass. Regt. William S. Smith, 10th Mass, liegt. Jeremialı Sullivan, 10th Mass. Regt. Michael D. Sullivan, 10th Ma-s. Regt. Joseph Ungerer, 10th Mass. Regt. Virgil L. Vaille, 10th Mass. Regt. Ansel H. Ward, 10th Mass. Regt. Charles Burnett, 10th Mass. Regt. Joho Toole, Ilth Mass. Regt. Edward Moore, 19th Mass. Regt. Henry Largardere, 19th Mass. Regt. William O. Dresser, 20th Mass. Regt. Augustus G. Demond, 25th Mass. Regt. Orrin Burlingame, 27th Mass. Regt. Winnick Elkins, 27th Mass. Regt. William H. Fuller, 27th Mass. Regt. Horatio Lynde, 27th Mass. Kegt. Deunis Shebian, 27th Mass. Regt. Samuel L. Sherman, 27th Mass. Regt. John Tucker, 27th Mass. Regt. Charles Walter, 27th Mass. Regt. William Walt, 27th Mass. Kegt. William Phillips, 28th Mass. Regt. Charles II. Conner, 29th Mass. Regt. Horace L. Maloy, 31st Mass. Regt. Thomas Manning, 31st Mass. Regt. Michael Legan, 32d Mass. Regt. John McMahon, 34th Mass. Regt. John HI. Tannatt, 34th Mass. Regt. Solomon Benway, 34th Mass. Regt. Aaron Clapp, 34th Mass, Regt. Nelson R. Hersington, 34th Mass. Regt. Joel Miller, Jr., 34th Mass. Regt. Frederick Morris, 34th Mass. Regt. William HI. Richards, 34th Mass. Regt. George L. Warriner, 34th Mass. Regt. Horace F. Ball, 34th Mass. Regt. Horace E. Bellows, 34th Mass. Regt. Charles A. Ingell, 26th Mass. Regt. George J. Norton, 26th Mass. Regt. Philip O. l'ierce, 26th Mass. Regt. John E. Shaw. Jr., 20th Mass. Regt. Emanuel Smitlı, 26th Mass. Regt. Frederick S. Strattoo, 9th Artillery. Thomas J. Creighton, 2d Regt. Clareoce P. Morgan, 2d Regt. Roswell W. Morgan, 2d Regt. Reuben A. Conner, 2d Regt. James P. Hills, 2d Regt. Edward O'Brien, 2dl Regt. John Raun, 2d Regt. Lonis Ritter, 30 Regt. Mortimer P. Stewart, 3d Regt. Patrick Conlen, 3d Regt. Edmund Branderee, 34th Regt. George Caswell, 34th Regt.
Parvin Clapp, 34th Regt. Benjamin Day, 34th Regt. Joseph Il. Effner, 34th Regt.
Albert 11. Gaylord, 34th Regt.
Gilbert 11. Gaylord, 34th Regt.
Henry Hubbard, 34th Regt. Marion Johnson, 34th Regt. William A. Jones, 34th Regt. Philip Leahey, 34th Regt.
Lewis Morgan, 34th Regt.
John Rochford, 34th Regt. Samuel D. Smith, 34th Regt,
Joseph D. Ufford, 34th Regt. Florence Burke, 37th Regt. Jacob Ungerer, 37th Regt.
James Gendron, 37th Regt. Patrick Gilmore, 57th Regt.
Alexander Demareets, 57th Regt.
James B. Ryan, 57th Regt.
William Shaftor, 57th Regt.
Sewall D. Richardson, Sharpshooters; also 22d Regt. William Carlton, Vet. Res. Corps.
John P. Decker, Vet. Res. Corps.
John Drew, Vet. Res. Corps.
John Fuller, Vet. Res. Corps.
James Foglis, Vet. Res. Corps.
John H. Johnson, Vet. Res. Corps. Joseph J. Lucas, Vet. Kes. Corps.
Jolin E. Moses, Vet. Res. Corps. Elbridge G. Seavy, Vet. Res. Corps.
John M. Sheppart, Vet. Res. Corps.
Henry Snyder, Vet. Res. Corps.
William A. Ashley, 10th Regt. John Jones, 10th Regt.
Patrick Moran, 10th Regt.
William O. Dresser, 10th Regt.
James Knox, 10th Regt.
Philip Hyde, 10th Regt. Robert Best, Jr., 10th Regt.
William S. Jones, 10th Regt.
Alexander C. South, 10th Regt. Charles E. Allen, loth Regt. William H. Atkins, 10th Regt.
Charles H. Bagg, 10th Regt. Smith A. Bugbee, 10th Regt. Enoch Clark, Ioth Regt. Michael B. Corkery, 10th Regt.
Luther F. Cromwell, 10th Regt. John A. Decker, IOth Regt. Richard Desmond, 10th Regt. George W. Dory, 10th Regt. Cassander Frisbie, 10th Regt. Michael Healy, 10th Regt. Jerome Ilayward, 10th Regt. James II. llyde, 10th Regt. James M. Justin, 10th Regt. Henry Knights, 10th Regt.
George Loomis, 10th Regi. Peter Shay, 10th Regt. Samuel J. Fisher, 29th Mass. Regt. Renjanin D. Boggs, 29th Mass, Regt.
George H1. Gilsen, 29th Mass, Regt.
Reuben Hyde, Ist Mass. Regt. Frederick M. Raymond, Ist Mass. Regt.
Webster B. Woodward, Ist Mass. Regt. Charles B. Anderson, Ist Mass. Regt. William Fielding, 21 Mass. Regt. George C. Foster, 4th Mass. Regt. Daniel Lawler, 4th Mass, Regt.
Charles II. Gray, 4th Mass, Regt.
William HI. Grandaw, 4th Mass. Regt.
John Lee, 4th Mass. Regt. George Miller, 4th Mass. Regt. Christopher IIerner, 2d Mass. Regt. Patrick Grey, 2d Mass. Regt.
Joseph HI. Bennett, 10th Mass. Regt. Charles II. Stocker, Vet. Res. Corps.
Jared S. Stone, Vet. Res. Corps. Jeremiah Sullivan, Vet. Res. C'orps.
Anton Fisher, Regulars.
Wiley O. Perry, Regulars.
James B. Hills, 2d Mass. Art. Henry Hubbard, 34th Regt.
John Rochford, 34th Regt.
Asa C. Woodward, 27th Regt.
Patrick Barry, 18th Regt. Peter St. Peter, 31st Regt. Francis Danny, 31st Mass. Regt. John Meade, 27th Mass. Regt.
Robert Mahony, 3Ist Mass. Regt.
Daniel Merrick, 18th Mass, Regt.
Dwight A. Barrett, 46th Mass. Regt.
Edward E. Brooks, 46th Mass. Regt. Daniel Bouge, 46th Mass Regt. Hiram Burlingame, 46th Mass. Regt.
Asa Clark, Jr., 46th Mass. Regt. Thomas Dunn, 46th Mass. Regt. Charles W. Ely, 46th Mass. Regt. William H. Grunt, 46th Mass. Regt. Dwight Goodam, 46th Mass. Regt. Alexander Holmes, 46th Mass, Regt.
Charles Knett, 46th Mass. Regt. Joseph E. Loyd, 46th Mass. Regt. Charles F. Knox, 46th Mass, Regt. Silas Merrifield, 46th Mass. Regt. Samuel Montgomery, 46th Mass. Regt.
George B. Plumher, 46th Mass. Regt. Theodore Felt, 46th Mass. Regt. Charles HI. Tubbs, 27th Mass. Regt. William Barry, 34th Mass. Regt. James Fry, 34th Mass, Regt.
Daniel W. Smith, 46th Mass. Regt. Gideon D. Tower, 46th Mass. Regt. John W. Cahill, 46th Mass. Regt. Joseph C. Chapin, 46th Mass. Regt.
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914
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
NORMAN DAY
is the son of Daniel Day, Jr., and the great-grandson of Col. Benjamin Day, of West Springfield, who was a lineal de- scendant of Robert Day, the first of the name who came to this country, in the year 1634. The family is one of the oldest in the Connecticut Valley, the descendants of which are still among the prominent citizens of West Springfield.
Photo. by Moore Bros., Springfield.
Normun Day
Ilis father, Daniel Day, Jr., married Elizabeth Cooley, Dec. 30, 1802. Their children were Norman, Erastus, Elizabeth (Mrs. Frederick Palmer), Annie Van Horne, Harriet, and Daniel.
Many of the members of this family have occupied high and responsible places within the gift of the people, and have been chosen as legislators in the State and nation, although the majority have been tillers of the soil. Mr. Norman Day has been a farmer since arrival at manhood, having been born Oet. 11, 1803. In early life he was connected with the old State militia, was in the artillery for eight years, and served in the infantry ranks until cleared by age. In the year 1828 he married Aurelia Ely, a native of the same town. To them were born three children, all of whom died young. Mr. Day has led a business life, caring little for the fluctuating standard of polities. He cast his first vote for President of the United States for John Quincy Adams, and was originally a member of the Whig, but now is of the Republican, party. Ifis grandfather, Daniel Day, was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Day has been connected as a member with the Park Street Chureb for upward of forty years. His wife beeame a member at the same time. She died November, 1874.
HEMAN DAY.
The family of Day in the Connecticut Valley originally came from Wales. On a monument in the rear of the Centre Congregational Church in Hartford, erected in memory of the early settlers of that town, is recorded, among others, the name of Robert Day, the ancestor of the Days who have lived in the New England States. Of his history previous to leaving
England nothing is known. Mention is first made of him in the colony records as admitted to the freedom of Newtown, now Cambridge, Mass., May 6, 1635. It is probable that he emigrated from England to this country some time in the year 1634. In June, 1636, he crossed the wilderness with Rev. Mr. llooker and a hundred others to Hartford, and remained there till his death, in 1648. Ilis children were Thomas, John, Sarah (Mrs. Nathaniel Gunn, of Hartford), and Mary ( Mrs. Samuel Ely, of Springfield). The subject of this narrative is a de- scendant of Col. Benjamin Day, of West Springfield, who was
LI'TCE
Photo. by Moffitt, Springfield.
HEMAN DAY.
a member of the fifth generation from the emigrant, whose son Thomas, above mentioned, settled in Springfield, married Sarah Cooper, daughter of Lieut. Cooper (killed when the town was burned by the Indians), Oct. 27, 1659, and died Dec. 27, 1711.
Heman Day was born Jan. 27, 1755, in West Springfield, and married Lois, daughter of Col. Benjamin Ely, of the same place. Their children were Henry, Laura, Rodney, Robert, Sarah, Benjamin, Heman and Lydia (twins), Har- riet, and Frances, the youngest now living, and to whom we are indebted for the material for this sketch.
Mr. Day was a farmer by occupation, although very much of his life was spent as a public servant for his townsmen, oc- cupying for many years the office of justice of the peace, select- man, and was many times selected as guardian, adminis- trator, etc. He possessed sterling qualities, striet integrity, sound judgment, and sociable and agreeable manners. Hte was a leading man among the citizens of West Springfield, and took an active part in the great political questions of his day, being a member of the old Whig party. He died in 1837, at the age of eighty-two. His wife died July 29, 1819.
COL. EDWARD PARSONS
was born in West Springfield, Hampden Co., Mass., Sept. 17; 1804, and died Ang. 12, 1878, having spent his life of seventy- four years on the same homestead which has been in the family nearly one hundred and fifty years. He married, Nov. 17, 1825, Sophronia, daughter of John Bagg, Esq., of West Springfield ; she died July 8, 1875. They were not blessed with children.
Benjamin Parsons came from England and settled in
Edward Passeras
tamin Bagy
915
HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
Springfield about 1636. He was prominent in the town and church affairs, and one of the leading men of his times.
Ebenezer Parsons, son of Benjamin, was a very prominent man in West Springfield, and deacon of the church for fifty- two years, as appears on his tombstone, still well preserved in the old burying-ground. The genealogy runs as follows :
1. Deacon Benjamin Parsons, died in 1689.
2. Deacon Ebenezer, son of Deacon Benjamin, died in 1752, aged eighty-four.
3. Deacon Benjamin, son of Deacon Ebenezer.
4. Jonathan, son of Deacon Benjamin, died in 1810, aged seventy-five.
5. Jonathan, son of Jonathan, died in 1827, aged fifty- seven.
6. Edward, son of Jonathan, died in 1878, aged seventy- four.
The Parsons estate, opposite the town-hall, was owned and occupied by the first Ebenezer, and has been in the family from that time.
Edward Parsons was known for many years as " Colonel," having received that title in the militia service. He was prom- inent in the affairs of the town and parish, having filled at various times nearly all the offices in each. As a member of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives, he honored his town and county. He was appointed by the Governor a justice of the peace, which office, by successive appointments, he held for thirty years, until the time of his death. He was a consistent and faithful Christian man, man- ifesting great interest in and devoting much time to the wel- fare of the Congregational Church.
As a farmer, he was interested in all the improvements con- nected with his calling, and was among the first to adopt them, always contributing of whatever he possessed that would add interest to exhibitions and fairs of the town and county. The town is indebted to Col. Parsons for laying out and beautify- ing the park, which up to 1866 was an open highway. He was one of the leading spirits in building the Park Street Church and the new and beautiful town-hall. As a good citizen, a considerate neighbor, a faithful representative, and an honest man, he had few, if any, superiors.
COL. AARON BAGG
was born in West Springfield, Mass., Feb. 6, 1810. The Bagg family is of English origin. The first to settle in this country is believed to have been John Bagg, who came from Plymouth, Eng., and died in Springfield, Sept. 5, 1683. The great-grandfather of Col. Bagg, also named John, his grandfather, Aaron, and his father, John, all passed their lives upon the same farm, which he still owns and occupies.
His grandfather held important town offices, and was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Ile was disabled by sickness at White Plains, N. Y., and soon after returned home. Hle was a farmer by occupation, and died at the age of eighty-two years.
llis father, John, was employed during the war of 1812-15 in transporting guns from the United States Arsenal, in Springfield, to Burlington, Vt. He married Sophronia Wood- ruff, of Connecticut, by whom he had nine children, seven of whom lived to mature years.
Col. Bagg was the fourth child, and is the only surviving member of the family.
At the time of his father's death he was but ten years of age, and the mother and children were cared for by the grandfather until his death.
Col. Bagg received a common-school education, supple- mented by a brief course at the Monson Academy. At the age of sixteen he engaged in teaching, but, after serving three terms, changed his occupation to the pursuit of agriculture, and took charge of his grandfather's farm, where he has lived most of the time since, devoting himself mainly to agricul- tural matters. He was a member of the State militia, in whose ranks he rose to the rank of colonel, by which title he is still familiarly known.
He has filled the highest civil offices in the gift of his towns- men, and in 1843 represented West Springfield in the Gen- eral Court. In 1858-59 he was a member of the State Senate, and in 1873 was again elected a member of the General Court
Col. Bagg has been largely interested in many of the most important enterprises of Springfield, llolyoke, and other places. He was one of the originators of the Parsons Paper Company, of Holyoke, and has been director and president of the same since its organization. He is a director of the Val- ley Paper Company ; of the Agawam Paper Company, of Mitteneague ; and also of the Agawam Canal Company, cot- ton manufacturers. He is president and director of the Spring- field Collar Company ; director of the Springfield Weaving Company ; president and director of the Hampden Watch Company ; director of the Third National Bank; and vice- president of the Five-Cent Savings-Bank, both in Springfield.
Col. Bagg was a member of the Democratic party until the breaking out of the Rebellion, since which time he has been an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party. He has been twice married. His first wife was Hannah Mather, of Marlboro', Vt., by whom he had one daughter,- Mrs. Ethan Brooks, of West Springfield. His second wife was Lucy Mather, of Marlboro', Vt., by whom he has had children,-Aaron, Jr., one of the present town officers of West Springfield ; Rufus Mather ; Lucy Maria ; John Sulli- van, past assistant surgeon United States Navy ; and Edward Parsons, paymaster of the Parsons Paper Company, Holyoke.
HOLYOKE.
LOOKING back thirty years we find no traces of a city where now exists the flourishing city of Holyoke, with its various manufactories, the produets of which find a sale in almost every important mart of the civilized world. Then this place was occupied by less than a seore of families, quietly engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was known as Ireland, or Third Parish of West Springfield. It derived its name from an Irish family named Riley, who came prior to 1745, and located in the south part of the present town, near " Riley Brook."
One of the earliest settlers was Benjamin Ball, great-grand- father of Col. E. H. Ball, who located in 1745 on the farm
now ocenpied by Col. Ball. The locality was sparsely popu- lated at that time, as shown by the following extract from a letter written by Benjamin Ball : " There were but six fami- lies in this parish, and they ' forted' together nights for fear of the Indians."
Ireland Parish was not rapidly settled, and, says Col. Ball, "in 1825 the following were the leading citizens of this thinly settled district,-Elisha Ashley, Adam Ives, Noah Wolcott, Austin Goodyear, Caleb Hummerston, Miles Dickerman, Ile- man and Michael Fuller." The two latter were colored men, and carried on quite an extensive trade in purchasing produce
916
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
and bringing merchandise from Springfield. Among other leading citizens of this period were Ichabod lłowe, Jno. Lud- dington, the Danks, the Elys, the Days, and the Morgans.
The first merchant who offered his wares for sale in this parish was Chester Day, and his stoek in trade usually con- sisted of a hogshead of rum, a tierce of salt, and a lot of to- baeco. This pioneer store was located near the present Hamp- den Mills. The first grist- and saw-mill was located near the finishing-mill of the Parsons Paper Company. There was one other mill here in 1825, a "fulling-" or " clothing-mill," operated by Warren Chapin. At this time the site of the present city was called " the fields," and was occupied by twelve one-story dwelling-houses.
Ireland Parish was an uninviting region, and " the fields" were certainly not an attractive place. In about the year 1815 a gang of counterfeiters from Chicopee had their rendezvous in the locality now known as " Money-Hole Hill." They were subsequently captured, and one received the somewhat novel punishment of ear-cropping.
The first move that was made to utilize the waters of the Connecticut, which sweep in a graceful curve over the rapids at this point, was in 1831, when the Hadley Falls Company was formed, and erected what is now known as the " Hampden Mill, dr." It was supplied with power by means of a wing- dam which extended from the bank obliquely up the river, guiding the water into a canal above the mill. This was a cotton-mill of 4000 spindles. Alfred Smith, of Hartford, was president; David and Alvin Smith and Warren Chapin comprised the board of directors. This establishment and a small grist-mill were the only manufacturing interests here as late as 1847.
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