History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 92

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 92

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" In this enterquiso we invite the e.roperation and solicit the aid of all gentle- men residing in the Connecticut Valley who feel an interest in the object. We should gladly welcome them to our membership. Nor do we confine this invi- tation to our sex. Remembering what has been wrought by woman in this de- putmeut of research, we extend to the ladies of this valley a cordial invitation to encourage and assist us in this enterprise. Are there not women scattered up and down the old county of Hampshire who will do for the towns where they Jeside what has been done by Miss Caulkins for the city of Norwich, and by Miss Jones for the town of Stock bilge, in writing ont the annals of their towns? Nor is there anything in our organization that excludes from our society those who have not the privilege of living in the valley of the Connectient. While we regard this as our peculiar field, we are happy to receive into our membership the dwellers in the regi ms on either side of this valley. Wherever there is an individual who sympathizes with our purposes, and desires to aid us in historical research, we shall gladly welcome him as a co-laborer."

The society commenced its operations with 11 members. It has steadily increased in the number of its members, and now comprises many of the most intelligent and cultivated citi- zens of the Connecticut Valley. Its history has been brief, eight regular meetings only having been held since its organi- ization.

These meetings have been well attended, and have been ex- reedingly interesting. Valuable papers have been presented and discussed upon the following topics, viz. : " Shad and Salmon in the Connecticut River in the Olden Times, " by Dr. A. Booth ; " Rev. Stephen Williams and his Journal" (three papers), by Rev. J. W. Harding ; " The Old Fire Department of Springfield," by J. K. Newell; "The Old Prison on Main and Bliss Streets, in Springfield," by Judge HI. Morris; " The Breek Controversy in the First Parish in Springfield in 1735," by M. A. Green ; " The Derivation of English Names," by Hon. Joseph White ; " Early Navigation of the Connecti-

cut River," by T. M. Dewey ; " Major Elizur Holyoke, " by Judge H. Morris ; " Springfield during the Rebellion of 1786, known as the Shays Rebellion," by Hon. William L. Smith ; " The Beginnings of the Common School in America," by Rev. A. D. Mayo ; " Rev. Samuel Peters and his History of Connecticut," by Rev. C. Hammond; " Biographical Sketch of the late William Russell, " by Rev. M. C. Stebbins ; " The Old Pynchon House and its Builders," by Judge II. Morris ; " Count Rumford during the Revolution, " by E. A. Thomp- son ; " Slavery in the Connecticut Valley during the Sev- enteenth and Eighteenth Centuries, " by Judge H. Morris; " Dartmouth College and the State of New Connecticut," by John L. Rice; Col. D. M. Bryant's " Reminiscences of Ancient Matters of Local Interest" (read by the president).

Several of these papers are in possession of the society, and it is hoped will hereafter find a permanent record in its printed proceedings.

EDUCATIONAL.3

To the early settlers of Massachusetts no subject was dearer than the careful training and education of their children. This is apparent in the early history of the Plymouth and the Bay colonies, and is equally true, also, of the pioneers who began the settlement of Springfield. The first records of the town are evidence of their early attention to this subject. In a memorandum which is supposed to belong to 1641, the year of the town's recognition by the General Court, there is an enumeration of " Acts app. [appertaining ?] to ye selectmen by order of court," among which are the following : " To see that all children be taught to read and learn a chattechisme, to place forth unruly children and servants, to take account of their sittings, to see schools creeted and maintained."

In 1644, on the "26 of ve 7 m.," some of the duties of the selectmen were defined by a " generall vote of ye towne, " by which it was incumbent upon them, in addition to other duties, " to see to ye scouring of ditches, and to ye killing of wolves, and to ye training of ye children."

It does not appear upon the records at what particular date the first school was established, but there were early appro- priations for the payment of teachers and for other school pur- poses. The town took action " March ye 18, 165?," concerning " A parsell of land over ye grate river, at ye lower end of Chickkuppy plaine." This tract of land consisted of 30 acres, and it voted " that ye towne do hereby order that ye aforesaid land shall be reserved in ye towne's hands, as ye Towne's land for ye Towne's use, either for ye helping to maintain a school- master or ruling elder, or to help bear any other towne charges, according as it shall be hereafter concluded." The proceeds of this land were for some time devoted in part to the support of schools, but were subsequently diverted to other uses.

May 2, 1677, the town " voted the admittance and entertain- ment of Wm. Maddison as schoolmaster, he taking three pence of those per weeke whom he teaches to read English, and four pence per weeke of those he teaches both to read and write, as also four pence of those whom he teaches writing wholely, the parents or persons being to allow no more; but the towne for this year, as an Incouragement for Him in ye work, do agree to allow Him ye Rent of ye towne land in Chickupy."

The next teacher employed received a stated salary, as ap- pears from the following :

" April 10, 1678,-At a meeting of the inhabitants wherein they were desired to remain after lecture, It was voted and confirmed to give to Mr. David Denton twenty pounds salary for his encouragement in the worke of schoolmaster."

The record then states that it was stipulated that in case a school could not be kept open for him all the time, he was to have "half of said pounds, and time to plant and dress two acres of Indian corn." As the accounts of the town show that he was paid only £10, it is presumed that he had time to " plant and dress" his corn.

* By A. P. Stone.

106

842

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

In 1682, " The selectmen agreed with Goodwife Mirricke, to encourage her in the good work of training up of children and teaching children to read, that she should have 3d. a weeke for every child that she takes to perform this good work for."

Jn 1683, John Richard was engaged as schoolmaster, and was employed in that capacity for several years. Although the salary of £20, mentioned above, may be regarded as a very fair compensation for the time, it would seem probable that some difficulty was experienced in obtaining a suitable teacher for that sum, for in March, 1690, instructions were given to the " selectmen to engage a schoolmaster, and they may give or engage to give more than £20, the sum by which they are stinted."

The moral training of children was carefully attended to, and a strict watch was kept over young persons when in pub- lic assemblies. In 1679 the town records say, " It is also or- dered by ye selectmen that all youths and boys under the age, 12 years of age, sit on that seat under the deaeon's seat, and also on that seat against, and on the stairs, only they must not block up the stairs when minister Glover comes." " Deacon Parsons" and others were ordered "to have an eye on the boys."

The following extract from the records of the same year would seem to imgdy that there were some persons whose moral training had not been successful, and that the town resorted to other means than schools and tithingmen for their correction : " The Towne is Dr. To Goodman Marshfield, by mending the stockes, and a staple, Sx. 6d."

It is supposed that the first schools were kept in private houses, or in rooms hired for that purpose. In 1679 there was paid " to Goodman Merricke for his house for schooling, 10s. 6d. ; " and, soon after, to "Samuel Ely, £1 10s. 9d., of which 9s. is for a school in his house." There was also a school in the tower of the meeting-house, as appears from the record of a town-meeting, bearing date of Oct. 9, 1678.

The first school-house, properly so called, was erected in 1679, and the action of the town in relation to the same is recorded, with considerable minuteness, as follows :

May 7, 1679 .- " At a towne-meeting, being a legal meeting, It was voted amd consented that there should be an house erected for that noble design and use of learning in those so necessary pieces or parts of learning, videl., reading, and writing, and that this house should be twenty and two foot in length and eighteen foot in It cadth."

June 2, 1679,-" At a meeting of the Selectmen, being Gent. Deacon Benj. Parsons, Jno. Dumbleton, Henry Chapin, Jno. Holyoke, it having been formerly at a Towne-meeting propounded to ye Towne that they would set up a school- house for ye towne, and they concluded that such a house should be erected, and appointed to ye selectmen to bargain with any meet person or persons to build such an honse for such a use; accordingly, they have bargained with Thomas Stelibius for to get timber for such a building and frame it, whose length is to he twenty-two foot, and breadth seventeen foot, and1 stud six foot and halfe; and he, the sand Thomas Stebbins, is to carry the frame to place and nail the clapboards close on to both sides, and to lath it, and shingle the roofe, and to make three light spaces on one side and two on one end, and to set up a mantletree, and set up a rung chimney and daub it, and the said Thomas is to have for his worke so done fourteen pounds paid by the Towne, and in case it so prove that the said Thomas Stebbins shall have a hard bargain, it is hereby agreed that he shall have 10s, more of the Towne.

" THOMAS STEBBINS."

Aug. 4, 1679,-" It was voted and concluded that the school-hunse shall be set somewhere in the lane going to the upper wharfe, and the Selectmen to agree about and determine the particular place."

The lane spoken of above was the Ferry Street of the early town, now Cypress Street, north of the railroad, and leading from Main Street to the river. The school-house was erected soon afterward, as the following accounts show :

" Dec. 29, 1679 .- The Towne is Dr .:

" To Thomas Stebbins, Jun., for his worke abont ye school- £ s. t.

10 0 0

" To Goodman Lamb, carting, I day, clay for ye school- house ..

0 51

" To Sinn. Ely, for entertaining the school-house raisers .. 0 3 8"

The location of this school-house was almost at the northern extremity of the population as it was then distributed in the main settlement of the town, and it is not improbable that it

was unsatisfactory in that respect, for at a town-meeting held Feb. 1, 1680, it was proposed to have the building removed to the "middle of ye towne," provided any person would do so " without any charge to ye towne."

It is not recorded, nor known, whether such a removal took place, but there is a tradition that the house was removed to the south side of Elm Street, near Main, in the rear of the present location of the Chicopee National Bank. But it is more probable that a building was purchased there and used for a school; for, Oct. 21, 1685, it was voted to purchase a house built by Edward Stebbins, on the land of Samuel Ball, " for a school-house, for twenty-five pounds."

The early residents of Springfield believed in compulsory education, for, " April 24, 1685, It was voted that all parents and householders be enjoined to send their children and ser- vants to school, and that all persons from the Round Hill to the Mill River who do not send such children as are over five years and under nine years shall pay at the rate of two pence per week for the space of half a year." Very similar action was again taken May 19, 1692.

The following action of the town is more formal in its character, and shows a deep interest on the part of the people in the education of their children :

"To the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, sitting for Springfield, May 20,1707.

" Rules & orders made & agreed on by the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the town of Springfield, qualified for voters in town affairs, at their meeting May ?, 1707, duly warned for that end & agreed on to be presented to the General Quar- ter Sessions, sitting at Springfield, May 20, 1707.

" Inasmuch as the law of the Province oldliges this town to keep & maintain : Grannar school, writing school, & reading school, & that the schoolmasters bo snitaldy Incomaged & paid by the inhabitants of said town, Now, for ye better support of s'd school & Incouragement of learning, It is agreed & voted that the Parents of every scholar going to said school shall pay thive pence per weeke in towne pay; & for the enabling the towne to recover such dnes for each scholar, It is agreed that the schoolmaster that shall be hired from time to time shall keep an exart account of every scholar's coming to said school & leaving sail school; and up in the demand of the selectmen such schulmaster shall deliver to said selectmen, under his hand, an account of the scholars as aforesaid suid account shall be obliging as to the time of said scholar's attendance, & the selretmen or assessors from time to time are hereby ordered & Impowered to assess the said smin or sums upon the Parents & masters of said scholars, & to affix or add the stid suum & sums to their towne rates that shall be granted from time to time by the towne, for assessing and raising such further sunis for compleating the school- master's ful dues, & that shall be due to him ; & it is fin ther ordered & agreed that the selection consider who are such children or scholars as to be privile ged and that the selectmen do exempt their parents & masters from paying for such children going to school, in whole or in part .- Approved May 20, 1707."

A vote was passed, Nov. 30, 1708, requiring " Each person sending a chill to school to send a load of wood within two weeks, or pay enough to buy a load."

Dec. 1, 1709, the salary of John Sherman, " Grammar- school master," was fixed at " £40 in grain, viz., Pease, Rye, Indian Corn, & Barley, at the town price."

In 1716 the town was divided into precincts (in addition to the main village) as follows : "1. The west side of the greate river. 2. The Longmeadow. 3. The west side of Agawam River. 4. The Upper Chicope. 5. The Lower Chicope. 6. Skipmuck." Each precinct was required to support one school, and in case of neglect the money raised was to return to the town treasury. The amount of money raised for schools this year was £82.

From the above date during the remainder of the century there is recorded little of special interest concerning the schools. A grammar school was maintained, except at short intervals, until about 1820, and some of its teachers were men of ability. These grammar schools, like those before mentioned, were not like the schools now known by that name, but were of a higher grade, embracing, in part at least, the work of high schools, and were maintained in accordance with the law of 1647, requir- ing towns of 100 families or more " to set up a grammar schoule, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so farr as they enn he tited for ye university."

The school: were usually under the oversight of the seleet-

LITTLE

James E. Angeli

The subject of this sketch, son of Stephen O. and Mary McCray Russell, was born in Ellington, Conn., in 1821. When he was four years of age his parents removed to Springfield, and his father became prominently identified with the interests of the town, and occupied many positions of trust and responsibility. James E. received his educa- tion at the city schools, and by his diligence and application acquired an education that well qualified him for his subse- quent active business career. He early developed traits of character that stamped him as a forthcoming active business man, and while he was attending school he turned an honest penny by carrying the mail from the post-office to the neighbors residing in the vicinity of his home. Every morning at eight o'clock he appeared at the office for the mail, and was prompt and methodical in the discharge of his duty.

At the age of sixteen he assisted in running the line for the Hartford and Springfield Railroad, and also that of the Boston and Albany, between Springfield and Westfield. Two years later he accepted a position in the Springfield post-office, under Albert Morgan. He remained here abont three years, and was then appointed mail-agent on the Boston and Albany Railroad, and was one of two first appointed in this State, and probably first in the United States. He occupied this position until 1845, when, in consequence of an accident wherein he came near losing his life, he re- signed his office, and upon recovering his health accepted a

position as conductor on the Boston and Albany road, and run the first passenger express train on the New York line from Boston to Springfield. In this business he displayed the same watchful care and method that marked his pre- vious life, and was considered one of the most trustworthy and popular conductors on the road. Honorable with his employers, and popular and gentlemanly with the public, he officiated in this capacity until 1857, when he came to Springfield and took charge of the old American Honse, remaining there but a few months, when, in 1858, he was elected to the office of register of deeds, and has held that office continuously since, and discharged the duties with great credit to himself and the entire satisfaction of the people.

It is evident that Mr. Russell commands the respect of his fellow-citizens in a remarkable degree, from the fact that he has been successively chosen to this important office for nearly a quarter of a century, and received the votes of all classes irrespective of party.

Although Mr. Russell has confined himself closely to the discharge of his duties as a public officer, he has manifested a lively interest in matters tending to promote the welfare of the city and county. Honorable and upright in busi- ness, genial and social in nature, ever ready to assist with means within his power all those who ask, he has won the confidence, and justly merits the universal esteem in which he is held by the people.

Philip Whoox

PHILIP WILCOX was born Sept. 2, 1800, at East Berlin, Conn. He was a lineal descendant of the fourth generation from Daniel Wilcox, who emi- grated from England and settled in Middletown, Conn., then an unbroken wilderness. His son Daniel, Jr., subsequently settled at Berlin, then a part of New Britain. He died at the age of seventy-four, and on his tombstone is found the following inscription :

" I gave this ground, I'm laid here first, Soon my remains will turn to dust ; My wife and progeny around, Come sleep with me in this cold ground."

At the time of his wife's death she was the mother of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to the number of two hundred and ninety-two. His wife died in 1807, aged ninety-two.

Philip Wilcox came to Springfield in 1823, and started the tinware business on State Street oppo- site the United States armory, that being a favor- able location at that time for business. After a few years he followed the direction of the business centre of the village, and moved down on State Street near Main. His brother Philo F., having learned his trade of him (Philip), established him- self in the same business on Main Street.

The Wilcoxes were the first to manufacture stoves in this vicinity, which was for many years an important branch of trade ; but upon the com- pletion of the Boston and Albany Railroad, the

cheapness of coal and iron at the latter place led to unequal competition, and Mr. Wilcox abandoned the manufacture of stoves. He was very much in- terested in the construction of that railroad, im- pressed with the idea that it would be a great bene- fit to Springfield, as its construction has since proved to be the making of the city. His death came at about the time of its completion and in the midst of his most active and successful business career, he being only forty-two years of age. Mr. Wilcox was interested in all enterprises tending to build up and beautify Springfield, and in the various asso- ciations here, among which was the Hampden Mechanics' Association. He was connected with the South Congregationalist Church, of which he was one of the original trustees. In his death Springfield lost one of its most enterprising and esteemed citizens ; a man of strict integrity of pur- pose in all his business relations, and uniformly respected by all who knew him.

He was married to Eliza Parmelee, of Middle- town, Conn., June 26, 1823. She died Nov. 19, 1842, aged forty-two. Their children were William L., Mrs. C. M. Lee (deceased), John P., and Mrs. J. K. Dexter, of Holyoke. The sons are in business in the old stand occupied by their father prior to his death, having charge of the same at an early age in life. They are among the leading business men of the city, and have carried to a successful and profitable completion the trade opened by their father over half a century ago.

PHILO F. WILCOX was a native of East Berlin, Conn., and came to this city when less than twenty years of age, following his elder brother, Philip, founder of the stove and tinware trade conducted by his sons (William L. and John P.) to this day. Philo served his brother at this trade for some time ; was subsequently associated with him, and after- wards purchased a branch of the business and car- ried it on in a store opposite Foote's Block, on Main Street. From this he retired about the year 1840, having secured a sufficient competence to place him beyond the apprehension of want.

Soon after the Chicopee Bank was organized Mr. Wilcox was chosen one of its directors, an office he held until his death, being also for more than twenty years its president, and for about ten years vice-president of the Springfield Institution for Savings. He was also vice-president for many years of the Springfield Mutual Insurance Com- pany. He was a Republican in polities, and rep- resented the city for two terms in the State Legis-

lature of Massachusetts just prior to the war. Mr. Wilcox was largely interested in the interests of the city, and upon his retirement from business invested much of his capital in real estate, which by the rapid rise in value proved a profitable invest- ment. He was a man of keen judgment, posses- sing a business sagacity and a will to carry forward whatever he conceived to be right. His father being a farmer, both he and his brother Philip enjoyed only limited opportunities for education from books, but while young men they laid well the foundation for successful business careers, and were men of stability and prudence in all the re- lations of life.

In the year 1826, November 9, he married Miss Orpha J., daughter of Asa Wood, of Springfield. They had seven children, all of whom are deceased but one, Mrs. Utley Cadwell, of New York. One son, E. P. Wilcox, died Sept. 13, 1870; another son, Frank P., died April, 1876. Mr. Wilcox died Jan. 1, 1871, aged sixty-five.

HON. WARNER C. STURTEVANT was born in Keene, Cheshire Co., N. H., Jan. 23, 1809. His grandfather, Cornelius Sturtevant, was a native of Belfast, Me., set- tled in Keene, N. H., about the year 1787, where he lived as a farmer during the remainder of his life, and died at the advanced age of ninety-one, in the year 1822. His father, Luther Sturtevant, was a ship carpenter by trade, and spent the time until he was fifty years of age at that business, when he bought a farm and followed agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life. He was married to Azubah Claflin, formerly of Hopkinton, Mass. She was a cousin of H. B. Claflin, of New York, and also of Gov- ernor Claflin, of Massachusetts.

Their children were four sons and three daughters, of whom the subject of this narrative was the youngest. The father died at the age of eighty-nine, in the year 1867; the mother died about 1858, aged seventy-six.

At the age of fourteen Mr. Sturtevant apprenticed him- self to learn the business of the manufacture of crackers. At the end of seven years he was engaged as journeyman in the same business, and continued for six years, when he commenced business for himself in Bath, N. II. After some four years' business in that place, he spent five years in Hanover, N. H.

In the year 1844 he came to Springfield and established himself in the same business, opening a wholesale and retail house, with a trade reaching to various parts of this State, and the States of New York and Connecticut. This he con- tinued for some sixteen years, and retired from the busi- ness. Since that time he has built a fine brick block on Main Street, Springfield, and a residence on the corner of Spring and Pearl Streets.

During the past nine years Mr. Sturtevant has been president of the Springfield Mutual Fire Assurance Com- pany, and he was one of the guarantee capitalists of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company upon its organization, and a director ever since. Upon the organiza- tion of Springfield as a city he was for two years following a member of the eity council, and for one term alderman. In 1864 he represented wards One and Two of the city in the State Legislature, and in 1872 he was chosen to the Legislature from wards Four and Six.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 92

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