History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 148

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 148

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RAILROADS.

The Boston and Albany Railroad passes through the north- ern border of the town, having a station at North Wilbrabam, and affording excellent railroad facilities to the inhabitants.

EMINENT CITIZENS.

Among men of distinction natives of Wilbraham may be mentioned Pliny Merrick, a son of the first clergyman. He early represented the town in the Legislature, was a lawyer prominent in his profession, and spent the greater part of his life in Brookfield.

John Bliss was the first representative to the General Court, and was a man of great influence and native talent. He was born in 1727, was an ardent Whig in the Revolution, a mem- ber of the Provincial Congress, a representative in the Legis- lature for many years, a Senator, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, a eolonel of militia, and held numerous other offices of trust and responsibility. Ile died in 1809.

Oliver B. Morris was born in Wilbraham in 1782. He re-

moved to Springfield at the age of nineteen, and after his ad- mission to the Bar commenced the practice of the law. In early life he represented the town of Springfield in the Legis- lature for several years. He was appointed judge of Probate in 1829, and filled that office with great acceptance for many years.+

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

What is now the town of Wilbraham was formerly a part of the territory of Springfield, and was originally set off to certain proprietors to avoid the reversion of the unappropri- ated lands of Springfield, called the "outward commons," to the royal government.

The first actual settler to establish himself within the con- fines of the present town was Nathaniel Hitchcock. In the summer of 1730 he came from Springfield, cleared and broke up two acres of land, and erected a log house where the house of James Merrick, the great-grandson of the first minister, af- terward stood. He passed the subsequent winter in Spring- field, but in May, 1731, took up his permanent abode with his family in Wilbraham.

The next regular settler was Noah Alvord, who came out from Springfield in the spring of 1782, and located on the place since occupied by Lorenzo Kibbe. The next year Daniel Warner settled where Brainard Brewer afterward resided. In 1734, Nathaniel Warriner located where Mrs. Mears now resides. Of these four earliest settlers no descendants now live in Wilbraham.

Moses Burt followed in 1733, and located on what afterward became well known as the Burt farm. Then Samuel Warner settled on Stony Hill, and Samnel Stebbins on the mountain, near Mr. Richards' house. David Merrick built his house where John M. Merrick now resides ; John Jones settled on Mr. Buell's place ; Abel Bliss on the Bliss farm ; Daniel Lamb on the Bay road, west of Jenksville ; Thomas Merrick on Mr. Cross' farm; David Warriner on the academy lot; Isaac Brewer on Edwin Brewer's place ; David Chapin and Moses Bartlett beyond and on the mountain ; and Nathaniel Bliss near Samuel Stebbins'. Other early settlers prior to 1741 were . Aaron and Daniel Parsons, Cornelius Webb, Benjamin War- riner, Benjamin Wright, Henry Wright, Thomas Glover, and Joseph Sikes. No formal settlements were made in the south part of the town, now Hampden, before 1741.

After 1741, Jonathan Ely settled on the mountain in the north part of the town, on the middle road. Caleb Stebbins located on the farm afterward occupied by his great-grandsons, Jason and George; Daniel Cadwell near him; Joseph Sikes on the great Bay road; Philip Lyon south of " Wigwam lill ;" Benoni Atebinson on Stony Hill; and Ezra Barker near Atehinson.

During the first ten years of the settlement there were 38 children born, and but three persons died, of whom none were buried in the town. Elizabeth Cockril, who had come from Boston to reside with a relative, and who died April 26, 1741, was the " first person ye was Bured in ye town." Comfort

* The central part of this range is known as " Wigwam Hill," so nained because a lone ludiau squaw inhabited it after the settlement of the town began.

+ See general chapter on the Bar of the Connecticut Valley.

100G

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

Warner, daughter of Daniel Warner, was the first child born in the "outward commons, on the east side of the Great River," March 15, 1734. The first death was that of " David Jones, son of David Jones and Hannah Jones, his wife, Aug. 19, 1736."

The inhabitants of the town were at first compelled to go all the way to Springfield, a distance of nine miles, for the purpose of public worship; but, soon tiring of this, they pre- sented, June 26, 1740, with the concurrence of Longmeadow and First Parishes, a petition to Gov. Jonathan Belcher and the General Court, asking to be set off' as a separate precinct.

After passing through the usual legal formalities the peti- tion was granted, and on Jan. 6, 1741, Wilbraham became the " Fourth Precinct of Springfield," with " all the Powers, liberties, Priviledges, and immunities as other Precincts hold and Enjoy, and that all the lands Petitioned lying South ward of the River as aforesaid be subjected to a tax of 2d. (old tenor) Bills pr acre pr annum for the space of Four years; Next Coming the money arising thereby to be applied for the build- ing of a Meeting-house Settlement and support of the Ministry among them."*

The first precinct-meeting was held March 12, 1741, at the house of David Merrick, pursuant to a warrant issued for that purpose on Feb. 13, 1741, by " Wm. Pynchon, Esq., one of his Majeste's Justises of the Peace for llampshire County." The precinct was organized by the choice of the following officers: William Pynchon, acting as Moderator; David Merrick, Clerk ; Thomas Merrick (20), Isaac Brewer, Na- thaniel Warriner, Committee of the Precinct ; Isaae Brewer, Treasurer ; David Merrick, Thomas Merriek (2d), Samuel Stebbins, Assessors ; Nathaniel Warriner, Collector.

The history of the precinet government of Wilbraham con- sists chiefly of the choice and settlement of a minister and the location and erection of a meeting-house,-the most im- portant problems which the pioneer settlers of New England had to encounter. The Rev. Noah Merrick was chosen the first minister, and was duly ordained by a competent council in the month of June, 1741. The ceremonies attending the installation of the new pastor were to have been held beneath the spreading branches of a large oak-tree which stood in front of the Brainard Brewer house, but the weather proving inelement the meeting adjourned to a barn on the place where Mrs. Mears now resides. Next, follows a struggle of six years' duration in reference to the location and construction of a meeting-house. Two separate committees, composed of inhab- itants of the neighboring towns, were chosen to settle the vexed question.

Finally, in May, 1747, the spot was chosen,-"on the hill commonly called the Wigwam Hill, the centre of said spot being att a walnut staddle of about four or five inches Di- ameter, there being a fast stone in the Ground, about two feet and a-half northwest of said staddle, said staddle standing . twenty-eight Rods and sixteen Links, Running by a point of compass from the southwest corner of Mr. Noah Mirick's dwelling-house, south sixteen degrees thirty minutes East, into said staddle." Here the first meeting-house was erected in 1747, so that it could be occupied, but was not finally com- pleted until the summer of 1761, sixteen years after it was opened for worship.

The first record of a road laid by the town of Springfield, in the territory of Wilbraham, is made in March, 1744. A change was made in the " West Road," from Stephen Steb- bins', south, over the Scantie; also from Stebbins', east, to Brimfield line ( Monson), about as it now runs. Also, from-

Brimfield line on the overplus land, in the second division, to the middle road, " Provided the Same or Either of them, or any Part of them, do not Prove Chargeable to the town." County roads had been laid before this time, or the proprietors had marked paths which were to be opened as roads in due time.

The first town roads were accepted March 20, 1764, the first one being within the present limits of Hampden. The second road established was in the north part of the town, running from the " West Rode," or " Main Road," west to Stony Ilill, not far from the present road. From this road there ran south, through the whole length of the town, four paths, more or less used for foot travelers, bridle-paths, or for wagons. These were severally designated as the " West Road," on the west side of the mountain ; the " Middle" or " Ridge Road," following the top of the mountain about a mile east of the West road ; the " East Road," still another mile east, starting near " Twelve-Mile" Brook and running south to the south- east corner of the town; then one mile west of the " West Road " was the road on the west side of the "outward com- mons," nearly corresponding to the present road. There were also five roads crossing east and west. These roads were all laid out at different times before and, from 1763 to 1772, after the incorporation of the town.

TAVERNS.

Probably the earliest approach to a tavern that existed in Wilbraham was kept by Isaae Brewer, as early as 1741. Vari- ous publie meetings and sessions of committees were held at his house.

In this connection we insert portions of a letter written by Mrs. Antoinette C. M. A. B. Speer, dated at Warsaw, Ky., Dec. 30, 1878. Mrs. Speer is a sister of John M. Merrick, Esq., to whom the letter was directed, and speaks as one who knows whereof she affirms :

"My great-grandfather, Ensign Abel Bliss, built his house, probably a log house, first, in what we used to call the 'old orchard.' I presume you have seen the cellar there,-I have many a time. Finding that too remote frem a spring, or stream of water,-in those days they were not accustomed to dig wells,-they purposed moving nearer the brook, and accordingly built the barn, where it now stands, in the year 1740. The house was not built until four years afterward (1774).

"Finding it very inconvenient to come so far through the snow in winter te attend to their stock, they built a temporary honse, now used as a wood-house, consisting of what is called, at the south and west, of ' twe pens and a passage,' in which to reside until they could build a larger and more convenient oue.

"The house was designed, as was then thought, on a magnificent scale, being the first iu that part of the country which had the square glass instead of the diamond-shaped set in lead,-and altogether very large and grand for the times, insomuch that the minister, who in those days was supreme in all matters, both spiritual and temporal, thought it inenmbent upon him to preach against the folly and pride, and quoted the catechism (which in those days stood next to the Bible), making use of the following sentence : ' Build not your house too high.'

" The effect of this sermon on the said Ensign Abel was to cause him to cut off the upright timbers of the frame abont a foot, thus lowering the ceiling of the lower rooms that much. I once found one of those pieces under the beuse.

"In building the house the great question was how they should get the cash to buy the glass and nails. Tar brought meney, and this part of the question was solved by building a tar-kiln on the ' river lot,' where was a great abundance of fat-pine knots, from which they could procure the requisite means for getting the needed materials.

" It has been inexplicable to me how Mr. Stebbins conld make such an error in his Wilbraham Centennial book as to locate that house where Mr. J. Wesley Bliss lives, while the old house still stood to testify to its own antiquity.

" The marks of the old bar are still to be seen on the south room floor, and the old bar-room table still exists in the kitchen. In those days they had not been entirely dlivested of the customs of the 'old country,' which gave the home- stead to the eldest son, and consequently Oliver inherited the property, and from him it descended to John, my father. J. Wesley's grandfather was the second son of Ensign Abel.

" At what time Ensign Abel Bliss commenced 'keeping tavern,' I do not know; probably soon after the house was completed, Houses were not finished as expeditionsly in those days as they are new.

" I have often heard how the soldiers, returning from the war, spent the night there, stacking their guns in the corner, and lying down on the floor to sleep, with their feet to the fire,-not one of those fires covered up at the ringing of the ' curfew bell,' but one made of immense legs, such as are not familiar to this generation, and which even the stalwart men of these times managed with diffi- culty ; but large as they were the capacious fireplace was equal to the occasion.

* The names of the 24 settlers thus incorporated were Nathaniel Hitchcock, Noah Alverd, Daniel Warner, Nathaniel Warriner, James Brewer, David Mer- rick, Daniel Parsons, Samuel Warner, David Warriner, Samuel Bartlett, John Jones, Sumuel Brooks, Joseph Wright, Daniel Lamb, Abel Bliss, Phineas Cha- pin, Jonathan Ely, David Jones, Moses Burt, Nathaniel Bliss, Samuel Stebbins Thomas Merrick, Aaron and Stephen Stebbins.

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HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

The fireplaces have been remodeled, but the large stone chimney still occupies spare enough for a small bedroom.

" In the dining-room floor, the knots corresponding showed that the rude planks were all ent from one tree.

" While occupying the then new house, the old house in the orchard was used for a hospital, where they kept any traveler or soldier who was so unfortu- nate as to have taken the small-pox, and some one who had passed safely through an attack of the dreaded disease was sent to attend him until he died or recovered.

" The shingles on the north side of the barn remained there from the date of its erection nntil 1844,-one hundred and four years,-and the roof-boards were found in sufficient state of preservation to use again. The boards were of cedar, and the knots projected above the worn-out shingles .* Portions of these boards were sent to the Antiquarian Society of Worcester.

"When the house was kept as a tavern the Boston road passed over the hill, and not along the river and through the 'dng way,' as now. When General Washington passed over this road on his way to or from Boston, he passed over the hill, and my father and some other boys went ont to the corner to see him, and were much gratified when the stately chieftain bowed to them as he rode by.

" When Marcus Lyons was murdered, Ilalligan and Daly turned his horse into the pasture near where the railway now runs, into what we called the ' Plumley lot,' where he was fonnd next day with the saddle on.

" Father had to go to Northampton as a witness in the Ilalligan and Daly case.

"I cannot tell how long the house was used as a tavern. Oliver succeeded his father in its management, and my father, when a boy, was proud to be able to tell strangers how far it was to Graves' tavern in Palmer. Father was born in 1779, and 1 am inclined to think the tavern was kept open as late as the close of the last century."

NOTE .- This account may conflict somewhat with matter heretofore written, but it certainly carries evidence of correct knowledge and vivid recollection. -[Historian.]

There is now standing a house about three-quarters of a mile southeast of the depot at North Wilbraham that was occupied and used as a tavern during the Revolution, at which the sol- diers were entertained on the marches from different points to Boston. The barn now standing on the place was built before the house, and is more than one hundred and thirty years old. The house where John M. Merrick resides was erected about 1788 by Jonathan Merriek, bis grandfather, for a tavern. He kept it there until about 1806. The same house was kept as a temperance house from about 1840 to 1843 or 1844. The house where John Baldwin resides, near the depot, was kept by him as a tavern for many years. The building first used as a board- ing-house by the Wesleyan Academy in 1825 was originally erected by William Rice, for many years register of deeds for Hampden County, as a place of public entertainment. Mr. Rice was succeeded as tavern-keeper by David Warriner, who continued to perform the duties of a hospitable landlord until the property passed into the possession of the academy. It was a place of some repute and well patronized. 1ts sign- board, which stood on the opposite side of the road from the house, bore the figure of a woman engaged in churning. About 1807-8, Charles Brewer kept a tavern where Luther Markham now resides, and Abel Calkins, followed by Stephen Utley, kept one about fifty years ago where Mrs. Abbie Knight resides. Benjamin Fuller kept a tavern in 1828 or 1829 on the corner of the road leading to Monson. The old Joseph Sikes tavern was standing many years ago on the " Great Road," not far from Mr. Baldwin's, and is probably one of the first kept in the town, if not the first.

Of the early stores kept in the town, we are able to give but little account. It is probable that at first they were little better than trading-posts. One was kept by Augustus Sisson, in 1810, in the old building which formerly stood next to the Congregational Church, and wherein the post-office was after- ward kept. Jonathan Pease had a store afterward near the house where Mrs. Abbie Knight now lives. Pliny Caldwell had charge of the store. Maj. Wm. Clarke had a store for a number of years on the south side of Mrs. Knight's residence.

PHYSICIANS.

The physicians who have practiced in Wilbraham have been Dr. John Stearns, Dr. Gordon Percival, Dr. Samuel F. Mer-

rick (who practiced as early as the Revolution, was engaged in the war, and resided in the centre of the town) ; Dr. Judah Bliss, who lived about a mile north of the centre, and prac- ticed about 1800, or later ; Drs. Abiah Southworth and Con- verse Butler ; Dr. Luther Brewer, who resided where Myron Brewer now lives, and practiced about 1812; Drs. Jacob Ly- man and Elisha Ladd; Dr. Gideon Kibbe, who lived where Wm. B. Twing now resides, and practiced about 1810 ; Dr. Jesse W. Rice, who practiced about 1820, and resided first where John M. Merrick now lives, and afterward where Lu- ther Markham resides ; Dr. Edwin Thayer, who engaged in practice about 1836 or 1838, and then removed to Palmer ; and Dr. Charles Bourker, who practiced about 1862 or 1863, then entered the army as a surgeon, and is now in practice at Ber- nardston. The physicians now practicing in the town are Dr. Stebbins Foskit and Dr. James W. Foster at the centre, and Dr. Squiers at North Wilbraham.

The present town of Wilbraham has had only two lawyers. Of these, William Knight was admitted to the Bar in 1820, and located in the town. His practice was local, and con- sisted principally of what is known as office-work, as dis- tinguished from litigation. lle enjoyed the reputation of a prudent, careful, and honest lawyer. He removed to the State of Ohio about 1840. The other lawyer was Asa Olm- stead, who practiced at Wilbraham about 1830 for five or six years, and resided on the corner of the road leading to Monson.

BRIDGES.

The first bridge erected in the town was a "Good Cart Bridge," " Erected and Built across the Brook called Twelve- mile Brook in the Countrey Road, with Good Large lewed Timber at the Charge of the Town." The vote for its construc- tion was passed by the town of Springfield, Nov. 23, 1741, and it was directed that it be " Donc as soon as may be," the reason being that the grand jury had made a presentment against the town for not sooner providing a bridge.

ORGANIZATION.

As early as Jan. 16, 1749, efforts were made by the "fourth precinct of Springfield" to be set off as a town, and for fourteen successive years, with untiring pertinacity, did the inhabitants present their petitions and urge their right to municipal organ- ization without success. " A continual dropping weareth away a stone," so finally the efforts of the precinet met with success, and on June 15, 1763, the act of incorporation by which Wilbraham became a district was signed by Sir Francis Bernard, Governor of the province. Wilbraham united with Springfield in the choice of a representative until the former became a town, in 1786.

As to the name of the new town there are two theories,- one that the name was derived from an English baronet, by the name of Wilbraham. The other and more correct view traces the name to the parish or town of Wilburgham, or Wilbraham, in the "Hundred of Staine," county of Cam- bridge, England. Rowland Stebbins, the ancestor of the Stebbinses, and William Pynchon, the ancestor of the Pyn- chons and the original proprietor of Springfield, originated in the near neighborhood of Wilbraham, in England, and came from thence to this country, and it is highly probable that through the influence of their descendants the name Wilbraham may have been selected for the new town. The Indian name of the town was Minnechang, meaning " Berry Land."+

The territory of the precinct was enlarged in the act of incorporation by the addition of a strip of land on the west side, from the " inner commons," halt a mile wide, extending from the Chicopee River to the Connecticut line. In 1780

* The letter of Mrs. S. is a little ambiguous on these points, and may be under- stood to mean either boards or shingles. Possibly both were of cedar.

+ Dr. Merrick, in his MS. address, delivered in 1831, says it was Manscorus, meaning "mountains." But this is probably incorrect, ae the Indian word for " mountain" in New England wae " Wachush."

1008

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

there fell to the town another strip of land, called the " Ob- long," or " Wales," about a mile in width at one end, and three-quarters of a mile at the other, across the whole width of the town. In 1799 that portion of the first division of the "out ward common of Springfield" which lay on the east side of Chicopee River, now called the " Elbows," then " Kings- field or the Elbows," was added. By these additions the town was made four and a half miles wide as far north as its west- ern line extended. Its length on the west side was eight miles and one hundred and fifty-two rods, and on its eastern side ten miles and one hundred and thirty rods.

The warrant for the first town-meeting was issued by John Worthington, Esq., of Springfield, to Stephen Stebbins, of Wilbraham, and bore date Aug. 8, 1763. Pursuant to this warrant the inhabitants " assembled and met together" at the meeting-house, Aug. 25, 1763, and proceeded to organize the first town-meeting, Lieut. Thomas Mirick acting as " mod- erator." It was voted that Ezra Barker should be clerk of the town. The meeting then adjourned to enable the " elerk" to go to Springfield to be sworn, for there was as yet no justice of the peace in the new town. Re-convening the next day the following officers were chosen : selectmen, treasurer, constable, assessors, tithingmen, surveyors of highways, fence-viewers, deer-reeves, sealers of leather, hog-reeves, wardens, surveyor of shingles, clapboards, ete., and surveyors of wheat.

The usual proceedings relating to the organization of the town then follow in the records. In 1765 the people in the south part of the town made application for money to support preaching among them for the winter, which the town refused. At the December meeting, 1767, the town refused the "south part" the privilege of having " Two Months' Preaching in the Winter Season, upon their own cost." In 1772 the south part asked to be set off as a town, but were refused. In 1778 it was voted to divide the town into two parishes, but the vote was afterward reconsidered. In 1780 another effort to form a parish was made, and June 11, 1782, the south part of the town, corresponding very nearly with the present town of Hampden, became, by special enactment of the General Court, the south parish. The territory corresponding to the town of Wilbra- ham became the north parish, the line between the two being on the south side of David Bliss' farm, those adjoining the line being permitted to choose whichever parish they pleased.

The following persons have filled the principal offices of Wilbraham :

SELECTMEN .*

1741 .- Thomas Merrick, Isaac Brewer, Nathaniel Warriner.

1742 .- Daniel Warner, Nathaniel Ilitchcock, Moses Burt.

1743 .- Stephen Stebbins, Nathaniel Warriner, Moses Burt.

1744 .- Thomas Merrick, Nathaniel Bliss, David Jones,

1745 .- Nathaniel Warriner, John Jones, Stephen Stebbins.

1746 .- Nathaniel Warriner, Nathaniel Bliss, Moses Burt. 1747 .- John Jones, Daniel Warner, John Hitchcock.

174% .- Thomas Merrick, John Hitchcock, Nathaniel Bliss.

1749 .- Nathaniel Warriner, Daniel Warner, Simeon Willard.

1750 .- Nathaniel Bliss, Daniel Cadwell, Aaron Stebbins. 1751 .- Thomas Merrick, James Warriner, Nathaniel Bliss.

1752-Jolin Hitchcock, Jr., Caleb Stebbins, Thomas Merrick.

1753 .- Jolin Hitchcock, Jr., Daniel Warner, Ezra Barker.

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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 148

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