USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 2 > Part 37
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Isaac Janes, Israel Janes, Jonathan Janes, Peleg Cheney Janes, Solomon Janes, Thomas Janes, William Janes, Asaph Lane, Samuel Lewis, Benjamin Lilly, Joseph Lilly, Reuben Lilly, Samuel Lilly, Daniel Livermore, Absalom Lumbard, Aaron Lumbard, David Lumbard, Jeremiah Lumbard, Stephen Lum- bard, Thomas Lumbard, Nathaniel Mighill, Oliver Mason, Ezra May, Thomas McClure, Abner Mighill, Nathaniel Miller, Amos Miller, Daniel Moffatt, Jacob Moffatt, Joel Moffatt, Judah Mof- fatt, Lewis Moffatt, William Moffatt, Aaron Morgan, Benjamin Morgan, David Morgan, Enoch Morgan, Jacob Morgan, Jonathan Morgan, Joseph Morgan, Pelatiah Morgan, William Morgan, Benjamin Nelson, Samuel Nelson, John Newell, Asher Nichols, John Nichols, Zadok Nichols, Jesse Parker, Lemuel Parker, Eli Powers, Joseph Russell, Simon Rogers, Sylvanus Sanderson, George Shaw, Samuel Shaw, Benjamin Sherman, Beriah Sher- man, Bezaleel Sherman, James Sherman, John Sherman, Joseph Sherman, Lemuel Sherman, Noah Sherman, Samuel Sherman, Thomas Sherman, George Shumway, Elijah Smith, John Smith, Daniel Stearns, Abner Stebbins, David Stebbins, John Stebbins, Jotham Stebbins, Judah Stebbins, Levi Stebbins, Thomas Stone, Abner Sabin, Alpheus Thompson, Asa Thompson, Amherst Thompson, James Thompson, Jonathan Thompson, John Thomp- son, Samuel Thompson, Solomon Thompson, Stephen Thompson, Adam Townsley, Daniel Townsley, Gad Townsley, Jacob Towns- ley, Reuben Townsley, Benjamin Trask, Noah Trask, William Trask, Joseph Tucker, Christopher Ward, Comfort Ward, Ebenezer Ward, Elijah Ward, Bradley Webber, Gershom Whit- ney, Joshua Witham, Calvin Worthington.
In the Shays rebellion of 1786-7 the town stood in support of the government, and its two militia companies were twice ordered to Springfield-on September 25, 1786, remaining six days, and on January 17, 1787, remaining on duty for twenty- four days. A special company was also enlisted, and served from February 7 to March 12, 1787.
The people of Brimfield, as was the case generally through- out New England, were not in sympathy with the war of 1812, and did not fail to express their dissent in town meetings and
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THE TOWN OF BRIMFIELD
otherwise. Nevertheless, sturdy sons of the town followed the flag of their country, though the details of their service, as in other cases, are known only in vague tradition. The towns of Monson, Brimfield and South Brimfield united in raising a com- pany for this war, under command of Captain Isaac Fuller of Monson, of which Brimfield furnished :
Lieutenant Abner Brown, Sergeant-Major Daniel Frost, Sergeants Julius Ward and Erastus Lumbard, Corporal Zadoc Nichols; Saunders Allen, Lemuel Allen, Shubael Butterworth,
Soldiers' Monument
William Blodgett, Martin Durkee, Chester Ellinwood, Oliver Felton, Timothy Gardner, Jonathan Haynes, Eaton Hitchcock, John Dunbar, Edward Lewis, John G. Moore, Joshua Nichols, Daniel S. Nichols, Lewis Robinson, Timothy Snyder, Martin Smith, Abial Stebbins, Erastus Stebbins, Calvin Burnett, Loring Collins, Aaron English, George Harvey.
In the war of the rebellion, from 1861 to 1865, the people of the town manifested for the preservation of the nation a heroism as lofty and self-sacrificing as that displayed in the long struggle for independence and a republican government. Under the
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various calls for soldiers during that war, the town furnished 138 men, being an excess of five over the quota required. The larger portion of these men served with the 27th, 34th and 46th Massachusetts regiments, though many other organizations within the state, and some from other states, bore the names of Brimfield men upon their rolls. There was raised and expended for mili- tary purposes during the war, by the town, over $15,000, besides $5,853 for state aid to soldiers' families, which was afterward repaid by the state. Over $1,800 was also raised by the women of Brimfield for the Sanitary and Christian Commissions, to aid in the work of these noble organizations in behalf of sick, wounded, and needy soldiers in the field and in hospitals. The town was one of the first in the state to erect a soldiers' monu- ment, an appropriation of $1,250 for the purpose being made March 12, 1866, and the monument being dedicated July 4 following. With other appropriate inscription, it bears the names of 18 soldiers from the town who died in the service.
It is thus shown that whenever a resort to arms has been necessary, the men of Brimfield have been ready to meet the fullest requirements of patriotic citizenship, whether by the giving of their substance, the manful bearing of privation and hardship, or even the supreme measure of life sacrifice, in behalf of American ideas and institutions; and this while they have been eminently a peaceful, almost pastoral, people, devoted to the culture of their fertile acres, and to those amenities which give to life its sweetest and most charming aspect.
The settlement of Brimfield was decided upon on account of the fertility of the soil and the inviting nature of its lands for farming purposes. Naturally, agriculture has always remained the principal pursuit of its inhabitants. The township as settled was divided into farms of moderate proportions, and compara- tively little change has been made during the subsequent ex- periences of the inhabitants. Within the town limits there are nearly 200 farms, with an average valuation of some $3,000. This distribution of the town property indicates, a thrifty, pros- perous community, on the one hand without concentration of great wealth in a few hands, and on the other being spared the
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blight of widespread poverty. A community of people with homes is the ideal of American life, and that has ever been the- condition of Brimfield's inhabitants.
The manufacturing interests have never been extensive, though a considerable variety of industries have first and last been established. In the early days, potash, saltpeter and tar were produced to some extent, and later some pottery was made from clay obtained at Sherman's pond. Brick making has con- tinued to the present time, as have saw mills and grist mills. Wool dressing, tailoring, and the manufacture of woolen hats
The Brimfield Windmill
were followed prior to the modern practice of consolidating such industries in large establishments. Some cotton and woolen manufacturing was carried on during the first half of the last century, and the plant was afterward used for the manufacture of shoemaking tools and machinery. The tanning of leather was carried on until the destruction of the plant about 1850, and the manufacture of boots and shoes was at one time of some im- portance. It is said that Brimfield sent the first ready-made boots to some of the Connecticut markets, and to other southern points, but the industry never attained to large proportions.
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Various other branches of business have been entered from time to time, and have proved more or less valuable factors in the town's development; but none have come to compare in impor- tance with the permanent and profitable labors of the husband- man.
The matter of education received attention early in the his- tory of the town, it being voted December 28, 1731, that the town have a school. The territory was divided into three districts in 1736, but only a single teacher was employed, dividing the time between the three sections. The boundaries of the districts were established in December, 1742, and at the same time a tax of £80 was voted to pay for labor and materials for the building of school-houses. In 1753 it was voted to have schools kept in seven places, and thirteen years later the number of districts was in- creased to ten. A year previous a grammar school had been voted; but the compensation of the teachers cannot have been very liberal, as the annual appropriation for 1755 was only £30, of which about one-ninth was to go to the teacher of the grammar school, the remainder to be equally divided between the seven districts. The examination of teachers and care of the schools was in the hands of the minister until 1819, when a committee of ten-one for each district-was appointed for his assistance. In 1843 the plan of a general committee of three to have over- sight of all schools in the town was adopted, but it was not until 1859 that school reports were printed. The district system was abolished by the state in 1870, and the present plan of graded schools took the place of the old method.
The Hitchcock Free Academy was established in 1855, through the liberality of Mr. Samuel A. Hitchcock, and for almost half a century has held an honorable place among the educational institutions of the county and state. Mr. Hitchcock was a public-spirited citizen of the best type, and bestowed his means, while still living and able to direct the beneficence, for the permanent good of his native town. His total contributions amounted to $75,000, and these have been supplemented to some extent by outside subscriptions, although substantially the school. stands as the monument, of most noble type, of its namesake and
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THE TOWN OF BRIMFIELD
founder. The incorporation was effected April 26, 1855, as "The Trustees of the Brimfield Free Grammar School." In June of the following year the name was changed to the Hitch- cock Free Grammar school, in March, 1871, to the Hitchcock Free High school, and June 10, 1897, to Hitchcock Free academy.
The school buildings are pleasantly located on a commodious lot in the center of the village, and are equipped with modern scientific apparatus and a carefully selected library. The insti- tution is primarily designed for the free accommodation and
Hitchcock Free High School
benefit of Brimfield residents, but applicants from other towns are received on favorable terms to the capacity of the school, and so widespread is its reputation that there is never a lack of pupils. English and classical courses of study are provided, the latter covering four years, and being designed to qualify students for admission to the best American colleges.
The principals of the school, from the time of its opening until the present have been : Henry A. Littel, Joseph G. Scott, Edwin D. Dewey, Charles E. Sumner, Nathan Thompson, Charles M. Palmer, Henry Marden, W. S. Knowlton, Elias
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Brookings, William W. McClench, E. W. Norwood, Charles H. Cooper, Francis E. Burnett, R. B. Clarke, Arthur A. Upham, Henry S. Pratt, J. M. Russell, George W. Earle, Fred A. Luce and Wellington Hodgkins.
It may almost be said that Brimfield has had but a single church during its history. One of the requirements embodied in the commission of the first prudential committee was that they should settle an able Orthodox minister as soon as might be, and
The Town, from the fields
early in the history of settlement this requirement was carried out. The first meeting-house was erected in 1722 on the site of the present village church. It was a plain frame structure, with- out tower or steeple, and in accordance with the custom of that time it was built without chimneys or any provision for artificial warmth. Still it served its purpose until 1804, when a new build- ing was erected on the site, at a cost of $6,000, the "raising" of the frame being made a day of general jubilation through the town. This building was remodeled in 1838, and was destroyed
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by fire in 1847. As soon as practicable it was replaced by the present structure, which was dedicated in January, 1848, and with some improvements has served the people for more than half a century. The Sunday school was established in 1819.
Rev. Richard Treat, the first minister, was ordained Novem- ber 18, 1724, being granted 120 acres with "after rights," and paid a salary of £85, afterward increased to £105-a liberal allowance for the time and in the condition of the settlement. He resigned the pastorate in 1734, and his successor, Rev. James Bridgham, was called in 1736, serving for forty years, until his death in 1776. The subsequent pastors have been : Rev. Nehemiah Williams, 1775-96; Rev. Clark Brown, 1798-1803; Rev. Warren Fay, 1808-11; Rev. Joseph Vaill, Jr., 1814-34, 1837-41; Rev. Joseph Fuller, 1835-7; Rev. George C. Partridge, 1842-6; Rev. B. E. Hale, 1847-9; Rev. Jason Moore, 1849-61; Rev. Charles M. Hyde, 1862-70; Rev. Moses B. Boardman, 1870-73; Rev. Webster K. Pierce, 1874-8; Rev. Doane R. Atkins, 1879-81; Rev. Samuel V. McDuffee, 1882-4; Rev. Joseph Kyte, 1884-8; Rev. M. L. Richardson, 1889-91; Rev. Wilbur Rand, 1891-3; Rev. Robert J. Kyle, 1893-1900; Rev. William P. Clancy, 1900.
A few minor societies have for short periods held meetings in the town, but none have long continued, and the record of the community has been one of remarkable religious unity.
In area the present town of Brimfield covers 35.2 square miles. In population it had in 1840 attained 1410, by the United State census, and in 1850 reached its highest figure-1420. Since that time the falling off has been continual, the census figures showing, in 1860, 1361; 1870, 1288; 1880, 1203; 1890, 1096; 1900, 941.
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CHAPTER X
THE TOWN OF BLANDFORD
BY A. M. COPELAND
Blandford is located south of Chester, and is bounded north by Chester and Huntington, east by Russell, south by Tolland and Granville, and west by Otis and Becket. For the most part the town is on a plateau of an average altitude of about 1,300 feet above the sea. The highest land is Walnut Hill in the west- * ern part of the town, the summit of which is 1,760 feet above the sea. There are four natural ponds : North Meadow pond, Long pond, Blair pond and Cochran pond. A branch of Westfield river known as Little river flows from North Meadow pond in a southeasterly direction through the central part of the town and the south part of Russell, and enters the Westfield river just below Westfield village.
The views from Blandford are extensive, the city of Spring- field being easily seen through a strong glass, and in the evening the illumination from the electric lights is visible from the vicin- ity of the meeting-house. The view to the north across the West- field river ravine and over the highlands of Montgomery and Huntington and Chester and beyond, is grand, and so to the west and south and east it is extensive and almost equally grand.
There are two villages in the town, Blandford and North Blandford. Highways lead from these to Russell and to West- field, to Chester and Huntington, to Otis and to Becket, to Tol- land and to Granville. There are numerous brooks flowing in every direction, some flowing toward and into Westfield river, and some flowing toward and mingling their waters with the
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THE TOWN OF BLANDFORD
Farmington river. These streams afford many water privileges for saw-mills, and at North Blandford for other manufacturing.
The geological formation is metamorphic to a high degree. While there is found here and there a fair degree of fertility of soil, for the most part the soil of this town is not so favorable for agriculture as in some of the adjoining towns. Mr. Gibbs in his address upon the history of Blandford says that "For many years after the settlement of the town, our most wealthy farmers cut only sufficient hay to winter a cow and a few sheep. Those who kept horses were obliged to have them wintered in West- field."
In the northwesterly part of the town is a soap stone ledge ; near this place is a hummock of serpentine rock, and it is marked on some maps, very erroneously, as an extinct volcanic crater. There are other outcropings of soapstone. In the east part of the town is a bed of kaolin which is utilized in connection with the manufacture of brick at Russell.
Prior to 1713 some of the northern tier of towns in the state of Connecticut were supposed to be within the limits of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and the government of Massa- chusetts exercised jurisdiction over them. Woodstock, Enfield and Suffield were for many years treated as Massachusetts towns. Deeds of land in Suffield were recorded in the Old Hampshire county records. But the boundary line between the colony of Connecticut and the Province of Massachusetts Bay was for many years a matter of controversy between the Province and the Colony. In 1713 a commission was agreed upon to survey and establish the line. The line as established by the commission threw into the Colony of Connecticut the towns of Woodstock. Suffield, the southern extremity of the old town of Springfield both east and west of the Connecticut river, and the southern part of the town of Westfield. By the terms of the agreement. Massachusetts was, as before, to have jurisdiction over the old border towns, though they fell south of the new line. For this privilege of jurisdiction Massachusetts agreed to compensate Connecticut. For as much territory as Massachusetts governed south of the true line, she agreed to give the same amount of
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territory to Connecticut in unimproved lands in western Massa- chusetts and in New Hampshire, and a further allowance was made by a promise to sell the more distant lands at a cheaper rate. These unimproved lands were called equivalent lands. The small disputed tract at Windsor fell to Connecticut. The lands in Connecticut that Massachusetts governed by the above agree- ment were :
In Woodstock. 30,419 acres
In Enfield. 36,180 acres
In Suffield. 22,172 acres
Part of Springfield, east of Connecticut river 640 acres
Part of Springfield, west of Connecticut river 287 acres
In Westfield. 5,549 acres
Besides there were some lands in grants to private indi- viduals.
It was customary for individuals to own large tracts of land in common, principally for pasturage, and they were called the proprietors of common and undivided lands. The laws of the Province of Massachusetts Bay recognized this kind of proprie- torship of lands, and laws were passed touching the organiza- tion of such proprietors for the purpose of regulating the use and enjoyment of such common and undivided lands. In the town of Suffield were a large number of owners of common and undivided lands. It appears that some of the lands so held in Suffield were set to Windsor and some to Simsbury by the re- adjustment of town lines incident to this settlement of the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut, and so were brought within the jurisdiction of Connecticut; and thus the proprietors were deprived of their former rights as tenants in common. To compensate these proprietors for their loss, the general court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay gave to these Suffield pro- prietors of common lands so set to the towns of Windsor and Simsbury, a tract of land just west of Westfield to be of the con- tents of six miles square, as an equivalent for these common lands of which they had been so deprived. This grant was made in 1732, and the land so granted was called New Glasgow, or often simply Glasgow. There were somewhat more than one hundred
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THE TOWN OF BLANDFORD
of these proprietors. Their rights were held common and un- divided, but in unequal shares, each individual share consisting of a definite number of acres.
About 1734, Christopher Jacob Lawton, a lawyer, of Suf- field, began to buy of each proprietor his share in the New Glas- gow lands, each one giving Lawton, for a named consideration, a deed of his right, naming the number of acres, without giving any other description except naming the township, designating it as the equivalent land granted by the general court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay to the proprietors of common lands in Suffield that were set off to Windsor and Simsbury in establishing the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut in 1713. A copy of one of the deeds will give a good idea of the transaction, besides giving valuable historic facts. The follow- ing is a substantial copy of a deed to Lawton from Joseph King of Suffield. Omitting the formal preliminary statements, the deed runs thus : "For divers good causes and considerations me hereunto moving, but especially for those hereafter mentioned, viz .: for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and seventy-five pounds, to me in hand paid or secured by Christo- pher Jacob Lawton of Suffield, aforesaid, and for the great ex- pense the said Lawton has been at to obtain a grant of the gen- eral assembly of the Province aforesaid (Mass. Bay) of the con- tents of six miles square of land for an equivalent to the pro- prietors of the common and undivided lands in said Suffield for land taken away from the proprietors of the township of Suf- field, aforesaid, and laid to the towns of Windsor and Simsbury by the late establishment of the line between the Province afore- said and the Colony of Connecticut, and for the further expense in viewing and surveying a tract of land whereon to lay said equivalent, and getting a confirmation of the same by the gen- eral assembly aforesaid, do remise, release, and forever quit- claim, and by these presents do, for myself and my heirs re- mise, release and forever quitelaim unto him, the said Christo- pher Jacob Lawton, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all the right, estate, interest, claim and demand whatsoever which I, the said Joseph King, had or ought to have of, in, and unto the
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aforesaid grant of six miles square of land (as it is confirmed by the general court of the Province aforesaid, reference being had to the province records may appear), by any deed or deeds here- tofore made to me, the said Joseph King, viz .: By deed made me by Jared Huxley and William Huxley of a forty-acre right on the right of their father, Thomas Huxley, one of the original proprietors of said Suffield, deceased ; and by a deed made to me by Luke Hitchcock, Esq., of a fifty-acre right; and by a deed made to me of a fifty-acre right by Joseph Leonard; and by a deed made to me by my brother, James King, of a fifty-acre right on the right of John Huggins, deceased; and by a deed made to me by Ebenezer Scott of the six-acre right of his father, John Scott; and by a deed of a twelve-acre right made to me by my honored father and mother, James King and Eliza King, his wife; and a ten-acre right on the right of Benjamin Cooley, de- ceased, by deed made me by his son, Benjamin Cooley; and by deed made to me of the fifty-acre right of Obediah Miller, de- ceased, by his heirs, viz. : Obediah Miller, John Barker, Timothy Hale and Hannah, his wife, Nathan Miller, John Miller, Thomas Terry and Martha, his wife, Benjamin Wright and Mary, his wife, and from John Stephensen, Jonathan Stephenson, and Benajah Stephenson, Ebenezer Leonard and Joannah, his wife; and on the fifty-acre right of George Colton, by deed made to me by Capt. Thomas Colton, John Colton, Nathaniel Bliss and Deo- bora, his wife, Capt. George Colton, Ephraim Colton, Samuel Colton, Josiah Colton, Ebenezer Bliss and Sarah, his wife, Mar- garet Colton, Samuel Bernard, Jonathan Wells, Ebenezer Graves, Capt. John Mirick and his wife, Benjamin Chapin and his wife; and on the fifty-acre right Rowland Thomas, deceased, by deed from his heirs that are hereafter named, viz .: Eben- ezer Thomas, Samuel Thomas, Josiah Thomas, Benjamin Thomas, James Warriner and Sarah, his wife, John Bagg and Mary, his wife. All the aforementioned rights were original rights in the township of Suffield, and I, the said Joseph King, am a com- moner thereon so far as these deeds mentioned make me so or by any other way or means howsoever.
To have and to hold all my right in or title unto the afore- said grant of six miles square as an equivalent as aforesaid, unto
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him the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, his heirs and assigns for- ever (yet nevertheless it is to be understood that the said Chris- topher Jacob Lawton, his heirs and assigns, is to be at all further changes in fulfilling the conditions enjoyned by the general assem- bly, aforesaid, in respect to building and settling said equivalent to bring forward a town there so far as I, myself, ought to have done), to their only proper use and behoof of him, said Chris- topher Jacob Lawton, his heirs and assigns forever. So that neither I, the said Joseph King, nor my heirs, executors or ad- ministrators, or any other person or persons by, from, or under me or them, or in the right or stead of any of them, shall or will, by any way or means, hereafter have claim, challenge, or de- mand any estate, right, title or interest in or to the premises, or any part or parcel thereof; and furthermore I, the said Joseph King, hereby covenant and engage for myself, my heirs, execu- tors and administrators to and with the said Christopher Jacob Lawton, his heirs, executors and administrators, that he or they shall have the benefit of any one, so many or all my deeds so far as they respect said equivalent at his or their own proper cost and charges in the law to bring an action or actions on the said deeds or either of them, against any or every of the vendors in my name, or in the name of my heirs, executors or administra- tors, wherein any of said vendors or all have broken their cove- nants with me or my heirs, &c., on final judgment I covenant for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators, that he, the said Lawton, his heirs, executors or administrators, shall and may have the benefit of any judgment or judgments of court it or them receive and discharge without being accountable to me, my heirs, executors or administrators so far as respects said equivalent, and I further covenant that I have the said deeds of the aforesaid premises on the public records, or shall have them.
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