USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Florence > The history of Florence, Massachusetts : including a complete account of the Northampton Association of Education and Industry > Part 9
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"HALL JUDD, Sier."
102
HISTORY OF FLORENCE.
Thus the association ended. Mr. Hill assumed its liabilities, sold parts of the estate, and continued the silk business. The members scattered, some remaining in Florence, where they have been known for their honesty, sobriety, good morals, and industry and zeal in working for public improvements.
CAUSES OF DISSOLUTION.
It has been claimed that the system of " mutual criticism " was the rock upon which the association split. This system was instituted, hop- ing that it would tend to the mental and spiritual growth of the mem- bers. The criticisms were to be made in a spirit of brotherly love, no offense being intended, and to be received in a spirit of meekness and with a desire for improve- ment. While the crit- icisms may always have been in the right spirit, some did not receive them with due humility, and dissen- THE PAUL STRONG TAVERN TO-DAY. sions arose, the of- fended ones seeking relief by withdrawing from the association, and removing from the local- ity. This system may have caused the resignation of some members, but it is extremely doubtful if it was the chief factor in bringing about the final dissolution. To quote the words of Samuel L. Hill : " The last two or three years of the association were decidedly pleasant and profit- able to its members, except pecuniarily ; they acquired a mutual famil- iarity with, and confidence in, each other, enabling them to speak plainly of errors and faults without the presence of anger, and to discuss calmly and candidly any differences of opinion upon religious or other sub- jects."
This statement from one of the leaders, who remained a member to the end, seems to indicate that the "mutual criticism system " was not so powerful a disintegrating element as some would have us believe. Had the association started on a better financial basis, unincumbered by a large loan, and with means sufficient to extend its business, the experiment might have resulted very differently.
103
NORTHAMPTON ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY.
But though dissensions among members and financial embarrassment contributed their share to the final result, we may reasonably conclude that the failure was largely due to the fact that the world was not ready for the experiment. The members of the Northampton association were earnest men and women. They set themselves a lofty ideal of social and industrial life, of human brotherhood, and through four long years struggled to overcome the many obstacles that beset their path, enduring many hardships and privations. Although they were finally forced to abandon their experiment, it must be admitted that they did not wholly fail.
MEMBERSHIP LIST.
The system adopted by the association of admitting members on probation accounts for the apparent errors in the list below, which is copied from the book kept by the secretary. People often resided in the community for a year before being admitted as regular members. Dur- ing the last twelve months the secretary did not take very great pains to enter names and withdrawals, and in some cases these have been supplied from the other records.
NAMES.
FROM.
ENTERED.
April 8, 1842.
Sept. 28, 1842. Jan. 13, 1844. April 8, 1842. May 28, 1842. April 9, 1842. April 8, 1842. Nov. 12, 1842. June 5, 1842. Nov. 16, 1842. Nov. 29, 1843. Nov. 4, 1843. Feb. 24, 1844. April 4, 1844. April 4, 1844. April 4, 1844. Jan. 31, 1846. April 8, 1842. April 24, 1842. April 15, 1843. Sept. 30, 1844. April 15, 1843. June 17, 1843.
WITHDREW.
William Adam, wife, 4 children,
James D. Atkins,
George Ashley,
George Benson, wife, 4 children,
*Frances P. Birge,
Samuel Brooks, wife, 7 children,
Samuel A. Bottum, wife,
tRoxey A. Brown,
Bloomfield, Ct., Boston, Bloomfield, Ct.,
James Boyle, wife,
Wm. J. Bumstead, wife, 3 children,
Luther Brigham, 4 children,
Worcester,
Willimantic, Ct.,
Susan Byrne, William Bassett, wife, 4 children, Cyrus Bradbury,
Boston, 66
Elizabeth Ely Bradbury,
Sarah Elizabeth Bradbury,
Bailey Birge, wife, 3 children,
Colebrook, Ct.,
Joseph Conant, wife,
Mansfield, Ct., 66
Orwell S. Chaffee, wife, I child,
George Cooper,
#Octavia M. Damon,
Chesterfield,
Dedham,
Sophia Foorde, Emily Farwell,
Cambridge,
Married Hall Judd, June 1, 1842.
t Married A. R. Nickerson, June 8, 1844.
# Married James D. Atkins, Sept. 30, 1844.
Cambridge, Old Cambridge, Chaplin, Ct., Brooklyn, Ct., Colebrook, Ct.,
Hadley,
March, 1843. Oct. 13, 1843.
July, 1844. Nov. 18, 1844. Dec. 2, 1844.
Oct. S, I842. Oct. 22. 1842. Sept. 12, 1843. March 6, 1847.
June 12, 1845. 1843.
Jan. 2, 1844. March 6, 1847. Dec. 28, 1845. Oct. 1, 1845.
Mansfield, Ct.,
Lynn,
104
HISTORY OF FLORENCE.
NAMES.
FROM. Nantucket,
ENTERED. WITHDREW.
Gustavus Gifford,
Roswell K. Goodwin,
Caroline M. Gove,
Lynn,
Erasmus G. Hudson, wife, 2 children, Bloomfield, Ct.,
Rhoda Hudson,
Wolcottville,
Romulus Fowler Iludson,
Bloomfield, Ct.,
Samuel L. Hill, wife, 3 children,
Willimantic, Ct.,
Sally Hill, 4 children,
Northampton,
Josiah Ilayward, wife, 3 children,
Salem,
William Haven, wife, 7 children,
Windham, Ct.,
Matilda Hill, 4 children,
Willimantic, Ct.,
Lucy Charlotte Hayden,
Bath, Me., =
New Ipswich, N. H., May 16, 1844.
Nov. 1, 1846.
William Larned,
Boston, Oct. 15, 1842.
Aug. 2, 1843. Sept. 5, 1845.
David Mack, wife, 2 children, Charles May,
Benton, Ala., Jan. 13, 1843.
Abner S. Meade,
Danvers, Dec. 6, 1842. Cambridge, July 28, 1843.
Littleton T. Morgan,
Nantucket, April 15, 1843.
April 3, 1844.
George W. Miller,
Boston, July 22, 1843. Jan. 13, 1844. Chaplin, Ct., April 9, 1844.
March, 1844.
Joseph C. Martin, wife, 4 children,
Lorenzo D. Nickerson,
Boston,
Enos 1. Preston, wife, 1 child,
Brooklyn, Ct.,
William F. Parker, wife, 2 children,
Nantucket,
April 15, 1843. Sept. 3, 1842. Oct. 22, 1842. Jan. 14, 1843. April 10, 1842.
Nov., IS43. July, 1843.
Susan F. Parker, Oliver D. Paine,
Chesterfield,
George Prindle,
New Haven, Ct.,
Fortune R. Porter,
New York,
Lydia B Pierce,
Nancy Richardson, 4 children,
Waltham,
New York,
Lncins F. Reede,
Austin Ross, wite,
Izra Rosbrooks,
Cicero, N. Y., 6.
Polly Rosbrooks,
Jan. 26, 1844.
Louisa (. Rosbrooks,
Jan. 26, 18.44.
Francis O. Rosbrooks, 6.
Three Rosbrooks children,
Theodore Scar borough, wife, I child, Brooklyn, Ct.,
Jason Sulloway, wife,
Canton,
Parmelia Small, I child.
Norwich, Ct ..
Lule Dwight Swift, wife,
Mansfield, C't.,
Herbert Scarborough,
Brooklyn, Ct.,
Maury Ann Smith,
Bloomfield, Ct.,
Jan. 14, 1843. Jan. 8, 1843.
Nov. 29, 1842. Nov. 25, 1843. June 25, IS44. April S, 1842. Feb. 11, 1843. April S, 1842. April S, 1842. April 8, 1842. March 8, 1843. May 4, 1843. Jan. 13, 1844. April 10, 1844. April 10, 1844.
Sept. 16, 1843. May 13, 1843.
Sept. 23, 1842. July 2, 1844.
# Harriet W. Hayden, Elisha I. Hammond, wife, HIall Judd,
Northampton,
May 28, 1842
Cambridge, May 15, 1842.
Moses K. Meader,
May 13, 1843. Aug. 19, 1843. Feb. 25, 1843. Sept. 24, 1842 Nov. 30, 1842. Nov. 4, 1843.
June 16, 1845. May, I845. Jan. 31, 1844.
David Ruggles. Stephen C. Rush,
Cummington, May 20, 1843. Chaplin, Ct., Mar. 29, 18.45. Jan. 26, 18.44.
April 23, 1846. Nov., IS43.
ยท Married Sidney Southworth, July 3. 1811.
April 8, 1842. April 8, 1842.
May 31, 1845. Oct., 1842.
Jan. 26, 1844. Jan. 20, 1844. April 8, 1842. April 17, 1842.
A. Menkin, M. D.,
105
- NORTHAMPTON ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY.
NAMES.
FROM.
ENTERED.
WITHDREW.
Wilbraham,
May 7, 1843.
May 16, 1844. Nov., IS43.
James A. Stetson, wife, 6 children, Laura Stebbins,
Springfield,
July 8, 1843.
March 16, 1846. Jan. 30, IS44.
George Washington Sullivan,
Baltimore, Md.,
Sidney Southworth,
Boston,
Nov. 3, 1843. Jan. 27, 1844. April 17, 1842. April 8, 1842.
Aug. 19, 1843.
Hiram Wells, wife, I child,
Mansfield, Ct.,
April 10, 1842.
Aug. 8, 1845.
Wm. G. Wilson,
Vergennes, Vt.,
Feb. 4, 1843.
July 8, 1843.
James Willey,
Hartford, Ct.,
Mar. 16, 1843
April 8, 1843.
Lyman F. Wight,
Easthampton,
Aug. 19, 1843.
1843.
Thomas Whitmarsh,
Northampton,
Nov. 25, 1843.
Dec., 1843.
Statistics : The whole number of names enrolled is two hundred and ten. These two hundred and ten people represented eight different
QUARRY IN CHESTNUT STREET WOODS.
states, being divided as follows: Massachusetts, ninety-eight : Con- necticut, eighty-eight ; New York, ten; New Hampshire, three ; Maine, two; Vermont, one ; Alabama, one ; Maryland, one ; Unknown, six.
As far as ascertained the adult members who are still living are : Mr. and Mrs. James D. Atkins, Mr. Samuel Bottom, Mrs. Joseph C. Martin, Mr. Austin Ross, all in Florence ; Mrs. Hiram Wells, Mittineague, Mass. : Mrs. A. R. Nickerson, Appleton, Wis. ; Mr. Lucius Bumstead, Colorado Springs, Colo., aged eighty-five ; Mrs. Scarborough, Northampton, Mass. ;
Calvin Stebbins, wife, 2 children, William Stearns, wife, I child,
Waltham,
March 25, 1843.
Brooklyn, Ct.,
April 20, 1843.
George Thurber, wife, I child,
Joseph S Wall, wife,
Worcester,
IC6
HISTORY OF FLORENCE.
Mrs. James Stetson, Brooklyn, Conn., aged eighty-seven ; Romulus Fowler Hudson, Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Oliver D. Payne, Youngstown, Ohio.
NOTES .- Many interesting items appear in the old account books of the association, but only a few can be given here.
"Jason Sullaway, Dr. To horse to Springfield, .50
" Educational Department, Dr.
To cash paid Toll for the children to Mount Holyoke, .33
"Wm. L. Garrison,* To Expense Account, Dr. To Self & wife-Board from Aug. 17 to Sept. 19-9 weeks, 3 days, 12.57" "
The following items show the cost of articles at the Community store :-
"Sam A. Bottum, Dr. To 3 doz. eggs at 10 c, .05
" Mary Ann Smith, Dr. To : Back Comb, .03 " David Mack, Dr. To 50 Herring at & c., .25 "Geo. A. Hill, Dr. To : Neck Collar, .20
" Boarding House, Dr. To 3 doz. Britannia Spoons, at 10 s , .83"
New milk sold for two cents and skim milk for one cent a quart. Butter sold for ten cents and coffee for eleven cents a pound. Veal cost four cents, pork six cents, mutton five cents, and beef three and one- fourth cents a pound.
The famous Abolitionist.
7
CHAPTER X.
ABRIDGED ANNALS.
HOW FLORENCE TOOK ITS NAME .- POPULATION .- FIRST STORE. - POST OFFICE ESTAR- LISHED .- CASUALTIES .- CEMETERIES.
FROM the very early days of Northampton till 1847, the locality now called Florence was known as " Broughton's Meadow Plain," or simply as "Broughton's Meadow." Soon after 1810 another name was applied commonly to this region, namely the "Warner School District." The Northampton Association of Education and Industry was started in 1842, and while it existed the common term given to the settlement was "The Community." In 1848 these three names gave way to Bensonville, and when two years later Mr. Benson failed, and the old appellation became objectionable, the village was called Greenville, from the new cotton company.
In the fall of 1852 a meeting of the villagers was held in the South schoolhouse to choose a name for the place. Postal communication was soon to be established and a new name was desired. "Shepherd's Hollow " with its woolen mills had been named "Leeds" after the city of Leeds, in England, and the name of the great silk emporium of Italy was offered by Dr. Munde as a suitable appellation for this place. The pretty village, the clear stream, the silk mill, all suggested to his vivid imagination the propriety of naming the village "Florence," and the stream " Arno." The citizens thought well of the neat and euphonious "Florence " and unanimously adopted it, but the " Arno " never replaced the historic term of " Mill River."
POPULATION.
In 1800 the population of this district was not far from fifteen ; in 1820 the number had increased to about fifty, and in 1845, while the Community was in progress, probably two hundred and twenty per- sons were living in this vicinity. During the next ten years many persons came to Florence and by 1860 the population was one thousand. In 1863 it is quoted as twelve hundred and eighty-two, in 1864. fourteen hundred and forty-two, and in 1865 it was sixteen hundred and fifty-four. The village was making rapid growth at this time, and by 1867 it is estimated that the number had reached about two thousand. Since that time a more gradual increase has been noted, until to-day the popu- lation of Florence is not far from thirty-five hundred.
108
HISTORY OF FLORENCE.
FIRST STORE.
The first store in Florence was established by the "Northampton Association " in April. 1842. On the seventeenth of that month the stock directors voted " That Mr. Conant be authorized to purchase groceries according to his best judgment for the use of the Community and that a store be fitted up for their reception." Later it was resolved " That individuals and families not belonging to the Community may be fur- nished with articles from the Community's Store at an addition of ten per cent. to the cost charged to members." Hall Judd was clerk in this store.
After the Community dissolved, Mr. Hill continued the business alone till the fall of 1850, when Isaac S. Parsons, son of Captain Samuel Par- sons of Northampton, moved to Florence and formed a partnership with Mr. Hill under the name of I. S. Parsons & Company. This store was in a one story brick building, which was built by Mr. Hill soon after 1847 for a silk mill and office, and now forms the western end of the Nonotuck Silk Company's office building. Bailey Birge succeeded Mr. Judd as clerk, and later several young men who are now at the head of the mercantile interests of the village received their first training in this store. The list includes R. M. Branch, L. F. S. Plimpton, and Henry Cutler.
THE POST OFFICE.
On the twenty-eighth of December, 1852, after much hard labor, owing to the opposition made by the postmaster of Northampton, a post office was established in Florence, and Mr. I. S. Par- sons was appointed post- master, a position which he filled for sixteen years. Mr. Henry Cutler was clerk for Mr. Parsons during a greater part of this time.
Before '52 all the Florence mail had been placed in Mr. S. L. Hill's box, No. 175, at MAPLE STREET .- NEAR WEST CENTER STREET. the Northampton office, and he brought it each day to the village. For months after the petition had been sent to Washington, those who opposed the change were successful in preventing the estab- lishment of the new office, on the ground that Florence was not two miles from Leeds. At this time a general rule provided that no office should be
109
ABRIDGED ANNALS.
established within two miles of any other office, unless the postmaster general could be convinced that one was really needed. William F. Quigley's (later Oliver Thayer's) stage carried the one daily mail. It went towards Northampton about ten o'clock in the morning and towards Leeds at four o'clock in the afternoon.
From 1852 to 1868 the office was at the brick store of I. S. Parsons & Co., then for a few weeks it was at Mr. Haven's house, until Mr. Cutler received the appointment, and it was removed to the building now Cutler, Plimpton & Co.'s. In 1884 it was transferred to the building erected for it, on Maple street, near Main street, where it has since been.
The postmasters have been as fol- lows : I. S. Parsons, appointed Dec. 28, 1852; J. L. Otis, 1868; Henry F. Cutler, 1868; Maj. J. F. Angell, 1884; H. K. Parsons, April 8, 1889 ; William M. Smith, July 13, 1891.
CASUALTIES .- On July 11, 1859, the steam boiler in Hiram Wells & Com- pany's machine works (which stood on the site of the present oil-gas stove plant) exploded ten minutes before seven o'clock, killing the engineer, Frank Spear, and injuring Mr. Wells, so that he lived but twenty-four hours. John Franzen was badly burned, and died after six weeks of suffering. Mr. C. B. Rose, the superintendent of the foundry and pattern shop, was badly scalded and bruised. Wells and Rose were in the workshop and nearly opposite the rear end of the boiler.
"And all around me every bush and tree Says Autumn's here, and Winter soon will be." -Lowvell.
The engine, a machine of ten horse power, had not been used for a week on account of repairs, but had been tried on Saturday and Sunday. and found to be in good running order. On Monday morning, a good fire had been made under the boiler, and at ten minutes of seven steam was issuing from the safety valve. Spear received orders to weight down the valve, which he reluctantly did, and, as the steam was forcing its way through one of the gauges in consequence of the increased weight on the valve, he remarked to Franzen (who was sitting near by smoking.
IIO
HISTORY OF FLORENCE,
waiting for the machinery to start up), that if the boiler should burst then, he would catch it. A moment after it burst, scattering the bricks over a distance of five or six rods, and covering the body of the engineer in the ruins. He lived till 9.30 A. M.
The boiler was thirty feet in length, and had two flues, both of which collapsed. The discharge of steam forced down an eight-inch brick wall, and moved the heavy iron machinery three or four feet. The explosion shook the ground throughout the neighborhood.
Mr. Spear was thirty-eight years old, and Mr. Wells forty-eight years. Each left a wife and two children.
Edwin Thwing lost his life in the machine shop connected with the silk mill, Saturday, April 18, 1861. It was a rainy day and the water was dripping through an open skylight upon his tools in the shop. He went to the attic to close the skylight, but, through carelessness, allowed his clothes to catch in the shafting which ran near the top of the room. He was whirled around the shaft with great rapidity, death coming in a few seconds.
CEMETERIES.
Soon after 1820 Josiah White, the oil-maker, gave the town a little plot of land for a cemetery, and in 1825 the first burial was made there. This plot was the northeast corner of the present Park street cemetery, and the original gift included the land on which the North schoolhouse was afterward built. This schoolhouse was given to Samuel L. Hill in 1863 (on consideration that he would build a larger one to replace the South schoolhouse) and he sold it soon after to private parties, and they acquired the land by " peaceful possession." So through carelessness this portion of Josiah White's gift was forfeited. During the fifties it was seen that a larger burial ground would soon be required, and on May 4, 1858, the town paid Mr. A. P. Critchlow seventy-five dollars for enough land to make the lot nearly square.
By 1881 the growth of the village warranted the purchase of addi- tional ground for burial purposes. There had been a strong desire among many residents of Florence that the two places, Florence and Northampton center, might sometime be merged into one, and when, in 1881, the town purchased the Dennison water cure property for a bury- ing ground, there was much dissatisfaction expressed among some who foresaw that this move would mean death to their hopes. Timely agi- tation of the subject brought about the desired result, however, and at the annual town meeting, held March 20, 1882, the town rescinded its
III
ABRIDGED ANNALS.
vote of the year previous whereby the Dennison property was to be plotted and staked off for burial lots, and the Florence cemetery matter was referred to a committee of five. This committee, consisting of H. K. Parsons, W. H. Riley, L. F. S. Plimpton, J. L. Otis, and G. H. Ray, reported June 19, 1882, recommending the purchase of a large tract in the northern part of the village known as the " Graves and Warner " lots. The land was bought for $1,731, and by the year following the amount of money expended for the land and putting it in shape had reached $3,891.96. The first burial took place in April, 1883, and before the year closed a receiving tomb had been built at a cost of $700. To transform the wild waste into a suitable burying ground was no small task, and the present Spring Grove cemetery, although not famous for its attractiveness, is a spot of natural beauty and some day will be a park that the village will take pride in.
SPRING GROVE CEMETERY.
25
PART
ECOND
MITUNI TIMES
RELIGIONS
MISCELLANE BIOGRAPHIOM
WTER:573
OLD COMMUNITY TIMES.
REMINISCENCES.
BY FRANCES P. JUDD.
IN attempting to recall the early days of what is now Florence, one cannot avoid in a measure living it all over again ; of thinking of one's self as young and hopeful, and full of the enthusiasm of new ideas, and new aspirations for higher and purer conditions of humanity. A half century has gone by since then, with many changes for the writer, but with no abatement of the interest then felt in social, religious, and political reforms. I well remember the first time I saw the place which was after- wards to be the scene of so much struggle, enjoyment, disappointment, and sorrow ; struggle with poverty, not scarcity of the necessaries of life, but an ever present consciousness of the necessity of self-denial and rigid economy ; enjoyment of congenial society, a common purpose in life, and a mutual desire to promote the best interests of mankind. The end desired could not be reached in the way we had hoped, hence our disap- pointment.
I came from Northampton one beautiful Sunday in spring, a friend driving in to bring me and another, to see the place which we hoped would be to us a paradise. We came out by Prospect street, then down what is now Pine street, and across the lot to the back door of the house that was occupied by Mr. Benson and his large family. This house was at the corner of what is now Maple and Nonotuck streets. It seemed to be in a wilderness. A pine grove and ravine were west of it, and the land to the east was covered with mulberry bushes. Indeed, the side hill and plain above were given up to the "morus multicaulis."
The only names I had heard in connection with the new enterprise were those of Benson, Hill, Adam, and Mack. The matter of our joining the "Northampton Association " was discussed that day, and when we returned to Northampton the question was put to me, "Shall we take what little money we have and cast in our lot with these people, wlio everybody says are visionary, fanatical, and foolish, or shall we go else- where to make our home and get our living?" I said, "We will join them." In a short time we married, and came here. This was in 1842, and here my home has since been.
116
HISTORY OF FLORENCE.
The association was formed. New people constantly came, drawn by sympathy of views on one subject or another; all were earnest in the anti-slavery cause ; many were deeply interested in non-resistance ; all were temperance people and some had suffered expulsion from the churches for their course on anti-slavery or other matters. They came together, and the former inhabitants of this rural hamlet looked on with suspicion and distrust at this new order of things. These people, who had invaded their formerly quiet domain, had such strange notions ; many of them imbued with Quaker ideas and thinking all days alike holy. Some did not reverence the church and priesthood ; some were advocates of vegetarianism, discarding animal food and all stimulating drinks. No wonder we were " past finding out." I do not know that
WILDER PLACE-PARK STREET.
any of our people were immoral, or that their neighbors could accuse them of dishonesty in their dealings, or anything worse than their disre- gard of outward religions observances.
Houses were scarce, and to accommodate all who wished to join us, part of the brick factory was fitted up as a boarding house. The quar- ters were rude and plain, and the fact that the members were willing to stibmit to the many inconveniences, and to forego all luxuries and many of the comforts to which they had been accustomed, showed how dear to their hearts was the cause they had espoused.
The " labor question " was, even then, stirring earnest and philan- thropic souls, and the fact that the employees in the silk factory were confined twelve hours a day led some of our zealous members to express themselves earnestly against it, and to advocate a reduction of the hours
117
OLD COMMUNITY TIMES.
of labor. That the immediate consequences of this proceeding were injurious to the financial interests of the association, there is no doubt. but the final result was satisfactory, especially to those who gained an hour a day for rest and recreation by the change from twelve to eleven hours.
The question of the equality of the sexes was never discussed. It was accepted as one of our fundamental principles. A wife has been known to vote contrary to her husband, and the family re- main intact. Some of the more timid women looked to their husbands as their teach- ers, in accordance with St. Paul's injunction, "Ask thy husband at home." I remem- ber one instance when some subject was under consider- ation, the opinion of the mem- bers was asked regarding it. One woman replied, "My opinion has gone to the West," referring to her husband's
THE BENSON HOUSE ON MAIN STREET.
absence from home. No dis- tinction was made on account of color. When David Ruggles came here from New York to find a refuge, he was welcomed and treated as an honored friend, and so were many others.
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