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 40
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181
In 1724 an effort was made to obtain a garrison to protect the town, but without success. A good many of Sunderland's citizens were engaged in the campaigns against the Indians, among them being Stephen Ashley, Stephen Scott, Matthew Scott, William Scott, Jonathan Field, Jonathan Warner, Jon- athan Bridgman, Humphrey llobbs, Samuel Graves, Eli Scott, Samuel Gunn, and Nathaniel Montague, the latter being killed in battle at Lake George, Aug. 7, 1757.
Swampfieldl's first blacksmith was Samnel Billings, who set- led in 1718, in response to an offer of a lot fourteen rods wide as an inducement. The first child born in Swampfield was
ALBERT MONTAGUE.
The Montagues are of French ancestry, and aro descended from Richard Montagne, who came to this country about the year 1640 and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. From that piace some members of the family removed to Hadley, Mass., and thence to Sunderland. There isn tradition that the name of Montague, or Monticue, originated with a French general who won n grent battle on the plains of Monti- culé, and thereafter received the name, which in course of time has been changed to its present furni.
Albert, eldest chill of Ira and Tabitha Montagne, was born in Sunderland, Frank- lin Co., Mass,, on the 20 of October, 1822.
Daniel Montagne, his grandfather, was also a native of that town, and died there at the age of eighty-two. His wife lived to the great age of ninety-three.
Ira Montagne was born on the 7th of January, 1787, and died March 5, 1865. Re was a man of sterling qualities, and took an active part in promoting the best interests of the town and community.
He 'married on the 18th of October, 1815, Tabitha, daughter of Deacon Eli- jah Hubbard, of Sunderland. She was born on the 29th of September, 1791, and died Oct. 12, 1849. To them were born three children, of whom the only survivor is the subject of this sketch.
1Ir received an excellent rommon-school and academie education, and, during his minority, also spent a part of the time in working upon his father's farm. When he reached his majority he commenced teaching school ; continued it three years,- teaching during the winter months, while the remainder of the year was employed in farm labor.
At the age of twenty-four he took charge of the paternal estate, and received one- half of the proceeds therefrom, until the
Albert Montagne
decease of his father. He then, after pay- ing off the legacies, came into possession of the property.
In 1865 he sold the farm and removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where he entered the wholesale glassware trade. He remained in that city two years, and, at the expira- tion of that time, disposed of his interest in the business and returned to Sunder- land, where he has since resided, employed in agricultural pursuits,
He has been identified with the hest interests of the community; has held nearly every elective town office, and, in 1874, represented his district in the Legis- lature, He is now chairman of the board of selectmen, of which he has been a member for many years, For a period nf twenty years he has been trial-justice and justice of the peace ; has held the position of special county commissioner one term, and other offices too numerous to mention. Mr. Montagne takes nn active interest in agricultural subjects, and is in fact ons of the most enterprising and progressive men of the town. He is also a member of the Congregational Society, and has always been a firm supporter of the ordinances of that Church.
He was married on the 8th of April, 1847, to Lucinda, danghter of Levi Wil- der, of Wendell, and by this union hnd one son and two daughters. The latter only are living. They are Abbie T. and Emma L.
Mrs. Montague died on the Ist of Octo- ber, 1865,
Mr. Montagne's second wife is Sarah P., daughter of Eleazer Warner, of Sunder- land, by whom he has had three children, viz. : Fannie (deceased), Ida V., and Albert I. Mr. Montague was largely instrumen- tal in the lmilding of the Sunderland bridge across the Connecticut River, and was for many years director and trustee of the bridge corporation.
SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN AND CONNECTICUT RIVER
RESIDENCE OF ALBERT MONTAGUE, SUNDERLAND, FRANKLIN CO., MASS.
683
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Ebenezer, son of Jonathan Graves, who was born Sept. 10, 1717, and died in 1813, aged ninety-six. The first death is supposed to have been that of Philip Pauton, who was killed by the fall of a tree in 1715.
There was probably a mill of some kind at Swampfick dur- ing the first settlement, for, under date of 1690, Maj. Pynchon referred, in a letter, to the fact that Indian tracks had been discovered about "old Swampfield Mill." Where this mill stood cannot be stated. In 1715, Daniel Benman and others, of Deerfield, put up a saw-mill on Saw-Mill Brook (probably in what is now Montague). In 1721, Philip Smith, of Had- ley, built a grist-mill at the upper end of Little Meadow. Several mills were authorized in 1722 and 1725. Manoah Bodman and others built a saw-mill on Slatestone Brook.
There was a dog law in 1736, which provided that " if any man can find a dog forty rods from his master and kills him, the town will pay the damages and bear the man out in said aet, if it can be recovered by law."
The first physician in the town was Dr. Joseph Lord, who settled in 1728, and after him, previous to 1780, came Drs. Samuel Blodgett, Samuel Ware, and Benjamin Dickinson.
The first tavern was kept in 1732, by Simon Cooley. Capt. Fellows Billings kept tavern from 1737 to 1776, on the south side of Middle Lane. Richard Montague, Capt. Israel Hub- bard, David Hubbard, Samuel Blodgett, John Clary, and Moses Billings were innholders during the eighteenth cen- tury. " Capt." Billings must have fallen into disfavor in 1776, for in that year the inhabitants voted that he should not hold the employment of innholder in the town any longer.
In 1761, Benjamin Farrand was paid 16s. for going to " ye committee of war at Rhode Island to get money to pay the charges of a sick soldier who died here." In 1762, 4s., lawful money, was the price of "a middling load of wood." In 1763 it was voted to give fathers and sons liberty "to put their heads and estates together and draw lots together on the plain east of the south field." A meeting in 1772 was ad- journed " to meet Munday next, at Son one our high." In 1775 a committee was chosen to collect whatever specie the inhabitants might wish to give for the poor people of Boston. In 1777 it was voted that " no person shall take the infection of the small-pox by inoculation unless leave be obtained from the selectmen. "
A ferry across the Connecticut at Sunderland was estab- lished as early as 1719, but who managed it is not known. Simon Cooley and Noadiah Leonard were authorized to keep a ferry in 1777, and directly thereafter Sergt. Farrand, setting up an unauthorized opposition ferry, was warned by the town " to take his bote out of the river and to desist from ferring, and if he refused to do so, that he must abide the consequences."
The first vote taken by the town for Governor-so the records seem to show-was in 1780. In 1784, upon the close of the Revolution, money must have been scarce, since the town voted to receive grain in payment for taxes. Jonathan Gard- ner was a pauper in 1795, and, although his son took care of him, the town had to pay him for doing it. A vote taken in a town-meeting in 1797 notes the fact that it was resolved "to build a cage to keep Caleb Billings in," but of what Caleb had been guilty no mention is made. In 1800 it was an established town ordinance that " if any geese infliet any damage upon any man's property a committee shall be appointed to appraise the damage, and if the owner of said geese shall refuse to pay for said damage, the person suffering the damage shall take as many geese as shall satisfy him."
An important event in the history of the town was the meeting in Sunderland village, Aug. 25, 1873, of the Pacomp- tuck Valley Memorial Association, on the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of the first settlement of the territory now occupied by the town of Sunderland. The ceremonies of the day consisted of addresses, singing, social entertainments, and, at the end, a grand pienie and banquet.
The oldest structure in the town is supposed to be the rear portion of the dwelling occupied at present (1879) by Mr. A. C. Delano, in Sunderland Street. This was a part of the dwelling erected in Sunderland, in 1717, for the first minister, Rev. Joseph Willard, and upon the site it now occupies, the lot being known from the earliest settlement as the Minister's Lot.
A mail was established through Sunderland in 1815, and William Delano appointed the first postmaster. John Mon- tague and Horace W. Taft were noted men in Sunderland in their time. The former represented the town in the General Court frequently, and served also as town clerk for thirty- three consecutive years, from 1782 to 1815. Mr. Taft was often chosen representative, and was also town clerk for fifty years, from 1815 to 1852, and from 1853 to 1866.
ORGANIZATION.
At the May session of the General Court, in 1718, the in- habitants of Swampfield presented a petition, claiming to have fulfilled the conditions of their grant, asked for more land, that the reservation of 250 acres might be given them to pro- mote a school, that they might be exempted from tax for five years, and that they might be incorporated as a town.
Nov. 12, 1718, the General Court ordered " that the prayer of this petition be so far granted that the inhabitants be in- vested with the same power, privileges, authorities to order, direct, and manage all the affairs of their township, that other towns are or ought to be invested with, and that the committee be dismissed from the care of them, with the thanks of the court for the good and faithful service, . . . and that the name of the town be henceforth called Sunder- land, and lies to the county of Hampshire."
The name is supposed to have been selected as an honor to Charles Spencer, earl of Sunderland, then a member of the British cabinet, and in 1718 appointed to be first lord of the Treasury.
In 1774 a tract of land on the east was set off from Sunder- land and incorporated as the town of Leverett. Previous to that, in 1753, a portion of the town's northern section was set off to the new district of Montague. Below will be found a list of persons who served the town as selectmen and town clerks from 1719 to 1879 :
SELECTMEN.
1719 .- Deacon Hubbard, Deacon Guun, Ens. Billings, Joseph Clary, Thomas Ilovey.
1720 .- Deacon Hubbard, Deacon Gunn, Joseph Root, Rich'd Scott, Simon Cooley. 1721 .- Deacon Hubbard, Samuel Guun, Sr., Joseph Root, Lieut. Billings, Simou Cooley.
1722 .- Deacon Hubbard, Samuel Gunn, Sr., Capt. Field, Samnel Graves, Sr., Joseph Clary.
1723 .- Deacon Hubbard, Samuel Gunn, Sr., Capt. Field, Simon Cooley, Joseph Root.
1724 .- Deacon Hubbard, Samnel Graves, Sr., Capt. Billings, Samuel Harvey, Joseph Root.
1725 .- Deacon Hubbard, E. Billings, Jr., Samnel Guun, Joseph Dickinson, Joseph Field, Jr.
1726 .- Joseph Clary, Capt. Billings, Samuel Gunn, Joseph Root, Nathaniel Gunn. 1727 .- Deacon Hubbard, Simon Cooley, Samuel Gunn, Joseph Root, Daniel Warner.
1728 .- Deacon Hubbard, Simon Cooley, Eben Billings, Nathaniel Gunn, Joseph Field, Jr.
1729,-Deacon Hubbard, Deacon Gunn, Daniel Warner, Daniel Russell, Ben Graves.
1730 .- Richard Scott, Joseph Dickinson, Samnel Montague.
1731 .- Deacon Hubbard, Joseph Field, Jr., Samuel Smith,
1732 .- Deacon Gunn, Samuel Montague, Daniel Russell.
1733 .- Deacon Hubbard, Benjamin Graves, Nathaniel Smith.
1734 .- Richard Scott, Daniel Warner, Manoah Bodman.
1735 .- Deacon Hulibard, Ens. Cooley, Lient. Field.
1736 .- Samuel Montague, Daniel Russell, Jonathan Field.
1737 .- Joseph Dickinson, Manoah Bodman, Sergt. Field.
1738,-Samuel Gunn, Richard Scott, Jonathan Fiehl.
1739,-Joseph Dickinson, Manoah Bodman, Samnel Montague.
1740,-Ebenezer Billings, Manoalı Bodman, William Allis.
1741 .- Joseph Dickinson, Nathaniel Smith, Deacon Montague.
1742 .- Richard Scott, Samuel Smith, Daniel Hubbard,
684
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
1713 .- Deacon Montague, Nathaniel Smith, Isaac Hubbard, Jr.
1744 .- Joseph Dickinson, Deacon Field, Isaac Hubbard, Jr.
1745 .- Joseph Dickinson, Nathaniel Smith, Daniel Hubbard.
1740,-Deacon Field, Capt. Montague, Imac Hubbard.
1717 .- Dea un Montague, Nathaniel Smith, Fellows Billings,
1745,-Samuel Smith, Ens. Field, John Gunn.
1749,-Isaac Hubbard, Samuel Montagne, Ens. Ficht, Joseph Root, Jolin Gunn.
1750 .- Daniel Hubbard, Samuel Montagne, Nathaniel Smith, Shucon King, John Gum.
1751 .- Daniel Hubbard, Fellows Billings, Jonathan Field, John Clary, Joseph Root.
1752 .- David Hubbard, Capt. Montague, Simeon King, John Clary, Joseph Root.
1753,-Daniel Hubbard, Deacon Smith, Simeon King, Simon Cooley, Joseph Rout.
1754 .- Daniel Hubbard, Capt. Field, Deacon Montagne.
1755 .- Daniel Hubbard, Deacon Smith, Deacon Montagne.
1756 .- Daniel Hubbard, Dearon Smith, John Gunn.
1757 .- Lieut. Billings, Simon Cooley, John Gunn.
1758 .- Capt. Field, Daniel Hubbard, Simon Cooley, John Clary, John Gunn.
1739,-Capt. Field, Daniel Hubbard, Moses Billings, J. Clary, John Guns.
1760 .- Lient. Billings, Abner Cooley, Moses Billings, J. Clary, Jonathan Russell.
1761 .- Dencon Smith, John Gnun, John Clary.
1762 .- Daniel Montagne, Deacon Smith, Israel Hubbard, Moses Billings, John ('lary.
1763 .- Simon Cooley, Mores Billings, J. Clary.
1704 .- Simon Cooley, I. Hubbard, Daniel Montagne.
1765 .- Simon Cooley, I. Hubbard, Joseph Field.
1766,-Simon Cooley, I. Hubbard, Joseph (Jary,
1767 .- Jedediah Clark, Simon Cooley, I. Hubbard, Moses Billings, John Clary. 1708-60 .- Jedediah Clark, Simon Copley, I. Hubbard.
1770 .- Abner Cooley, Simon Cooley, I. Hableund, Daniel Montagne, John Clary,
1771 .- Joseph Field, Simon Cooley, 1. Hubbard, Joseph Vlary, John Clary.
1772 .- Joseph Field, Simon Cooley, 1. Hubbard, Moses Graves, John Clary.
1773 .- Joseph Field, Simon Cooley, I. Hubbard, Caleb Montagne, John Clary. 1774-75 .- Simon Cooley, Phineas Graves, Elisha Smith.
1776 .- Simon Cooley, Capt. Ilubbaril, Lient. Montague.
1777 .- Simon Cooley, Capt. Hubbard, Capt. Montagne.
1778 .- Capt. Ilubbar1, Simon Cooley, Deacon Field, Elisha Smith, Ens. Strong.
1779,-Giles Hubbard, Jedediah Clark, Phineas Graves, Noah Baker, Capt. Leonard.
1780 .- Capt. Hubbard, Jedediah Clark, Phineas Graves, Simon Cooley, Giles Hubbardl.
1781 .- Caleb Montague, Jedediah Clark, Phineas Graves, Capt. Leonard, Giles Hubbard.
1782 .- John Montague, Jedediah Clark, Phineas Graves, Capt. Leonard, Giles Hubbard.
1783 .- John Montague, Jedediah Clark, Capt. Hubbard, Capt. Leonard, Giles Hubbard.
1784-87 .- John Montagne, Phineas Graves, Giles Hubbard.
1788 .- John Montagne, Ebenezer Barnard, Giles Hubbard.
1789-90 .- John Montague, Samuel Church, files Hubbard.
1791 .- John Montagne, Capt. Field, Eleazer Warner.
1792-93 .- Giles Hubbard, John Montagne, Selah Graves. 1794 .-- Giles Hubbard, Licut. Cooley, Eleazer Warner. 1795-96 .- Selah Graves, Lient. Cooley, Eleazer Warner. 1797-98 .- Selah Graves, Hiles Hubbard, Eleazer Warner. 1799-1803 .- John Montagne, Giles Hubbard, Eleazer Warner. 1803 .- Benjamin Graves, Giles Hubbard, Capt, Graves. 1804-5 .- John Montagne, Giles Hubbard, Capt. Graves. 1806 .- Selah Graves, Giles Hubbard, Doctor Church. 1807 .- Capt. Graves, Giles Hubbard, Dr. Church. 1808 .- Capt. Graves, Capt. Ballard, Maj. Hubbard. 1809 .- Capt. Graves, Capt. Ballard, Dr. Church. 1810 .- John Montagne, Capt. Ballard, Dr. Church. 1811 .- Capt. Graves, Capt. Ballard, Elisha Hubbard. 1812 .- Col. Hunt, Capt. Ballard, Elisha Hubbard. 1813 .- Capt. Graves, Capt. Ballard, Elisha Hubbard. 1814 .- Elisha Alexander, Capt. Ballard, Dr. Church. 1815 .- Elisha Alexander, Capt. Ballard, Caleb Hubbard. 1816 .- Elisha Hubbard, Capt. Ballard, Caleb Hubbard. 1817 .- Elisha Hubbard, Capt. Ballard, Daniel Montague. 1818 .- Elisha Ilubhard, Daniel Montague, Nathaniel Smith. 1819-20 .- Simeon Ballard, William Delano, N. Smith. 1821-22 .- Erastus Graves, William Delano, Martin Hubbard. 1823-24 .- Erastus Graves, Elisha Rowe, Martin Hubbard. 1825 .- Erastus Graves, Samnel l'offer, Elisha Hubbard. 1826-29 .- Erastus Graves, Elisha Rowe, Moses Montagne. 1829, -- Erastus Graves, Elihn Rowe, Cephas Graves.
1830,-Erastus Graves, Alphens Rowe, Lewis Puffer.
1831 .- Horare W. Taft, Ashley Hubbard, Cephas Graves.
1832 .- Elihn Rowe, Ashley Graves, Ira Montague.
1833 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Lewis Puffer, John Montagno. 1834 .- Ashley Graves, Charles Covley, John Montagne. 1835 .- Lewis Puffer, Ira Montagne, John Montague,
1830 .- Phineas Graves, Marvin Graves, John Montagne.
1837 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Thomas E. Munsell, John Montagno.
1838 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Cephas Graves, John Montagne,
1839 .- Elihn Clark, Stephen Gunn, Marvin Graves.
1840,-Cephus Graves, Austin Smith, Levi Warner. 1×41 .- Clark Rowe, Charles Whitman. L. Warner.
1842 .- Moses Hubbard (2d), Timothy Graves, L. Warner.
I843 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Timothy Graves, Stephen Unn.
1×44 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Timothy Graves, Martin Hubbard. 1845,-Charles Whitman, Marvin Graves, J. R. Smith,
1/46,-Ilorace Henderson, Austin Russell, J. R. Prouty.
1847 .- llorace Henderson, Stephen Gunn, J. R Pronty.
1844,-Levi Warner, Z. M. Hunt, Daniel B. Crocker. 1/49 .- Levi Warner, Lewis Puffer, R. E. Rowe.
1850 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Nathaniel Smith, Albert Montague.
1851 .- Erastus Pomeroy, N. Smith, Moses Hubbard (24).
1452 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Stephen Gunn, W. W. Russell. 1853 .- John R. Smith, Melzer Hunt, N. A. Smith. 1851 .- James B. Pronty, R. E. Rowe, S. D. Crocker.
1855 .- Ebenezer Wiley, W. W. Russell, Samuel Jenison.
1856 .- Albert Montagne, W. W. Russell, J. M. Smith. 1857 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Stephen Gunn, J. M. Smith. 1858 .- James B. Pronty, Albert Hobart, J. M. Smith. 1850 .- John R. Smith, Nathaniel Smith, S. D. Crocker.
1860 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Nathaniel Smith, S. D. Crocker. 1861 .- Albert Montagne, J. R. Smith, D. D. Whitmore.
1×62 .- Albert Montague, Elihu Smith, W. R. Warner. 1863 .- Albert Montague, Elihn Smith, G L. Batchelder.
1864 .- Albert Montagne, Erastus Pomeroy, S. D. C'rocker. 1.65,-Albert Montague, H. J. Graves, Merrick Montague. 1×66 .- Erastus Pomeroy, Albert Hobart, L. P. Warner.
1867 .- John R. Smith, William W. Russell, George L. Cooley.
1×68 .- Albert Montagne, Albert Hobart, L. P. Warner. 1869 .- Eliho Smith, M. A. IIunt, E. P. Dickinson. 1870,-John R. Smith, John M. Smith, S. D. Crocker.
1871 .- J. R. Smith, Albert Hobart, Ebenezer Wiley.
1872 .- W. L. Warner, L. W. Fairchild, P. D. Whitmore. 1873 .- W. 1. Warner, L. W. Fairchild, Alden Graves. 1874 .- W. L. Warner, B. C. Darling, L. P. Warner. 1873 .- John R. Smith, B. C. Darling, Ebenezer Wiley.
1876-77 .- John R. Smith, Albeit Montague, Rufus Smith. 1878 .- Darwin M. Clark, Albert Montagne, Ed. M. Smith.
TOWN CLERKS.
Samuel Gunn, 1719-29; Joseph Lord, 1729; Nathaniel Gunn, 1730; Samuel Gunn, 1731; Ebenezer Billings, Jr., 1732-34; Isaac Hubbard, 1734-40; Jonathan Field, 1740-43; Isaac IInbbard, 1743-7; Daniel Hubbard, 1747-49; Isaac JInb- bard, 1749-53; John Gun, 1753-62; Richard Montague, 1762-65; Simon Cooley, 1763-69; William Billings, 1760-71 ; Simon Cooley, 1771-80; Jedediah Clark, 1780-82; John Montagne, 1782-1815; Horace W. Taft, 1815-52; Horace Lyman, 1852; Horace W. Taft, 1853-66; John M. Smith, 1866-79.
REPRESENTATIVES AT THE GENERAL COURT.
To 1857, when Sunderland became a part of the 5th Repre- sentative District, the town was represented by the following persons :
" Nathaniel Smith, Erastus Graves, Horace W. Taft, Gardner Dorrance, John Montague, Jedediah Clark, Horace Henderson, Cephas Graves, Horace Hubbard, Horace Lyman, Timothy Graves, Elihu Smith.
VILLAGES.
There is but one village in the town, although there is a small settlement in the north sometimes called North Sunder- land. This village, which is known as SUNDERLAND STREET, is the spot where the earliest settlers located, and is prettily laid out upon one broad and handsomely-shaded thoroughfare, which faces the winding Connecticut. At this point the river is spanned by a fine iron bridge, built in 1877, at a cost of $21,000, to replace the wooden structure swept away by a flood in 1876. The first bridge built at this place across the Connecticut was erected in 1812. The stone piers upon which the present bridge rests cost, several years ago, upward of $20,000.
There is at the Street a fine brick school building (used for a graded school, and containing also the town-hall), which eost, in 1867, about $20,000. The village has also a store, hotel, church, and post-office. The railway station nearest the "Street" is at South Deerfield, on the Connecticut River Railroad, one and a half miles distant on the west. North Sunderland contains a church, but neither post-office nor store.
· CHURCHES.
The first evidence given of public attention to ecclesiastical matters was in November, 1715, when the proprietors resolved that " we will be at the cost of hiring a minister this winter,
LUTHER O. CHITTENDEN.
Luther O. Chittenden was born in Lev- erett, Franklin Co., Mass., June 7, 1821. Hie ancestors were natives of England. There were three brothers, who came to this country at an early date. One settled in Vermont, and was afterward governor of that State; one located in New York; and the other in Massachusetts.
There is no authentic record of their de- scendants until we find Isaac Chittenden, of Princeton, Mass. He had six children, viz., Luther, Isaac, Desire, Betsey, Mary, and Lucy.
Isaac, the second son, married Aseneth Brewer, of Wendell. They had no children. He died in Wendell, in 1822.
Luther Chittenden removed to Wendell in ISI2, and was married, on the 19th of May, 1814, to Mary, daughter of Dea. Elihu Osgood. In the spring of 1819 be removed to North Leverett, where he purchased three hundred or more acres of land, built a house the same year, and engaged in the tanning business, He also had a store, and carried on his trade of chair-making, sending his chairs to varions towns near the Connecticut River, and as far south as Hartford, Conn. He died at the age of thirty-five. on the 3d of November, 1824, of consumption, occasioned partly by over- work. Hle had two children,-Otis and Luther O., the latter of whom was but little more than three years old at the time of his father's decease.
He lived on the farm, attending the dis- trict school, until sixteen years of age, when he attended the Shelburne Falls Academy one year. In April, 1848, he and his mother removed to Wendell, and there hs entered his brother's store as a clerk, and remained with him five years.
May 29, 1850, he was married to Maria E., only daughter of Calvin Davis, of Rindge, N. H. They have one child,- Ed- ger Davis, born on the 10th of November, IS59.
In 1852, Mr. Otis Chittenden's store and other buildings, with most of their con- tents, were destroyed by fire, Luther then removed to Sunderland, where he has since resided. He purchased the farm which he
now owns, and erected his residence and other buildings.
Mr. Chittenden has been maiuly engaged in agriculture, and has devoted his atten- tion more particularly to the cultivation of tobacco than to other branches, He is a prosperous and influential citizen, and takes an sctive and intelligent interest in educational subjects, and all other matters pertaining to the general welfare. As a man he is respected by all who know him.
Mr. Chittenden's mother resides with him in Sunderland. Her life has extended beyond the allotted "threescore years and ten," she being now (March, 1879) in her eighty-ninth year.
OTIS CHITTENDEN.
Otis Chittenden, ellest son of Luther and Mary Chittenden, was born in Wen- dell, Franklin Co., Mass., on the 4th of March, 1815, and received a common-school and academical education. His early life was spent chiefly upon his father's farm.
In 1842 he engaged in the mercantile business in Wendell, which he carried on very successfully until 1852, when, during his absence, Ins buildings were destroyed by fire. Ile erected new buildings, and remained in that place until 1857, when he removed to Ilolyoke, where he engaged in trade. After a short residence in that town he located in North Leverett, where he has since resided.
Hle was postmaster in Wendell about seven years, and has held that office in North Leverett twenty years, and has also been town clerk and treasurer.
As a member of the Baptist Church he takes an active interest in promoting the welfare of that society.
Mr. Chittenden was married, in 1843, to Sy bil S. Parmenter, who died in 1862. By this union he had one child,-Corrie M., horn on the 30th of September, 1844. In 1866 he was married to Harriet L. Field, of Greenfield.
Corrie M. Chittenden was married, on the 30th of May, 1871, to Theodore L. Cooant, of Shelburne. They have two children,-Otis L. and Mary S. -
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.