USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Huntington > History of the town of Huntington, in the county of Hampshire, Mass., from its first settlement to the year 1876 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Carpenters' and joiners' tools of the first quality have been manufactured by Melvin Copeland. This business, with all modern improvements in machinery, is now car- ried on by James F. and George M. Lindsey. Their pro- ductions have the reputation of being equal, if not supe- rior, to any now in the market.
The manufacture of paper was commenced here in 1853. The mill was built the previous year by O. H. Greenleaf and Lewis H. Taylor, and other stockholders, and was for several years run under the firm name of Greenleaf and Taylor. It was at first employed in the manufacture of paper used for various printing purposes ; but for several years past, it has been devoted to the production of fine writing paper. Its capacity is now about a ton and a half per day. At present it belongs to the Massasoit Paper Company, whose headquarters are at Springfield. It is run under the name of the Chester Paper Com- pany.
In 1868, William A. Little and A. J. Stanton were manufacturing flannel and Marseilles bedspreads. They claim to be the first in this country, to produce this last named article by power looms. They were aided in this
19
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
work by German operatives, especially a family by the name of Steiger, who had been trained to this work in their own country. Little and Stanton, having been twice burned out, abandoned their business here. Clar- ence Whitaker erected a factory in 1867, and run it a short time, making cotton yarn ; he was also burned out and left the place.
The Highland mill was built in 1870 by a stock com- pany, and run by the same for a short time, when it passed into the hands of Frost and Daniels, who now own it. It is now used for the manufacture of flannel and lap robes of superior quality. In 1875, W. P. Williams erected an axe factory about half a mile above the vil- lage, on the main branch of the Westfield river. Other edge tools of excellent quality are also made there. Connected with this is a saw mill and grist mill, run by H. E. Stanton and Myron R. Fisk.
Samuel T. Lyman for several years manufactured tin ware and sheet iron pans for the use of farmers in mak- ing maple sugar. That business has recently passed into the hands of Edward A. Allen.
Elisha B. Cole has for a few years past manufactured baskets on an improved plan, for which he has received a patent; he still carries on that business.
E. N. Woods has for many years been engaged in the manufacture and sale of boots and shoes ; he is at pres- ent in the same business. For several years Charles Pomeroy carried on the same business.
EDUCATIONAL.
The educational interests of the town have always been attended to, though perhaps not as extensively and ef- fectively as in some neighboring towns. Still, the intel- lectual culture of the young has not been wholly neg- lected. The common school has been the main institu-
20
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
tion of learning. This was early established. In 1773 the district voted to raise ££10 for the support of schools. This sum, however, appeared so extravagant, that at a subsequent meeting, after full and free discussion, the vote was reconsidered and the sum reduced to £4. The appropriations were from time to time increased, till in 1797 £100 were raised for this purpose. In 1875, $2,000 were raised; this is the largest sum ever appropriated by the town for schools in any one year. School districts were early established which, like little democracies, managed their own affairs. Under authority from the town they chose their own officers and contracted with their teachers who, according to the prevailing custom, were expected to "board round." The boundaries of districts were altered from time to time as the interests of education seemed to demand. The district system continued here until 1869, when by act of the legislature it was abolished throughout the Commonwealth. Since that time all the public schools have been managed by the committee of the town. For a few years Dr. J. H. Goddard, a member of the committee by vote of the Board, took the sole charge of the schools, acting as su- perintendent; in 1876 the town voted to discontinue this practice. Though the common school has been the main reliance for education, it has not accomplished all that has been done. Private and select schools of a higher order have been frequent and well sustained ; these have tended to raise the standard of education in the common schools. Notwithstanding the limited advan- tages here enjoyed, several individuals have elsewhere obtained a higher education and entered the learned pro- fessions, or filled other places of trust and responsibility in public life. Among these the following may be named:
Edward Kirkland graduated at Amherst College in
21
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
1831; he studied law and practiced his profession sev- eral years in Brattleboro, Vt., where he died January 6, 1866.
Henry B. Taylor graduated at Williams College ; he went into the ministry, and is still living.
Henry B. Lewis entered Amherst College and took a part of the course, when failing health made it necessary that he should leave. He subsequently studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He is now in the prac- tice of his profession, filling also the office of trial justice in Westfield, Mass.
Homer B. Stevens, a native of this place, fitted for col- lege at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, and graduated at Williams College in 1857. He read law with E. B. Gillett, of Westfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He practiced a short time in Boston and then formed copartnership for law practice with E. B. Gillett at West- field, where he is at present in the firm of Gillett and Stevens. He is also a trial justice.
Alfred J. Taylor graduated at Yale College in 1859. He is now a successful and prominent lawyer in New York City.
Alfred M. Copeland studied law and practiced a few years in this place. He is now in practice in Springfield, Mass., and is assistant police judge.
Myron A. Munson graduated at Harvard University in 1860. He studied theology at Andover Seminary, and is still in the ministry.
Harvey Porter graduated at Amherst College in 1870. He was valedictorian in his class and is now Professor of Metaphysics, Logic and History in the Protestant College at Beirût, Syria.
Oscar D. Thomas studied at Newton Theological Sem- inary and is now settled in the ministry in West Spring- field, Mass.
22
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
Asahel H. Lyman graduated at the Agricultural Col- · lege in Amherst.
E. N. Woods and A. M. Copeland have held the office of trial justice here. Garry Munson now fills that posi- tion.
The following individuals from this place have entered the medical profession: Luke Stanton, Alden Samson, Edward Ellis, Horatio G. Stickney, Charles D. Stickney, Theodore G. Wright, Ellsworth S. Ellis, Harlow Fisk.
From this, as well as from other country towns, many individuals not educated for professional life have gone forth to engage in various business enterprises, who have been successful in their efforts. Among these may appro- priately be named Harvey Kirkland, of Northampton, who was for many years register of deeds for the county of Hampshire, and who has held a prominent place in some other departments of business. Several by the name of Falley and Collins and Munson and Kirkland, have, in different places, been prominent business men. Some of them are still in active life in the great centers of business and need no special mention here. When they shall have passed away, history will no doubt do them justice.
The following physicians have practiced their profes- sion here : James Holland, Leonard Williams, Martin Phelps, Caleb H. Stickney, S. D. Brooks, Charles Holland, John II. Gilbert, William Dwight, Noah S. Bartlett, Wil- liam O. Bell, Charles K. Crossett, Harlow Gamwell, J. H. Goddard, William R. Elder. Present practitioners, J. N. Diekson, E. D. Hutchinson, Milo Wing; E. D. Green- wood, dentist.
Among the lawyers who have practiced their profession here, the following may be named:
Asahel Wright, a native of Windsor, Mass., and a grad- uate of Williams College in the class of 1803. He after-
23
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
wards removed to Chester Center, where he died in 1830. He was respected in life and lamented in death.
Samuel Johnson was in practice here many years. He is thus described by a member of the bar: "He was a singular man in his dress and in all his tastes. His hair was long and uncropped, with a profusion of unguents per- meating the mass, the whole brush apparently innocent of a comb, every hair standing, lying and curling inde- pendently and as if at war with every other hair of his head ; his capacious pantaloons, constructed probably according to his own directions, certainly not by the con- ception of any possible tailor, his large frock coat, with its long flowing skirts, extending itself beyond the dimen- sions of an overcoat, an immense loosely rolled bundle of white muslin encircling his neck, a narrow outbreak of cotton cloth below the short vest and above the neth - er garment, betokening a shirt, and to crown the whole an old-fashioned, yellow seal-skin, bell-crowned hat on the top of his head, completed the picture of an object that would have made the fortune of any collector of rare curiosities, or called together a crowd at the museum of Showman Barnum. He was a large, good-looking man of over six feet in height, and more than two hundred pounds avoirdupois, erect in form and dignified in his car- riage, stately and formal in his address, deep-toned and deliberate in his utterances, impressing a beholder with the belief that he possessed all the wisdom that he pre- tended to have and perhaps something more." "On one occasion, he argued a case before the court at the law term ; and it was said that the court was divided on the question which was the most remarkable, the lawyer or his argument." Ile afterwards removed to the West, where he continued the practice of his profession.
Homer Clark had a law office here for a short time. Daniel Granger, now of Chester, A. M. Copeland, now of
24
HISTORY OF IIUNTINGTON.
Springfield, and E. H. Lathrop of Springfield, present district attorney for the western district of Massachu- setts, have practiced law here.
For the intellectual improvement of the people gen- erally, Hon. C. P. Huntington made a donation of $100, to establish a public library, on condition that the town should appropriate an equal amount for the same object. The condition was accepted and the library established ; Mr. Huntington selected the books. Unfortunately this valuable collection of books was destroyed in 1865, by the burning of the building where it was kept.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
In the early history of Massachusetts, the word town denoted both civil and ecclesiastical boundaries; every town, at its incorporation became a parish, or religious society ; it so remained until another parish was formed on its territory, when what remained was considered the first parish. The terms town, parish, precinct were early used indiscriminately, for both civil and ecclesiastical pur- poses ; every town was required to support religious in- stitutions ; a minister must be employed and publie wor- ship maintained. " A division of a town into two or more parishes must be legally and regularly done, by order of the General Court." "Every man in the town, parish, precinct, or district, with his lands, was to con- tribute for the support of the gospel in the town, parish, or precinct in which he lived, unless specially exempt." If any refused to do this voluntarily, they were compelled by force of law. The statute of 1652 required all towns to be supplied with " a minister, a meeting-house and a parsonage, and all the inhabitants to be taxed for their support." " In case of defect in any congregation, or town, the county court ordered what maintenance should be allowed and issued warrants to the selectmen, to assess
25
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
the inhabitants to that amount." If a town felt aggrieved by this assessment, appeal could be made to the General Court. "In 1800 we have the exact penalties stated, which towns should pay for neglecting to supply good preaching to the people." For neglect, three months out of six, the penalty was from thirty to sixty dollars ; if the neglect was repeated, the penalty was from sixty to one hundred dollars ; applications of individuals to be set off from one parish to another had to be made to the General Court. These were frequent as late as the com- mencement of the present century. In earlier times the applicant had to make out a very strong case before he could gain his object.
Not only were all the inhabitants made to aid in sup- porting religious institutions, but they were also required to attend public worship, under legal penalties for neglect of the same. A fine of five shillings was, at one time, the penalty for absence on the Lord's day, Fast day, or Thanksgiving. The statute respecting absentees was modified in 1791, but not repealed until 1835; our fathers thus seemed to regard the morality and religion taught in the Bible, as necessary, not only for individual welfare, but as vitally essential to the stability and pros- perity of the State; they hence aimed to make this the foundation of all their institutions. Such being the pub- lie sentiment, and such the legal enactments, the inhabi- tants of that part of Murrayfield, embraced in the limits of Norwich, were, before the division, made to help sup- port the religious institutions of Murrayfield ; being re- quired thus to contribute, they claimed also the right to have a voice respecting the place of public worship. Hence after the settlement of Rev. Aaron Bascom as the minister of Murrayfield, in 1769, to the time when Nor- wich was incorporated as a district, there was much warm discussion of this subject, and some unholy feeling mani-
4
26
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
fested. It was at length decided that Rev. Mr. Bascom should preach one-third of the time at Mixer's tavern, near Norwich bridge, and the remainder of the time at the center. This arrangement appears to have continued about three years ; but it was unsatisfactory, and attended with considerable friction. This subject had, perhaps, as much influence as any other, in bringing about a divi- sion of the town.
After the incorporation of Norwich as a district, in accordance with law and usage, the inhabitants of that territory must assume the responsibility of supporting religious institutions by themselves. This they accord- ingly did. In 1773, the year of their incorporation, it was voted at a legal district meeting, to raise £10 for the support of the gospel ; preaching services were held for a time at private houses-those of John Kirkland, Caleb Fobes and Ebenezer King being the more common places of worship. A church was organized in July, 1778, com- posed of the following named persons : William Miller and Elizabeth, his wife, Samuel Knight and Betsey, his wife, Thomas Converse and his wife, John Kirkland, Samuel Warner, Joseph Park, Jonathan Ware, John Gris- wold, Edward Bancroft and others whose names are not preserved. The following clergymen assisted at the organ- ization of the church: Rev. Messrs. Jonathan Judd, of Southampton, Jonathan Huntington of Worthington, and Aaron Bascom of Chester. The Congregational polity was adopted, with the system of faith embraced in the Westminster Assembly's shorter Catechism. This is now known as the First Congregational Church of Hunt- ington. John Kirkland and Jonathan Ware were the first deacons appointed ; for some time after the organi- zation of the church, the pulpit was supplied by different individuals, whose stay was transient.
The first settled pastor was Rev. Stephen Tracy, of
27
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
Norwich, Conn., and a graduate of the College of New Jersey, in the class of 1770 ; he was installed May 23, 1781; the town voted him, as compensation, a yearly salary of £40 for five years, then to increase £4 ammally until it reached £50; they also gave him a settlement of €100; this sum was exclusive of his salary. It was the custom of the parishes or towns, in those days, to give the minister something to commence with ; he was thus able to own at least a comfortable residence, if not a good farm. In 1797, it was voted to raise €90 for Mr. Tracy's salary, including his fire wood. Not many years after his settlement, difficulties arose between the pastor and the people ; what was the cause of these, or in what particular forms they were manifested, does not appear from the records.
It seems probable, however, that it was something in connection with the payment of salary ; but whatever was the ground of complaint, dissatisfaction continued to increase, until it became so extensive that it was deemed advisable to dissolve the connection.
This was accomplished January 1, 1799. As ministers were in those days, usually settled for life, it was customary when one was dismissed by request of the parish, to pay him something in consideration of his removal, and loss of employment. It was not as easy then, as at the present day, to step immediately into another parish. But in 1798, it was voted that the town wish not to give Mr. Tracy anything at his dismission ; at the same time they made this proposition ; that they would leave it to in- different men, mutually chosen by each party, to say whether the town shall give him anything, or he them. He continued to reside in the town many years after his dismission.
Rev. Benjamin R. Woodbridge was the second pastor. He was a native of South Hadley, and graduated at
28
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
Dartmouth College in 1795; he was ordained and installed October 17, 1799; he was settled on condition that when two-thirds of the parish desired a change, he should leave ; any condition of this kind was unusual in those days ; it was regarded as endangering the stability of the ministry, the permanence of the pastoral relation, and the prosperity of the churches ; it was probably suggested in this case, by the difficulty experienced in the removal of Mr. Tracy. Mr. Woodbridge lived a life of celibacy. A brother and sister, also unmarried, resided with him ; these three constituted the family.
There is a tradition, no doubt well founded, that the minister was once engaged to be married to a daughter of his predecessor ; but another man supplanted him and took her to wife ; to add to the grief of the heart-stricken pastor and make his cup still more bitter, he was called to perform the marriage ceremony ; the wedding scene is described as in a high degree sensational. He was dis- missed June 28, 1831, and removed to South Hadley where he spent the remainder of his days.
The third pastor was Rev. Samuel Russell, a graduate of Dartmouth College in the class of 1821; he was in- stalled September 3, 1832, and dismissed January 1, 1835. He died the 27th day of the same month ; in his last sickness he requested his family neither to attend his funeral, nor make any preparation for it on Sunday ; he wished to have them follow the example of the disciples, when the body of the Master was in the tomb, and spices had been prepared for it, and rest " the Sabbath day ac- cording to the commandment."
Rev. Alvah C. Page, a graduate of Amherst in 1829, was installed the same day that Mr. Russell was dismissed, and by the same ecclesiastical council. He was dismissed July 20, 1836.
The next pastor was Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright, a native
29
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
of Westhampton, and a graduate of Williams College in 1814, Andover Theological Seminary in 1817. He was installed February 23, 1842, and dismissed in 1818; he was subsequently employed several years as chaplain, in the State almshouse in Monson. He afterwards retired to this place, where he died August 19, 1871.
Rev. John R. Miller succeeded Mr. Wright; he was a native of Williamsburg, Mass., and graduated at Union College, Schenectady, in 1844, in the same class with Gov- ernor A. H. Rice. He was installed the day that his pred- ecessor was dismissed, and dismissed December 19, 1853. He was subsequently pastor of the Congregational Church in Suffield, Conn., for several years ; he at length returned to Williamsburg, where he died November 2, 1869, aged 51 years.
Rev. J. H. M. Leland was settled June 15, 1854, and dismissed November 13, 1855. He now resides in Am- herst, Mass., and is a deacon in the First Church.
Rev. Henry A. Austin was the next pastor; he was born in Becket, and graduated at Union College in 1847; he was ordained and installed November 6, 1856, and dis- missed July 20, 1859; that church has had no settled pastor since ; different individuals have occupied the pul- pit, as stated supplies. Among these may be named Edward Clarke, William E. B. Moore, F. Hawley, E. S. Tingley ; the present acting pastor is Rev. C. W. Fifield. That church has thus lived almost a century, and has enjoyed the regular preaching of the gospel the whole time.
There have been seasons of prosperity and days of adversity; causes, beyond their control, have drawn away population from that locality, so that their numbers have been much diminished, with no prospect of an immediate increase. Changes of centers of business and more fer- tile lands in the western portion of our country, have
30
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
here, as in many other places, drawn many away from the home of their fathers. The number of members January 1, 1876, was seventy-six.
The first church edifice erected in this town, was on " the hill," a few rods east of the one now used by the First Congregational society. It was located near where the school-house now stands ; it was a one story building, rudely constructed, unsightly in exterior, and uncomfort- able within ; the adornments of modern times were want- ing ; but it answered for purposes of devotion ; the pray- ers and praises there were as acceptable to God, as though offered within marble walls, beneath a gilded spire. The date of the erection of this house cannot be ascertained.
The second church edifice was built in 1790. There were, at that time, wide diversities of views about its location ; the inhabitants of the north and west parts of the town, claimed that it ought to be more centrally located than the former one was; many meetings were held to settle the question, much eloquence was displayed, and a large amount of bad feeling developed. It was finally decided to build where the present edifice stands, and it was voted that some of the disaffected might be released from paying their proportion of the expense. The building erected was a plain two-story edifice, with- out any steeple ; a porch on one side formed the entrance below, with a stairway for the gallery ; the pulpit was on the side opposite the entrance ; over the pulpit was sus- pended a large sounding-board ; galleries were on three sides, with seats for the singers in front, and pews in the rear for the young people ; the pews on both floors were square pens, with seats on at least three sides ; no man claimed to own a pew; the people were annually seated according to age by the selectmen of the town. It was used in the coldest weather, without any heating appara- tus, except the foot-stoves of a few old ladies ; these
31
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON.
were sometimes passed around the pew for the benefit of all its occupants ; the knocking of men's boots together, to keep the feet warm, often made considerable clattering.
The present edifice occupied by that church was built in 1841; it is in modern style, with steeple without and suitable means of heating within ; it was dedicated Febru- ary 10, 1842. Rev. E. Davis, D. D., of Westfield, preached the sermon on the occasion.
In the first quarter of the present century, (date not ascertained,) a Methodist Church organization was formed in what is now Huntington village. It was then called Falley's X Roads ; meetings were held in the school-house. The preachers were mostly itinerants, called circuit siders, sent out by the conference ; among their preachers we find the following names : Rev. Messrs. Cyrus Culver, Moulton, Lewis, Robbins, McLauth, Father Taylor, Wil- liam Taylor, William A. Braman, Clark, Dayton, Marcy and Cook. In 1836 a church building was erected ; it stood on the line of Blandford and Chester; when new territory was annexed to Norwich, it came within the limits of that town ; this house was built by the voluntary subscriptions of people of different denominational pref- erences, with the understanding that the majority should decide by what denomination it should be occupied ; the Methodists had the control of it for a series of years, but it was never legally conveyed to their church authority. Subsequently it was occupied alternately by Methodists and Congregationalists ; more recently it has passed into the possession of the Baptists, who now occupy it. Though built by subscription, many of the subscribers subse- quently took the value of their subscription in pews, which they held by legal right; these were from time to time conveyed from one individual to another by deed. This house has several times been remodeled, and is now convenient and comfortable for worship; it answers the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.