History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts, Part 29

Author: Smith, Edward Church, 1877-
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: [Menasha, Wis.] Priv. Print.
Number of Pages: 738

USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts > Part 29

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As in other places it was usually the custom for newly grad- uated scholars of the local schools to teach for a year or two whether or not this profession was to be adopted as a life work. It was regarded as a sort of test of good schooling that a graduate was able to teach acceptably, and it was in fact a valuable ex- perience whatever work he eventually did. With the girls con- tinually getting married and boys leaving town, the personnel of the teachers was constantly changing. Among those who made a more constant profession of teaching was Amos W. Cross, who taught in many of the districts, and was accounted a good edu- cator. He was a strict disciplinarian. This gave him a reputa- tion for being cruel in the excited imaginations of certain new

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pupils in a district where he had not taught before, and the fol- lowing jingle has been handed down from these old days :

"Cross by name and cross by nature, Cross to every human creature, I pray the Lord to take his breath Before he whips us all to death."

It is safe to say that the exaggerated fears of the pupils were not borne out.

Deacon Harry Meacham, who achieved local fame through his long ride to warn the Blush Hollow residents of the approaching flood in 1874, is the only Middlefield man known to have been made the subject of a poem. It was written by Arthur Haskell, a resident of Peru, and was first printed in a Southbridge news- paper. Its quaintness and originality make it an interesting addition to the local folklore of the region.

"THE MIDDLEFIELD FLOOD"

"Good Deacon Meacham, aged and gray, Sat in his house on a Sabbath day Reading about Father Noah and his flood, And his great big ark of gopher wood. And he suddenly closed the sacred book And went to the window to take a look At the green old Middlefield hills and plains, He said to his wife, 'I declare, how it rains,' And his good, old wife also declared that she had Never seen such a shower in all her born days, Except when Noah went into the ark with all his worldly gains.

"So the deacon took down his oldest umbrel' And went out in the rain which in torrents fell, Soberly thinking of floods and disasters, Fearing the cows might get drowned in their pastures. For he knew that the reservoir down at the brook Was full to the brim, and had a serious look. So he hurried along, this venerable man, And stood on the top of the reservoir dam, And to his astonishment he saw that goose-pond Had broken loose and that the dammed waters were Rushing through the dam like a wild ram.

"'So he hurried back in fearful alarm,

Mounted old Dobbin that stood in the barn,

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Not stopping for saddle, for spur or for goad He shouted 'Get up here' and dashed down the road, Down, down to Blush Hollow he fled like the wind His hair and his coat-tails both streaming behind, And his neighbors were shocked on that wet Sabbath day, To see the good deacon go rushing that way, For they concluded he must be mad or crazy, or at Least something dreadful was to pay.

"But on flew the deacon, not stopping to hear The roar of the waters most dreadfully near, And the clatter of hoofs and the pant of his horse Like a cavalry charge shook the earth in its course, Till the folks of Blush Hollow stood breathless and pale As the Deacon and Dobbin dashed into their vale, For he warned them to 'get up and git' instantly Both young and old, male and female.

"Like the roar of a hurricane on came the flood With the crash of an avalanche through the tall wood, It came roaring and sweeping with terrible might, For mill, bridge and dwelling, unable to stand, Were swept down the stream with flood-wood and sand, But the warning of good Deacon Meacham that day Saved the folks of Blush Hollow from swimming away. And when he saw not a life was lost not even a pig's He went home like a man, gave Dobbin some oats, Took down his Bible and read some more about Noah and his flood, And said to his wife, 'I declare, this is dreadful, let us pray.' "'

APPENDIX A

HISTORY OF PRESCOTT'S GRANT

I N ORDER to understand the history of Prescott's Grant and the reasons why this section of Middlefield ever belonged to the Prescott's we must go back to the year 1714 and study for the moment a bit of the history of the town of Groton, Mas- sachusetts. Groton is situated in the northern part of Middlesex County near the line running between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It happened that in the year 1714 the town of Littleton was incorporated and some of the land formerly be- longing to Groton was included in the territory taken to make the new township. The proprietors of Groton, feeling despoiled of their property, petitioned the General Court, in April, 1734, for 10,800 acres of unappropriated land located in what was known as Groton Gore, lying between Dunstable and Townsend. This was granted to them in lieu of what they had lost, and though the exact territory chosen was found to conflict with the boundaries of Ipswich, an act of the General Court, on March 25, 1735, permitted the alterations of town lines to satisfy both parties.

Among the proprietors of Groton was the Honorable Benjamin Prescott, a prominent citizen, with three sons, James, William and Oliver. As time went on Prescott and his sons became the most influential of the proprietors, and James, who was appointed their clerk and was otherwise employed in laying out and divid- ing common lands, by the purchase of unsatisfied claims, gained control of much property.

But the proprietors of Groton were not to be left undisturbed in their new possessions for when the line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was settled in 1739-40 it was found that 3,000 acres of Groton Gore were on the New Hampshire side of the line and so lost to the Prescotts. Sometime before the year 1765 Benjamin Prescott died. In response to a petition of Hon. James Otis, Esq., and Nathaniel Gorham and others, action was

Hinsdale

ASHEWILLET

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EQUIVALENTI

Plní

HOUSATONIC RIVER

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JONES'S

PRESCOTT'S

GRANT

PARTRIDGEFIELD

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HILL'S GRANT

BOSTON

Made Pond

Ashley Lake

Washington's

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MAP OF PRESCOTT'S GRANT

Limits of Grant and original townships

Middlefield township lines

TOWNSHIP NO. 4 BECKET

WORTHINGTON

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CON DIMENMOL

GRANT

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APPENDIX A

HISTORY OF PRESCOTT'S GRANT

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taken by the General Court, on June 24, 1765, making grants to several individuals who had not had their claims satisfied pre- viously. Among these were the Prescotts concerning whom the act reads as follows :

". The heirs of James Prescott Esq., and other heirs of Benjamin Prescott Esq., for what lands he lost in Groton Gore-3,000 acres. ditto for lands lost in Tyngs Town-1400."'

Though this act was passed by the General Court it was, for some reason, not signed by the governor, and the matter dragged unsettled for a time.

In 1770 the Prescotts petitioned again and the following order was passed by the General Court November 14, 1770 :

"Grant of Lands to heirs of Benjamin Prescott, Esq. The following order passed on the petition of James Prescott, William Prescott and Oliver Prescott, Heirs of Benjamin Prescott, Esq., late of Groton, deceased, viz .- In the House of Representatives. The Committee on the petition of James Prescott, Esq., and others, have attended that service and duly examined the same and find the facts set forth in said petition true; that the petitioners in the year 1765 had a grant made to them as mentioned in said petition of a township of seven miles square as by the votes of both Houses of Assembly may appear, but not signed by the governor, since which some of the grantees interested in said grant have petitioned the General Court and have obtained separate grants in consideration of their interests or proportions of said grant, and it appears to the committee that the petitioners interested in said grant ought to have compensation or separate grants made to them as well as others in like circumstances :- Therefore resolved that in lieu thereof there be granted to the petitioners, their heirs and assigns four thousand four hundred acres of the un- appropriated lands belonging to this province to be laid out in the westerly part thereof adjoining to some former grants, provided they can find the same, or five thousand eight hundred and eighty acres of the unappropriated lands lying on the easterly side of the Saco River, it being their portion in said grant, and return a plan thereof taken by a surveyor and chainman under oath into the secretary's office within twelve months."

From what followed it is clear that it was possible to find the designated area in the western part of Massachusetts and to do- termine the boundaries of the former grants, for the grant to be known as Prescott's was located in Berkshire County. The de- scription of that tract is given in the General Court records as follows :

"Wednesday, June 26, 1771. Plan of 4,400 acres of land laid out to James Prescott, Esq., and others. The plan of two pieces of land con-

34.

PRESCOTT'S GRANT

taining both together, Four thousand four hundred acres lying in the county of Berkshire laid out by Jacob Brown Surveyor and chainman on oath to satisfy the grant made by this Court to James Prescott, Esq., and others the 14th day of November last, were presented for allowance: one piece contains 4,130 acres and is bounded as follows, viz .- Beginning at a hemlock pole and stones which is the southeast corner of Hartwood and stands in the north line of Becket, then running East 2 Dr north in said Becket line 640 rods to a stake and stones which is the southwest corner of Worthington, then running North 20 Dr East in said west line 570 rods to a hard maple tree and stones layed around it which is the southeast corner of Township No. 2, then running west 21 Dr North 2,032 Rods in the south line of said No. 2 to a beach tree and stones laid around it which is the southwest corner of said No. 2, then running north 21 Dr East in the west line of said No. 2 400 rods to a hard maple tree and stones laid around it, which is the southeast corner of Ashewillet Equivalent, then running west 6 Dr north in the south line of said Equivalent 318 rods to a Beach tree and stones laid around it which is the northeast corner of the grant of land called Col. Jones's Grant ; then running South 6 Dr West 317 rods in the east line of said grant to a stake and stones standing in the north line of a grant called Asa Hill's Grant, then running East 21 Dr South in the north line of said Hill's Grant, 34 rods to a black spruce tree which is the northeast corner of said Hill's Grant, then running south 6 Dr West in the east line of said Hill's Grant 118 rods to a stake which is the Southeast corner of said Hill's Grant and stands in the north line of said Hartwood, then running East 20 Dr South in said Hartwood north line 1,660 Rods to the first bounds:1 The other piece contains 270 acres lyes west of the first as will appear by the plan; the first bounds is a stake and stones the southwest corner of the above said Hill's Grant, and stands in the north line of the above said Hartwood, and from thence running North 20 Dr East 62 rods in the west line of said Hill's Grant to a beach tree and stones laid round it which is the northwest corner of the said Hill's grant, then running cast 20 Dr South in the north line of said Hill's Grant 90 rods to a stake and stones standing in the west line of the abovesaid Jones's Grant, then running north S Dr cast in the west line of said Jones's Grant 126 rods to a beach pole and stones laid round it. then running West 20 Dr North 251 Rods to a birch tree and stones laid round it bounding north on Province land, then running South 20 Dr West 182 rods to a stake and stones standing in the north line of said Hartwood line to the first bounds.

" Upon which the following order passed. 4,400 acres of land confirmed to Jas. Prescott, Esq., and others; In the House of Representatives Resolved that both of the above Plans, one containing four thousand one hundred and thirty acres, the other containing two hundred and seventy acres deliniated and described as it is set forth by the surveyor in the description thereof hereunto annexed be accepted and hereby is confirmed to James

1 "To first bounds " incorrect. Last line not described.

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Prescott, Esq., and others named in their petition, and to their heirs and assigns in lieu of and in full satisfaction for four thousand four hundred acres of land lost by the late running of the line between this Province and New Hampshire, as mentioned in a Grant made by both Houses of the Assembly A D 1765 but not consented to by the Governor, provided both of said plans together do not exceed the quantity of four thousand four hundred acres nor interfere with any former Grant. In Council read and concurred. Consented to by the Governor."

It must have been no small task to survey and determine the boundaries of a grant of land in the year 1771. Most of these hills were covered with unbroken forest with but a few clearings here and there. To "carry the chain" around a plot of land, so long and irregular, up hill and down dale, over rocks and ledges, through forests, over swamps and around ponds, must have been a task attended with no small amount of arduous labor. We do not wonder that the measurements of the various lines bounding in Grant differ greatly in the three surveys of which we have record. For example in the original survey the north line passing through Muddy Pond in Washington as originally sur- veyed was :

"West 21 Dr North 2032 rods"; in the survey of September, 1781, it was "West 20 Dr North 1992 rods"; while in that of November, 1781, it was "West 20 Dr North 2050 rods." The arca also seems to have increased strangely. Whereas the orig- inal survey called for 4,400 acres, that of September, 1781, made the area 4,897 acres, and that of November, 1781, stretched it still more to a total of 4,9931/2 acres.

The territory of Prescott's Grant was then entirely in Berk- shire County. It consisted of two separate portions lying one on the east and one on the west of land then known as Jones's Grant. The small piece of 270 acres lay in the northwest portion of what is now the township of Washington, west of Ashley Brook, three miles from the place where Washington meetinghouse once stood.

The eastern portion of the Grant contained 4,130 acres and was of peculiar shape, it being two irregular quadrilaterals con- nected by a narrow strip of land over four miles in length and scarcely 100 rods in width. The western quadrilateral forms the northeastern portion of the northern projection of Washington township and the narrow connecting strip lies along and just south of what is now the line between Washington and Hinsdale and Peru.

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The portion of the Grant in Middlefield is the larger and easterly quadrilateral. Its southwest corner lies a short distance south of the "Ashdod" place so called on the Ryan or South Road to Becket, the easterly end of said road running on the south line of the Grant. The line continues east of the West Hill Road in the stone wall which forms the south fence of A. S. Crane's lot. Through "Blush Hollow" the line disappears until we come to the pasture on the hill east of the farm of Fred Boyer. It forms the north wall of the mowing formerly owned by John Dolman,1 and crosses the road a short distance north of the house he lived in. The intersection of the stone walls east of the high- way and northeast of the Dolman place was the southeast corner of Prescott's Grant and the southwest corner of Worthington. The land to the south was Becket.

The east line of the Grant ran from this point in a somewhat northeasterly direction forming the west wall of the pasture for- merly owned by the late Mr. Oliver Church, continuing with some breaks in a direct line passing through the large barn of G. E. Cook. A stone wall marks the line just west of the road near Mr. Cook's. Northeast of the barn the line is lost until we come to a barbed wire fence at some distance. Following this over the hill we strike a portion of stone wall, then a section of brush fence which leads to another section of stone wall which forms the eastern boundary of Louis C. Smith's Pelton Hill lot. Beyond this the line is lost again until just before we strike the road passing the site of the Chamberlain house. Crossing the road and following the stone wall we cross the brook and at last come to a corner beyond which the line disappears. This is the northeast corner of the Grant and is not far from the Bissell Lot belonging to L. C. Smith.

The north line of the Grant crosses the road a short distance south of the fork in the road below the Robbins Place. With some breaks the line continues north of Robbins Hill and crosses the highway north of the house until lately occupied by Mr. Wanzer. The line continues west to the northwest corner which is on the West Hill across the brook. Some traces remain of the west line. This portion of the Grant just described contained 3,012 acres and formed the nucleus about which portions of land from five townships were grouped to form Middlefield.

1 More recently occupied by Frank Johnson.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD

DIVISION OF THE GRANT

This land did not remain long in the hands of the Prescotts. The larger of the two portions was bought by William Spencer of Sheffield, Berkshire County, December 27, 1771. The 4,130 acres cost him 980 pounds or at the valuation of money in those days about seventy-nine cents per acre. Though living in Shef- field when he made the purchase, he is described in deeds dated 1773 as living on Prescott's Grant. He was living in Washington as late as 1778.

The smaller portion of the Grant was sold to Jabez Cornish, April 7, 1781. Soon after his purchase of the 4,130 acre piece, William Spencer began to divide it up and sell to various per- sons. To Josiah Arnold of East Haddam, Connecticut, he sold the large eastern quadrilateral now included in Middlefield 2,600 acres for 560 pounds, December 27, 1771. This territory like the rest of the Grant appears to have increased in area with each new survey. When the town was incorporated this tract was described in a plan on record at Boston as containing 3,012 acres, while in the petition for incorporation it was stated as having 3,412 acres. In 1774 Josiah Arnold bought another piece of the Grant, 150 acres of the connecting strip joining his 2,600 acre piece. This was incorporated into the territory used to make up the township of Washington in 1777 together with all the rest of the Grant lying to the west of it, and was later ceded to Middlefield with other land of Washington in 1783. This piece Arnold sold to Thomas Martin of Washington in 1784.

The next portion of the narrow connecting strip of the Grant, probably joining Arnold's piece on the west, containing fifty acres, Spencer sold to Jane Spencer, spinster, on November 8, 1773, for the sum of 25 pounds. Alpheus Spencer bought the section west of Jane Spencer's, 150 acres east of Muddy Pond. Eliphar Spencer of Sheffield, blacksmith, secured 100 acres lying west of Muddy Pond in July, 1772. The next 100 acre portion went to Ruluff White. The westerly quadrilateral was divided among three purchasers. Jesse Weldon of Salisbury, Connecti- cut, bought 220 acres in the northeast part. Daniel Hill bought 100 acres in the southwest corner next to Hill's Grant. The re- mainder, 900 acres, was purchased by Caleb Culver, of Lenox, November 20, 1773.

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DIVISION OF THE GRANT BY JOSIAH ARNOLD

A little more than a year after his purchase of the 2,600 acre piece, Josiah Arnold began to divide and sell it to his neighbors in East Haddam, Connecticut. The territory he divided into four divisions of thirteen lots each. These divisions were strips of land, each about a half mile wide running from the north to the south line.2 The "First Division in the East" so called, bounded east on the west line of Worthington, and at its south end extended west as far as "Blush Hollow." A stone wall just east of what was formerly the "Company Barn" in the Hollow, is the line between the First and the Second Divisions in the East. This line ran northeastwardly along the old reser- voir bed, passed up the hill and crossed the road running north from the Center about fifty rods south of the dwelling of Mr. Gardner. The lots of the Second Division East lay partly on the meadows of Factory Brook and partly on the hillside. There are many breaks in the line between the Second Division East and the First Division West. A portion of this line runs along the western slope of Dickson Hill and is indicated by a piece of stone wall a short distance east of Mrs. Sternagle's house. The First Division West began near the house of Mr. Eden, on the West Hill, and extended to the Lyman Meacham farm recently owned by Mr. Wanzer. The Second Division West lay west of the First Division and bounded west on the territory formerly belonging to Washington.

The lots were thirteen in number in each division, Lot No. 1 being at the north end and Lot No. 13 at the south end. These lots were supposed to contain fifty acres of land each. No ad- vanced mathematics is necessary to figure out the areas and find that some of the lots must have contained more and some less than fifty acres. The west line of the Grant was longer than the east line; all of the divisions had the same number of lots ; conseuently the width of the western division lots was greater than that of the eastern lots. The north and south lines of the Grant were far from parallel and of necessity the lines bounding the lots on the north and south sides diverged and radiated

" See map in Appendix C, facing page 370.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD

somewhat like the ribs of a fan. The early deeds describe the lots as follows :

"First Division East. 4414 rods long at east end, 49 rods long on the west end; 160 rods from east to west; reserving 2 rods for highway at west end; containing 50 acres.

"Second Division East. 49 rods long at east end; 54 rods long at west end; 160 rods from east to west; reserving 2 rods for highway at east end; containing 50 acres.

"First Division West. 54 rods long at east end; 5714 rods long at west end; 160 rods from east to west; reserving 2 rods for highway at west end; containing 50 acres.

"Second Division West. 571% rods long at cast end; 61 rods long at west end; 160 rods from cast to west; reserving 2 rods for highway at east end ; containing 50 acres."'

The lines separating the divisions were parallel with the line on the east side but if the north and south lines were each 640 rods long the west line of the Grant could not be parallel with the east line. Calculations make the sizes of the lots to be ap- proximately as follows :

"I Div. E .- 465/8 acres ; II Div. E .- 511/2 acres;

I Div. W .- 553/4 acres ; II Div. W .- ran from 581/2"

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History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts, Part 29

Author: Smith, Edward Church, 1877- Publication date: 1924 Publisher: [Menasha, Wis.] Priv. Print. Number of Pages: 738

Author: Smith, Edward Church, 1877-
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: [Menasha, Wis.] Priv. Print.
Number of Pages: 738