USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Whately > History of the town of Whately, Mass., including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield, 1660-1871 : with family genealogies > Part 14
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The town voted not to send a representative to the General Court, till 1783, when John Smith was chosen at the regular meeting-but afterwards the vote was reconsidered.
SHAYS' REBELLION .- It is not within the scope of this work to narrate in detail the events of this rebellion. The town records are nearly silent on the subject ; and the more public records are taken up with the acts of those who were prominent in the cause. It is known that several of our people sympathized with the movement ; and a few took an active part in it. Na- thaniel Coleman, Jolm Taylor, Capt. Shattuck, and a Capt. Brown are often mentioned, as " Shays' men." Probably a part of those who were " warned out of town " in 1791, were of this class, and the town took this method to show its displeasure at their course.
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One of our citizens, Jacob Walker, was killed in a skirmish. After the insurgents had been driven out of Hampshire County, Gen. Shepard, who was posted at Northfield, sent a small de- tachment, Feb. 16, 1787, to Bernardston, for the purpose of arresting Capt. Jason Parmenter, a leader of the rebels. Walker was one of Shepard's soldiers, and was in this detachment. Par- menter, in company with two adherents, was overtaken in the easterly part of Bernardston. The sleighs of the respective par- ties met, unexpectedly, when Parmenter hailed the other, and receiving no answer, ordered his men to fire. Their priming proved to be wet, and missed. At that instant, Parmenter and Walker raised their guns, took deliberate aim, and fired simul- taneously. Walker fell, mortally wounded, and died in the course of the day. Parmenter escaped ; but was afterwards captured, tried, and sentenced to be executed. Walker was buried in Hatfield, and on his tombstone is this inscription : " To the Memory of Mr. JJacob Walker, who, respected by the brave, beloved by his country's friends, dear to his relatives, -while manfully defending the laws and liberties of the Commonwealth, nobly fell by the impious hand of treason, on the 17th of Feb'y, 1787, in the thirty-second year of his age."
In the accounts of the commissary department, the town of Whately is credited with supplies furnished the State troops : - June, 1787, sixty-six pounds beef ; seventy-six pounds pork ; ninety-seven pounds bread ; one bushel peas. Gad Smith is credited for supplies furnished the expedition to Worcester in May, £2 17s. 11d. ; for supplies furnished in June, £1 12s. 8d. Mr. Smith is also credited with thirty-one and five-eighths gallons New England rum ; thirty-two and one-half gallons ; and thirty-six and one-fourth gallons, delivered at different dates. Josiah Allis is credited with forty-five pounds beef.
THE WAR OF 1812 .- This war was unpopular with the majority of the people in the western part of the State. Public sentiment in this town was about equally divided, though a ma- jority was on the side of the opposition.
To secure concert of action, steps were taken, soon after the declaration of war, by the towns of the three river counties hav- ing Federal majorities, to hold a convention at Northampton.
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Delegates from fifty-seven towns met there JJuly 14, 1812. Phineas Frary was sent from Whately.
The convention recommended the appointment of county and town committees of safety and correspondence ; the calling of a State convention to be composed of four delegates from each county ; and adopted a memorial to the President of the United States, and a set of twenty-one resolutions, setting forth in explicit terms the views of the members and their constituency. The fact is recited that the basis of the federal Union, was the common interest of all, and that that Union is endangered by sectional and partial legislation. The government is charged with deviating from the course pursued by Washington in his intercourse with foreign nations ; with sacrificing vital interests ; with aggravating the wrongs received from Great Britain, and palliating those committed by France ; with declaring an unjust and unnecessary war in opposition to the opinions and interests of a vast majority of the commercial states. It is denied that Congress has power to call out the militia, except "to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel inva- sions."
The Governor of Massachusetts, Caleb Strong, was in full sympathy with the views expressed by this convention ; and declined to order out the State troops on a requisition from the war department. The grave questions involved in this conflict between the State and the federal authorities, and their bearing on the party politics of the day, need not be recited here. As a consequence of Governor Strong's position, the United States troops were withdrawn from Massachusetts, and the entire coast was left exposed to hostile invasion. In this emergency, carly in the fall of 1814, the Governor called out the chartered com- panies, and made a requisition for troops to be drafted from the State militia.
In answer to this call, the Whately Rifle Greens, under com- mand of Capt. Amos Pratt, marched Sept. 15, 1814, for a three months' campaign. They were stationed, most of the time, "on the South Boston shore opposite Fort Independence," and were attached to the battalion in command of Maj. William Ward, of Worthington. The company was discharged Oct. 28.
V
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Muster Roll of the Whately Rifle Greens.
Amos Pratt, Capt. ; Asa Parker, Licut. ; Plyna Graves, Ensign ; Jonathan C. Loomis, Sergt. ; Perez Graves, Sergt. ; Martin Woods, Sergt. ; Simcon Reed, Drum'r; Sylvester Mor- ton, fifer ; Sam'l Bartlett, bugler, (absent in Penn.), Arnold Morton, Rowland Graves, Edward Phelps, Justus Starks, Jona. Wood, Joseph Belden, Justus Graves, John Graves, John Mun- son, Luther Warner, Michael Smith, Reuben Graves, Jr., Wil- lard Starks, Robert Smith, Chester Smith, Horace Smith, Wil- liam Loomis, Erastus Hubbard, Charles Graves, Otis Taylor, Theophilus Bodman, Phineas Nash, Jona. A. Gillett, Roswell Train, Henry Hannum, Spencer Hannum, Amasa Wade, Jr., Quartus Ingram, Jona. S. Adams, Sylvester Morton, John Dixon, John Stearns, Samuel Sanderson, Calvin Morton, Oliver Graves.
As the muster rolls of the Massachusetts troops engaged in this war are at Washington, and are inaccessible, it is impossible to furnish a complete official list of soldiers, and their terms of service. From the memory of one of the survivors, it appears that four of the Whately militia were out for a time, viz : Elihu Harvey, Thomas Crafts, Daniel McCoy, Isaac Marsh. Thomas Crafts and Eurotas Dickinson were drafted at the same time, but only one of them was required to serve. Neither wanted to go : and after a friendly discussion it was agreed to decide the matter by " drawing cuts." The lot fell to Mr. Crafts.
THE REBELLION OF 1861-1865 .- Of the interest taken by Whately in this struggle, perhaps it is sufficient to say, that the town promptly filled her quota, under each and every call for troops. The number that enlisted under the call for nine months' men was twenty-eight ; the number of enlisted men and recruits, under the various calls for three years' men was seven- ty-five ; reducing the nine months' service to its equivalent in three years' service, the total number of three years' men credited to Whately is eighty-two.
The men who enlisted during the first year of the war appear to have received no bounties. Those that went out in 1862 on the nine months' service received each $100 as bounty money,
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.and the town paid $100, or $125, to most of the volunteers after this date. The total sum paid by the town for enlisted men and recruits, under all the calls, was $12, 100.
As the whole business of enlistment and drafting was under the exclusive control of the United States Provost Marshal, the State archives furnish no data by which the quota of the towns under the several calls can be ascertained. And as during the last years of the war, recruits were obtained without regard to residence, and by sharp competition, it often happens that men are wrongly credited ; hence the difficulty in getting reliable statistics.
The list of soldiers, here given, is made up from the minutes kept by the selectmen of the town, and from the records collected by the Adjutant General of the State. It is believed to be substantially correct.
Nine Months' Men from Whately who served in the 52d Reg. Infantry, M. V. M. Companies D, G, HI and I, were mustered in Oct. 11, 1862, and discharged Aug. 14, 1863.
Name.
Age.
Date of Enlistment. Company.
Charles M. Elder,
24
Aug. 27, 1862 D
Charles A. Macomber,
19
66 G
Chester G. Crafts, Corp.,
31
Sept. 8, 1862 D
66 D
Edwin M. Belden, 1st Serg't,
31
D
Henry C. Belden,
24
66
D
James A. Crump, Post Stew'd,
43
I
Stephen R. Harvey,
37
66
D
Edward E. Smith,
24
D
William F. Rhoads,
37
D
Bela K. Crafts,
20
D
Asa A. Smith, Serg't,
29
Sept., 1862 D
Sumner W. Crafts,
21
D
William D. Adams,
29
66
I
Josiah II. Potter,
22
I
Charles B. Newton,
18
66
D
Ira N. Guillow,
20
66
I
Jolm N. Miner,
23
D)
Albert S. Fox,
25
Elbridge G. Smith,
22
66
D
Sammuel S. Smith,
39
66
D
Lorenzo Z. Payne,*
19
Luther Crafts,
30
.
* Died, Baton Rouge, La., Jan. 20, 1863.
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Name.
Age. Date of Enlistment. Company.
William A. Pearson,
24 Sept. 17, 1862 1
Joseph L. Longly,
38 muster'd Oct. 11, 1862 D
Henry Lyman,* 27 D
George M. Crafts, Corp.,
27 H
Francis G. Bardwell,
20
I
John Brown, aged 42, enlisted Sept., 1862, in Co. HI. Eighth Reg't Inf.
Three Years' Men who served in Co. C. 27th Reg. Inf. M. V. 1
Irving B. Crafts, 18, enl. Sept. 24, '61, dis. Mar. 31, '63, sickness.
Wm. McCoy, 30, enl. Ang. 23, '61, dis. May 30, '63, sickness.
Arthur A. Wait, 20, enl. Mar. 15, '62, d. Portsmouth, N. C., Jan. 27, '63.
Bartholomew O'Connell, 19, enl. Sept. 18, '61, prom. to 1st Serg't June 12, '63, discharged to re-enlist, Dec. 23, '63.
Bartholomew O'Connell, 21, re-enl. Dee. 24, '63, killed, Kingston, N. C., Mar. S, '65.
Patrick Murphy, 30, enl. Sept. 24, '61, dis. Aug. 30, '63, disability.
Patrick Murphy, 32, re-enl. Dec. 1, '63, died, Andersonville, Ga., Mar. 16, '65.
Andrew M. Wetherell, 22, enl. Sept. 24, '61, d. Andersonville, Ga.
Three Years' Men who served in the 21st Reg. Inf. M. V.
Charles R. Crafts, 21, enl. Aug. 23, '61, in Company G, discharged Jan. 1, '64, expiration of service.
Charles R. Crafts, 24, re-enl. Jan. 2, '64, in Company G, discharged Aug. 12, '64, disability.
James L. Wait, 21, enl. Mar. 12, '62, in Co. I, deserted.
John Huxley, 24, enl. Mar. 3, '62, in Co. I, dis. Mar. 15, '64.
John Iluxley, 26, re-enl. Mar. 15, '64, in Co. I, transf. to 36th Reg., transf. to 56th Reg., dis. July 12, '65, exp. of service. David Amell, 18, enl. Mar. 7, '62, in Co. F, d. Aug. 23, '62. James Lyndon, 19, enl. Feb. 26, '61, in Co. I, transf. to 36th Reg., transf. to 56th Reg., dis. July 12, '65, exp. of service.
Three Years' Men who served in the 37th Reg. Inf. M. V.
Chauncey Wait, 33, enl. July 21, '62, Co. F, died of wounds, Wilderness, Va., June 27, '64.
Charles S. Bardwell, Serg't. 26, enl. July 22, '62, Co. F, prom. 2d Lieut. June 20, '63; 1st Lieut. May 15, '64; acting Capt. Sept. '64, died at Winchester, W. Va., Oct. 6, '61, of wounds received in battle Sept. 19.
* Died, Baton Rouge, La., May 2, 1863.
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Stephen G. Stearns, 21, enl. July 22, '62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, exp. of service.
Nehemiah J. Tilden, 42, enl. July 22, '62, Co K, died at White Oak Swamp, Va., Dec. 28, 62.
Henry Amell, 23, enl. JJuly 22, '62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, expiration of service.
Luther G. Stearns, 28, enl. July 22, '62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, exp. of service.
Samuel E. Sanderson, 18, enl. July 22, 62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, exp. of service.
Ernest A. Allis, 19, enl. July 22, '62, Co. F, dis. Mar. 10, '63, sickness. John F. Pease, 21, enl. July 21, '62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, expiration of service.
Edgar W. Field, 18, enl. JJuly 21, '62, Co. F, died Andersonville, Aug. 15, '64.
Edward C. Sanderson, 24, enl. July 21, '62, Co. F, dis. June 9, '65.
Orange Bardwell, 19, enl. July 23, '62, Co. F, killed, battle of the Wil- derness, Va., May 6, '64.
Austin A. Wait, 19, enl. July 23, '62, Co. F, dis. June 21, '65, expiration of service.
Frederick A. Farley, Serg't, 30, enl. Aug. 1, '62, Co. F, prom. 2d Lieut. May 21, '65, dis. July 1, '65.
Robert Brown, 18, enl. Nov. 10, '63, Co. F, transf. to 20th Reg. Inf., June 21, 'G5, dis. July 28, '65.
Charles II. Walker, 18, mustered Nov. 23, '63, Co. II, dis. May 2, '65, disability.
Henry M. Wood, 20, mustered Oct. 9, '64, unassigned, dis. Aug. 28, '65, exp. of service.
Three Years' Men who served in the 10th Reg. Inf. M. V.
William A. P. Foster, 24, enl. Aug. 17, '61, Co. C. transf. to 37th Reg., dis. Aug. 31, '64; exp. of service.
Dwight Morton, 33, enl. July 13, '63, Co. C.
Frank D. Bardwell, 20, enl. Aug. 28, '62, Co. II., dis. July 1, '64, exp. of service. Ilad arm shattered in first day's fight in the Wilderness, Virginia.
Three Years' Men who served in the 17th Reg. Inf. M. V.
Henry R. Sanderson, 21, enl. April 11, '62, Co. G, dis. Sept. 5, '62, disability.
Win. T. Parks, Serg't, 26, mustered Nov. 17, '64, Co. D, dis. July 22, '65.
Three Years' Men who served as indicated.
Sylvester R. Walker, 10, enl. Nov. 20, '61, Co. C, 31st Reg. Inf., dis. Aug. 31, '63, disability.
166
IIenry R. Sanderson, Corp. re-enl. Feb. 18, '61, Co. C, 57th Reg. Inf. dis. Dec. 3, '64, disability.
Henry D. Smith, 21, enl. Aug. 8, '62, Co. G, 1st Mass. Cavalry, dis. Oct. 31, '64, exp. of service.
William A. Pearson, enl. Nov. 12, '63, Co. C, 1st Mass. Heavy Art., transf. to Navy, April 28, '64.
Foster Meekins, Serg't, 31, enl. Jan. 22, '62, Co. F, 34th Reg. Inf., dis. June 16, '65, exp. of service.
Dwight L. Dickinson, 19, eul. July 31, '62, Co. G, 34th Reg. Inf., dis. June 16, '65, exp. of service.
Alonzo J. Hale, 26, enl. Jan. 4, '64, 5th Battery Light Art., dis. June 12, '65, exp. of service.
Samuel S. Smith, 40, re-enl. June 25, '64, Co. E, 57th Reg. Inf. dis. July 30, '65, exp. of service.
John Brown, 43, re-enl. Jan. 25, '64, Co. E, 57th Reg. Inf., died, Ander- sonville, Ga., Oct. 12, '64.
Franklin E. Weston, 21, enl. Nov. 22, '61, Co. B. 31st Reg. Inf., dis. Nov. 22, '64, exp. of service.
William R. Wait, 24, enl. Jan. 5, '64, Co. B, 32d Reg. Inf., killed, Peters- burg, Va., June 18, '64.
Three Years' Men, Recruits credited to Whately, whose place of Birth and Residence are unknown.
James Barrett, 38, enl. July 21, '64, 28th Reg. Inf. M. V.
66 Alfred Micollete, 21,
William Whiting, 21, enl. Oct. 8, '64, Co. B, 55th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. Aug. 29, '65, exp. of service.
John Doherty, 42, enl. Jan. 12, '64, Co. E, 56th Reg. Inf., M. V., died at Boston, Feb. 10, '64.
James Anderson, 21, enl. Feb. 25, '64, Co. K, 56th Reg. Inf., M. V., dis. Sept. 4, '65, disability.
Charles W. Ellis, 19, enl. Feb. 25, '61, Co. K, 56th Reg. Inf. M. V. dis. June 16, '65.
Jacob Nelson, 24, enl. Feb. 25, '64, Co. K, 56th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. June 15, '65.
William Tassell, 24, enl. Feb. 25, '64, Co. K, 56th. Reg. Inf. M. V., deserted April 20, '64.
Joseph Perro, 23, enl. Feb. 10, '64, Co. I, 57th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. July 30, '65, exp. of service.
John Ryan, 28, enl. Nov. 30, '64, Co. D. 24th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. Jan. 20, '66, exp. of service.
- David Sheilds, 18, enl. June 3, '64, Co. I. 19th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. June 30, '65, exp. of service.
James Prince, 19, enl. June 30, '64, Co. G, 20th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. June 12, '65.
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Thomas Doody, 20, enl. June 30, '64, Co. I, 20th Reg. Inf. M. V., died of wounds, Oct. 1, '61.
Lewis Bushey, 20, enl. July 13, '64, Co. K. 20th Reg. Inf. M. V., dis. July 28, '65, exp. of service.
Charles Williams, 25, enl. Oct. 31, '61, 15th Battery Lt. Art , deserted Jan. 1, '65.
Charles Toomey, 31, enl. Aug. 26, '64, Co. B, 2d Reg. Heavy Art., dis. June 26, '65, exp. of service.
George Shannon, 19, enl. Dec. 30, '63, Co. D, 2d Reg. Cavalry, deserted Feb. 23, '65.
Julius Schneider, 23, enl. Jan. 2, '61, 2d Reg. Cavalry.
Anton Braun, 33, enl. Feb. 19, '64, 3d Reg. Cavalry, deserted May, '64.
Richard F. Stanton, 25, enl. Jan. 29, '64, Co. B. 5th Reg. Cavalry, dis. Oct. 31, '65, exp. of service.
John Stewart, 26, enl. Jan. 29, '61. Co. B, 5th Reg. Cavalry, deserted May 20, 61.
Frank Strothers, 24, enl. Feb. 24, 61, Co. F. 5th Reg. Cavalry, dis. Oct. 31, 65, exp. of service.
Robert Robinson, 25, enl. Oct. 20, '64, 5th Reg. Cavalry.
John Choiswell, 41, enl. Oct. 25, 64, Veteran Reserve Corps.
James B. Kennedy 20, enl. Oct. 31, 64, " 66 Charles Robinson, 20, enl. Oct. 21, '64, " 66
Thomas MeDonald, 22, enl. June 14, '64, 22d Reg. Inf. M. V.
Names of Whately Men who were in service as indicated. Most of them enlisted from other States, but they deserve a place in our Annuals.
Moses W. Jewett, enl. for three years, Ang. 20, '61, in Co. B, 6th Conn. Vol., transf., Feb. 22, '63, to Co. D, Ist U. S. Art. ; re-enl. for three years, Feb. 4, '64: dis. Feb. 4, '67, exp. of service. Was in twenty- five engagements, beginning at Hilton Head, S. C., and ending, April 9, '65, with the surrender of Gen. Lee.
Henry A. Brown, serg't, 24, enl. for three years from Northampton, June 21, 61, in Co. C, 10th Mass. Reg. Inf., prom. 2d Lieut. Sept. 29, '62.
Frederick R. Brown, 30, enl. for three years from Boston, Nov. 3, '63, in Co. G, 12th Mass. Reg Inf. ; died, Culpepper, Va., JJan. 17, '64. Francis C. Brown, enl. from Rockford, Winnebago Co. Ill., in Co. G, 74th Ill. Reg. Inf.
James E. Brown, enl. in Co. C, 93d Reg. Ohio Inf. ; served three years. Was taken prisoner : eseaped ; was re-taken, and held eighteen months at Andersonville, Ga., and Florence.
Henry A. Dickinson, 21, enl. for nine months from Hatfield, Oct. 11, '62, in Co. K, 52d Reg. Mass. Inf., d. Baton Rouge, La., Mar. 22, '63.
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Oscar F. Doane, 23, enl. for two years, May 21, '61, from Gaines, N. Y., Co. II, 27th Reg. N. Y. Vols. ; dis. May 31, '62; re-enl. for three years, Dec. 14, '63, Co. C, 8th Reg. N. Y. Heavy Art., killed on the picket line in front of Petersburg, Va., Nov. 22, '64.
Lucius Allis, 21, enl. for three years, Feb. 23, '65, from Marlborough, in Co. C, 31st Reg. Mass Inf., died, Mobile, Ala., June 23, 65. Dwight W. Bardwell, 21, enl. for three years from Deerfield, Oct. 8, '63, Co. F, 2d Reg. Mass. Il. Art., died, Dec. 7, '64, Newbern, N. C.
Wells Clark, 18, enl. for three years from Hatfield, Dec. 26, '61, in Co. G, 31st Reg. Inf. M. V. ; re-enl. Feb. 17, '64, died of wounds, May 23, '64, New Orleans, La.
Alvah S. Frary, 18, enl. '62, died, July 23, '63, at Vicksburg.
CHAPTER XII.
LOCAL INDUSTRIES.
THE Whately settlers found an ally in the small stream of water known as West Brook, which has done its full share in promoting the earlier as well as the later prosperity of the town. It runs about three and one-half miles in our territory ; and fur- nishes not less than sixteen good privileges, having an average of seventeen feet fall. Few streams in the State, of equal volume and length, will compare with this in power and feasibility of use. Having its rise in numerous springs among the higher hills, and fed by a succession of springs through nearly its whole course, it is not readily affected by drought. And though from the steepness of the slopes which form the water-shed on either side, it is liable to sudden overflows from thawing snow, and heavy showers, yet the regular descent quickly carries off the surplus, and prevents accumulation.
Beginning up stream, the following is a list of the different privileges, and the date when each was first occupied. Probably the list is substantially complete ; though it is not attempted to specify all the changes of ownership, and different kinds of busi- ness carried on. The numbers prefixed are arbitrary, and are used for the sake of convenient reference.
No. 1. A saw-mill was built by Dexter Morton, near the house of Rufus Wait, about the year 1830.
No. 2. About 1822, Reuben Jenney put in a trip hammer, and carried on iron works, in connection with his blacksmith shop.
No. 3. Elihu Harvey and Sons have occupied this privilege for a variety of purposes, as a husk-mill, wood-turning, the mak- ing of cutlery, garden rakes, etc.
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No. 4. Thomas Nash built a woolen mill, near the north-west schoolhouse, about 1836.
No. 5. Perhaps this was first occupied by Jonathan Wait, as early as 1811, for a cloth-dressing mill. James Cutter had a trip hammer here in 1818. Austin Allis had a wagon shop in 1822. In 1823, Capt. Seth Bardwell bought it, and carried on cloth-dressing till 1829, when he commenced the manufacture of cloth by power-looms, starting with four looms. He sold to the Messrs. Nash in 1833. It is now owned by Sumner Smith, and used as a jobbing shop.
No. 6. A saw-mill was erected here by Lient. Edward Brown, about 1765. In 1791 or '92, he sold to Lieut. Noah Bardwell, Asa Sanderson, and Moses Munson, who appear to have been joint owners. Mr. Munson made chaise-springs, cheese-presses, wooden vises, etc., but the sawing of lumber was the main busi- ness. It is now owned by Rufus Sanderson and Son.
No. 7. Moses Munson built a grist-mill here as early as 1784. He sold to Dea. James Smith before 1806, who continued the grist-mill till 1830, when it was transformed into a gimlet fac- tory. The value of gimlets manufactured in 1837 was returned at $11,125. It is now used as a planing-mill and jobbing shop by Justin R. Smith.
No. 8. Capt. Amos Pratt built a clothier's shop here before 1800, which was afterwards moved up to No. 5. The privilege is not now used.
No. 9. Luther Warner established auger works here ; and the privilege passed into the hands of Morton and White, and has been used for spinning woolen yarns, making hosiery, etc. It is now owned by H. L. James.
No. 10. In 1833, Capt. Seth Bardwell, in connection with Levi Bush, Jr. and David Wells, built a woolen mill on this privilege. It had one set, i. e. ten looms. This mill was burnt in 1839. In 1849 Capt. Bardwell re-built the mill, and fur- nished it with two sets of machinery. It is now owned by H. .L. James.
No. 11. An oil mill was erected on this site as early as 1780, by Lieut. Noah Bardwell. Perhaps it was used for this purpose till 1805, when a machine for dressing flax by water power was put in. Some iron casting has been done here. A new build-
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ing on or near this spot, is now owned by Capt. Bardwell, which is used for the manufacture of fine cut tobacco.
No. 12. Hiram Smith first occupied this privilege, where he set up a lathe, and afterwards had a husk mill. It is now a grist mill, owned by Harvey Moor & Co.
No. 13. This is the best privilege on the Brook, having a fall of about forty feet. Saw and grist mills were erected here by Reuben or Samuel Belding, of Hatfield, as early as 1767 or '68. In 1771 they were owned by Reuben Belding ; and at his death in '76, passed into the hands of Samuel. In 1792 or '93, the site was bought by a company, at the head of which was Col. Josiah Allis. The enterprise failed. In 1794, the following vote of the town is recorded : "That in their opinion, the spot where Caleb Allis's mill now stands, will best accommodate the town." It may refer to this site. As early as 1798, Isaac Frary owned the mills. They have since been owned by Dea. David Saunders, and Foster Y. Warner. Are now owned by the Wells Brothers.
No. 14. The Wells Brothers' grist mill. The amount of busi- ness done by this firm, at the two privileges, in meal, feed and flour is very considerable. The return for 1865 was : bushels of grain ground, 21,000; value, $30,500.
No. 15. This site has had a great number of owners, and been devoted to a great variety of uses. Hannum and Taylor had a shop here for cloth-dressing, and carding wool, in 1810. E. Fairman carried on the same business from 1820 to 1826. Cowan's factory, on this site, is named in the town records, 1830. A comb factory, owned by Josiah Allis and R. B. Harwood, was in operation here in 1832. It is now owned and occupied by Justin Wait for wood turning, and a general jobbing-shop.
No. 16. This is known as the saw-mill privilege. Samuel Belding had a saw-mill on the Hatfield side. On the Whately side, there were iron-works at an early date; and may have been a fulling mill before 1800. In 1813, Stephen Orcutt had a pottery just below, and drew water for grinding the clay from the pond, through underground pipes.
The town records mention, but do not locate, Isaac Frary's bark mill, 1808; William Wing's fulling mill, 1808; Orentt's carding mill, 1813.
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HOPEWELL BROOK. - The only valuable privilege on this brook, is near the river road, where Joshua Beldin put in a saw mill. It was started in a rude way in 1797 or '98; but the frame of the mill was not raised till Feb. 7, 1800. In 1850, Charles D. Stockbridge started here a manufactory of paste blacking, the value of which was returned in 1855 at $10,000. It is now used by Elihu Belden for the preparation of colors. for fresco-painting.
ROARING BROOK .- As heretofore stated, saw and grist mills were built on this stream by Adonijah Taylor, about 1763 or '64. The farm, including the several privileges, was bought by Thomas Sanderson, Esq., who moved here in 1803; and the site has been held by the family since that date. A mill for carding wool and dressing cloth was built by Mr. Sanderson, just below where the present mills are; and was in use by his son Eli, as late as 1820.
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