USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 1 > Part 14
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
pioneers themselves crossed the country on foot, following the Indian trail that led through the Nipmuck country direct to their place of destination. Thus, the Indian trail, which was only a well beaten path through the forests, became the first route of travel between the Connecticut valley and the home settlements. In the course of a few years increasing westward emigration required better facilities for transportation of goods, and the trail was widened to allow the passage of wagons. Then it took the name of the "Bay path," in allusion to its eastern terminus, and so continued to be known until a few years before the revo- lution, when the more dignified name of "Boston road" was given to it.
But notwithstanding its prominence as a route of travel the Boston road was hardly more than a narrow wagon path until after the close of the revolution, and as late as 1763 Joseph Wait, a Brookfield merchant, lost his way just on the outskirts of the Springfield settlement, at a point now almost in the center of the city. Soon after this event Mr. Wait, who appears to have been something of a philanthropist, set up a substantial guide post by the wayside for the benefit of wayfarers in later years; and the stone still stands, having been carefully preserved through all subsequent years as an interesting relic of early days.
Under the colonial rule, and indeed until after the close of the revolution and the adoption of the constitution of the com- monwealth, no steps were taken to establish routes of travel in the state, but soon after the suppression of Shays' insurrection the legislature was besieged with applications for charters for turn- pike companies, to be laid out chiefly in western Massachusetts. These companies generally were numbered in the order of incor- poration.
The First Massachusetts turnpike corporation, the first of the companies whose line of road was laid out in whole or in part in this county, was chartered by the legislature June 11, 1796, and named as incorporators a formidable array of persons. Many of these proprietors were Palmer men, hence the names of all of them may properly be given here: Levi Pease, Ephraim Mower, Nathaniel Gorham, Moses Bliss, Thomas Dwight, Jona-
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than Dwight, Dwight Foster, John Hastings, David Sexton, Sam- uel Fowler, Ebenezer Hunt, Daniel Goulding, Samuel Henshaw, John Hooker, Erastus Lyman, Joseph Lyman, Levi Lincoln, Pliny Merrick, Ebenezer Mattoon, Charles Phelps, Nathaniel Paine, Warham Parks, Benjamin Prescott, William Shepard, Levi Shepard, Simeon Strong, Phineas Upham, Samuel Ward, John Williams, Samuel Flagg and Salem Town. This company was authorized to construct and maintain a toll road,1 at least three rods wide, from Western Bridge, in Worcester county, to the "county road" near Scott's tavern in Palmer.
The Eighth Massachusetts turnpike corporation was char- tered February 24, 1800, and was authorized to construct and operate a toll road, "beginning on the line between Westfield and Russell, in the road near Westfield river, on the south side thereof, thence to run by said river through Russell and Bland- ford to Falley's store ; thence by the west branch through Bland- ford and Chester to the house of Elias Leonard; thence by the commonly called 'Government road' into Becket."
In the towns of Blandford, Russell and Chester this road was a highway of great importance, in which the entire region apparently was interested, if the number of incorporators may be taken as an index of public sentiment. They were Joseph Stebbins, James S. Dwight, George Bliss, Zebina Stebbins, Alex- ander Bliss, William Smith, Jeremiah Woodsworth, John Cald- well, John Morgan, Joseph Hart, Christopher Leffingwell, Justin Ely, Peletiah Bliss, Jeremiah Stebbins, Jonathan Smith, Samuel Master, Warham Parks, William Shepard, James Taylor, Zach-
1The reader of course will understand that all turnpike road companies were incorporated for business purposes, and that the hope of financial gain was the motive of the proprietors rather than the development of the country through which the road was intended to be laid out. The laws regulating companies of this character authorized the opening and maintenance of toll roads and the erection of toll-houses and gates at certain distances. At each toll-house was a gate-keeper, whose duty was to collect tolls from each traveler over the road. The fares authorized to be charged were regulated by statute, and were sub- stantially the same with each company. The "rates of toll" charged by the 1st Mass. turnpike company were as follows : For every curricle, 16 cts ; every chaise, chair or other carriage drawn by one horse, 12 cts and 5 mills ; every sleigh drawn by two horses, 6 cts, and by more than two horses, 2 cts for each horse ; "oxen horses" and neat cattle, led or driven, one cent and five mills.
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ariah Bush, Ashbel Eager, Adnah Sacket, Israel Ashley, Noah Phelps, Titus Doolittle, Reuben Parks, Daniel Falley, David Mack, James Gilman, Oliver Bush, Elias Leonard, James Harris, Hiram Messenger, Henry Vanschaak, Moses Rigsbee, Azariah Eggleston, Seth Lathrop, Silas King, William Pynchon, Samuel Lyman, Horace White, Heman Day, John Hooker, John Inger- soll, Elijah Bates, William King and Samuel Fowler.
The Eleventh Massachusetts turnpike corporation was char- tered June 19, 1801, and was another prominent thoroughfare of travel during the early years of the nineteenth century. Its incorporators numbered more than fifty men of the territory through which it was laid out, and if local tradition be true the road had an interesting early history, both in this and Berkshire county. It began on the Connecticut line, at the northern ter- minus of a turnpike built by a company of that state, and ran through the east parish of Granville to Blandford meeting house ; thence through the "town street" of Blandford, by the usual "Pittsfield road," so called, into Becket, and there united with the road built by the Eighth turnpike company. The act pro- vided that the company be organized, and its officers elected, at the house of Solomon Noble, "innholder," in Blandford.
The Thirteenth turnpike corporation was chartered June 19, 1801, and its projectors were by the act authorized to build a toll road from the Connecticut line, near Holmes' mill, to the meeting house in the middle parish in Granville, and thence to the west- erly part of Loudon, in Berkshire county. The company was organized at the house of Linus Bates, in Granville, in August, 1801.
The Chester turnpike corporation, whose road was a well known thoroughfare of travel about a century ago, was chartered May 5, 1803. Under the act the company was authorized to build and maintain a toll road "from the forks of the road in Partridgefield west parish, a few rods west of the new meeting house there, to the Middlefield meeting house; thence to Chester meeting house," and thence to Parley Crook's in Chester, near the west branch of Westfield river.
The Sixteenth Massachusetts turnpike corporation was char- tered February 14, 1803, with authority to construct and main-
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tain a toll road from the west line of West Springfield (Agawam parish), about seventy rods west of Moses Hays' dwelling house in Southwick, west to Edmund Barlow's dwelling house in Granville; and thence into Berkshire county.
The Springfield and Longmeadow turnpike corporation was chartered March 7, 1804, and was one of the first roads of its character leading out of Springfield. It began at the south end of Main street, near the dwelling house of Major Jacob Bliss, and run thence "by the nearest and most convenient route through the town of Longmeadow," to the Connecticut line.
The incorporators of the company were numerous and in- cluded many of the foremost men of both towns. As shown by the creating act, they were Nathaniel Ely, Jonathan Dwight, James Dwight, William Ely, Jacob Bliss, Daniel Lombard, Will- iam Pynchon, Chauncey Brewer, Eleazer Williams, Thomas Wil- liston, Thomas Bates, Richard Woolworth, Moses Field, jr., Josiah Cooley, Lewis White, Gideon Bush, Elihu Colton, Demas Colton, Nathaniel Burt, Seth Steele, John Cooley 2d, Calvin Burt, Joshua Frost, John Cooley, Alexander Field, Samuel Col- ton, Oliver Blanchard, Ethan Ely, Gideon Colton, jr., David Burt, Samuel Keep, Noah Bliss, Samuel Keep, jr., Gaius Bliss, Hezekiah Hale, Israel Colton, William Colton, Hanum Cooley and Ebenezer Bliss.
The Petersham and Monson turnpike was another of the once famous highways of eastern Hampden county, although comparatively little of the road was laid out in our eastern towns. The company was incorporated February 29, 1804, and built a turnpike road from the Fifth Massachusetts company's road in Athol through that town, also through Petersham, Greenwich, Dana, Ware, Palmer and Monson, to connect with a turnpike in Stafford.
The Blandford and Russell turnpike company was incor- porated March 16, 1805, and included among its stockholders probably a majority of the substantial men of those towns. At least the long list of names of incorporators would seem to indi- cate that nearly the whole region had an interest in the con- struction of the road. The latter was to be laid out not less than
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four rods wide, and to extend from the dwelling house of Stephen Sacket in Westfield through Russell to the dwelling house of Solomon Noble in Blandford.
The incorporators of the company were Samuel Knox, Jacob Almy, Israel Ashley, William Ashley, Stephen Ashley, Eli P. Ashmun, James Babcock, Ebenezer Bartlett, jr., Elijah Bates, Aaron Beard, Adam, Reuben, Asa and James Blair, Reuben, Samuel, Samuel 2d, William, David 2d, and David Boies, Joseph W. Brewster, Zadock Brown, Joseph Bull, Moses A. Bunnel, Perry Button, Robert Cannon, Martin Cannon, Chandler Carter, Levi Chapman, Samuel Chapman, Thomas James Douglas, Joseph B. Elmore, William Ferguson, Medad Fowler, Ephraim, Samuel C. and Nathan Gibbs, Erastus Grant, John Hamilton, Benjamin Hastings, James and Robert Hazard, Benjamin Henry, Enoch Holcomb, jr., John Ingersoll, Elijah; John and William Knox, Jared W. Knowlton, Jacob Lounds, Isaac and James Lloyd, James Moore, Jacob Morse, Israel Mosely, Solo- mon Noble, Jonathan Osborn, Gad Palmer, Squire Palmer, Ab- ner Pease, Ezra and Stephen Sacket, Jonathan Shepard, Solo- mon Stewart, jr., William Stewart, Benjamin Taggart, John Watson, Paul and Barnabas Whitney, Andrew and John Wil- son, Amos Witter and Oliver Weller.
Among the other turnpike companies worthy of mention in this connection, there may be recalled the Granville corporation, chartered June 20, 1809; the Granville and Tolland corporation, chartered June 13, 1814; the Wilbraham corporation, chartered June 16, 1820, for the purpose of building a toll road from the west end of the First Massachusetts company's road through Wilbraham and a part of Longmeadow to the Connecticut line, the incorporators being Abel Bliss, jr., William Clark, Aaron Woodward, John Adams, jr., Ebenezer R. Warner, Moses Burt, Pynchon Bliss and John Glover; the Chester turnpike corpora- tion, once a notable company, chartered February 14, 1822, to build a road from the west end of Walton bridge, "upon the present road of the Eighth Massachusetts turnpike corporation, to the foot of Becket mountain, about one-half mile west of the dwelling house of Uriah Ferre, in Chester, thence by the new
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road to Becket turnpike," the incorporators being Titus Doo- little, Daniel Collins, Thomas Fry and Origen A. Perkins; the Tolland and Otis turnpike company, chartered June 18, 1825; and the Hampden and Berkshire company, chartered March 3, 1826, to build a road from the house of John Mallory, jr., in Russell, on the best course to the village of Blandford and thence in the best course to the Becket turnpike.
The old toll road system of early days, were it now in opera- tion, would be regarded as a nuisance and a detriment to public interests ; but three-quarters of a century ago, and less, that sys- tem was the direct means of great benefit to the whole country in extending settlement into new localities and giving a per- manent value to thousands of acres of land previously inaccessi- ble to settlers. The toll roads of old Hampshire and new Hamp- den counties were as important in their day as the steam rail- roads of the present time, and to the farmers and their interests, the former were far more valuable. After this system of main arteries of travel was in full operation, the several towns took upon themselves the task of laying out lateral or cross roads, and thus even the most remote lands were made available. At length, however, when the agricultural lands were all occupied, and when other and more modern means of travel had been provided, the old system became unpopular and soon afterward the gates were removed.
Following close upon the opening of the toll roads across the state there came a new era of progress and prosperity in the his- tory of Hampden county. As early as about the year 1818 a line of stages and transportation wagons for passengers and mer- chandise began running on the Boston road between the capital city of Massachusetts and Albany ; and within the next score of years at least half a dozen lines of stages were operating throughout the state. This was the most prosperous era in the annals of the towns of Massachusetts, and one in which every branch or calling in business life was fostered and made better. From 1820 until the advent of the railroad every farmer found a ready market for all the products of the soil. Good prices pre- vailed and money was plenty; and in the general distribution of
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Boston and Albany Stage-Coach, "Chapin & Frink," 1836 As it appeared at the celebration of 250th Anniversary of the founding of Springfield, 1636-1886
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cash the farmer received his full share. This can hardly be said of any period during the last half century. In those days the farmer was indeed thriftless who did not pay for his lands and "lay by" at least a small store of wealth for the future com- fort of his family.
Again, during the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the towns of Massachusetts were contributing their population to southern and western New York and also to Ohio, and throughout that period down to about 1845 the warm months of every year witnessed a constant stream of travel across the state from east to west, and it is doubtful if there was any ten miles of the old Boston road that had not its wayside tavern where re- freshment and good cheer were offered to the traveller. And what is true of the Boston road is also true of nearly all the other turnpike roads. During that period Springfield was an impor- tant center of travel and trade, and the scenes of activity around the old Hampden coffee house and the other hostelries of the town furnished topics of discussion in every circle of domestic life. Business was active, money was plenty and prosperity pre- vailed on every hand. Of a truth it may be said that the era of the stage coach was one of greater progress in the history of the towns of this state than all others of earlier years. During that era the resources of the towns were developed to their full- est extent and the foundations of thousands of fortunes were laid.
Ferries .- During the period of the turnpike road companies and the stage lines two prominent factors in connection there- with contributed to the welfare of Springfield. The first and perhaps the most prominent of these was the old Boston road, which formed part of a continuous line of travel between Bos- ton and Albany, and which was in fact the route most used by travellers between those points. The other factor referred to was the early and (for the time) ample means afforded for cross- ing the Connecticut river. As early as 1674 the town of Spring- field authorized Anthony Dorchester to operate a ferry across the river below the mouth of the Agawam, as commonly known, and in compensation for his service the worthy ferryman was
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The Old South Holyoke Ferry
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allowed to charge eight pence for each horse and man, two pence for each foot traveller, and three pence for each trooper on train- ing days. From that time a ferry was maintained across the river, and as settlement increased on the west side, a second ferry was established farther up the stream.
In 1683, at the suggestion of the general court, a second ferry was considered by the selectmen of Springfield, and at a town meeting held in February it was voted that the "selectmen should discourse with any person for the keeping of a ferry over the Great River, and, having found such a one, to make report thereof to the town." At that time the selectmen were Deacon Jonathan Burt, Henry Chapin, John Hitchcock, Samuel Ball and John Holyoke, while Daniel Denton served in the capacity of town clerk. In the following year the town voted to establish a ferry at John Dorchester's place, to be kept by him, and in addition to the tolls charged, he should be exempt from military training; and it seems that the shrewd settler, in addition to his tolls, asked the right to sell liquors, but whether the request was granted the records are silent.
In 1718 the town voted a tax for the purpose of establishing a free ferry across the river, and appointed John Worthington, Joseph Williston and Joseph Merrick to provide for the same. In 1727 the ferry at the "upper wharfe" was let to John Hug- gins for a term of five years. In 1728 the ferry at the mouth of the Agawam was made permanent. In 1749 a ferry was au- thorized at the "middle wharfe," and at the same time it was voted that Josiah Dwight, Daniel Parsons, George Pynchon and Jacob White "may have liberty to set up a vessel at the middle wharfe in said town." This undoubtedly was the first attempt to navigate a sailing vessel for ferry purposes on the Connecti- cut river.
The ferries to which allusion is made in preceding para- graphs probably were located in the vicinity of the North End bridge, or the "upper wharfe," the foot of Ferry or Cypress street, the "middle wharfe," and the South End bridge or "'lower wharfe," respectively. The upper and lower ferries were maintained many years, and were a great convenience to
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travelers in those localities; but the needs of the inhabitants liv- ing near the center of business and population in the town re- quired more ample facilities for communication with the west side of the river, hence in the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury the middle ferry gave way to a bridge-one of the pioneer structures of its kind in the Connecticut valley. As late, how- ever, as 1831 Hiram Jones was authorized to keep a ferry at Chicopee, a locality which had not the benefits of a bridge across the river until within a comparatively recent date.
Bridges .- When, in 1786, the construction of a bridge across the Connecticut river was first proposed the suggestion was re- ceived with ridicule, and the feat was declared by the wiseacres as impossible to be accomplished. At that time bridges were not unknown in the valley, but they were few in number, and were confined to the smaller streams. As early as 1782 the gen- eral court authorized a lottery enterprise in aid of a bridge over the Chicopee, on the line of road between Springfield and Had- ley, another across the Agawam part of Westfield river, in West- field, and a third across Westfield river at Weller's mills, in the town of Westfield. In 1800 the town was authorized to build a bridge over Westfield "Great river," near Park's mills. In 1816 both Palmer and Westfield petitioned the court of sessions for aid from the public funds in the construction of bridges in those towns.
Even at that comparatively recent date the construction of bridges over small streams was regarded as a doubtful under- taking, and the erection of a bridge across a river so great as the Connecticut was looked upon as an impossible feat. In March, 1792, an incorporated company was formed for the purpose of constructing a bridge over the Connecticut between the towns of Greenfield and Montague, in the north part of Hampshire county, and three years later another company was chartered for the same purpose.
Although the proposition to bridge the river within the limits of Hampden county was first made in 1786, no effective steps in that direction were taken until 1803, when, on February 22, the legislature passed "An act for incorporating certain persons for
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the purpose of building a bridge over Connecticut river, and for supporting the same;" the effective portion of which act was as follows :
"Whereas a bridge over Connecticut river, between the towns of Springfield and West Springfield, in the county of Hampshire, would be of public convenience; and whereas John Hooker and others have presented a petition to this court pray- ing for liberty to build the same, and to be incorporated for that purpose :"
"Be it enacted," etc., "That John Hooker, George Bliss, Joseph Williams, Samuel Fowler, William Sheldon, Jonathan Dwight, Thomas Dwight, James Scutt Dwight, William Smith, William Pynchon, Jonathan Smith, jr., Jere Stebbins, Seth Lathrop, Samuel Lathrop, Justin Ely, jr., Solomon Stebbins, Peletiah Bliss, Reuben Sikes, Thaddeus Leavitt, Jacob Bliss, Alexander Bliss, Zebina Stebbins, George Blake, Justin Lom- bard and Eleazer Williams, with such other persons as already have associated, or may hereafter associate with them, be, and they are hereby made and constituted a corporation and body politic, by the name of The Proprietors of the Springfield Bridge."
The company was authorized to build a bridge across the Connecticut at any point between the "the mouth of the Aga- wam river and the mouth of Plain brook, so called."
In accordance with the authority of the act the company at once began the work of construction, and on October 30, 1805, the Springfield bridge was completed and opened for traffic. It was one of the most notable structures of its kind in the country, and its completion was one of the first successful attempts to bridge the river at any point throughout its entire length from Northern Vermont and New Hampshire to Long Island sound. This pioneer bridge was 1,234 feet long, forty feet above low water, and cost $36,270. It comprised six spans, or arches, sup- ported by two abutments and five piers. Thirty rods above the bridge the company caused two "ice-breaks" to be built in the river to protect the main structure.
The formal opening was an occasion of joyous celebration in Springfield and its sister town across the river; and a salute
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of seventeen guns three times repeated from each end of the bridge was one of the events of the day (Rev. Joseph A. Lath- rop's sermon from Isaiah 45:18, specially prepared for the occa- sion, was another), and the citizens marched through the streets in honor of the company's achievement.
The following description of the Springfield bridge is taken from Henry Brewer's Federal Spy, the article being printed in 1805, viz .:
"This bridge is so constructed with frames upon each pier connected by long timbers with the arches, that the traveller passes over nearly the whole extent of it on an elevated plane, affording a view of extensive landscapes in which are blended well-cultivated fields, pleasant villages, rivers, meadows, lofty mountains, and indeed a wildness and variety in the beauties of nature which is highly gratifying to the eye."
Notwithstanding the favorable circumstances which at- tended the construction of the Springfield bridge, the structure itself was short lived, and in its destruction the "knowing ones" found verification of their predictions, therefore breathed more freely and in a measure felt compensated for the great loss the public had sustained. On July 19, 1814, the bridge fell into the river and was demolished. It was an unfortunate event and was regarded as a public calamity, for the bridge had come to be regarded as an indispensable convenience to travel between Boston and Albany. The cause of its destruction is said to have been the heavily loaded army wagons used during the war of 1812, but the main fault lay in the unnecessarily heavy weight of the bridge itself. In a measure its construction was an ex- periment, the builders having no precedent to guide them and only their own imperfect knowledge of bridge engineering for the regulation of their work. Had the bridge been only half as heavy, it probably would not have fallen.
The loss of the first bridge, however, did not discourage the company, although the purses of the stockholders had been drained in its construction. They at once set about rebuilding, and in January, 1815, the legislature passed an act authorizing the company to raise a fund of $20,000 by lottery. This was
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