USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts > Part 33
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ELIJAH WHITE. Served three days in Jas. MeKnight's Co., Col. Rossiter's Regt., in 1780 on an alarm to the Northward.
BEZALEEL WRIGHT. Priv. Capt. David Shepard's Co., Col. Seth Pomeroy's Regt. Lexington Alarm, service 9 days. Also 91 days in 1775.
JESSE WRIGHT. Engaged for Murrayfield in Capt. Black's Co. for six mouths. Also six months under Capt. Webb, 1780-1.
JUDAH WRIGHT. Private in Capt. Shepard's Co., from Murrayfield. Ex- pedition to Stillwater and Saratoga Sept .- Oct. 1777. Capt. Black's Co., June, 1782, Alarm at Northampton.
383
WAR RECORDS
NATHAN WRIGHT. Answered the Lexington Alarm from Murrayfield. Was made sergeant in Capt. Shepard's Co. Served enlistments in 1775, 1776, and 1777, including Stillwater and Saratoga.
WAR OF 1812
When in 1814, Governor Strong called for troops, Major (afterward General) David Mack, Lieutenant Matthew Smith, Captain Solomon Root, Abel Cheeseman and Abraham Moffett went to the defense of Boston. Clark Durant, Philip Meacham, Johu Skinner Artemas Ward and Lloyd West, are also said to have been among the volunteers, serving in Capt. Marvin's Co. of Col. Enos Foot's regiment.
CIVIL WAR
DANIEL ATWOOD. Enlisted Nov. 21, 1861, 31st Regt., Co. A, died Oct. 3, 1862 at New Orleans, credited to Chester in Adjt. Generals report. WESLEY BARTLETT. Enlisted Dec. 21, 1863, 2nd Mass. Inf.
EDWIN D. BEMIS. Enlisted Oct. 14, 1861, 15th Inf. Co. 1, re-culisted Feb. 2, 1864, trans. July 27, 1864 to 20th Inf., discharged July 13, 1865 for disability ; wounded in the head.
EDWIN C. BIDWELL. Asst. surg. enlisted Feb. 20, 1862, 31st Inf., prom. to surg. April 29, 1862; discharged Sept. 9, 1865; was the physician in practice in Middlefield when the war broke out.
GEORGE BLISS. Enlisted Dec. 21, 1863, 2nd Inf. Co. B, discharged July 14, 1865.
WM. C. BLUSH. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Discharged July 29, 1863
CHARLES M. BUCK. Enlisted Aug. 23, 1861, 21st Inf. Co. B, died March 27, 1862 on steamer "Northerner."'
ROBERT BURNS. Enlisted June 21, 1861; 10th Inf. Co. G, died of wounds May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Va.
URIANI F. CHEESEMAN. Enlisted June 21, 1861, 10th Inf. Co. G. Discharged July 1, 1864 for disability.
WM. M. CHURCHILL. Enlisted June 21, 1861, 10th Inf. Co. G. Discharged Oct. 29, 1862 for disability.
MERRICK CLARK.
HOWARD COLLIER. Enlisted Aug. 30, 1862, 37th Regt. Co. D, lost his life in service; died at Brandy Station, Va., Feb. 9, 1864; credited to Chesterfield as Horace Collier in adjt. general's report.
GEO. W. COTTRELL. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Dis- charged July 29, 1863.
JOHN DAMON. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Discharged July 29, 1863.
HENRY DICKSON. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F, died April 8, 1863, at Plymouth, N. C .; buried in Middlefield.
HENRY E. DIMMOCK. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Dis- charged July 29, 1863.
384
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
JOHN DONOVAN.
JAMES ESPY. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Discharged to re-enlist May 30, 1863; re-enlisted Aug. 1863, 2nd H. Art. Co. D. NAPOLEON F. FILLEO. Enlisted Dec. 18, 1863, 2nd Cavalry, Co. D. Dis- charged July 20, 1865.
ANTHONY FREDERIC. Enlisted 15th Regiment.
DENNIS GALLIVAN.
EDWARD L. HIGGINS. Enlisted Oct. 22, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. K. Dis- charged July 29, 1863.
GEORGE INGHAM. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. K. Discharged July 29, 1863.
CHARLES KELLEY. Enlisted Dec. 31, 1864, 2nd Cav. Co. G. Discharged July 20, 1865.
JAMES KERSHAW. Enlisted 35th Regt. Co. C, died soon after his return at Brattleboro, Vt., credited to Boston in adjt. General's report. WILLIAM LATHROP. Enlisted Dec. 18, 1863, 2nd Mass. Cav. Co. D.
HENRY L. LINES. Enlisted Feb. 10, 1862, 31st Regt. Co. B, credited to Pittsfield in adjt. Gen. Report; re-enlisted Feb. 15, 1864; discharged Feb. 10, 1865.
HUGH MCGEE. Enlisted June 20, 1861, 10th Regt. Co. A, re-enlisted Feb. 21, 1864; trans. to 37th regt .; discharged Feb. 14, 1865, for disability. PATRIC MCGEE. Enlisted 46th Regt. Co. K.
JOHN MORRISSEY. Enlisted June 13, 1861, 11th Regt. Co. A. Discharged May 14, 1863.
FRANCIS MURRAY. Enlisted May 25, 1861, 2nd Inf. Co. B. Discharged July 26, 1863; died soon after his return.
CALVIN NOBLE. Enlisted Aug. 1, 1862, 34th Inf. Co. B, died Dec. 15, 1862, at Fort Lyon, Va.
HENRY NOBLE. Enlisted Aug. 1, 1862, 34th Inf. Co. B, died Dec. 4, 1862, at Fort Lyon, Va.
MICHAEL NOONEY. Enlisted 46th Regt. Co. K.
LEVI J. OLDS. Enlisted Oct. 22, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. K. Discharged June 1, 1863 to re-enlist in H. Art., which he joined in Aug. 1863; he died in service.
EDWARD OTIS. Enlisted July 14, 1863, 1st H. Art.
EDWARD PEASE. Enlisted Conn. 1st H. Art.
CHARLES W. ROBBINS. Enlisted Dec. 31, 1863, 2nd Inf. Co. B, died at Louisville, Ky., before joining the regiment.
GEORGE R. ROBBINS. Corp. enl. Dec. 31, 1863, 2nd Inf. Co. B, discharged July 14, 1865.
JAMES ROWEN. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F, discharged July 29, 1863. Disabled by rheumatism and helpless.
CLARKSON SMITH, 1st sergt., enl. Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Discharged July 29, 1863.
JEROME SMITH.
MICHAEL STANLEY. Enlisted March 10, 1864, 57th Inf. Co. I; killed May 6, 1864, at Wilderness, Va .; substitute who lost his life for the town.
385
WAR RECORDS
JOHN J. VETTER
JAMES WAIT. Enlisted Dec. 18, 1863, 2nd Mass. Cav. Co. D.
SETH WAIT. Enlisted Jan. 28, 1862, 31st Inf. Co. I. Discharged for dis- ability and died from the effects of wounds.
JOHN WATERS. Enlisted March 10, 1864, 57th Inf. Co. I. Killed June 17, 1864; substitute who lost his life for the town.
THOMAS A. WILSON. Enlisted Sept. 25, 1862, 46th M. V. M. Co. F. Died May 2, 1863 at Newbern, N. C.
WORLD WAR
HAROLD M. PEASE, enlisted June 24, 1917 at Ft. Slocum, N. Y. Discharged Oct. 13, 1917 at Camp Funston, Kans., on Surgeon's Certificate of Disability, as a Corporal, Btry. F 21st Field Artillery. Character, not of record.
NICHOLAS PALMALDA, No. 71,471, enlisted Sept. 21, 1917 at Middlefield, Mass. Served with Co. B 104th Inf., Co. G 116th Supply Train, 2nd Co. Service Battalion, Army Service Corps. Overseas service from Oct. 1, 1917 to July 3, 1919. Honorably discharged July 7, 1919 at Camp Lee, Va., as a private, Casual Co. No. 6418 per expiration term of service. Character, excellent.
FRANCIS J. CONE, No. 1,672,293 enlisted June 6, 1917 at Worcester, Mass. Overseas service from March 20, 1918 to May 23, 1919. Served in St. Mihiel Offensive, Sept. 12-16-1918, Meuse-Argonne offensive Sept. 26- Nov. 11, 1918. Honorably discharged June 4, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a private 1st class, Co. E 401st Telegraph Battalion, Signal Corps per demobilization. Character, excellent.
RICHARD A. WAITE, No. 580,772, enlisted May 8, 1918 at Ft. Revere, Mass. Served with 16th Co. C. A. C. Boston and Btry. B 54th Reg't Coast Artillery. Overseas service from Sept. 23, 1918 to March 6, 1919. Honorably discharged March 13, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a private, Btry. B 54th Reg't Coast Artillery per demobilization. Char- acter, excellent.
BERNARD B. FLEMING, No. 4,168,978, enlisted Sept. 4, 1918 at Lee, Mass. Honorably discharged Dec. 20, 1918 at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., as a private, Supply Co. 2nd Provisional Regiment Engineers Miscellaneous Personnel per termination of service. Character, excellent.
GEORGE E. MILLOT, No. 2,299,967, enlisted Sept. 8, 1917 at Camp Syracuse, N. Y. Overseas service from July 18, 1918 to Jan. 16, 1919. Honor- ably discharged Feb. 21, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a Corporal Co. D 49th infantry per demobilization. Character, excellent.
HAROLD A. BOYER, No. 578,579, enlisted Feb. 19, 1918 at Ft. Strong, Mass. Served with 9th Co. C. A. C. Boston and Btry. C 73rd Reg't Coast Artillery. Overseas service from Sept. 25, 1918 to Dec. 23, 1918. Honorably discharged Dec. 31, 1918 at Camp Upton, N. Y., as a private, Btry. C 73rd Reg't Coast Artillery for convenience of government. Character, very good.
386
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
JOHN S. GREGORY, No. 2,503,813, enlisted Dec. 9, 1917 at Ft. Slocum, N. Y. Overseas service from April 25, 1918 to June 16, 1919. Served in Mouse-Argonne offensive Oct. 22-Nov. 11, 1918. Honorably discharged June 21, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a private Co. D 23rd En- gineers. Character, excellent.
ROBERT S. PEASE. No. 580,988, enlisted May 31, 1918 at Ft. Banks, Mass. Served with 19th Co. C. A. C. Boston and 2nd Co. C. A. C. Boston. Honorably discharged March 26, 1919 at Ft. Banks, Mass., as private 2nd Co. C. A. C. Boston for convenience of government. Character, excellent.
RICHARD D. SWEENY, enlisted July 12, 1918 at Springfield, Mass., in the Marine Corps; reported for active duty July 18, 1918 at Paris Island, S. C. Served overseas with the 74th Co. 6th Reg't from Nov. 3, 1918 to July 5, 1919, participating in the march to the Rhine, for the Occupa- tion of the Coblenz Bridgehead. Honorably discharged at Quantico, Va., July 24, 1919. Character, excellent.
RALPH H. PEASE, No. 4,196,573, inducted Nov. 19, 1918 at Lee, Mass. Honorably discharged Dec. 3, 1918 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a Private 2nd Co. Ist Training Battalion, 151st Depot Brigade, per demobilization. Character, good.
ERNEST L. BOYER, No. 127,684, enlisted Feb. 25, 1918 at Boston, Mass., and was given an Ordinary (Special Order) Discharge on Dec. 11, 1918, from the Naval Training Station, Newport, R. I.
LEON MERWIN BRYAN, entered Camp Devens in summer of 1917, discharged Oct 30, 1917, because of defective vision.
(For other (unofficial) records see Chap. XIII).
APPENDIX F
ORIGIN OF SETTLERS
I N STUDYING the pioneer families and the movements of population considerable scattered data has been collected. But as unrelated details the story of emigration in general is lost unless the findings are presented in some systematic way. For the benefit of the student of sociology and local history there are here presented in tabular form certain phases of the story of the coming and going of the settlers of Middlefield, which in a measure can doubtless be considered as typical of the hill-towns of western Massachusetts during the same period.
In drawing up these tables it has been necessary to define the term "settler." In this discussion a settler has been taken as the head of a household, minor sons or sons unmarried at the time of migration, not being separately counted. Married sons. even if living with the father for a while are counted for separate families. In some cases where two or more brothers came without parents and became heads of households, they have been counted for separate families, as have also unattached men, whether they became heads of households or not.
The following tables have been prepared which are in the main self-explanatory.
Table I. Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York Towns from which Settlers Came.
Table IT. Rate at which Families Came to Middlefield and Their Permanence.
Table III. Rate at which Families Moved away from Middle- field.
Table IV. Growth of Villages in Middlefield Township.
In Table HI the families have been divided into two groups, those which became permanent residents, and those which moved on to other towns, within a few years. A little study will show that not only did the state of Connecticut furnish more than
388
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
half of all these pioneer families, but that this same state also furnished nearly two thirds of those families which became permanent residents during this early period.
TABLE I
MASSACHUSETTS TOWNS FROM WHICH SETTLERS CAME
A MIIERST
Jonathan Nash
DEDHAM John Metcalf
AGAWAM
Ebenezer Selden
DEERFIELD Abel Parker
BECKET
Samuel Gray
Thomas Cooley
Oliver Merrifield Ozem Merrifield
Benjamin Pinney David Taylor
HOLLISTON Ebenezer Lealand Lemuel Lealand
BLANDFORD
David Bolton
Robert Cochran
Joseph Freeland
Nathan Mann
Daniel Meeker James Taggart
MONTGOMERY Seth Bull
BOSTON Thomas Ward
BRAINTREE Abel Cheeseman Benj. Cheeseman
NEWTON Jonathan Clark Samuel Clark Thomas Durant
BROOKFIELD
Moses Barnes Elijah White
NORTIIBOROUGH James Gamwell John Gamwell
CHESTER
Isaac Bartlett
NORWICHI Parker Fellows
Simpson Bell
Robert Campbell
James Clark
David Cross
Samuel Goold
Luther Granger
George Holland
James Holland
Rufus Smith
OAKHAM Abraham Bell
PALMER Henry Lamberton William Mann
PARTRIDGEFIELD Joseph Russ
GRANVILLE
LEICESTER Benjamin Converse Elijah Dix
LENOX John Coats
389
ORIGIN OF SETTLERS
SAVOY John Norcott Sylvanus Norcott
SOUTHAMPTON Abner Clapp
SOUTHWICK Joseph Moore Justus Olds Levi Olds
SPENCER
Jessie Graham
William Graham
Aaron Whittemore
Jno. Woodward Bazaleel Wright Jude Wright Nathan Wright
SPRINGFIELD Samuel Taylor
TYRINGHAM
Moses Orcutt
WESTFIELD Edward Bush
Silas Bush
Daniel Falley
Shadrach Noble
Noadiah Root
WEST SPRINGFIELD Josiah Leonard
WILBRAHAM Abner Chapin Daniel Leach Andrew Mcacham
Samuel Meacham
Prince William
WILLIAMSBURG Asa Cary Joseph Cary Amasa Graves
WORCESTER
Samuel Hamilton John Ward Uriah Ward
WORTHINGTON
Simon Huntington Rufus Marsh
David Tuttle
William Wheeler
Samuel Woods
YARMOUTH Enos Blossom Thomas Blossom Enoch Crowell
CONNECTICUT TOWNS FROM WHICH SETTLERS CAME
ASHFORD David Robbins Job Robbins
BOLTON Benjamin Blish Joseph Blush Barzillai Little Abel West
David West
COLCHESTER David Carrier Russell Gillett
Samuel Judd James Kelley
James Newton
John Newton
Eli Skinner
Samuel Skinner
William Skinner
COVENTRY Benjamin Babcock Ebenezer Babcock
DANBURY Martin Starr
-
390
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
EAST HADDAM
Ambrose Church Elihu Church
Uriah Church
Zebidee Goodwin
William Church
Erastus Ingham
Solomon Ingham
Benajah Jones
Daniel S. Emmons
Ebenezer Emmons
Ichabod Emmons
Sylvester Emmons
Ashbel Olmstead Calvin Smith
Matthew Smith
John Smith Joseph Smith John Spencer
ENFIELD
Ebenezer Collins
Isaac Gleason
Samuel Gowday
Ezra Jones
John Jones
Philip Jones
Samuel Jones Ambrose Meacham
James Meacham
John Meacham
James Nooney
Israel Pease
Israel Pease, Jr.
Phineas Perkins
Heman Prior
Thomas Root
Joseph Talcott
Henry Vadrakin John Ward
GLASTONBURY Elias Wares
HARTFORD
Charles Gilbert
HEBRON Elijah Bartholomew Oliver Bates
Asa Brown
Daniel Chapman
John Ford
James Dickson John Dickson
Elkanah Jones
Malachi Loveland
David Mack
Elisha Mack
Bissell Phelps
Benjamin Stewart
Amos Strong
NEW HAVEN William Coleman
NEW MILFORD Myles Washburn
PRESTON
Asa Benjamin Salah Benjamin
Ezra Herrick
Moses Herrick
SIMSBURY
Daniel Alderman Aaron Goddard Edward Little
SOMERS
Bildad Kibbey Benjamin Phelps
Gideon Russell
Ephraim Sheldon
Eliakim Wardwell
Thomas Wood
STAFFORD
Jeremiah Rider Benjamin Thomas
VOLUNTOWN John Rhoads
WATERBURY Elias Sanford
391
ORIGIN OF SETTLERS
WINDSOR AND EAST WINDSOR
Zechariah Field
Timothy Allen
Timothy McElwain
Israel Bissell
Ithamar Pelton
Justus Bissell
Obadiah Phelps
Robert Bissell
John Pinney
Ephraim Booth
John Taylor
Simeon Booth
John Thompson
Elijah Churchill
Alexander Vining
Cyrus Cone
Elam Vining
John Damon
Elkanah Vining
Benjamin Eggleston
Bigot Eggleston
WOODSTOCK
Jonathan Ely
Isaac H. Streator
NEW YORK TOWN FROM WHICH SETTLERS CAME
SALEM Stephen Wood
SETTLERS WHOSE ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN
Thomas Arms
William May
Joseph Brown
Nathan Parkhurst
John Burgess
Christopher Reed
Joseph Butler
Thomas Swain
John Carter
John Tuttle
Benjamin Chapman
John Wheeler
Elijah Herrick
Artemas Wood
Elisha Herrick
Simeon Wood
Joseph Herrick
James Woods
SUMMARY OF TABLE I
TOWNS FROM WHICH EARLY SETTLERS CAME
MASSACHUSETTS TOWNS PERSONS
Agawam
1
Leicester 2
Amherst
1
Lenox
1
Becket
5
Montgomery
1
Blandford 6
Newton 3
Boston 1
Northboro 2
Braintree
2
Norwich 1
Brookfield
Oakham
1
Chester 10
Palmer
2
Dedham
1
Partridgefield 1
Deerfield
1
Savoy 2
Granville
1
Southampton 1
Holliston
.
2 Southwick 3
392
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
MASSACHUSETTS TOWNS PERSONS
CONNECTICUT TOWNS
PERSONS
Spencer
7
New Haven
1
Springfield
1
New Milford
1
Tyringham
1
Preston
4
Westfield
5
Simsbury
3
West Springfield
1
Somers
6
Wilbraham
5
Stafford
2
Williamsburg
3
Voluntown 1
Worcester
B
Waterbury
1
Worthington
5
Yarmouth
3
Woodstock
1
33 Towns
87
20 Towns 114
CONNECTICUT TOWNS
PERSONS
Ashford
2
Bolton
5
Colchester
9
Coventry
2
SUMMARY
Massachusetts
.34 towns . . 87
East Haddam
16
Connecticut
20 towns
114
Enfield
19
New York
1 towns 1
Glastonbury
1
Unknown
18
Hartford
1
Hebron
16
Total
55
220
TABLE II
RATE AT WHICH FAMILIES CAME TO MIDDLEFIELD AND THEIR PERMANENCE
NUMBER OF FAMILIES COMING FROM MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTICUT N. Y. UNKNOWN
YEARS OF
COMING
Prm.
Tran.
Totl.
Prm.
Tran.
Totl.
Tran.
Prm.
Tran.
Totl.
GRAND
TOTAL
Before
1775
1
5
6
2
4
6
1775-79
0
6
6
S
4
12
0
1
1
19
1780-84
3
9
12
16
27
43
0
2
1
1
31
1790-94
6
15
21
6
15
21
1
0
7
7
50
1795-99
1
S
12
2
11
13
0
3
3
28
1800-10
6
10
16
1
2
B
1
3
4
23
Total
25
62
87
44
70
114
1
1
17
18
220
Prm .- Permanent
Tran .- Transient
Totl .- Total
57
1785-89
9
14
9
7
16
Windsor and E. Windsor
NEW YORK TOWNS
Salem
PERSONS 1
Danbury
1
12
393
ORIGIN OF SETTLERS
TABLE III RATE AT WHICH FAMILIES MOVED AWAY FROM MIDDLEFIELD
Destination
BEFORE 1790
1790-1799
1800-1809
1810-1819
1820-1829
1830-1839
AFTER 1840
TOTAL
Massachusetts
20
9
18
30
20
27
51
175
Vermont
4
1
3
1
9
Connecticut
1
1
2
3
2
3
12
New York
3
6
19
13
9
7
10
67
Pennsylvania
3
1
4
Ohio
16
15
2
8
5
46
Other States
5
2
2
9
18
Destination Unknown ..
12
41
39
26
36
34
30
218
Total
40
58
95
91
75
81
109
549
The above table is a compilation of men who left Middlefield during the first half century of the town's history. Men who were heads of households, or were of age when they moved away are included. This enumeration includes natives of the town as well as those who came from outside, previous to the year 1840.
TABLE IV GROWTH OF VILLAGES IN MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP NO. OF FAMILIES IN VILLAGES Fact.
Families
DATE
Center
Village
" Switch"
Total
Total Percent in in Mid. Villages
1790
2
2
0
4
101
4
1800
3
5
0
S
149
5
1810
4
3
0
7
134
5
1820
S
6
0
14
123
11
1830
7
9
0
16
122
12
1840
S
11
2%
21
116
19
1850
10
31
11
52
139
37
1860
11
57
17
85
163
51
1870
15
39
21
75
147
51
1880
15
38
15
68
130
52
1890
12
19
17
48
106
45
1920
5
5
3
13
43
30
394
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
The figures for the years up to and including 1810 show the town to have been a region of scattered farms previous to 1820. The Center began to grow by 1820 but was not in its prime until 1850-60. Factory Village had its boom period 1850-60. The "Switch" began in 1840 and was at its best in 1870. The mark * under 1840 indicates 1,031 persons of foreign extraction build- ing the Western Railroad, and living in the region of the "Switch" and Mt. Gobble. They were counted as separate from the regular population. Smith Hollow has not been listed as a village though this community had dreams of importance in the days of soapstone quarrying. From one family in 1800 it grew to six or more by 1840. What was really the first beginning of a village was the hamlet in the Pease District, of which Taylor's and Blossom's Tavern was the nucleus.
1000
POPULATION OF MIDDLEFIELD
1800
- -
-
LABORERS ON WESTERN RY.
RESIDENT INHABITANTS
1400
1200
1000
-
300
-
-
600
400
200/
0
E.C.S.
YEARS
17 80
17 90
18:00
10/10
18/20 18 30
18 40
18 50
18 60
18 70 19 80 18 90 19 00 19 10
19 20
NOLLvindos
APPENDIX G
GROWTH AND DECLINE OF POPULATION IN MIDDLEFIELD
S O FAR as we know the territory now comprising the town- ship of Middlefield contained no settled inhabitants up to 1768. In the next year the Taggarts settled in Prescott's Grant, and by 1775 there were probably a dozen families on the plateau to the east, numbering about sixty souls. In 1781-82 the petition for incorporation stated that "more than fifty families were then dwelling in the region. There were fifty- eights signers to that document. The first Federal Census, 1790, enumerated 608 residents, and a decade later the population reached its maximum of 877. This excludes the abnormal figures for 1840 when the normal resident population of the township was swelled to 1,717 by the presence, temporarily, of over one thousand persons of foreign birth who were engaged as laborers in building the Western Railway. With this exception, the population of Middlefield maintained a nearly constant average of about 720 souls during the fifty years from 1820 to 1870. But during the half-century which has elapsed since 1870, the popu- lation of Middlefield has declined at a more or less rapid rate, averaging about nine persons a year during that period.
The Federal and State Census figures are given below.
1790
608
1800
877
1810
822
1820
755
1830
720
1840
1717 (686)
1850
737
1855
677
1860
748
1865
727
1870
728
1875
603
396
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
1880
648
1885
513
1890
455
1895
386
1900
410
1905
399
1910
354
1915
325
1920
280
APPENDIX H
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts Archives. Massachusetts Acts and Resolves. History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. History of Western Massachusetts-J. G. HOLLAND. Berkshire Historical Society, Vols. I and II. Indian Deeds-H. H. WRIGIIT.
Proprietors' Records of Becket, Mass. Proprietors' Records of Greenock, Mass.
Expansion of New England-L. K. MATHEWS. History of Township No. 9-A. M. COPELAND. Town Records of Middlefield, Mass.
Town Records of Becket, Mass. History of Pittsfield-J. E. A. SMITH. Register of Deeds, Springfield, Northampton and Pittsfield, Mass. Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 18. History of Vermont-COLLINS. History of Vermont-THOMPSON. The Old New York Frontier-HALSEY.
Social and Economic History of New England-WEEDEN. Scotch-Irish in New England-A. L. PERRY. Scotch-Irish in America-C. A. HANNA. The Frontier in American History-F. J. TURNER.
History of Enfield, Conn .- ALLEN. History of Ancient Windsor, Conn .- STILES. Mack and other Genealogies. U. S. Census Records.
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution. Connecticut Soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Pension Records, Washington, D. C. History of Worthington, Mass .- RICE. The Loyalists of Massachusetts-J. H. STARK.
The Loyaltists American-SABINE. The Estate of John Chandler-A. M. DAVIS. Town Records, Chester, Mass. Town Records, Worthington, Mass. Town Records, Peru, Mass. Middlefield Centennial Historical Sketch-E. P. SMITII. Court of General Sessions Records, Northampton, Mass.
398
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
Federal Constitution in Massachusetts-HARDING.
History of Shays's Insurrection-G. R. MINOT. Life of Gen. John Patterson.
History of Northampton, Mass .- J. L. TRUMBULL. History of Springfield, Mass,-M. A. GREEN.
Connecticut in Transition-F. J. PURCELL.
History of Presbyterianism in New England-ALEX BLAIKIE
Rural Economy in New England-PERCY W. BIDWELL.
History of Montague, Mass .- E. P. PRESSEY.
Customs and Fashions in Old New England-ALICE M. EARLE. Old Taverns and Turnpikes of Blandford, Mass .- S. G. WOOD. Ledgers of Oliver Blush. Rise of the New West-F. J. TURNER.
Wool Trade in the United States-J. T. SHAW.
Readings in Economic History-BOGERT AND THOMPSON.
Economic History of the United States-COMAN. Wool-growing and the Tariff-C. W. WRIGHT.
A Statistical View of Massachusetts, 1813 .- R. DICKINSON.
Massachusetts Soldiers in the War of 1812.
The Baptist Church in Middlefield, Mass .- G. B. SMITHI. Semi-centennial, Windham, Ohio. History of Windham County, Conn. History of Geauga Co., Ohio.
Revolutionary Soldiers of Lake County, Ohio.
Statistical View of Number of Sheep in United States-BENTON AND BARRY. U. S. Post Office Dept. Records.
Records of Congregational Church, Middlefield, Mass.
Records of Baptist Church, Middlefield, Mass.
History of Berkshire County-BEERS.
Lecture on Railroads-WM. JACKSON.
Turnpikes of New England-F. J. WOOD.
History of Berkshire County, Mass .- D. D. FIELD. History of Connecticut-CLARK.
Itineraries-EZRA STILES.
Revolutionary New England-JAMES T. ADAMS. Wars Between England and America-THEODORE CLARKE SMITHI. Graham's Magazine-1844.
A Chart and Description of the Boston and Worcester, and Western Rail- roads-WILLIAM GUILD.
APPENDIX I
NOTES AND GENEALOGIES OF PIONEER FAMILIES
I N PREPARING this section of the Appendix to the history of Middlefield, the authors have had in view several ob- jectives. In the first place they have endeavored to trace each family to the town from which it emigrated to Middlefield, and if possible, to discover its lineage back to its emigrant ancestor. In the second place they have aimed to present some- thing concerning the members of the family, how and where they lived in town, what public service they rendered and what social and religious connections they made, as well as the bare vital statistics. They have further tried to find at least the names of the places to which the family or its members moved upon leaving town, so that anyone interested in tracing family con- nections might be assisted in gaining further data elsewhere.
It has been the authors' desire not to duplicate to any extent information already in print in existing histories and gene- alogies, but to supplement them with information dealing par- ticularly with the doings of the family while in Middlefield, data which is sadly lacking in many genealogies. Many references to genealogies and local histories have been made where further information may be found.
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