USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 3 > Part 33
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THE TOWN OF LONGMEADOW
The preeinet still remained a portion of Springfield during the revolution, although aspiring to become a town, so that its military history is in general inseparable from that of the parent municipality. There is preserved, however, the muster roll of the "Longmeadow minute men" who marched away for service April 21, 1775, on receiving report of the battle of Lexington two days before. This promptness of action well illustrates the spirit of the times and of the community, though the company was but small, comprising only twenty-three officers and en- listed men, as follows :
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The Old Colton Place
First Lientenant (acting Captain) David Burt; Second Lieutenant Jonathan Ilale; Sergeants Ebenezer Colton and Samuel Keep ; Corporals Nathaniel Ely and Josiah Cooley ; Abner Colton, Oliver King, John Colton, Nehemiah Rumrill, Ebenezer Bliss, 2d, Thomas Stebbins, Aaron Bliss. Samuel Morgan, Samuel Smith, James Parker, David White, Gad Lamb, John Ackley, Ebenezer Stebbins, Elijah Burt, Samuel Burt, Richard Wool- worth.
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Before the close of the long struggle most of the able-bodied men of the parish had drawn sword or shouldered musket in the cause of liberty, and the people had borne their share of the burdens incident to the strife. Their joy at the final outcome was proportioned to the stress which they had borne during the years of trial.
There was a sharp division of sentiment in the town regard- ing the Shays rebellion, and the leader of that movement had a considerable following. although it is probable that a majority were in favor of the government. Like most New Englanders, they had no sympathy with the war of 1812. and did not hesitate to put themselves on record by votes condemning many of the measures thought necessary by the federal government. Some men were drafted from the town, however, and the names of Levi E. Taylor and Sabin Burt are recorded as having been thus distinguished. When the war closed and peace had been declared, the inhabitants gave free expression to their joy. ringing the church bell with such vigor that it was cracked and ruined, neces- sitating the appropriation of a considerable sum for the pur- chase of a new bell.
In the war of the rebellion, 1861-5, however, the sentiment of the town was strongly loyal. Like every other town in the county, Longmeadow furnished more than its quota under the various calls for troops during the four years' continuance of the war, besides making generous provision for the care of volun- teers' Families and other incidental expenses of the war.
As the motive which originally impelled its settlers was agricultural. pastoral pursuits have held the first place in the activities of the residents of the town. especially in that section now known as Longmeadow. In fact. the plan of the settlement was such as to preelude any other idea than that of an agricul- tural community. with such simple allied industries as were necessary for the comfort and convenience of the people. The broad village street, twenty rods in width, converted from a sandy waste into a vista of greenness and beauty, the generous allotment of the central lands, running far back from the street, the air of repose and quiet which has survived with so little im-
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THE TOWN OF LONGMEADOW
pairment through nearly two centuries of development, with the wide meadows extending to the river on one side and to the forest on the other, combine to form an embodiment of well- preserved pioneer wisdom, embodied in a permanent community in a measure seldom met, even in the earlier New England set- tlements.
With the exception of the saw mills, grist mills and black- smith shops naturally pertaining to the early settlements, the manufacturing interests of Longmeadow have never been ex- tensive, or very important. The first of any consequence appears to have been the manufacture of gold speetaeles and gold and silver thimbles, which was begun by Dimond Chandler about 1838, and carried on for some ten years, when he sold out to Colton & Hollister. Various other parties have sinee carried on the business in a moderate way, but it is now extinet. After disposing of this industry Mr. Chandler started in 1848 the manufacture of buttons, presently taking in as partners Nelson C. Newell and his brother, Samuel R. Newell. Within eight or ten years the industry had grown so that employment was given to some forty or fifty hands, when it was removed to Springfield, where it is still carried on. At the mouth of Pe- eowsie brook some mannfaeturing has been done, a small pistol factory being at one time operated there. Later a papier-maché plant turned ont pails, basins, globes and various other artieles, but the business did not long continne.
While the central thought in the incorporation of Long- meadow parish was that of religious worship accessible to the dwellers in the settlement, the important matter of education was not overlooked or neglected. No sooner had a church been provided than the matter of a school house was taken up, and a structure for that purpose was soon erected on the village green to the north of the church. This served the needs of the community until 1791, when a brick building of peculiar design was erected somewhat further south on the green, where it re- mained until destroyed by fire in 1851. The appropriations for school purposes during the precinct period were made by the town of Springfield in common with those for the other schools
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in the town limits: but there is no doubt that the children of Longmeadow received their share of the appropriations in the provisions made for that part of the town. In 1784, the year following the incorporation of Longmeadow as a separate munic- ipality, the school appropriation was $40. and the amount in- creased yearly with the growth and development of the town. New distriets were created and provided with school houses, as the need became apparent. From the early town records it appears that in several cases the buildings were constructed by the inhabitants of the district, at their own expense, the cost being afterward reimbursed by the town. From that time to the present, the needs of the town schools have been generously met : and though no educational institutions of wide seope have been founded within the town limits, that the needs of the town children have been well considered is amply attested by the quality of citizenship produced.
The early history of the First Congregational church has already been told in the story of the precinct period. neither of which can be dissociated from the other during the long period covered by the ministry of Rev. Dr. Williams. IFis death oe- eurred June 10, 1782, and before the settlement of his successor important events occurred in the history of the community and of the nation. The war of the revolution ended in 1783 by recognition of the independence of the colonies, and in the autumn of that year the precinct became a town. For more than three years the church was without a settled pastor, though its pulpit was doubtless supplied during this interval. But on the 17th of December. 1755. Rev. Richard Salter Storrs. who had graduated from Yale college in 1783. was ordained as the successor of Rey. Dr. Williams, His was an able and successful pastorate, and continued until terminated by his sudden death, October 3, 1819. It will be observed that the two pastorates of these ministers extended over one hundred and three years in the history of the parish and town, and represented more than a hundred years of actual service. Probably this is a record unequaled in the history of the country for two successive pas- torates. The succeeding pastors were Rev. Baxter Dickinson,
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The First Congregational Church at Longmeadow, of which Rev. John Harding was pastor forty-two years. The chapel is seen on the right and the parsonage on the left of the church edifice
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
From 1823 to 1829, Rev. Jonathan B. Condit, from 1831 to 1835, Rev. Hubbard Beebe. 1837 to 1843, and Rev. Samuel Woleott, 1843 to 1847.
In 1850 began another pastorate of notable length, Rev. John Wheeler Harding being installed on the first of January, and ministering to the people of his church and parish with great ability, fidelity and acceptance until 1891. With the pos- sible exception of Rev. Mr. Beebe, all of these pastors received the degree of D. D. Rev. Stephen G. Barnes, Lit. D., was the pastor from 1892 until 1901, and the present incumbent, Rev. Henry Lincoln Bailey, began his pastorate Oetober 1, 1901.
In the original plan of the settlement the church building formed the center of the village of Longmeadow, standing on the green which occupied the central portion of the wide street, an honor in which only the school house was permitted to share. A new building. just north of the original strneture, was ereeted in 1767-8, and was used until 1828, when it was extensively re- modeled and improved. Nearly a half-century later another change was made when the building was removed from the central site which it had occupied thus far and placed upon that portioa of the burial ground grant abutting upon the street. This location was directly east of the original chureh site, a lot in the center of the village having been assigned for burial pur- poses. Placed upon the new site, the church was again thor- oughly remodeled. within and without, and thus, new in detail but bearing still the sacred associations of nearly a century and a half of worship, "the old church" stands in the heart of the village. "the westering sun" casting the shadow of its spire over the accumulated graves of nearly two centuries.
St. Mary's Catholic church is the outgrowth of a mission which may be said to have been established in October, 1870, when mass was said for the first time in the history of the town in what is still the church building, and had formerly been a spectacle factory. The officiating priest was Rev. Patrick Healy, then acting pastor of the Catholic church in Springfield. For thirteen years monthly service was held in this manner, until, in 1883. the Catholic churches in both of the Longmeadows
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THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW
were made missions of St. William's church in Mittineague. In 1894 they were created a parish. Both have been continuously under the care of the same pastor, the list of incumbents being given under the heading of East Longmeadow.
A moderate-sized publie library of 2,250 well-selected books was established in 1895, and is under the charge of a board of trustees chosen by the town.
The population of the town as reported by the national census of 1850 was 1,252; in 1860 it had inereased to 1,376; but in 1870 showed a slight falling off, to 1,342. The figures for 1880 were 1,401, and the next decade witnessed a remarkable growth, bringing the total up to 2,183 for 1890. The setting off of East Longmeadow in 1894 brought the population of the old town down to 620, as shown by the state census of 1895; but the national census of 1900 showed an increase to 811. The present area of the town is 11.2 square miles, a little more than one-half of the original territory having been set off as East Longmeadow.
CHAPTER XIII
THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW
The territory comprised within the limits of the present town of East Longmeadow is more diversified than that of the mother town, from which the separation has so lately taken place. In the eastern portion hills of moderate elevation are frequent, several of these containing valuable quarries of red sandstone, of great extent. In most other portions the soil is fairly fertile, and compensates well the intelligent labors of the husbandman. The meadows and orchards are attractive, and the grazing lands are desirable, the whole region being especially adapted to dairy- ing purposes, which have always held prominent place in the town's economy.
After the early settlements began to take form, this region was known as "Inward Commons," it being a portion of the
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large territory included in the Springfield grant. and was used in common, if it can be said to have been used at all. In fact, in the early days it was emphatically "a land unknown, " being heavily covered by forest and abounding in game, deer, bears and wildcats. Feathered game, including wild turkeys, was also abundant. Gradually. now and then a daring pioneer penetrated the wilderness. secured a grant of land. and cleared a home site. The records of such settlements are extremely meagre. The first settlers from Longmeadow Street appear to have been
An East Longmeadow Quarry
Jonathan Burt and his brother Elijah, with Silas Hale; but they do not appear to have located on "the Commons" until about 1740. The distribution of these lands among the people of Springfield, some time previous, made easy the development of this portion of the Longmeadow parish. This distribution was brought about by the acts of Edmund Andros, who in 1686 had been appointed by the crown as "Governor of New England." in sequestering undivided land or "Commons" con-
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THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW
nected with some of the settlements. Through fear that this course might be pursued in the case of Springfield, and that through the revocation of the colony's charter, then threatened, the lands might revert to the crown, the commons were laid out in sections and were equitably allotted in regular form to the several families then resident in the township. These remote holdings, however, were generally held of little value, and the enterprising young man who desired to "lay out a farm" conld easily do so through the purchase of a few adjoining sections. or by exchange with other proprietors.
It was in this way that the settlement of this portion of Longmeadow was principally developed, and the connection between the two sections of the parish and town long remained close and friendly. Intermarriages were common, and the old church on the village green remained for many years the Mecca to which the residents of the eastern portion turned their steps on the Sabbath, traversing, on foot and by all the means of con- veyance then known to their civilization, the miles of forest which separated, and in a measure still separates, the two com- munities.
Until about 1820 the town meetings were held at West Longmeadow, as the original village came to be familiarly called ; but at that time the growing population and important interests of the East village led to an arrangement by which the annual meetings were held alternately in the two sections. In 1882 a commodious town hall was provided for the use of the East Longmeadow meetings, occupying the upper story of a new school building, very properly constructed of stone from the village quarries.
Meantime, with the lapse of years there had developed the want of harmony inevitable from the diversity of interests and the geographical separation of the two villages. The commer- cial relations of each section were with the city of Springfield, with which each had independent connection by railroad and other lines of travel, while the two portions of the town remained almost as effectually divided as they had been From the days of original settlement. Under these conditions separate town gov-
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ernments were the logical outcome, and after years of discussion and preliminary work the separation was made by the state leg- islature of 1894, the act to take effect on July 1 of that year. The aet, which was approved May 19, 1894, thus describes the boundary line between the two towns: "Beginning at a stone monment on the boundary line between the town of Long- meadow and the city of Springfield, at a point where said boundary line intersects the westerly line of White street, and running thence south five degrees east to a stone monument on the Connecticut state line, and at an angle in said state line, which monument is located about seventy-five rods west of the point where the west branch of Freshwater brook crosses said Connecticut state line."
At the election of officers which followed, these were chosen for the remainder of the then current year : Clerk and treasurer, O. Louis Wolcott: selectmen, George B. Robinson. John F. Whitaker, Edward S. Ellis. At the election of 1895 Mr. Wolcott was again chosen town clerk, while William H. Hall, John L. Davis and Ethan Hancock were made selectmen, and at each suc- eeeding election up to the present year (1901) they have been re-elected. In 1901 Arthur G. Crane was elected town elerk, sneceeding Mr. Wolcott. The full board of town officers for that year follows : Town clerk and treasurer, Arthur G. Chase: seleetmen. assessors, overseers of the poor, board of health and fence viewers, William II. Ilall. John L. Davis, Ethan Hitch- cock ; auditors, Frank H. Whitaker, Frank A. Crane: collector, Arthur Geldard: constables, Henry Ifellin, Billings Cooley; special police. Frank A. Champlin, Herman Tower: cattle in- spector. John L. Davis: highway surveyor. Asher Markham: school committee. Charles H. Bugbee. O. Louis Wolcott. Ethan Hancock : superintendent of schools. Mary L. Poland of Spring- field: trustees of public library. O. Lonis Woleott. David D. Durantaye, Mrs. O. C. Ilunn : librarian, Mrs. Lucy Coomes.
While the old church on Longmeadow Street remained for sixty years the place of worship of all the people of the town, a diversity of religious belief began to manifest itself in East Longmeadow about the first of the nineteenth century. In the
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THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW
southeastern corner of the town there resided at the time men- tioned several families with Baptist views, and that portion of the town was familiarly referred to as "Baptist Settlement." These people for a long time worshiped with their Connecticut neighbors in Enfield, but in 1807 they petitioned the Baptist church of that place and the Congregational church of Long- meadow for permission that "Elder George Atwell officiate with them as a preacher of divinity one-half of the time." This peti- tion was granted, and religious services were held there until 1818, as a branch of the Enfield church, when on the 23d of June the First Baptist church of East Longmeadow was estab- lished with appropriate exereises. The First Baptist society had been organized January 13, 1816, and was incorporated February 8, 1819. It was discontinued as an incorporated body March 31, 1873. The several pastors of the church, with the year of settlement or ordination, have been as follows: Rev. George B. Atwell. 1821-5; Rev. John M. Hunt, 1835-40; Rev. Moses J. Kelly, 1842; Rev. F. L. Bachelor, 1843; Rev. Mr. Farrar, 1846; Rev. N. W. Minor, 1848; Rev. Nicholas Branch, 1853; Rev. A. S. Lovell, 1858; Rev. Levi II. Wakeman, 1862; Rev. T. O. JJudd. 1867 ; Rev. H. G. Gage. 1873; Rev. William S. Phillips, 1875: Rev. O. R. IInnt, 1877; Rev. L. H. Copeland, 1882; Rev. F. B. Joy, 1887; Rev. N. D. Parsons, 1888; Rev. R. S. Mitchell, 1891; Rev. Ward Fisher, 1897; Rev. W. L. Giles, 1897: Rev. Robert H. Carey, 1899, the present pastor. The house of worship ocenpied by this church is located near the southeastern corner of the town, in what has long been familiarly known as "Baptist District." It was built about 1830, but has since been remodeled, and under the efforts of the present pastor has been again thoroughly renovated. The church is now in a prosperous condition.
After worshipping with the parent church at Longmeadow village for almost ninety years, the Congregationalists of East Longmeadow began about 1825 to consider the matter of a church in their own village, and on the 16th of June, 1827, the society was incorporated under the name of "Proprietors of the Meeting HIonse of the Third Religions Society in Longmeadow." The
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
title was changed to "Third Religious Society in Longmeadow." in 1-30, and in 1895 to "First Congregational Society of East Longmeadow." The church was organized on the 22d of April. 1829. as the Second Congregational church in Longmeadow. the name being changed in 1895 to "First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow." A house of worship was erected on the hill overlooking the village, at a cost of $3,500, in 1828. and was dedicated in November of that year. In 1859 the structure was moved down the hill into the village and extensively remodeled, forming the present church building. The former site was
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. The Center "-East Longmeadow
adopted for a parsonage. The first pastor installed was Rev. Calvin Foot, who was installed April 15. 1831, and dismissed July 8. 1835. His successors have been : Rev. Martyn Tupper, 1535-49; Rev. William E. Dixon, 1852-4; Rev. Joshua R. Brown, installed December 13, 1:54, died September 7, 1858: Rov. Alfred B. Peabody, 1560-67; Rev. Alfred I. Dutton, 1869-85; Rev. Robert C. Bell. 1885-92: Rev. Albert D. Smith. 1892-6: Rev. John A. Hughes, 1896-7: Rev. Harry C. MeKnight. 1898-1901.
A Methodist Episcopal church was organized in June. 1853, Rev. David K. Merrill being the preacher in charge. In the same
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THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW
year a church building was erected and dedicated, and is still in use, having been thoroughly renovated in 1880. A parsonage was erected in 1860, and it is worthy of mention that all the church property is free from debt. Apart from supplies by notable clergymen from Wesleyan academy at Wilbraham and residents of Springfield, the pastors have been as follows: Rev. David K. Merrill, 1853-4: Rev. Rodney Gage, 1855-6; Rev. Jonas M. Clark, 1856-7 ; Rev. Randall Mitchell, 1860-2; Rev. Thomas C. Pratt, 1862-4; Rev. William Rice, 1864-6; Rev. Henry T. Eddy, settled in April, 1866, died in September of that year; Rev. Guilford D. Brown, 1866-8; Rev. Joseph Candlin, 1868-71 ; Rev. J. W. Lee, 1871-2: Rev. William Wignall, 1872-4; Rev. N. F. Stevens, 1874-5; Rev. John Cadwell, settled in April, 1875, died in January, 1876; Rev. Joseph Scott, 1876-8; Rev. Jacob W. Price, 1878-9; Rev. Ichabod Marcy, 1879-82; Rev. I. H. Gaylord, 1882-4; Rev. W. M. Hubbard, 1886-8; Rev. I. H. Gaylord, 1888- 90; Rev. Isaac S. Yerkes, 1890-93; Rev. W. H. Adams, 1893-5; Rev. E. C. Bridgham, 1895-8; Rev. W. T. Hale, 1898-1900; Rev. Wallace T. Miller, 1900.
The Roman Catholics of East Longmeadow began holding meetings in the town hall about 1883, and built a modest church in 1887. with a seating capacity of 300. In 1895 the house which had formerly been the Congregational parsonage, with two acres of land, was purchased for a parish house, and was fitted up for occupation as such. Until 1894 the elinreh, known as St. Michael's, was, like that at West Longmeadow, a mission of St. William's church at Mittineague ; but in the year named the two churches in Longmeadow were formed into an independent parish, and so continue at the present time. The pastors in charge have been as follows: Rev. Patrick Healy (monthly mass at West Longmeadow only), 1870-83; Rev. E. Pelletier, 1883-5 ; Rev. J. E. Campeau, 1885-8; Rev. J. H. A. Biron, 1888-90; Rev. Frederick Bonneville, 1890-93; Rev. Humphrey Wren, 1893; Rev. Anthony Dwyer (the first resident pastor), 1894-1900; Rev. John P. Hackett, 1900, now in charge.
The East Longmeadow public library was established in the winter of 1896-7, and now contains about 1,200 volumes,
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with some 450 patrons. The expense of running the institution is met by an annual appropriation from the town, while some assistance in the way of furnishing books is received from the state library commission, and by the contribution of friends. The direction of the library is in the hands of a board of three trustees and a librarian, whose names appear in the list of town offieers.
Apart from its agricultural interests, East Longmeadow owes its development principally to its valuable quarries of red sandstone, which have given to the town a wide fame. This stone underlies a considerable portion of the town, and has been quarried from the time of the carly settlements. At first the stone was considered common property, and up to the beginning of the nineteenth century the party who diseovered "a ledge" was considered to hold first title to work the same, even though located upon the land of another. But for the past 100 years the several quarries have, under the law, been held and operated by the owners of the land. or under lease from them. The stone has been shipped to all parts of the country. and has been used in many publie buildings and other works. Mueh of it has been used in the United States armory buildings at Springfield, and from these quarries was taken the stone for the foundation of the formidable iron fence which incloses the armory grounds. In early times it was used for gravestones, and is still employed to some extent in monmental work. Wider use obtains, how- ever. as a material for public buildings and fine private resi- denees, many of which. in all sections of the country, have been constructed from the product of these quarries. Among such buildings may be mentioned the Pierce building. Estey Organ company's building. Youth's Companion building, new Trinity church, and residences of Oliver Ames and C. A. Whittier, at Boston: Harvard university gymnasium, Law School building and Sever hall. Cambridge: Vanderbilt hall. Walch hall. Phelps memorial, Osborne memorial and Bi-Centennial building at Yale college, New Haven. Conn .: Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Teachers' college, Union League club house. St. James' Episcopal church, Holy Trinity church. St. Agnes' church, Berkeley lyeeum and
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