USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > Holyoke daily transcript > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
Hampden ale is a prime, old English style ale. This ale is pleasing the public to such an extent that it is said to be growing faster in sales than any other ale in New England.
The Highland products are pure, standard brews which have long enjoyed the public confidence.
The pohey of the Springheld Breweries Co. is to put on the market just as good and pure beers as money and experience can produce. The wisdom of this policy is attested by the company's present commanding position in the brewing industry.
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
BY GEORGE H. ALLYN
JORN DELANEY.
one thons. nd fert long. with stone abutments at each end. Over two million feet of Imber were used, mainly hem- lock, floateil down the river from Vermont and New Hampshire 'The sides of the dam were large timbers, forty feet or more long The front was perpendicular and the crest was protected wnh strips of hoiler iron, six to eight feet long The overfall proj cted twelve feet beyond the crest. Across the full length of the dam was a foot- bridge, three feer wule, intended for inspecting the dam.
On November 16. 1848, at irn minmes of to a. m., the gates were opened and the water shri off from the bed of the river below the dam, leaving it day save for little pools in hollows of the rock, where stramled hish congregated. Crowds viewed the spectacle.
About noon a small sport of water was noticed at the base of the dam, and then the water hegan to ooze through the masonry at the west end. Three veteran boarmen with others mamed a flatbont and tried to stop the lenks, Imt at 320 n. m. the water poured through so that they hastened for the shore, which they had barely reached when the dam gave way with a roar, said to have been heard in Granby ; bnt those Granbyites always told big stories any- way, and the habit continues to the present day. The water swept uver Mam street. Somh Hadley Falls, and drowned a horse tied to a post, reaching the inor of the L'Amoreanx terracr.
J. K Mills, The Somh Hadley Falls agent, kept the telegraph line tu Boston imunning, giving the height to which the water hal risen, bin a 3.30 he telegraphed the historic message. "Dam gune to hell by way oi Will- mansett."
Umlisconrageil, a new dam was Inult and completed on October 22, 1849, which soud the test, costing $150,000.
Already the mills, afterward known as the Lyman and Hadley Mills, were started by Charles MacChallan of Chic- opec, the lladley Mills bring designed for machine shops. The Glasgow Company hinl also been organized across the river, and Mr. MacClallan started hilling their mills in 1849. The Hailley cottages were also started m 1848, and the "Cataract llonse" opened as a hotel.
The Lyman Mills started manufacturing April 23, 1850. The Lyman Mills corporation was not organized till 1853 or 1834, but two mills were operated before that date, and a third, built in 1873, and still others only a few years ago. Seven briek blocks, comprising two hundred and five tene- ments, were built for the company. the first agent of the company was succeeded by Jones S. Davis, who remained from 1853 to 1871, built the hotel at Ingleside, afterwards destroyed by fire, was during this period Holyoke's greatest benefactor, and universally known as "Agent" Davis.
The building of the two dams and the mills and tenements, of course, attracted hundreds of workmen, and the prospect of mill employment many others, so that m March 14, 1850, the town was organized with its present bunndaries and about 2,500 people
The selectmen for 1831 were Fayette Smith and Hervey Chapin, the latter's resi- deuce still standing at the corner of North- ampton street and Chapin avenue.
The Hadley Falls Company seem to have figured Holyoke for a "cotton town." and the call for help went forth among the New England boys and girls, but the sun- ply was insufficient. Members of families. w hose husbands and fathers had worked on the dams and canals, entered the mills, anıl many omne from Ireland and Canada.
The father of Joseph, John and G. J. Prew was for some years employed by the Lyman Mills to bring workers from Can- ada, making the journey in hig teams.
In 1853 the Parsons Paper Comp.m was organized by J. C. Parsons, and the first paper mills built on the river hank near the ilam the same year. More prople came in.
'The Hadley Falls bank had heen or- gtnized in 1851, with a capital of $10,000. "The first high school had been opened in t$52 with Stephen Ilulman as princm !. The Second Congregational Church had "started in" nhont 1848, holling services in the schoolhouse, then located near the Ly- man Mills, and Inter in the brick school- honsc, and in Exchange Hall, on High sircet. The first business block, the Gal. landet-Terry block, had been huilt in 1849 m the corner of High and Lyman streets, and the Exchange block a year or two later. Rev. Mr. Pierce was the first pistor aml the church at the corner of High and Dwight streets was completed m 1833, andi used till Decem- ber, 1884.
The Second Baptist Church had been organized in 1849, and held services in Gallimdet-Terry's hall, later ia Chapin Hall, at the foot of Dwight street, and their new church south of the Holyoke Water Power company's office was completed in 1839
The Methodist Church was also organ- ized m 1833, but didn't build their erlitice at the corner of Main and Appleton streets till 1869.
Lester Newell seems to have been the first attorney, having been admitted to the bar in 1845, and later holding the office of trial justice. C. H. Branscombe was admit . ted in 1849, and W B C. Pearsons in 1830, and a few years later Porter Underwood and Moses Chapin.
A fire department was organizedl soon after Holyoke hecame a town, and Robert J. Marsh was the first chief. Later on R P. Crafts, Lawyer Pearsons and other men of note served, and 'tis said that one time when "Bob" Marsh wanted a re-election, but knew he was slated for defem, he so- licited the members to elect him on pledge of resigning at once, but forgot it the mo- ment the votes were counted. The next year he was not a candidate for re-election.
A photograph of Holyoke, seemingly taken by F. W. Haskins about 1853, shows the territory from High street east to the present Hotel Hamilton with nothing in- tervening but the first level canal.
Depot ilill shows for the most part deeply wooiled, bring then mainly the Sam Ely farm.
The late Charles B. Prescott told the writer that about 1858 there was quite a demand for coons for coon suppers. A boy named Moffat, whose father kept a drug store, came to his comrades with a sponge and a bottle of alcohol, sveured from the parental store, and the brilliant idea of capturing a mud turtle, boring two holes in his shell, running a cord
with sponge saturated in alcohol between the two orifices, placme the reptile at the mouth of a wood- chuck's hole, setting fire to the alcohol, and, as the blazing tortoise crawled in, the unhappy woodchuck, thinking he wns infernally "sent for." would sally forth into a bag held widle for his entrance. As the boys climbed over Uncle Sam Ely's fence somewhere at the corner of West and Ely street, the old man sighted them and yelled: "Come back here, yon cotton tops," but upon explaining their plan he became interested and gave them carte blanche. Several woollchucks were captured, killed, skinned, and sold for coons, antt at one time, said Mr. Prescott, "we had as innch as five dollars in the treasury."
The first Catholic service is said to have been held by Father Bartholomew O'Connor in the open air, beneath a tree, somewhere in the vicinity of Lyman aml Front streets. Later priests from Chicopee conducted services un- til the advent of Father John O'Callaghan, the first parish priest, the late of whose settlement is placed by some as 1854 tindl hy others as 1856. In any event he started the Imiltling nf at. Jerome's Church in 1856, having, as he said, "raised ten thousand dollars irom friends throughout the valley, melding quite a number of Protestame."
Father O'Callaghan mmst have been an able man, as works written by him are still in print. He hecame in- volved in a controverse with the Rev. Mr. Walker, pastor of the Second Congregationa! Church, and is said to have mare them hell rp ms end of it He did not beheve in hired pew s:tings, heldig that all shonll have the oppor- ttmity to worship wnhont prec, aml should contribme 10 the full measure of their ability St. Jerome's Church was fimshed #hont 1830-60, aml Father O'Callaghan died at a period nearly comcident with n, being succeeded by Father Sullivan, who was succeerleil, in 1866, hr the Rev P. J. Harkins, who had a record-breaking term of pastoral service.
As the present Elm street school (formerly the Ingh school) was not built till 1862, the high school from 1×32 10 1862 was carried on in varions locuhons. the first, like that of some of the churches, heing in the Gallaudet-Ferry hluck. still stamling at the corner of High and Lyman streets From this. previous to 1860, was graduated Wil- liam S. Louis, Thomas W. Mann, and possibly severni others ser living
Mr. Loomis relates that at one time a reckless piece of mischief was done withont therr being a single che to the identity of the scholars perpetrating it. But the principal unhesit.ningh called forward six hoys (including W S.) and five of the six were the guilty culprits.
"Jis said that she Manchester Grounds ilerived its name
S B. Attyx
THE HOLYOKE MILLS OF THE
AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY
In these mills are manufactured many of the well known brands of Sewing Cotton that are now and have been for many years placed upon the market by the American Thread Company, including those particu- larly well known, such as the "MERRICK," "HADLEY," "ALEX. KING," "BARSTOW," "WARREN" and others. .
MILLS NO, 2 AND 3
ULOGU LLLLL JLL
MILL NO. 5
MILLS NO. 1 AND 4
The goods manufactured at Holyoke represents all characters of Sewing Cotton Suitable for both Manufacturing and Do- mestic uses, and is put up in many qualities, each of which in its class is the standard of the market.
The American Thread Company's Holyoke products are manufactured com- pletely from the raw cotton, and there is extraordinary care used in the purchase of the raw material in order to insure the best, and as for the machinery installation, it is of the most efficient character procurable. .
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
GEORGE H. ALLYN
DR. C. O. CARPENTER.
about this time from a mimuber of men from Manchester. N. H., who bought a tract of land on Taylor and Hampden streets, and erected ten houses, but the writer cannot vouch for this.
The carly Irish settlers included many who had worked on the dams and canals, and whose ancestors had been crushed under the weight of poverty ensuing from merciless governmental rule. Most of them, uneducated and poor, without skilled trade, they displayed magnificent fortitude in settling in a foreign and prejudiced country . with no resources but those of their own thews and sinews. Other races might possibly have endured as much hard- ship and privations as did the early Irish people, both in their native and adopted countries, but hardly any other could have retained the same cheerful patience, the rich, merry humor, the strong family affection and sterling honesty. The early Irish settlers took things as they found them, resolving in their hearts that some day when the little town should be a bustling city their children, and their children's children should stand among the foremost, their peers in education, ability and worldly possessions. And Holyoke knows how well these resolutions were kept.
The Hadley Falls bank was established in 1851, and became the Hadley Falls National bank in 1865. Mr. H. P. Terry, as a relic, has the first $5 bill issued. He was chosen cashier in 1864, serving forty years. The Holyoke Savings bank was established in February, 1855, with a strong list of incorporators.
The North Chestnut street school must have been built abont 1849, for organization of the "Fire District" was held there in December, 1850, and was the leading grammar school till the Appleton street building was built, in about 1868, though many other intermediate schools are mentioned by the older residents.
About 1855 the inferiority of South Hadley Falls be- gan to be manifest, and James F. Allyn removed his ment inarket from there to the Gallandet block,
At tlus period or a little later, A. & S. B. Allyn, L. & W. Perkins, and J. F. Allyn (afterward associated with J. F. Sullivan) did the meat business of the town. The marketmen butchered their own beef, and the monthly payment system with passbooks was in vogue.
J. R. Ball states that in 1850 a slaughter-house stood just cast of Northampton street, in the dingle, south of where Beech street intersects it, but the first slaughter- house recalled by J. F. Sullivan was the one near the pres- ent corner of Beech and Appleton streets. Levi Perkins was a diamond in the rough, and it is related that one evening "Priest" Miller and "Priest" Walker (as the Con- gregational ministers of that day were styled) entered
Levi's market and stood near the door. Levi kept on waiting on customers for some minutes, but finally stepped to the money drawer, took ont two ten-dollar bills, handed one to each of the preachers, remarking: "There, d-n it, 1 know what you want," and turned again to his bench and block.
Samuel B. Allyn was a very close cat- tle buyer, and at one time made an offer for a number of steers to Harry Will of Granby, a foeman worthy of his steel. "Do you make that as a standing offer, Mr. Al- lyn?" queried Colonel Harry anxiously. "Why, yes." "Well, then I guess we'll let i stand."
The business portion of the town started with the building of the Gallaudet- Terry block in 1849, quickly followed by the Exchange block (which was for years the cream of the business buildings) ; then came the Holyoke House block, on Dwight and Main streets, the Chapin block, Main and Race streets; the Fuller block on the east side of High street, corner of Oliver street ; the W. L. Martin block, northeast corner of High and Hampden streets; the Hutchins block (twice burned and rebuilt). where the Stiles block now stands; the A. & S. B. Allyn blocks, at the corner of High and Dwight streets, where the Realty Trust building now stands; the Madison Chapin block, later known as the old Ball block; the Colby-Carter block, where the Caesar Misch store now is ; the Samosett House on Maple street; the Loomis block, north of where T. J. Carmody now is; the Shaker block, built nearly opposite the North Chest- nut street school in 1836 by a Society of Shakers, but owned by Daniel O'Connell for nearly fifty years, this last being a tenement block and mentioned only from the peculiarity of the nomenclature.
Some of the merchants listed in the early 50's were Snow & Doubleday (in the rear of whose store the original Holyoke Savings bank was located), Mitehell & Pieree, clothiers and tailors ; E. W. Loomis, books and confec- tionery : J. E. Morrill, druggist ; D. P. Ludington, the Exchange Drug Store; R. B. Johnson, dry goods; W. L. Martin, coal dealer; S. H. Walker, photographer; H. Hutchins and Mrs. H. Hutchins, N. W. Quint; H. Orvis, furniture, and R. P. Crafts, general grocery store, later Crafts & Fraser.
On Dwight and Main streets were J. E. Moffat, drnggist ; Flagg Bros., drug- gists; George A, Brown, stoves; E. J. Tur- ner, shoes; Ansel Cain, jewelry; John R. Baker, general variety, On Hampden street, nenr High street, was Mrs. William Orrell, milliner. And let us not forget Dr. Thomas B. Shepard, who kept a drug store in the wooden ten-footers still stand- ing at the corner of High and Hampden, though first, we think, located elsewhere. Dr. Shepard, though a worthy soul, and a college graduate, was not quite "up to smnff" mentally, and the young scapegraces of those days used to put np all sorts of jobs on hun. A dozen of them would sne- cessively enter the store and call for some article which they well knew he hadn't in stock, causing the worthy druggist to load up with it, only to find that not a soul wanted it. Then they would bny some art- icle necessitating Mr. Shepard's getting up to a high shelf, and "swipe" his cigars when his back was turned. It is really piti- ful to recall that the good man was event- nally reduced to bill posting, but it is to his credit that he preferred honest work tu professional idleness.
H. Wheeler seems to have been the only dentist for many years, and was very popular. George Brown is remembered for the exorbitant plunthing bills he used to send out, but when the indignant customer came in saging Brown would look over the bill and fly into so terrible a passion
with his bookkeeper that the customer would be more than appeased. "Why, what in blazes do you mean by charging this man for eleven pounds of solder? It shoukin't be but three. Cut out that solder item entirely." And the customer would go out mollified, with the most exorbitant items in his bill unehanged.
Water in those days and, in fact, till 1873, was sup- plied from a big reservoir in the square bounded by High, Fountain, Maple and Lyman streets, with a capacity of three million gallons. This was pumped from the river, and the Manchester Grounds were supplied till 1873 from n spring northwest of W. B. Wakelin's residence, the title being, as we recall it, the Mt. Tom Aqueduct Company.
Many of the Irish people settled in cheap primitive habitations above the river bank from Prospect street, southeasterly, and the various locations were known as the "Patch," "Black Patch," and "Black Shanties."
Maple street, from Hampden street north to Lyman street, was the "tony" street from 1850 to 1865. John De- laney is said to be the first Irish citizen to reside in the charmed circle, locating on the east side, about one hundred and fifty feet.
Robert G. Marsh and Jones S. Davis were the big men of the town, though Mr. Davis' fame and dignity ex- tended to a much later day than that of Mr. Marsh.
11 1833 L. A. Taber bought a lot on Dwight street, just above Linden, and built a stone house, and several brick cottages were built nearly opposite on a little avenue called Whiting avenue, possibly from W. B. Whiting, who occupied one of them. In 1857 the selectmien were author- ized by the county commissioners to lay out a road from the Chester Crafts' tavern to L. A. Taber's house on Dwight street. This road was the present West Dwight street. Several houses were also built on Hampden street. In this vicinity the section came to be known as Ewing- ville from George C. Ewing, who had owned most of the land west of Linden street to Northampton street as far north as the south line of Beacon avenue.
Dr. Pierce, Dr. Long, and Dr. N. B. Chase were physi- cians of this period, the Lawson Long residence still stand- ing on Northampton street, adjoining the Charles E. Mack- intosh place. Dr. Long was famous for his vapor baths, a most infernal contrivance by which the unfortunate was stripped, wrapped in blankets, placed over a kiln of hot stones on which were thrown vinegar and other medicinal liquids, the vapor arising slowly roasting the martyr until all inflammation and his heart and soul also were nearly eliminated. The writer must admit, however, believing that this treatment saved his life when suffering from pnemnonia at the tender age of four years in 1866, and trusts that the fact will not blacken his memory.
OSCAR ELY.
C.E.RU
TOOLS
FARMA-
REPOSITORY
AM. J. LAPORTE
Hansom Cab and Rockaway Riding Lessons Hacks for Parties Weddings and Funerals Touring Car Taxi Cab The Finest Saddle Horses in the City Furniture and Piano Moving Carpets Cleaned
M. J. LAPORTE 2 SUFFOLK ST. HACK AND LIVERY STABLE Telephone Connection
LEDGERS
SELLING AGENTS FOR COUPON BOND
WRITINGS
WHY NOT?
ON YOUR NEXT ORDER REQUIRING THE USE OF GOOD PAPER USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
COMMONWEALTH BOND
FALCON BOND
COUNTY BOND
SPANISH BOND
PLYMOUTH LEDGER WINTHROP MILLS PLYMOUTH OXFORD MILLS
MONARCH LINEN LEDGER
PLYMOUTH PAPER COMPANY
Holyoke, Massachusetts
LINENS
WRITE TODAY FOR SAMPLES AND PRICES
BONDS
TRADE
MARK
18GS
EEEEFREEF
EEEEFEFF
FER
SEEL
.
THE THREE GREAT MILLS -OF THE-
When You Think of Writing Think of Whiting
WHITING PAPER COMPANY
HERE ARE MANUFACTURED THE FAMOUS
WHITING PAPERS
FOR FINE CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL BUSINESS USES, THAT FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY HAVE MAINTAINED A REPUTA. TION FOR BEING "AMERICA'S BEST "
C
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
BY GEORGE H. ALLYN
Thomas 11 Wellington kept a livery stahly un Maple street, till about the early God's, and was also stepaty sheriff
This pic of 1817 struyk Holyoke right between the Ives Banks and business honeys went to smash all over the sunntry and the Halley Falls Company went down with the ernwil. Bin the town, founded on a hasis of hard work and hustle, was game In 1850 the Hylinke Water Power Company with strong financial basking, took over the Haffey Falls Company's hohhing>, mchuhng the dam. i amals atremty hunih, the twu cotton mulls, and the "Big Shop." as the Hadley Thread was then valled The milr- twist and wrope nf the Water Power Company, backed hy a large anummmmm ni Connectent capital, was far hinte um1. urehensive than the Hailles Falls Company's nles us bull- nig up a "cutum vits "
The Water Power Company planmmel for varied m. Inaries andl a brantifnl eis of homes, and its infinence m developing Holyuke un hroad Imes can hardly be over- Aimaitml. The portion of the city controlled by them was the must admirably planned for residence, busi- It's and manufacturing sites, with reserve plaevs for possible park and school siles A more exten- sive canal system was built and & mill power cqual to eighty-mine horse powers was leased for an annual rental of two hundred and sixty ounces of silver, or ahont $300 in currency.
Of paramount importance also was the com- nany's liberal policy with enterprising and sterling manufacturers who sought to establish themselves here. Financial assistance was freely given m many instances, and thy two greatest of our local industries today, the Skinner and Farr manufac- lories, would hardly have located here in the carly ī0's, but for the wise and generuns assist- ance of the Water Power Company.
Soon after its organization the company sold the Hadley mill to John C Whitin, who success- fully conducted it as a machine shop till 1863.
Under the new regime Holyoke made good progress. When the war broke om a number of business blocks had been ervetes, and the town was commencing to feel its outs.
The hostilities were a severe blow to the cnt- ton industry, the Lyman Mills selling off their stock of cotton at a high price, and shutting down uperations. This was such a setback that J. F. Sullivan relates that his employer, James F. Allyn, leased a store is the Fuller block for an anmmal rental of Ston a year "so long as the Ly- man Mills remained idly." As a matter of fact the mills afterwards bought cotton at an even higher price than they had sold theirs and started again. But the shutdown was a serious thing. especially for the French people, who had come down from Canada iv considerable iwinthers un thy prospect isf steady work, and who already were showing the thrift that has made them an important factor in Holyoke's progress. They had already begun to pre-empt a corner of the town near the dam, and in the 80's a dead line was estalslished between the Irish and French boys, the crossing of which meant a scrap in about four seconds, The writer will not attempt to geographically locate this line at this day, but a French boy could ascertam it very easily in the lite 50's and early 00's.
W'e are also informed (not by either of the partivi- pants) that a Homeric combat was also fought between William S Loomis, champion of the "Yanks," and one Endden, champion of the Irish youth, but after a rough and tumble lasting about an hour, victory stubbornly re- Ensed to perch upon the banner of either, and it was unan- iwously declared an indecisive contest.
William Whiting in his youth was also quite an athlete and iwept wy hoxing, getting instructions from a little "English Irishman" waived Burke, and it is said that "Big l'om" Shechan was about the only boxer able to hold his own with the futhry mayor and congressman.
Evy days and poverty came upon Juminie Burke in after years, mw his former pupil is said to have sven to it that he did not suffer.
The ohl Northmspton street village still remained largely as a section, having its own post office at Crafts' Tavern till ahout 1870, as the writer's memory serves hins. The Premiss wire business was first initiated by Gyorgy W Prentiss in a siwall mill owned by the Parsons Paper Company in 1857. Latvr the Water Power Company
bình hnm a null, but the present plain was not hunl ull 1869, The newspaper- nu In the Civil war pering had been the Mampfen Freeman, later the Holyoke Freeman, and later the Holyuke Weekly Mirror.
Holynke, accorimg in the authorities compleil, fnr- wished ahom ione hundred sohhers during the war. John H. Clifford was captam of Company I, of the Temh, and Michael Cleary recalls svemg Ium draw up his command before the North Chestnut street school. The Tenth and Forty-sixth regiments cumninvd the greatest number of Holyokers, Company B of the Forty-sixth comprising mostly llulyokers, while a number enhsted in Company ! of the Temh. Many were enhsted also m the Twenty-first. Twenty seventh, Thirty first, Thurn-fourth, Thirteenth Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. First Massachusetts Cas- alry, amil other regiments. Cimsulerable fun has been pokeil at the Forty-sixth, because its term ni service was but mme months, and because i saw few battles. It has been saul that the only man killed m Company B was nevilentally slint, ele Bni thy iavi remains that imi mory thatritic, 11- telligent and conragvons regsvient w ... proh hly entisicil
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.