History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 170

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 170

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1076

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

from henceforth have, hold, occupy, possess, & Enjoy the Twelve following Lotts of the aforesaid truet of haupt, Viz. : Number Three, Seven, Thirteen, Seventeen, Twenty-one, Twenty-Five, Twenty-nine, Thirty-five, Thirty-seven, Forty-three, Forty seven & Fitty-first Jotts thereof, as the same have been laid out & divided by the aforesaid Mr. Roger Newbury; & according to the plan & division there- of contained in the above-mentioned schedule hereunto annexed, to him, the said Francis Wells, his heirs & nesigns in severalty, in full satisfaction of his fourth purt or share of the saidl traet of Land & Premises to the only sale & proper use & beboof of himself, his heirs & as-igus forever, & that notwithstand- ing any net, matter, or thing had, made, committed, suffered, or done by them, the said John Foye, Christopher Jacob Lawton, & Francis Brinley, or any of them, free A clear of & from any lawful claims, demands, & Incumbrances whatsoever, & the said John Foye, Christopher Jacob Lawton, & Francis Brinley have Remised, Released, & Quit-claimed, & each of them by their presents doth Remise, Release, & forever Quit-claim unto the said Francis Wells, his heirs & assigns, all the Estate, Right, Title, Interest. Property, Portion, Claim, & Demand whatsoever of the said John Foye, Christopher Jacob Lawton, & Francis Brinley, & overy of them, of, in, & to the aforesaid Twelve Lotts, & every part thereof hereinbefore mentioned to be allotted, assigned, & appointed by these presents to him, the said Francis Wells, his heirs & assigns in severalty for his before-mentioned part & share of the aforesaid tratof Land & Premises; & the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, Francis Brinley. & Francis Wells, each of them severally answering for himself & his own acts only, & not one for the acts of the other, Do, for Themselves & their respective heirs, Executors, & Adminis- trators, Covenant, Grant, & Agree to & with the said John Foye, bis beiis & assigns, that he, the spid John Foye, shall or may from henceforth Have, Hold, Occupy, Possess, & Enjoy the Thirteen following Lotts of the aforesaid tract of Land, Viz .: Number Two, Six, Nine, Sixteen, Twenty, Twenty-four, Twenty- eight, Thirty-three, Thirty-eight, Forty-five, Forty-six, Fifty, & Forty-second Lutts thereof, as the same have been laid out & divided by the aforenamed Mr. Roger Newiniry, according to the plan & division thereof, contained in the above- mentioned schedule hereonto annexed, to him, the said John Foye, bis heirs & assigns in severalty, in full satisfaction of his fourth part or share of the said Tract of Land & P'remises to the only sale & proper use of himself, his heirs, & assigns forever ; & that notwithstanding any act, matter, or thing, had, made, committed, sutlered, or done by them, the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, Francis Brinley, & Francis Wells, or any of them, free & clear of & from any lawful Claims, Demands, & Incumbrances whatsoever; & Lastly, the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, Francis Brinley, & Francis Wells have Remised, Released, & Quit-claimed, & each of them by these presents Doth Remise, Release, & for- ever Quit-claim unto the snid John Foye, his heirs & assigns, all the Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Property, l'ortion, Claim, & Demand whatsoever of them, the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, Francis Brinley, & Francis Wells, & every of them, of, in, & to the aforesaid Thirteen Lotts, & every Part thereof hereinbefore mentioned, to be allotted, assigned, & appointed by these presents to him, the said John Foye, his heirs & assigns in severalty, for his before-mentioned Part or share of the aforesaid Tract of Land & Premises,

"In Witness whereof the above-named Parties to these presents have hereunto Interchangealdy set their hands & seals the day & year first above written.

"CHRISTOPHER JACOB LAWTON, [SEAL.]

" FRANCIS BRINLEY, [SEAL.]

" FRANCIS WELLS.

[SEAL.]

"JOHN FOYE.

[SEAL.]

"Acknowledgment on lack of Parchment :

" WORCESTER 88.

LEICESTER, March 30, 1737.

"The within-named Christopher Jacob Lawton, Francis Brinley, Francis Wells, Esqs., & Mr. John Foye personally appeared before me the subscriber, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid, & severally weknowledged the within-written Instrument, by them executed, to be their free art & Deed.

" Signed, Sealed, & Delivered in presence of us.

" JOSEPH HEATH. "JOHN IICSTON. " JOAN CHANDLER, JR.

" Reg. Record on back of Parchment: " HAMPSHIRE 88.

SPRINGFIELD, Sept. 28, 1797.

" Received and Recorded in the Registry of Deeds of said County, Lib. No. 34, Folio 263, &c., &r.

" Examined. "WM. PYNCHON, Regr."

It is not an easy matter to write the histories of the descend- ants of the early settlers of Blandford, for the reason that many of the sons and daughters of the pioneers having left the town early in lite, but few of the old names are found among the residents of to-day. Such as could be definitely followed will be found set forth below.

The Boies family is very widely scattered. The only ones bearing that name in Blandford now are Watson E. and his sou, Enos W. Du Boyce is said to have been the original name, and France the country which gave the family birth. During Cardinal Richelieu's time, the family fled to Scotland to avoid religious persecution, and in the latter country adopted the name of Boise, which after the settlement in

Blandford was changed to Boies. David, the first settler, had four sons,-Samuel, David, John, and William. David, Jr., died young. The three remaining brothers married three sisters named Crooks. John had three sons,-Jolin, Jr., Samuel, and David. Samuel, the younger, had three sons, who migrated from Blandford to the West early in life. John, Jr., the grandson of David, the original, had also three sons,-Enos, James, and Nathan. Watson E., now living in Blandford, is a son of the Enos last named. James R., a brother of Watson E., is now professor of languages at the Chicago University. A younger brother, Adoniram, died at the age of seven years. James, an unele of Watson E., died in West Granby. This James had a son, Aralza (who died of yellow fever in New Orleans about fifty years ago), and a daughter, who is now Mrs. Orrin Bills, of Sheffield, Mass. Nathan, another of Watson E.'s uncles, removed to Palmyra about sixty years ago, and died tbere, leaving a large family. Watson E. has two living sisters,-Mrs. G. W. Shepard, of West Granville, and Mrs. William Moore, of Agawam.

Of the Blairs, Truman and Samuel, sons of Reuben, are residing in Blandford. David Blair, with a family of twelve children, was the first of the name to emigrate to America. Hle settled in Worcester shortly after 1720, and thenee Mat- thew, his eldest son, removed to Blandford as one of its first settlers. Robert, a brother of Matthew, settled also in Bland- ford, on the tract called " the Gore." Matthew had six sons and four daughters. Matthew, one of the sons who settled here, was twice married, had eight children, viz. : Robert, Matthew, Jacob, Isaae, Moses, Adam, James, and Anna. Robert, the brother of Matthew, the elder, above, had six chil- dren,-Robert, David, Dolly, Asa, Rufus, Hannah. Reuben, the father of Truman and Samuel, now living in Blandford, was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Matthew, the latter being the son of Matthew, the earliest Blandford settler of that name. James, a brother of Reuben, and uncle of the present Truman and Samuel, removed to Ohio, His daughter afterward beeame the mother of Gov. Fairchild, of Wiscon- sin. Nathan, another of Reuben's brothers, died in Bland- ford many years ago. Timothy, a son of John Blair, of Worcester, and grandson of David, the original, moved to Blandford in 1787, and died here in 1837, without issue, aged eighty-five.

James Nye settled in Blandford in 1805. Three of his sons, Dennis, Clark, and Randall, still reside in the town.

The Knox family is now represented in Blandford by Miss Elizabeth Knox and Mrs. Benjamin Bennett.

Wm. Knox was a pioncer, and settled in Blandford about 1737. One of his sons, James, removed early to what is now Hillsdale, N. Y. John, another son, married here, and raised a family of four sons,-William, Elijah, John, and James. Of these, Elijah, the grandfather of Miss Elizabeth Knox, now living in Blandford, had children,-Alanson,* who died in Ohio; Ranar, who died in Missouri ; Elijah, Jr., and Curtiss, who died in Blandford; Justus and Reuben, who died in California ; Joseph, now living in Chicago ; Eleanor, Lois, and Hannah (all dead) ; and Ruth, now residing in Meadville, l'a. Elijah, Jr., was the father of Timothy, who died in St. Louis, and Elizabeth, still residing in Blandford. Curtiss, brother of Elijah, Jr., and father of Mrs. Benjamin Bennett, of Blandford, was father also of Austin, now living in Southwick, Charles, living in Rock Island, Ill., and Joseph, living in Worcester.

The Gibbs family in Blandford originated with Israel, who came hither from Hopkinton. His four sons and four daugh- ters were John, Israel, Ephrrim, Isaae, Mary, Rebecca, Eliz- abeth, and Sarah, all of whom, save Elizabeth, lived to he upward of eighty years old. Those of the name now living in Blandford are George C. and his son George; Charles, son

* Subsequently an attorney.

" JOHN CHANDLER, JR.

nation

This family ia of French origin, and their ancestors belonged to the noted Du Bois family, who were very prominent in France during the reign of Louis XIV., and were driven from that country to the northern part of Ireland during the ITugnenot persecutions. At that time the spelling of the name was changed to Boies, and in about 1825 to the present mode. In the early part of the last century, David, a de- scendant of the family, cmigrated from Ireland to America, and lo- cated in the town of Hopkinton, Mass., hut subsequently came to Blandford, Mass., about the year 1735 or 1737. But a few people in that early period had turned their attention toward settling the back- woods of Massachusetts, as the country was mountainous and heavily timbered, and the business of making a permanent scttlement was attended with much more labor than in the valleys.

Ile was a man of deep religious thought and principles, and had a large family of children, of whom there were three sons, viz., John, William, and Samuel. John, arriving at manhood, turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, and raised a family of children, the male members of which were named John and Samuel, the former being the grandfather of the gentleman whose portrait heads this sketch. He was born in Blandford, Nov. 22, 1744, and was one of the first white male children that saw the light of day in that town. Ile was celebrated as a school-toacher, and was ene of the prominent church members of his locality, being counected with the Baptist denomina- tion. He was married to Sarah Freeland, by whom he had a family of six children who lived to a mature age. Three of them wero sons, viz., James, Enos, and Nathan. He died Sept. 9, 1830. ITis son Enos was born in Blandford, April 21, 1776, and was married to Alice, daughter of Daniel Robinson, of Granville, Mass., May 1, 1799. She was born in Granville, Oct. 24, 1779. His occupations in life were those of school-teacher, farmer, and mail contractor, he having received his first muil contract in 1806. He educated a family of four children. Ile was a Democrat in politics, and held numerous town offices ; was a member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Conven- tion in 1819, and, living to be nearly eighty years of age, died July 9, 1855. His wife survived him but a few years, dying April 17, 1863. Of his family his two sons have both reflected honor and credit upon his name. The eldest, Watson E., was born in Blandford, May 19, 1808. Ile received the benefits of a commen-school education, and also attended one year at the Wilbraham Academy. His early life was spent in agricultural pursuits, hut in 1830 his father transferred to him a mail contract, the route being from Hartford, Conn., to Hinsdale, Mass. He has ever since held one or more mail contracts, and is probably the oldest mail contractor at present in the service. Ile has spent twenty-six consecutive years of his life in driving a mail stage-coach.

E Boue

Photo. by Moffitt.

He was married, Feb. 23, 1832, to Lerinda, daughter of Zelotus Robinson, of Granville, Mass., by the Rev. T. M. Cooley. She was a native of Granville, and was born Sept. 3, 1810. Their family con- sisted of only two children,-Timothy Robinson, who was horn in Blandford, Nov. 23, 1832, and died Jan. 26, 1857 (he was a prominent young man of the town, and at the time ef his death held the positions of town clerk and treasurer) ; and Enos W., who was born in Blandford, Oct. 15, 1840, and was married to Achsah, daughter of Jenathan Freeland, ef Agawam, Mass., Jan. 21, 1862. He has a family of three daughters, and is a farmer in Blandford.

Mr. Boise lost the helpmeet of his youthful daya March 1, 1865. He was afterward married, July 1, 1875, to Emma A., daughter of Gorden Rowley, of Blandford, of which town she is a native. In politics he has always followed in the footsteps of his father, and been an energetic worker in the Democratic ranks. Ile was a member of the State Legislature of Massachusetts, in 1842, and has held the various town offices of selectman, town clerk, treasurer, and assessor, besides being special county commissioner for a number of terms. Ilis brother James was born in Blandford, Jan. 27, 1815, and graduated, in 1840, from Brown University, at Providence, R. I., and has filled positions in the faculty in the department of foreign languages at Brown's, sixteen years at the State University, at Ann Arbor, Mich., and is at present connected with the Chicago University, at Chicago, Ill. He has published text-books in Greek and Latin, which are ex- tensively used in colleges and public schools.

The Boise family, so far as is known, are all comfortably situated, but none of them have accumulated large estates, nor have they been military men, but appear to have been more anxious to improve the mind and obtain a good education, preparatory to entering professional life. By referring to the alumni of Williams College we find that seven of the graduates have borne the name of Boise, and were natives of Blandford, viz. : William, son of David Boise, class of 1801 : Joseph, son of David, class of 1808; Patrick, son of Reuben Boise, class of 1809 ; Artemas, son of David Boise, class of 1816; Harper, son of William Boise, class of 1826; Reuben P., son of Reuben Boise, Jr., class of 1843 ; Fisher A., also son of Reuben, Jr., class of 1849.

Thus we have the history of one of Blandford's oldest families, who settled there long before we were a free and independent nation. They have lived among the rugged hills of Blandford through all the different vicissitudes that have happened to our Republic; but, by death and emigration, the name which, for the last century and a half, has had many representatives on the town tax-list, is now reduced to two, -Watson E. and his son, Enos W.,-having scattered from their ancestral home, and formed residences in other parts of our great country.

HENRY K. HERRICK.

Photos, by Moffitt.

THOMAS HERRICK.

HENRY K. HERRICK.

Among the active farmers of the town of Bland- ford, highly respected for political and social quali- ties, is the subject of this sketeh. He is to the manner born, being the only son of Thomas and Mary A. Herrick, and first saw the light Ang. 24, 1839. His opportunities for receiving a good edu- cation were very limited. He followed the foot- steps of his father, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits, living upon his father's homestead.

He was married, Nov. 20, 1862, to Sarah E., daughter of Lewis and Mary E. (Cook) Parks, of Blandford, where she was born, Ang. 15, 1843. He has a family of three children,-Hattie P., born Ang. 25, 1863; Jennie M., born Sept. 10, 1864; and Sadie E., born Nov. 18, 1875. He is one of the prominent members of the Demoeratie party, and is at present chairman of the board of seleetmen, which office he has held for the last four years. He has been prominently identified with the Union Agricultural Society of Blandford, and has held the offices of president, secretary, and director of that association.

THOMAS HERRICK, born in Blandford, Mass., Aug. 26, 1809, was the only son, in a family of six children, of Thomas and Betsey (Broek way ) Herrick. His father was a native of Montgomery, Mass., and

formerly lived at Westfield, Mass., but located in Blandford in 1808.

Thomas was a farmer by occupation, and had few advantages of obtaining an education. He was married, June 28, 1836, to Mary A., daughter of Harry and Charlotte (Blau) Knox. Her parents were representatives of Blandford's oldest families, and she was born there, May 7, 1813. Their family consisted of ten children, three of whom, viz., Isabella A., Bessie B., and Hattie H., died young. Charlotte E. was born July 11, 1837, and is the widow of E. W. Oakley, of Blandford ; Henry K .; Ursula M. was born June 7, 1841, and is the widow of E. C. Hawes, of Springfield; Emma L. was born March 8, 1843, and is the wife of William R. Nye, of Blandford ; Mary E. was born Feb. 3, 1845, and is the wife of James J. Richards, of Wilbra- ham ; Melissa B. was born March 29, 1851, and is the wife of George D. Nye, of Blandford ; Abbie A. was born Feb. 1, 1855, and lives with her brother on her father's old homestead.

He was always a Democrat in polities, and held various town offices. He died Feb. 1, 1872, mourned by all who knew him, for he was one of Blandford's most honored and respected citizens.

1077

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

of Abner; Charles, son of Lyman ; Bradner S., and his son John; and Russell, son of Dwight G.

Jonathan Shepard removed from Westfield to Blandford in 1770. His four sons were Jonathan, Ezra, Elijah, and Oliver. Of these, Jonathan had five sons and seven daughters. Of these five sons, Jonathan, the second eldest, had sons and daughters as follows : Jonathan, now in Ashtabula, O. ; Lu- eius B., a merchant, now of Blandford; Joseph, in Ohio; Norman, deceased ; Philander, in Minnesota ; Henry, in Michigan ; George, in Westfield; Mrs. Joseph Lazelle, of Westfield; Mrs. Lawrence Root, of Seneea Falls, N. Y. ; Mrs. John Root, living in Michigan ; and Caroline, deceased. Larned, grandson of the original Jonathan, died in Hartford, leaving no descendants in Blandford. Chandler, his brother, died in the West. Eli, another brother, died in Blandford, leaving a son, Joseph, still residing here. Bradford, another brother, died when quite young. Sarah, the youngest daugh- ter of Jonathan (2d), the son of the original Jonathan, is still living in Sandersfield, Mass., as Mrs. Philander Twining.

John Watson was another Blandford pioncer. Hle married Sarah, daughter of Deacon Israel Gibbs, and died in 1825. He had eleven children, all of whom are dead save Oliver, now living in Blandford with his son Franklin, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-seven. His brother James died in Blandford but a few months ago, aged ninety-three, a bachelor. Loring, another brother, had four children,-Loring, Jr., who died in 1858; Dolly Ann, who married Rev. Noah Bishop, of Springfield, Ohio, and died there; Myra, who died young ; Eleeta, who now resides in Albany ; Emily, now Mrs. Joseph Dewey, of Collinsville, Conn. ; and Jane, now Mrs. McLear, of Blandford. Loring, Jr., above noted, left two sons, -- Loring, now living in New York City, and Benjamin, living in Ken- tucky. He left a daughter, now Mrs. Henry Peek, of New York. Of the other sons of the original John, Samuel and William died in infancy. John's children died young, and William (2d) died not long ago, leaving no descendants.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS.

In May, 1744, the town was ordered to be divided into eight garrisons, and four of them were ordered to be built at the houses of John Stewart, Israel Gibbs, Lieut. Wm. Knox, and James Clintock. In 1746, Rev. Win. MeClenathan was sent to Hartford to procure soldiers, and Adam Knox sent to Northampton for a similar purpose. These measures for pro- tection were taken during the troublous times of the French- and-Indian-wars. About this time it was voted to send Wil- liam Donaghy to the General Court with a petition asking that the male inhabitants of the town might be put under pay, the inference being that the pay was wanted for services ren- dered or to be rendered in defending the town from the In- dians. The records fail to say what was the fate of the appeal. Blandford suffered some from Indian ravages, but the location of an important government fort at this point was a great safeguard to the settlers, and the red man was therefore not much feared in that region.

A record dated April, 1746, reads :

" Samuel Carnochan came and told me be had provided a bull, according to ye vote of ye town, and desired me to look him."

That the town-officers worked cheap in those days may be gathered from the faet that John Hamilton, town treasurer from 1742 to 1745, received £6, old tenor, for his three years' service in that capacity. In the spring of 1749 the Indians began to grow troublesome, and the inhabitants of the town were so frightened that all but four families fled to neighbor- ing towns. The Indians did not, however, infliet any serious molestations, but the settlers, upon returning the ensuing fall, set about the erection of three forts. These were located, one upon the place now owned by Geo. Watson, the second upon a place now owned by Nelson C. Hall, and the third upon the land now owned by Jarvis J. Lloyd. These forts continued

for a year to be used as places of common shelter after night- fall, and during that period the inhabitants went armed to their daily avocations and to church, determined to be pre- pared for any and all dire emergencies; but they were not further troubled, and soon relapsed into a sense of peaceful security.

All was not peaceful and harmonious between the inhabi- tants early in 1753, as a town vote at that time relates : " Chose Mr. Israel Gibbs to teck advis of megor Limen about defekgl- tys In the Town." This same Israel Gibbs owned the first cart that entered the town, and the team that drew it was driven-so goes tradition-by the Widow Moses Carr, and was moreover the first yoke of cattle seen in Blandford. To Mr. Gibbs also tradition assigns the distinction of having been the father of the first male child-Israel, Jr .- born in the town. The first female child born in the town is supposed to have been Mary, daughter of James Montgomery, born in May, 1737.

About 1791 the father of Martin and Linus Gibbs brought into the town the first single wagon ever seen here. It was a great curiosity to the inhabitants, and such a novel sight to horses that they were frightened by the appearance of the vehicle, just as horses nowadays take fright at a locomotive.

The early settlers were so poor that they frequently solicited assistance from the town proprietors, and often petitioned the General Court for money grants and remission of taxes. AAmong the donations tendered in response to these petitions, the court onee gave 40 bushels of salt to be distributed among the inhabitants.

The records of 1755 show the following entry :

" By virtue of a petition put into the Great and General Court of Boston by the Rev. Mr. Morton on behalf of this town, the Honorable Court was pleased to grant us one swivel-gun, as an alarm-gun, with one ynarter-barrel of powder and one bag of bullets for the same, and also one hundred flints for the use of the town, which we have received and paid charges on the same from Boston to this town, which is two pounds and sixteen shillings, old tenor, to Capt. Houston."

This swivel-gun and ammunition were kept housed at Rev. Mr. Morton's residence.

One of the first taverns in the town, if not the first, was probably kept by one Mr. Root. In 1757, when the ecclesias- tical council assembled at Blandford, to act in the matter of the controversy between Rev. Mr. Morton and the town, Mr. Root provided the members of the council with accom- modations at his house, and a town vote taken about that time appropriated to Mr. Root " 6 pence Lawful money for Each Meal of Vittles each member of the council shall eat in the time they shall Seat Hear on our Business, and also 18 pence, old tenor, per Night for each Members of the Council's lodg- ing, and that the town pay Mr. Root for the strong Drink that the Council drink while they are ilear on our Business, saving Syder at their Vittels."

Deacon Israel Gibbs furnished the members of this same council with rum and sugar, and he was ordered to be paid therefor the first eost thereof.

Temperance was at a discount in those early days. From the records it is learned that at town-meetings the inhabitants frequently took a recess of an hour for the purpose of refresh- ing themselves at the tavern. Tradition says that in those times the man who could drink the most and walk the straightest was a hero. Strong drink was indeed a favorite beverage with the ancient Blandfordites, and no family ar- rangement was supposed to be complete without a liberal standing supply. Since 1837, however, Blandford has been more or less inclined toward the total-abstinence doctrine.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 170

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