USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our County and Its People A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts > Part 28
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 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69
( 357 )
Ditized by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
over either of the "three very rapid, rocky rivers" mentioned in their petition. The representations of the proprietors were untrue, touching the difficulty in crossing the rivers; for there were many places on all the streams where fordways were safe and easy except in times of high water. The conduct of the proprietors is well set forth in a memorial to the general court in 1779, praying for the building of a bridge over the east branch. The memorial set forth the substance of the petition of the proprietors which resulted in the aforesaid grant of 1,200 acres and of the fact that the proprietors neither before nor after said grant built any roads or bridges, and of the fact that they went over to the enemy when the revolutionary war broke out, and of their treatment of the town and its inhabitants in other respects and concluded as follows: "Therefore we pray your Honors that some method may be devised that a bridge may be built across said river and its branches either by said grant of land which the proprietors got granted to them for services they never did, or out of their estates, or any other way your honors in your wisdom shall see fit." Notice of the petition was given to Timothy Paine, the only proprietor who remained loyal to his country.
The first town meeting was called by Eldad Taylor of Westfield as nominated in the act of incorporation, to be held at the house of Malcom Henry, a tavern, and was held March 11, 1766, and the officers chosen were as follows: Town clerk and treasurer, Malcom Henry ; selectmen and assessors, Timothy Smith, John Smith and Malcom Henry ; surveyors of highways, Thomas Kennedy, Gideon Matthews, Nathan Mann, William Miller and David Bolton ; tithingmen, Samuel Elder and James Clark; wardens, Israel Rose and William Mann; surveyors of timber and lumber, Abraham Flemming and Isaac Mixer; fence viewers, Ebenezer Meachum and Ebenezer Webber; sealer of weights and measures, Jonathan Wait; hog-reeves, Ebenezer King and Stephen Lyman ; deer-reeves, Alexander Gordon and Samuel Webb.
No appropriation of money was voted at this time, and probably for the reason that the proprietors were under obliga-
( 358 -
Dlg Ized by Google
THE TOWN OF CHESTER
tion to lay out and build highways and bridges. But the town did vote "that swine shall run at large from the middle of Sep- tember to the middle of May following." The law required that swine running at large should be yoked or ringed in the nose. The yoke was required to be the full length of the swine's neck and half as much below the neck, and the sole or bottom of the yoke to be three times as long as the breadth or thickness of the swine's neck.
The following year the selectmen got into a controversy touching the valuation list of which two different ones were pro- posed, and which resulted in holding two opposition town meet- ings and choosing two sets of town officers; and the inhabitants finally had to appeal to the general court to help them out of the mess; which was not fully accomplished until the spring of 1768, when the following town officers were chosen : Town clerk, John Smith : selectmen and assessors, Caleb Forbes, Timothy Smith and William Miller; constables, Stephen Lyman and Ebenezer Webber; tithingmen, Israel Rose and Gideon Matthews; sur- veyors of highways, Isaac Mixer. Peter Williams, William Moore, James Fairman, James Clark, Jonathan Hart Webber and Samuel Ellis; fence viewers, Ebenezer Meacham and John Lac- core; sealer of leather, Isaac Mixer: surveyor of timber and lumber, Bigatt Eggleston; deer-reeves, Ebenezer King and Samuel Fairman; hog-reeves, Nathan Rose and Jonathan Hart Webber; wardens. John Smith and Reuben Woolworth. At a meeting of the town held in June, £20 was appropriated for preaching and £40 for ordinary town expenses. The valuation list at this time showed 68 taxpayers. There were 76 polls, 32 horses, 50 oxen, 74 cows, 123 sheep, 40 swine. The amount of money assessed for taxation was £83 to six different persons, the largest sum being £58, and the least £2.
The first action of the town touching school was in 1769 by raising £12 for the support of schools; which amount was the sumn voted the two following years.
At this time no person was qualified to vote in town affairs unless taxed for £20 or more. In 1770 there were but 49 quali- fied voters.
( 359 )
Dg ized by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
At the annual meeting in 1771, Dr. David Shepard, who came into the town in 1769, was chosen town clerk, and con- tinued in this office for many successive years. His residence was in the vicinity of the meeting-house, and in very cold weather the town meetings after the choice of a moderator some- times adjourned to his house and there finished the business of the meeting. It is to the faithfulness of Dr. Shepard as town clerk that we are indebted for the records of the earliest births, deaths and marriages in the town.
About this time a controversy arose between the people at the centre of the town and those of the east part concerning the places where religious meetings and preaching should be held. The people in the east part had about eight miles to travel to reach Chester Centre, which they felt to be a hardship. This difference was compromised temporarily by an agreement that preaching should be had at the meeting-house two-thirds of the time, and one-third of the time at Isaac Mixer's inn, located on the east branch of Westfield river near the present Norwich bridge. This arrangement was for three years; and as the peo- ple at Chester Centre and vicinity refused to renew it, the inhab- itants in the eastern part of the town appealed to the general court and obtained a division of the town. In June, 1773, the east part was set off and incorporated as the district of Norwich. From this date we deal only with so much of Murrayfield as is now comprised in the town of Chester. The particulars of all these proceedings are fully related in the writer's history of Murrayfield.
After the division of the town there were left in the remain- ing part of Murrayfield, 74 taxpayers, and the total valuation was £2.178. and 19 shillings. August 16, 1773, a town meeting was held and many articles acted upon ; but we will concern our- selves only with that providing for the election of new officers to fill the vacancies left by the division. William Campbell was chosen assessor: Caleb Bascom, sealer of weights and measures ; Bigott Eggleston, sealer of timber and lumber. So it appears that the more important offices of the town were held by citizens of the middle and western parts of Murrayfield, which was one cause of the discontent of the east part.
( 360 )
Dialimed by Google
1
THE TOWN OF CHESTER
Representatives to the General Court, in what way they served the town, and how they were paid was probably similar to the practice of other towns at that time. An account of how it was done in this town cannot but be of general interest. When the east part of Murrayfield was set off into a separate district, it was invested with all the privileges of other towns, with the exception that it was not permitted to enjoy a separate repre- sentation in the general court; but in that respect was to act with Murrayfield in the selection of a common representative. In July, 1775, the inhabitants of Murrayfield voted to send one representative to the general court. It was also voted "that the representative be paid in work or grain for his own time and horses." Lieut. Enoch Shepard was the first representative chosen. The town also "chose for a committee to give instructions to the representa- tive, Deac. John Kirkland, Lieut. David Scott, Ensign Stephen Lyman, Deac. Samuel Matthews and Capt. Abner Smith". In May, 1779, the town voted "that the town will be obliged to pay Capt. Enoch Shepard his expenses for his travel and attendance on the General Court, he giving his time and allowing the town his fees." In 1780, Timothy Lyman was chosen representative, and John Kelso, Enoch Shepard, James Hamilton and Alexander Gordon were chosen a committee "to instruct the representative and order him when to go to Boston." In 1782 Jesse Johnson was chosen representative, and the town passed the following vote: "Voted to choose a committee of five to give Deac. Johnson instructions how to conduct at Boston with regard to the business of the town and when to go, and not to tarry upon other public business."
Valuation Lists of the Town During the War .- The aggre- gate valuation amounted in 1775 to £1,605; in 1777, £38,819; in 1780, £4,915; in 1781, £4,924. In 1776 Abner Smith was rated at 119 pounds and 15 shillings and was much the wealthiest man in town; but in 1781 his rating was but 31 pounds and 6 shill- ings. Yet he was relatively the wealthiest man in town. It appears that the collection of taxes was very difficult during this period, not because of unwillingness to pay, but because of the
( 261 )
Dhiized by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
difficulty in obtaining money enough in view of the depreciated currency. Until the time of the passage of the act, February 21. 1783, changing the name from Murrayfield to Chester, little of historical interest transpired other than such as pertained to the war No town in the commonwealth did its duty more faithfully or more courageously than Murrayfield. In 1774, when events were rapidly tending to a struggle with the mother country. "Capt. David Shepard, Deacon Jesse Johnson, Lieut. Malcom Henry, Deacon Samuel Matthews and Lieut. James Clark" were chosen to act on behalf of the town as a committee of corre- spondence, at a town meeting held July 25, 1774. It was voted unanimously not to "purchase, buy, or consume any goods or wares that shall be imported from Great Britain after the last of August next ensuing, until the meeting of the General Con- gress at Philadelphia." Also that "we will comply with what measures the General Congress shall agree upon at their meeting in Philadelphia, in next September."
At a town meeting held June 17, 1776, "To see if the in- habitants will sign an agreement or oath that the General Court have sent out to see who are the friends to liberty and their country and who are not;" also "to see if the town as a body are willing to have the thirteen united colonies declared an in- dependent state from Great Britain if the Continental and General Courts shall judge best, and to pass any vote respecting the same as the town shall judge best and prudent:" it was voted "to sign an agreement or oath sent out from the General Court:" also "that it is the mind of this town that the Con- tinental Congress declare independence from Great Britain, to a man, in a full meeting."
In the matter of raising money for soldiers and war charges. and in furnishing clothing for soldiers, and in helping the fami- lies of soldiers, the town of Murrayfield did its very utmost. In 1780 the town raised £5,000 to purchase beef for the army. In July, 1781, the town voted to raise a sum of money sufficient to purchase 3,044 pounds of beef, to be assessed upon the inhabit- ants, non-residents, and absentees of Murrayfield at the current prices". All the original proprietors of the town. except
(
362 )
Dupazed by Google
THE TOWN OF CHESTER
Timothy Paine, adhered to the cause of Great Britain, and their property rights in the town were confiscated without mercy. Finally, at a town meeting held August 26, 1782, to see about raising more beef, the town laid down in the furrow-it had done its utmost.
The demands upon Murrayfield in the matter of furnishing men and things for the war was not unlike those made upon all other towns in the county; but the town was poor-that is to say-the people were poor, but extremely patriotic. The space here allotted will not warrant a more detailed account of all that the town did, such as the writer has given in his history of Murrayfield, published in 1892.
Chester .- As early as 1775 the question of changing the name of the town, because of confusion growing out of the fact that there was another town in Hampshire county called Myri- field, became a prominent matter. Several names were sug- gested : "Mount Asaph," "Mountfair" and "Fairfield" were proposed; but finally the name Chester was agreed upon, and the change was authorized by the general court, as stated before, February 21, 1783. At the March meeting there were elected the last list of officers for the town of Murrayfield, and the first for the town of Chester: Town clerk, David Shepard; selectmen and assessors, John Blair, William Campbell and Timothy Lyman ; treasurer, Stephen Lyman; constables, Benjamin Con- verse for the south end of the town and Timothy Smith for the north end; tithing men, Gideon Matthews and Andrew Henry ; wardens, Reuben Woolworth, Samuel Moore, David Shepard, James Hamilton; surveyors of highways, Joseph Abbott, jr., Edward Wright, jr., Thomas Smith, James Core, William Foot, Samuel Moore, Captain Alexander, John Clark and Robert Smith; fence viewers, James Moore and Robert Smith; hog- reeves, Jonathan Waite, jr., William Smith and Jonathan Draper; sealer of weights and measures. William Stone; sealer of lumber, Deacon Matthews; pound keeper, William Foot; sealer of leather, Isaac Bissell. Eighty pounds were raised for repairs of highways, and three shillings fixed as the price of a day's work.
( 363 )
Digazed by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Villages .- There sprang up in Chester five different vil- lages ; and a history of them is substantially a history of the town. The oldest of these villages is Chester Centre, located near the centre of the town on the plateau and about 1,300 feet above sea level. It was in this village and vicinity that the authorized settlement of Murrayfield began, and its centre was the meeting-house. The land in this vicinity was very produe- tive: although the usual difficulties of clearing such land and bringing it into fit condition for tilling confronted the early settlers, who came with but little money, but with strong bodies. willing hands and stout hearts; and they bravely met the hard- ships of pioneer life. Here they made their homes and reared their families. They were, nearly all of them, farmers. Although their hardships were many and their advantages few, they never wavered in their devotion to their country, their zeal for the church, or in their determination to better their conditions materially and spiritually. They raised on their farms pretty much everything they ate, and made at home, with the spinning wheel and loom and other appliances, nearly everything they wore as clothing. Saw mills were located in various parts of the town. A grist mill was located at what is now Littleville. In Chester Centre taverns and stores were established with success worthy of remark. During the early part of the nine- teenth century, until the full opening of railroad communication between Boston and Albany, about 1842, one of the stage routes between Boston and Albany was through Chester Centre; it was also one of the routes for freight transportation, in which in- dustry a large number of horses and wagons were engaged; and along the route at distance of four or five miles apart were humble hostelries for the accommodation of teamsters and their teams. It would go without saying that large quantities of hay and grain and other products of the farms found a ready market at home. And in disposing of the products of the dairy, and the wool from their sheep the farmers on Chester hill had a fair chance with the rest of the country; and they were prosperous, and many acquired wealth. At this period the town was pop- ulous, containing in 1826 a population of 1,526. But when the
( 364 )
Dig ized by Google
Congregational Church at Chester Centre
Diy zed by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
railroad came and changed the route of travel and of transporta- tion of merchandise, Chester Centre was made to halt; and from that time on it gradually declined. Its downward course was accelerated by the civil war, until to-day it has no store, nor any other evidence of its former prosperity-only the meeting-house (that in the thirties often had a congregation of 300 to 400, but now a mere handful), the school house and the cemetery.
The most interesting historical feature of Chester Centre is the meeting-house and what it stood for. As stated before, the burden of building it and of organizing the church, was with the proprietors. After erecting the frame and putting on a roof and covering the sides and flooring it, the proprietors left the settlers to struggle through the task of completing the edifice. No action of the town touching this subject appears to have been taken until 1768, after the reorganization of the town. At the first meeting called by the newly elected board of selectmen to be holden at the public meeting-house on June 28, the 3d article of the warrant was "For the town to vote, if they think proper, a suitable sum of money for them to pay for preaching, and also to choose a minister for supplying the pulpit." It was voted to raise £20 for preaching that year; and "that the preaching this year should not be all at the meeting-house." A committee was chosen "to apply to the Rev. Mr. Teed, Mr. Hooker at South and Northampton, and the Rev. Mr. Ballentine of Westfield for advice." Preaching during the winter months was held at private houses, for the reason that the meeting-house was in so unfinished a condition as not to be a suitable place. The window places during cold weather were boarded up for want of glass windows. And it was only from time to time and little at a time for several years, that the work of completing the meeting-house went on to the finish.
The first minister settled over this church was the Rev. Aaron Bascom. After the town had voted to call Mr. Bascom, there came the question of organizing the church. The Scotch element was large, and they preferred the Presbyterian form of church government, while the English element preferred the congregational forni. But this difference was settled by com-
( 366 1
Dized by Google
THE TOWN OF CHESTER
promise to the satisfaction of every one, and the church was duly organized on the 20th of December, 1769, and on the same day Mr. Bascom was ordained. Mr. Bascom was a native of Warren, and a graduate of Harvard university. He died in 1814 at the age of 68 years, and in the 45th year of his ministry. The history of Mr. Bascom's ministry in Chester is full of inter- esting events, but we have not space to go into them. The next minister settled over this church appears to have been the Rev. Samuel Emmerson, ordained February 1, 1815. Mr. Emmerson did not enjoy good health, and was dismissed, December 10, 1817. He was a graduate of Williams college. His successor was Rev. Rufus Pomeroy, a native of Southampton, and a graduate of Williams college. He was installed over the church at Chester Centre November 20, 1819, and dismissed June 27, 1827. Rev. Saul Clark, a graduate of Williams college, was installed as Mr. Pomeroy's successor November 11, 1829, and was dismissed in 1833. The next minister was Rev. Alanson Alvord, settled November 18, 1834, and dismissed February 7, 1838. Rev. S. W. Edson preached- here for about three years after the dis- missal of Mr. Alvord. Rev. Francis E. Warriner was settled in October, 1841, and dismissed June 22, 1847. Rev. David S. Breed was settled July 4, 1853, and dismissed November 23, 1855. Rev. Hugh Gibson was settled April 28, 1856, and dismissed June 11, 1860. Francis E. Warriner was settled November 6, 1860, and dismissed May 7, 1866. Rev. Henry A. Dickinson was settled March 17, 1867, and dismissed March 1, 1877. Rev. Loring B. Marsh was settled March 5, 1877, and dismissed March 20, 1883. Rev. Charles Morgan was settled August 5, 1883, and dismissed October 1, 1888. Rev. Hiram L. Howard was settled June 16. 1889, and dismissed January 13, 1890. Rev. W. C. Hawthorne was settled August 23, 1891, and dismissed July 16, 1892. Rev. Edward C. Haynes was settled July 1, 1893, and dismissed July 2, 1899. Rev. Thomas W. Davison was settled January 29, 1900, and dismissed April 3, 1901. Rev. William M. Weeks was settled May 26, 1901.
Early in the 19th century this church was the victim of a severe personal controversy, which extended to the formation of
( 367 )
Dazed by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
opposing parties. It arose from a personal difference between the pastor, Rev. Mr. Bascom, and Dr. Martin Phelps, one of the prominent members of the church. Out of this feud is said to have grown the Baptist church enterprise, organized in 1811. Dr. Phelps, either voluntarily or by compulsion, withdrew from the Congregational church, and with others joined in the forma- tion of a Baptist church, which was incorporated by an act of the legislature dated February 26, 1811. The incorporators were Samuel Bell, Daniel Bigelow, Joseph A. Rust, Samuel Russell, Harvey Bodurtha, Daniel Smith, John Stephens, James Wilcox, James Nooney, William Nooney, Grove Winchell, Noah Ellis, Samuel Ormsby, Daniel Sizer, Jonathan Webber, jun., Hiram Moore, Lewis Wright, Elisha Wilcox, Elisha Wilcox, jun., Asa Wilcox, Samuel Bell, jun., Aaron Eggleston, William Quigley, jun., James Briggs, Nathaniel Goodwell, William Henry, Abner Masters, Cephus Stow, Samuel Wait, Andrew Henry, Weeden Stanton, Samuel White, John Stevens, William Wyth, Boswell Moore, Jonathan Melvin, David Mann, Silas Griffin. Nathan Seward, Roger Gibson, Samuel Sampson, Edmund Gilmore, Martin Culver, Hezekiah Elsworth, Eli Johnson, William Sizer, jun., James Elder, Azael French, Ezekiel Suire (Squire ?), Zadock Ingorls, James Campbell, 2d, Jere Bodurtha, Horace Sizer, Asher Stanton, Salathiel Judd, George Nye. Asa Ayers, Stephen Dewey, John Dewey, Salah Day, Joshua Stevens, Mar- tin Phelps, Moses Warner, George Stewart, John Warner, Jod Seward. Abner Smith, Othniel Belden, Alven Campbell, Ira Day, Seth Phelps, Artemas Elder, David Wells, John C. Bell, James Bell. 2d, William Hamilton, Nathaniel Coomes. Samuel Otis, Seth Wait, Pharez Clark, John Hunter, James Ingalls, Elijah Muck, Jacob Day, James Gilmore, Charles Culver, Aaron Hunter, Joab Smith, Jonathan Wait, Sylvester Belden. James Flemming, Joseph Shoats and Matthew Campbell, "together with such others as have or may hereafter associate with them and their successors, with their families, polls and estates, be, and they are hereby incorporated into a religious society by the name of The Baptist and Independent Society in Chester."
The people above named were from all the different parts of Chester. Elder Grant became the first minister. Elder Ab-
( 368 )
Diazed by Google
THE TOWN OF CHESTER
bott was his successor, and held the pastoral office for several years. The next regular pastor was Rev. Silas Kingsley, a native of Becket, whose ministration continued for about 25 years. In 1852 the church numbered 33 members.
Physicians .- Dr. David Shepard was the first physician who settled in Chester. He came about 1770, while the town was called Murrayfield. He was a man of much influence in the town. He married Lucinda Mather, and several children were born to them.
At a town meeting held in April, 1778, it was voted that "Capt. (Dr.) Shepard may have his family inoculated in his house if he will give good obligations for his good behavior," and that he "may let others of this town as long as the first day of May and no longer, if there is room for them." In May following the town voted "that any person may have liberty to have the small-pox by inoculation in the fall at proper places as the town shall judge best."
Dr. Shepard was chosen town clerk in 1771, and at the March meeting, 1783, he was chosen town clerk of Chester, at its first town meeting. It is indicative of his importance in town that after the meeting-house had been repaired, reseated and redignified in 1785, the pew he occupied was No. 1, in dignity 1st. Dr. William Holland began practice at Chester Centre during the lifetime of Dr. Shepard, but did not remain long. Dr. Martin Phelps came to Chester about 1785 and remained until his death at 82 years of age in 1838. He was a man of much influence in town. He and Rev. Mr. Bascom got into a controversy over politics, which resulted in Dr. Phelps' with- drawal from the Congregational church. He lent his aid to the establishing of a Baptist church about 1812. He represented the town of Chester for several years in the legislature. Pro- fessionally he stood high in the community and with medical men.
Dr. Phelps was succeeded by Dr. Anson Boies. He was the physician of Chester for a number of years. He died in 1820. He was married twice, both wives being daughters of Rev. Mr. Bascom.
24-3
( 369 )
Dg ized by Google
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Dr. Emmons succeeded Dr. Boies, and, after residing sev- eral years in Chester, he went to Williamstown and became Prof. Emmons.
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.