History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 146

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 146

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999

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

beautiful soldiers' monument, commemorative of the dead in the late Rebellion, is situated in the centre of the village. The houses are neatly painted and tasteful in appearance, the in- habitants intelligent, frugal, and public-spirited. No liquor is allowed to be sold in the village.

Post-Office .- Tbe post-office was established Sept. 5, 1806, Stephen Pynchon being the first postmaster, and retaining the office until his death. It was first kept at his house, and afterward at the hotel. A box two feet square held all the mail for a number of years. Since 1867 it has been kept where it now is. The postmasters since Mr. Pynchon have been Marquis Converse, Feb. 19, 1823, to Feb. 17, 1842; Otis Lane, Feb. 17, 1842, to Feb. 17, 1845; Asa Lineoln, Feb. 17, 1845, to Jan. 3, 1850; Henry F. Brown, Jan. 3, 1850, to May 1, 1852; George C. Ilomer, May 1, 1852, to June 25, 1853; N. F. Robinson, June 25, 1853, to May 4, 1861; Silas C. Her- ring, May 4, 1861, to April 16, 1867 ; Ilenry F. Brown, the present postmaster, was reappointed April 16, 1867.

Hotels .- The present hotel was erected in 1808. It is a commodious and attractive building, situated in the centre of the village. In 1859, Silas C. Herring, the then owner, en- tirely remodeled the hotel, greatly improving its appearance and general appointments. Its interior arrangements are convenient, and it has been kept since 1869 by Amos Munroe, the present proprietor. He also kept it from 1861 to 1864. It has before been kept by Elias Carter, Marquis Converse, Joshua B. Vinton, Eaton Hitchcock, J. D. Browing, Nye Moulton, D. N. Green, Henry F. Brown, George C. Ilomer, W. F. Tarbell, Brown & White, George S. Osgood, Charles Andrews, and Edward W. Sherman.

The almshouse is located south of the main street, on the road to Wales. In 1837 the town purchased the Thompson farm (where the old block-house used to stand) for the pur- pose of establishing the pauper farm there, and such it has ever since remained. The price paid for it was $2300. Ad- ditional land was purchased in 1850. In 1851 a new building was erected, costing about $1800. A new barn in 1863 eost $1042.22. 1n 1877 the buildings were enlarged at a cost of nearly $800. The average number of paupers is 14.

EAST BRIMFIELD VILLAGE

is situated in the southeasterly part of the town. It contains about 30 houses and about 200 inhabitants, a post-office, a general store, a manufactory of shoe tools and pegging- machines, a grist-mill, saw-mill, and planing-mill, a church, and a blacksmith-shop. It is distant about three miles and a half from Brimfield Centre. The post-office was estab- lished in 1858, and Maj. Erastus Lumbard appointed post- master. Charles Varney has since filled the position.

WEST BRIMFIELD, OR POWERS' CORNERS,

is situated in the northwestern part of the town, about six miles from Brimfield Centre, on the Boston and Albany Rail- road. It contains about 15 houses, a meeting-house, and two saw-mills. Large quantities of brick are manufactured and shipped to various points.

FOSKET'S MILLS

(formerly Parksville Post-Office) is a small settlement about three miles and a half from Brimfield Centre. It contains a few dwelling-houses. It is the site of the best mill-priv- ilege in the town, being located in a valley and on a large stream, known as Elbow Brook, which is fed by perennial springs. It contains a lumber-mill and a wool-carding mill. Parks' woolen-mills, formerly located there, were destroyed, and have not been rebuilt.

LITTLE REST,

a small village containing about 12 houses and 60 inhabitants, is situated abont two miles northeast of Brimfield Centre. It contains a grist-, saw-, and sbingle-mill, a blacksmith-shop,

and a wagon repair-shop. Harness-hames and saw-frames are also manufactured in the village.

SCHOOLS.

The town of Brimfield has enjoyed the ordinary advan- tages of education from the earliest period of its settlement. Dec. 28, 1731, it was " voted that the town have a school." At first one teacher alone was employed for the whole town, spending a certain number of weeks in each section thereof. The town was divided into three of these seetions, or distriets, Jan. 29, 1736, and was regularly partitioned off Dee. 7, 1742. May 28, 1753, it was voted to have schools kept in seven places. As the population increased regular school districts were established. In 1766 there were ten of these districts.

The first appropriation to build school-houses was made Dee. 9, 1742. A tax of £80 was voted to pay for work and materials, and the first school-house was erected on the com- mon east of the meeting-house. It stood there until 1804, when a new one was erected on the Warren road north of the meeting-house. A brick school-house was erected in June, 1824, by District No. 1, at a cost of $725.48. In 1866 the old brick building was taken down, and a tasteful and com- modious structure 60 by 30 feet erected near the park, its present site, at a cost of about $4500.

March 9, 1747, £60 was appropriated to build a school-house in the south part of the town, now Wales. May 17, 1754, a committee was appointed to locate a school-house in the west part of the town. But it was not till March 8, 1760, that the town appropriated £8 to Thomas King and others to erect this building.

The first schoolmaster named in the records is David Ilitch- cock. In 1742 he received £7 10s. for his services. On May 19, 1755, the town voted that there be a grammar school kept. It was voted, Nov. 19, 1755, to appropriate £30 for schooling, of which £3 6s. 8d. was to go to the teacher of the grammar school, the balance to be equitably distributed to each district. The schools were generally taught by women in the sum- mer, when the larger boys were at work, and by men in the winter.

Among the early female teachers may be mentioned Mehit- abel Moffat, in 1769; Hannah Bugbee, in 1796; Lydia Wins- low, in 1804; Susan Warren, in 1824; Lucretia Morgan, in 1835; Damaris Tarbell and Melina Hitchcock. Among the early male teachers we find Moses Lyon, in 1753; Timothy Danielson, in 1766; Abner Morgan and Caleb Hitchcock, in 1767; Issachar Brown, Col. Abner Brown, and Capt. Cyril R. Brown.

In 1766 the town was fined £30 for not maintaining a grammar school, but, upon explanation# of the matter by the selectmen, the fine was remitted.

In 1807 the first committee to inspect schools was chosen. In 1819 a committee of ten, one for each district, was ap- pointed to assist Rev. Mr. Vaill in the examination of teach- ers and care of the schools. Before that time the whole mat- ter had devolved upon the minister. After 1828 a school committee was annually chosen, but not till 1838 were they paid for their services. In 1843 a town committee of three was chosen to have the general oversight of schools. In 1859 the annual school reports were for the first time printed.

The town at the present time supports ten public schools. The old district schools were abolished by legislative enact- ment, April 16, 1870.

For the year ending March, 1878, the average attendance upon these schools was 186, and 11 teachers were employed. They are reported in good condition.

One of the principal objeets of interest at Brimfield Centre, and one which reflects equal credit upon its founder (Samuel A. Ilitchcockt) and the public-spirited citizens, is the

* Mass. Archives, May 25, 1767.

+ Since deceased.

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HISTORY OF THIE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

" HITCHCOCK FREE HIGH SCHOOL, "

which was originally incorporated April 26, 1855, under the title of " The Trustees of the Brimfield Free Grammar School," and opened in December of the same year. In June, 1856, its name was changed to "The llitcheock Free Grammar School," and in March, 1871, it was again changed to its present title.

The total amount of Mr. Iliteheock's contributions to the institutions was $75,000. In addition, upward of $6000 has been raised by private subscriptions at various times. In 1868, Mr. John Wyles gave $1000 as a permanent "repair fund." The present total fund of the institution is $80,000.

The school is free to citizens of Brimfield, and, after they are provided for, to the citizens of the surrounding towns to the extent of its capacity, and many avail themselves of its advantages. It has four teachers, and the number of scholars in attendance during the year 1878 was 147. There are two courses of study, English and classical, the latter of which occupies four years, and aims to prepare its pupils for admis- sion to college. The school is provided with a library com- prising 1200 selected volumes, and with apparatus designed to assist in explaining the principles of experimental science. The building is a large frame structure, situated in the centre of the village, surrounded by pleasant grounds, and presents a tasteful and attractive appearance.

CHURCHES.

The earliest church in Brimfield, as in most New England towns, and the one which received the support of the corpo- rate body, was the Congregational. The first meeting-house was erected in the year 1722, on the spot where the present edifice stands. It was a frame building, 45 by 40 feet in di- mensions. It had no chimneys, tower, or steeple. It had numerous windows and doors on its cast, west, and south sides. The pulpit occupied the north side. The seats were long benches with no backs, but simply with legs driven in as in the common milking-stool. The deacons' seat was in front of and beneath the high pulpit, facing the congregation. Its occupants were unable to see the preacher.

Dec. 28, 1731, it was voted "that the women sit In the West End of the meeting-house." The men occupied a sep- arate place. The seats were assigned according to age and estate. The duty of assigning these was performed by a committee, and was called " dignifying the seats." In 1757 the committee was instructed " to seate men and their wives together in the Pews." On Nov. 16, 1761, it was voted " to color the outside of the meeting-house, and to raise ES to do the same." March 11, 1799, an item in the treasurer's ac- count is for " sweeping, repairing, and propping the meeting- house, " a good indication of its long-continued services.

April 2, 1804, the town voted to build a new meeting- house by selling the pews as far as they would go toward that object. It was erected upon the site of the old one, at a cost of over $6000. The day of its raising was one of general fes- tivity and rejoicing. Meals were furnished at the town's ex- pense. The bill for " Rum, Sugar, Brandy, Lemmons, and Wine for raising the Meeting-house" was $121.22. The committee who prepared the ground for the underpinning laid in "rum and sugar" to the value of $3.50. The superin- tendent had " 1} mugs Brandy tody" at 27 cents.

The new house was a " commodious and beautiful" one. It had columns in front, which faced the south, a steeple, and a bell. Deať persons sat in the pulpit by the side of the min- ister. It was remodeled in 1838 at an expense of $4600, and destroyed by fire Feb. 21, 1847. The present edifice, a neat frame structure, having a steeple and bell, and occupying the old site, was immediately erected, and was dedicated Jan. 19, 1848. It cost over $6000. In 1862, $3400 were expended for new pews and furniture. The basement story has also since been remodeled. The present membership is about 125. It

is controlled by the parish, and not by the town, as formerly. An excellent pastoral library containing about 600 volumes is owned by the parish. The Sunday-school was established in 1819, and is now in an active and flourishing condition, the average attendance being 110.

The earliest deacons of the church were John Sherman, David Morgan, Henry Burt, Luke Blachfield, Joseph Hitch- cock, Joseph Hoar, Joseph Ilitchcock, Jr., Samuel Sessions, and Jonathan Morgan. A movement looking to the forma- tion of a second church organization and Sunday-school is being agitated, but has not yet assumed definite shape.

On Nov. 18, 1724, the Rev. Richard Treat, the first minister, was ordained. He was granted 120 acres of land, with future rights, and was paid an annual salary of £85. This was subsequently increased to £105. Ilis pastoral relation was dissolved by his own request, March 25, 1734.

Jan. 29, 1736, Rev. James Bridgham, the next pastor, was called by the town. He was to have "£300 settlement in Bills of Credit as now passes between man and man," and " £120 Sallery Ycarly in Bills of Credit as they now pass." Subsequently it was further stipulated that the town should pay " one-third part of the Sallery after the rate of Silver at 27 shillings per ounce." The balance was paid in provisions and labor. During his forty years' pastorate 139 members were added to the church. lle died Sept. 19, 1776, at the age of sixty-nine years, and was buried in the town.

Oct. 27, 1774, the town voted to call Rev. Nehemiah Wil- liams, £200 to be paid him for the settlement, and an annual salary of £70. He was ordained Feb. 9, 1775, served a success- ful pastorate of twenty-one years, and died Nov. 26, 1796, in his forty-eighth year. He was buried in the town cemetery.

Rev. Clark Brown was next ordained, June 20, 1798, and dismissed Nov. 2, 1803.

Aug. 17, 1808, the church voted to call the Rev. Warren Fay, and August 29th the town concurred. The salary offered was $500 and 25 cords of wood. Mr. Fay was or- dained Nov. 2, 1808. He remained until June 26, 1811, when he was dismissed at his own request.

The next pastor was Rev. Joseph Vaill, Jr., who was called Nov. 19, 1813. His salary was fixed at $550. He was or- dained Feb. 2, 1814, and continued twenty-two years, during a period of remarkable progress in the church. He was dis- missed Sept. 16, 1834, at his own request.

Rev. Joseph Fuller was called to the pastorate, and installed March 11, 1835. Ile resigned May 4, 1837, and was dismissed by council on June 7th, following.

Rev. Joseph Vaill was again pastor from Nov. 1, 1837, to Oct. 19, 1841, when he resigned to act as financial agent of Amherst College. He died in 1869, at Palmer, Mass., and was buried in Brimfield cemetery.

Rev. George C. Partridge succeeded Dr. Vaill. 1Ie was in- stalled Nov. 18, 1842, and dismissed April 11, 1846.

Feb. 21, 1847, the meeting-house was burned. The present edifice was erected in the same year.

Rev. B. E. Hale acted as jastor from November, 1847, to February, 1849. Rev. Jason Morse was the next regular pastor, and was ordained Dec. 12, 1849. He died Oct. 14, 1861, at the age of forty years.

Rev. Charles M. Hyde was ordained pastor Aug. 18, 1862. Ile continued eight years, tendering his resignation May 8, * 1870.

Rev. Moses B. Boardman was installed Dec. 1, 1870. Owing to ill health he resigned, and was dismissed Nov. 1, 1873.

He was succeeded on April 30, 1874, by the Rev. Webster K. Pierce, who continued until Aug. 6, 1878, when the rela- tionship was dissolved. The church at the present time is without a regular pastor.

ADVENTISTS.

In March, 1844, Dr. Alva Higgins and wife, and Miss Lavinia Coller, commenced holding Advent meetings in Con-

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HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

ference Hall, at Brimfield Centre. They continued about nine months, and then rented a room in the Gen. Eaton house, which they occupied until 1859. They now occupy a neat chapel, which was erected in 1866, at a cost of $1200. The Christian Advent Society was organized July 6, 1867, and numbers at present about 30 members. They have never had a regular pastor, but meet usually every Sabbath, and have preaching about twice a month.

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

This church is located at East Brimfield, and was erected in 1871, at a cost of $3000. It was dedicated JJan. 5, 1872. The church organization was effected July 25, 1869, with 18 members. Rev. O. C. Atwater commenced preaching July 20, 1873, and continued one year. Prior to that time only general supplies had heen furnished by various pastors. After- ward Rev. James Dockery, of Wales, was employed for a year or more. Services are now only held occasionally. A Sabbath-school has been organized, and meets every Sunday.

MORAVIANS, OR UNITED BRETHREN.

The first meetings of this branch of the Christian Church were held at West Brimfield in 1855 or '56. A minister was at that time sent there by the Missionary Society. The in- terest so far increased that it was thought expedient to erect a church for the accommodation of that part of Brimfield, and the adjoining sections of Palmier and Warren; and in 1857 such an edifice was constructed. It was destroyed by fire July 21, 1861, rebuilt in 1864, and occupied until 1867. Several persons, whose names we cannot give because of the absence of the church records from the State, were employed as preachers until 1867, and meetings were sometimes held by pastors of churches from neighboring towns.

BURIAL-PLACES.

The cemetery located at Brimfield Centre, on the east side of the road to Wales, has been in use since the earliest settle- ment of the town. The original lot contained about one-quar- ter of an acre at the northwest corner of the present inclosure. In 1732 the proprietors of the town, by vote, enlarged it to two acres, and adopted it as a place of burial. It was reached by a lane leading from the town street near the present road to Wales. Access was also had to the cemetery on the east by a lane from the Sturbridge road, with a bridge across the brook. In 1845 land was added to the cemetery from the south, and in 1860 still further additions were made. In 1878 over an acre more was added. It is a beautiful spot, containing many hand- some monuments, and kept in good condition by a keeper ap- pointed by the town. It is laid out in plats, which are as- signed to the inhabitants by the selectmen. A hearse was first purchased in 1804.

The Brimfield cemetery contains the remains of nearly all the early settlers of the town and of such of their descendants as have died. Gen. Timothy Danielson, of Revolutionary fame, and Gen. Wm. Eaton, renowned for his exploits in Africa, repose there, and several of the pioneer pastors of the town. From a few of its many tombstones we take the fol- lowing unique inscriptions :

" Daniel Burt, Esq., who died Feb. 27, 1771, in his 68th year. Ile early in life exposed himself in a dangerous enterprise against the common enemy, and in our late expedition he served as a Captain and a Major, was loved and respected in the army. As a selectman, a Justice of the Peace, and a Representative he served his Town, County, & Country to good acceptance. Having served his generation, by the will of God, he is fallen asleep and is laid with his fathers." " In memory of Eleazer Foot, who dieil Novembr ye 17, 1758, in ye 75th year of his age. He gave his estate to Azariah Cooley." " Ezra Wood, died 6 Nov., 1812, aged 20. His death was occasioned by a blow of a stone upon the head from the hand of Hiram Stebbins, maliciously thrown at him."

Another stone commemorates the death of John Bliss, July 18, 1782, at the age of thirty-five years, " by turning over of a cart," and another the death of his son, John Bliss, June 28, 1804, " by a hurt from a plow." Another stone is erected

"in commemoration of the sobriety, modesty, industry, and virtue of John B. Hubbard," who died July 24, 1803.

Many of the older monuments are of coarse sandstone, and their inscriptions are so denuded by the "tooth of time" as to be nearly illegible.

As the south part of the town became more thickly settled a necessity arose for a burial-place. One was established, Sept. 5, 1732, by vote of " ye Proprietors," at the southeasterly part of the South Pond, where Robert Moulton, Sr., then re- sided. This ground, in which the carly settlers of the south part of the town repose, was appropriated by adjoining resi- dents after a time, and converted to agricultural purposes.

On March 19, 1755, a petition was presented by certain in- habitants of the west part of the town, humbly showing, " Whereas we, living a great Way from town, and soe from ye Present Burying-place, by reason of the Badness and length of ye way cannot Bury our Dead with that Conveni- ence and Order which such solemnities require, It being no matter to the Body where it lies when Dead. Therefore we request the town would be pleased to grant us a Burying-place among Our Selves, that we may bury our Dead out of sight with less Difficulty and Trouble." The lot granted was not laid out until 1760. Capt. Hitchcock, the first person buried in it, died in 1762. It laid half a mile from the church in Monson, near to a road that ran from Palmer. It is now out of use.

SOCIETIES.

HUMANITY LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS

was organized in the town of Holland in 1811. The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. On June 11, 1818, a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge by Humanity Lodge, asking for the removal of the lodge to Brimfield. This was granted, and the removal effected. The lodge flourished for a number of years, but is not mentioned in the Grand Lodge records after Dec. 28, 1829. Its last meeting was held Jan. 15, 1834. There is now no regularly organized body of the order in the town.

The early settlers were accustomed to indulge in alcoholic beverages quite freely. Flip, a mixture of half a pint of rum to a quart of beer, stirred with a red-hot iron, and toddy, a mixture of rum and water, sugar and nutmeg, stirred with a toddy-stick, were the favorite drinks. These babits were uni- versal, pastors and flock alike indulging in spiritnous liquors. The books of the storekeepers were filled with charges for rum, brandy, and wine. In an old account-book kept by a neighbor of Rev. Nehemiah Williams are found several charges against the minister for rum; and at the bottom of one account are written the words, " this all settled, except the rum."

INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

It was the agricultural advantages of Brimfield that first invited the early settlers to locate there, and this pursuit has ever since proved the principal occupation of its inhabitants. The first efforts at tilling the soil were crude and laborious, and the crops were probably anything but remunerative. The invention of improved utensils for farming, and the more tractable nature of the soil from continual working, have since made the pursuit of agriculture more profitable. At the date of the last census there were 187 farms in the town, hav- ing an aggregate valuation of $524,279. The agricultural implements in use were valued at $16,632; the domestic products for the year were valued at $37,644; other products, including the cereals, fruits, vegetables, poultry, wool, and ineat, at $73,450; and the number of tons of hay produced, 3587, with a valuation of $58,208. There were 333 persons engaged in agricultural pursuits, and the amount of wages paid them for the year ending May 1, 1875, was $20,861. The principal products are butter, cheese, apples, cider, Indian

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

corn, eggs, hay, berries, milk, oats, potatoes, pumpkins, rye, fruit, and meats.

Potash was made by the carly settlers by felling trees, piling them together, and when thoroughly dry burning them. The ashes were leached in large vessels, producing a strong lye. This when boiled down left a crude potash. Saltpetre was also made for several years by leaching earth taken from under buildings. Dr. James Lawrence, who resided in that part of the town now Wales had a tar-kiln on his land. Fat pine- logs were piled up, a trench dug around them, the logs set on fire, and the resin which the heat drove out into the trench was scooped up and packed for market.

Pottery-making was once a branch of industry in the town. The clay was dug out of Sherman's Pond, the water being dammed out when the pond was low, and the clay dug at the south end. Bricks were made in various parts of the town, and the manufacture is continued at West Brimfield at the present day. Wool hats were also manufactured by various parties. Tailoring was carried on to considerable extent, and the business of dressing woolen cloths in what were called clothing-works, which were established on small brooks, was also engaged in.

The mill-privilege at East Brimfield is supposed to have been first used by the saw- and grist-mill of Wm. Janes. The Brimfield Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company was afterward established there, but the enterprise proved unprotit- able. Other parties soon after established the Union Cotton- Factory Company at East Brimfield. In 1820 the Monson and Brimfield Manufacturing Company was established at the same place. In 1853 the factory passed into new hands, and in 1854 it was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt of stone, and used from 1856 to 1865 for the manufacture of shoemakers' tools. In 1865 it was changed to a factory for making ma- chines for pegging shoes.

The first grist-mill in the town of Brimfield was built by Ezra King, before 1753, on Elbow Brook. On Nov. 3, 1856, a company was organized as the Brimfield Stockinet Company, who purchased this mill, erected a factory, and commenced the manufacture of stockinet, but failed of success. On May 1, 1863, the property passed into other hands, who engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods until April 18, 1870, when the factory was destroyed by fire, and has not been rebuilt.

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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 146

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