USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Whately > History of the town of Whately, Mass., including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield, 1661-1899 : with family genealogies > Part 26
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recollect as late as about 1830 to '35, Eph, Dave and Cyrus. They used to work for the farmers by the month or otherways.
Beach island is located east of the Barnard farm and is a barren spot in Great swamp. It is related of a man named Tryon that he lived there in a shanty for sometime to escape arrest. Swamp hill is on the east side of Mill river lying mostly on the farms of Jonathan W. and Wells Dickinson and the Scott brothers, Frank O. and Lewis.
Staddle hill is northwest from George E. Sanderson's, on the road to Conway, this side of Long pond woods. Indian hill ; this name has long attached to this hill. Here Adonijah Taylor built his house, a gristmill and sawmill, which is now owned by George E. Sanderson.
The widow Waite's woods are west of Ambrose Scott's place and south of "old fields." A place much frequented by partridges and squirrels. The name Widow Waite's woods is de- rived from the widow of John Waite, son of Benjamin, the Indian scout. Capt. Salmon White married her daughter, Mary Waite. The mother, after the death of her husband, lived some years with Capt. White and wife, and she died 18 Aug., 1791, aged ninety-nine years. She owned this lot and the name still clings to that portion covered with wood. I think it is on lot No. 66, fourth division of Commons.
Weller hill is west of Asa and Noah Dickinson's places. It takes its name from its first owner, Richard Weller. The Park is the hill east of the Easter road to Conway and is mostly in a pasture owned by the Scott brothers. It extends into the northwest corner of the Doctor Harwood farm.
Mount Esther, or Easter as it is generally called, is the range of hill or hills lying north of Irving Allis' place. This eminence was called Easter from some woman who had a dairy and sugarhouse camp or ranch. Her name was spelled Esther, but that was pronounced Easter in those early days. Such dairy houses were frequently established where an abundance of good grazing lands were found, and as much of the sugar used was home made so Hatfield people went to the sugar trees and boiled the sap, and this hill has always been a famous place for grazing and for maple sugar making.
Bull hill commences north of the residence of George Dick- inson and extends north into the Doctor Harwood farm, now owned by W. P. Crafts. Spruce hill is a fertile and excellent tract of land extending nearly or quite to the West brook.
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Stony hill; this long range of hills west of Chestnut Plain street about a mile and a half, full of stones and ledges, is wholly unfit for cultivation and kept mostly for wood. Over the west side there are pastures. The hill extends from opposite the old meeting-house to the West brook, back of Round knoll and Round hill. Chestnut mountain; this is a remarkably fer- tile elevation, and the West brook seems to have worn a channel through between Stony hill and the mountain. This seems ap- parent to the most careless observer.
Round hill, so called from its singular form, is east of the lower end of Stony hill and rises some 200 feet above its eastern base. Round knoll, just north of Round hill, is similar in its configuration to Round hill, but not so high into probably fifty or seventy-five feet. This last is about west from the Luke B. White place. Going west from Chestnut mountain is Shingle hill, which lies south of Paul W. Field's, extending into Wil- liamsburg. On this hill Nathan Waite and his son, Jeremiah, lived in 1782; after them Benjamin, a son of Jeremiah, then Gilbert Smith and his son, Harwood Smith. Now the house is torn down and the road discontinued.
Hog mountain lies west of Willis F. Waite's house and C. E. Bardwell's, and south to Grass hill. This hill was thus named from a party of hunters from Hatfield ; while on this hill they were frightened by hearing some sounds that they mistook for the guttural sounds of Indians; they fled hastily to Hatfield. The alarm was given and a squad of men fully armed started to investigate. They carefully went to where the hunters had first heard what they had thought proceeded from Indians, and they soon found that the ominous sounds came from an old sow while suckling her pigs. From this circumstance this eminence has since borne the euphonious name of Hog mountain.
Grass hill is south and west of Hog mountain. It has a fertile soil and at one time had quite a number of houses. It is now principally used for pasturage. In my opinion the best soil adapted to apples and other fruit growing of any portion of the town.
The Pinnacle; a high hill or summit north of Grass hill and south of what is known as New Connecticut, which extends most up to the John Starks or Caleb Beals place, on the old Williamsburg road, and west of Samuel Sanderson's place.
Dry hill, running north from the old John Starks place into Conway, where first lived Jonathan and Amasa Edson and after
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them Orange and Chester Bardwell. The name was given in consequence of its being overrun by fire, destroying the wood.
Poplar hill is that hill extending north from the Baptist meet- ing-house, past the Chester Brown place and on northerly into Conway. It is east of the West brook and west of Easter ; an excellent fruit growing section. The road takes its name from this hill.
Pleasant hill, where George Dickinson now resides. This place affords one of the finest views of the Connecticut River Valley, embracing many towns east of the river. Coon's Den, west of Irving Allis' house, a rough, rugged, ledgy locality filled with loose rocks, affording a cover for wild animals; for- merly a great place for coons, wild-cats and other animals to escape pursuit, and reach a place of refuge. Gutter hill, near the center cemetery, has reference only to the roadway.
Dr. Dickinson's hill ; this is the hill west of Christian Lane bridge over Mill river as you go to the centre. The Doctor lived on the Calvin S. Loomis place several years before 1800. Chestnut Plain hill has sometimes been called an unsavory name in consequence of the great number of geese that were pastured on its wide plats of grass. It seemed in my younger days pretty sharp work to avoid their droppings. Mill hill, as you rise from Chestnut Plain road to the mill near E. C. Warner's.
Great Swamp Bridge hill, on Claverack road as you go north from the Gad Crafts place, just beyond the Egypt road, has been graded so the ascent is slight. Trumbul's hill is the knoll south of the Stephen Belden place and north of the Gilbert place. It has often been said that a man by the name of Trumbul was killed here by the Indians.
Burying Ground hill, near the east cemetery. This is the ascent from the meadows up Hopewell hill to the Straits, and only refers to the road. White's hill, where Capt Salmon White settled. Alpha Dickinson hill, only a reference to the Chestnut Plain road as you go south toward Schoolhouse brook, from where Ashley G. Dickinson lives. 1
Old Boy hill, a rise in the Grass hill road thirty rods or so west of where Luther Thompson's house stood. Hopewell hill is the hill that rises from the meadows to the second level. It extends the entire width of the town, and it rises about fifty feet on an average.
Egypt is that portion of the Egypt road from about twenty-
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five rods east of the Connecticut River railroad and continues across the wet land to the point where the Mother George road leaves it. There was for many years a heavy growth of hem- lock and pine trees that grew along both sides of the roadway, and near it the overhanging branches shut out the light, so that at night it was as dark as Egypt. Hence the name.
Christian Lane proper is understood to refer only to the houses east of the Lane bridge to the houses of Moses and Levi Graves, now owned by Fred L. and L. F. Graves, while it is sometimes alluded to as the Lane road from Bartlett's corner to the railroad station. While west of the station to the crossing of the Northampton extension has always been spoken of as the causeway. This was corduroyed before 1788, as my mother has often told of riding over it in an ox cart when the family re- moved to Christian Lane. Why it should be designated "Chris- tian" I don't know for certain, but presume from the fact that Deacon Simeon Waite, the earliest settler, was a 'stanch old- school Christian, whose mouth was always giving pious exhor- tations even while he dealt out liquor by the jug full or con- cocted the beverage of the times, "phlipp," to his ungodly cus- tomers.
Straits. This is a portion of the Deerfield road contained between Bartlett's corners south to and including the houses of Josiah Gilbert and Benjamin Bacon. The reason of its name, "The Straits," is supposed to be that it was a strip of land that was dry, making a fine roadway between the wet lands both east and west of it, Hopewell proper and Great Swamp. This last until drained was very wet. For a long time it was the most populous portion of the town, being the traveled route to the north, and had at one time two quite large stores and three hotels.
Canterbury was so called as early as 1718 and probably earlier, but I can give no reason for its name. It is now spoken of as including the S. W. Allis place to the Deerfield line.
Claverack probably takes its name from some fancied re- semblance to Claverack, N. Y. It is level, free from stone and airly fertile. In the time of the Revolutionary war we had a . squad of Whately men located at Claverack, N. Y.
Dead Meadow is a portion of land west of the road to South Deerfield and south of the John Waite farm house on that road. Its peculiarity that gives it the name is that it has no wood growing upon it, but to the extent of some acres is covered with
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a coarse sedge that has sometimes been mowed for bedding for the stables; while all about it is a heavy growth of wood. This has been its condition from the earliest tradition.
CHAPTER XVI.
PHYSICIANS OF WHATELY.
As I look upon the subject I am inclined to think that a good doctor is of more importance than a full fledged minister, even though he is dubbed a Doctor of Divinity. For many years it has seemed that the man of pills accomplished more than the tinkerer of theology. I suppose this is all according as we view these matters. Those who differ from me and still be- lieve that the claim they have always made that they have a divine call, are certainly entitled to the privilege of thinking as they do. But our kind-hearted, noble physician, who braves heat and cold, rain or snow, day or night, seemingly only desir- ous to relieve suffering ; and perhaps at the dead of night com- pelled to leave his comfortable home and hasten to the bedside of the suffering, and with cheering and hopeful words strives to allay the fears of both patient and surrounding friends. He thus strengthens the courage of the sufferer, and then by the giving of some simple remedy great good results. Such ef- forts tell upon us all; while of the other class, I only wish I could say something of them of a similar nature.
Our first doctor was Perez Chapin. He was with us ten years and left his mark upon our young town. He was con- stant in his efforts to help the cause of independence, as well as to cheer the hearts of the despondent or the sufferings of those who were really suffering from disease. When he came to Whately, in 1778, it was a dark time for the patriots, and his voice was often raised in words of encouragement ; thus he did
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all that he could to help on the good cause. His first child was born in Whately in November, 1778.
Dr. Benjamin Dickinson came from Sunderland in 1787, and bought the Abial Bragg property, the present Calvin S. Loomis place, and remained here until 1804, being quite promi- nent as a physician. He was born about 1740, and was about forty-five years old when he came to Whately. He remained here about seventeen years, so was about sixty-five to sixty-seven years old when he removed to Hudson, N. Y. During his stay in town a Dr. Oliver Norton came in 1788, but left in 1789. Of him I haven't even a tradition, and do not know where he came from or where he went.
Dr. Francis Harwood came in 1794 at the age of thirty-one years. He had married his wife in Belchertown, and two chil- dren were born before they came here. He was a fine talker, of gentlemanly appearance; a smart, well-balanced man. He continued his practice till near the end of his life, 20 May, 1835, aged seventy-two years. He was a Free Mason. His oldest son, Joshua Dickinson Harwood, was educated for the profes- sion and practised with his father. He died in 1820, his habits not being favorable to longevity. .
Dr. Chester Bardwell came to Whately from Hatfield in 1816, and built his house on the corner of Chestnut Plain street and West lane, or Lover's lane. This street was laid after he had built, a couple of years or so. He continued to practice his profession until his death, 14 May, 1864. He was a man that the town took a decided interest in, sending him three times to the House of Representatives, and twice the county made him their senator. He was a noble man.
Dr. Miron Harwood was a son of Dr. Francis. After graduat- ing from his medical schools he commenced practice in his na- tive town, and at once secured a fair practice. His pleasant address, his ability as a surgeon, the tender touch of his hands seeming to have a soothing effect on every one needing surgical assistance, as well as his success as a physician, made him ex- tremely popular. Our two long-life doctors, Harwood and Bard- well, are as yet honored names in our town.
The next doctor was James Hannum. He came from Westfield about the time of Dr. Harwood's decease in 1877. He only stayed a little over a year, and was succeeded by Dr. James D. Seymour, in 1878. He is a son of Dr. Seymour of Greenfield. He has probably had a better preparatory practice
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than any of his predecessors, and aside from his studies and hos- pital practice, has undoubtedly superior natural ability to prac- tice his honored profession. On the whole, Whately is to be congratulated upon having had so many skillful physicians.
BOATING ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
The portion of the boating which we more particularly wish to mention is in relation to those firms who owned the boats that our town was interested in. These were owned by Stockbridge, Culver & Co., and later Stockbridge, Allen & Root. Mr. Stockbridge was of Whately, while Allen and Root were of Greenfield. They owned a large number of boats of a size to carry about fifty tons. These were generally rigged with a mast and carried one sail of a considerable size, and when the wind was southerly they came up the river at a very pleasant rate of speed.
The companies also owned several small steamers with a power sufficient to bring the loaded boats up the river. These steamers were made expressly for towing, with the wheel on the stern. The Ariel Cooley was a stern wheeler, ninety feet long and eighteen feet wide, with two high-pressure engines of twenty horse power each. This enabled the boats to make com - paratively quick trips. When other companies' 'boats offered they often towed them up.
The work of boating usually commenced in the spring as soon as the water was low enough for the steamers to pass under the bridges between Northampton and Hadley, Sunderland and Deerfield. The boats, when I first became acquainted with them, used to load and unload at Belden's ferry. About 1834 a dock or wharf was built directly east of David Stockbridge's new hotel; a great improvement on the landing place at Bel- den's ferry.
My father was engaged in the manufacture of stoneware pottery. The clay came from New Jersey and from Hartford by these river boats, and when two or three boat loads came at a time he would have twelve to fifteen teams at work drawing it to the factory, about three miles away. We usually kept a yoke of oxen to help up the hill, and a boy like myself to drive them, so I write from my own observation.
Prior to the use of the steam tugs the boatmen, when the winds were not favorable, had to resort to what they called a "white ash breeze," meaning white ash poles about two inches
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1
in diameter, nicely turned from the best of timber, with a socket spike at the lower end and a nice head on the upper end for the shoulder ; these were from twelve to twenty feet in length. On each side of the boat was what they called the "wale." This was raised about three and one-half feet above the bottom of the boat, and was a walk some eighteen inches wide; so on the wale of the boat the men walked when poling the boat up the stream. I used to see two men on a side when poling the boat.
They used to bring all the heavy lading from Hartford, landing it where it was most convenient for the merchant or manufacturer, and the return freights were made up of wood, shingles, staves, wooden ware and fine lumber, brooms and other manufactured material, hops, nuts, etc. They were taken on at the landing places, sometimes a boat would take down hundreds of dozens of brooms piled on top of the other heavy freight. In the latter half of the eighteenth century there were large quantities of beef in barrels sent on these river boats for shipment to the West Indies. This industry furnished employ- ment for a good number of men, as the slaughtering and the coopering was all done at the Straits. Gad Smith was the leading spirit in the beef business.
David Stockbridge had charge of all the boating interests in the section above Northampton to Greenfield, or Cheapside ; and I will close this condensed account by giving the brief allusion of my life-long friend, Capt. Tim Dewey. He says: "I have many pleasant remembrances of Mr. Stock- bridge. His table was always well loaded with the best of fare ; and this, with his open, pleasant countenance and relish for a good joke, especially a boatman's joke, was a strong inducement to all of his men to reach Stockbridge wharf in time for meals and, peradventure, to spend the night. He was very accommo- dating to all his customers and would make great sacrifices in order to take along their freight 'by the next boat.' For this purpose the old white horse and gig would spin up and down the valley at a marvelous rate of speed at all times of day or night; and yet while courteous, he was dignified and con- servative, commanding the respect of all." Mr. Stockbridge had an interest in boating and rafting as early as 1800, and per- haps earlier. If he came into possession of his father's interest, and this seems quite probable, he may have been engaged in boating even before his marriage."
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INNKEEPERS, OR ORDINARY KEEPERS.
Public inns for rest and refreshment are as old as civilized society. Some of the earliest laws passed by the Massachusetts Colony relate to this subject, and are here copied : "In 1634, 3 Sept. It is ordered that no person that keeps an ordinary shall take above 6d a ineal for a person, and not above Id for an ale quart of beer out of meal time, under the penalty of ros for every offence, either of diet or beer. Likewise that victualers, or keepers of an ordinary, shall not suffer any tobacco to be taken in their houses, under the penalty of 5s for every offence, to be paid by the victualer, and 12d by the party that takes it." "1635, 4 March. It is ordered that no person whatsoever shall keep a common victualing house, without license from the court, under the penalty of 20s a week." "1638, 6 Sept .. The inn- keepers, or ordinary keepers, shall have liberty to brew the beer which they sell in their houses, or to agree with the brewer as they can."
The first settlers in the valley used great care in the selec- tion of their innkeepers. Men of high character-perhaps the oldest deacon, and only old men were chosen deacons then -- - were licensed to sell wine to persons "in real need." In March, 1678, Samuel Partridge had liberty to sell liquors "to the neigh- bors," "for their helpfulness," first in Hadley, and after 1685, in Hatfield. The county court always held its sessions at the inns; and it not only required good men to be licensed, but it required them to keep good liquors. In 1674, Nathaniel Ely, ordinary keeper at Springfield, was fined. 40s "for not keeping beer that was according to law," made with four bushels of bar- ley malt to the hogshead.
The laws forbidding the sale of strong waters of every kind to the Indians, were strict, and were commonly enforced ; though sometimes the temptation to exchange six quarts of rum for a good beaver skin, or one quart for two fathoms of wampum, was more than a trader could resist. An illicit traffic was carried on with the natives, greatly to their injury and the injury of the whites. And though Indian testimony was not commonly allowed in court, yet in this matter, the General Court in 1666, ordered, that "If any Indian do accuse any person of telling or delivering strong drink unto them, such Indian accusation shall be accounted valid against any such persons accused."
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In 1670 a law was passed enjoining the selectmen of towns to take special care and notice of all and every person, or. persons, that spend their time and estates by drinking and tippling in taverns and alehouses and require him or them to for- bear frequenting such houses or taverns; and if, after such warning, any person be legally convicted of drunkenness and misspending precious time and estate, he shall forfeit 5s for every offence, or sit in the stocks, as the judges shall see meet.
Wine and beer were the liquors first imported from England. Brandy was distilled from the wine; and a strong liquor, called usquebaugh, was made from beer. Barbadoes rum, from the West Indies, came in use as early as 1650. New England rum, made from molasses, was in use about 1700.
TAVERNS IN WHATELY.
The first "baiting place" in town was "Poplar Spring," situated about forty rods north of the Zebina Bartlett place, on the Indian trail. Teamsters in going between Northampton and Deerfield, would take with them the feed for their cattle and lunch for themselves, and stop here for the noon rest and refreshment.
Daniel Morton opened a house of entertainment for the emigrants on their way to settle the districts of Conway, soon after he built, in 1759, and kept a tavern for many years.
John Lamson is named as an innkeeper in 1779. His house stood a little north of where Samuel Lesure now lives. John Crafts succeeded Mr. Lamson, probably in 1788. In 1789 he was taxed on "faculty," or income, 8d. He kept accounts with his regular customers by a chalk score; a long mark was his charge for a mug of flip, a short mark for half a mug.
Samuel Grimes had an inn in connection with his store as early as 1798.
Elijah Allis opened a tavern at the house opposite Reuben Winchell's brick dwelling house, in 1818; he afterwards kept tavern on the corner west of the old meeting-house.
Gad Smith kept a house of entertainment, in connection with his store, in the Straits. He was in business as early as 1779. His faculty tax in 1789 was 4s. A few years later, Joel Waite, known far and near as "Landlord Waite," opened a tavern in the Straits, which was a noted stopping place for stages, when these public conveyances were first started. His faculty tax in 1789 was Is &d.
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David Stockbridge, Jr., bought the David Graves place in the Straits, and opened a tavern, perhaps as early as 1803. He continued in the business here till 1833, when he opened a public house at his new stand, on the river road.
As early as 1794 Joshua Belden opened a tavern at his dwelling house, which was continued by his sons for several years.
In the west part of the town, Lieut. Noah Bardwell kept a tavern at his house on the Poplar hill road. The records show that he was in the business from 1783 to 1799.
Charles Dickinson built and occupied the Oliver Graves place, in Christian lane, as a tavern from 1801 to 1803.
Deacon Simeon Waite built the house where Calvin S. Loomis now lives before or in 1764. This he opened as a hotel and sold spirituous liquors, like Samuel Partridge, to the neigh- bors "For their helpfulness" I suppose; by the mug or half mug, or rum by the quart or gallon. He and his son kept some groceries up to about 1785 or thereabouts.
As Mr. Temple gave the list down to 1821 we will continue it to the present time :
Elijah Allis, 1821 to 1830;
Levi Bush, Jr., 1830 until 1841 ;
Samuel Lesure, about two years ;
Jehiel Barron, who died in 1846 ;
Rufus Mosher, two or three years ;
A Mr. Philips, one year ;
Rufus Smith, perhaps one year ;
Loren Hayden, came in the spring of 1851; removed to South Deerfield 1856 ;
Darius Stone, probably followed Hayden for two years ;
Ralph Childs, I do not know how long, died 12 Dec., 1867 ;
William Baker, for several years ;
John C. Faulkner, two years ;
E. F. Orcutt, several years ;
Martin Aldrich ;
Michael Morrisey ; Edward Lyons ;
Joshua F. King, a couple of years :
Joseph LaChapelle ;
Patrick Morrisey, Jr., 1898 to the present time.
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