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 70
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The total assessed valuation of the town is $289,128, of which $55,887 is personal and $233,241 real estate. The total tax is $7700.50, or at the rate of about .026. The State een- sus of 1875 reports the value of manufactured products in Erving for that year at $272,145, and the capital employed therein at $292,225. The same report gives the value of agri- cultural products for that year as $34,210.
There are several saw-mills in the town, and the manufac- ture of lumber, as well as of railroad-ties and telegraph-poles, is carried on to a considerable extent.
MILITARY.
ARMY RECORD.
The following list of soldiers who served during the Re- bellion of 1861-65 is taken from the report of the adjutant- general :
Thomas Noyes, Jr., enl. Oct. 2, 1862, Co. A, 52d Regt .; disch. Aug. 14, 1863. Regt .; disch. Ang. 14, 1863.
Charles Il. Cleveland, corp., ent. Oct. 11, 1862, Co. F, 52d Regt .; disch. Aug. 14, 1863.
Mark P. Benjamin, enl. Oct. 11, 1862, Co. F, 52d Regt .; disch. Aug. 14, 1863.
Mitchell Cummings, enl. Oct. 11, 1862, Co. F, 52d
Nicholas Lanx, enl. Oct. 11, 1862, Co. F, 52d Regt .; disch. Aug. 14, 1863. John Palmer, enl. Aug. 20, 1863, Co. 1, 9th Regt .; trans. June 10, 1864, to 32d Inf.
1
Alonzo Mead, enl. 1863.
Albert A. Field, corp., enl. June 21, 1861, Co. G, 10th Regt .; disch, July 1, 1864.
Artemas Bullman, enl. June 21, 1861, Co. G, 10th Regt .; disch. Feb. 23, 1863, for disability. Andrew J. Briggs, enl. June 21, 1861, Co. G,
* Ex-Gov. W. B. Washburn, of Greenfield.
771
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
10th Inf .; killed May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Va.
Edward Coolidge, enl. June 21, 1861, Co. G, 10th Inf .; disch. July 1, 1864.
Lucian 31. Packard, enl June 21, 18GI, Co. G, 10th Inf .; died Dec. 26, 1864, at Annapolis, MI.1. Edward F. Potter, enl. June 21, 1861, Co. G, 10th Inf .; di-ch. June 1, 1863, for dis ibility.
James W. Wilbur, eul, June 21, 1861, Co. G, luth Inf .; disch. July 1, 1861.
James Smith, enl. March 28, 1864, 19th Inf .; trans. April 23, 1864, to Navy.
John Freeman, enl. Ang. 23, 18G1, Co. E, 21st Inf .; disch. Aug. 30, 1864.
Charles S. Brigham, ent. Ang. 1, 1862, 21st Inf .; died of wounds, Sept. 17, 1862, at Antietam, Md.
Henry D. Potter, corp, ent. Oct. 7, 1861. Co. K, 26th Inf .; disch. April 10, 1862, for disability. George T. Cowles, enl. Sept. 15, 1861, Co. K, 26th Inf .; disch. Nov. 15, 18G3, for disability. Walter D. Crane, enl. Sept. 18, 1861, Co. K, 26th Inf .; disch. Jan. 3, 1864, to re-enlist.
Wilson J. Hale, enI. Oct. 7, 1861, Co. K, 26th luf .; died Ang. 13, 1863, at New Orleans, La.
Henry Lewis, enl. Oct. 7, 18GI, Co. K, 2G:h 1nf. ; died May 20, 1863, at New Orleans, La.
Henry S. Benjamin, Ist sergt., enl. Sept. 20, 1861, Co. B, 27th Inf. ; disch. Sept. 26, 1862, for dis- ability.
Mark Rankins, Ist sergt., enl. Oct. 12, 1861. Co. B, 27th Inf. ; d.ed Nov. II, 1864, at Millen, Ga. George W. Beard, enl. April 9, 1862, Co. B, 27th Inf .; d sch. April 9, 1×65.
George Britton, en1. Sept. 20, 1861, Co. B, 27th Inf. ; d.sch. Sept. 27, 1864.
James Miller, enl. Sept. 20, 1861, Co. B, 27th Inf. ; disch. to re-enl, Dec. 23, 1863 ; disch. June 26, 1863.
William Whipple, enl. Sept. 20, 1861, Co. B, 27th Inf .; disch. April 6, 1862, for disability.
llenry Laplant, enl. Oct. 3, IsGI, Co. C, 27th Inf .; d sch. to re-enl. Dec. 23, 'G3 ; disch. July 14, '65. Merrick A. Packard, enl. Feb. 6, 1864, Co. C, 27th Inf .; died Aug. 11, 1864, Andersonv lle, Ga.
Lewis Seymour, ent. Oct. 1, 18GI, Co. C, 27th Inf .; died Jan. 29, 1863, Newbern, N. C.
Lyman HI. Clay, enl. Feh. 27, 1864, 27th Inf. Willard Packard, enl. Nov. 20, 1xGI, Co. B, 31st Inf ; died March 19, 1862, at sea.
Robert G. Curtis, enl. Jan. 4, 1864, Co. D, 34th Inf. ; disch. June 2, 1865, for disability.
Joseph B. Green, enl. Ang. 7, 18G2, Co. F, 34th Inf .; disch. June 16, ISG5.
John Murphy, enl. July 31, 1862, Co. F, 31th Inf. ; died of wounds, Oct. 19, 1864, Winchester, Va. Michael Murphy, enl. July 13, 1862, Co. F, 34th Inf .; disch. June 16, 1863.
Ferd.nand G. Packard, enl. July 13, 18G2, Co. F, 34th Inf ; disch. June 16, 1865.
Frank B. Packard, ent. July 13, 1862, Co. F, 34th Inf ; died Sept. 15, 1863, at Harper's Ferry, Va. Peter Richards, enl. July 31, 1862, Co. F, 34th Inf. ; disch. June 16, 1865.
Thomas Stafford, enl. March 1, 18G, Ist Art. U.S.A. Peter Dyer, enl. July 24, 1863, 1st N. O. Inf .; disch.
June 1, I8GG.
C. A. Track, 10th Inf.
Charles F. Moore, 27th Inf .; died.
Charles A. Whittaker, 34th Inf.
B. F. Green, 34th Inf.
Joseph B. Green, 34th Inf. M. Moonan, 28th Inf.
John Maloney, 3d Cav.
John Grtlings, 3d Cav.
Paul Tarra, 34th Inf. Henry Coolidge, 34th Inf.
J. II. Trask, 27th Inf. C. D. Gilmore, 27th Inf. Jno. E. Trask, 27th Inf. C W. Wheeler, Jr., 27th Inf.
ROWE.
GEOGRAPHICAL.
This is one of the hill towns in the northwestern part of the county, and is bounded north by Vermont, east by Heath, south by Charlemont, and west by Deerfield River, which separates it from Monroe and Florida. The general surface is elevated and bears a mountainous aspect, some of the peaks attaining a height of nearly 2000 feet. The most conspicuous ranges are the Adams Mountains in the south- east, and the hills along the Deerfield River, which are in many places marked by abrupt precipices, molded in gro- tesque and faneiful forms. One of these-Pulpit Rock-is a natural curiosity, and very closely resembles a canopied pulpit of the olden times. From its friendly shelter may be seen a region of country, stretehing many miles away, varied and beautiful,-a seetion of the finest scenery in the State.
The drainage of Rowe is chiefly through the Pelham Brook, which rises in the northeastern part of the town, and has a general southwesterly direction, receiving the waters of many tributary brooks in its course through the town. It has a good volume, and affords several excellent mill-sites. The nature of the town best adapts it for grazing, and dairying formis the chief industry of the people.
OLD FORTIFICATIONS.
In 1744 the province of Massachusetts erected a fort in this town in its chain of defenses against the French and Indians. It was of the nature of a stoekade, and was called Fort Pel- ham. Although occupied for several years, it is believed that no enemy ever appeared in its neighborhood, and the garrison was permanently withdrawn before 1754. The location of this fortification, near the brook on the farm of Edward Wright, may still be seen. The site commands a good view of the surrounding country, and it was probably designed to cut off the passage of the enemy down the brook. The garrison was supplied with water by means of a well inside the fort, which has been filled up with stones and is now searcely visible.
ORIGINAL TITLES AND BOUNDS.
On the 2d of June, 1762, the greater portion of the present town of Rowe was sold at auction, by order of the General
Court, and was purchased by the Rev. Cornelius Jones, of Sandisfield, for £380. The tract was known as Township No. 10, and was about four miles square, bounded south by Char- lemont, and west by the mountains in Monroe. Mr. Jones called his grant Myrifield, and this name the town retained until it was incorporated, Feb. 9, 1785, with the name of Rowe. It was then made to embrace 200 rods more on the east, taken from the Green and Walker grant, and a like width on the south, taken from Charlemont. These bounds were modified in 1822, when all that part of Rowe lying west of the Deerfield River was taken off' to form Monroe, and by the annexation on the southwest, in 1838, of a traet of unin- eorporated land called Zoar.
Mr. Jones offered his lands for settlement on favorable terms, and in February, 1779, he sold the remainder of his grant- about 4000 acres-to Wm. Parkhurst & Co., of Brookfield, for " nine thousand pounds, current money of the State;" and as much of the land sold to the settlers had also been paid with Continental money, which proved worthless, Mr. Jones was left in his old age in straitened eireumstanees.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The proprietor of Myrifield was also the first settler, coming from Sandisfield with his family about 1770. He built a house of split timbers about half a mile east of the centre of the town, the entire structure being of this material, in which he lived several years in pioneer simplicity. He had two daugh- ters, named Abigail and Hannah, and sons named Jacob, Daniel, Reuben, John, Ezra, and Marah. In 1773, Mr. Jones built the first frame barn in town, having all the men within its bounds-six men and the carpenter-to assist in raising the building, which was a large structure. The Revolution coming on, Mr. Jones supported the patriot cause with much zeal, and himself hastened, accompanied by his sons Daniel and Reuben, to Saratoga to aid in repulsing Burgoyne. Daniel lost his life at the battle of Stillwater, but the others returned to Rowe. Rev. Jones resided in town as pastor of the church until 1780, when he removed to Whitehall, N. Y., where he died not many years after. He was a native of Bellingham, and graduated from Harvard in 1752.
772
IIISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
Ellad Corbet came a few months after JJones, and settled near him, but did not remain very long. At a Inter period Deacon Archibald Thomas came from Coleraine, and settled in the northern part of the town. lle was born Jan. 31, 1708, and died July 19, 1793. Elizabeth ( Watson), the wife of Deacon Thomas, died Dec. 1, 1815, at the extreme age of one hundred and six years. Their son, John, was born in Rowe in 1774, and this was the first birth in town. He also became a deacon, and was universally esteemed as an upright and useful man. Joseph Thomas, a brother of Deacon Arehi- bald, settled near him about the same time.
Three brothers-Shadrach, Gideon, and Abner Chapin- came before 1774, and settled in the eastern part of the town, where they became active citizens, and near them were the Taylors, also from Worcester County. William Taylor was an orderly sergeant in the American army, and had the com- mand of a company in the trenches at Bunker Hill, being one of the last to leave in the retreat. Ile afterward became a captain, and with this rank was familiarly known until his death. Ilis brother John accompanied the Joneses to Saratoga, and died before his return home. A third brother was llumph- rey, who did not engage in the Revolution.
In the northeastern part of Rowe settled Mathew Barr, with several sons, one of whom, Aaron, was with Sergt. Wil- liam Taylor at the battle of Bunker Hill, where he was mor- tally wounded, and was the first man carried to Cambridge. He was struck by a cannon-shot, and died the same day.
Artemus Ward settled about the same time, near the present village. Here he built an early saw-mill on the brook, which still hears his name; and about the same period Abiah, Levi, Jedediah, and Jonathan Lamb became residents of Myrifield.
In 1774, Jonas and Aaron Gleason came from Worcester County, the latter settling in the eastern part of the town, and the former on the farm now owned by Ruel Bullard. His was the twenty-first family in town. Descendants of these fami- lies still live in Rowe.
Michael Wilson was in the town before 1776, and in 1797 Martin Wilson erected the house now occupied by Solomon Amidon at the village. John Adams was an early settler. East of the centre of the town John Wells was a prominent early settler. Col. Noah Wells was one of his sons. Of the sons of the latter, John graduated from Williams College, and became a judge of the Supreme Court .* Another son, Robert, is now a resident of the town.
Obed Foot is remembered as an early settler, and as the man who built the first two-story house in town. Nathan lloward, James Thayer, Ephraim Will, Nathan Foster, Eli Town, Am- brose Potter, I. W. Clary, and Rufus Streeter are also named among the pioneers. Many settlers came in after the Revolu- tion, and in 1790 the population was 443. The town had attained its zenith in 1820, when the population was 851. From that period it has decreased, having in 1875 only 92 farms and 581 inhabitants.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
The warrant for the first town-meeting was issued March 25, 1785, by Samuel Taylor, of Buckland, and was directed to Ambrose Potter, "one of the Principle Inhabitants of a Plantation called Myrifield, in said county of Hampshire, lately incorporated into a Town by the name of Rowe by an Act of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts," The inhabitants were "to assemble at the meet- ing-house on Wednesday, the 30th of March instant."
In pursuance of this warrant, the inhabitants assembled and chose Nathan Taylor town clerk, who was duly sworn by Justice Taylor, after which Benjamin Brown was chosen mod- erator for the remainder of the meeting.
" Vuted Deacon Jonas Gleason Treasurer.
" Voted C'apt. William Taylor, Moses Langdon, Moses Streeter Selectmen.
* See chapter on the Bar.
" Voted Nathan Foster, Beuj. Brown, and Ambrose Potter Assessors.
" Voted Archibald Thomas Constable.
" Voted Nathan Foster and Benjamin Shumway Wardens.
" Voted Jude Foster and Moses Streeter Tythingmen.
" Voted Eldad Corbet, Daniel Coons, Mathew Barr, Abner Chapin, and Ambrose l'otter Highway Surveyors.
" Voted Capt. Mathew Barr Sealer of Leather.
" Voted John Merrill and Daniel Gleason Hog-reeves.
" Voted to adjourn this meeting to Monday, the fourth day of April next, at nine o'clock in the forenoon, at Landlord Potter's."
From 1786 to the present time the selectmen have been as follows :
SELECTMEN.
1786 .- William Taylor, Abner Chapin, John Wells.
1787 .- Archibald Thomas, Michael Wilson, Jonas Gleason.
1788 .- Archibald Thomas, John Hibbard, Jonas Gleason.
1789 .- Jonathan White, John Wells, Jonas Gleason.
1790,-Jonathan White, John Wells, Thaddeus Menill.
1791 .- William Taylor, John Wells, Thaddens Merrill.
1792,-Nathan Foster. Archibald Thomas, Henry Wilson.
1793 .- Nathan Foster, Noah Brown, Henry Wilson.
1794,-Nathan Foster, Noah Brown, William Taylor.
1795,-Nathan Foster, Zelmilon Benton, William Taylor.
1790,-Nathan Foster, Aber Chapin, William Taylor. 1797 .- l'ardon Haynes, Jonas Gleason, Samuel Brown. 1798,-Nathan Foster, Noah Brown, Zebulon Benton.
1799,-William Taylor, Archibald Thomas, John Hibbard. 1800 .- Jonas Gleason, William Taylor, Noah Brown. 1501 .- John Wells, William Taylor, Noah Brown.
1802 .- Titus Todd, William Taylor, Nathan Foster.
1803 .- Titus Todd, Caleb Blakeslee, Nathan Foster. 1804 .- Titus Toild, William Taylor, James Brown. 1805 .- John Wells, Moses Streeter, James Brown. 1806 .- Jonas Gleason, William Taylor, James Brown.
1807 .- Josiah Carpenter, William Taylor, John Cheney. 1808 .- Josiah Carpenter, William Taylor, Noah Brown. 1800 .- Pardon Haynes, William Taylor, Nonh Brown. 1810 .- John Wells, John Cheney, John Thomas. 1811 .- Jobn Wells, Josiah Carpenter, John Thomas. 1812 .- Jedediah Bassett, Josiah Carpenter, John Thomas.
1813 .- John Wells, Josiah Carpenter, John Thomas. 1814 .- Sylvester Hart, Josiah Carpenter, John Thomas. 1815 .- James Brown, Jesse Gleason, John Thomas. 1816-18 .- Josiah Carpenter, Jesse Gleason, Isaac Pierpont. 1819 .- John Thomas, Ebenezer Merrill, Noah Wells, 1820 .- Jesse Gleason, Ebenezer Merrill, James Brown.
1821-22 .- Noah Wells, Ebenezer Merrill, John Thomas. 1823 .- James Brown, Ebenezer Merrill, John Thomas. 1824 .- James Brown, Isaac Pierpont, John Thomas. 1825 .- Noah Wells, Apollo Carpenter, Jedediah Barrett. 1826-28 .- Noah Wells, William Taylor, Jr., Jedediah Barrett. 1829 .- Isaac Pierpont, Ebenezer Merrill, Jedediah Barrett. 1830 .- Isaac Pierpont, Samuel II. Reed, Jedediah Barrett. 1831 .- Isaac Pierpont, Sainnel II. Reed, Ebenezer Merrill. 1832,-Obed Peck, Samuel IT. Reed, Elijah W. Hibbard. 1833 .- John Thomas, James Brown, Moses Gleason. 1834 .- Samuel H. Reed, Elisha Brown, Robert L. Bishop. 1835 .- Samuel II. Reed, Solonion Amidon, Jr., Robert L. Bishop.
1836 .- James Brown, Isaac Pierpont, Samuel Hall. 1837 .- John Thomas, Ebenezer Starr, James Ford. 1838 .- William Taylor, Ebenezer Starr, Dexter W. Brown. 1839 .- Samuel Hall, Ebenezer Starr, Dexter W. Brown. 1840 .- John Thomas, Alanson Hibbard, Araunah Ide. 1>41 .- Dexter W. Brown, Alanson Hibbard, Araunah Ide.
1842 .- Solomon Amidon, Jr., Alanson Hibbard, Araunah Hde.
1543 .- Alanson Hibbard, Ebenezer Starr, Araunab Ide. 1844 .- William Taylor, Ebenezer Starr, John A. Winslow. 1845 .- Sanmel 11. Reed, Asa Kendrick, Thomas Scott. 1846 .- Samuel H. Reed, Elias Keith, Thomas Scott.
1847 .- Ebenezer Starr, Elias Keith, Dwight Il. Hicks. 1848 .- Ebenezer Starr, Elias Keith, Arad Hall. 1849 .- E. Il. Stanford, Elias Keith, Arad Hall. 1850 .- Solomon Amidon, Chauncey Pierpont, Arad Hall. 1851 .- Elias Keith, Hezekiah Brown, Horace Browning. 1832 .- Elias Keith, Ilezekiah Brown, Arad Hall. 1853 .- Elias Keith, John Ballon, William Porter. 1854 .- Elias Keith, John Ballou, Arad Hall. 1855-56 .- Elias Keith, John Ballon, Lyman Sears. 1857 .- Daniel Gale, William Il. Sunford, Ansel Bullard. 1858-59 .- Daniel Gale, William H. Sanford, Elias Keith. 1×60 .- Daniel Gale, William II. Sanford, Charles Demons. 1861 .- John Ballon, William HI. Sanford, Charles Demons. 1862 .- Samuel P. Everett, William H. Sanford, E. H. Stanford.
1863 .- John Ballon, V. M. Porter, Elias Keith.
1864 .- Lyman Sears, L. S. Blakeslee, Eljas Keith.
1865 .- Charles Demons, L. S. Blakeslee, Elias Keitlı.
773
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
186G .- Charles Demons, L. S. Blakeslee, John Ballon. 1867-68 .- Cyrus Ballon, S. P. Everett, John Ballou. 1869 .- J. C. Rice, Il. A. Kendrick, John Ballon. 1×70-71 .- Elias Keith, William Bolton, John Ballou. 1872 .- Elias Keith, Eph. Truesdell, John Ballou. 1873 .- V. M. Porter, Ezra G. Bemis, Cyrus Ballou. 1874-75 .- V. M. Porter, Lorenzo S. Blakeslee, Peter J. Streeter. 1876-77 .- V. M. Porter, Lorenzo S. Blakeslee, Lester Smith. 1878 .- V. M. Porter, Lorenzo S. Blakeslee, Noyes Wheeler.
TOWN CLERKS.
1786-87, Nathan Foster; 1788, I. Ward Clary ; 1789-94, John Wells; 1795-1800, Nathan Foster; 1801-5, Jonas Gleason ; 1:06, John Wells; I>07, Benjamin Olds; 180x, John Wells; 1809-14, Solomon Reed; 1815, Josiah Carpenter; 1816-17, John Thomas; 1818-46, Solomon Reed; 1847, Samuel II. Reed; 1848, Solomon R. Drury ; 1849-53, John C. Drury ; 1854-59, Summer Lincoln; 18GO-62, Hom- phrey Gould; 1863-66, James M. Ford; 1867, E. E. Amidon; 1868, James M. Ford; 1869, Samuel P. Everett; IS70, W. M. Bicknell; 1871-76, Charles IJ. Scott; 1877-78, Horace A. Smith, 1879.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.
At the April meeting, 1785, £130 was voted to defray town charges the ensuing year.
" Voted to hire preaching two months the ensuing year."
" Voted to choose a committee to provide a candidate. Chose Asa Fowler, Dr. I. Ward Clary, and Isaac Langdon.
" Voted that Ambrose Putter, Asn Foster, and Nathaniel Merrill be a committee to buikl a pound at the north west corner of the meeting-house, thirty feet square, with poles."
Oct. 2, 1786 .- " Voted to choose a committee of safety to inspect any disorder that may arise in this town at this juncture of time, in which civil law is much disturbed, and to suppress criminality as much as possible ; and to choose Deacon Jonas Gleason, Nathan Foster, Ehlad Corbet, Joseph Nash, and Nathaniel Merrill the committee."
1788 .- " Voted to give John Wells £5 9s. for entertaining the ordaining Coun- cil and the Rev. Preserved Smith's friends, at the time of ordination."
In 1791 the building of a new house of worship occasioned a good deal of discussion, and the appointment of a number of committees to select a site, whose reports were usually re- jected by the town. A committee of gentlemen from the sur- rounding towns was then chosen, who reported, October 19th, as follows :
" We, the subscribers, being assembled as a committee for the purpose of ap- propriating a spot of ground for the inhalatants of the town of Rowe to build their meeting-house, are unanimously of the opinion that the properest and most convenient place for that purpose is where the old meeting-house now stands, or as near as the ground will admit.
" BENJAMIN MAXWELL, " HUGH MCCLELLEN, "SAMUEL TAYLOR."
In 1793 a final committee, composed of Edmund Longley, William Kittridge, and David Hoyt, reported that they had selected a meeting-house spot, and in their report expressed the hope that their work would be acceptable and that the people would " perfectly harmonize in erecting a house, one important design of which was to promote mutual benevo- lence and peace."
Jan. 10, 1796 .- " Reported by the committee that Dracon Gleason be allowed for damages sustained by his oxen being taken for a town debt £1 15s. Gd.
" MOSES STREETER,
" ARIEL THOMAS, " BENJAMIN BROWN, " NATHAN FOSTER."
In 1878 the town appropriated $1200 for contingent ex- penses, $700 for highways, and $700 for schools. There was a debt of $6000, and the rate of taxation was $2 per hundred.
HIGHWAYS.
The records concerning the roads are fragmentary and not very satisfactory. In 1808 the sum of $500 was voted to re- pair and maintain the roads; and in 1817 it was voted " that the town is willing to unite with Buckland and other towns in a petition to the General Court for a lottery to build three bridges over Deerfield River, and that the town clerk be au- thorized to sign a petition in behalf of the town, if one shall be presented."
The highways are generally in a passable condition, and in 1878 were in charge of ten road surveyors.
The Troy and Greenfield Railroad passes through the south-
western part of the town, and has a station at the lloosac Tunnel, whose eastern terminus is near this town line.
CEMETERIES.
In 1777 the Rev. Cornelius Jones set aside two acres for a burial-ground, and in 1785 a second place for interments was secured by the selectmen. A third lot was set aside at a later day in the northern part of town, and by the Methodist Church, in the eastern part of the town, is a cemetery which was formed in 1828.
It is said that Reuben Gleason was the first adult who died in the town, and that Deacon Archibald Thomas dug his grave. In the cemeteries are the graves of several centena- rians : Mrs. Archibald Thomas (Elizabeth ) died in 1815, aged one hundred and six years ; a Mr. Dodge, at the age of one hundred and one; and the Widow Goodspeed, aged one hun- dred and two years. They contain also the graves of several persons who met with accidental deaths: Amos Gleason, a youth, was lost in the woods soon after the country was set- tled, and perished before he was found ; a Mrs. Knowlton and a Miss Shurtleff were drowned while crossing the Deerfield, from Monroe, some time after 1820; and on the 8th of October, 1869, Rufus ITyde and his wife were swept away by the freshet which destroyed his saw-mill on Pelham Brook, and carried many rods down the turbulent stream. It appears that, fear- ing his mill might be lost, Mr. Hyde endeavored to save some of the movable machinery ; while thus engaged, the furious waters washed out a new channel between him and his house, and his wife, seeing the impending danger, hastened to the edge of the stream to save him. She threw him a line, by means of which she hoped to pilot him to safety. The ill-fated man plunged into the current, only to be ruthlessly swept away, and with him his devoted wife, who had maintained her hold on the line.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
The water-power of Pelham Brook has been utilized to good advantage, and was made to operate a saw-mill at the village soon after the town was settled. A small grist-mill was also put into operation before 1780. The early owners were the Chapins and the Thomases. In later years the Reeds became the proprietors, who sold the grist-mill to Abijah Bur- nap. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt by him, and after being changed for other purposes was again consumed by fire in 1872. This privilege is now unemployed. The power above operates a saw-mill, built by Ambrose Stone, and in which machinery for grinding was placed in 1871, by David Henry. The establishment is now carried on by Moses Bullard.
In a few years after the above power was improved a saw- mill was erected on the brook flowing from the northwest, by a man named Ward. From this circumstance the brook took its name. The power has long since been abandoned.
A mile below the village Ephraim Fellows had a lumber- mill at an early day, which after many changes was destroyed by the freshet of 1869, causing the loss of the lives of Rufus Hyde and his wife.
East of the centre of the town, on Pelham Brook, the Chapin Brothers built a mill, which has had among its ope- rators Royal Stone, H. A. Kendrick, C. E. Graves, and Jude Tuttle ; and above this point John Cheney formerly had a chair-factory.
At the centre, S. Nash had a small tannery before 1800, which was afterward operated on a more extensive scale by Asa Foster (2d). Other proprietors were Enos Adams, Alfred Olds, and Thomas llarrington. About the same time AAlfred Olds established a tannery at the village, which has been suc- cessively carried on by Pliny and Joel Wells, Hitchcock & Maxwell, and by the present proprietors, Messrs. Scott & Son, under whose management it forms a considerable industry. Tanning had also been carried on below this place by Jude Cooper.
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