USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Cheshire > History of the town of Cheshire, Berkshire County, Mass. > Part 11
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In 1814 we find a receipt of money paid to twenty-five Hessian soldiers for chopping wood.
In 1815 is a charge for a quart of rum at a store hard by, which beside two or three old windows of the style known as " bull's eye," that grace a garret now and then, and two of the old tenement houses standing on Wrangle Row, nothing is left to tell of the old Crown Glass company.
Also in 1812, Asahel Potter had a trip-hammer at Scrabble Town and made scythes, hoes and farming tools. Alden Potter was the first one in western Massachusetts to manufacture cotton machinery, for spinning in an old red shop opposite the dam at Scrabbletown. Alden Potter had learned his trade of Slater in Rhode Island and while at work perfecting these spinning jennies there was one point where he did not succeed and was baffled every time. Thinking that if he could watch some of the running of the machinery in the mill where he had learned his trade he would be
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able to see where he failed and correct it, he took his father's horse and went on horseback to Slater's mills in Rhode Island, where he slyly watched and learned his point. He then returned perfected his own invention, and his spinning jennies were put into the twenty-first cotton factory in the country. The gearings were all made of brass, the cast iron being too hard. Again Alden Potter went to New York city where he invented a machine by which he could take cotton, and running it through the machine, bring it out cloth complete. He had just succeeded in getting his model ready and put up when the cholera panic broke out and he immediately left the city to accompany his wife and daughter up the river to Newburg, where her father livel. On his arrival there he remembered, what in his first feeling of fright had not occurred to his mind that some ingenious ma- chinist might see his model all set up and steal his invention, so he return- el to the city and the mill, took the model all apart and scattered it about the room. The day after his arrival at Newburg the second time, he was taken ill with cholera and died, so the invention, for which he had labored was lost for that time and for him.
Although the improvement of the country from the peace of Paris, 1783, to 1812, was steady and sure it seems to have been slow in the opinion of the fast competitive American who does in a week what his fathers occu- pied a year in performing. It seems strange that public conveyances were not established. The mails were still carried by post riders, and in the files of the Pittsfield Sun letters were advertised for Cheshire people as remaining in the Pittsfield post-office for the past ten years of the century.
In 1800 the Pittsfield Sun was founded, coming in with the century. Through all its years it has stood firmly by its democratic principles. So heartily was it endorsed, so thoroughly sustained by the Cheshire people that one of its three Federals, in a fit of pique gave it the name of " Ches- hire's Bible." So intimately was it and its founder known and read in the home circles that it some instances little children confounding the words Phineas and Finis supposed for years that all their books were signed by Phineas Allen. When the Sun came to be so generally taken a postal carrier was employed at two shillings per quarter, who visited the different neighborhoods, leaving the papers at some place chosen for the purpose. For years the Cheshire mail was brought by one Jimmie Green, in a pair of saddle-bags from Pittsfield. Sometimes Jimmie came on foot, sometimes astride a gray pony. We are sure that he realized the importance of the trust committed to his charge from the fact that as he trudged along or rode the pony over the hills and along the newly laid out highways, he duly appreciated the danger of being way-laid, robbed and murdered while on his mission and with native New England forethought, wishing to be
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FROM 1807-1817.
prepared for the direst emergency carried, carefully folded away in his hat, his shroud. Poor Jimmie Green he has worn his shroud for many a year. but he never fell a victim to a mail robbery.
In 1810 the first post-office, of which any record appears, was opened at the store of Calvin Hall, with John D. Leland as postmaster. The oldest inhabitant knows of none prior to this date. According to the Postmaster- General's report if any existed earlier the fire at Washington destroyed the record of it. The charges established by the Provincial Congress were still in force. For a letter not exceeding sixty miles postage was 5 pence and 1 farthing.
In the Cheshire Third church the disaffection continued to increase. The debt of Elder Covell, pledged to the Pittstown church in yearly in- stallments, must be paid, the wife and family of Elder Covell was still in their midst with but little or no means of support after the husband and father was snatched from his early labors, all of which made the members of the Third church heavy burden bearers, even though they unitedly put their shoulders to the wheel ; but the majority inclined to the opinion that those by whose advice the burdens had been incurred should meet them. These things, together with the sustaining of Elder Leland in his peculiar tenets which virtually deprived them of a pastor, were the bones of contention.
In 1810, the church met and appointed a committee to attend to the col- lecting of the money from Hezekiah Mason, and his colleagues for paying the debt of Elder Covell.
Rebelling under the loss of property, and smarting at what appeared to them the injustice of looking to Hezekiah Mason for the debt of the church, they resolved to apply to Elder Leland for a statement of his views of church order and discipline, and sent the following request to him, signed by "Ten Aggrieved brethren."
"Dear and beloved Elder and Father in the gospel. Necessity urges us to com- municate our minds to you as friends and brethren. We pray the Lord to direct us to do it in a suitable becoming manner while we have some sense of our imperfections.
While you served us in the ministry your gift was almost universally edifying and comforting to us, it evidently appeared that the Lord owned and blessed your labours for the good of souls, and the up building and edifying of the church. Since that we think we have some reason of grief, for a long time you have neglected attending the appointments of the church and acting your part as a brother. We not only feel the want of your assistance but the effect that your example hath on others incouraging them to neglect acting their part with us as brothers. Now dear brother we earnestly request that you will convince us that we are in error, or give us satisfaction for these things so that we may enjoy fellowship together which is the earnest wish and desire of your brethren."
NATHANIEL BLISS, JONATHAN RICHARDSON, ZULPHIA WHIPPLE,
Signed: > JAMES COLE, EDDY MASON, SUSANNA BLISS, TEMPERANCE WHIPPLE, BROOKS MASON, ISRAEL COLE, JR., ESTHER RICHARDSON.
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In reply to this request of a portion of his church, Elder Leland ap- pointed a church meeting for the 22d of August 1811, where he appeared and made the following statement of his reasons, saying :
"1st. I have no doubt about the necessity of internal religion, nor of the great advantage of social worship, to preach, pray, and praise.
2d. Some doubts have ever been in my mind, whether the advantage of what is called church order, more than compensates for the disadvantages. It is uppermost in my mind, however, that good church order is scriptural.
3d. I lodge no complaint against communing with bread and wine : but for myself for more than thirty years experiment I have had no evidence that the bread and wine ever assisted my faith to diseern the Lord's Body. I have never felt guilty for not communing : but often for doing it. I have known no instance that God evidently blessed the ordinance for the conversion of sinners which often attends preaching praying, singing, and baptizing.
4th. Putting all together the best conclusion that I can form is that church labor and breaking bread is what the Lord does not place on me any more than he did bap- tizing on Paul.
5th. If the church ean bear with me while I possess these feelings. and let me do what I have faith and confidence in (which will be but a little while, for there is nothing left but a stump.) I shall be glad. Whenever I think I can do good, or get good I will attend church meeting, and whenever the doubts of my mind are removed I will comumne.
6th. If the church cannot bear thus with me, I wish them to give me a letter of dismission-such a letter as they can.
7th. If such a letter eannot be given to me consistently with the order and dignity of the church, I suppose ex-communication must follow of course."
JOHN LELAND.
The above statement was put in writing, and in addition to it Elder Le- land stated verbally that he did not know of any rule in the Bible for the church to walk by if they undertook to attend to discipline. There was so much deception and craft made use of that it was almost impossible for right to take place, it often served to crush truth and cherish vice.
During the meeting a resolution was offered and voted upon that nothing but immorality should demand the withdrawal of the fellowship of the Third church from its members, which was quite an innovation as prior to this, quarrelling, staying from church meetings, from communion, and various misdemeanors had been considered, and acted upon by these strict disciplinarians as ample cause for dismissal from the church.
November, 1811, the " Ten Aggrieved Brethren," sent in the following protest :
"Against the requests granted at our last church meeting we feel to make the fol- lowing statement which is our grief :
1st. In granting a member liberty to attend or not to attend the appointments of the church which renders the covenant relation we stand in towards each other to be the feelings of the creature instead of subjecting ourselves to Christ and his laws.
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And in holding an administrator in fellowship who baptizes candidates without re- questing the fellowship of the church of which he is a member.
Also a vote passed at the church meeting last, that the hand of fellowship shall not be withdrawn from any member excepting for immorality.
DANIEL COMAN, BROOKS MASON,
EDDY MASON, JONATHAN RICHARDSON,
WILLIAM COLSON, JR., JAMES COLE.
CHESHIRE, November 21st, 1811."
In addition to this protest and accompanying it as it was folded and filed away is the following :
"We think that the statement made by Elder Leland, Aug. 22, 1811, which he called a compendium of his feelings is a very suitable description of his practice for ten years, which we think has been a great means to hinder and discourage the visibility of the church, if the advantages of what is called church order do not more than compensate for the disadvantages; are not Christians very unwise to attempt to form in social religious compact ?"'
During the winter of 1811, Elder Leland was sent to the Legislature in Boston from Cheshire where he labored untiringly in the opposition against ecclesiastical oppression. Two delegates to general court were sent from the town in the winter of 1811-Elder Leland and Daniel Brown.
During the absence of the minister quite an extensive revival broke out ; but after his return the warfare in the church waxed stronger.
In March, 1812, a council was called in which the "Aggrieved Brethren," who were now arrayed against the church proper, appeared hoping to ar- rive at some understanding, but it was ignored by Elder Leland and his followers.
May 16, 1812, still another meeting was appointed with the same results.
In July, 1812, the Shaftsbury Association meeting at Stockbridge re- ceived two letters, each purporting to be from the Cheshire Third church, Dea. Jonathan Richardson appearing for the " Aggrieved Brethren," and bearing their letter, Dea. Daniel Coman for the church that supported Elder Leland.
Jonathan Richardson with the natural nobility of his nature, saw and felt keenly the unpleasant condition of things, and regretted exceedingly the step taken by addressing the association in the name of the Third Cheshire church, and although believing this party to be justified in their grievances he expressed his regret to the church for the unadvised and hasty move in addressing the Shaftsbury association. The latter body made an effort to reconcile the contending parties ; but with no satisfactory results.
In 1817 the Third Church withdrew from the Shaftsbury Association, which, according to the authoress of the " Life of Leland," was unfriendly
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to him, and went on alone. An independent church, Elder Leland preach- ing to them, at intervals : now and then some neighboring pastor would come over to administer the communion service, and part of the time the doors were closed and the pews unoccupied. As an old chronicler has it : " The church enjoyed a calm repose. "
Among the noble men whose names brighten the pages of this local his- tory, and to whom it has never done full justice, is that of Jonathan Rich- ardson. He aimed to consecrate all things to the greater glory of God, and for this labored with a grand simplicity, and a pious effort. Once upon a time a poor woman was left a widow, a family of small children was to be supported, and many debts to be paid. Working hard to bring these ends about, she gathered together at last eighty dollars due to Jonathan Richardson, and sent a little son with it one cold, blustering day in the late fall, with orders to give it to Mr. Richardson and take his receipt for the same. This the boy did and it was all arranged satisfactorily. The next morning while the widow was building her morning fire there came a rap at the kitchen door and upon opening it Mr. Richardson stood on the flat door stone. "I have been thinking," said he, "That it's hard times, with a cold winter coming on, and you have a good many mouths to feed, and it must be pretty hard work to make all things come out straight with the year, and I've concluded that it is far easier for me to do without this money than it is for you, so I've brought it back again," and laying the money upon the table he was gone before the widow recovered from her first amazement.
Among the pioneers coming from down country during this epoch were Ephraim Farrington and Zebedee Dean, the latter but little more than a boy. They remained the first night at a house, near the Hoosac, at Scrab- town. Mr. Farrington took the land in New Providence, where Mr. Dean spent a long life, as he bought the place from Farrington at his majority, and Mr. Farrington went to New Ashford, where he still resides, the oldest in- habitant of that town.
While the troubles in the church were shaking the religious life of Ches- lire the mutterings of war were abroad in the settlements again. Eng- land so lately beaten by colonial grit could not forget hier love of oppression.
The impressment of American seamen, the non-relinquishing of frontier forts, according to agreement, and the stirring up of strife among our In- dians were all canses of the war of 1812. When the " Orders in Council," were followed by the retaliatory decrees of Napoleon at Milan and Berlin, and all this by the American embargo, the declaration of war was inevitable. While through the county, and indeed the state, there was a large minor- ity that was opposed to the war, the town itself to a great degree was loyal.
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FROM 1807-1817.
Captain Joseph Bucklin of Cheshire, was the son of Darius Bucklin, brother of Mrs. Daniel Brown, while his mother, Hannah Brown, was sis- ter of the Captain. To Joseph Bucklin was given command of a company in the 9th Berkshire Regiment, in which were enlisted men from Cheshire. One company of this regiment was commanded by Winfield Scott, a young man winning his first laurels then. At Pittsfield, upon the grounds now occupied by the Maplewood Institute, a barracks and hospital were estab- lished, and according to Joseph Smith, Esq., Pittsfield's pleasing historian, 2,500 men were quartered there ready for service. To each was given a bounty of $16 for five years and 160 acres of public land. Of the loyality of the town of Cheshire, and the feeling with which the inhabitants entered into the conflict, one can judge by reading the following paper, copied word for word from a document now extant, and dated July 12th, 1812:
" At a loyal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Cheshire at the brick school house at three o'clock in the afternoon, made choice of Daniel Coman, moderator. VOTED, To raise the soldiers wages who are detatched in this town.
VOTED, To raise their wages to eleven dollars per month, if the government do not raise them to that sum.
VOTED, Each soldier shall bring proof of the time he has served, and a regular discharge of his duty, and raise his pay six months after his discharge.
VOTED, To adopt the following resolutions :
1st. Resolved, That the declaration of war against Great Britain and her de- pendencies was dignified and just, and the only measure left for a nation to resort to that decrees they will be free, and although we have long been convinced from the hostile, faithless, piratical, savage conduct of Great Britain which for half a century has deluged Europe and Asia, that her ambition would know no bounds, short of desolating this happy country. Yes ! Like misery she seeks for sociability yet it is left to the present day for her openly to avow that in her train to ruin not only the rich and opulent European, the peaceful Indostan, but the patriotic and free-born American shall act a conspicuous part, thanks be to Heaven her mad career is arrested, and the genius of Liberty once more speaks with a voice that gladdens every patriot's heart.
2d. Resolved, That the address of the Senate of the Commonwealth speaks the language of a Hancock, an Adams, and a Warren, in the days that tried men's souls. It animates, it cheers, it feeds that flame of Liberty which we are proud to say shall never but with death be extinguished, and then it shall be mingled with one last benediction to posterity.
3d. Resolved, That we were the great family of America as friends and will cor- dially unite with them in the support of our beloved government and constitution. But woe to the Tory, whether he be the Tory of the present day, or the Tory of the revolution, whose means of information gave liim an opportunity to form his opin- ions on principles. Their fatal influence has twice brought us to the brink of ruin. We thank Heaven we have escaped, and pledge ourselves that they never again shall have that opportunity.
4th. Resolved, That the so-called Washington Benevolent Society, although formed of unauspicious plants, so long as they demean themselves as peaceable citi-
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zens, so long shall they be under the protection of government : but should they be found in the support of a foreign government, of France, or of Great Britain, the vengeance of an indignant people will consume them, and the insignia of the Father of his Country shall be wrested by the eagle of America from such unworthy protec- tion and we do further
Resolre, That a committee of safety and vigilance be now chosen to consist of a chairman and eight members one of whom shall be secretary.
The said committee shall be authorized to watch over the public welfare. to deal with the hand of moderation and forbearance towards those, who from want of infor- mation, may be led to acts that they would ablior, were they sensible to the true state of our country : but to those, who wilfully undertake by word, or by deed. to set at defiance the laws and constituted authorities of the United States; whose means of information preclude the possibility of acting ignorantly, let the vengeance of the com- mittee be dealt in that manner that shall teach them that as free men we mean to live, and as free men we mean to die.
MAJOR JOHN LELAND, CAPT. DANIEL SMITH, COL. PETER WERDEN. CAPT. ASAHEL POTTER. CAPT. RICHARD COMAN. JOHN WELLS, JUN., EsQ., HEZEKIAH MASON, EsQ., CAPT. JONATHAN FISH, JUN .. CAPT. DEXTER MASON, Chairman.
Committee of Vigilance and Safety, 1812.
The Pittsfield Sun of July, 1812, states that on the 30th of that month the good women of Cheshire went down to Pittsfield laden with catables of every name and kind for the soldiers, as a dinner was given to the regiment. The Cheshire ladies also showed their patriotic interest by knitting. dur- ing the winter, 143 pair of socks for them, besides mittens. One pair of these mittens we can trace at this distant day, and know that they kept one pair of hands from freezing before Quebec, and were worn through and through by the owner ere he could dispense with them that terrible winter. Daniel Reed was a hardy farmer and had despised such a weakness as wearing mittens hitherto. But during the watches of that winter, on the wild tramp up the Kennebec, in his stay in front, and retreat from Quebec, the warm, home-knit mittens were his great comfort, which, when he wore them through at last, he darned and patched while sitting before the smoky camp-fire.
In the possession of the family of Tolman Whitmarsh of Cheshire, may be seen an immense pewter platter, and some pewter basins, which were polished on the 29th of July, 1812. to the highest degree of brightness, and sent to the public dinner at Pittsfield, filled with toothsome viands for the soldiers located there. These soldiers were gathered around a mam- moth table in an open field and fed with rare dishes until everything was consumed and the great platters and two gallon basins were seraped.
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FROM 1807-1817.
These soldiers encamped at Pittsfield, in the company of which Cap- tain Joseph Bucklin was the officer, and which belonged to the 9th Regi- ment, were our fighting soldiers of 1812. Late in the war when Governor Strong called on troops to fortify Boston, a regiment from Berkshire went on and in it were from Cheshire : Barton Bryant, Jerry Ross, Jesse Leonard, Erving Bryant, Clark Hoxie, Bill Walters, Benjamin Browning, Elisha Stafford, Spencer Jacques, and as their officer, Col. Harry Wilmarth.
Elisha Stafford was a son of Col. Joab Stafford. Whether he was in any other detachment during the war of 1812, is not positively known, but it is certain that he died in 1813, from disease contracted during the service.
Barton Bryant was drafted in this levy and walked all the way to Boston to report to his company.
Spencer Jacques was in Captain Joseph Bucklin's company at Lundy's Lane, Chippewa, Erie, Brownville and other engagements.
Benjamin Browning served his country in 1835, in the war with the Seminoles mid the everglades of Florida, and again in the Mexican cam- paign of 1845.
David Remington was drafted from Stafford's Hill, but like the hunter who would not join the hunt "Because the lion's whelps were abroad," nor the sailors to sail in the bay, " Because the clouds were dark and the ship might go down," staid at home and hired a substitute.
The hunters came home in glee, the sailors rode in safety over the har- bor bar, but an earthquake shock swallowed up the town and the hunter who remained at home. The soldiers returned from the battlefields of 1812 and many lived to a green old age, while Daniel Remington went out, clad in a surtout, a muffler about his neck, and woolen mittens on his hands, well protected against the wintery storm sweeping over the hill and never returned. In a hollow they found his form wrapped in its sleety shroud.
The company under Captain Joseph Bucklin did worthy service for the American cause. Dr. Holland only gives the troops of Western Massachu- setts credit for going down to Boston when Governor Strong was frighten- ed by the threatened invasion of the foe along the sea coast, where they remained a month, had a good time generally, then bade the Governor good-bye, disbanded and returned home. This, no doubt, was Governor Strong's war, or an episode in it. His record, perhaps, was not as patriotic as it might have been, nor as brilliant as that of some. We claim more for our Berkshire companies than the Governor wanted them to do, and in these companies, the 9th and 21st, were the Cheshire men. Joseph Smith, Esq., in his history of Pittsfield says: "These Berkshire regiments were noted for their gallantry, efficiency and losses." A statement that could scarcely be true if all the service they did was confined to the "forty days in
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camp, the extremely pleasant time, and the dress review on Boston Common," of Gov. Strong. Men who were officers in the 9th Regiment tell of that July midnight, when Colonel Miller's voice rang out over the field of Lundy's Lane in the fearless words, " I'll try, sir !" as he went forward in compli- ance with his General's wishes to secure the hotly contested battery. They tell, as eye witnesses, of those other battles on the Niagara frontier, and again, many a story falling from the lips of some old soldier by the bar- room fire records their presence at Sacketts Harbor, and behind the en- trenchments at Plattsburg, where beyond the swiftly flowing Saranacs they held Prevost and his veterans, while McDonough won the day on Cham- plain. It was at Plattsburg that British prisoners were captured and taken to Cheshire.
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