USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Lee > Lee : the centennial celebration and centennial history of the town of Lee, Mass. > Part 9
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
walking, with difficulty, as far as "The Hamlin Spring," thence drank his fill, and lying down was no more able to rise. So lie became my uncle's trophy. About the same period, there was got up a great wolf- hunt; every man that owned a gun in the town of Lee, Lenox and Richmond being invited to put in an appearance at a given point in the latter town, for the purpose of surrounding a certain swamp, (per- haps that over which the A. and B. R. R. now passes on an under- ground embankment seventy feet deep,) where several wolves that liad recently made great havoc with the little flocks in the vicinity, had taken shelter. The swamp was duly surrounded and the wolves dislodged, but not taken. The sequel of course was a great wrestling- match, in which, though not a practiced wrestler, my father came off champion. In the primitive days of Lee, the meal consumed by its inhabitants was obtained in this wise (repeatedly by my father, as he used to tell me) : a sack of corn, as large as could be thus trans- ported, was placed across a horse's back, and the horse led by " blazed " trees, down the valley of the Housatonic to a mill in Connec- ticut, (I cannot name the town with certainty,) some thirty miles distant ; whence, after being converted into "breadstuff," it (minus the " toll") was returned in like manner, to the anxious, expectant family.
The Cave in " The Ledge," north-east of your village, may still, for aught I know, be visited as one of the ancient notorieties of Lee. Here my uncle Fenner Foote's wife (Sarah) secreted and fed, for some time, her brother, Peter Wilcox, who was one of the Shays refugees, on whom the Government wished to lay its hands. A brother of his was slain in a rencontre between the two parties, somewhere in the town of Sheffield. I cannot say, without referring to the history of the times, whether lie was not the only man slain in that famous war. One more Foote anecdote, and I will "hush up" on that name. In 1779, my father at the age of sixteen, became a "soldier of the Revo- lution," and served, at two different enrollments, an aggregate of twelve months,-six at Schoharie and six at West Point; at which latter place he was present at the laying of the " great chain " across the Hudson to stop the upward progress of the enemy's ships. There he was personally reviewed by Washington. At the close of his West Point campaign, he returned home on horseback, reaching Lee in the middle of a very dark night. The next morning there was quite a sensation produced in the village by the discovery that during the night a horse had passed over the Housatonic, at the point where the bridge now stands, (near the residence of Alexander Hyde, Esq.,) on a single stringer. The bridge had been taken up for repairs.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
Three stringers had been placed upon the abutments, the second lying on the first, and the third by the side of the latter. On this third stringer, my father had safely ridden over the river, in entire ignorance of his true relations to the watery element beneath him,-certainly a great compliment to the circumspection of his horse. I must say one thing more about the Footes, after all, and that is that my uncle Fenner Foote was also a Revolutionary soldier; that he was in the terribly bloody battle of Stony Point, and accompanied Benedict Arnold in his frightful Winter march to the St. Lawrence. Both David and Fenner Foote reached the age of 94 years.
In early times, the mountains on the east and north-east of Lee were well supplied with deer, and its streams, especially those which drained the Green-water and Goose ponds, were abundantly stocked with trout. I have heard my father say that when a boy he could at any time take as many trout from this " great brook," by an hour's angling as he cared to trudge home with. In my childhood a single specimen was taken from the old "Winegar dam " that weighed five pounds ; and I have myself seen numbers drawn from the same stream that would weigh from one to three pounds.
How changed the physical geography of Lee from what it was seventy-five years ago ! The revolution in the manners and customs of its people has been no less remarkable. In those days, shoes and 'stockings were associated almost wholly with the rigors of Winter- especially so far as the young people were concerned, and nothing was more common than to see well-to-do people wending their way to church on the Sabbath bare-footed. But though one should meet a hundred lads and lasses passing in this condition, he would not fail to receive from each one of them a respectful bow or courtesy.
In dress and equipage there was a primeval simplicity little dreamed of by the present generation. Wool and tow were carded and flax hatcheled, and all of them spun into yarn, on the appropriate wheels, and afterwards woven into cloth by the female members (yes, by the ladies !) of every farm-house, and the cloth often dyed, too, in the domestic dye-tub; and when the fabrics were ready, a tailor, or tai- loress, was called in and employed by the day to furnish the household with the necessary garments for the season. In like manner, the "cordwainer " (shoemaker) was called in, as the cold season approached, to furnish the family with shoes and boots from the hides, which the paterfamilias had taken care to have tanned for that purpose.
As to modes of conveyance, but two were ordinarily employed by the common people ; the horse with a saddle for one rider, and a saddle
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
and pillion for two. A full load, however, commonly consisted of a father in the saddle, a mother on the pillion, and the youngest child in the arms of the latter. The second mode was by means of a one or two-horse lumber wagon, furnished with a substantial splint-bottomed, double arm-chair for the old people, and the requisite number of good, nicely planed soft boards, laid across the sides of the wagon, for the juveniles. Besides these, the two-wheeled shay was to be seen occa- sionally ; and " once upon a time," a cart and oxen made their appear- ance before Dr. Hyde's church door, on a Sabbath morning, and to the unbounded astonishment of all the beholders, was then and there relieved of its load, consisting of a mother and several children, by being unkeyed and " tipped up," as if it was only being delivered of a load of pumpkins, by the ungracious husband and father, who took this mode of punishing his family for the sin of insisting on going to a religious meeting. The name of this " lewd fellow of the baser sort," was Sam Winegar, (Vinegar should have been his name, to correspond with his reputed disposition,) an uncle of the late Zaccheus Winegar, known to most of your present population.
The modes of lighting and warming houses in those early times, (i. e., dwelling-houses, for meeting-houses were not warmed at all,) were very diverse from those of the present day, " tallow-dips " being exclusively used for the former purpose, and large, open "fire-places," (with chimneys almost as large, though not as tall as our factory "'stacks,") capable of receiving at a single firing-up, a fair-sized mod- ern wood-pile, for the latter. Often have I seen these fire-places fed with logs that required two men to handle them; and often have I heard how, in still earlier times, the big beech and birch and maple logs were hauled to the fire-places, in the first "log-houses," by horse- power.
Here, I " guess " I will " haul up." When I penned the first sen- tence in this communication, my simple purpose was to acknowledge the receipt of your very kind letter, and acquaint you with the reasons of my non-appearance at your Centennial ; but my thoughts posted off in the direction which you see they have taken, and I just let them run-" at random," I fear you will be tempted to add.
As to my failure to put in an appearance at your festival, I was, in the first place, in such a state of health, as in the opinion of my family, to render it imprudent for me to leave home ; and in the second place, my water supply having failed, I was engaged, with several men in laying a new water-pipe, a distance of sixty rods-the super- vision of which I could not abandon.
Most sincerely yours, 13
A. FOOTE.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
It is but justice to the Centennial Committee to say, in concluding this account of the celebration, that their labors were indefatigable to make the occasion one of pleasure and profit, and one that would redound to the credit of the town. Great harmony prevailed in all their sessions, which, for six months previous to the Centennial, were held once a fortnight, and the latter part of the time once a week, and sometimes oftener. Neither time, labor or money were spared to ensure success, and in the results they feel amply compensated.
The reception committee, Messrs. W. J. Bartlett, C. H. Sabin and J. W. Bassett, kept a register of the names of the former residents of Lee, and of the husbands, wives and descendants of the same, who returned to the Centennial, with parentage and present place of residence. From this register we compile the following list : Possi- bly some were present whose names failed to be put on the register. The whole number registered was 270, of whom the following is a list. Parentage not given when not of Lee descent.
NAMES. PARENTAGE. J. B. Allen,
PRESENT RESIDENCE.
Allen, Augustus
Allen, Mrs. J. A.
Jones Strickland,
Springfield.
Allen, Mrs. Ann M.
Moses Culver,
Boston.
Ames, Wm. H. Ames, Isabel M.
W. H. Ames,
New York. Stamford, Conn.
Ames, John H.
W. H. Ames,
Ames, Wm. H. 2d.
J. H. Ames,
Stamford, Conn.
Ames, J. H.
J. H. Ames,
Stamford, Conn.
Andrews, J. W.
Marietta, Ohio.
Avery, W. L.
Brooklyn, N. Y. Falls Village.
Baldwin, Wm. C.
Wm. H. Baldwin,
Bancroft, James Bancroft, Minerva
East Hartford. East Hartford. Easton, Pa. Easton, Pa.
Barlow, Elisha H.
Seth Barlow,
Barlow, Mrs. E. H.
Seth Barlow,
Northampton.
Barlow, Annie M.
Barlow, A. H.
Wm. Barlow,
North Adams.
Boston.
New York.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES. Barnes, Edward E. Barnes, Mrs. E. E.
Bartlett, Harry H. Bartlett, Mrs. B. F. Bassett, A. H. Bassett, Mrs. A. H. Bassett, Joseph H.
Bassett, Isaac
Bassett, Mrs. Isaac
Bassett, Wm. W.
Beadle, Mrs. M. R. Y.
Bentley, E. W.
Bidwell, Charlotte
Beardsall, Mrs. B.
Beardsall, Cora
Blake, J. W. Wm. Blake, Enoch Cobb,
Blake, Mrs. J. W.
Blake, Wm. E.
J. W. Blake,
Black, Geo. N.
William Black,
Birge, Mrs.
Rufus Hewitt.
Birge, Mr. Birge, Miss
Birge, Miss
Bond, Wm. B.
Bond, Mrs. W. B.
Boss, Mrs. C. D.
Bradley, Mrs. H. D.
Elisha Dodge,
Bradley, Cornelia
Bradley, Chauncy B. Geo. T. Bradley, Wm. Bradley,
Bradley, William
Buckley, J. C.
Geo. C. Buckley,
Buckley, G. L.
Geo. C. Buckley,
Burt, G. W.
· Burt, Mrs. G. W.
Geo. H. Phelps,
Burt, Sarah V.
G. W. Burt,
Burt, Harry P. G. W. Burt,
Burt, Mary A.
G. W. Burt,
Brook, William Brook, Mrs. Wm.
Carey, Mrs. Lucy G. Silas Garfield, Chamberlin, Franklin Joseph Chamberlin,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Great Barrington. Great Barrington. Norwalk, Conn. Lenox. Pittsfield.
Pittsfield.
Stockbridge.
Stockbridge. Stockbridge.
Burlington, Vt.
Philadelphia, Pa. Ellenville, N. Y. Great Barrington. Boonville, N. Y.
Boonville, N. Y. Monterey. Monterey. Monterey.
Springfield, Ill. Torringford, Conn. Torringford, Conn. Torringford, Conn. Torringford, Conn.
New Braintree.
New Braintree.
New London, Conn. Stockbridge.
Stockbridge. Stockbridge. Wellington, Ohio. Chicopee. Holyoke. Clayville, N. Y. Clayville, N. Y. Clayville, N. Y.
Clayville, N. Y. Clayville, N. Y. North Adams. North Adams.
Keokuk, Iowa. Hartford, Conn.
PARENTAGE.
Seymour, Hubbard Bartlett,
Rufus Hewitt, Isaac Bassett,
Joseph Bassett, Nathaniel Bassett,
Asahel Foote,
Isaac Bassett,
Cyrus Yale, Wm. Bentley,
Noah Sheldon, J. H. Royce,
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES. PARENTAGE.
Chamberlin, Mrs. F.
Wm. Porter,
Chamberlin, J. P.
Joseph .Chamberlin,
Chase, Mrs. J. L.
W. R. Brown,
Cobb, Mrs. Elizabeth
Comstock, S. W.
Comstock. Mrs. S. W. I. M. Taylor,
Conant, C. L.
Condit, J. W.
Condit, Mrs. J. W.
Stephen Bradley,
Condit, Jennie W. J. W. Condit,
Crosby, Cyrus
Abner Crosby,
Culver, John F. Wm. L. Culver,
Culver, Mrs. J. F.
Culver, Charles J. F. Culver,
Culver, Walter, J. F. Culver,
Crane, Mrs. Z. M. Winthrop Laflin,
Clark, Mrs. Mary A. P. James Pierce.
Cranston, Wm. H.
Cranston, Mrs. W. H.
Cone, Samuel Gilbert Cone,
Day, Mrs. Alma
Erastus Hall,
Drake, Mrs. Lucy T. Rowland Thatcher,
Drew, J. H.
Drew, Mrs. J. H. Wm. Ingersoll,
Drew, E. Bassett,
J. H. Drew,
Dresser, Chas. E. David Dresser,
Doane, Mrs. Harriet T. Nathaniel Tobey,
Flint, Ephraim
Fairchild, Mrs. A. W. Wm. A. Stone,
Fessenden, Stephen
Cornelius T. Fessenden, Genoa, N. Y.
Foote, Edward
Lyman Foote,
Boston.
Foote, Mrs. Edward
Boston.
Ford, Michael
Becket.
Ford. Michael W.
Michael Ford,
Becket.
Fraleigh, Mrs. Addie
Fraleigh, Gilbert
Fuller, J. W.
Benjamin Fuller,
Freeman, E. P.
Elisha Freeman,
Isaac Ball,
New York.
Frissell, M. M.
Frissell, Mrs. M. M.
Henry Smith,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Hartford, Conn. Unionville, Conn. Dalton.
North Adams.
Stockbridge.
Stockbridge.
Saint Louis. Mo.
Orange, N. J.
Orange, N. J.
Orange, N. J.
Monterey.
Ellington, Conn.
Ellington, Conn.
Ellington, Conn.
Ellington, Conn.
Dalton.
Springfield.
Pittsfield.
Pittsfield.
Northampton.
Northampton.
Ogden, N. Y.
St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis, Mo.
Leominster.
New Bedford.
Hinsdale. South Hadley Falls.
Pine Plains, N. Y.
Pine Plains, N. Y. Pittsfield. New York.
Freeman, Mrs. E. P.
Kingston, N. Y.
Kingston, N. Y.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES. Gould, Mrs. Mary Gould, Edwin T. Gibbs, Edward N. Gibbs, Mrs. E. N. Gibbs, Herbert R. Gibbs, Mrs. H. R. Graves, Miles W. Graves, Mrs. A. E. Hale, Henry Hale, Mrs. H.
Hazen, Mrs. S. A.
Hess, Amil
Hess, John E. Heebner, Chas. F. Heath, L. R. Heath, Mrs. L. R. -
Houghton, Rose
Hollister, Mrs. Frank Joseph Bassett,
Hollister, Nellie
Frank Hollister,
Wilbraham.
Wellington, Ohio.
Wellington, Ohio.
Howland, Harry
Howland, Mrs. H.
Hinckley, L. T.
Hubbard, E. A. Hubbard, Mrs. E. A. Howard, Mrs. Samuel
Hunter, Emma
Hill, Frank W.
Hill, Mary J. Hulbert, Lewis Hulbert, H. C.
Nathan Hulbert, A. G. Hulbert,
Wm. Porter,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Hulbert, Susie C.
H. C. Hulbert,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Hulbert, Carrie B.
H. C. Hulbert,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Hull, J. B. Hull, Mrs. J. B.
Stockbridge. Stockbridge.
Hyde, William Hyde, Mrs. W.
Hyde, Hattie S.
Wm. Hyde,
Ware.
Hyde, Susie B.
PARENTAGE. Isaac M. Taylor,
Nathan Gibbs,
Franklin W. Gibbs,
Seth D. Graves, Timothy Thatcher,
Anthony Goodspeed, Isaac C. Ives,
Ferdinand Hess, Amil Hess, Edmund Heebner,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Stockbridge. Stockbridge.
Norwich, Conn.
Norwich, Conn.
Cambridge. Cambridge.
Hartford, Conn. Hartford, Conn. Pittsfield.
Pittsfield.
Goshen, Conn. Enfield, Conn.
Enfield, Conn.
South Hadley Falls.
Tyringham. Tyringham. New Marlboro. Wilbraham.
Howk, Wm. Howk, Eli B.
John Howk,
David Howk,
James Howland,
Dalton.
Dalton. Stockbridge. Springfield. Springfield. Springfield. Huntington.
Pittsfield. Pittsfield. Windsor, N. Y. Brooklyn, N. Y.
Hulbert, Mrs. H. C.
E. P. Tanner, Alvan Hyde,
Ware. Ware.
W. S. Hyde,
Ware.
Benjamin Osborn, Thomas Houghton,
Benjamin Hinckley,
C. B. Nye, Robert Hunter, Wm. H. Hill,
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES.
PARENTAGE.
Ingersoll, Mrs. S. B.
Ansel Bassett,
Ingersoll, Mrs. E. B.
Wm. Ball,
Grafton, Ohio.
Ingersoll, E. P.
Wm. Ingersoll,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Ingersoll, Jared
Jared Ingersoll,
Saratoga, N. Y. Saratoga, N. Y.
· Ingersoll, Mrs. J.
Stephen Thatcher,
Ives, Henry
Isaac C. Ives,
New Milford, Conn.
Ives, Mrs. H.
Josiah Yale,
New Milford, Conn.
Ives, Henry C.
Henry Ives,
Ives, Sarah L.
Henry Ives,
Johnson, Alonzo S.
J. W. Johnson,
Johnson, Johnson,
Westfield. Westfield.
Johnson, James
Timothy Johnson,
Pittsfield.
Johnson, Mrs. J.
Pittsfield.
Johnson, Mrs.
Pittsfield.
Kidd, E. Anthony Goodspeed,
Manley, A. B.
Pittsfield. Springfield.
Markham, Miss A. J.
Pittsfield.
Markham, Mrs. M.
Pittsfield.
Markham, Mrs. Charles
Pittsfield.
Merrill, Edgar S. John S. Merrill,
Suffield, Conn.
Merrill, Mrs. E. S.
Suffield, Conn.
Merrill, William, Frank Merrill,
Great Barrington.
Merrill, Mrs. Wmn. M.
Berkshire, N. Y.
Merrill, Harry Wm. M. Merrill,
Berkshire, N. Y. North Adams.
McClaren, Mrs. S.
John Bickley,
McClaren, J. G.
North Adams.
McClaren, Ida
North Adams.
Marsh, Mrs. E. H. Alexander Hyde,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
May, Mary S. May, Chas.
E. S. May,
May, S. S. Jr.
S. S. May,
New York.
Murray, Wm. H.
Pittsfield.
Murray, Mrs. W. H.
Pittsfield.
Murray, Ella
Pittsfield.
Torringford, Conn.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Moore, Mrs. T. J.
Patrick Tully,
Nesbitt, Mrs. Harriet J.Wm. Ingersoll, Nettleton, L. J. Northrop, L.
Whately. New York.
Miller, Mrs. Lewis Moore, Thom's J.
Horace Hatch, W. H. Murray, Rufus Hewitt,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Oberlin, Ohio.
New Milford, Conn. New Milford, Conn. West Springfield.
Brooklyn, N. Y. Elyria, Ohio. Great Barrington. New Milford, Conn.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
-
NAMES. Northrop, Mrs. L. Northrop, Carrie Parker, Dan'l H.
Parker, Mrs. D. H.
Ansel Bassett,
Peck, Gilbert H. Peck, Mrs. G. H.
Cornelius Barlow,
Peck, Chs. O.
G. H. Peck,
Phelps, G. A. G. H. Phelps,
Phelps, Mrs. G. A.
Phelps, Helen
G. A. Phelps,
Pinney, Mrs. Frances
Wm. H. Brown,
Platner, Wm.
Platner, Mrs. Wm. Porter, Mrs. Wm.
Sam'l Ball,
Pitkin, Mrs. Lucy T. Y. Cyrus Yale,
Richards, Mrs. K. C. Winthrop Laflin,
Roberts, Mrs. Abby J. Wm. Ingersoll,
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ross, Chas. E. Luther Ross,
Ross, Geo. A.
Luther Ross,
Royce, J. A.
Lanesboro. Lanesboro.
Royce, Mrs. J. A.
Royce, Rubert S.
J. A. Royce,
Lanesboro.
Royce, Jesse
J. A. Royce, Wm. Black,
Springfield, Ill.
Remann, Rice, Isabel
Rockville, Ct.
Sabin, Jno. F.
Henry Sabin,
Great Barrington.
Sabin, Mrs. J. F.
Great Barrington.
Sexton, Edson
Timothy Sexton,
Great Barrington.
Sarle, J. F. Sarle, Mrs. J. F.
Wm. Cone,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Sarle, Jennie B.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Sexton, Lottie
Isaac Bassett,
Kendall, Ill.
Sexton, Charles
Kendall, Ill.
Smith, Mrs. John
Kingston, N. Y.
Smith, Kitty Spaulding, J. R. Steele, Francis Steele, Clara
Evelin,
Honesdale, Pa.
Evelin,
Honesdale, Pa. Pittsfield.
Sprague, Wm. Sprague, Alida
Anthony Goodspeed,
Pittsfield.
Great Barrington.
Sumner, Jno. J.
PARENTAGE. J. L. Drake, L. Northrop,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. New Milford, Conn. New Milford, Conn. Dunbarton, N. H. Dunbarton, N. H. Bloomfield, N. J.
Bloomfield, N. J. Bloomfield, N. J. Great Barrington.
Great Barrington. Great Barrington. Winsted, Conn. Newark, N. J. Newark, N. J. Brooklyn, N. Y.
Philadelphia. Dalton.
Chicago, Ill. Chicago, Il1.
Lanesboro.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
John Smith,
Kingston, N. Y. Pittsfield.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES. PARENTAGE.
Sumner, Mrs. J. J.
Sturges, Henry
Thomas Sturges,
Dalton.
Sturges, Mrs. Henry
Dalton.
Strong, F. W.
Hinsdale.
Strong, Mrs. F. W. E. Parker,
Sexton, Emeline M.
Stevens, Mrs. Edward Josiah Yale,
Saratoga, N. Y.
Stevens, E. R.
Edward Stevens,
Saratoga, N. Y.
Starr, Watson
Wm. Bradley,
Penfield, Ohio.
Starr, Sarah B.
Wm. Bradley,
Penfield, Ohio.
Taylor, Horace
Abner Taylor,
Pittsfield.
Taylor, Mrs. Horace
Pittsfield.
Taylor, Charles Abner Taylor,
Taylor, Edward
Abner Taylor,
Binghamton, N. Y.
Taylor, Sophia
Abner Taylor,
Taylor, F. G.
Abner Taylor,
Taylor, Mrs. F. G.
Thomas, Mrs.Mahala B. Stephen Fessenden, Tyler, D. W.
Tyler, Mrs. D. W.
James Brown,
Dalton.
New Marlboro.
Tuttle, Chauncey
Jonathan Tuttle,
Tuttle, Ira N. Chauncey Tuttle,
Tuttle, Frank W. Ira N. Tuttle,
Tuttle, Fred B. Ira N. Tuttle,
Tyrrell, Horace
New Boston.
Tyrrell, Mrs. Melissa Asa Gleason,
Videto, Chas. J.
Videto, Mrs. C. J. Abijah Merrill,
Van Bergan, Mrs. G.
Sam'l Clarke,
Pittsfield.
Waite, Mrs. Jane E.
Silas Garfield,
Chicago, Ill.
Wickes, Mrs. Loretta West, Oliver
Joshua West,
Pittsfield, Ohio.
West, Mrs. Oliver
Pittsfield, Ohio.
Way, Mrs. Jane
Lewis Beach,
Suffield, Conn.
West, N. B.
Timothy West,
Allegan, Mich.
West, Mrs. N. B.
Wilcox, Marshall
Wilcox, Mrs. M.
Wm. Bradley,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Warren, Mrs. J.
Prentiss Chaffee,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
New York.
Newark, N. J.
Newark, N. J.
Taylor, Emma
New York.
Genoa, N. Y.
Dalton.
New Marlboro.
New Marlboro.
New Marlboro.
New Boston.
Tyringham.
Tyringham.
D. B. Whiton,
Troy, N. Y.
Allegan, Mich. Pittsfield. Pittsfield.
Warren, Joseph
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Great Barrington.
Hinsdale.
Hartford, Conn.
Englewood, N. Y.
105
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
NAMES. Whiton, Walter Whiton, Loomis Wood, George Wood, Mrs. G. Whiting, Isabella G.
Wordin, William Wordin, Mrs. Wm. Yale, Josiah
Youngs, Mrs. S. A. 14
PARENTAGE. Milo Whiton, Jno. M. Whiton,
David Baker,
Wm. Ingersoll, Josiah Yale, Seth Handy,
PRESENT RESIDENCE. Troy, N. Y.
Wellington, Ohio. Sandisfield.
Sandisfield. Great Barrington. Ridgeville, Ohio.
Ridgeville, Ohio.
Saratoga. Stockbridge.
PART II.
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
PREFATORY NOTE.
IT was the original intention of the Committee that the Centennial Address should present in a popular form an Outline History of the town. The time allotted to the speaker on the anniversary day would allow him to pre- sent only the prominent characteristics of each period, and the points of greatest personal interest. The follow- ing notes were gathered by Dr. Charles M. Hyde, as the surveyor jots down in his field-book the memoranda from which he afterwards constructs his plat of the survey. They are intended to be full and accurate statements of all facts of general interest in the growth and progress of the town for the first century of its history. More like an artist's sketches than an elaborately finished picture, they are of practical value for reference in the form in which they are now presented, if not so attractive and interesting as if they could have been presented with a rhetorician's skill and an orator's fervor. After Dr. Hyde's appointment as President of the Theological Seminary at Honolulu, which necessitated his departure from the country before the time appointed for the Cen- tennial Celebration, he put into the hands of the Com- mittee the notes that he had made, that the Orator chosen in his place might have the benefit of his historical researches. Though arranged substantially as now pre- sented, some topics were not fully treated. The Com- mittee therefore requested Alexander Hyde to complete and prepare these notes for publication, particularly the ecclesiastical and industrial history of the town, and
1
110
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
biographical sketches, for which Dr. Hyde had had time to collect only a few memoranda. In the preparation of the notes, free use was made of the sketch of Lee written by Rev. Dr. Alvan Hyde for Dr. Field's History of Berk- shire County, published in 1829 : Rev. Amory Gale's His- tory of Lee, an address delivered before the Young Men's Association, March 22, 1854, and published at that time : Rev. Dr. Nahum Gale's address at the laying of the cor- ner stone of the Congregational Church, July 21, 1857 : and his Historical Address, delivered at the Semi-Centen- nial Celebration of the Sunday-school, December 23, 1869 : the files of the Berkshire County Eagle, and of the Valley Gleaner, published respectively at Pittsfield and at Lee, have been examined; and besides the records in the Town Clerk's office, those in the Register's office at Great Barrington, Pittsfield and Springfield, as well as the documents on file in the State House at Boston, have been consulted and copied. For the report of the dinner speeches on Centennial Day, credit must be given mainly to the Valley Gleaner. It was the original design to add fuller notices of some of the early settlers and distin- guished citizens, than can be given in current history ; but after collecting many facts and data for these biogra- phies, it was found that they would swell the work to a large size, especially as when once started in this direc- tion, the historian would not know where to stop.
Topographical, Scenographical, Geological, Etc.
REV. DR. ALVAN HYDE wrote for Field's History of Berkshire County, the following description of the town : " The town is six miles in length and five in breadth, and presents a very diversified appearance. It forms a part of the interval which lies between the Taconic and Green Mountain ranges. The Green Mountain range, which rises to a moderate elevation, runs partly within the eastern limits of the town, presenting a very pictur- esque appearance. These mountains are for the most part of gentle acclivity, and are cultivated in some places quite to their summits. From the base of these moun- tains, the surface is rather uneven, occasionally rising into hills of considerable height, but generally descending until it reaches the plain upon the banks of the Housa- tonic." West of this river, the land is everywhere undulating in its appearance, inclining towards the south. Beartown Mountain is a large and grand pile of hills on the south-east of Stockbridge, north-east of Great Bar- rington, forming the North-west part of Tyringham, and the south-west part of Lee. Deerhorn Corner, the name given to the point at the angle of the two town lines, is so called from the fact that a deer's horn was fastened here to mark the spot.
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