History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 129

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 129

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In 1703 it was agreed " to builde pewes in ye meeting- house where ye plank seats now stand, and ye fore pewe is votted to be in Dignity betweene ye fore seate in ye body and ye Table ; and ye second pewe to be in Digniety between ye first and second seate in ye body : and ye fore Gallerey is ac- counted to be in Dignity between ye second and third seate in ye body and ye side fore seate in ye Gallerey to be in Dig- nity between ye third and forth in ye body," ete.

It was further voted that persons should be seated in the meeting-house according to their age and estate, and that " so much as any man's estate is increased by his negroes, that shall be left out." If a man lived on a hired farm, or had ob- tained his property by marriage with a widow, such property was reckoned at only one-third the value it would have pos- sessed had the man obtained it by his own industry.

In January, 1717, it was resolved to build a new meeting- house, but such was the difficulty experienced in fixing upon a satisfactory place for its erection that it was not begun until June, 1720. Various committees, including a committee chosen from Springfield citizens, were selected to report upon a site, but their reports were all rejected, and it began to look as if the meeting-house would never be located. Finally, it was agreed to leave the matter to Samuel Partridge, Esq., and his report, which was not accepted without considerable discussion and delay, read as follows :

" Whereass : the Town of Westfield at a Legual Town-meeting on ye 21 day of this instant December, 1719, past an act in said meeting, they being at a Dificulty of Concluding the place to set their new meeting-house at, and voated to leave the full Desition of that mater unto mee under named, upon which I, together with the asistance of Capn John Ashley and Lieutenant Adijah Dewey, went up to ye place of the cyder-press their stauding, which I judged too far towards the West end of ye Town for couviuiencey of the people's meeting at ye present ; allso I vewed ye norwest corner of Deacon Root, Diseased, his lot ; I Judged that place too near ye Dwelling-houses adjasent; and as to Mr. Gun's paster and ye lot where old John Sacket lived, too much to the South end of the town, and ye old meeting-house; much more I allso vewed Capt. Mandsley's paster on ye south side of the way, and that I judge will be too near Samuell Root's barn, theirfore have I matuerly vewed the Knowl on Capn Mandsley's lot on the north side of ye way behind his housing close to ye highway, I hearby Determine to bee the place for erecting and seting up the new meeting-house: this I Deliver as my positive opinion upon the Premises." There the house was accordingly built ; moreover, " baru fation, with a bellconey upon the middle of it fifty-two foots in length and forty-one fouts in bredth."

The original members of the First Church were Edward Taylor, John Mandesley, Samuel Loomis, and Isaac Phelps, from Windsor Church ; Josiah Dewey and John Ingersoll,

from Northampton; and John Root, from Farmington, Conn.

As characteristic of early church discipline it may be noted that, in 1689, Walter Lee, Samuel Fowler, and the sergeant of the guard were appointed to take care of children and youth on the Sabbath, "to see that they attend and keep their places and behave themselves seemly, both before and in the time of service."

In 1674, Rev. Edward Taylor married Miss Elizabeth Fitch, and, she dying in 1689, he married Mrs. Ruth Wyllys, who died in 1730. One of his daughters was the mother of Pres- ident Stiles, of Yale College. Mr. Taylor's salary, which was at first £60, never went beyond £80. His successor, Mr. Bull, who made frequent appeals for increase to pay his multifarious debts, received in his last year as high as £240,-a very hand- some sum in those days. Toward the close of his ministerial career Mr. Taylor became weakened by age, and, in 1726, Mr. Nehemiah Bull was ordained as his colleague. MIr. Taylor died in 1729, aged eighty-seven, after serving the church fifty- eight successive years.

Mr. Bull graduated at Yale in 1723, and taught grammar school as well as preached some months before his settlement. IIe married Miss Partridge, of llatfield, in 1728, and died in 1740, in the fourteenth year of his ministry. Mr. Bull took an active part in the mission to the Housatonic Indians in 1735, and baptized the first Indian convert.

Rev. John Ballentine (Mr. Bull's successor), a graduate of Harvard, was ordained in 1741. He was the pastor for thirty- five successive years, and died in 1776. Rev. Noah Atwater, a Yale graduate, was the next pastor. IIe did not settle until 1781 (the interregnum of the Revolutionary war having until then deferred the choice of a successor to Mr. Ballentine). He preached twenty years, and died in 1802. Mr. Atwater was regarded as a distinguished scholar and divine, and devoted mueh of his time to astronomical and meteorological investi- gations.

Rev. Isaac Knapp was ordained in November, 1803. He was a graduate of Williams College, and was the church's pastor until 1835, when failing health compelled him to relin- quish his active labors. He died July 6, 1847, aged seventy- two years. His successor was Rev. Emerson Davis. Mr. Davis graduated at Williams College in 1821, served as a tutor there one year, and was for the fourteen subsequent years preceptor of the Westfield Academy. He was installed as MIr. Knapp's colleague in June, 1836, and after a pastorate of thirty years died suddenly on the Friday following the Sunday whereon he preached a sermon commemorative of the completion of the thirtieth year of his service as pastor of the church.

Rev. Elias Richardson succeeded Dr. Davis in May, 1867, and he, being called to New llaven, was succeeded by Rev. A. J. Fitsworth in 1871. Mr. Fitsworth removed to Chelsea in 1875, and from that year until 1879, when Rev. John Lock- wood, the present pastor, was ordained, the church depended upon supplies.

The first church erected by the First Congregational Society was, as already noted, built in 1668, near Mr. Taylor's, in the Little River settlement. The second, built in 1720, near MIr. Moseley's, corner of Main and Meadow Streets, was burned in 1803. The third was erected in 1805, on the site of the present edifice ; and the fourth, the one now used, in 1861, on Broad Street, adjoining the town-hall. This church building cost $25,000, and contains a handsome organ, built by John- son & Co., of Westfield, at a cost of $5000. In the tower, surmounted by a high steeple, is the town clock. The present membership of the church is 350. The church building re- placed by the present one stands in the rear of the latter, and is occupied by H. A. Parsons as a sleigh-manufactory. The society owns, besides the church building, a handsome parsonage.

948

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

THE BAPTIST CHURCHI OF WESTFIELD

was organized Sept. 15, 1784, and after prospering fairly until 1795 was divided and disorganized until 1806, when a re- vival occurred. There was a quiet time again about 1810, and until 1819 there were no regular services. In that year Rev. David Wright began a restoration of the strength of the society, and since that period it has continued to pros- per. The first church was built in 1794 on South Street, near the Southwick line; the second house stood on Main Street, about a mile east of Westfield village ; the third on Main Street, near the bridge; the fourth on the west side of Ehn Street. The fifth-the present temple of worship, erected in 1868, at a cost of $35,000, including a $6000 organ-stands on the cast side of Elm Street. The present society is the direct outgrowth of a reorganization, in 1833, of the church of 1806. A second Baptist Church was organized in 1786 in the western part of the town within what are now the limits of Russell, to which it belonged after 1792. The pastors who have served the Baptist Society of Westfield since about 1800 are thus named : Adam llamilton, Azariah Hawks, David Wright, Isaac Child, Andrew M. Smith, Charles Van Leon, Feronda Bestor, Alfred Colburn, N. M. Perkins, John T. Alden, Wm. Carpenter, John R. Baumes, John Jennings, E. M. Jerome, and W. 11. Eaton, the latter being the present pastor. The church has now about 250 members.

TIIE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY OF WESTFIELD was organized late in 1794. The first quarterly collection taken up in 1795 realized-so the records say-50 cents. Ser- vices were held in 1795, but there was no class until 1800, when Rev. Billy Hibbard provided the preaching. Previous to that Rev. Joshua Taylor and Rev. T. Dewey preached occasionally. This society was located in what is now known as West Parish, but then as Hoop-Pole. Their first church was built in 1829, and dedicated by Rev. David Kilburn. It was torn down in 1868 and replaced by the present building. Rev. W. II. Adams is the present pastor. Membership, 50.

The first Methodist society of the village of Westfield was organized in 1812, when it contained 10 members, one of whom was a colored woman. Services were not held until 1816. The first church building was erected in 1832-33 on Main Street, and was used until 1843, when a more spacious edifice was built on the site of the present post-office. The old church building was subsequently used by Stimson & Co. as a piano-leg factory, and torn down not long thereafter. The church was attached to the Granville Circuit until 1836, when it was set apart. Rev. Thomas Thorpe, who preached in the house of Mr. Joel Farnam, corner Elm and Main Streets, the first sermon preached to the society, married Rebecca Farnam, daughter of Joel, and was the father of Thomas B. Thorpe, a distinguished anthor, who died recently in New Haven.

The church on Elm Street, built in 1843, was occupied until 1875, when, the society having grown beyond the capacity of the older building, the present elegant structure was dedi- cated. Its eost was 850,000, and the cost of the organ $7000. Rev. S. L. Gracey is the pastor now in charge, and the number of members 540. The society owns, besides the church build- ing, two fine parsonages. The names of the pastors who have served the society since 1836 are appended : Paul Townsend, William Smith, Benjamin M. Louth, E. Scott, J. IFascall, M. Trafton, M. Raymond, J. B. Huested, G. F. Cox, J. H. Twombley, Wm. Butler, Gilbert Haven (afterward Bishop Haven), J. J. P. Collyer, Daniel Chapin, G. Bowler, C. D. Hill, H. W. Warren, D. Richards, W. G. H. Lewis, J. Mansfield, G. Whitaker, J. S. Barrows, S. L. Gracey.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF WESTFIELD

was organized in 1853, when it formed a part of the mission in charge of Father Blenkinsop, of Chicopee. The present church building on Orange Street was erected in 1858, but, ac-

cording to the present contemplation, will soon be replaced by a handsome brick edifice. The first resident pastor was Rev. M. X. Carroll, whose successor was Rev. Dominick Miglionico. lle was succeeded in 1874 by Rev. Thomas Smyth; the present pastor. There are about 1500 Catholics in the town, who be- long to the church parish. The church owns, besides the church building, a pastoral residence, and a cemetery, located about a mile away from Westfield village.

THE UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF WESTFIELD

was organized in 1853, with a membership of 13. Rev. D. II. Plumb was the first pastor. After his retirement, the society had no regular services until a short time ago, when Rev. J. R. Johnson, the present pastor, was installed. The society numbers about 30 members, and owns a neat chapel on Chapel Street, Westfield village.

In 1856 the society of the First Congregational Church had grown too large for the capacity of the church building, and a

SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

was thereupon formed. Worship was at first held in what is now known as Music-Hall, in Westfield village ; but in 1861 the erection of the present church building on Main Street was begun, and in the following year it was occupied by the society. The structure cost about $25,000, and contains a fine organ, built by Johnson & Co., of Westfield, at an expense of $6000. The first pastor of the church was Rev. Francis Homes. Rev. Joel II. Bingham was installed in 1857, and in 1863 was succeeded by Rev. George Bowler, who was dismissed in 1865. Rev. Henry Hopkins, the next pastor, was installed in June, 1866, and is still in charge. The church has a membership of 336 ; owns the church building, a handsome chapel, and a par- sonage ; is free of debt and in a flourishing condition.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN WESTFIELD VILLAGE,

in charge of Rev. B. F. Cooley, has about 70 members, and occupies temporary quarters in a building on Main Street. The church was organized in 1860, and for four years there- after worshiped in the Universalist Chapel, first under Rev. John F. Mines, and later under the charge of Rev. Andrew Mackie. From 1864 to 1873 there were no regular services, but in the latter year they were renewed in the first place of worship, when Rev. F. J. Winkley assumed the rectorship. Preaching was continued regularly in the Universalist Chapel until Nov. 17, 1878, when a ehange was made to the present place of worship. Mr. Winkley was succeeded in 1877 by Rev. Benjamin W. Atwell, and he by the present rector in Sep- tember, 1878.

THE SECOND ADVENTISTS

have a handsome chapel on School Street in Westfield village, built in 1874 at a cost of $6300. Although the society held occasional meetings before that date, there was no organiza- tion until 1872. From that time until 1877, Elder James IIemingway was the preacher. Since then there have been no regular services, although the society expects to settle a pastor soon. Until the erection of the present chapel, wor- ship was held in the old Baptist Church and Universalist Chapel. The membership of the church is about 100.

A UNION SOCIETY AT WEST FARMS

has a neat chapel, where preaching is provided each Sabbath by one of the various pastors of Westfield village. A Baptist society flourished here many years ago, and erected a church building, but the latter, long standing unused, was torn down recently, years after the extinction of the society.

SCHOOLS.

The earliest reference in the records to education was made in a town-meeting held Feb. 4, 1678, when it was agreed to give Mr. Dentre £15 " to act as schoolmaster." In Septem- ber, 1679, James Cornish was hired to be schoolmaster, at £18

949

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

for a half-year, payment to be made in grain. At a town- meeting held Feb. 10, 1696, it was ordered that " such as send their children to school shall pay three pence a week for read- ing scolars and four pence for writong, and that al boys from seven years till fourteen shall pay by the week." At a meet- ing held Nov. 1, 1700, it was voted "that there shall be a scool hous built, and Lieut. Root, John Gun, Samuel Ashley, and David Ashley, Jr., were chosen as a Comity to tak care that said hous be built and finisht, said house to be about eighteen foot square ; the said Comity are to call all persons to work, giving a day's warning, each person to be aloud for his work, acording to what he Dos ; the said hous to be sit between the fort gate and the guly by John Noble's." The selectmen were directed to speedily provide a " scool master and a place to keep scool in." In January, 1701, it was voted to change the proposed location of the school-house, and that it be "sot" near the meeting-house.

In 1699 it was voted that "such persons as are too poor to pay for schooling should provide a load of wood for each scholar as it shall be needed."

In 1702 it was voted that all boys between the ages of six and twenty pay the prescribed charges for schooling " whether they be sent to school or not." To this order it appears that several inhabitants " entered their dissents."

In 1703 it was voted " ye Children y" goo to schoole should pay (viz.) Ritors 3d. per weeke, and Readors 2d. per weeke." To this a number of inhabitants entered their dissent, but for . what reason does not appear. Dec. 16, 1703, a formal agree- ment, in writing, was made with Joseph Sexton, the town clerk, by which he engaged to keep school until the next April, "and to use his best skill to teach children to reade and wrighte." For his services he received £10 in grain at the market rates. In 1706, Mr. Sexton was succeeded by Isaac Phelps, who was also town clerk that year.

In March, 1707, it was resolved "to build a school-house this summer, to be sot up in the place where Daniel Nash his shop stood."

Isaac Phelps was undoubtedly an acceptable schoolmaster, for he taught the school from 1706 to 1718, when he was suc- ceeded by Felix Habalah. The first female school-teacher of the town was Widow Catharine Noble, who was engaged in 1726. She was to have 25s. a month as long as the town saw cause to employ her in that capacity.

From the report of the school committee, made in 1878, it is learned that there are in the town nineteen school buildings, and the following schools, to wit : high 1, grammar 1, inter- mediate 6, primary 8, ungraded 12. The total number of pupils attending the town schools in 1878 was 1450, and the cost that year for maintaining the schools, $21,788.04. Ac- cording to the State reports of 1876-77, Westfield ranks 253 in the 342 towns of the State in percentage of valuation ap- propriated to public schools. According to the same table, the town ranks 16 in Hampden County.

The chief town schools in Westfield village are the High School, the Davis School,-so named in honor of Rev. Emer- son Davis,-and the School of Observation. This latter occu- pies a handsome brick building (erected in 1871), and receives annually from the State $500, conditioned that its modes of teaching shall be in accordance with the methods of the nor- mal system, and that the Normal School pupils shall he privileged to observe practical illustrations of the normal system. The grades of this school are primary, intermediate, and grammar. The grammar departments of this and the Davis School are the grammar schools of the town, whence pupils may graduate with equal privileges to the High School. Value of the 19 school buildings of the town, $151,500.

THE WESTFIELD ACADEMY.

Although this time-honored educational institution is among the things that were, it will, for many years to come, continue

to be a proud recollection in the minds of the citizens of Westfield, and it deserves, therefore, a place among the im- portant features in the history of the town.

On the 17th of June, 1793, the Legislature passed the fol- lowing act :

" Whereas, The encouragement of literature among the rising generation has ever been considered by the wise and good as an object of the most serions at- tention, and as the prosperity and happiness of a free people greatly depend upon the advantages arising from a learned and pions education, and it appearing that the said town of Westfield have voted the sum of six hundred pounds for the purpose of erecting and supporting an Academy in the town of Westfield, in the connty of Ilampshire, ete .:

"Be it therefore, etc., that there be established in the town of Westfield an Acad- emy by the name of Westfield Academy, for the purpose of promoting piety, relig- gion, and morality, and for the instruction of the youth in such languages and such of the liberal arts and sciences as the trustees may direct ; and the Hon. W. Shepard, Samuel Fowler, and Samuel Mather, Esqrs., Warham Parks, David Moseley, and Abel Whitney, Esqrs., Rev. Joseph Lathrop, Rev. Solomon Williams, Rev. Noah Atwater, Rev. Bezaleel Howard, Rev. Isaac Clinton, Rev. Joseph Bad- ger, Hon. Samuel Lyman, Justin Ely, Esq., and Jonathan Judd, Jr., Esq., are hereby appointed Trustees of said Academy, etc."

The board of trustees was accordingly organized April 20, 1797, when it was voted

"that the sum of $1000 and more is secured by the inhabitants of Westfield for the benefit of the Academy in addition to the sums voted for the same purpose by the said town."

In addition to the charter, the Legislature donated to the academy half a township of land in Maine, which was after- ward sold by the trustees for about $5000.

The erection of a school building was at once begun on the site now occupied by the High School in Westfield village, and on Jan. 1, 1800, it was dedicated with religious ceremonies.

The old building was occupied until 1857, when it was re- placed on the same site by the handsome brick edifice now used as the High School. The corner-stone of the new build- ing was laid July 31, 1857, with elaborate ceremonies, of which an address by Hon. William G. Bates formed an im- portant part. The old building was removed bodily to the rear of the original site, and it is still used as the scientific department of the High School. The old academy fund, at the laying of the new corner-stone, had reached $5000. To this were added $5000, bequeathed by Stephen Ilarrison for the establishing of an agricultural department in connection with the academy ; $10,000 were also subscribed by the citi- zens to assist in the erection of the new academy, and for this purpose also the town appropriated $5000. A few years later, the usefulness of the academy began to be impaired by the superior educational facilities offered by the Westfield High School and the Westfield Normal School, and, after carrying it forward to 1867, the trustees, deciding to temporarily close the institution, sold the school building to the town for $35,000. The edifice has since then been occupied as a high school.

The proceeds of the sale, together with other moneys be- longing to the fund, were invested in railway and bank secu- rities, and the fund now aggregates about $68,000. This must, according to the original design, be devoted to the pro- motion of education in Westfield, but there is yet no definite understanding touching an early disposition of the fund to that end. Mr. Bates, the president of the board of trustees, cherishes a hope that the academy will be revived at an early day, on a scale of extended liberality, and has indeed already set apart lands which he intends to donate for the buildings whenever the project shall bear fruit. The general opinion seems, however, to be that the academy will never be re-created. The present academy trustees are W. G. Bates, E. B. Gillett, H. J. Bush, Samuel Fowler, Henry Hop- kins, Edwin Smith, L. R. Norton, and L. F. Thayer, of West- field, J. B. Eldredge, of Hartford, Wm. W. Whitman, of Troy, N. Y., and Rev. A. J. Titsworth, of Chelsea, Mass.

THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The Westfield High School was organized in 1855, and until 1867 occupied the building now used as the town-

950

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

hall. In the latter year, the town having purchased the academy buildings, the school was removed thither, where it has since remained. The present principal, A. E. Gibbs, has served in that capacity since 1867. There are in the school three departments,-the English, the general, and the clas- sical,-conducted by a corps of four teachers, in addition to the principal. One hundred and sixty-one scholars were on the rolls in the winter of '78. Tuition is free to all persons re- siding in the town, while pupils from abroad are charged a fec.

THE NORMAL SCHOOL.

The second Normal School opened by the State of Massa- chusetts is the one now located in Westfield village. It was originally stationed at Barre, in September, 1839, under the direction of Prof. Samuel P. Newman, who died in 1842. 11 1844 the school was removed to Westfield, and was in that year and in 1845 under the charge of Rev. Emerson Davis. In September, 1846, the present structure was first occupied by the school. The original building cost $6500, of which the State appropriated $2500, the town $500, the central school district $1500, and private subscriptions the residue. Later, in 1861 and 1869, the building was remodeled and materially extended by the State, at an additional expense of upward of $25,000. Previous to the erection of the Normal School build- ing the sessions were held in the basement of the Westfield Academy, and in the Westfield town-hall. Tuition is free to every pupil who gives a pledge to teach school in the State. Others are required to pay a tuition-fee. The pupils num- bered, in 1878, 110, and the corps of instructors 7, in addition to the principal. The course of study is a thorough one, is intended to be such as shall fit any scholar for college, and covers a period of two years. A supplemental course of two years is provided for graduates of the regular course. Con- nected with the school (supported by the State to the extent of $500 annually ) is a Sehool of Observation, a valuable library, apparatus for the illustration of the important principles in the natural sciences, a cabinet of mineral, geological, and zoological specimens, a chemical laboratory, and a handsomely appointed art-room. Adjacent to the school building is the Normal School boarding-house, an elegant brick mansion, erected by the State in 1873-74, at a cost of $84,000, with ac- commodations for 130 scholars. In 1878 it had 70 inmates.

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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 129

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