USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume three > Part 19
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The present admirable school system of the town dates its history from the early years of the century just ended, and especially to the year 1827, when the election of "school com- mittees" superseded the older method of managing the public schools. Originally the question first to be considered was the cost of maintenance, but under the new arrangement the chief object has been the elevation of the standard of the schools, while the expense of maintenance was a secondary consideration. This change came in the nature of radical reform and met with some criticism, but the benefits of the new system were so easily discernable that determined opposition soon subsided. Then, in the selection of school committees the townspeople have ex- ercised wise discrimination and men of known business capacity have been chosen to fill that office. The result has been in estab- lishing an educational system which is not excelled by any similarly situated town in the entire region and one that places the local schools on the same elevated plane with those of Spring- field, Westfield and Holyoke. The work of a competent corps of teachers, under careful superintendence, has been a factor in accomplished results, while the cordial support given by the taxpayers to the endeavors of committees and teachers and su- perintendents has worked advantageously in making for our schools the wide reputation they now enjoy. And in commenting on the splendid results accomplished in our high school during the last ten or fifteen years, some allusion must be made to the
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services of John C. Worcester, under whose principalship and largely through whose personal endeavors the present standard of excellence has been attained.
A century ago the town annually voted a few hundred dollars for the support of its schools; in the last current year there was paid for salaries of teachers and superintendent the gross sum of $23,011.16, and for all school expenses the sum of $31,327.43. Still, in 1900 the population of the town was a little more than double the number in 1800. The schools of the town in addition to the high school are located and known as Mit- tineague (two buildings), Park street, Main street, Meadow street, Bridge street, Riverdale, Ashleyville, Prospect hill, Amos- town and Tatham.
Glancing over the town records and school reports it is found that these persons have served in the capacity of members of the school committee : Rev. Reuben S. Hazen, 1827-32, 34-35, 37-38; Dr. G. White, 1827-30, 35-36, 38; Samuel Lathrop, 1827- 29; Henry Ely, 1828-30; Horace Palmer, 1827-28; Thomas Bar- rett, 1827-29; Rev. Wm. B. Sprague, 1827; Rev. Thomas Rand, 1827; Justin Ely, 1829; Hezekiah Griswold, 1830-33; Dr. Reuben Champion, 1830-31; Norman T. Leonard, 1829-30; Solomon Lathrop, 1830, 1832-35; Rev. Thos. E. Vermilye, 1831- 34 ; Rev. Hervey Smith, 1831-39; Rev. Henry Archibald, 1831-32; Rev. Jno. W. McDonald, 1833; Rev. Horatio J. Lombard, 1834- 35; Rev. John H. Hunter, 1836; Rev. Jonathan L. Pomeroy, 1836; Rev. P. Brockett, 1836; Elisha Eldridge, 1837; Aaron Day, 1837-38; Rev. Calvin Foote, 1837-38; Rev. A. A. Wood, 1839, 41-45; Dr. Reuben Champion, 1839, 1846-48; William Taylor, 1839; Palmer Gallup, 1839-43; Aaron Bagg, 1840; Horace D. Doolittle, 1840-41; William Gamwell, 1842; Rev. William L. Brown, 1843-45; Rev. Gideon Dana, 1844; Rev. Dillon Williams, 1844-45; Rev. Lester Lewis, 1846; Rev. Thos. Rand, 1846-47; Josiah Johnson, 1847-48; Rev. Ralph Perry, 1848-55; Rev. Simeon Miller, 1848; Daniel G. White, 1848-56; Rev. Asahel Chapin, 1848-49; Dr. P. LeB. Stickney, 1849-51; Rev. Henry M. Field, 1852; Dr. Cyrus Bell, 1851-53; Dr. Nath- aniel Downes, 1853, 1856-57; Rev. Henry Cooley, 1854; Rev.
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S. D. Ward, 1854-55; Rev. Theron H. Hawkes, 1855-59; Rev. E. Scott, 1855; S. D. Warriner, 1855; Lewis H. Taylor, 1855; E. Clark, 1855; Amzi Allen, 1857, 1860-62; John B. Taylor, 1858; Riley Smith, 1858; James Newton Bagg, 1860-61, 69-70, 72-73; Nathan Loomis, 1861-63; Eden B. Foster, D. D., 1862-64 ; Rev. Henry M. Powers, 1862-65; Daniel F. Melcher, 1864-65, 1869; Ethan Brooks, 1864-67, 1871, 1892-93; Rev. Moody Har- rington, 1864; Rev. J. S. Batchelder, 1865-66; Rev. Perkins K. Clark, 1866-68; Daniel F. Morrill, 1866-69; Norman T. Smith, 1868-70, 1872-74; Dr. Herbert C. Belden, 1870; Emerson Geer, 1871-74, 77; Gideon Wells, 1871; Sarah Isabel Cooley, 1872-74; Angeline Brooks, 1872; Charles E. Merrick, 1872-76; James F. Hayes, 1878-92; L. F. Mellen, 1879 ; Henry F. Miller, 1880, 1883; Addison H. Smith, 1881, 1886-88; Lester Williams, 1882-85; Thomas O'Keefe, 1884; Urbane H. Flagg, 1886-88; Edwin Smith, 1889, 1892-94; F. M. Robbins, 1890; Henry C. Bliss, 1891; Charles McKernon, 1892-94; Arthur A. Sibley, 1892-96; Edward F. Ely, 1892; George H. Lucas, 1894-97; Frank P. Sargent, 1894-97, 1900; Clarence E. Smith, 1894; Addison H. Smith, 1895-98; E .P. Bragg, 1895-98; John J. Lysaght, 1899; A. F. Royce, 1900; Henry E. Schmuck, 1901; J. P. Gaffney, 1901. School Committee, 1901 .- John J. Lysaght, chm., Frank P. Sar- gent, Arthur A. Sibley, Henry E. Schmuck, J. P. Gaffney, A. F. Royce.
The Library .- The first public library in West Springfield was established through the efforts of the parish minister, Rev. Dr. Lathrop, in 1775, with about 40 subscribers to the fund. The books are said to have been carried around from house to house in a large basket and patrons were permitted to select from the total number of less than 60 volumes which comprised the collection. This library was kept in existence until about 1807, when the books were divided among the owners. About 1810 a second library association was formed and was continued until about 1840. During the later years of its operation the books were kept in the town hall, and from this our present public library has evolved.
In itself the present library is the outgrowth of individual enterprise in 1855, but after a brief period the books were
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turned over to the town for free distribution, subject to the sole condition that there be annually appropriated the sum of $50 for new books. This condition always has been more than com- plied with, and in recent years the institution has received generous support from our taxpayers. The library is under the immediate charge of a board of trustees, chosen by the people. On the shelves are now about 6,000 volumes of well selected books. The board of trustees at this time comprises W. S. Bagg, Daniel G. White and Emma L. Bragg; librarian, D. G. White.
The Fire Department .- More than half a century ago a fire company for protection purposes was formed in the town, yet the regularly organized fire department is an institution of quite recent origin. In fact the West Springfield fire department is a comparatively strong and very creditable organization and has no resemblance whatever to the department that existed here more than fifteen years ago. West Springfield, as a town, is known generally throughout New England as a fertile agricul- tural district, a desirable residence locality, as a well ordered township in all respects, with some claims to importance as a manufacturing region; and in such towns casual observers are not prepared to discover all the appointments and elements of municipalities which in fact are found here.
West Springfield's fire department apparatus comprises two hook and ladder trucks, one horse hose wagon, one four- wheeled hose cart, two two-wheeled hose reels, one reverse reel, and one double-tank chemical combination wagon. The depart- ment also has all other apparatus necessary to a well regulated municipality, a good supply of serviceable hose, and an excellent system of fire alarm boxes and signals distributed over its terri- tory. For the operation of the apparatus and department equip- ment the town has four hose and two hook and ladder companies, known and located, respectively, as follows: Hose 1, Merrick; Hose 2, Riverdale volunteer company; Hose 3, Center; Hose 4, Mittineague; Hook and Ladder 1, Merrick; Hook and Ladder 2, Mittineague. The department officers are (1901) Walter L. Smith, chief and superintendent of fire alarm system; Oscar T. Roloff, Manuel M. Custer and A. C. Lewis, assistant engineers ;
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Clifford C. Haynes, clerk of board; Edward T. Fitch, Watson Phillips, Lewis A. Hubbard, E. C. Orcutt, Talcott A. Rogers, J. H. Lombra and B. Schladenhauffen, fire wardens.
The Water Supply .- Previous to 1893 the water supply of West Springfield, other than that obtained from private wells, was furnished by the West Springfield Aqueduct company, a private corporation originally organized in 1855, whose facili- ties for a general distribution of water for domestic and fire protection purposes was limited and not wholly satisfactory to the public. In June, 1892, the town voted to take possession of the works, and in July, 1893, the water board presented its first annual report. From that time the members of the board have labored earnestly and with excellent results in solving the problem of furnishing an adequate water supply to all parts of the town. In accomplishing this many obstinate points were required to be overcome, but to-day the town rejoices in an abundant supply of good wholesome water. Pumping, gravity and stand-pipe systems are employed and are operated at con- siderable expense, yet the desired end has been secured. The work of completion and extension is carried forward each year under careful supervision, but under existing conditions a state- ment showing the actual cost and value of the system is not necessary in this place. The town paid the aqueduct company about $65,000 for its plant and franchises. The board of com- missioners is comprised of T. J. Sullivan, George N. Norris and C. M. Woodward.
ECCLESIASTICAL
The First Congregational Church .- In November, 1696, the inhabitants on the west side of Connecticut river, numbering thirty-two families received from the general court permission to "procure and settle a learned orthodox minister to dispense the Word of God unto those that dwell there," and for that purpose the region now included within the towns of Agawam, Holyoke and West Springfield were constituted the Second parish in Springfield. In June, 1698, "The First Church in West Springfield" was organized, and Rev. John Woodbridge was installed pastor.
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Thus was established the mother church in our town, from which there have been organized in later years at least two early parishes and several churches. The first meeting house . was built in 1702, and stood near the center of the park about ten rods south of the town hall. It is described as "an unique structure, 42 feet square on the ground and 92 feet high." There were three roofs, each succeeding story being smaller than the one preceding it. Until 1743 the people assembled for worship at the call of the drum, but in that year a bell was procured,
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The old Church on Orthodox Hill
which having been broken two or three times and recast, was transferred to the present house of worship on the hill.
The second-the present -- house of worship was erected in 1801-2, and was dedicated June 20 of the latter year. The old edifice has frequently been repaired and extensively remodeled, yet it preserves much of its original appearance; and notwith- standing its age of a full hundred years, it is a substantial and attractive structure to-day. It stands on elevated grounds and
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its tall spire and clean white outline may be seen from points distant several miles in nearly every direction. Yet our fore- fathers in the town found themselves in a little dispute regard- ing the site on which the meeting house was to be built, and it was only when John Ashley came forward with a donation of 1,100 pounds for "the support of the ministry" on condition that he should be permitted to designate the building site that matter was amicably settled. An organ was first placed in the church in 1855; in 1860 the walls were frescoed, and in 1882 the entire interior was radically remodeled. At the present time the membership numbers 126 persons, but we must remember that within the vast territory where this once was the only church there are now a dozen of various denominations, while within two miles from the old edifice are two Congregational churches, both directly formed from this as the mother society.
Since 1877 the First church has not had an installed pastor, yet the pulpit has at all times been acceptably supplied. The pastors from 1698 to 1877 were as follows: John Woodbridge, June, 1698, died June, 1718; Samuel Hopkins, June 1, 1720, died October 5, 1755; Joseph Lathrop, D. D., August 25, 1756, died December 31, 1820; Wm. B. Sprague, D. D., August 25, 1819-July, 1829; Thos. E. Vermilye, LL. D., May 6, 1830-April 29, 1835; John H. Hunter, August 24, 1835-February 16, 1837; A. A. Wood, D. D., December 19, 1838-August 28, 1849; H. M. Field, D. D., January 29, 1851-November 14, 1854; T. H. Hawks, D. D., March 7, 1855-March 31, 1861; E. B. Foster, D. D., Octo- ber, 1861-April, 1866; H. M. Grout, D. D., July, 1867-January, 1871; John M. Chapin, June, 1872, died October, 1872; E. N. Pomeroy, November, 1873-March, 1877. Ministers acting as pastors but not installed : H. B. Blake, October, 1877-June, 1879; Charles H. Abbott, June, 1879-April, 1883; Wm. A. Thomas, August, 1883, three years; Prof. C. Beardsley, about two years; George R. Hewitt, two years; Sidney K. B. Perkins, six years ; George W. Love, February, 1900, now serving as pastor.
The Mittineague Congregational church was organized in 1850, at a time when the mother church was without a pastoral head. During the eleven years in which Rev. Mr. Wood was
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pastor there were more than 200 additions to the old church membership, and a considerable part of this number were resi- dents in the vicinity of Mittineague. This little village then was beginning to attract some attention and the establishment of a new church there was deemed advisable. In 1852 the meet- ing house of the Methodists was removed from its original site to Mittineague and became the church home of the new Congre- gational society. The building was destroyed by fire February 22, 1879, and was very soon afterward replaced with the present
Town Hall and Park Congregational Church
edifice. During this period of its history the pastors of the church were Revs. Henry Powers, Perkins K. Clark, H. M. Holden and John E. Hurlbut. From the time of its organization in 1850 the church has steadily increased in strength and in- fluence, and now has the largest membership of any Congrega- tional church in the town, the present number being 227. The pastor is Rev. Alfred M. Spangler; clerk of church, Eugene H. Shepherd; superintendent of Sunday school, F. O. Scott; Sun- day school membership, 185.
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The Park Street Congregational church was organized in 1871, when, at the close of the pastorate of Rev. Henry M. Grout in the mother church, seventy-two members withdrew and estab- lished the third Congregational society in the town. The with- drawing members were largely persons of influence and means, and by acquisition of other members the whole body caused to be erected the large church edifice on Park street, one of the most substantial and imposing public buildings in the town. It was built in 1872, and cost nearly $40,000. This church has a total membership of 171 persons, and is under the pastoral care of Rev. William H. Webb; clerk of church, Ethan Brooks; su- perintendent of Sunday school, Harry L. Brown; Sunday school membership, 160.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception in West Spring- field was the outgrowth of the missionary labors of Father Gallagher, who began saying mass in the town as early as 1861, and the Sunday school work inaugurated and carried on by John O'Brien, then an employee of one of the paper mills but now Rev. Father O'Brien. Mr. Melcher, then superintendent in the mill, encouraged the work, and on a lot donated for that purpose the Immaculate Conception church was built during the summer of 1878. It was dedicated November 3 of the same year. West Springfield was made a parish in 1877, and Father Phelan was appointed resident pastor. He was succeeded by Father O'Keefe and the latter by Father Moyer.
St. Thomas' church at Mittineague was built in 1869 by Father Healy, pastor of St. Michael's in Springfield, and for many years was under the care of Father O'Keefe and his assistants. The property here has been materially increased in value and the influence and work of the church also has been greatly extended. St. Thomas' is now under the charge of Rev. Father Griffin.
The First Methodist Episcopal church of West Springfield, located in Merrick, was organized May 14, 1876, but Methodism in the town dates back more than three-quarters of a century, and regular services of the church have been held here for more than sixty years. A house of worship was built on Elm street in 1843, and was removed to Mittineague in 1852 and became the
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willing to part with his lands for the mere compensation of a gun and sixteen gaudy brass buttons.
So far as the chroniclers of Indian history give us any light on the subject, the original Toto was a friendly red man who dwelt in the vicinity of Windsor, in Connecticut, where during the period of King Philip's war he was a servant in the family of one of the white settlers; that just before the burning of Springfield in 1675, Toto imformed his master that King Phil- ip's warriors were concealed within the Indian fort, which stood on Pecowsic brook, and that they were awaiting a favorable op- portunity to attack, plunder and burn the town, which they did on the next day. The subsequent history of Toto is unknown to us, and it may be that he possessed himself of this remote region of country, became its recognized owner, and that he parted with his title for the consideration mentioned. The present writer has no theory on this subject, yet it seems doubtful whether the friendly Toto of 1675 could have occupied the terri- tory of Granville half a century later and then sold his hill domain to the adventurous white man. Still, Granville has for more than a century been noted for the remarkable longevity of its inhabitants, and one authority states that between 1760 and 1810 one person in every thirty attained the age of ninety years.
The person to whom Toto sold his possessions was James Cornish, who soon disposed of a certain share of his estate to William Fuller, and both in turn, sold in 1713 to Atherton Mather, the latter the grantor party to the Bedford company of proprietors, the founders of the plantation of Bedford, the actual developers of the land. This purchase was made in 1715, and was confirmed by the general court in 1739. However, feel- ing secure under their title, the proprietary offered their lands for sale, and in 1736 settlement was begun by Samuel Bancroft, who in that year moved from Springfield with his family and was the pioneer of the town. Bancroft himself had only one son, Jonathan, but before the close of an hundred years of the town's history the descendants of Samuel in the town numbered nearly one hundred persons. Jonathan's sons were Lemuel, Ethan and Samuel, from whom have come nearly all the later Bancrofts in Granville history.
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The proprietors evidently acted promptly in disposing of their lands, and sold to settlers and speculators in tracts varying in size, according to their means. And they appeared to have interested a considerable number of inhabitants of Connecticut, for very soon after pioneer Bancroft located here there came a goodly colony from Durham and settled on the plantation lands. In a letter written by Rev. Timothy Cooley, of honored memory, to Rev. W. C. Fowler we find a list of the members of the Durham colony, viz .: Ezra, Ebenezer and Amos Baldwin; John, John, jun., Jacob, Nathaniel and David Bates; Noah, Dan, Phineas and Timothy Robinson; David, Aaron and Ebenezer Curtis; Samuel, Aaron and Enoch Coe; John Seward (doubtful), Stephen Hitchcock, Isaac Bartlett, David Parsons, Roswell Graves and Benjamin Barnes.
Among the descendants of these settlers were several men who in later years achieved prominence in professional and public life. The list is an honorable one and is well worthy of reproduction in this place. Elijah Bates, who for many years ranked with the foremost men of the county, was the son of Nathaniel Bates. William Gelston Bates, the noted lawyer and the historian of the Hampden bar, was the son of Elijah and the grandson of Nathaniel Bates. Isaac Chapman Bates, Hamp- den county's only representative who ever attained to a seat in the senate of the United States, was a son of Col. Jacob Bates. Charles F. Bates, an attorney at law, was a son of Nathaniel Bates. Edward B. Gillett, for several years district attorney for the western district, and one of the ablest lawyers of Massa- chusetts in his time, was a grandson of Col. Jacob Bates; and Frederick Gillett, representative in congress at this time, is the son of the late Edward B. Gillett. David B. Curtis died in the service during the war of 1812-15. Rev. John Seward was a son of settler John Seward. Rev. Harry Coe was a grandson of Samuel Coe. Rev. David L. Coe also was a grandson of Samuel Coe. Gurdon S. Stebbins was a grandson of John Bates. Rev. Truman Baldwin was a son, and Rev. Benson Baldwin was a grandson of Amos Baldwin. Rev. Chas. F. Robinson died at St. Charles, at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi
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rivers. Anson V. Parsons, former judge of the courts in Penn- sylvania, was a grandson of David Parsons.
Gathering information from various reliable sources, it is learned that among the first settlers in Granville, in addition to those of the Durham colony, there may also be mentioned Daniel Cooley, William Cooley (father of Rev. Timothy M. Cooley), Jonathan Rose, Samuel Gillett, Thomas Spelman, John Root, Ephraim Manson, Phineas Pratt and Thomas Brown. A little later there came Jabez Dunham, Peter Gibbons, Jonathan Church and Asa Seymour, each of whom was closely identified with the early history of the town, and many of whose descendants are still here. Jonathan Rose attained the remarkable age of 103 years, and then perished in the flames of his burning buildings. His three sons were Sharon, Daniel and Timothy, the latter an old revolutionary patriot, and subsequently the founder of the colony of Granville, in Ohio, an offshoot from the mother town Granville in Massachusetts. Still other early settlers whose names should be mentioned in these annals were Levi Parsons, David Clark, Ezra Marvin, Josiah Hatch, Luke Hitchcock, Oliver Phelps, Josiah Harvey, Lieut. Samuel Bancroft (of revolution- ary fame), Nathan Barlow, John Hamilton, Isaac Chapman, Enos Seaward, John Bartlett and others.
Col. Jacob Bates was a lieutenant in the army during the revolution and later acquired the title of colonel. He served under Gen. Washington and was of the brave party that crossed the Delaware in the attack on Princeton. Col. Timothy Robinson was a justice of the peace, representative in the general court, deacon in the church, and for many years a "father of the town." In the time of Shays' rebellion he and a company of the "court party" while on their way to Springfield were met by a party of the mob, and, after a skirmish near the "great rock" in Granville, were made prisoners. The next day was Sunday and in prison the good deacon talked and prayed with his captors with such earnestness that they were converted, and on the following Monday all marched together to Springfield. Oliver Phelps, an early settler here, was a man of strong char- acter and excellent business qualities. He was the principal
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promoter of the historic Phelps and Gorham proprietary that purchased from Massachusetts the pre-emption right of all that region of New York state which lay west of Seneca lake, this vast tract having fallen to this commonwealth as a result of the historic Hartford convention of 1786.
According to the historical sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Cooley on the occasion of the Granville jubilee in 1845, the first house in the middle parish (long known as Middle Granville) was built by David Rose, who appears to have been the pioneer of that locality. The other early settlers there were John Bates, David Clark, and the Robinson, the Parsons, the Curtis, the Coe and the Baldwin families. In the west parish (now Tolland) the first settlers were James Barlow, Samuel Hubbard, Moses Goff, Titus Fowler, David Fowler, Robert Hamilton, Thomas Hamilton and James Hamilton.
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