USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our County and Its People A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts > Part 17
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THE TOWN OF WEST SPRINGFIELD
West Springfield was made a separate town, there was decided opposition to every measure proposed for the especial benefit of the territory and people west of the river; and it was due to a combination of circumstances that West Springfield was created in 1774.
Still, West Springfield as the offspring of the mother town never was a wayward child, as has been intimated, but on the contrary was for years the mainstay and support of the parent body. The people here sought a division of the parish because the public interests demanded such action. Their's was the larger and more populous territory, and when special inter- ests were at stake, town meetings were held across the river. However, the present writer would not have it understood that there ever was serious rivalry between the towns, for as a matter of fact since the territory was divided West Springfield has been looked upon as a valuable auxiliary to the mother town, consti- tuting an important element of the "Greater Springfield"; and to-day West Springfield capital adds materially to the commercial prominence of the county seat. It combines the three valuable elments of being a residence town, an agricultural town and a manufacturing town.
Within the limits of the original territory of West Spring- field, William Pynchon and his associates planted their colony in 1636. The proprietor himself had visited the locality and selected a site for the house to be occupied by his company. The structure was built by John Cable and John Woodcock, but upon being told by the Indians that the lands were subject to overflow from the river, the colonists removed to the east side and founded their settlement on the site of Springfield. In 1653 the proprie- tors made an allotment of lands on the west side of the river, and thereafter similar divisions of remaining lands were made until all these rich acres were disposed of. They were not oc- cupied at once, but for many years were cultivated as meadow and pasture lands and also for the production of various crops. Occasionally one of the settlers would establish his domicile here, but the inhabitants were few and much scattered until after the end of King Philip's war. Soon after 1653 the proprietors
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granted house-lots on the west side, chiefly below Westfield (sometimes called Agawam) river, and several others in the north part, which was then known as the Chicopee plain. Among those to whom house-lots were granted about the time referred to there may be recalled the names of Anthony Dorchester, Francis Pepper, Samuel Terry, Hugh Dumbleton, Miles Morgan, John Stewart, Simon Sackett and Obadiah Miller, some of whom were prominent characters in the early history of the town in later years. Thomas Cooper and Abel Leonard are known to have settled in the Agawam district as early as 1660, and from that year to the time of the division of the lands into ten-acre lots in 1707, the settlers gradually crossed over from the east side and made homes for their families on the rich bottom lands of West Springfield.
In 1695 there were thirty-two families and more than two . hundred persons on the territory. They considered themselves sufficiently numerous and able to support a minister independent of the old society in Springfield, and accordingly presented their petition to the general court, praying for the establishment of a second parish, for, as the petition recites, they were at great inconvenience in being compelled to cross the great river to at- tend public worship. Several years previous to this a division of the parish had been asked for on the same grounds, but the re- quest was not granted, and in order to remove the inconvenience complained of a ferry across the river was established for public accommodation. However, in 1695, a division of the territory was again asked, and on May 29, 1696. an act of the general court established the second parish and authorized the employ- ment of a minister.
From this time the parish increased rapidly in population while the lands were developed into fine farms. In 1707 it was determined to divide the unsold lands among the townsmen and it was provided that each male person who had completed his twenty-first year should share in the apportionment. The several localities then were given distinguishing names, such as the Agawam district, including substantially the town now so called; the Street district, now West Springfield; and the Chicopee
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plains, meaning the territory now the northern part of West Springfield and also the town and city of Holyoke. At that time, according to early parish records, the beneficiaries under this division numbered 73 persons, and among them were several of the pioneers of the parish.
Those who shared in this division of the lands, and who may be regarded as the proprietors of the second parish at that time, were as follows: Jose (Joseph) Ely, sen., Jose Ely, jun., Wm. Macrany, James Barcker, Jose Barcker, Samuel Barcker, Oliver Barcker (evidently this surname correctly spelled is Barker), John Bag (Bagg, a surname always well represented in the town), Jonathan Bag, Benja. Leonard, Jno. Leonard, John Day, James Tailer, sen. (Taylor), James Tailer, jun., Jonathan Tailer, Samuel Tailer, Edward Foster, John Miller, Samuel Miller, sen., Nathaniel Morgan, Samuel Frost, Nathaniel Sykes, Pela Jones, John Peley, Samuel Warriner, Ebenezer Day, Christian Vanhorn, Charles Ferry, Samuel Day, Samuel Ely, Jonathan Fowler, Mr. Woodbridge, Ebenezer Miller, Joseph Bodortha, sen. (correctly spelled Bodurtha), Samuel Bodortha, sen., Samuel Bodortha, jun., Ebenezer Jones, sen., Ebenezer Jones, jun., Josiah Leonard, Lest (probably Lebbeus) Ball, Samuel Ball, Henry Rogers, John Rogers, Nathaniel Dumbleton, William Scott, James Merrick, John Killam, sen., John Killam, jun., Benj. Smith, Wm. Smith, Jose (probably Joseph ) Leonard, sen., Samuel Leonard, Jose Leonard, jun., Samuel Cooper, Samuel Kent, Gershom Hail, sen. (probably Hall is more accurate), Deacon Barber, Thomas Barber, Nath. Bancroft, Jose Hodge, Isaac Frost, James Stevenson, sen., James Stevenson, jun., Jonathan Worthington, Samuel Miller, jun., Thomas Macrany, Joseph Bodortha, jun., Francis Ball, John Ely, Samuel Ferry.
Few indeed of these surnames are known in West Spring- field history at the present time, yet hundreds of residents in the county may be able to trace their ancestry to one or more of them. It cannot be claimed that the foregoing list represents the pioneers of our town, for pioneership on the west side of the river was almost coextensive with planting the colony at Spring- field in 1636. The house meadows and pasture lands had few
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residents earlier than King Philip's war, and during that period and also that of other early Indian wars, the owners of these lands cultivated them but maintained their residences on the east side, within the protection of old Fort Pynchon and the stockades con- structed by the settlers for security against savage attacks. It will be remembered that beginning with the Pequot war there was more or less apprehension among the settlers regarding the professed friendship of the Indians in this locality. On the west side of the Connecticut were the tracts which the savages culti- vated and after they had parted with their title to the lands they continued their occupancy, often to the annoyance of the whites. Mr. Pynchon held them in subjection through pacific treatment, but after his departure from Springfield there was no strong restraining influence over them by any of his successors in au- thority. When Springfield was attacked and burned in 1675 the inhabitants living on the west side betook themselves to the protection of the forts in the settlement, and when aid came for the besieged settlers the soldiers who appeared on the west bank of the river had no boats to carry them across to relieve the distressed people.
From the time of creating the Second parish to the incor- poration of the town of West Springfield, the territory west of the river comprised the three localities or districts known as Agawam, the Street and the Chicopee plains; and after the organization of the town the boundaries remained substantially unchanged until Holyoke was set off in 1850, followed by Aga- wam in 1855. During the years following the establishment of the Second parish, there was a steady increase in population on the west side of the river, notwithstanding the fact that the in- habitants there knew little of the blessings of peace. This period of strife, or rather defensive life against Indian depredations, began in earnest with King Philip's war and continued with more or less activity until the last echoes of Shays' rebellion had died away. During this hundred years the region was not subject to more frequent attack than other localities, yet the people here were without defenses of any kind, hence the women and children were constantly in a state of alarm, all of which
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had the effect to retard settlement. Still, the parish grew steadily, and as early as 1756, just when the last French and English war was beginning, the worthy parishioners were making an effort to incorporate their territory into a town.
Organization and Civil History .- Soon after 1750, at a time when the inhabitants of Springfield were about equally divided by the Connecticut river, public convenience and individual interests of those who lived on the west side demanded a division of the territory and the creation of a new town in that region. To this proposition the people on the east side set up a deter- mined opposition. They then had a majority of the town officers, and being the shire village of Hampshire county naturally many influential persons were living there and in a great measure con- trolled public sentiment. It was not at any time assumed that the division would not benefit the people on the west side. but rather the chief ground of opposition came from the fact that the mother town was reluctant to part with so extensive and important a part of her lands.
At first, if local tradition be reliable, the people on the west side submitted to the will of east side influence and made no further efforts in the direction of a separation until 1756, when the subject was renewed with more earnestness. The town meet- ings in earlier years had been held on the east side and nearly all the officers were selected from the inhabitants there. The moneys raised for town improvements were expended largely in the village of Springfield and regions adjoining, yet the west siders were constantly taxed on account of these things and received small part of the benefits. This condition of affairs was made the subject of special action at a meeting of the inhabitants of the Second parish held July 15, 1756, and it was then deter- mined to apply to the general court for an aet incorporating the parish with full town powers and privileges. At the same time a committee comprising Capt. Benjamin Day, Doctor John Vanhorne, Capt. Joseph Miller and Josiah Day was appointed to see that the desire of the inhabitants was carried into effect.
With this meeting the real contest between the east and west sides was begun, and the records indicate that some feeling
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actually entered into the controversy. So long as town meetings were held on the east side the voters of that locality outnumbered those who were compelled to cross the river, hence no substantial gain was made by the Second parish during the first few years of the struggle for a division. In the meantime some concessions were made; a reasonable share of the public appropriations was expended on the west side and occasionally town meetings were assembled there, but the end most earnestly sought was not attained and nothing short of that would satisfy the people of the Second parish. As years passed public feeling again was revived and at the annual town meeting in 1773 the matter came before the voters in an attempt to settle existing differences. To this end an adjourned meeting was held March 25 in the meet- ing house of the Second parish. On that occasion it was "voted to choose a committee to consider the present state of the town, the disputes and animosities that subsist between the several parts, the matters that lie before this meeting to be acted upon, and the unhappy embarrassments that attend the same, and to project some method to remove them, and to report at this time".
The committee comprised Col. John Worthington, Moses Bliss, Deacon Daniel Harris, Deacon Nathaniel Ely (2d), Moses Field, Jolın Hale, Col. Benjamin Day, Deacon Jonathan White, Lieut. John Morgan, Lieut. Benjamin Leonard, Asaph Leonard, Abraham Burbank, Joseph Ely, Deacon Edward Chapin and Ensign Phineas Chapin. Through its efforts this committee (which comprised a number of the most influential and respected men of Springfield) settled several of the minor questions in dispute, but its members were forced to the conclusion that satisfactory division of the territory could best be made by "an indifferent and judicions committee of disinterested persons in the neighboring towns," who should "repair to this town to view the situation of its parts, to consider its circumstances, and to judge at large thereon what division and on what terms and conditions shall be made thereof," etc .. "to the end that the town may be divided in such manner as may in all respects be best."
The report of the committee was accepted by the town, and it was voted that William Williams, Erastus Wolcott and Joseph
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Root be a committee to visit the town, "view the situation of its parts, to consider its circumstances," etc., and to report the same. In due season the worthy commissioners did fully ex- amine the premises and render a report of their proceedings and determination, but upon submitting the question of its accept- ance by the town a negative vote prevailed and the proposition was rejected.
About this time other localities than the Second parish were asking for acts of incorporation and as a consequence the mother town found itself besieged with petitions for a division of its territory, and it probably was the conflict of these several inter- ests that led to the rejection of the report of the disinterested commissioners. The desired end not being gained through this means the affected parishes applied themselves to the legislature with petitions for a division of Springfield by the direct action of the general court. In December, 1773, the town voted to appoint agents to make answers to the general court regarding the several petitions in question, and selected Col. Benjamin Day, Lieut. Benjamin Leonard and Nathaniel Ely as its repre- sentatives before that body. At the same time also a committee was chosen to prepare instructions for the guidance of the agents. These commissioners were Dr. Charles Pynchon, Justin Ely, John . Hale, Jonathan White, Benjamin Ely and Abraham Burbank. On June 20, 1774, the town voted to accept the report of the convention and ratified the action of the commissioners, and on February 23 the general court passed "an act for divid- ing the township of Springfield and erecting the western part thereof into a separate town by the name of West Springfield," the effective portion of which act reads as follows:
"Whereas, by reason of the great extent of the township of Springfield, the remote settlements, disputes, controversies and different interests of the inhabitants thereof, the difficulty and often the impracticability of the assembly in town meetings for elections and other necessary purposes by reason of the great river Connecticut almost equally dissecting the township, it is necessary that there be a division thereof."
"Be it enacted, by the governor, council and house of repre- sentatives: That that part of the township of Springfield lying
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on the west side of Connecticut river, and the inhabitants thereof, be constituted and erected into a different town by the name of West Springfield, and be invested with all the powers, privileges and immunities which by the laws of this province towns have and enjoy."
This act created a new town according to the desires of its inhabitants, but it contained a provision that exempted from taxation for parish purposes all the lands known as the "Great and General Field," comprising all the territory between the ferry over the Connecticut at the so-called upper wharf and the river called Agawam. This reservation included much of the most desirable lands in what now is West Springfield, Mit- tineague and Merrick, which were chiefly owned by inhabitants east of the river; men of influence and property who prevailed upon the legislature to exempt them from taxation for the sup- port of the ministry in the Second parish. The inhabitants of the new jurisdiction promptly represented their new grievance to the general court, but without satisfactory result, and the lands thus exempted were not chargeable for the support of the church in West Springfield, and thus the Springfield people retaliated upon the west siders for their attempt to remove the seat of government of the town from the east to the west side of the river.
Within its original boundaries as established by the act of 1774 the new town of West Springfield comprised an extensive territory on the west side of Connecticut river, stretching away from the foot of old Mt. Tom on the north to the Connecticut state line on the south, a distance of about twenty-five miles, and extending west from the river an average distance of more than six miles. It comprised the richest lands of the mother town, and its farming areas were eagerly sought by the early settlers just as they have been sought in all subsequent years.
The town retained its original territory for more than three- quarters of a century, and during that period it ranked as one of the most important civil divisions of the county, and as an agricultural town it stood first in the region. In the latter re- spect its prestige never has been lost, and to-day the ownership
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of a farm in the fertile bottom lands bordering on the Connecti- cut river is the natural equivalent of a competency. Within the last quarter of a century the central portion of the town has become a desirable residence locality for Springfield business men, thrifty railroad employees and others in other avocations in life, whose acquisition has been for the general good. In certain localities manufacturing establishments of importance have gained a permanent foothold, and by furnishing employ- ment to hundreds of wage earners all local interests are promoted and are maintained in a healthful condition.
Although two parishes were the early and direct outgrowth of the Second parish, there was no nearer territorial division of the town until March 14, 1850, when the northern portion com- monly known as the " Ireland parish" was set off and constituted a town by the name of Holyoke, which now is a splendid indus- trial city, the name and fame of which is known throughout the whole land. In the same manner, on May 17, 1855, the southern part of West Springfield, long before referred to in local history as the parish of Agawam, within the bounds of which the Pynchon colony intended to found their plantation, was separ- ated from the mother town and was called by the old Indian name of Agawam. Thus the year 1855 found the town to con- tain only about one-third of its original territory and hardly more than one-half the number of inhabitants it could boast fifteen years before.
Having thus traced the civil history of the town. it is proper in the present connection to furnish the names of persons who have been identified with that history in the capacities of select- men and town clerks, and also the representatives in the general court from the organization of the town to the creation of Hamp- den county in 1812; the representatives in subsequent years will be found in the county civil lists.
Selectmen .- 1774, Col. Benjamin Day, Deacon Jonathan White, Col. Benjamin Ely, Deacon John Leonard, Lieut. Benja- min Leonard : 1775, Col. Benj. Ely, Deacon John Leonard, Lieut. Benj. Leonard, Dr. Chauncey Brewer, Justin Ely; 1776, Deacon Reuben Leonard, Capt. Joseph Morgan, Eliphalet Leonard;
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1777, Reuben Leonard, Eliphalet Leonard, Charles Ball; 1778, Reuben Leonard, Abraham Burbank, Col. Benj. Ely; 1779, Benj. Day, Jonathan White, Reuben Leonard, Abraham Burbank, Benj. Ely; 1780, Benjamin Stebbins, Capt. Levi Ely, Lieut. Enoch Cooper, Capt. Joseph Ely, Abraham Burbank; 1781, Eliphalet Leonard, Benj. Day, Abraham Burbank, Benj. Steb- bins, Enoch Cooper, Joseph Ely, Aaron White; 1782, Jonathan White, Benj. Ely, Abraham Burbank. Benj. Stebbins, Enoch Cooper: 1783, Eliphalet Leonard, Benj. Stebbins, Capt. John Williston, Russell Leonard, Lucius Morgan; 1784, Benj. Day, Benj. Ely, Eliphalet Leonard, Benj. Stebbins, John Williston; 1785, Eliphalet Leonard. Benj. Stebbins, John Williston; 1786, Benj. Ely, Eliphalet Leonard, Abraham Burbank, Benj. Steb- bins, John Williston; 1787, Capt. Joseph Morgan, Eliphalet Leonard, Benj. Stebbins, John Williston, Russell Leonard; 1788, Benj. Ely, John Williston, Joseph White, Samuel Phelps, Reuben Leonard, Jr .; 1789-91, John Williston, Reuben Leonard, Jr .; 1792, John Williston, Reuben Leonard, Jr., Joseph White; 1793, John Williston. Reuben Leonard, Jr., Heman Day; 1794, Col. Benj. Ely, John Williston, Reuben Leonard, Jr., Heman Day; 1795, Capt. Joseph Morgan, John Williston, Reuben Leon- ard, Jr., Heman Day; 1796, Joseph Morgan, John Williston, Reuben Leonard, Jr., Samuel Phelps, Heman Day ; 1797, Joseph Morgan, John Williston, Reuben Leonard, Jr., Heman Day, Gad Warriner; 1798, Joseph Morgan, Heman Day. Major Gad Warriner. Lieut. Ruggles Kent, Elias Leonard; 1799, Joseph Morgan, Gad Warriner, Ruggles Kent, Elias Leonard, Horace White, Justin Granger; 1800, Heman Day, Gad Warriner, Lieut. Benj. Ashley, Robert Ely, Dr. Timothy Horton, Justin Leonard; 1801. Heman Day, Benj. Ashley, Robert Ely, Timothy Horton, Justin Leonard; 1802, Heman Day, Robert Ely, Col. Samuel Flower, Timothy Horton; 1803, Heman Day, Robert Ely, Timothy Horton, Pliny White, Samuel Flower; 1804, Heman Day, Robert Ely, Timothy Horton, Pliny White, Maj. and Col. David Morley; 1805, Heman Day, Robert Ely, Timothy Horton, Pliny White, David Morley; 1806, Heman Day, Timothy Horton, Pliny White, Robert Ely, David Morley; 1807, Robert Ely,
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Timothy Horton, Pliny White, David Morley, Jonathan Sinith, Jr .; 1808, Timothy Horton, David Morley, Jonathan Smith, Jr., Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg; 1809, Elias Leonard, Timothy Hor- ton, Jonathan Smith, Jr., Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg; 1810, Timothy Horton, Jona. Smith, Jr., Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg; 1811-12, Elias Leonard, Timothy Horton, Jonathan Smith, Jr., Aaron Bagg, Luther Frink; 1813, Timothy Horton, Jonathan Smith, Jr., Aaron Bagg, Luther Frink, Horace Flower; 1814, Timothy Horton, Aaron Bagg, Horace Flower, James Kent, Peres Hitchcock; 1815, Elias Leonard, Timothy Horton, Aaron Bagg, James Kent, Peres Hitchcock; 1816-17, Elias Leonard, Timothy Horton, Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg, James Kent; 1818- 21, Timothy Horton, Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg, James Kent, Alfred Flower; 1822, Timothy Horton, Luke Parsons, Alfred Flower, Ruggles Kent, Jonathan Parsons; 1823, Timothy Hor- ton, Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg, James Kent, Alfred Flower; 1824, Timothy Horton, Luke Parsons, Aaron Bagg, James Kent, Alfred Flower; 1825, Luke Parsons, James Kent, Alfred Flower, David Hastings, Hosea Day; 1826, Luke Parsons, Alfred Flower, David Hastings, Hosea Day, Caleb Rice; 1827, Luke Parsons, Hosea Day, Caleb Rice, Spencer Flower, Lewis Warriner; 1828, Hosea Day, Caleb Rice, Spencer Flower, Lewis Warriner, War- ren Chapin ; 1829, Hosea Day, Caleb Rice, Spencer Flower, Lewis Warriner, Warren Chapin; 1830, Caleb Rice, Spencer Flower, Linus Bagg, Benj. Leonard, Henry Ely; 1831, James Kent, Linus Bagg, Benj. Leonard, Henry Ely, Josialı Johnson; 1832, James Kent, Linus Bagg, Benj. Leonard, Henry Ely, Josiah Johnson ; 1833, Linus Bagg, Benjamin Leonard, Josiah Johnson, Charles Ball, Jr., Edward Parsons; 1834, Spencer Flower, Linus Bagg, Charles Ball, Jr., Samuel Noble; 1835, Spencer Flower, Linus Bagg, Henry Ely, Edward Parsons, Samuel Noble; 1836, Linus Bagg. Henry Ely, Samuel Noble, Lester Williams, Silas Dewey; 1837, Col. Aaron Bagg, Josiah Johnson, Samuel Noble, Lester Williams, Silas Dewey, Willard Ely: 1838, Col. Aaron Bagg. Josiah Johnson, Lester Williams, Willard Ely, Lyman Whitman; 1839, Aaron Bagg, Lester Williams, Silas Dewey, Willard Ely, Lyman Whitman, Calvin Wheeler; 1840, Aaron
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