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 38
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
was organized in October, 1788, with 29 members, of whom 18 were women. Two years afterward a meeting-house was built in what is now Burkeville, near the present residence of Elijah Arms. Rev. Amos Shevi was the first to preach to the congregation, but the first pastor of the church was Rev. Calvin Keyes, who was ordained November, 1799, and con- tinned in the ministry until 1819. Two important revivals marked the term of his service, in one of which (1806) 55 converts were added to the church membership, and in 1816 a further addition of 40 members was made.
In 1810 the meeting-house was removed to the site of the present church building at Conway Centre, which was erected in 1840. In March, 1819, the church was dissolved, but re- organized in June, 1820, and since then has continued to prosper. Among those who have preached for the church were Revs. Amos Shevi, John Leland, Asa Todd, Calvin Keyes, Adam Hamilton, Josiah Goddard, Mr. llimes, Mr. Grant, David Pease, Abbott Ilowe, Wm. II. Rice, David Wright, Henry Il. Rouse, Joel Kenney, P. P. Sanderson, Richard Lentil, C. A. Buckbee, M. Byrne. The present pastor (1879) is Rev. Everett D. Stearns.
A METHODIST CLASS
was formed in Conway in May, 1852, and was reorganized in 1853, with 17 members. The earliest supplies were Revs. Wm. F. Lacount and A. S. Flagg. The first quarterly con- ference of the Methodist Church in Conway was organized April 30, 1871, L. R. Thayer, D.D., presiding elder, and Rev. Win. H. Cook pastor in charge, the membership at that time being 16. The present church building at Conway Centre was occupied December, 1871, and dedicated the following March. The structure, including furniture, cost $11,000. The church's pastors have been Revs. W. II. Cook, A. C. Munson, J. A. De Forest, E. R. Thorndyke, W. N. Richardson, and I. A. Mesler,-the latter being in charge in 1879, when the church membership was 92.
THE BAPTISTS OF CONWAY,
in common with those of Western Massachusetts, made their way against some opposition ; and warm controversies as well · as legal prosecutions followed their refusals to contribute for the support of the Congregational minister. Passages in the town records dealing with these matters make reference to " those people calling themselves Baptists," and bitter per- sonal feeling was frequently exhibited. It is related that even Parson Emerson, attending Baptist preaching at the house of Israel Rice, was so offensive in his expression of sentiments that the host unceremoniously compelled his withdrawal from the assembly.
SCHOOLS.
Shortly after the incorporation of the town, in September, 1767, publie attention was directed toward the subject of edu- cation by a vote which selected a committee for the purpose of hiring a " school-dame" to keep school five months. School was taught for some years in private dwellings,-a favorite place being the house of Jonathan Whitney,-until 1773, when the first school-house-25 by 22-was erected near the meeting- house in Pumpkin Hollow. A century elm was in 1867
planted upon the exact spot supposed to have been occupied by this primitive institution.
The sum of £7 was appropriated in 1767 for schooling, and in 1772 the amount was £12. In 1773 it was agreed that school should be kept six months that year,-two months at the centre, and four months at various places in the town. In 1774 the sum of £30 was raised for schooling, which was to be one-third of the time at the school-house, one-third at Samuel Hooker's, and one-third at Deacon Allis', In 1776, after a lapse of a year, during which no school was opened in the town, it was voted to have a publie school, to divide the town into five equal parts or squadrons, and to raise £30. There was but one public school-house-the one at the centre-until 1783, after which temples of learning began to multiply to meet the demands of a rapidly-increasing population.
Reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic were the subjects set before the scholars of those days, although about 1791 a town vote decided that Latin and Greek should be taught. The absurdity of this remarkable effort to leap at a single bound from the rudiments of English into the classics pre- sented itself, however, without much delay, and the vote was hastily rescinded.
Who was the first school-teacher is not known, but one of the early ones, known as Master Cole, is preserved in tra- dition as a singular pedagogue. It is told of him that when he came over from England he brought not only his mil- itary manners,-for he was a soldier there,-but his uniform and his sword, and these he used to wear each morning to school; where arriving, he would awe his scholars into trem- bling submission by his fierce dignity and military discipline, and hold them throughout the day in constant fear lest in a moment of more than ordinary fierceness he might descend upon them with his sword and stretch them headless upon the school-room floor.
A noted select school was the one opened by Deacon John Clary in 1831. He kept it twelve years, and gave it such high rank that many pupils from towns other than Conway at- tended it. His dwelling was two miles and a half from the school, to and from which he went each day, and during the twelve years he traveled about nine thousand miles.
THE CONWAY ACADEMY
was incorporated in 1853, and in that year a handsome school building was erected, by subscription, upon the lofty eminence overlooking Conway village on the south. The institution flourished apace, and extended its labors over a wide field of usefulness, but the destruction by fire, in 1863, of the school building temporarily suspended its ministrations, and although the structure was quickly restored in its present form, the palmy days of the academy had passed away, and in 1865 it was transferred to the town, and became a high school free to all children in Conway, and as such it still remains.
Including the high school, Conway had, in 1879, 13 schools, with an average daily attendance of 188, and appropriated for educational purposes $2000.
BURIAL-PLACES.
In 1767 a small lot of ground " near the saw-mill" (known as Emerson's Yard because it adjoined Rev. Mr. Emerson's residence afterward) was laid out for a burial-place. The first person buried therein was the one-year-old son of Israel Rice, in December, 1767. The next interment there was that of John Thwing, in March, 176. This graveyard-of whose graves no trace can now be seen-was abandoned in 1772, when a new ground, purchased of Elias Dickinson, was laid ont at the rear of the meeting-house. This was in turn aban- doned many years ago. It adjoins the school-house at Pump- kin Hollow, and contains a score or more of headstones, of which the oldest bear inscriptions as follows :
Saralı Denham, 1777; Ruth Dorchester, 1777; Submit Lee, 1777 ; Elizabeth Pulsipher, 1779; Rachael Clary, 1782; Gershom Farnsworth, 1784; Martha Bil-
678
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
lings, 1785; Hannah Lee, 1759; Jemima Lee, 1791 ; Elijah Wells, 1795; Deacon Ebenezer ('lark, 1796.
In 1845, Pine Grove Cemetery, a handsomely-shaded spot, was laid out, about a mile north of Conway village, and is the ground now chietly used.
This burial-ground is one of which the people of Conway are proud, and to its care and adornment much attention is given. Among its artistic features a sparkling fountain, east- ing up its silvery waters, is noticeably attractive.
INDUSTRIES.
Conway has been an important manufacturing town since 1837, and it is in its manufacturing interests that the place finds the chief element of its prosperity. South River, which rises in Ashfield, and, flowing east to Conway village, passes north to Deerfield River, provides fine water-power for all the town's manufactories.
About midway between the villages of Conway Centre and Burkeville, Richard Tucker & Co. are largely engaged in the manufacture of cotton warps and yarns, of which they pro- duce annually 250,000 pounds, and employ 50 people. Their mills have a river-front of about 200 feet, are three stories in height, and may be operated by steam as well as water, steam being used, however, only in time of drought.
Richard Tucker, Esq., the present head of the firm, started the mills at this point in 1858, and in 1860 was succeeded by R. Tucker & Co. In that year, also, the firm of Tucker & Cook was organized, and, occupying the site of H. B. Whit- ton's mill (built by llowland & Moss in 1842), half a mile north of Conway Centre, began the manufacture of knitting- cotton, in which they employ 40 persons, and produce yearly 250,000 pounds. Their mills have a front of about 200 feet, and have facilities for operating with steam as well as water- power.
At Burkeville, east of Conway Centre, Delabarre & llack- statf occupy the mill built by the Conway Manufacturing Company in 1845. This latter company, founded by Edmund Burke in 1837, built their first mill in that year, a little west of the present mill, and, as noted, changed their location in 1845. The company suspended in 1857, and, in 1858, Edmund Burke, reviving the business, continued until 1867, in the early part of which year the property was purchased by Ed- ward Delabarre, who, in 1871, was succeeded by the present firm, Delabarre & Hackstaff. To the main building-which is four stories in height-they have made additions, so that they have a front of upward of 300 feet. They employ 115 people, operate 32 looms; and produce 350,000 yards of fancy kerseymeres and other cloths annually. The mills are lighted throughout with gas manufactured on the premises, and are operated with steam when water-power fails.
T. J. Shepardson has completed the erection of a mill on South River, a mile from Bardwell's Ferry, where he expects to begin, in the summer of 1879, the manufacture of cotton yarns, for which his mill will have a capacity of 100,000 pounds annually.
Eli Thwing operates a saw-mill on South River, in the north part of the town, where he also manufactures hand-rakes to a limited extent.
Conway occupies a fruitful agricultural region, but is noted especially as an excellent grazing town. Large quantities of butter are yearly manufactured, and stock-raising is also profitably pursued. Tobacco growing was once an important interest, but has latterly declined, as in other towns of West- ern Massachusetts. The raising of sheep was at one time a popular and profitable pursuit, but receives now only limited attention,
BANKS. THE CONWAY BANK
was organized Sept. 1, 1854, with a capital of $100,000, and in 1865 was reorganized as a national bank. It has now a
capital of $150,000, with a deposit account of $25,000, and occupies fine quarters at Conway Centre in a brick structure erected by the bank in 1878 at a cost of $3000.
SOCIETIES.
MORNING SUN LODGE, A. F. AND A. M.,
was organized in 1870, at Conway Centre, as a revival of a lodge bearing the same name, which passed out of existence at the same place in 1840. The membership-roll now numbers 60. The officers for 1879 were Arthur M. Cook, W. M. ; Alexander Sinclair, S. W. ; Charles H. Day, J. W .; Chelsea Cook, Treas. ; Henry W. Billings, Sec. ; Edwin L. Munn, S. D .; Roswell G. Rice, J. D. ; Carlos Batchelder, Chap. ; Charles F. Allis, Mar. ; Henry W. Hopkins, S. S. ; Arthur C. Arms, I. S .; Murray J. Guildford, I. S .; S. D. Porter, Organist ; Joel Rice, Tiler.
LIBRARY.
A social library was organized at Conway Centre in 1821, and flourished until 1878, when fire destroyed its stock of books, numbering about 800 volumes, In that year the town organized the present free library, which contains now 700 vol- umes, and has quarters in the bank building.
THE CONWAY BAND,
. Conway boasts a musical organization known as the Con- way Brass Band, whose headquarters are at Conway Centre, and whose skillful performances are frequently enjoyed in many other towns.
V EARLY INDUSTRIES,
The first manufacturing industry, other than a saw- or grist- mill, was opened by Aaron Hayden, who set up a " fulling" mill on the South River. Seventeen years later Dr. Moses Ilayden and R. Wells added to it an oil-mill. In 1810 its site . was occupied by a broadeloth-manufactory, and later as a cot- ton-bag factory, operated by Gen. Dickinson ; it was destroyed by fire in 1856. The mill stood within. the limits of Conway Centre. As before noted, Edmund Burke erected a woolen-mill in Burkeville in 1837, and in 1842, at the same place, Alonzo Parker began the manufacture of carpenter and joiner's tools, and, shortly afterward organizing the Conway Tool Company, the business was so expanded that upward of 80 men were employed. In the year 1851 the company transferred its op- erations to Greenfield, and there reorganized as the Greenfield Tool Company.
The South River Cutlery Company erected extensive works in Burkeville in 1851, and employed at one time 135 men. The enterprise failed, however, and not long afterward passed out of existence.
Whitney & Wells manufactured largely of seamless cotton bags, beginning in 1846, and were succeeded by L. B. Wright, whose works were destroyed by fire in 1856. The site is now occupied by the mills of R. Tucker & Co.
The Conway Mutual Insurance Company was organized in 1849, and in 1854 changed to the Conway Stock and Mutual Insurance Company ; in 1860 transferred its stock department to Boston, and in 1876 closed business.
According to the State census reports of 1875, the value of - manufactures in Conway for that year aggregated $333,430; that of agricultural and domestic products, $235,296. In 1878 the assessed valuation of the town was $667,896, of which $494,018 were on real estate. The total tax-State, county, and town-was $9798, a rate of $1.46 per $100.
MILITARY.
CONWAY'S REBELLION RECORD.
Following are the names of those who went from Conway into the military service during the war of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865:
RESIDENCE OF R. M. TUCKER, CONWAY, FRANKLIN CO., MASS.
EW LOOKING DOWN STREET
FROM OFFICE.
TUCKER & COOK
LOWER MILLS
VIEWS OF RICHARD TUCKER AND CO'S MILLS, GONWAY, FRANKLIN CO., MASS.
BEINGER
Richard Ducher
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
679
J. D. Allis,* 10th Mass. A. Il. Warren, 10th Mass. W. F. Cone,* 10th Mass. Wm. II. Adams, Ioth Mass.
C. G. Wells, 31st Mass.
Horace Hosford. 52d Mass.
S. II. Dyer, 31st Mass.
O. P. Edgerton, 52d Mass. W'm. Townsend, Jr., 520 Mass.
Wm. C. Maynard, 31st Mass.
L. Burnett, 31st Mass.
E. W. Richardson, 52d Mass.
Edward Metivier, 31st Mass.
H. t. Scott,* 52d Mass.
Jus. Johnson, 31st Mass.
A. O. Sikes,# 520 Mass.
Jolin Island, 31st Mass.
J. W. Bradford, 52d Mass.
Patrick Hayes, 31st Mass.
E W. Hamilton, 52d Mass.
F. D. Howland, 31st Mass.
Manley Guilford,$ 521 Mass.
S. R. Walker, 31st Mnss.
W. D. Sanderson, 521 Mass. M. S. Jenkins, 520 Mass.
Jas. F. Hunter, 31st Mass. Jolin White, 31st Mass.
II. C. Munson, 52d Mass.
Geo. W. Dinsmore,* 5th N. Y. Cav.
Patrick Manning, 52d Mass.
John Lannigar,* 5th N. Y. Cav.
C. E. Crittenden, 52d Mass.
Fred Wrigley,* 2d N. Y. Inf.
Chas. A. Ilolconil, 52d Mass.
G. W. Flugg, Ist Cav.
Chas. Richardson, - Conn.
Win. Watson, 5211 Mass.
Tyler Harding, Ist Car. II. J. Wilder,* 1st Cav.
1. N. Hitchcock, : 4th Mass.
W. G. Field, 52dl Mass.
Chas. M. Smith, Ist Cav. Baxter Harding, Ist Cuv.
Patrick Gallivan, 34th Mass.
A. J. Andrews, 524 Mass.
Gro. 11. Smith, 27th Mass.
F. B. Lee, 52d Mass.
J. W. Smith, 27th Mass.
C. G. Townsend, 52d Mass.
W'm. II. Averill,* 37th Mass.
Nath. Bartlett,$ 52d Mass.
13. A. Stearns, 1-t Cav.
L. A Bradford, 37th Mass.
Gro. D. Braman, 52d Mass.
J. W. Jackson, Ist Cav.
Sam, Bigelow, 37th Mass.
Jas. S. Stebbins,* 521 Mass.
E. F. Bradford, 1st Cav.
L. W. Meir field, 37th Mass.
Henry Nye, 521 Mass.
E. A. Burnham, Ist Cav.
Sim. Ware,* Ist Cav.
F. E. Rowe, 37th Muss. O. F. Childs, 37th Mass. E. A. Blood,* 37th Mass.
Wm. 11. Clapp, 52d Ma-s. Marcus lowland,* 524 Mass.
J. W. Goland,* 31st Mass.
Geo. C. Johnson, 37th Mass.
Oscar Richardson, 52d Mass.
S. M. Ware, 31st Mass.
Sumner Warner,* 37th Mass.
11. F. Macomber, 52d Mass.
A. Bailey, 31st Mass. P. F. Nims, 31st Mass.
Jolin Connelly, 57th Muss.
Medad Hill, 52d Mass.
Jas. II. Clapp, 32d Mass.
Chas, Macomber, 52d Mass.
(hns. F. Wright, 31st Mass.
lTorace Dill, Il. Art.
F. M. Patrick, 52d Mass.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CLARK W. BARDWELL
was born in Shelburne, Franklin Co., Mass., on the 7th of February, 1825. llis paternal grandparents were Chester
which he was engaged for many years. 1n 1840 he removed to Ashfield, where he remained until his decease, which oc- eurred on the 2d of November, 1878. For some time previous to his death he was occupied in farming. He married for his first wife (on the 19th of February, 1824) Dolly llawks, who was born in Deerfield, Mass., on the 22d of January, 1795, and died in Shelburne, on the 7th of June, 1832. By this union he had four children, the oldest of whom is the subject of this notice. He married his second wife, Mary Hardy, on the 1st of May, 1834, by whom he had three children,-all daughters.
Clark W. remained at home on the farm, and attending the district schools of his native town, until he reached his majority. He then united with his father in managing the farm, and in 1840 removed with him to Ashfield, where he purchased landed interests. On the 26th of October, 1856, he married P. Parmelia Blake, who is a native of Ashfield, born on the 18th of August, 1830. To them have been born four children,-Aggie L., born Aug. 29, 1859; Chester O., born Nov 7, 1860; Harlan B., born Oct. 7, 1862 (deceased) ; and Fred. H., born May 13, 1869.
Mr. Bardwell has always been engaged in agricultural pur- suits, and has been universally successful. Commencing with very little, he has acquired a competency. In 1869 he pur- chased and removed to what was then known as the " Warren place," in Conway, where he has since resided.
He is actively interested in all branches of agriculture, and is a member of the agricultural society of Franklin County.
Mi Barbell
Bardwell, born Oct. 6, 1772, and Mary (llannum) Bardwell, born March 16, 1764.
His father, Olin Bardwell, was born in Shelburne, on the 24th of August, 1790. His business was that of a clothier, in
RICHARD TUCKER
was born in Saybrook, Middlesex Co., Conn., Feb. 20, 1812. lfe is the son of John Tucker, the grandson of Richard Tucker, and great-grandson of John Tucker, who was one of three brothers who came from England to this country at a very early date, and settled in Connecticut. John Tucker, father of the subject of this biography, was born in Saybrook,
* Died in the service, or in consequence of wounds received therein.
11. W. Graves, 10th Mass. E. G. Hayden, 10th Mass. E. R. Gardner,* 10th Mass.
F. E. Hartwell, 10th Mass. Alonzo Bates, Ioth Mass. W. R. Smith, loth Mass. Heury Bow man, 20th Mass. Gro. F. Arms, Ist Cav.
11. C. Allen, Ist Cav. 1[. A. Gray, Ist C'av. 0. D. Bemington, Ist Cav.
S. N. Peterson,# 38th Muss.
Geo. F. Crittenden, 52d Mass.
Peter Hackett, 34th Mass.
Geo. Sheppard, 52d Mass.
E. L. Mali, Ist Cav. A. F. Hubbard," Ist Cav. Gro. A. Abell, Ist Cav.
Wmn. D. Allis,$ 52d Mass.
F. A. Clary, 31st Mass.
G. Il. Juliuson, 31st Mass.
680
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
Conn., March 20, 1785. Ile was married, in 1810, to Eliza Beckwith, daughter of Elisha Beckwith, of Lebanon, Conn. She was born June 15, 1797. They had ten children, and the eldest of this family is Richard Tucker. He received a com- mon-school education and remained at home until he was nineteen years old, at which time he married, Nov. 11, 1831, Delia R. Walden, daughter of Deaeon Silas Walden. She was born, July 25, 1812, in Lisbon, Conn. They had a fam- ily of three children, two of whom are still living. They are Julia R. (deceased ), first wife of Chelsea Cook ; David K., a merchant in Springfield, and Richard M., of Conway, also a merchant. Mr. Tucker commenced his business experience in a cotton-mill, when fifteen years of age, and remained in this employment until he reached his majority. Commencing in 1846, he spent ten years as a traveling merchant, selling his own goods. Sept. 1, 1858, he removed to Conway, Frank- lin Co., Mass., where he began, upon a small scale, the manu- facture of cotton warps, with Chelsea Cook, his son-in-law, as partner. In 1861 they increased the business, and at that time employed thirty hands. In 1862 they bought the old llowland & Morse mill, refitted it with new machinery, and employed in both mills about eighty hands. In September of 1876 they commenced the manufacture of ball knitting-
cotton, or what is now the well-known Tucker & Cook's knitting.cotton. They have established a branch of the busi- ness at Springfield, and employ in both places about one hun- dred hands. During the universal depression in business they have continued prosperous. Mr. Tucker is also a partner in the firm of Maynard, Damon & Tucker, of Northampton, manufacturers of tapes and stay bindings. This firm employs eighty hands. In Conway, Mr. Tucker has been postmaster eight years, and director in the national bank of that place ten years, besides filling various other offices in the town in such a manner as to meet popular approbation. Indeed, it can well be said that he represents more different interests than any other man in the town. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for twenty years, and con- tributed generously to the building of the church in Conway. In benevolent and charitable interests he is ever ready to lend a helping hand. In politics he is a Republican, and takes an active interest in all the questions of the day. With but little financial capital originally, he has, by the exercise of energy, industry, and strict business habits, built up a fortune and carved out a career to which he may point with pride. Mr. Tucker is a man of excellent judgment, great business enterprise, and strict integrity.
SUNDERLAND.
GEOGRAPHICAL.
SUNDERLAND, one of the extreme southern towns in Frank- lin, is pleasantly located on the Connecticut River, which forms its entire western border. Its boundaries are Montague on the north, Hampshire County on the south, Leverett on the east, and Whately and Deerfield (separated from Sunder- land by the Connecticut River) on the west. The town cov- ers an area of fifteen square miles, measures six miles in length by two and a half in width, and contains 9600 acres.
The New London Northern Railroad crosses the town at its northeastern extremity, but there is no station in the town.
NATURAL FEATURES.
Sunderland is rich in natural beauty, in which mountain, plain, and stream present varied and attractive features. The noble Connecticut fornis the western border of the town, shut in on the west by the towering hills of Whately and Deer- field. In the east are the fertile plains in Sunderland's val- ley, overshadowed on the distant east by a range of rugged mountains, among which Mount Toby* rears its majestic head 1000 feet above the lowland. This noted eminence is a favorite place of resort in the summer and autumn seasons ; and upon its apex there has been erected for the convenience of visitors a tower (known as the Goss Tower) 70 feet in height and containing six floors, of which the uppermost is " the observatory," where a fine telescope is at the command of the student of nature. A well-kept highway, leading from the base to the summit of the mountain, gives ready access to the tower.
In the thick woods which envelop Mount Toby upon every side are found charming cascades and glens, and many in- viting spots, which have been improved by the hand of art, and which have given to the region thereabout the name of " Sunderland Park."
In the north part of the town, not far from Mount Toby, there is a noted natural curiosity called Sunderland Cave. It is a cavern in the side of a hill, and said to be 56 feet in depth,
and to extend about 150 feet into the interior of the hill. The sides of this cavern are formed of conglomerate rock, consist- ing of rounded stones of various eolors, embedded in and rest- ing upon a basis of micaceous sandstone. The cave extends. . east and west, and is covered at its bottom with huge fragments of rock.
The smaller streams of the town are Long Plain, Mohawk, Dry, Great Drain, and Cranberry brooks.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The origin of the town of Sunderland may be given from an early entry in the records now in the keeping of the town, and reading as follows :
" At a General Court for election held at Boston, 7th May, 1673. In ansr to the petition of sundry inhabitants of Hadley, the Court judgeth it meet to grant the peticioners' request,-i.c., the quantity of sixe miles square in the place de- sired; i.e., lying nere to the northward boundls of Hadley; i.e., provided that within seven years or sooner, if may be, there be a competent number of familys settled here, and provide themselves of an able and orthodox minister,; and for their encouragement in so good n worke, this Court orders and impowers and appoints Maj. John Pynchon,t Left. Wm. Clarke, and Mr. Win. Holton to be a committee to order in the meantime their prudential officers, granting of lotts, and otherwise reserving in some convenient place two hundred and fifty acres of land for a farm for the country's use and disposal]."
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