USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of the county of Berkshire, Massachusetts, in two parts > Part 7
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MOADS,
rough Pond. Another improvement, further north, would be made by leaving the present road near the Episcopal church in Lanesborough. and going up the stream which empties into Lanesborough Pond, to near its head; thence to the rise of Green river, and along the latter stream to the tavern staud near the meeting- house in New Ashford. By these alterations, several hundred feet of ascent and descent might be saved in the distance of a few miles. The County is greatly inter- ested in effecting these alterations. They will doubtless be accomplished before many years have passed.
The road which parts from this at Great Barrington, and passes up Williams' river to West Stockbridge, by passing round through New Canaan, New Lebanon, and Stephentown, in New York, opens a communication with the north part of the County through the Hancock valley. The road is nearly level, and is less circuitous than would at first be supposed.
Another road, nearly level, to intersect with the prin- cipal south and north County road at Stockbridge, might be constructed from the east part of Sheffield up through the west part of New Marlborough, along Konkapot river, and thence along Muddy Brook, where the as- cent of Monument mountain would be entirely avoided. This route would particularly accommodate travellers from Connecticut, who should come up the valley of Waterbury river to Norfolk, and wish to pass through this County to Vermont and Lake Champlain.
In the year 1800, a turnpike road was granted, from the line of Connecticut through Otis, Becket, Lee, Len- ox, Richmond, and Hancock, to the line of New York, near the Shaker Village in New Lebanon. Though this was given up as a turnpike, from Whiton's furnace in Lee to the line of New York, in 1820, yet the road remains and is useful to the citizens. By following up this road to Lenox furnace, and then the Housatonic valley through the east part of Lenox and Pittsfield, thence striking for the head waters of Hoosic, south branch, and pursuing that branch through Cheshire to the villages in Adams, a road comparatively level may be opened through the eastern section of the County. Through Lee and the towns northward, it would be over a very pleasant tract of country, and should a rail-road
96
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
cross the County, would be a road of much importance. for business.
These routes have been noticed, from the great con- sequence of the subject. The first is of the greatest im- portance, and the County is deeply interested in im- proving and perfecting it.
When the County was first settled, and for many years afterwards, the only road from the east, over the Green mountain range, was from Blanford, in the County of Hampden, through the south-east part of Otis, the north part of Sandisfield, and through Tyring- ham to Great Barrington. This was called the great road from Boston to Albany. It was much travelled in the French wars, and in the war of the Revolution. The troops and stores of Major Gen. Amherst went over it to the capture of Ticonderoga. On it the cap- tured army of Burgoyne passed from Saratoga to Bos- ton. He was lodged one night in Tyringham.
About thirty years since, attempts were made in sev- eral instances to improve by turnpikes the rough crook- ed roads which had been cut across this range further north, and which were designed at first to accommodate the immediate inhabitants in passing from one neigh- borhood or town to another. These were wrought over Becket, Peru, and Florida, and opened intercourse with Springfield, Northampton, and Greenfield, and through them, with other places eastward. The Hoosic Moun- tain Turnpike from Colerain through Florida to the western foot of the Hoosic mountain, was granted in March, 1797; and the Williamstown Turnpike, ex- tending this through Adams and Williamstown to the line of New York, was granted two years afterwards. The ascent and descent of Hoosic mountain are steep and difficult. To avoid this part of the road, travellers in some instances go farther south, and pass over the mountains in Savoy.
The road from Deerfield through Plainfield, Savoy, Cheshire, Lanesborough, and Hancock, to the line of New York, though not a turnpike, is of much impor- tance.
The turnpike road from Northampton to Pittsfield, through Peru, Hinsdale, and Dalton, was granted in 1797; and extended through the west part of Pittsfield
97
ROADS.
and Hancock, to the line of New York, in 1798. Though the hills are many and high on this route, it is a road of great travel. It is said it might be laid on ground less elevated by several hundred feet, and a con- siderable improvement is now making upon it. A por- tion of the travel from Northampton has recently pass- ed through Windsor to Pittsfield. A more easy road might be laid from Northampton to the South Village in Adams, thence to the North Village, Williamstown, and the State of New York.
A turnpike was granted in 1800 from the east line of" Russel, through parts of Russel, Blanford, and Ches- ter, in Hampden County, and through the towns of Becket and Washington, to the east line of Pittsfield ; and a turnpike to intersect this in Becket, running through the east parish of Granville, and through Blan- ford, was granted in 1801. The latter has been discon- tinued, and the former from Chester northwards. From Chester to the turnpike road from Connecticut line in the west part of Becket, usually called the Farmington River Turnpike, a turnpike by the name of Becket Turnpike, was granted in 1803. The Housatonic Turn- pike, running from the Farmington River Turnpike at Whiton's furnace in Lee, through Stockbridge and West Stockbridge, was granted in 1806. This, with the turn- pikes with which it is connected, opens intercourse with Springfield, and is a road of great and increasing travel. A turnpike is now making from the west part of Beck- et to Blanford, and thence to Russel, which it is said will shorten the distance to Springfield a few miles.
Besides the preceding turnpikes, a turnpike was granted in 1801 through Sheffield and Egremont, which is connected with important turnpikes in Con- necticut and the State of New York.
A turnpike from Connecticut line through part of Sandisfield, through New Marlborough and part of Great Barrington, to the south line of Stockbridge, was granted in 1803. Though this was discontinued in 1828 as a turnpike, it is a County road of considerable im- portance, and is connected both with the old road through Colebrook and Winsted, and the Sandy Brook Turnpike, a pretty favorable communication with Hart- ford.
9
98
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
The Great Barrington and Alford Turnpike, running through parts of those towns, was granted in 1811.
The Pontoosuc Turnpike was incorporated in 1826, to open a communication between Springfield and Pitts- field, through parts of Dalton, Hinsdale, Washington, Middlefield, and Becket, to Chester. As it is to pass from the east part of Pittsfield through the low parts of those towns and round the hills, the ascents will in no place, it is said, exceed five degrees, although it crosses the eastern range of hills. This road will greatly facil- itate the communication between the middle part of the County and the middle part of the Commonwealth, through Springfield. A part of this road is located along the line of the proposed rail-road.
On the principal turnpikes and roads in the County, lines of stages are established, by which travellers are accommodated in passing in almost every direction. Some of these are daily lines; others go and return' thrice or twice in the week. In most of the towns, and in most of the important villages, post-offices are estab- lished.
The following table contains the names of these offi- ces, the time of their establishment, distance from Bos- ton and from Washington in miles, on the nearest mail routes, the names of the present post-masters, and the nett amount of postage received in the year ending March 31, 1823 :-
29
POST-OFFICES.
Names. ·
Estab.
Dis. fr. B
Dis. fr. W
Postmasters.
Postage
Sheffield.
1794(146 347[Edward F. Ensign.
$5216,04
Egremont.
1817
144 353 Jesse Squier.
75,41
Hollenbeck's (E.).
1824 145 351 Joseph Benjamin.
36,11
Great Barrington.
1797 141 352
Moses Hopkins.
234,61
Van Deusenville (G.B
1829 138 355
Isaac Van Deusen.
Alford. .
1829 142 358
Daniel Barrett.
Stockbridge.
1792
133 360
Thaddeus Pomeroy.
315,90
West Stockbridge.
1804 138 362
Amasa Spencer.
116,07
W. Stockbr, Centre.
1829|142 362
Benjamin H. Lewis.
25,77
South Tyringham.
1824 141 370 Samuel C. Brewer.
34,56
New Marlborough.
1806 146 373
Aretas Rising.
80,20
Sandisfield. . .
1805
141 378
George Hull.
58,35
New Bosto. [S.] .
1825
136 373
Lyman Brown.
9,55
Becket.
1812
118 375
Eliada Kingsley.
31,52
West Becket.
1824
123 370
Wolcott Chaffee.
26,20
Otis. .
1817 123 375
Basil Seymour.
54,55
' East Otis.
1828
126 378
Elijah Owens.
Richmond.
1806
139 366
Asa Cone.
83,62
Lenox.
1800
134 366
William P. Walker.
242,50
Pittsfield.
1793 133 373
Joshua Danforth.
911,63
Dalton. .
1812 127 379 |John Chamberlain.
64,92
Washington.
1826 125 382
Win. C. Ballantine.
17,40
Lee.
1807 129 364
Hubbard Bartlett
228,97
South Lee.
1826 132.361
Thomas Hurlburt.
84,56
Lanesborough.
1801 135 378 Richard Whitney.
150,93
Cheshire.
1810 130 383 Noble K. Wolcott.
39,42
Stafford's Hill. .
1827 126,387|David Smith.
Williamstown.
179S 135 382 Gershom T. Bulkley.
294,56
Hancock.
1815 14]
367 Philander H. Thomas
29,00
Peru.
1816 121 385 Jonathan Nash.
49,48
Windsor.
1827 121 385 Hezekiah M. Wells.
18,30
Hinsdale.
1804 124 382 Monroe Emmons.
85,55
Adams.
1810 130 337 Peter Briggs.
73,51
North Adams.
1813 130
387 William E Brayton
157,11
Savoy
1817 121 393
Liberty Bowker.
23,68
Florida. .
1823.123 394 Luke Rice.
11,95
Tyringham
1820 137 366
Josiah C Robinson.
Hartsville (N. M.)
1828 143 370
William Edwards.
South Williamstown
1827 139 378 John P Jordan.
15,71
100
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
RAIL-ROAD .- The project of constructing a Rail-road from Boston to the Hudson River, while it excites much interest generally, is specially interesting to the citizens of Berkshire, as it must cross this County. Three routes have been surveyed. The northern route crosses the east range of hills in the north part of Florida, at an elevation of 1886 feet above the Connecticut river at Rock Ferry, in South Hadley, and 2022 feet above the marsh at Boston. The middle route crosses the same range in Savoy, at an elevation of 1903 feet above the Connecticut river in South Hadley. The southern route passes from Springfield through Westfield and Chester to Washington, and crosses the range at an el- evation of 1440 feet above the Connecticut at Spring- field, and 1504 feet above the marsh near Boston ; pas- ses through Hinsdale, Dalton, Pittsfield, Richmond, and West Stockbridge, to the line of New York in Ca- naan, and thence to Albany. This route is considered far preferable, and the distance from Boston to Albany, as accurately measured, is one hundred and ninety-eight miles. A diversion from this route in Dalton, going down the Housatonic to Lee, and thence to West Stock- bridge, is objected to, on the ground that it renders the road too circuitous ; and another diversion, which some have more seriously contemplated, and which has been partly surveyed, leaving this route in Chester, and uni- ting with it near the line of New York, passing through Becket, Lee, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge, is thought less practicable, unless machinery should be used to aid carriages in passing the mountain, as the as- cent and descent of it are more rapid, and as the eleva- tion of Viets' summit in Becket is 1680 feet above the Connecticut at Springfield, and 1717 feet above the Hudson at Albany. Should machinery be introduced, this route might be taken, as it is considerably nearer than the route through Washington, and as the ground in Lee, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge, is uncom- monly favorable for the construction of a rail-road. A more feasible route over the mountains than this through Becket, may perhaps be found a few miles south. Fur- ther examinations will settle this point. The southern route which has been surveyed through, beginning at Greenbush, where the Hudson is 27 feet below the Con-
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COUNTY BUILDINGS-COURTS.
necticut at Springfield, and 27 feet above the marsh at Boston, passes in Canaan, N. Y. over an elevation of 924 feet above the Hudson ; thence through W. Stock- bridge to Richmond, (near Rev. Mr. Dwight's) at an elevation of 1147 above the Hudson; thence through Pittsfield, (near White's mill pond) at an elevation of 965 feet above the Hudson ; thence through Dalton, at an elevation of 1220 feet (against Dalton meeting- house) above the Hudson ; thence through Hinsdale to the Washington summit, 1440 feet above the Connecti- cut river at Springfield, and 1477 feet above the Hud- son at Greenbush. As the route pursues a winding course to avoid hills and valleys, the railway would in much of its course be nearly level, and may be consider- ed as level, as is well known, if the ascent does not ex- ceed twenty-seven and a half feet in a mile. On a rail- road, a horse will draw eight tons, where the ascent a mile is from 25 to 36 feet. The estimated cost of the railway is near $16,500 a mile. The subject is one of high interest, and deserves the candid consideration of our citizens. The spring which it would give to enter- prize, and the quantity of goods and merchandize, of produce and manufactures, of marble, iron, lime; and lumber, which would be transported upon it, cannot ea- sily be calculated. See "Report of the Board of Di- rectors of Internal Improvements," &c., made to the Legislature of Massachusetts, January, 1829.
COUNTY BUILDINGS, COURTS, &C .- Before the form- ation of this County in 1761, the Courts for the whole original county of Hampshire were held at Springfield, the present shire town of Hampden County; and the Supreme Courts for this County were afterwards held at the same place, until 1783, when, by an order of the Legislature, suits were removed to the Supreme Judi- cial Court established in Berkshire. But at the time of the formation it was enacted, that an Inferior Court of Common Pleas, and a Court of General Sessions of the Peace should be held, at certain fixed times, at the North Parish in Sheffield, which in the course of the same year was incorporated as a distinct town, by the name of Great Barrington, and at Pontoosuc, now Pitts-
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1
192
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
field. Great Barrington was selected as the shire town of the County for the time being ; where county build- ings were subsequently erected. This place was more convenient then than any other for the population in the southern section of the County, and the northern section was but partially settled. But in the course of a few years, as the settlements progressed in this section, it became difficult for the people as a body to attend the Courts here; and in Nov. 1782, upon the petition of some re- presentatives from the County, the Legislature appointe ed a committee to take a general view of Berkshire, and to determine where the Courts should be held in future. The committee visited and examined the County, conversed with gentlemen of intelligence in different places, and met a delegation from twenty. towns at Stockbridge, in which the subject of the future seat of the Courts was largely discussed. From all they could learn, the committee were of the opinion that Lenox, being. the most central town, was the pro- per place for holding the Courts ; and that a Court- House and Gaol ought to be erected,' somewhere be- tween the meeting-house in that town, and the dwelling house of Capt. Charles Dibble ; and reported accord- ingly to the Legislature. The report was accepted, and an act passed, directing the Courts to be holden at Len- ox, after the first day of January, 1784. The prospect then was that the Courts would be quietly removed to this place. Events, however, transpired afterwards, which showed that the act of the Legislature was not universally acceptable to the people.
In Ma:, 1783, a petition was set on foot at an ad- journed Court of Sessions in Great Barrington, (at which, it is said, only six justices were present) pray- ing the General Assembly to postpone the removal of the Courts to Lenox indefinitely, on the alleged ground that the County was unable to erect the necessary buildings. The result of this petition in the House of Assembly, was the postponement of the removal of the Courts to Lenox for two years only, until the first of January, 1786.
In the autumn of 1784, an effort was made to have. the Courts held alternately at Great Barrington and- Lanesborough ; and in 1785, a greater effort was made.
BERKSHIRE COURT-HOUSE .- LENOX.
108
COUNTY BUILDINGS-COURTS
to have the Court of Common Pleas held alternately at Stockbridge and Pittsfield, to have the Supreme Court held at Stockbridge, and that established as the shire town ; both of which failed.
In the beginning of 1787, an order was issued by the Legislature, for the Court of Common Pleas to be held at Lenox in February, and the Supreme Court in May of that year ; and in 1790, the prisoners were ordered to be removed from the gaol in Great Barrington to Lenox, as soon as the gaol in Lenox should be pre- pared.
County buildings were begun here in the spring of 1788. The gaol was probably finished in the course of 1790, and the Court House (now so well known as the old Court House) in 1791 or 2. The expense of these- buildings was £3441 5s. 3d .; towards which, individ- uals in Lenox advanced in building materials, £800.
Since 1787, the Judicial Courts for the County have been held uniformly at Lenox, though in two instances since that period, the community have been agitated by attempts to change the seat of the Courts.
In 1812, several inhabitants of Pittsfield petitioned that the County seat might be removed to that town. This discussion excited much agitation and feeling, and was not finally disposed of by the Legislature until Feb- ruary, 1815. After this, in the course of the same year, the new Court House, County House and Gaol in Len- ox were commenced, and completed in 1816, at an ex- pense of $26,059; $3,500 of which were paid by in- habitants of Lenox. In the close of 1824 and begin- ning of 1825, another unsuccessful attempt was made to remove the Courts to Pittsfield. The local jealousies which have grown out of these attempts, it is hoped, will now cease, and the great object be to elevate each town and the whole County. The county buildings are very near the centre of the County and the centre of population. The Court House is a large and elegant brick edifice, two stories, having, beside the large and convenient court-room, offices for the accommodation of - the Probate Court, the Grand Juries, the Clerk of the Courts, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds for the Middle District, &c. The County house is a substans
104
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE;
tial wooden building, three stories, to the rear of which the gaol is attached. The latter building'is of stone.
The Supreme Judicial Court, which commenced its sittings in this County in 1783, is composed of judges selected from the whole State. Two inhabitants of Berkshire only have been judges of it, viz. Theodore Sedgwick of Stockbridge, from 1802 until his death, Jan. 24, 1813 ; and Daniel Dewey, of Williamstown, from February 1814 until his death, May 26, 1815.
This Court holds two sessions in the County, in a year; the Law Term on the 2d Tuesday in September, and the Nisi Prius Terms, on the 10th Tuesday after the first Tuesday in March, and on the Tuesday fol- lowing the Law Term, just mentioned.
Prior to 1761, John Ashley of Sheffield, Ephraim Williams of Stockbridge, and, according to tradition, Timothy Woodbridge, of the same town, were judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Hampshire County. The following is a list of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in Berkshire, from 1761 until 1811, the Court consisting sometimes of three judges, and some- times of four, three constituting a quorum.
JOSEPH DWIGHT, of Gt. Barr., from 1761 to 1765 WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of Pittsfield, do. 1781
Timothy Woodbridge, of Stockbridge, do. 1774
John Ashley, of Sheffield, 1765 1791
Perez Marsh, of Dalton, do. 1781
1787 WILLIAM WHITING, ofG. Barrington, 1781
JAHLEEL WOODBRIDGE, of Stock., do. 1795
James Barker, of Cheshire,
do.
Charles Goodrich, of Pittsfield, -
1784 1788
Elijah Dwight, of Great Barrington, - 1787 1294
1788 1791
THOMPSON J. SKINNER, of Will- S iamstown, 2
1792 1807
JOHN BACON, of Stockbridge, 1789
1811
Nathaniel Bishop, of Richmond,
1795
do.
David Noble, of Williamstown,
do.
1803
William Walker, of Lenox, -
1807
1811
Though judicial proceedings were suspended in Berk- shire from about 1774 until 1780, yet the judges in com- mission in 1774, are supposed to have continued in of-
-
105
COURTS.
fice during this period. The judges whose names are in large capitals, are supposed to have presided in this Court, Joseph Dwight from 1761 until 1765, William Williams from 1765 until 1781, William Whiting from 1781 until 1787, Jahleel Woodbridge from 1787 until 1795, Thompson J. Skinner from 1795 to 1807. In 1807, John Bacon was expressly appointed chief judge, and presided until the abolition of the Court in 1811.
In 1811, the State was districted, and a Circuit Court of Common Pleas established for each district. The western district comprehended Worcester, Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Berkshire Counties.
Chief Judges of this Court.
Ezekiel Bacon, of Pittsfield, from 1811 to 1814
John Hooker, of Springfield, 1814 1820
Associate Judges.
Jonathan Leavit, of Greenfield,
1811
1820
Edward Bangs, of Worcester,
1811 1818
Solomon Strong, of Leominster,
1818 1820
In' 1820 this Court was abolished, and a Court of Common Pleas established for the State.
Judges of this Court.
Artemas Ward, of Boston, Chief Justice.
Solomon Strong, of Leominster,
John W. Williams, of Taunton,
Associate Justices. Samuel Howe, of Northampton,
Judge Howe died at Boston, Jan. 20, 1828, and was succeeded by David Cummins, of Salem.
This Court holds three sessions in the County annu- ally, commencing on the fourth Monday in February, June, and October.
The Court of Sessions, having charge of the inter- nal concerns of the County, such as laying out roads, granting licences, assessing taxes, &c., has been vari- ously constituted. From 1761 until 1807, it consisted of all the justices of the peace in the County ; or of so many of them as should assemble at the time and place appointed for holding the courts. From 1807 to 1809, it consisted of one chief justice and four assa- ciate justices,
-
106
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
Nathaniel Bishop, of Richmond, 1807, Joshua Danforth, of Pittsfield, 1893, Chief Justice& John Bacon, of Stockbridge, 1809,
Joshua Danforth, in 180%,
Samuel H. Wheeler, of Lanesborough, from 1807 until 1309,
Adonijah Bidwell, of Tyringham, do.
Associate Justices.
Azariah Eggleston, of Lenox, in 1808,
William Walker, do 1809,
From 1809 to 1811, the powers of this court were transferred to the Court of Common Pleas ; and thence. until 1314, the Court was organized as in 1807.
Justices during the latter period.
Nathaniel Bishop, of Richmond, Chief Justice. ' William Walker, of Lenox,
Joshua Danforth, of Pittsfield,
Associate Justices.
Azariah Eggleston, of Lenox,
Adonijah Bidwell, of Tyringham,
From 1814 until 1817, the duties of this Court were performed by the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, as- sisted by two Session Justices from the County.
Session Justices. Wolcott Hubbell, of Lanesborough, Joseph Whiton, of Lee.
In 1919, a Court of Sessions was established, which continued until 1828.
William P. Walker, of Lenox, Chief Justice. Wolcott Hubbell, of Lanesborough, from 1819 until 1827,
Joseph Whiton, of Lee, from 1819 to 182S
Associate Justices.,
Luther Washburn, of Pittsfield, 1827 1823
In February, 1826, all the authority of the Court of Sessions, relative to highways, was transferred to the Commissioners of highways.
Board of Commissioners.
George N. Briggs, of Lanesborough, Chairman. John Churchill, of Pittsfield,
David Brown, of Cheshire, Associate Comm'rs. Timothy Wainwright, of Gt. B.
107
COURTS
In the winter of 1828, the Legislature repealed the law establishing the Court of Sessions and the law crea- ting Commissioners of highways, and transferred the powers of both these bodies to a Board of County Com- missioners.
Board.
Luther Washburn, of Pittsfield, Chairman.
Peter Briggs, of Adams,
Lyman Brown, of Sandisfield,
Associate Comm'rs.
Meetings on the last Tuesday of April and Septem- ber.
Clerks of the Judicial Court.
Prior to September, 1804, the Judges of the Supreme Court had a clerk of their own, who attended them . in their circuits through the Commonwealth. Since that time, the clerks of the Court of Common Pleas and of the Court of Sessions, have been cierks of the Su- preme Court. The clerks, from 19761, have been as follows, viz.
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