USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of the county of Berkshire, Massachusetts, in two parts > Part 15
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The granular limestone is frequently fetid in Lee, Stockbridge, and Alford.
Caverns. Few caverns are found among the primi- tive rocks. One, more than 100 feet in length, is found in the limestone in Lanesborough, irregular and nar- row ; probably worn by water. Two caverns are also found in the limestone in the south part of New Marl- borough. These caverns contain rude stalactites. An- other small cavern is in West Stockbridge ; in which was found a small quantity of Agaric Mineral, ( Pul- vurulent carbonate of lime.)
In Sheffield, the limestone alternates several times with mica siate. The same is seen in Williamstown and other places. The bed of limestone on which Williams College stands, extends for several miles, contains much quartz finely diffused through it, is hard, often gives fire with steel, is frequently divided by seams into rhomboidal masses a foot or two feet or more on a side ; often also very much disturbed in its form, and tortuous ; sometimes bent in the arc of a curve, a foot ø1 more in diameter.
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195
GEOLOGY.
4. Primitive Argillaceous Slate.
The principal part of this rock is along the eastern part of the Taconic range, forming a considerable por- tion of the hills in some places. It alternates in some places with mica slate, or with talco-micaceous slate. It has a shining appearance ; sometimes tortuous ; stratą easily separable. It is entirely different in its appear- ance from the argillite in the adjoining parts of New York, beyond the Taconic range. In this County it is always black or dark gray ; sometimes a little talcose. Though it is found in the south part of the County, it is more abundant in Hancock, New Ashford and Will- iamstown. It is gradually, but slowly, disintegrating, forming excellent soil.
Accidental rock, Graywacke.
The only rock, out of place. found in this County, is Graywacke. It occurs in rounded masses, of a small size to rocks many tons in weight, and is found in all the towns through the middle and western parts of the County. It has a dark green aspect, and is composed of an argillaceous base, containing fragments of quartz, feldspar, argillite, and the like. There can be no doubt that it has by some means been transported over the Taconic range from the adjoining county in the State of New York.
Puddingstone.
Small quantities of puddingstone, or a kind of sand- stone, are found in Williamstown. It is evidently con- nected with the larger bed in Pownal, Vt., and is com- posed of grains of quartz, siliceous slate, limestone, chlorite, &c., aggregated by an argillaceous cement.
Alluvial.
The alluvial formation along the Housatonic and Hoo- sic rivers, has already been alluded to. It is generally of moderate breadth, sometimes a mile, commonly less than half a mile; rich, clayey, excellent for grass, and in the drier parts, for Indian corn, oats, &c.
Ores.
The only ores that are wrought in this County, are those of iron. Large beds of iron ore are found im- bedded in clay in Lenox, Richmond, and West Stock- bridge. Iron ore is also found in most of the towns
430 74. W.
45
Easton
Granite
Gneiss
Logick River
Talcose State
Seutsburgh
Bennington
Woodford
Quartz Rock
Schnightingale
Icosich"
Prim Limestone
Prin. _ Argillite
Pittstown
Trans Limestone
Grey Wa.de
Falle
Trans. Árgillite
Frans. Shell & Commart Limestone
Bals of Iron Ore
Graftore
Verniont 3 Inte
4.5
BrunsWICK
Petersburg
Williams topon
Fidrida .
ALBANY
Adonis
Sandlake
Gretaush
" Berlin
Very Ashland
TER
RA
Stephentown
R.
Langsborough
Windsor
Nas.sofie
Schodacic
N
0
New
Pitsheld
Lebanon
Dalton
Cummington
S
Hinsdale
HUD
Kinderhook
Canaan
Richmond
B Lenox
Washington
Middlefield
Little Cr.
C
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vest Stockbridge Stockbridge by.
Backet
Hudson
Clavarick
Hillsdale
Alford
i Greut Barrington
Bianford
Egremont
C
Livingston
Gallatin
A
GEOLOGICAL MAP
42º
42
of the
Canaan
COUNTY of BERKSHIRE MASS. and of a Small Part of the adjoining
Northeast
Rhinebeck
STATES 1824
menia
74. W. from Greenwich
45
30
Southfield
South
Line
Mass
Sundir field.
Grung ir
New Marlborough .
Toland
j Sheffield
M' Washington
Ancram . "Creek
Austerlitz
/Hous atonic River!
E
Worthington
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15
Tyringham
3
Cattskill
Stillwater
Mica State
West Line
Witningkon
Verment
Povral
Stamford
Hoosick
Ikeasick River
Clarksburg
Savoy
Union Village
N
Cheshire
I Plair field
25
30
15
Shaftybury
Glastonbury
Somerset
43
Engrav'a by A Doctinle
Clermont
Salisbury
t'aiford
HISTORY
OF
THE COUNTY OF BERKSHIRE.
PART II.
CONTAINING AN
ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERAL TOWNS .-
'BY GENTLEMEN IN THE COUNTY, . CLERGYMEN AND LAYMEN.
-
A HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF SHEFFIELD.
BY REV. JAMES BRADFORD.
As early as the year 1722, Joseph Parsons and 196 others, within the county of Hampshire, petitioned the General Assembly of the Province of Massachusetts for two townships of land in said county, upon the river Housatunnuk, or West brook. In answer to this peti- tion, the General Assembly granted two townships on the Housatunnuk river, of the contents of seven miles square, adjoining south the divisional line between Mas- sachusetts and Connecticut. For the purposes of mak- ing a purchase of the Indians, dividing the tract, grant- ing lots, admitting settlers, &c. &c., John Stoddard, Henry Dwight, Luke Hitchkok, John Ashley, and Samuel Porter, Esqs., were appointed a committee, to which Capt. Ebenezer Pomroy [Pomeroy] was after- wards added, with directions to reserve lands for the first settled minister, for the future support of the gos- pel, and for schools. Of each proprietor they were to demand thirty shillings for every hundred acres of land ; and this money they were to expend in purchasing the right of the Indians, laying out the lands, and in building meeting-houses in said township.
This grant was made Jan. 30, 1722; and the com- mittee met in Springfield, March 19, 1723, and re-" ceived, on the conditions prescribed, the names of fifty- fire settlers or proprietors.
On the 25th of April, 1924, the committee received from the Indians, "in consideration of £460, three bar- rels of cider, and thirty quarts of rum," a deed of a tract
202
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
of land on the river Housatunnuk, bounded as follows, viz : South by the divisional line between the then pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay and the colony of Connec- ticut, west on the colony of New York, north on the great mountain, then known by the name of Mau-ska- fee-haunk, and east to extend four miles from the river, and in a general way, so to extend. The Indians, however, reserved to themselves, within this tract, all the land between a brook on the west side of Housa- tunnuk river, by the name of Mau-nau-pen-fe con, and a small brook lying between the aforesaid brook and the river called Waum-pa-nik-see-poot, or White river, running a due west line from the mouth of said brooks to the colony of New York ; together with a clear meadow between the beforementioned small brook and White river. This deed was signed and sealed by Kon-ke-pot* and twenty other Indians at Westfield, be- fore John Ashley, justice of the peace.
Although it is difficult to determine what mountain is intended, called in the deed the great mountain, as / the northern boundary of the tract of land thus secured from the Indians, vet from the surveys which were af- terwards made, it is clear that the townships extended as far north as the southern slope of Rattlesnake moun- tain, and as the mountain west of this, called Stock- bridge mountain. Though it is probable the dividing line between Massachusetts and New York was then supposed to be farther east than it was finally found to be, yet the terms of the deed included the present town- ships of Sheffield, Egremont, Mount Washington, Great Barrington, and Alford, a considerable portion of Lee, and the greater part of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge.
The lands reserved by the Indians lie on the south of Green river, called in the deed, White river, and near the divisional line between Sheffield and Great Barrington ; and some of the apple-trees still standing there are thought to be the remains of orchards planted by them. On this tract, called by the Indians, Ska-tee-
* This Indian, with his wife and family, was a few years after this, baptized by Mr. Sergeant, a missionary to the Indians at Stockbridge.
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SHEFFIELD.
hook, not more than four or five families resided ; nor did even these remain there but about twelve years af- ter this; for in 1735 or 6, they left their lands here and received others in Upper Housatunnuk, within the pre- sent bou ids of Stockbridge, that they might be collected with other natives, under the instruction of Rev. John Sergeunt, who had recently commenced labours as a Christian missionary among them.
There was also a small Indian settlement, not impro- bably earlier than this one on Konkapot brook.
There are very few traces of the Indians now to be discovered in Sheffield. On a gravelly hillock in the north part of the town, within the tract they reserved, on the west side of the roud, and south of the lane that turns to M :. Amos Foot's, it is supposed was a burying place of theirs. Human bones were discovered a few years since in making the turnpike road through the town, two miles and a half or three miles south of the meeting-house, on the rise of ground a few rods south of the turnpike gate, which led to the supposition that this spot too was an Indian burving place.
In 1725, two of the committee, Capt. John Ashley and Capt. Ebenezer Pomroy, made a general division of the lower township, especially of that part of it lying upon the river; and soon after the place began to be settled by individuals from the county of Hampshire, and mostly from the town of Westfield. At this time, and probably for some years after, the entire region east, to Westfield, was unsettled and a forest ; and northward, even to Canada, the whole extent of coun- try was one vast and terrible wilderness.
In 1726, the settlers were subjected to much incon- venience and vexation by some of the Dutch inhabit- ants of the colony of New York, who contested their titles to their lands ; and by order of the Governor of Massachusetts, they were forbidden to make any fur- ther settlement, or commence any process against those who molested them. The settlement was consequently for a time much impeded. Eventually, however, these difficulties subsided, and the government not only au- thorized, but encouraged and aided the proprietors to proceed.
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201
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
The early settlers were subjected to other privations through fear of the Indians, and were necessitated to picket in two or three dwellings in different parts of the town, and to resort there for safety at night. One house upon the plain, then Elisha Noble's, now that in which Moses Habbard, Esq. lives, was ·hus. picketed.
On the 22d of June, 1733 John Ashley, and Ebene- zer Pomroy, Esqs., and Mr. Thomas Ingersoll, were appointed a committee by the General Assembly, (the time allotted to the old committee having expired, ) not only to confirm and advance the settlement of the lower township. bat also to take measures to promote a settle- ment in the upper.
Among the first settlers were those of the name of Noble, Austin, Ashley; Westover, Kellogg. Pell, Cal- lender, Corben. Huggins, Smith, Ingersoll, Dewcy, Root, &c. &c., in all about sixty, who had their lands, from 250 to 1000 acres each, confirmed to them by the committee, by their personal attendance at Housatun- nik about 1733. Mr. Obadiah Noble was the first white main that came to reside in Sheffield. He was from Westfield, and came and spent the first winter here with no other human associates than the Indians. In the spring he went back to Westfield ; and in June, his daughter, afterwards the wife of Deacon Daniel Kellogg, returned here with him. She was the first white woman that came into the town. She travelled fron Westfeld, when about sixteen years of age, on horseback, bringing a bed with her, and lodged one night in the wilderness. in' what is now the east part of Tyringham. This M. Noble commenced labour and lived upon the plain, near where Samuel Shears, Esq. not lives ; and this for a long time was considered the centre of the lower township.
: In 1733, the lower township of Housatannuk was set off and incorporated as a town, eight miles long, north and south on the river, and wide eno igh to include seven miles square, according to the grant in 1722. and was called by the General Assembly by the name of Sheffield, probably from Sheffield in England. It ex- tended north to Great Barrington bridge. Though the length was liberal for eight miles, it would seem the township could not then have been considered as ex-
205
SHEFFIELD.
tending as far west as the present line of New York. It was 27 years after this, viz. 1761, before Shefield was reduced to its present dimensions. A portion of it was then annexed to the upper township, and with it in- corporated by the name of Great Barrington.
By the direction of government, the first town meet- ing was holden at Sheffield, at the house of Obadiah Noble, on the 16th of January, 1733 ; and at this meet- ing, Matthew Noble was chosen moderator, Hezekiah Noble, town clerk, and John Smith, Philip Callender, and Daniel Kellogg, selectmen.
Sheffield is now bounded by the Connecticut line on the south, by Mount Washington and Egremont on the west, by Great Barrington on the north, and by New Marlborough on the east. Its length, south and north, is about S miles, and its mean breadth about 7. Ac- cording to the census of 1820, Sheffield contained 2439 inhabitants. 150 of whom were blacks.
Sheffield includes an extensive vale, and, except on the east part, is generally level. There, there is a chain of considerable hills, extending from one end of the town to the other. On the west it is mountainous. Taconic, or Mount Washington, as this part of the Taconic range is more generally called, is a moun- · tain of very considerable height, more elevated than any other land in the region. A part of this mountain only, however, is within the bounds of Sheffield.
The soil of the town is generally productive, and, in the vale, very easily tilled. Formerly great crops of wheat were raised ; and occasionally even now they are considerable; but so uncertain are they, or to procure them so much labour is required, that little wheat, com- paratively, is sown. The best of rye, and that in great abundance, is raised here, and corn, potatoes, flax, &c. &c. &c. Few towns afford so much hay, and with so little labour as Sheffield. This is obtained chiefly from the very extensive intervals lying upon the river.
The principal stream of water in the town is the Hou- sątonic river, here a silent, sluggish stream, from six to eight rods in breadth. It runs from north to south through the whole extent of the town into Connecticut, and empties itself into the sea, on Long Island Sound,
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205
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
between Milford and Stratford. Over this stream, within the town of Sheffield, are six bridges, which are supported at considerable expense, being often injured and sometimes carried away by the rise of water, which frequently inundates the whole vast tract of low land through which it passes. There are other smaller streams, emptying both from the east and the west into the Housatonic, and on these streams are located all the mills, carding machines, &c.
Grist and saw-mills were early erected in Sheffield. At present, there are two of the former, one of which contains four sets of stones, and five of the latter, and one plaster mill. There are also two carding machines, two clothiers' works, three considerable tanneries, one manufactory of hats, two cabinet makers' shops, a num- ber of wagon-makers and blacksmiths, and, very much to be regretted, one extensive distillery. Formerly there were in this town three forges for the making of iron, one in the south part of the town, near where Maj. Ashley's mills now are, the others were on a small stream on the east side of the river ; but all of them have been discontinued since about the year 1805 or 6.
This town affords great abundance of white marble, and much of very excellent quality. Two or three quarries of it are opened ; one about three miles south of the meeting-house, the others north, near the turn- pike road to Albany and Hudson. That in this section of the town, called Kellogg's quarry, was opened in 1804, and has employed for several years past, in all the business connected with it, from 10 to 15 hands.
Lime has been made here from the time of the first settlement ; at present there are not more than three or four kilns where it is made, though there are materials enough to employ as many hundreds, and perhaps thousands.
There are in the town seven stores of English and India goods, &c. ; and it contains about 300 dwelling- houses. There are two small villages in the centre of the town, to the north and south of Kisnop brook. There is also a cluster of buildings in the south part of the town at Ashley's mills.
The burying grounds are five ; one about half a mile
207
SHEFFIELD.
early as 1735 er 6; one south of the centre about the same distance, occupied at least as soon as 1740; one in the north-west part of the town ; one on the east side of the river, south-west about three miles from the cen- tre, and one in the north-east part, near New Marlbo- rough line. Besides these there are as many as four or five other places where a few persons have been interred.
A post office was established in the town in the year 1794, and Elisha Lee, Esq. was appointed postmaster. Dr. William Buel, Dr. Nathaniel Prester, and Edward F. Ensign, Esq., have in succession been in this office. A mail stage passes back and forth through the town on the road from Hartford to Albany every day (Sabbath excepted,) for about half the year; during the other half, every other day. There are other weekly mails received and sent out from this office. Few towns in the County have more travel. It is so located that much of the travel from Albany and Hudson, as well as from the upper part of the County and Vermont to Hartford, New Haven, Boston, and New York, &c. &c., must of course pass through it to the south ; so al- so from these places to the north. The most natural route from north to south, and from south to north, is through the centre of Sheffield, and it is very much improved.
Considerable attention was early given by the inhab- itants of this town to education, and persons were annu- ally employed to instruct common schools. In 1750, a grammar school was commenced, and continued at the expense of the town for a number of years. At pre- sent there are in Sheffield thirteen school districts, con- taining 769 children and youth. In each of these dis- tricts is a school house, where a school is kept for a considerable part both of summer and winter. For the support of district schools, however, the sum annually raised by the town is but about $750. The school lands, originally owned by the town, were voted to be sold, as early as 1739, and eventually were sold, and the monies arising from them were put into the town treasury, and expended ; so that now there remains no fund for the support of schools. At different times, within thirty years, occasional select schools, both male
1
208
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
and female, have existed here. At present there Is one, in which attention is given to all the branches of education usually taught in the academies of our coun- try : to this both males and females are admitted.
There are here three or four public libraries. One, established some years since, consisted of about 180 volumes. This is now but little improved. The two or three others are smaller, and were formed about 1922 or 3.
In the very infancy of their settlement, the inhabit- ants of Sheffield were mindful of the vast importance of religious institutions and privileges. Animated in a measure, it would seem, by the spirit of the Pilgrims, at one of their first town meetings, in Jan. 1733, they voted to erect a meeting-house, 45 feet by 35, and to employ a person to preach the gospel. A preacher was immediately and constantly employed, and in the sum- mer of 1735 their house was put up, situated on the Plain, (so called, ) about a mile north of the present. house of worship.
In June 26, 1735, Mr. Jonathan Hubbard received a call to settle with them in the work of the gospel minis- try ; and on the 22d of October following, a church was organized, and Mr. Hubbard was ordained as the first minister of Sheffield, by an ecclesiastical council of ministers and delegates from the then neighboring churches, viz : from Litchfield. Con., from Springfield, Enfield. Northampton, and Sunderland. Mr. Hubbard was a native of Sunderland, Mass., and was graduated at Yale College in 1:24. He continued the pastor of the church in Sheffield about twenty-nine years. He was dismissed in 1764, and died the 6th of July, 1765, in the 62d year of his age. Mr. Hubbard is said to have been possessed of mental faculties that were sound, lively, and active. In his faith he was orthodox ; and in his public discourses plain, judicious, and instruc- tive.
Previous to the death of Mr. Hubbard, for the better accommodation of the people, a new meeting-house was erected, viz. in 1762, near the spot on which the house of worship now stands. This was moved back and ex- tensively repaired in 1819; a steeple and a bell were added to it.
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209
SHEFFIELD.
After Mr. Hubbard's death, the church and society were destitute of a settled minister about seven years, during which time, however, candidates were almost constantly employed. A call was given to Mr. John Keep, the second minister, on the 4th of March, 1772, and he was ordained on the 10th of June following. Mr. Keep was a native of Longmeadow, Mass. He was graduated at Yale College in 1769, and died Sept. 3d, 1785, in the 36th year of his age, and the 13th of his ministry. Mr. Keep possessed a good natural gen- ius, which was improved by education, and sanctified by grace. He was eminent as a divine, a preacher, a friend, and a christian. The late Dr. West, of Stock- bridge, declared him to be the best pulpit speaker he ever heard. When Dr. Wales was elected Professor of Divinity. at Yale College, in 1782, the candidates were Rev. Samuel Wales, Nathan Strong, and John Keep.
After Mr. Keep's death, the people were careful to have the desk supplied constantly with some candidate for settlement ; but six years passed away before the church had another pastor.
The Rev. Ephraim Judson received a call in March, 1789, and was installed in May following. He was born in Woodbury, Con., and received his first degree at Yale College, in 1963. He first settled at Norwich, Con., and afterwards at Taunton, Mass. He died Feb. 23d, 1813, in the 77th year of his age, and the 23d of his ministry. The inscription on his tomb-stone de- clares that he " was esteemed as a learned divine, an acute logician, and an evangelical preacher. He was mild, courteous and hospitable. By his numerous friends he was deemed a wise counsellor, an active peace-maker, and a sincere christian."
The Rev. James Bradford, the present pastor of the church, was born in Rowley, Mass., was graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1811, and ordained Oct. 13th, 1813.
How many individuals constituted the church in Shef- field, when first organized, and what was the number of additions made to it from time to time down to the commencement of Mr. Judson's ministry, there are no records to determine. During his ministry, according 10 his minutes, there were added 60. During Mr.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
Bradford's ministry, there have been added 329. The whole number of members, January, 1829, was 279.
Deacons.
Daniel Kellogg; elected about 1735.
Philip Callender ; elected do. 1735; died about 1753. Silas Kellogg.
Ebenezer Smith ; died July 7, 1995 ; aged 86.
Aaron Foot; elected Jan. 1792 ; died Feb. 23, 1822; aged 83.
Jonathan Hubbard ; elected Jan. 1792; died Jan. 1. 1825; aged 80.
Stephen Callender ; - elected Oct. 19, 1810.
Thomas Kellogg ; do.
Jesse Shepherd ; elected 1824.
John De Lamatter; do.
Zechariah B. Peet ; elected Feb. 21, 1823.
Ephraim Kellogg ; do.
Concerning special revivals of religion, previous to Mr. Jadson's ministry, there are no records; nor is there any traditionary account that they were enjoyed here. Under his ministry, in 1800, there was an unu- sual interest on the subject of religion, and the church received an addition of 15, as the fruits. As the fruits of a revival, there were received to the church in 1814, 17 ; in 1815, 15; in 1816, 60 ; in 1822 and 3, 137; in 182%. 32.
The Congregational society in Sheffield has a fund, consisting of money arising from the sale of ministry lands, which affords towards the support of the gospel, $200 annually.
Upon the petition of a few individuals in the south- west part of the town, a Baptist society was incorpora- ted in Jan. 26, 1821. A church was formed, July 7, 1825, with fifteen members; since which four persons have been added to it. The number was reported in 1823 to be 19.
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