USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of the county of Berkshire, Massachusetts, in two parts > Part 34
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Their first recommended speaker was Robert Nesbit, who came into the society soon after its formation. He was succeeded by Mary Battey. The next was David Aldridge, who still officiates.
For a time, the society had 2' school-houses, with a dwelling-house and garden belonging to each, for the use of the teachers. In 1824, when the decrease of the society made one school sufficient, one of the school es- tablishments was sold, and the avails were applied as a school fund. Their nominal school fund amounts to about $500 ; a part of which, however, when needed, helps to support the poor.
The society in 1828 became about equally divided respecting the sentiments of Elias Hicks. The Hicks- ites appeared to be prompted rather by disapprobation of the proceedings of the opposite party against Hicks, than by approbation of the sentiments which he avowed. They pronounce those proceedings inconsistent with their rules of discipline.
After the dismission of Mr. Todd and the dispersion of the Congregational church, there was an interval of 20 or 30 years, during which no church existed in the town, except the society of Friends. About the year 1782, the inhabitants in the north part of the town, com- prising the remnants of the declining Congregational church and others of similar sentiments, set up and co- vered the frame of a meeting-house, a few rods south of the north village. It stood without windows or floor till 1794, when the people of the neighbourhood moved it into the village and finished it, selling the pews to de- fray the expense. A Baptist preacher by the name of Dyer Stark, who had removed into Stamford, Vt., was employed to preach a part of the time for several years, 97*
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
during which time no church was recognized in the place.
In 1808, a Baptist church, consisting of 35 members, was organized, under the ministry of Elder George Witherel. It has enjoyed several revivals, which brought considerable accessions to its numbers. The whole number of persons who have belonged to the church since its organization, is 178. Of these, 31 have been excommunicated, 18 have died, and 30 have been dis- missed and recommended to other churches. Ninety- nine are now represented on the records as members cf the church ..
The following ministers have been employed at in- tervals, in succession, after Mr. Witherel, viz. Elders Elijah F. Willey, Hosea Wheeler, - Robinson, Sa- muel Savory, and Charles B. Keyes.
The meeting-house had by common consent become. the property of a society in which no church existed, and which professed no decided partiality for any reli- gious creed. The labours of a Baptist preacher, whom they happened to employ, first gave currency to the te- nets of that denomination, and as the society inclined towards the order of the Baptists, they carried the house with them, and have since held it chiefly as the property of that denomination.
About the year 1784, a considerable body of Metho- dists made their appearance in the south part of the town. They decreased for many years, till very few of that connexion remained in the town. A small class was in the mean time formed in the Notch. In 1823, they converted a building which had been occupied for a dwelling and for some other uses, in the north village, into a meeting-house, which they finished within, in the autumn of 1828. For the last few years, the growth of the Methodist connexion in the north village has been considerable. They are supplied half the time with circuit preaching.
A second Baptist church was organized in the south village in 1826, under the ministry of Elder Elnathan Sweet, of Cheshire, who has since supplied them half the time. The church was organized with 14 members. Since that time, 38 have been added to it, 2 have been vismissed from it, 2 have died, and one has been excom-
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ADAMS.
municated ; leaving at the last meeting of the Baptist Association, 47 members. The meeting-house in which they worship, stands in the south village. It is a con- venient brick edifice, without a steeple, decently finished within, and was built by the inhabitants of the village and the vicinity, with little regard to religious denomi- nations.
The present Congregational church was organized in the north village, April 19, 1827, consisting of 22 mem- bers, 7 males and 15 females. During the remainder of that year and the following, 9 members were added to it, and 3 dismissed and recommended to other churches. The church comprised, Jan. 1, 1829, 28 members.
In 1823, the church, by the assistance of friends of religion abroad, erccted a convenient and decent house of worship in the north village. It is built of brick, 65 feet by 40, with full gallery, and including the lot and the expense of a bell and stoves, cost $4000. Tlie house was dedicated on the 12th of November, 1828; and "the same day, the Rev. John W. Yeomans was ordained and installed pastor of the church. They have received assistance in supporting the preaching of the gospel, from the Berkshire and the Massachusetts Missionary Societies. The seats of the meeting-house are subjected to annuities, to raise the salary and defray the expenses of the church.
From the organization of the church to Jan. 1, 1929, baptism was administered to 14 persons ; 6 adults and S children.
Adams is divided into 13 school districts. In the . most populous districts, which draw the largest amount of the interest of the school fund, schools are supported from 8 to 10 months in the year; the least populous districts frequently have schools only about as many weeks. The school fund amounts to $4,547. It is vested in lands, which yield an annual rent of about 270 dollars, which is distributed among the districts accord- ing to their number of persons under 21 years of age. No money has ever been raised for schools by taxation, except in one instance : Dec. 31st, 1782, the town voted to raise three pounds for the support of a grammar school the year ensuing.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
The original proprietors of the townsnip appropriated one 63d part of the town to each of these three purposes: for the first settled minister, for the support of the mi- nistry, and for the support of schools. The portion of the first settled minister, the Rev. Mr. Todd received. The remainder of these public lands were neglected for many years, on account of the disorder of the public concerns of the town, and were mostly occupied by in- - dividual claims. When the public claim was afterwards revived, no distinction was recognized respecting the lands recovered for public uses, and the whole was merged in the school fund, where it has since remained. No legislative authority, however, was ever obtained for this transfer of the ministerial lands.
A part of the legacy of Col. Williams, which gave rise to Williams College, was originally bequeathed to this town. The project for erecting a College in Will- iamstown, led to efforts to appropriate the whole dona- tion to that object ; and a vote of the inhabitants of Ad- ams was procured, uniting their share of the legacy with that of Williamstown. The transfer was afterwards sanctioned by a vote of the General Court of the State.
A small but comely building was erected in the south village in 1825, to accommodate a subscription school. The establishment embraces two departments, a male and a female ; so connected as to contribute chiefly to the support of a male principal. Both departments have embraced an average number of from.30 to 40 scholars. The institution has no funds, except the building, which was erected by subscriptions of the in- habitants in the vicinity. Its patronage has been chiefly confined to the town, and even to the south part.
Two select schools commenced in the north village in December, 1828, one for males, the other for females. They began auspiciously, and were afterwards united, with the design of forming a permanent academical es- tablishment.
A public library was instituted in the south village, about the year 1805, by a society called the Adams Li- brary Association. It embraced about 130 volumes, procured at an expense of about $150. The library is still in existence, though under no regulation. Most
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of the books are held by those who drew them for use, and neglected to return them.
A charter for a bank to be located in this town, with a capital of $100,000, was granted in 1828. The bank has not yet commenced operations.
The cemeteries in this town are numerous, on account of the broken state of society; but except that of the Friends' society, and one set apart for the use of the Congregational church at the first settlement of the town, they are not the property of the public. The in- habitants of the north village bury in a spot owned by Col. Jeremiah Colegrove, in the eastern part of the vil- lage. The burying ground occupied chiefly by the south village inhabitants, except the Friends, is ¿th of a mile south-east of the village. It was devoted to that use by Joseph Smith, but never was legally conveyed to the public.
Israel Jones, Esq., who has been mentioned as em- ployed by the proprietors in surveying " settling lots" in this town, and in superintending their sale, died sud- denly on the 11th of September, the present year, aged 91. The following account is extracted from a notice of him, published in the Berkshire American, the week after his death :
"Esq. Jones was born Sept. 21, 1738, O. S., in Wes- ton, Middlesex county, in this State, where his great- grandfather, who came from England, settled in 1665. He was the fourth of fifteen children, all of whom, ex- cept one, were sons, and all the offspring of the same father and mother. His father, Elisha Jones, who was one of the three original proprietors of this township, held many public and responsible offices, and was emi- nent for piety. Israel settled first in a central part of the town of Pittsfield ; he removed to this town in 1766, and married the year after, Alithea, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Todd, with whom he lived 59 years. He had
nine children, two only of whom survive him. In 1803 he became a member of the church in Williamstown, -- where he regularly attended worship, till he removed his relations to the Congregational church in this vil- lage, at its formation in 1827.
He frequently held a seat in the General Court of the Commonwealth. In 1799 he was employed by the
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
government in adjusting the line between the United States and the south-eastern part of the British domi- nions in North America. He was a trustee, first of the Free School, and then of the College, in Williams- town.
The character of Esq. Jones, was formed by a vigor- ous intellect, ardent feelings, and religion. His mind was furnished with extensive intelligence from observa- tion and reading, and his memory gave him a command of his knowledge which seldom accompanies that ex- treme age. His bodily health and activity, preserved by temperance and wholesome exercise, were like the health and activity of youth.
He was decidedly generous and kind, though possess- ed of a quick and ardent temperament. To those who were acquainted with his religious experience, he mani- fested the uniform spirit of a christian. He cherished a constant sense of sin, and looked for salvation to the atonement of Christ. For a long time previous to his death, his hope of heaven sustained him above the fear of death, and rendered his expected dissolution an agree- able subject of contemplation. He often said that hè dreaded nothing from death but the pain of dying, and he was spared even that."
During the forenoon of the day on which he died, he rode 10 or 12 miles on horseback, dined with his family, and having arranged his plan of business for the after- noon, retired, as his custom was, to rest for an hour or two, requesting one of his family to wake him at a cer- tain time. About 2 o'clock, when he had intended to rise, he was found lifeless, having evidently expired in his sleep without a struggle.
A complete list of the physicians in this town has not been obtained.
Lawyers.
Daniel Noble, now practising in Williamstown ; Thomas Robinson, Nathan Putnam, Daniel D. Robin- son, [deceased], and Charles P. Huntington, removed to Northampton.
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0 A HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF PERU.
BY REV. JOSEPH M. BREWSTER.
THIS township included the greater part of Hinsdale until 1804. The whole was purchased at auction at Boston, June 2, 1762, for £1460. Nine townships were purchased at that time ; among which this was de- t nominated No. 2. It went into the hands of Oliver Par- tridge and Elisha Jones ; and in honour of the former gentleman was called Partridgefield, from its incorpora- tion in 1771, until 1806, when it received its present name. It is about 6 miles long and 4 } broad, embra- cing about 17,230 acres. Within these limits the set- tlement commenced about 1764. Between this time and 1768, Henry Badger from New Jersey, Nathaniel Stowell from Connecticut, Peter, Daniel and Nathan Thompson, brothers, from the eastern part of this State; in it, and Ebenezer Pierce not long after.
The town is bounded by Windsor on the north ; by Cummington and Worthington in the county of Hamp- shire on the east ; by Middlefield in the same county on the south, cornering on Washington on the south-west, and by Hinsdale on the west. Occupying the height of land on the Green mountain range, the climate is se- vere. The surface is uneven, and the soil in many pla- ees hard and stony. It is best adapted to grazing, though considerable quantities of rye, corn and oats are raised in favorable seasons. There is a limestone quarry, from which lime is made of the best quality. There are no large rivers or streams. The inhabitants are very generally farmers-industrious, temperate and
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
moral. We have but one store, one tavern, (supported by travellers, ) one grist-mill, and 3 saw-mills. There are 111 families, and about as many dwelling-houses.
The first team is said to have crossed the mountain in this town in 1767. A turnpike road now passes over it, leading from Albany and Pittsfield to Northampton and Boston.
Public worship has been maintained from near or · quite the commencement of the settlement, and the in- habitants have been distinguished for their zeal in sup- porting the institutions of the gospel. They are princi- pally Congregationalists, though there are some Bap- tists and Methodists, belonging to societies and churches in the adjoining towns.
The church was organized with about 35 members, in 1770, and the Rev. Stephen Tracy, from Norwich, Con., was ordained their pastor in April, 1772. He was dismissed in May, 1376, and afterwards settled in Norwich, There are no records of his ministry re- maining.
The Rev. John Leland, a native of Holliston, the second pastor, was ordained in April, 1733, and remain- ed sole pastor until Oct. 8, 1815, when the Rev. Roswell Hawks was associated with him as colleague. During this time, there were two revivals, one in 1804, and the other in 1808. By the former, 19, and by the latter, 53 persons were brought into the church. Before the settlement of his colleague, Mr. Leland admitted about 200 to the communion. He died at the house of his son, Mr. John Leland, in Amherst, in May, 1826.
Mr. Hawks was dismissed in April, 1823, and is now pastor of the church in Cummington. Fifty-five per- sons were admitted to the church by him, 31 of whom were the fruits of a revival in 1819.
The present pastor of the church, the Rev. Joseph M. Brewster, was ordained Dec. 29, 1824. A few drops of mercy were shed down to refresh the people of God in the spring of 1827. Twenty-six persons have been received to the church under his ministry ; and the church consisted on the 1st of January last, of 111 members.
The following persons have sustained the office of deacons, viz. Stephen Fisk, Daniel Kinney, Ebenezer
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PERU.
Pierce, Joseph Nash, Zechariah Watkins, Rufus Butts, Allen Pain, Cyrus Stowell, Esq., and Smith Phillips. All these, excepting the two last, are in their graves.
The first meeting-house was erected in 1780, and the present one in July 18, 1807. It is a remarkable fact, that the rain from the east roof of this house flows into Connecticut river, and from the west into the Housato- uic.
Considerable has been done and is doing in the cause of benevolence. About $300 was raised for charitable objects in 1828.
We have "? district schools, and a town library of about 100 volumes.
The tax for supporting paupers in 1828, was about $100.
Physicians.
John Smith, Whitman, Daniel Pierce, Thomas Sears, and Jonas Brown.
A HISTORY
07 THE
TOWN OF HINSDALE.
BY REV . WILLIAM A. HAWLEY.
HINSDALE is situated on the west side of the Green mountain range, and is bounded north by Windsor, cast by Peru, south by Washington, and west by Dalton. Its length from north to south is 7 miles, and its breadth from 3 to 4. The town is watered by a branch of the Housatonic, which rises in the south-west corner, partly in Washington, and runs in a north-westerly direction, forming in its way several valuable water privileges. On the banks of this stream and its tributaries, is much ( valuable meadow, which affords an abundance of grass, and much of it of an excellent quality. The soil is
generally good, adapted chiefly to grass. In the town there are now 1 corn mill, 6 saw-mills, attached to two of which there are machines for sawing shingles, 1 wool- len factory, 2 clothiers' mills, and 2 tanneries. There are comparatively few mechanics in town. The great portion of the population are farmers, occupying their own farms, employed mostly in the care of sheep, the wool of which is generally of an excellent quality, and affords a very handsome profit. Previous to the intro- duction of the Spanish sheep, the principal business was the dairy and the raising of cattle.
The settlement was commenced about the close of the second French war, probably in the year 1762 or 63, it is understood, by Francis, David, and Thomas Miller, brothers, from Middlebury. Francis Miller was a man of considerable note, was employed by the go-
1
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HINSDALE.
vernment as surveyor, and surveyed the road from Bos- ton to Albany, and the boundary line between Massa- chusetts and New York. He resided in the town till the commencement of the American revolution, when he was induced, professedly by conscientious scruples concerning his oath of allegiance to the king, to forsake the country, and go to England. About the same time, or soon after, Nathan and Wilson Torrey, from Rhode Island, settled in town. Very nearly at the same time, Phineas, Zacheus, Joseph, Michael, and Edmund Watkins, sons of Joseph Watkins, moved here from Hopkinton. About the year 1971, Nathan Fisk, who was among the first settlers, built the first corn mill, and received as a premium for it, from the Government, 100 acres of land. The next year he erected also the first saw-mill, and received, it is said, a premium of 150 acres. Mr. Fisk soon sold to a Mr. Samuel Watkins, and left the town. In the year 1774, Nathaniel Tracy, now the oldest man in town, brother to Rev. Stephen Tracy, the first minister of Partridgefield, from Nor- wich, and Abner Bixbe, from Framingham, settled here. In the next year, Mr. James Wing, and two fa- milies by the name of Frost, settled in town. In 1781 Richard Star, a pious and godly man, came into the town from Groton, Con., and was of great service to the religious interests of the people. As a testimony of re- spect and grateful remembrance, at the suggestion of the church, a subscription was raised, by which a re- spéctable monument is erected at his grave.
Originally this town belonged to Partridgefield, now Peru, on the east, and Dalton on the west; the inhabitants were connected with these two towns in their religious privileges. In 1795, they were incorporated as a parish by the name of the west parish of Partridgefield ; and · in 1804, they were incorporated as a town by the name of Hinsdale. In the year first mentioned, the Rev. Theodore Hinsdale, after whom the town was called, came and settled in that part of the town which then be- longed to Dalton, and was instrumental, in connection with Dea. Star, in gathering and organizing the Con- gregational church, which was formed in December of that year, consisting of 23 members, 13 males and 10 females.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
After the incorporation of the parish, and the esta- blishment of the church, the people were occasionally, and sometimes statedly supplied with preaching by Mr. Hinsdale, and at other times the Rev. John Leland, then minister of Peru, supplied them a part of the time, and they paid a proportional part of his salary. In Octo- ber, 1797, measures were adopted for building the pre- sent meeting-house, and the next spring the frame was raised. In October, 1799, the house being completed and accepted by the parish, was religiously dedicated to the worship of God. When the building was first un- dertaken, it was determined to defray the expense by the sale of the pews, and they were accordingly sold at auction, and obligations given by the purchasers for the money. In reliance on this plan, the house was begun and almost completed, when it was found that several purchasers had failed, that others had absconded, and many more become dissatisfied, so that the contractors for the house were unable to meet their engagements, and were obliged to borrow money, and in some in- stances at an extraordinary interest. Thus embarras- sed, they were obliged to abandon the original plan of building by the sale of pews, and negociations were en- tered into with purchasers to relinquish their pews to the parish. This being done, the parish assumed the whole debt, and voted to assess it upon the parishioners in a direct tax. This measure induced numbers to certifi- cate from the society, and left the burden of a heavy debt on the remaining members. This burden, how- ever, was generally sustained with harmony and pa- tience ; and in 1302 the society were so far liberated from debt, that they were encouraged to proceed to the settlement of a minister. In Nov. 1801, the church unani- mously invited the Rev. Caleb Knight, a native of Lis- bon, Con., and graduate of Williams College 1800, to settle with them in the ministry ; and in the following January, the parish unanimously voted a concurrence with the vote of the church, and made provision for his support. On the 23th of the following April, he was o1 dained.
During the ministry of Mr. Knight, there was no spe- eial revival of religion, though there were frequent ad- ditions to the church. He lived respected among the
.
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HINSDALE.
people 14 years, when he was induced by the pecuniary embarrassments, which many ministers experienced during the late war with England, to ask a dismission ; which he obtained by a mutual council on the 9th of April, 1816.
After his dismission, he was settled over the Presby- terian church in Franklin, Delaware county, N. Y., from Aug. 20, 1813, until June 25, 1522. He is now settled in the neighbouring town of Washington.
The present pastor, the Rev. William Agur Hawley, was ordained July 16, 1817.
In the latter part of the winter, and the spring of 1819, a revival of religion was experienced pretty generally through the town, which resulted in the addition of about 30 to the Congregational church, and several to the Baptist. In 1821, a second revival was experien- ced, which brought into the Congregational church about 25. These revivals produced a very visible and important change in the state of society. The reform- ing influence of religion was spread very generally through the town; many of the most respectable and infinential youth were brought into the church and hope- fully under the sanctifying power of divine truth. A new impulse was given to charitable exertions for the spread of the gospel. In 1827, there was a third revi- val, more general and powerful than either of the others, which resulted in the addition of 50 to the Congrega- tional church, and of a few to the Baptist and Metho- dist. Efforts to spread the gospel have kept pace with the advancement of religion ; and societies are systema- tically patronized for the great object of sending the gospel to the destitute. The number of members be- longing to the church on the 1st of January last, was 144.
In 1997, a Baptist church and society were organized, composed of members, living, some in Partridgefield, as this town and Peru were then called, and some in the several towns contiguous. The principal men engaged in the formation of this society and church, were, Elea- zer Cady, Joshua Jackson, and Nathan Torrey. Elder Eleazer Smith, who was the first preacher, commenced lais labours in 1793. Abraham Jackson, son of Joshua Jackson, was the first person baptized and united with 33*
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
the church after its establishment. He was subsequent- ly licensed to preach, and in 1809, ordained to the work of the ministry, and is now the settled preacher to this church and society. The present number of the church is 78, of whom 38 live in this town, and the rest in the towns around us. They have a meeting-house, built in 1819.
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