History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 160

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 160

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VILLAGES.

The principal village is situated about a mile east of the Connecticut River, and is known as

LONGMEADOW.

The name is still appropriate, for while the village is not located on the " long meadow" which borders the river, as in former days, yet the peculiar shape of the village is singularly illustrative of the name.

The buildings are situated on either side of a wide street, which extends north and south through the town, being about twenty rods in width through the village. In the centre of this fine street is a beautiful common or park, planted with numerous shade-trees and intersected by pleasant walks. The dwellings are generally commanding and substantial, neat and picturesque, many of them in modern style. Among these recent structures are still to be seen the homesteads of the older inhabitants, who rejoice in the ancient houses that have so long afforded their ancestors and themselves comfort- able homes.

The village proper extends for about one mile, and its broad street is lined with pleasant and lofty shade-trees, principally maples and elins.

In " leafy June," when Nature puts on her wealth of green, a view of the village is most charming, recalling vividly to mind the lines of England's greatest poetess :

"The stately homes of England ! How beautiful they stand,

Amid the tall ancestral trees, o'er all the pleasant land !"

The place is noted for the wealth and refinement of its citi- zens, and for high moral and intellectual culture. The lead- ing thought of the fathers when they founded this beautiful farmers' village was undoubtedly social and religious inter- course,-to be where they could assemble conveniently for worship on the Sabbath, and where they could, as a commu- nity, provide for the education of their children.

It is a typical New England village of " ye olden time;" one which would delight the heart of a Hawthorne or an Ir- ving ; and its quaint but substantial dwellings of a past cen- tury and generation, and its grand old trees, bring pleasant

memories of the quiet pastoral days of early New England, when every family owned its " home-lot" and its " meadow- farm," and when the conscientions people lived under rigid laws, wore plain garments, and believed in and defended vig- orously a system of religion which, in the present day, would seem austere and illiberal, if not even bigoted and intolerant.

The great river-road connecting Springfield and Hartford was probably, next after the traditional " Bay Path," the oldest in the valley, and was originally marked by substan- tial mile-stones, one of which, standing in the northern part of Longmeadow village, still shows the time-worn legend, " 22 miles to Hartford," though the upper portions, which recorded the distance from Boston, have crumbled away under the frosts of many winters. It is of the "red sandstone" of the valley.

Post-Office .- The earliest post-office at Longmeadow was established about 1810, the inhabitants previously going to Springfield for their mail. The first postmaster was Solomon Burt, who kept the office in the same building where it is located at the present time.

The next was Daniel Gates, although the business was trans- acted by Stephen Cooley. William White was postmaster for a great many years, and until his death during the late war. Horace Newell and Lester Noble next filled the position in turn, and were succeeded by Edwin K. Colton, the present incumbent.

EAST LONGMEADOW.

This village is situated near the centre of the eastern settle- ments of the town, no less than seven roads centering at that point like the spokes of a wheel. The village consists of only a few houses, the Congregational and Methodist Churches and the village school-house constituting the most prominent fea- tures of the place. Besides these there are two stores and a post-office. The latter was established during the administra- tion of President Jackson. The first postmaster was Seth Taylor, who kept it in his store, and filled the position until liis death in 1835. Ilis successor was William Lathrop, who was succeeded by Henry J. Crooks. Alfred Taylor then filled the office for two years, and was succeeded by Cortez F. Rus- sell, the present incumbent.

SCHOOLS.

The subject of education received attention about as soon as the establishment of public worship. No sooner had the question of a meeting-house been settled than the fathers of the precinct voted to secure a schoolmaster to teach "our chil- dren to read and write." This was the summum bonum of education in those early days. Reference has already been made to the first school-houses that existed in the town.

The records are replete with the various movements which were made in the successive stages of its history for the ad- vancement of educational interests. In the year 1784 the sum of £40 was appropriated for the support of schools. In 1786 this had increased to £55, and in 1787 to £60. In ITSS a com- mittee was appointed to consider the propriety of building a new school-house. In 1791, £120 was appropriated to the " middle" school district for the purpose of " building a house for the use of schools and other occasional purposes of the town." The same year £30 was appropriated to the "south" district to enable them to build a school-house; and the same amount was appropriated to the " north" district for the pur- pose of refunding to the inhabitants the expense of building a school-house in that district the preceding fall, and to enable them to finish the house. The sum of £23 was also appropri- ated to the " northwest" distriet, in the east part of the town, to enable them to erect a school-house ; £20 was appropriated to the "northeast district," in the east part of the town, for the purpose of building a school-house, and £17 was appro- priated to the " southeast" district to " defray the expense of their building a school-house of late," and to enable them to

* Precinct clerks to 1784.

1044

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

finish the same. In 1795, €160 was appropriated out of the interest derived from the sale of school lands to finish the va- rious school buildings. In 1798 the town appropriated £100 for school purposes. The appropriation in 1806 was £120; in 1807, €135; in 1809, €160; in 1815, $600; in 1817, $500; in 1840, $780 ; in 1844, 81000; in 1865, 82000 ; and in 1875, $3500.

At the present time there are in the town nine public schools, corresponding to as many districts, the district system having been abolished. The number of scholars in attend- ance is about 275. Two of the schools include a high-school department. The schools are under the general superintend- ence of a school board consisting of four persons, who are elected by the town. The sun last appropriated by the town for the support of its schools was $3500, for the year 1878. They are reported by the committee to be in a satisfactory and promising condition.

CHURCHES.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.

The first establishment of public worship in Longmeadow dates back to the incorporation of the parish, Feb. 17, 1713. In the month of April of the year following the people voted " to proceed in building a meeting-house; and that the said house should be built 38 feet square if the timber already gotten would allow it, or, if the timber should be too seant, to make it something less." The house was not ready for occupation before the early part of 1716.

In March, 1715, Rev. Stephen Williams, a son of Rev. John Williams, of Deerfield, was called to the pastorate of the church. Ile was to receive £200 settlement and £55 salary for five years, and then to have it increased by the addition of £5 a year until it should equal £70. Mr. Wil- liams accepted the call, and was ordained Oct. 17, 1716, the council which conducted the ordination services including some of the most eminent clergymen of the period. Rev. Mr. Williams was born at Deerfield, May 14, 1693; subsequently suffered captivity with the Indians after the burning of Deer- field, in 1704, for a description of which see the history of Deerfield ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1713; taught school in Hadley for a year, and went to Longmeadow, Nov. 4, 1714, to preach as a candidate. After his settlement he served as a chaplain in three campaigns in the old French- and-Indian wars. Dartmouth College bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1773. After a long life of great usefulness he died on the 10th of June, 1782, in the ninetieth year of his age and the sixty-sixth year of his ministry. An interesting diary kept by Dr. Williams, well illustrating the trials and difficulties which he had to meet in his pioneer ministry, and breathing the spirit of an earnest and truthful reliance upon divine guidance, is still extant in the town.

The successor of Dr. Williams was the Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, a graduate of Yale in 1783. He was ordained Dec. 17, 1785. lle discharged the duties of the pastoral office with marked success and ability until Oct. 3, 1819, when he sud- denly died. His ministry and that of his predecessor cover nearly a century of the history of the church. Rev. Baxter Dickinson, a native of Amherst and a graduate of Yale in 1817, succeeded Mr. Storrs, March 5, 1823, and was dismissed Oct. 20, 1829. The next pastor was Rev. Jonathan B. Con- dit, of Hanover, N. H., who was dismissed Oct. 4, 1835. Rev. Howard Beebe, of Richmond, Va., a graduate of Wil- liams College in 1833, was ordained as the next pastor, Oct. 18, 1837, and dismissed March 21, 1843. Rev. Samuel Wol- cott was ordained in 1843, and dismissed Dec. 27, 1847.

Rev. John W. Harding, the present pastor, is the son of Rev. Sewall Harding, of Medway, Mass., graduated at Yale College in the class of 1845, and was installed in the pastoral office at Longmeadow, Jan. 1, 1850.

The church is in a prosperous condition, and has a member-

ship of 148. The number of Sabbath-school scholars is 102, and the library contains about 400 volumes. The present church edifice is the old church remodeled and renovated, and was completed March 17, 1874. It is a beautiful and tasteful building, and occupies a prominent position on the east side of the village green .*

The following first entry on the record-book of so old a church, in the handwriting of Dr. Williams, may be of in- terest :

"The Seventeenth of Octobr, 1716, I was ordained, and we had a church gather), And those of us whose names are hereto suffixd ilid give up ourselves to God, and to Jesus ('brist, and did promise to walk together in a faithful attend- ance of all God's holy institutions in order to his glory and ye edification of our own souls and ye souls of our children."

(Signed) " Stephen Williams, Thomas Colton, Daniel Conley, George Colton Nathaniel Burt, Jr., Nathaniel Bliss (20). Jonathan Ely, Thomas Bliss, Samuel Bliss (1st)."

FIRST BAPTIST SOCIETY, EAST LONGMEADOW.

The formal establishment of Baptist worship in the town of Longmeadow occurred in the year 1807. September 19th of that year a petition was presented to the Second Congre- gational Church and the Baptist Church of Enfield by the inhabitants of the southeast section of the town, craving per- mission to have Elder George Atwell officiate with them as a " Preacher of Divinity" one-half of the time. The request appears to have been complied with, for, from that time to the year 1818, Mr. Atwell and Elder Alvin Bennett minis- tered to the religious necessities of that denomination, assisted occasionally by others.

May 16, 1818, the Baptists voted to present a petition to Enfield Church, of which it had previously been a branch, asking to be set off as a separate and independent church. The request was granted, and June 23, 1818, the First Bap- tist Church of East Longmeadow was formerly created and establisbed with appropriate ceremonies. The First Baptist Society had previously been incorporated, Feb. 8, 1819.

Since the establishment of the church the pulpit has been supplied by various persons, whose names it is unnecessary to give. The regular pastors have beent Rev. George B. Atwell, from May 1, 1821, to Nov. 12, 1825, he having been ordained Sept. 11, 1822, while in charge of the church ; Elder John M. Hunt, from June 6, 1835, to 1840; Rev. Moses J. Kelly, who was ordained pastor Sept. 12, 1842; Rev. F. L. Batchelor, in 1843: Rev. N. W. Minor, who was ordained Dec. 5, 1848, while in charge of the church ; Rev. Mr. Farrar, July 5, 1846 ; Rev. Nicholas Branch, in 1853; Rev. A. S. Lovell, who be- came pastor in the spring of 1858, and continued several years ; Rev. Levi II. Wakeman, who was settled in the spring of 1862; Rev. T. O. Judd, in the spring of 1867; Rev. H. G. Gage, who became pastor in May, 1873; Rev. Wm. S. Phil- lips, who was called in December, 1875; and Rev. O. R. Hunt, the present pastor, who was called March 17, 1877, and preached his first sermon April 8th of that year.

The church is in a prosperous condition, the present mem- bership being 105. The Sabbath-school numbers 89 scholars and teachers, with an average attendance of 62; number of books in the library, abont 300. The pastor of this church also serves the Baptist Church in the town of Hampden.

The house of worship occupied by the society was built about the year 1830, but has since been remodeled. It is lo- cated in the southeast corner of the town, in what is popularly known as the " Baptist neighborhood."

SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.

This church was organized at East Longmeadow, the 22d of April, 1829. The parish was incorporated June 16, 1827. On the day of the organization of the church its first deacon,

* A fine and valuable town clock, the gift of an enterprising citizen, a descen- dant of the pioneers, adorns the tower of this church.

+ The records of the church are so defective that this list is possibly erroneous in some minute particulars.

1045

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

in the person of Ebenezer Burt, was chosen. The first meet- ing-house was erected in 1828, at a cost of $3500, and was ded- icated Nov. 28, 1828. It stood on the hill at East Long- meadow, where the Congregational parsonage now stands. The present church edifice, an attractive structure, is located at the centre of the village of East Longmeadow. It is the old building remodeled, it having been raised up and a vestry put under it when it was moved down the hill, in 1859.

The first pastor of the church was Rev. Calvin Foot, who was installed April 15, 1831, and dismissed July 8, 1835. He was succeeded by Rev. Martin Tupper, of Stafford, Conn., and a graduate of Princeton College in the class of 1826. Rev. William E. Dixon, of Enfield, Conn., a graduate of Williams College in 1833, was installed over the church on Oct. 14, 1852, and was dismissed May 80, 1854. Rev. Joshua R. Brown was installed pastor Dee. 13, 1854, and died Sept. 7, 1858, at the age of forty-six. Rev. Alfred B. Peabody succeeded to the pastorate May 24, 1860, and was dismissed March 26, 1867. The church then listened to supplies for over two years, when the present pastor, Rev. Alfred I. Dutton, was installed, Dec. 8, 1869. The present deacons of the church are Roman A. Crane and Vashni Pease.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EAST LONGMEADOW.

This church was organized in the month of June, 1853, with Rev. David K. Merrill as preacher in charge. Ile con- tinued in that relation until October, 1854, when the church was supplied by Oliver Howe and other teachers from Wil- braham Academy. The following persons then administered to the church in turn : from August, 1855, to April, 1856, Rodney Gage; from April, 1856, to April, 1857, Jonas Mc- Clark; from April, 1857, to April, 1860, supplied by Rev. Miner Raymond, D.D., of Wilbraham, and Prof. White ; from April, 1860, to April, 1862, Randall Mitchell; from April, 1862, to November, 1864, Thomas C. Pratt; from November, 1864, to April, 1866, William Rice, of Springfield ; from April, 1866, to September, 1866, Henry T. Eddy, He died, and Guilford D. Brown preached two years, to October, 1868. From that date Joseph Candlin preached to April, 1871 ; J. W. Lee followed and preached one year to April, 1872; William Wignall then officiated until the month of April, 1874; N. F. Stevens succeeded until April, 1875; from April, 1875, to January, 1876, John Cadwell preached for the church. He died suddenly, and the church was supplied until the fol- lowing April by John Cass. For the next two years Joseph Seeth filled the pastoral office. The present pastor, Rev. Jacob W. Price, was established over the church in April, 1878.

The society have a neat church edifice at the East Centre, which was dedicated in the fall of 1853; also a pleasant par- sonage, which was built in 1860. The church is small in numbers, but strong in faith, and enjoys the rare oxperience of being entirely free from debt.

The church is in a prosperous and flourishing condition, the present membership being 104. The number of families attending the church is 50; average attendance on the Sab- bath-school, 60; number of volumes in the library, about 300.

CATHOLICS.

The Catholics of the town hold stated meetings in a neat house of worship, erected by them about six years ago on the road running north of the old burying-ground in the village of Longmeadow. They have no settled pastor, however, but are supplied by the priests of the adjoining churches,

BURIAL-PLACES,

The town of Longmeadow contains four places of publie burial. Of these, three are in the east part of the town. The oldest of these grounds is what is known as the "Old Burying- Ground," situated in the rear of the Congregational Church, at the village of Longmeadow. It was laid out in pursuance to a vote passed by the precinct, Jan. 23, 1718, " to fence and

clear ten rods in length and four in breadth" for a burial- ground. Dec. 13, 1808, it was "voted to extend the new burying-yard in the meeting-house lane so far to the east as to come within twenty feet of the west side of the Widow Ann Field's dwelling-house." This seems to have been the first addition made to the yard. Another was made in 1845, and it has been fenced several times.

The ground bears evidence of its ancient character, and con- tains the remains of many of the oldest and most respected citizens of the town. It extends along the road passing east from the village by the meeting-house, and presents a mourn- fully pleasing appearance with its long rows of tombstones, many of them containing quaint and interesting inscriptions. Some of these are as follows :

" In memory of Rev. Stephen Williams, D.D., who was a prudent and labori- ous minister, a sound and evangelical preacher, a pious and exemplary Chris- tian, a sincere and faithful friend, a tondor and affectionate father and consort, and a real and disinterested lover of mankind : departed this life with hunbie and cheerful hope of a better, June 10, 1782, in the 90th year of bis age, and 66th of his ministry.

" Softly, with fainting hrad, he lay Upon bis Maker's breast ; His Maker kissed his soul away, And laid his Resh to rest."

"Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Richard S. Storrs, pastor of the church in Longmeadow. He was born at Mansfield, Conn., Aug. 30, 1763, graduated at Yale College in 1783, ordained Dec. 7, 1785, diedl Oct. 3, 1819. In the private relations of life he eminently illustrated the graces of the Christian. He was distinguished for his appropriate, perspicuous, and affectionate exhibition of evangelical truth, for propriety, richness, and fervor in social prayer, and for his instructive conversation, and Christian sympathy in pastoral duties. In testimony of their affectionate remembrance of his personal worth, and their regard for his ability, zeal, and usefulness as their Christian pastor, his monroing congregation erect this monument.

" Religion, ber almighty breath, Rebuked the winds and waves of death ; Amidst that calm of sweet repose, To Heaven his gentle spirit rose."

"In memory of Capt. Isaac ('olton, who died Jan. 23, 1757, in his 57th year. Capt. I. Colton bad a military genius, commanded a company at Louisbourg, in 1745. Was respected & useful at home. Was a man of prayer .- Isa. 31, 3,-For behold the Lord doth take away the Captain." -

"How art thou fallen in the midst of the battle! O very pleasant hast thou been ! In memory of Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt, who was slain in the memorable battle of Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755, when his Colonel* and other trare officers fell, yet a sigual victory was obtained over the cuemy. Mr. Nathaniel Burt was a deacon of this church, an exemplary christian, a man of Public Spirit, & a good soldier; well beloved at home and in ye army. A concern for pure religion caused his going into ye military service. He died in his 45th year .- 2 Chron. 35 and 25,-And Jeremiah lamented over Josialı."

" Mr. Nathaniel Buurt, a respectable and worthy Father of the Town of Long- meadow, was born A.D. 1636, and died Sept 29, 1720.

"This Monument is erected to his memory by the inhabitants of said Town as a token of gratitude for donations in lands made by him to them for the support of the Gospel aml public schools .- Isaiah 30, 8,-The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand."t

The oldest cemetery in the east part of the town was laid out over one hundred years ago, the exact date not at present being known. It is located a short distance east of the centre, and comprises about one and a half acres of land. It is neatly fenced, triangular in shape, and has entrances from two roads. It does not contain very many graves, but among them are to be seen those of some of the earliest settlers of the east section of the town.

Another cemetery is located in the southeast corner of the town, in what is known as the " Baptist neighborhood." The yard is small, not comprising much over an acre of land, and contains stones bearing dates as early as 1769. It is situated at the intersection of two roads, and is entered from each. It is still in use.

The last remaining cemetery is situated in the northeast corner of the town, and contains about an acre of ground. It was probably laid out in the early part of the present century, very likely by a committee appointed by the town, in the

* Ephraim Williams.

+ A peculiarity of this cemetery is that in the original burial ground of 1718 the graves lie north and south.

1048

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

When the pioneer colony came out on their first exploring expedition toward the " Quinnecticott," or "Great River, " it is stated that part of them settled at what is now the city of Hartford ; a part eame farther north and located at what is known as Warehouse Point, and, according to some author- ities, another portion reached a point in the southern part of Springfield, near Long Hill, where they stopped for a few days to examine the surrounding country and fix upon a proper place for settlement. This was in 1635. They finally selected a location on the Agawam side of the " Great River, " in what has since been known as the " House Lot," where they erected a log cabin and remained for some time.

This account undoubtedly refers to the two men stated to have been sent out in that year to build a house for the col- ony. The two were Woodeock and Cable, who undoubtedly built the first dwelling in Western Massachusetts, within the present limits of Agawam township. The location is on the south bank of the Agawam River, about a half-mile from its mouth, on the low bottom-land, which frequently is over- flowed. The spot chosen is said to have covered originally about 10 aeres of land, but the river channel has changed so much that a large portion has either been washed away or now constitutes a part of the large island lying between the arms, or in the delta, of the Agawam. The place is probably included at the present time in lands owned by Leonard Clark & Son, of Springfield.

It is not definitely known whether the two pioneers remained through the winter of 1635-36 or returned in the fall to the eastern settlements; neither ean it be ascertained whether the cabin was taken down and reconstructed on the Springfield side, or carried away by the overflow in the succeeding spring.

In the town records of Springfield oceurs the following :

Jan. 3, 1638 .- " It is ordered by ye plantation at a general meeting, that these six meu undernamed shall set out the bounds of ye plantation on ye river on both sides of ye river, and to marke ye trees for ye cleering of it. Ye persons appointed are William Pynchon, Jehu Burr, Henry Smith, John Cable, Richard Everitt, Thomas Mirrick."

Feb. 14, 1638,-" It was ordered it shall be lawful for any man to put over horse, cows, or younger cattell on ye other side of ye river till the Ist of Novem- ber."

Jan. 26, 1642 .- llenry Smith, Elizur Holyoke, Henry Burt, Samuel Chapin, Richard Titus, Thomas Mirrick were appointed a committee " by general vote and consent of ye l'lantation," with full power to lay out, not to exceed 150 acres of land, to be divided among 30 families " on ye other side of ye grt river."

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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 160

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