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 123
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THE HOLYOKE SAVINGS-BANK
was incorporated in February, 1855, with the following incor- porators : Jones S. Davis, Jonas Kendall, C. W Blanchard, Albert Graves, Cyrus Frink, Thos. H. Kelt, Chas. W. Ran- lett, II. Hutchins, James K. Mills, R. G. March, Warren Chapin, Gustavus Snow, A. O. Colby, and J. C. Parsons. The first meeting was held March 29, 1855, when the follow- ing officers were chosen: Cyrus Frink, President ; Otis Holmes, C. W. Blanchard, and Jones S. Davis, Vice-Presi- dents. : James K. Mills, Secretary. The first treasurer was Gustavus Snow, appointed in April, 1856, who officiated until 1866, when he resigned, and the present treasurer, R. B. Johnson, was elected. The presidents have been as fol- lows: Cyrus Frink, 1855-59; D. D. Crombie, 1859-60; Joel Russell, 1860, present incumbent. James K. Mills and S. A. Boothby each held the office of secretary one year; W. B. C. Pearsons was elected in 1857, and has officiated since, ex- cept one and a half years, when its duties were performed by Geo. W. Prentiss. The first deposit in the bank was made by Henry F. Quint, May 1, 1855.
THE MECHANICS' SAVINGS-BANK
was incorporated in Mareh, 1872, and the following were the incorporators : Roswell P. Crafts, Timothy Merrick, James H. Newton, Henry A. Chase, Augustus Stursbury, John De- laney, and Stephen Holman. The first deposit of $30 was made May 20, 1872. The present deposits amount to $282,000. The following were the first officers, and there has been no change, except that in the board of trustees the place of Q. W. Lovering has been supplied by N . P. Lampson : President, James H. Newton, Holyoke; Vice-Presidents, Timothy Mer- riek, John Delaney, R. P. Crafts, Holyoke; Trustees, J. C. Parsons, S. F. Stebbins, H. A. Chase, J. S. Webber, E. C. Taft, J. W. Davis, Holyoke ; I. Smith, Jr., B. C. Brainard,
928
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
South Hadley Falls; dames Doyle, Q. W. Levering, John O Donnell, D. P. Crocker, Holyoke; Treasurer, (. It. Pres- cott; Secretary, E. W. Chapin.
HANKEEN. d. C. Macintosh & t'a, established in 1876.
THE CITY LIBRARY.
This institution was organized May 16, 1870, mainly through the efforts of W. S. Loomis, Esq., and Henry A. Chase. These gentlemen early saw the need of a public library in the rapidly -growing city of Holyoke, and through their efforts the people of Holyoke to-day have a well-selected library, one that not only reflects much credit upon those by whose co-operation it has been sustained and fostered, but is superior to many in our land of much longer and oller growth.
The act establishing the library passed the House April 20, 1870, the Senate the 21st, and was signed by the Governor on the following day. The incorporators were William Whiting, John E. Chuso, and Edwin Chase. The first officers were as follows: William Whiting, President; Edwin Chase, John E. Chase, and George C. Ewing, Vice-Presidents; W. B. C. Pearsons, J. S. Webber, William Grover, J. S. MeElwain, and W. S. Loomis, Directors. The first report of the library shows that the whole amount of original subscriptions for funding the library was $1989. The town of Holyoke voted $1600, to which was subsequently added by the town $1000. The Parsons Paper Company also donated $300. The report of May 18, 1868, shows that the income from all sources during the year was $1092.85; $500 was voted by the city, and $02.85 paid by subscribers. Number of volumes in the library, 678.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The first meeting for the organization of the old " Fire District" was held " at the school-house on Chestnut Street, on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 1850," and the warrant was signed by Smith, Day, and Chapin, selectmen. Enoch Blood, constable, was ordered to " post" in three public places in the " New City." R. G. Marsh was chosen clerk of the meeting, and it was voted "to establish a fire department for and within the limits of School District No. 1." C. B. Rising, W. H. Car- ter, and Dr. A. S. Peek were designated to draft the by-laws. The second meeting was held at the office of Miller & Newell, when the first officers were chosen, as follows : Jonas Kendall, Chief; R. G. Marsh, S. K Hutchinson, A. S. Bock, and E. Allen, Assistants ; A. M. Davis, Clerk. Kendall and AAllon declined, and Marsh was chosen chief, and Kendall and Gal- landett assistants, The old tiro district organization remained until the city was chartered, when it was dissolved, its prop- erty turned over to the city, and the ordinance for establishing the present department passed the common council ,une 22, 1871, and the board of aldermen the 29th of the same month.
The chief engineers of the old " Fire District" were as fol- lows: 1851, R. G. Marsh ; 1852 58, Daniel Bowdoin ; 1851. Thomas H Kolt; 1855-58, W. B. C. Pearsons; 1850-60, Jones S. Davis; 1861 62, W. B C. Pearsons ; 1868-64, W. Il Dickinson; 1805 67, 1 P. Bosworth; INGS 69, R. P. Crafts ; 1870, O. S. Tuttle; 1871, R. P. Crafts ; 1872 73, 1 l'attee.
The first officers of the present department were as follows: Benjamin F. Mullin, Chief Engineer; J. W. Davis, J. D. Hard, M. D Sullivan, and E. P. Ford, Assistants.
Reliance Engine Company. S. W. Mckown, Foreman ; (. 11. Knapp, Engineer.
Relier Engine Company, J. W. Roby, Foreman ; George E. Hong, Engineer.
Meant Tim Hose Company, No. 1 .- J. W Daran, Fore- 103211.
Mount Il look Hoe Company, No. 2 .- J. Bannister, Fore- 1412117
En rell Hose Company, No. 8 .- M. F. Fitzgerald, Foreman.
Rescue Hook-and-Iatdder, No. 1 .- 1 .. M. Tuttle, Foreman. Dexter Huse Company, No. 4 .- J. M. Fox, Foreman.
The following have officinted as chief engineers from the organization of the city to 1879: B. F. Mullin, 1874-75; John D. Hardy, 1876-78; B. F. Mullin, 1879.
The department is now in a good condition, and consists of two stenm fire-engines, one hook-and-ladder company, four hose companies, and an extinguisher company.
THE WATER-WORKS.
The city is supplied with water by gravitation from two contiguous ponds, called Ashley's and Wright's, located with- in the city limits, about three and one-half miles from the city-linll. The works were begun in 1872, and in August of the following year were completed. The reservoirs will supply two million gallons per day for one hundred and forty- three days without any inflow, and the water-shed of the ponds embraces 1726 neres. The works are constructed in the best possible manner, and the entire system cost less than $250,000, the limit prescribed by the Legislature. The works are self-supporting, and there is every indication that the entire expense of construction will be paid out of the current income.
BURIAL.PLACES.
FORESTDALE CEMETERY.
" This place, set freo from common use, is hallowed grouut; Of Love, of Memory, the chosen shrine."
The need of a cemetery more convenient of access and ade- quate to the wants of an increasing population had long been folt by the citizens of Holyoke, and, in the autumn of 1860, the necessary legal steps were taken to form a cemetery asso- ciation and purchase suitable grounds. At a town-meeting holden in October, the sum of $1500 was appropriated to aid in the purchase of such grounds upon certain conditions, which have been fulfilled. An association was duly formed, Nov. 1, 1860, under the name and style of the Forestdale Cemetery Association, and 24} neres of land purchased of lon. R. A. Chapman and W. T. Davis (surviving trustees) at $100 per acre. In order to obtain a regular boundary, 4} acres of this land were exchanged for an equivalent amount belonging to the Holyoke Water-Power Company. The Lyman Mills, Hampden Mills, Holyoke Water-Power Com- pany, and Holyoke Machine-Shop aided the project by lib- eral purchases of lots.
The work of reclaiming the grounds was attended with much ditlieulty, and was carried on energetically during the whole of the following year, under the direction of Mr. J. S. Davis, the president of the association. The cemetery was finally laid out by the joint labors of the president and Mr. Wm. Grover, of Holyoke.
The flest board of officers were as follows : Jones S. Davis, President ; Porter Underwood, Secretary and Treasurer. Board of Trustees : JJones S. Davis, Porter Underwood, J. M. Whitin, Henry Wheeler, Edwin Il. Ball, S. Stewart Chase, S. a. Weston, Austin Ely, Asa O. Colby, S. 11. Walker. Auditors : R. B. Johnson, Chester Crafts.
The cemetery was dedicated June 22, 1862, and the services were of an impressive and interesting character. The dediea- tory address was delivered by Prof. 1. G. Voss, of Amherst College, and the address on behalf of the trustees by George C. Ewing. Esq. An interesting part of the services was the reading of a poem by Rev. Roswell Foster.
The people of Holyoke manifested a general interest in the cemetery from its inception, and are entitled to great eredit in beautifying this snered spot. It is delightfully located on a gentle eminence in the suburbs of the city, and is one of the tinest rural burial-places in New England.
The present officers of the association are as follows: Wil- liam Grover, President ; R. B. Johnson, Secretary and Treas- urer; William Grover, C. H. Heywood, H. A. Chase, Lovi
0.0
RESIDENCE OF J. F. ALLYN, HOLYOKE, HAMPDEN COUNTY, MASS.
929
IHISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
Perkins, J. F. Allyn, G. Cox, William Whiting, O. S. Tuttle, G. W. Prentiss, and W. S. Loomis.
SOCIETIES. HOLYOKE LODGE, NO. 134, 1. 0. 0. F.
This lodge was organized Sept. 27, 1849, by R. W. G. Master Samuel Wells, of Northampton.
The following officers have been installed : Ist, William Melcher, N. G .; A. S. Peck, V. G. ; D. Bowdoin, Sec. ; Ben- jamin Taylor, Treas, 2d, W. W. Giddings, N. G. ; Thomas II. Kelt, V. G. ; II. S. Babbitt, Sec. ; II. K. Hutchinson, Treas. 3d, D. Bowdoin, N. G. ; T. H. Kelt, V. G. ; W. Roberts, See. ; G. L. Squires, Treas, 4th, Thos. H. Kelt, N. G .; Charles N. Ingalls, V. G .; W. Roberts, Sec. ; H. S. Babbitt, Treas. 5th, H. S. Babbitt, N. G. ; G. Snow, V. G .; A. B. Williams, Sec. ; E. M. Boston, Treas. 6th, G. Snow, N. G. ; A. B. Wil- liams, V. G .; D. R. Pieree, Sec. 7th, E. B. Rose, N. G. ; II. Baker, V. G .; John Munn, Sec .; S. Flinn, Treas. 8th, S. Flinn, N. G .; E. M. Boston, V. G .; E. Chapin, Treas. ; H. R. Day, Sec. 9th, E. M. Boston, N. G .; Benjamin Taylor, V. G. , E. M. Elv, See. ; II. A. Foss, Treas. 10th, Benjamin Taylor, N. G .; Charles Mason, V. G. ; E. M. Ely, Sec. ; II. A. Foss, Treas. 11th, Charles Mason, N. G .; S. H. Walker, V. G .; J. W. Davis, See,
The lodge surrendered their charter to the Grand Lodge, Nov. 27, 1854, and it was reclaimed by six members of the order, May 21, 1855, when the following officers were in- stalled: A. B. Hildreth, N. G .; W. L. Haskell, V. G. ; D. E. Kingsbury, Sec. ; R. P. Crafts, Treas.
The charter was again surrendered to the Grand Lodge in January, 1856, and was reclaimed March 3, 1875, by eleven members of the order, and the lodge reinstated by R. W. A. G. M. S. B. Grogman, and the following officers were installed :
Ist, E. B. Tibbits, N. G .; W. E. Syms, V. G .; E. W. Burns, Sec .; S. Snell, Treas. 2d, W. E. Symis, N. G. ; J. C. Avery, V. G .; W. H. Jewett, Sec. ; S. Snell, Treas. 3d, J. (. Avery, N. G .; W. Il. Jewett, V. G. ; G. W. D. Lyon, Sec .; S. Snell, Treas. 4th, W. H. Jewett, N. G .; J. M. Sickman, V. G. ; J. II. Prout, Sec. ; S. Suell, Treas. 5th, J. M. Siekman, N. G. ; II. M. Smith, V. G. ; J. B. Whitehouse, Sec. ; S. Snell, Treas. 6th, Il. M. Smith, N. G .; G. W. D. Lyon, V. G. ; G. W. Tourtellott, See. ; S. Snell, Treas. 7th, G. W. D. Lyon, N. G .; J. B. Whitehouse, V. G. ; J. W. Prouty, Sec. ; S. Snell, Treas. 8th, J. B. Whitehouse, N. G .; G. W. Tourtellott, V. G. ; H. F. Farr, Sec. ; S. Snell, Treas.
The present officers are as follows: G. W. Tourtellott, N. G .; G. Il. Smith, V. G .; G. R. Smith, Sec. ; S. Snell, Treas.
HOLYOKE COUNCIL, SELECT AND ROYAL MASTERS,
was organized under dispensation, Sept. 22, 1873, with the following charter members : G. H. Smith, E. M. Belden, J. M. Sickman, G. W. Edwards, C. B. Harris, C. J. Brown, H. C. Ewing, A. W. Browning, Wm. Grover, L. M. Tuttle, J. HI. Richards, M. W. Prentiss, R. B. Johnson, E. J. Pomeroy, A. Higginbottom, A. E. Marsh, W. S. Perkins. Levi Perkins, N. W. Quint, H. J. Sawtelle, R. M. Fairfield, R. S. Howard, D. P. Crocker, W. H. Il. Ward, and A. S. Shumway.
The first officers under dispensation were G. II. Smith, T. I. M. ; Wm. S. Perkins, R. I. M. ; J. M. Siekman, I. M. of W .; A. E. Marsh, M. of C. ; R. S. Howard, M. of E. ; R. M. Fair- field, Recorder ; C. B. Harris, C. of G. ; Il. J. Sawtelle, Con- ductor ; Levi Perkins, Sentinel; M. W. Prentiss, Organist ; G. W. Edwards, Chaplain ; N. W. Quint, Tyler.
The first officers under the charter were installed Jan. 7, 1874, as follows : G. II. Smith, T. J. M. ; W. S. Perkins, R. 1. M. ; Wm. Grover, I. M. of W .; J. M. Siekman, M. of C .; R. S. Howard, M. of E. ; R. M. Fairfield, Recorder; C. B. Harris, C. of G .; Il. J. Sawtelle, Conductor ; A. W. Brown- ing, Sentinel ; E. J. Pomeroy, Chaplain ; N. W. Quint, Tyler.
The presiding officer of the council for 1873, '74, and '75 was
Geo. II. Smith, and from that time until the present Wm. Grover.
The present officers are Win, Grover, T. I. M .; R. M. Wilson, D. M. ; H. J. Sawtelle, P. C. of W .; W. S. Loomis, Treas .; Wm. Ruddy, Recorder; Dwight Bradburn, C. of G. ; A. A. Paul, C. of C .; E. G. Best, Steward ; S. M. Richards, Marshal; T. F. Waterman, Chaplain ; N. W. Quint, Tyler.
MOUNT TOM LODGE, F. AND A. M.,
was organized April 5, 1850, and worked under a dispensation until December 12th of same year, at which time it received its charter from the Grand Lodge. Its organization began with seven charter members. The first W. M. was Brother S. K. Hutchinson. On the morning of Aug. 18, 1852, fire was discovered in the building occupied by the lodge. The entire block was consumed, and Mount Tom Lodge lost all its property except its charter. Brother N. W. Quint, who was Master of the lodge at this time, for some reason fortu- nately carried the charter home with him after the previous meeting, and thus it was saved to the lodge. Although Holyoke at this time had hardly arrived at the dignity of a village, and the membership of the lodge was small, yet, notwithstanding their loss, their work went on without interruption.
The lodge has for many years held a foremost . position among the lodges in this district in point of excellence in Masonic work, and its officers have always taken pride in sustaining the position. The lodge is now making arrange- ments to move to more suitable quarters, or have the present enlarged and remodeled to meet their requirements. The present membership is about 350.
Another branch of the Masonie order exists in the city,- the Mount Holyoke Chapter.
MOUNT HOLYOKE ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER
was incorporated in September, 1865. The charter members were B. S. Bueklin, N. W. Quint, Henry Wheeler, R. B. Johnson, C. L. Frink, William Grover, Porter Underwood, T. II. Wellington, E. A. Marsh, Chas. H. Lyman.
The Past High-Priests are William Grover, C. L. Frink, T. T. Waterman, E. G. Best.
The present officers are as follows : Dwight Bradburn, II. P. ; James Stafford, E. K. ; L. M. Richards, E. S. ; G. S. Bassett, Treas .; G. F. Bassett, Sec .; C. W. Brown, C. Il. ; A. A. Paul, R. A. C .; W. C. Wharfield, P. S. ; C. H. Tower, Master Ist Veil ; S. Featherstone, Master 2d Veil; T. Slings- by, Master 3d Veil; James Caffrey, S. S. ; S. E. Bliss, J. J. ; T. T. Waterman, C. ; N. W. Quint, Tyler. Whole number of members, 139.
CONNECTICUT VALLEY LODGE, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS,
was instituted in Holyoke, March 17, 1870, by Myrtus Lodge, of Springfield. The charter members were as follows : Justin E. Brown, P. C .; John HI. Clifford, C. C .; A. E. Pomeroy, V. C .; L. C. Browning, Mr. of Ex. ; G. G. Dicky, Mr. of F. ; II. Spencer, K. of R. and S. ; W. II. Sissor, Mr. at A .; F. D. Chamberlin, I. G. ; E. C. Richardson, O. G.
The above-named charter members constituted the first offi- cers of the lodge, John H. Clifford being the first Chancellor Commander. Among the first members initiated were Dr. L. M. Tuttle, Dr. G. II. Smith, C. II. Printers, P. J. Crofts, T. W. Man, W. H. H. Ward, R. B. Johnson, HI. C. Ewing, and C. II. Richards. The order continued to grow quite rapidly, hut the first members of the lodge had to work hard and use their money quite freely for the first two years, as there were a good many expenses incurred in furnishing new hall, etc.
The lodge has prospered through all these years, and at the present time is one of the strongest in the State, numbering about 100 members in good standing. The lodge has had but little sickness among its members thus far, but those who have suffered have been well attended and cared for. The lodge-room and property are worth $1000; the lodge is free
117
930
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
from debt, and has a surplus of nearly $500. New members are constantly being received. On the Ist of January, 1879, a public installation was held in the city-hall; it was well attended, and was an interesting affair. The present officers are P. C., F. E. White; C. C., D. Bradburn; V. C., C. L. Farington ; P., W. C. Wharfield; K. of R. and S., Edwin R. Pierce; Mr. at A., G. W. Philbrick ; Mr. of Ex., F. R. Norton ; Mr. of F., Edwin E. Bartlett; I. G., G. W. Rich- ards ; O. G., James Thompson.
EDUCATIONAL.#
For more than a century the village school has been an in- stitution of the people occupying the present territory of Hol- yoke. Wherever a few farmers or fishermen had fixed their abode, there they seem to have erected the temples of civiliza- tion. These school-houses were located as follows : one near the northeast corner of the town, over the mountain ; one on West Street, near the site of the present one ; another some- what south of Craft's tavern, and on the opposite side of Northampton Street ; another on the spot now occupied by the Ingleside station platform (Holyoke and Westfield Rail- road ) ; another at the south end of Ashley's Pond, and another south of Dwight Street and west of the new Wauregan Mill site. In the latter, Chester W. Chapin taught school about fifty-six years ago, while the venerable Alexander Day and Col. Edwin Ball and some others of our own citizens pursued pedagogies in several of these houses nearly a generation ago. None of these earlier school-houses have successfully withstood the wear and tear of time and use, and their precise location can with difficulty be determined. The records of School District No. 15, West Springfield, are the only records of these ancient schools that have come to our hands, and these do not begin until 1802. This book contains only a very brief account of the annual meetings, though it is continued sixty years, the first entry having been made Nov. 29, 1802, and the last Nov. 24, 1862. This school was located near the site of the present West Street school-house. Many of the items would prove interesting reading to the present denizens of the village. The first runs thus :
Nov. 29, 1802,-" At a school-meeting held at the school-house, Pased the fol- lowing Votes:
"Ist. Chocs Mr. Peresh Hitchcock Moderator.
"21. Caleb Ilumeston Clerk.
"30, Voted to give Caleb Humeston 3s. 6d. a week for boarding Miss Sally Clapp three months,
"4th. Voted to give Caleb Ilumeston 28, per week for hoarding Lovina Ilumes- ton three months.
"5th. Voted that we bring 1 { cord of wood for each schollar that we send to school in our turns, ur pay eight shillings for each curd of wood that the com- mittee shall provide ready-cut fit for the fire.
"6th. Choes Mr. Elisha Ashley committee for the ensuing."
Caleb Ilumeston was clerk of the first of the meetings above alluded to, and moderator of the last recorded. All these schools seem to have been managed in nearly the same man- ner. They were neighborhood affairs, doubtless indifferently tanght, some of them having a smaller number of pupils than the smallest of our present suburban schools; the burden of their support rested upon, and seems to have been bravely borne by, a few persons.
The changes which visited the district school-houses between the two dates given abovecannot be given in this brief sketch. Suffice it to say that the Ingleside school-house gave place to one located near the dry bridge, above the old site; the West Street house to one farther west ; the West Holyoke house to the Rock Valley house ; the Northampton Street house to the one farther north ; the one in " the fields" south of Dwight Street to one standing west of the Prentiss Wire Company's mill, where the Upper Level Canal now flows. This topic should not be dismissed without special reference to a note- worthy institution known as " The Seminary," built in 1808. The house was a two-story frame structure, 40 feet long by 35
broad, and was located south of Stephen Rand's house. The original proprietors were Rev. Thomas Rand, the father of Stephen, who owned one-third, Deacon Perez Hitchcock, who owned the larger share of the balance, Caleb Humeston, Aus- tin Goodyear, grandfather of the present one, Noah Woolcott, David Bassett. Only a part of the upper story of the building was finished, and in this Elder Rand, as he was called, suc- cessfully conducted his seminary some 24 years, impressing his character and learning upon many who still hold their place and importance among us, and others still whose good name and fame any teacher would be proud to claim as the result of his labors. This incipient college, with one professor, during those years had for its pupils Col. E. H. Ball, Fred- erick and Annie Street, Charles Ely and Norman Smith, of Tat- ham; Thaddeus Kent, of West Springfield ; Solomon Ashley, of Ashleyville ; Rev. Justin Perkins, missionary to the Nesto- rians ; Rev. Hosea Howard, missionary to Burmah ; Dwight. Ives, D. D., pastor at Suffield thirty-five years ; Rev. Thomas Barrett ; David Pease, who lately died in Ashleyville at the age of nearly one hundred years; Rev. Reuben Winchell ; Rev. Asahel Chapin, still living in Kansas; Alonzo Lamb ; John Cook, of Huntington ; Linus Day, lately deceased ; Curtis and Quartus Ely, still living ; Bishop Humeston, father of Dr. L. F. Humeston, of this city, and others whose names are worthy of addition to this honorable roll. The lower story of the seminary was used for recitation-room and public worship. But a change came over the old seminary on the removal from town of Elder Rand, and some thirty-four years ago the building was taken down and removed to the spot now occupied by Mr. Timothy Merrick's skating-rink. About this time a change was made in the eastern limit of the Baptist village district. This region was cut off from the Ireland parish district, and accommodated with a district school in the lower story of the seminary, finished for the purpose.
The seminary prospered under Mr. William Gamwell, who kept it for some time, when it was familiarly known as " Gamwell's school." The school was afterward taught by Messrs. Gardner, Leavitt, Barton, T. W. Wadsworth (1847), Kimball, Pratt, Joseph Darwin Long, son of Dr. Long, of this city, now a lawyer in Illinois, Oscar Ely, Rev. Dr. Chapin Carpenter, for many years pastor of the church in Paris, also editor of the Illustrated Christian Weekly and a hymn-book, now pastor of the Madison Avenue Church in New York City, Chapin Carpenter, of Burmah, and Mr. Bissell, some seventeen years ago. Like those of most high schools and academies of that day, the teachers were frequently changed, and the above list represents far more years than names. Generally, however, the school bore a good and often a high character. Soon after its removal to Baptist village, the original owners generously relinquished their personal right in the building, and the school was maintained by the district until the growth of the incipient city made a new centre of learning as well as of business. The above brief sketch falls far short of doing justice to the intelligent and persistent energy with which a small and scattered community maintained schools of excellent merit. A total stranger a few days ago to these facts and the people they concern, I stop this agreeable narrative to record my astonishment at the taste for the better culture manifest in the kind and success of their educational institutions, maintained largely at personal cost, but shared and cherished by nearly all. The old seminary, losing its patronage, was finally sold at auction to Rev. Chapin Carpenter, for the non-payment of a printer's bill, Mr. Car- penter doubtless intending to secure its continuance as a per- manent institution. By this time, however, influence and population were drawing all things to the new centre, and Mr. Carpenter gave up the struggle, selling the " seminary," by the hands of the auctioneer, Robert Marsh, to George C. Ewing, of this city. The building was torn down, brought
* Contributed.
SAMUEL BARRETT ALLYN was born in the township of Mont- gomery, Mass., Aug. 31, 1822. His father, David Allyn, Esq., of Montgomery, and Joanna Barrett, his mother, were descended from the first settlers of Groton, Conn.
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