USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 3 > Part 35
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permanent existence. The Baptists, an offshoot from the church at Westfield, appear to have been first on the ground and planted their society here in 1786, under the name of the First Baptist church of Russell. A house of worship was built in 1792, but about 1810 the society dissolved, only to be re-established in 1816, with Elder Asa Todd as pastor. The old meeting house was burned in 1820 and was replaced with a new one in 1826. The present edifice was erected in 1853. The present pastor of this church is Rev. John H. Bigger.
A Congregational society and church were organized in Russell in November, 1500, by Rev. Joseph Badger, but after
Methodist Church-Russell
about thirty years of struggle against adversity in various forms it passed out of active existence and its members affiliated with the Baptist and Methodist societies. About 1820 the Congrega- tional and Methodist societies built a union meeting house, but the structure was torn down in 1830.
The Methodist Episcopal society came into life in the town abont 1>18 and maintained a varied existence thereafter for many years. When the Congregational society dissolved it gained added strength. but had no regular house of worship between 1>30 and 1869, when the church edifice at the Centre was erected. Since that time it has grown in strength and
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THE TOWN OF RUSSELL
influence, and now ranks with the best of its denomination in any of the outlying towns. The present pastor is Rev. E. H. Weyant.
Schools .- Little can or need be said of the general system of education employed in this town. It always has been in con- formity with the broad and liberal scheme prescribed by the state laws, and in excellence is in full keeping with that employed in other towns. The records give us little light on the subject of early schools, yet it is known that one of the first measures adopted by the new town was a vote to maintain schools in each of the established districts. The latter have been changed from time to time, as occasion required, the number being increased or reduced according to the population of the town: but at no time has there been a tendency to lower the standard of effi- ciency.
As now disposed, the town comprises eight school districts, and for school maintenance about $2,200 are annually raised by local tax. The town's share in the school funds is about $495 each year. Eight schools are supported and eight teachers are employed. The school census shows abont 140 children between 5 and 15 years of age. The annual school expenses aggregate about $2,500.
During the more than a century of its history. Russell has produced many strong and influential men, and has sent to the legislature, and elsewhere in public station, some of the best material the county has ever furnished. The late Chief Justice Chapman was born and spent his young life in Russell, and was perhaps the most distinguished of the town's contribution to high office. Among the other notable men of the town there may be recalled the names of "Squire" Newman Bishop, son of Newman Bishop. Sr .. a revolutionary patriot : Benjamin Bennett. a substantial farmer years ago on Russell mountain in the sonth part of the town: Abel and Thomas Russell and Noah Atwater, all old-time prosperous farmers; Robert Parks, son of Elias Parks, the pioneer, and father of Horace Parks, the latter now one of Russell's oldest citizens : Roland Parks, the old seleet- man : Nelson D. Parks, who died in Huntington, was for several
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Years county commissioner, at one time was revenue collector, and was for several years justice. many cases being tried before him ; William Pomeroy, who died in 1901 ; Jarvis Gibbs, merchant at Russell more than twenty-five years; John Gonld, one of the foremost men of the town in his time, and who died in the west ; Reuben Palmer, Lins Dickinson, Simeon Mallory, John Diekin- son, all prominent loeat characters in their time; William Crosby, who built the now known Horaee Parks residence; Justin Loomis, a man of means and business capacity ; byman Bradley, father of former Sheriff' A. M. Bradley; James Bishop, a sub- stantial farmer on Russell mountain, and others whose names are now lost.
In like manner it is proper to refer briefly to some of the prineipal factors in Russell history at the present time, and in this connection we may mention the names of such men as Albert L. Quance, who had charge of the work of construction of the admirable state road between Fairfield and Russell; Horace Parks, a veteran in public affairs in the town and now one of its oldest citizens; Robert L. Parks, the station agent and usual moderator in town meetings: J. T. Beede. the merchant at Fairfield; Alfred Cosby, the landlord at Fairfield; W. S. Lin- coln, superintendent of the brick and tile works: Eugene D. Parks, town clerk and thorough business man: Sidney F. Shurtleff, former surveyor of highways: T. H. Clark. the Russell merchant and postmaster: G. H. Allen, farmer near Fairfield; S. F. Stephens, substantial farmer: William Mortimer, an en- terprising and successful farmer and cattle dealer; M. S. Thompson, chairman of the school committee: Henry Griffin, the railroad "section boss": Joseph Gridley. one of the oldest men in the town, and a native; Henry G. Mortimer, farmer and cattle dealer. Still other names might be added to this list. but none that are here mentioned should be taken away.
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CHAPTER XV
THE TOWN OF TOLLAND
In 1754 the colonial government of Massachusetts Bay estab- lished the old plantation of Bedford as the district of Granville, and in 1775 the general court conferred on the jurisdiction full town powers. Under these names and with an extensive terri- tory the early settlement of the region was accomplished, and so rapidly did the planters from the east possess themselves of the high and fertile lands of the locality that the territory was divided into parishes for the convenience of the inhabitants and took the names, respectively, of East. Middle (or Centre) and West parish.
On June 14, 1810, at a time when the West parish contained almost 800 inhabitants, the legislature passed an act to divide the town of Granville, which aet reads in part as follows: Be it enacted. &e .. "That the West parishun Granville, in the county of Hampshire. as known by its present bounds, be and hereby is incorporated and established as a separate town by the name of Tolland, with all the powers and privileges, and subject to all the requisitions of other towns, according to the constitution and laws of this commonwealth."
Tolland occupies a position in the extreme southwest corner of Hampden county, the Conneetient state line bounding the town on the south, while on the west lies Berkshire county. Throughout this entire region the land surface is broken by irregular ranges of hills, some of which have an altitude varying from 1.200 to 1,500 feet above tide water. Indeed, it is said that Tolland, with the possible exception of Chester, has some of the highest elevations in the county, but notwithstanding the rugged character of its surface the town has few areas of land unfit for
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cultivation, and the hills furnish au abundance of grazing lands and also produce a superior quality of hay and grain. More remotely distant from the county seat than any other town. and having no streams of sufficient size to raft logs or lumber to market. Tolland still has large tracts of forest lands, some of which have not been touched by the woodman's axe.
Settlement .- While this part of Hampshire county was known as the plantation of Bedford, its settlement was begun by pioneers from the cast, while a few of the Durham colony who settled the Middle parish of Granville gradually found their way over into the hill regions of the West parish. No reliable record is found to inform us who was the pioneer of the town, and the present generation of inhabitants have no traditions on this sub- jeet. Still, it is known that some time about the year 1750 a number of Families came to the locality. purchased lands and made settlements. Of this number there is handed down to us the name of Jabez Rogers, a worthy man and the progenitor of a large family of ten sons and two daughters. These children were Leonard, Jabez. Samuel, Nathaniel. Asa, Percy, Russell. Martin, Dwyer. John. Lucy and Sarah. from whom, by their marriages in subsequent years, has sprung a considerable pro- portion of the town's population.
Thomas Twining was another of the first settlers, and was the pioneer of that well known family of the town in all later years, who have been such prominent factors in local history. The sons of Thomas were William and Stephen, and he also had three daughters. One of the latter married Joseph Woleott. of Sandisfield : another married Chauncey Fowler and lived and died in Tolland : and the third married a Mr. Gorham and settled in the west. Elijah Twining, brother of Thomas, also was an early settler, if not one of the first colony. His eight ehildren were William. Eleazer, Ruth, Lewis, Judah, Timothy, Susan and Lois, from whom have descended some of the best families of Tolland, although not all of them spent their lives here.
Titus Fowler was one of the first settlers and also was one of the foremost men in the original colony. In his family were six children, John, Chauncey. Titus, Eliza, Catharine and Han-
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THE TOWN OF TOLLAND
nah, a portion of whom always lived in the town, but others, and some of the descendants of nearly all of them, settled in other parts of the country. Ebenezer Harding, also of the first colony and a most worthy man, was one of the few first colonists of whom little is now known. He left children and his surname always has been preserved in the town. Marvin Moore was still another settler of whom little is recalled in the way of personal remembrance. David Slocum's descendants are still active factors in Tolland history, and they have just pride in their family ancestry, for if local tradition is reliable the pioneer Slocum was a man of influence in the affairs of the west parish. In the family of Pierce Marshall. another of the original sixteen settlers, were five sons, Pierce, George, Samuel, Dudley and Gains, and the descendants of some of them are still living in the town.
James Hamilton, whose family name has been known in all succeeding years, was another of the earliest settlers in the old west parish. His sons were Jolm, Robert, Thomas, Henry, - James and Samuel, nearly all of whom in turn raised families, although few indeed are now in Tolland to represent them. The Granger surname is better represented, and by some of the best stoek in the town, for George W. Granger, grandson of the pioneer of the family, was for many years one of Tolland's best men. and for years was chairman of the selectmen. The pioneer was Abraham Granger, a good, worthy man, much respected by his fellow townsmen. In his family were two sons and three daughters, the former being Lancelot and George W. Granger. John Manchester, who came here in 1750 with the first colony. is not directly represented in the present generation of the town's people, his children having settled in other localities, some in Conneetient and others in the far West. Pioneer Manchester's sons were William. John. Shadrach and Sammel. Of his daugh- ters, one married and spent her life in the town, but the others removed to new localities in the west many years ago.
Among the other original colonists of the west parish there may be recalled the names of Samuel Hubbard, James Barlow, Moses Gough, David Fowler, and also John, Robert and Thomas
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Hamilton, who were grown sons of James Hamilton and came with their father at the time the colony was planted in or about 1750. These, so far as present records and obtainable informa- tion tend to show, were the first settlers in the west parish of Granville, a part of the old plantation of Bedford, and now known as the town of Tolland. It was full three-score years after their settlement was made that Tolland became a town, and many of the founders never lived to see the ehange in jurisdie- tion. They came about the middle of the eighteenth century to a rugged wilderness country, drawn by the ever restless spirit of emigration which infected all the eastern eolonies about that time; but the principal inducement which attracted them was the cheapness of the lands offered by the proprietors of the Bedford plantation. Following them came others. some from the eastern towns of Massachusetts and others from the shore country of Connecticut, and notwithstanding the disadvantages under which they labored and the multitude of hardships of life in the new locality, their work was well done. and they, the first settlers of Tolland. contributed a full share in establishing the mother town as one of the most populous and important civil divisions of old Hampshire county. This is no idle boast, for it is a fact that in 1790 the town of Granville contained 1,979 in- habitants, while Springfield. including what now is Chicopee, had 1,574 inhabitants. In 1800 Granville had 2.309 inhabitants, and the present county seat of Hampden had 2.312 inhabitants.
When Tolland was set off from Granville in 1810 the new town took from the mother territory more than one-third of her lands and a like proportion of the population: from which we may properly infer that the old west parish was as well settled and developed as any portion of the original town. At that time the territory comprising Tolland had attained its greatest population, and in all later years, with few exceptions, the number of inhabitants has steadily decreased. However, let us have recourse to the statistics of the census and note the changes in the town's population : 1810. 798: 1820. 692 : 1830, 723: 1840. 627: 1$50. 594 : 1860, 596 : 1865. 511 : 1870. 509: 1875. 452 : 1880, 452: 1-55, 422: 1890, 303: 1895. 309: 1900. 275.
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THE TOWN OF TOLLAND
In accordance with the provisions of the incorporating act, one of the magistrates of Granville issued his warrant for the first town meeting in the new jurisdiction, and thereupon the organization was made complete. A full board of officers was elected, and from that time the records, except those of births. marriages and deaths, have been carefully preserved. Having recourse to the elerk's books, we are able to furnish a complete list of the seleetmen and town clerks from the organization of the town to the present time.
Selectmen .- 1810, James Hamilton, Perez Marshall, William Twining: 1811, James Hamilton, Jabez Wright, John W. Bab- eoek; 1812, John W. Babcock, Hull Sloemm. Caleb Birt; 1813, James Hamilton, Perez Marshall, jun., Hull Slocum ; 1814, Perez Marshall. Nathan Hall, William Twining. 1st; 1815, James Hamilton, Merrin Moore, Eleazer Sloeum; 1816, Capt. Allen Bidwell, Henry Hamilton, jun., Eleazer Sloeum; 1817, Capt. Allen Bidwell, Warren Gates, Abraham Granger; 1818, Perez Marshall. Selah Butler, Warren Gates; 1819, Abraham Granger, Charles Remington, Samuel Hamilton ; 1820, Samuel Hamilton. Abraham Granger, William Twining, 2d; 1821, John Hull, Walter Babeoek, Josiah Remington ; 1822-23, Josiah Remington, Joel Humphrey, John Rogers; 1824, Josiah Remington, Joel Humphrey, Archibald Wright ; 1825. Archibald Wright, Samuel Hamilton. Allen Bidwell; 1826, Samuel Hamilton, Archibald Wright, William Twining, 2d; 1827, Samuel Hamilton, Noah Shepard, Warren Gates : 1828, Josiah Remington, Israel Carrier. George W. Granger; 1829, Josialı Remington, George W. Gran- ger, Walter W. Babeoek; 1830, Samuel Hamilton, Eleazer Slo- eum. Alanson Hubbard; 1831. Leonard Cowles, Lanneelot Granger, Samuel Hall; 1832, Launeelot Granger, Leonard Cowles, Areh. Wright; 1833, same as 1832; 1834, George W. Granger, Lyman Twining, Loyal Humphrey: 1835, Lyman Twining. Leonard Cowles, Chester Chapman; 1836, Chester Chapman, Oliver E. Sloeum, Arial Frost : 1837, Leonard Cowles. Lyman Twining, George W. Granger; 1838, Lyman Twining. William E. Barnes, Lester Marshall; 1839, William E. Barnes, Hull T. Sloeum, Alonzo Marshall: 1840, George W. Granger.
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James Hunt, Bennett Palmer; 1841. George W. Granger, Leon- ard Cowles, William C. Nye; 1842, Leonard Cowles, Wm. E. Barnes, Lyman Twining: 1843, Leonard Cowles, Lancelot Granger, Stiles Sloem; 1844, George W. Granger, William Nye, Franklin Harvey; 1845, George W. Granger, Oliver E. Slocum, Chester Chapman ; 1846, Wm. E. Barnes, Lyman Twining, Perez MI. Fowler: 1847, Lucien Hotchkiss, Shadrack Manchester, Alonzo Miller: 1848, Encien Hotelkiss, George W. Granger, Oliver E. Slocum ; 1849, Lucien Hotchkiss, N. E. Sloeum, Hiram C. Brown; 1850, William E. Barnes, Noah B. Nye, Nathan E. Sloeum: 1851, Daniel Spring. Noah B. Nye. Edward L. Tinker; 1852, George W. Granger, Oliver E. Sloemm, Fowler T. Moore; 1853, Fowler T. Moore, Leonard Cowles, William Tinker; 1854, Fowler T. Moore, Oliver E. Slocum, Amos L. Hull ; 1855, George W. Granger, Noah B. Nye. Lyman Twining; 1856, Lyman Twin- ing, Noah B. Nye. Edward L. Tinker ; 1857, Rufus Smith, Lyman Twining. Philander F. Twining: 1858, Philander F. Twining, Hiram C. Brown, Samuel Hamilton, jun .: 1859, Philander F. Twining, Sammel Hamilton. jun .. Daniel Spring: 1860, Philan- der F. Twining, Samuel Hamilton. George W. Granger; 1861, Philander F. Hamilton, Daniel Spring, Edward L. Tinker, jun. : 1862, Hiram (. Brown, Lyman Twining, George W. Granger; 1863-64, Philander F. Twining, Lyman Twining, George W. Granger: 1865, George W. Granger, Philander F. Twining, Nathan E. Sloein: 1866. George W. Granger, Philander F. Twining, Samuel C. Marshall: 1867. George W. Granger, Noah B. Nye, Nelson B. Twining: 1868, George W. Granger, N. B. Twining. Samuel C. Marshall: 1869. N. B. Twining, Samuel C. Marshall. Charles N. Marshall: 1870-71. LaFayette Granger, Julius P. Hall, George L. Marshall ; 1872-73, Nelson B. Twining, George L. Marshall, F. S. Hale: 1874, Geo. W. Granger, Samuel C. Marshall. W. F. Hale: 1875, Fowler F. Moore. Samuel C. Marshall, E. D. Larkin: 1876-77. George W. Granger, Nelson B. Twining, Wellington Hale: 1878, George L. Marshall, Julius P. Hall. Fowler F. Moore: 1879, George W. Granger, Wellington F. Hale. Oliver E. Slocum, jun. ; 1880, Oliver E. Slocum, jun., Erastus D. Larkin, Franklin II. Pratt ; 1881. Oliver E. Sloeum,
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jun., Orrison E. Snow, Franklin H. Pratt ; 1882, Wellington F. Ilale, Erastus D. Larkin, Charles N. Marshall ; 1883. Oliver E. Slocum, jun., Orrison E. Snow, Chas. N. Marshall ; 1884, Oliver E. Slocum, jun., Wellington F. Hale, Franklin H. Pratt; 1885, Oliver E. Slocum, Wellington F. Hale, Erastus D. Larkin ; 1886, Oliver E. Sloeum, Wellington F. Hale, Watson I. Hale; 1887, Wellington F. Hale, Erastus D. Larkin, Frank R. Moore; 1888, Wellington F. Hale, Frank R. Moore, Erastns D. Larkin ; 1889, same as 1888; 1890, Wellington F. Hale, Samuel C. Tiffany, Marshall Miller: 1891, Wellington F. Hale, Frank R. Moore, Watson I. Hale; 1892, Wellington F. Hale, Samuel C. Tiffany, Giles H. Farnham; 1893-95, Oliver E. Sloemm, Sammel C. Tif- fany, Eugene M. Moore; 1896, Giles H. Farnham, Eugene M. Moore, Luke R. Moore; 1897, Oliver E. Slocum, Wellington F. Hale, Erastus D. Larkin; 1898, Charles N. Marshall, Eugene M. Moore, John M. Hayes; 1899, Oliver E. Slocum, Wellington F. Hale, Frank B. Deming; 1900-1901, Oliver E. Sloenm, John R. Rogers, Frank B. Deming.
Town Clerks .- Ilenry Hamilton, jun., 1810-14; Samuel Hamilton, 1815-16; Henry Hamilton, 1817-18; Allen Bidwell, 1819-20; Henry Hamilton, 1821-26; John Rogers, 1827; Henry Hamilton, 1828-29; Edward L. Tinker, 1830-32; Alanson Hub- bard, 1833-34; Joseph D. Slocum, 1835; Leonard Cowles, 1836; Roger Harrison, 1837-41 ; Alfred Webber, 1842-44; Rufus Smith, 1845-49; William W. Harrison, 1850-55; Samuel Ilamilton, jun., 1855-60: Rufus Smith, 1861: Samnel Hamilton, 1862; William II. Harrison, 1863-73; F. R. Moore, 1873-76; Homer P. Twining, 1876-79: Wilbert Munn, 1880-1901.
The town officers of Tolland for the year 1901 are as follows : Oliver E. Slocum, John R. Rogers, Frank B. Deming, seleetmen, assessors, overseers of the poor and board of health; Wilbert Munn, town elerk, continuously since 1880; Philip L. C. Slocum, auditor; Wilbert Munn, treasurer; John R. Rogers, Irving G. Chapel, collectors; F. B. Deming, highway commissioner; Irving G. Chapel, constable; Wilbert Munn, justiee of the peace.
For a century and a half Tolland has been an agricultural town, and in response to patient endeavor on the part of hms-
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bandmen its lands have been made to yield exceedingly well considering the generally hilly character of the region. Cattle and dairy products are the chief staples, yet in hay and grain good annual crops are harvested. Many years ago an attempt was made to grow tobacco in the town, and while the effort was not a failure it did not meet with the success which was hoped for. In many other ways the people have been progressive and enterprising, and have been strennous in their endeavors to main- tain the town's population despite the wide-spread inclination of the younger element to abandon the home farms (where at least a comfortable living was assured ) for the greater pleasures and less arduous work of occupations in the eities and large villages. This great exodus of strong young manhood from the rural localities began about twenty-five years ago, and has been kept up to the present day; and as its result almost every out- lying town in the counties of this state (and many other states as well ) has thereby lost much of the best element of its popula- tion. The theory is a mistaken one, the principle is wrong, the results are disastrous, yet the desire for city life and its alluring pleasures seems too strong to resist, hence the old home farms where our forefathers dwelt and were comfortable must suffer negleet and consequent loss in value.
Tolland never has been noted for its manufactures and while hunbering operations always have been carried on with more or less perseverance the distance to profitable markets has preeluded the possibility of extensive efforts in that direction. Previous to about twenty years ago a small tannery was oper- ated on Farmington river by Albert Hull, and a furniture factory was for a time carried on in the north part of the town by Charles N. Marshall, who now is engaged in business as a huberman. Something more than thirty years ago the people here became thoroughly interested in a railroad enterprise, which was promised by an incorporated company, but through some canse the projeet was abandoned, greatly to the discouragement of all the townsfolk. The chief industries of the town at the present time are the saw and shingle mills owned by H. B. Dem- ing, C. W. Ives. AAbner Johnson, W. N. Rowley, C. B. Soule and
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THE TOWN OF TOLLAND
H. W. Soule; the cider mills of A. H. Case and C. II. Moody, and the lumbering operations of Mr. Marshall.
The pleasant little hamlet called Tolland, originally known as West Granville, occupies a central position in the town, and is sixteen miles distant southwest from Westfield by stage route. It has no mercantile interests of consequence, the inhabitants trading almost wholly in adjoining towns. The few interests eentered here, or having an existence in Tolland, are the black- smith shop of Wilbert Munn, who also is the town clerk and a justice of the peace: the post-office (Alice A, Harrison, post-
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mistress), and the shoc shops of N. O. Chaffee, J. C. Hodges and F. II. Pratt. The institutions are the free town library (Wilbert Munn, librarian, and Oliver E. Slocum, E. M. Moore and L. R. Moore, trustees ) ; the public school (Oliver E. Slocum, chairman ; Mrs. T. G. Chapel and John R. Rogers, school com- mittec ) ; and the Congregational church.
The Congregational church of Tolland dates its history from 1795, when a few of the scattered inhabitants gathered together and organized a society in the third or west parish of Granville.
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In the course of a year or two the little flock succeeded in build- ing a meeting house and all the inhabitants of the parish gath- ered within the edifice every Sabbath day for public worship. Rev. Roger Harrison was the first pastor here. installed as such in 1798 and continuing his connection with the society until 1822. The church never was strong in numbers and has not been able to support a resident pastor at all times, hence West Gran- ville and Tolland were united under one pastorate. The present church edifice was erected in 1842. The present pastor is Rev. Gilbert A. Curtiss. The membership numbers 32 persons. A Baptist society was formed in the "sonth quarter" (a distin- guishing name of the town about 1830, but it never gained suffi- cient strength to erect a house of worship or to maintain a permanent existence.
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