USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Ludlow > The history of Ludlow, Massachusetts > Part 3
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FARM BUILDINGS OF JAMES M WHITE
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Alden district schoolhouse. Near the line of the commons, and westward thereof, was, in 1774, quite a settlement. The Hitchcock home, occupied by Josiah and his son Abner, with families, was later the Lucius Simonds place and is now owned by Lucy Simonds; while another son. Joseph Hitchcock, lived next west, and probably Ezra Parsons and John Hub- bard, not far away. Beriah Jennings was near the present site of the Ezekiel Fuller house, now Hiram Davenport's. Shem Chapin's neigh- bors were: Jacob Cooley and Aaron Ferry at the Torrey place, on the opposite side of the highway from where the late Gillen D. Atchinson lived: Noah Barker, on the Samuel White farm, now owned by James M. White: Israel Warriner, a little below ; and farther to the south, at the mill privilege, was Ezekiel Squires, who built the first gristmill, and hard by were Oliver Chapin and the Zechariah Warners, father and son.
The region thus peopled must have been wild indeed. The roads were, in this period, hardly laid out, much less prepared for travel. No dams obstructed the onward flowing of the Chiquepe, no bridges spanned its stream for the convenience of the townspeople, and others. The grand highways of travel then, as now, were without the confines of the town, the northeasterly route from Springfield crossed the plains within the inward commons, the southeasterly trail of the red man went through the South Wilbraham gap, as that of the white man must sooner or later, while the "Grate Bay Rode" wound its way over plains and through passes just across the river to the south, as far from Joshua Fuller and his neighbors as the more pretentious successor of the "Role" is to-day from his descendants, occupying the old acres.
The surface of the land was in no desirable condition. What are now blooming fields spreading to the sun their luxuriant herbage, were then malarious bogs and sunken quagmires. The ponds caught the blue of heaven then as now, it is true, but their approaches were swamps, and their shores were diversified with decayed logs and decaying under- brush. The region was infested with wolves and bears, while fleet- footed deer browsed confidently upon the foliage of Mineachogue moun- tain, sipped the waters of Mineachogue pond, and reposed in slumber sweet under Shelter rock, in Cherry Valley. Into such a region as this came the hardy adventurers, from Springfield, from West Springfield, from Ashfield, from Wilbraham, from Shutesbury, from Ellington, from Glastonbury, from Somers, from Brookfield. from Bridgewater, until a goodly settlement was made in all parts of the present territory.
12
IHISTORY OF LUDLOW
Where these people attended church is left to conjecture, but con- lecture is not difficult. The Miller Corner people would naturally go southward, to listen to the excellent sermons of the Reverend Noch Mirick, and, doubtless, it was while there the furtive glances of young Ist Brewer met, in spite of vigilant tithing-men, those of Captain Miller's daughter, until their blushes would display the ripening admir- ation. The other people, from the northwest part, most likely sought the blind trail across the wooded plain, following the blazed trees, until the center of the town of Springfield was reached.
There could have been no units between the various parts of the town, for a while. After a time, however, neighborhoods were formed for mutual defense, the people stopping at night at some convenient head- quarters, safe from an attack by savage wolf or bear, or no less stage Indian, to disperse in the morning, each family to its own rude cabin. for the day's duties in the field, and home again at night, to head the horn in lien of curfew bell, and hie them to their lodging-house.
But as time rolled on the people began to fire of this condition. The water- of the Chicabe were, at times, so swollen they could not cross them; the rude paths so wet of rough they could not with convenience traverse them. Why not form a community of their own? Could they not have a church, and a minister . Could they not gather at some nearer center, and enjoy the immunities of other towns and districts?
Would that the records of these preliminary meetings could be spread before us to-day! But we may almost read of their doings. Captain Miller and his son-in-law. from the bank of the stream. Joshua Fuller. from the present Center, the Hitchcocks, and Jenningses, and Kendall -. from the common line, the Chapins, and Bowkers, and Cooleys, from over the hill westward, the Lombards, and Sikeres, with their neighbors. Would meet at Abner Hitchcock's, or Jacob Kendall's, or Joshua Fuller's. and talk the matter over, until in their minds the town was already in existence, and then the work was easy. A petition was drawn up. very likely by Benajah Willey, proving "His Excellency, the Honorable Governor, Thomas Hutchinson, " representative of His Royal Majesty. the King, "Dei Gratia," to grant to the people the rights and privileges of a district. The petition was duly signed and sealed, and either carried In special messenger, or sent by some traveler, by way of the Girate Bus Rode, to the headquarters of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in the lar of town of Boston. And with what result?
II
TOPOGRAPHY
Location Boundaries Dimensions Elevations Bonds Streams Swamp Villages and hamlets Water power.
Li Drow is situated in the northeastern corner of the original town of Springfield. Granby and Belchertown. in Hampshire County, bound it on the north: Wilbraham and Springfield on the south; Belchertown on the east; and Chicopee on the west.
The northern, eastern, and western boundaries of the town are straight lines, excepting a break of about a fourth of a mile between it and the town of Chicopee. The southern boundary very nearly follows the tortuous course of the Chicopee River. The dimensions of Ludlow are about four and a half by six miles, with an area of 27 square miles. or 17.280 acres, of which there is much forest or unimproved land.
VAIERML FEATURES
The surface of the town is, in general, comparatively level, excepting a few important elevations. The most prominent of these are the "Facing Hills, " in the northern part of the town. They attain a con- siderable altitude and their summits aford an excellent view of the sur- rounding country. Mineachoque Mountain, southeast of the center of the town, is an interesting landmark. A detached elevation south of Facing Hills bears the name of Jefferson's Peak. Turkey Hill, in the northeastern part of the town, partly in Belchertown, is the highest elevation.
Many small ponds of water give variety to the landscape. The most important in the northern part of the town are Pickerel and Second; in the southern part, Chapin. Wood, Miller, and Bliss.
The principal branches of the Chicopee River are Broad Brook. draining the larger part of the town lying east of the highlands; Chapin Brook in the south, and Higher Brook, which drains the central and south- western parts, passing through Harris and Raton Fonds, and flowing into Chicopee River about a mile west of the town line. Stony Brook
14
IHISTORY OFLEBLON
drains the northwestern part and flows into the Connecticut in the town of South Hadley.
Several huckleberry swamps are found about the town, the largest being Forrey Swamp, in the western part of the town, and Fuller Swamp in the eastern part. Buck Swamp lies in the northern part of the town. Cedar Swamp at the Center, just west of the First Church, is famous for its treacherous bottom. When it was decided to construct a road through the swamp to connect with the western part of the town, trees and stumps without number were used for filling. Some years later Reuben Sikes contracted for the repair of the road and after inspection left his cart and tools in the swamp ready for the next day's work. On arriving the following morning he found that they had almost completely disappeared from sight. Every few years the roadbed has to be refilled.
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS
The principal village of the town is Ludlow Village, situated in the southwestern part of the town on the Chicopee River. It was formerly called "Put's Bridge." after the bridge erected at that point by Eli Putnam. Later it was called Jenksville, in honor of Benjamin Jenks, who established the first cotton factory there. The village is modern in every particular and grew up around the prosperous industrial enter- prises which were attracted there by the excellent water power. The Ludlow Manufacturing Associates have now ten large mills and 79 warehouses, giving a total space of 30 acres. There are 350 dwelling houses, several shops, four churches, four school buildings, a handsome library, a clubhouse, and a hospital.
The oldest village of the town is Ludlow Center. It was here that the first meeting house was built and the first measures for the organiza- tion of the town were adopted. Around it are clustered the most historic landmarks. There are 20 dwelling houses, a Congregational Church and chapel, and a schoolhouse.
In the northwestern part of the town is a small collection of houses called Ludlow City. Most of the people are farmers. Henry 1. Carver's sawmill and butter mold factory are the only manufacturing industries.
Moody Corners is a small collection of houses at the crossing of two roads near the western edge of the town. There are a sawmill, a grist- mill and a cider mill here.
45
LOPOGRAPHY
Miller Corner, in the southeastern part of the town, is so named because it was first settled by the Miller family. A considerable collection of houses has been built on the Ludlow side of the river opposite North Wilbraham, or Collins Depot, as it was formerly called. Some of the most thrifty people of the town reside here.
WAAIER POWER
The Chicopee River, during its course of three or four miles along the border, furnishes excellent water power, the best being at Red Bridge, Collins, Ludlow Village, and Indian Orchard. At Red Bridge the water falls 50 feet over a dam of solid masonry, generating over 5,000 horse power. At Collins the water descends a distance of 13 feet, generating about 600 horse power. At Ludlow Village, at the Falls of Wallamanumps, the water passes through a narrow rocky channel with a descent of 42 feet in a distance of 100 rods, generating about 1,500 horse power; at Indian Orchard, less than a mile distant. it descends 33 feet from the top of the dam to the still water below. The river just below the Falls of Wallamanumps forms a peninsula containing a few acres of land, elevated about 80 feet above the water. and formerly densely wooded. the extremity of which has long been known by the name of Indian Leap. This extremity is composed of red sandstone.
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III TOWN ANIMALS
Governor Hutchinson Proublous times-Incorporation of district The Char- ter-First district meeting -Original office holders-Origin of the name Ludlow's code -The new name- Dwellings-Provincial Congress-Taxes Relics - General act -Ministry and school lands County of Hampden --- First post office Value of commodities Incidents -Town meetings -Town officers -Representative districts Representatives -Military history: Revo- lutionary War, Shays Rebellion, War of 1812, the Ludlow Militia, Mevi- can War, Civil War-Soldiers' Monument-Memorial Day Cemeteries: Sikes, Fuller, East, Center, Island Pond Gifts and bequests Epitaphs- In okdl deed.
THOMAS HUTCHINSON was Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony when the inhabitants of Stony Hill, in Springfield, applied for a town char- ter. He had fallen upon troublous times. There were mutterings frequent and painfully apparent against the ruling power. Men had even dared to question the right of the King to control their actions or their revenues. Three thousand miles of ocean waves, and no steam navigation, or telegraphic cable, to connect the shores, did not strengthen the weakening bonds. Each winged messenger over the seas brought from the old country tidings of the adoption of rigorous measures against the colonists; returning, the same vessels bore to the perverse govern- ment news of increasing disaffection on part of the Americans. Some had even averred that the people of the New World could take care of themselves and spend their own revenues, while the more sagacious of English leaders foresaw the impending events, but in vain pointed out the true remedies. The more disaffected the colonists became, the more arbitrary were the measures of the crown.
One of the measures adopted by England for the control of the American subjects was the reduction of the representative power. As the inhabitants increased in numbers, they formed themselves into town organizations, having as one privilege that of sending a representative to the general assembly. As these towns increased, of course the number of representatives became larger, until an unwiekly body was assembling at the headquarters of the colony each year, rapidly assuming power,
HISTORY OF LUDLOW
and endangering the tenure of the crown. As a measure of safety it was at length decided to give further applicants for town charter all rights save that of representation, calling the organizations districts instead of towns.
A precisely this juncture in affairs did the Stony Hill settlers send in their petition for incorporation. There seems to have been no good reason why the application of the people should not be granted, and it was evidently passed with no particular trouble. We append the answer received. in the language of the State records:
Is Jet for erecting that part of the Township of Springfield, called Stony Hill, into a separate District by the name of Ludlow.
Whereas, by reason of the remote situation of the inhabitants of that part of Springfield, called Stony Hill, from the center of the town and parishes of which they are now parts, and their incapacity there- by of receiving any advantages from a longer union and connection therewith; and they have represented to this court that they are of it sufficient number and estates to support the charges of a district, and have prayed that they may be accordingly erected into a district :
Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and House of Representatives, that that part of the Township of Springfield called and known by the name of Stony Hill, and the inhabitants thereof. included and contained within the following lines and boundaries, namely, bounding southerly on Chicaber River, cast on the east line of said Springfield and west line of Belchertown, northerly on the north line of said Springfield, or partly on Belchertown and partly on Granby, and extending west- ward so far as to include all that part of the outward commons, so called, that lies in the north-east corner of the Township of Springfield. and extending also in a line parallel with the west line of said outward commons, one mile and three-quarters farther west into the inward commons, so called, in said Springfield, north of Chicaber River, Inc. created into a separate District, by the name of Ludlow, and be invested with all the powers and privileges which towns in this Province enjoy Is law ; that of choosing and sending a Representative to the Gen- and Assembly only excepted.
And that the said District shall have full right and liberty from time to time to join with the town of Springfield in the choice of Rep- resentatives to represent them in the General Assembly, and that the said District of Ludlow shall, from time to time, be chargeable with. and pay their proportion and part of the charge and expense of such Representatives, and the free-holders and other inhabitants of the said District of Ludlow, shall be notified of the time and place of such eler- tion in like manner as the inhabitants of said Springfield, by a War-
TOWN AVAIS
rant from the Selectmen of Springfield, directed to the Constable of said District, requiring him to warn the inhabitants thereof to meet and assemble in the meeting for that purpose, at the time and place therein appointed, and that the pay of such representatives be borne by the said District, and the towns of Springfield and Wilbraham, in such proportion as they respectively pay to the province tax.
And be it further enacted that the said District of Ludlow and the inhabitants thereof shall stand charged with the payment of their share. part and proportion of all debts and sums of money due and owing from said town of Springfiekl, and all grants, rates and assessments already made, and that this Act shall not extend to abridge or affect the rights of the inhabitants of the town of Springfield to the timber. herbage, or stone on any lands in said District.
And be it further enacted that the Honorable John Worthington. Esq., be empowered and directed to issue his warrant, directed to some principal inhabitant of said District, requiring him to warn the inhab- itants of said District qualified by how to vote in town meetings, to assemble at some convenient place in said District, some time in March next, to choose all such officers as may be necessary to manage the affairs of said District, and which by law ought to be chosen, which at such meeting they are hereby required to choose.
And be it further enacted that if the said west line of the before described tract of land, now erected into a District, should not extend so far as to include and contain the farms of Zachariah Warner, Zach- ariah Warner, Jun., Oliver Chapin, and Ezekiel Squires, that their said farms and lands, situate in said place called Stony Hill, be made part of, and annexed to, said District, to all intents and purposes, and that the same, with the inhabitants thereof, have and receive all the privi- leges, duties and barthens of the said District, in as full manner as though the same were contained within the limits and boundaries first described.
And be it further enacted, that the said District of Ludlow and the inhabitants thereof, be, and hereby are at all times hereafter, freed. di-charged and exempted from all future duties, taxes and assessments in the several parishes and precincts to which they before this Act belonged and appertained; and that they be forever after disunited and separated from all other parishes and precincts, and no longer be. continue or remain, part or parcel thereof, or in any wise connected therewith: provided, nevertheless, that they remain charged with the payment of their part and proportion of all grants, taxes, and are- ments, heretofore made by the respective parishes to which they before appertained.
And be it further enacted, that the said District of Ludlow shall have and hold their share and proportion of all ministry and school lands lying in the outward commons, so called, on both sides of Con-
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IHISTORY OF LUDLOW
necticut River, in said Springfield, and of all the stock of ammunition, and of all sums of money in the treasury of said town, and of all debts due and owing to said town texcepting the sum of two hundred pounds heretofore granted and appropriated for building a bridge over Chic- abee River), there to be divided, appointed and set off to them in such share and proportion as the inhabitants there paid and were assessed to the last Province tax in said town, and that the said District shall at all times be chargeable with the maintenance and support of the present poor of the town of Springfield, in the same proportion, and with their proportion of the maintenance and support of any person or persons heretofore belonging to said town, but now removed from thence, who shall be returned thither and become the public charge thereof.
February 23, 1774. This Bill, having been Read three Several Times in the House of Representatives. Passed to be Enacted. Thomas Cushing, Speaker.
February 23, 1774. This Bill, having been Read three Several Times in Counsel, Passed to be Enacted.
Thomas Flucker, Ser's. February 28th, 1771. By the Governor. I consent to the Enacting of this Bill.
T. Hutchinson. A true copy. Attest, John Cotton. D. Seer's.
"The Honorable John Worthington" issued his "Warrant," accord- ing to direction, and then probably sent out a Springfield citizen to see that the "inhabitants of said District" conducted themselves with due legal propriety at their first district meeting. The warrants were posted, attracting such attention as never since have like documents. and the ides of March were eagerly awaited. At an early hour came the proud yeomen. From both sides of Mineachogie, from the margin of Higher Brook and its tributaries, from the edge of Shingle Swamp northward, and Bear Swamp eastward, on foot and on horseback, came the men and their boys, until the kitchen of Abner Hitchcock was well filled. The hand of Benajah Willey traced out for the curious of later days the following record, in chirography that would bear favorable comparison with later specimens:
"The first district meeting was held at the house of Almer Hitchcock. March 16th, 1774. Moses Bliss, Esq., of Springfield, was chosen mod- crater, Benajah Willey, clerk, Aaron Ferry. Amer Sikes, and Joseph Miller were s hosen selectmen. Joshua Fuller and Jacob Kendall, wardens.
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TOWN ANA.V.S
Joseph Jones, John Hubbard, Jr., and Joseph Hitchcock, assessors, John Sikes and Jacob Cooley, constables, Joseph Miller became the treasurer, Beriah Jennings, Joel Willey and Noah Bowker were elected surveyors, James Kendall and Oliver Chapin, tithing-men, Israel War- riner and Isaac Brewer, fence viewers, Isaac Warriner and Ezra Parsons, hog-reeves, Ezekiel Squires, Aaron Colton, and Jonathan Lombard, deer-reeves"-surely a distribution of spoils.
It is a singular fact that the origin of the name of Ludlow has never been satisfactorily settled. If the result of repeated investigations had been to clear up this matter, we might be satisfied; the fact is, however, such examination has only resulted in throwing doubts upon theories previously advanced. The titles of towns were derived from the most trivial circumstances, oftentimes. It is rumored that a provincial gov- ernor crossed the sea in a vessel named the Blandford. One of the earlier events of his official life was the incorporation of a new town west of the Great River. Assuming the prerogative of nuning the town, he thought well of the ship which brought him safely over, and the town was yelept Blandford. This fact illustrates the difficulty encountered by inquirers of a later day in tracing the naming of town titles. We find no assistance in the earlier archives. Prior to 1774, the region is called Mineachogue, Outward Commons, the "Cow Pasture," Stony Hill. The act of incorporation passes, and the new district is Ludlow. We are unable to trace any connection with the geographical name as che- where employed, and find ourselves forced into the annals of biography for the more likely theories.
The other places bearing the name are as follows: Ludlow, County Salop or Shropshire, England. A considerable town near the borders of England and Wales, of ancient origin, sending two members to parlia- ment. Governed by a mayor and aldermen. Known widely because of its famous castle just without the town, now in ruins, but for many years playing an important part in the affairs of the kingdom, forming as it did, one of the frontier outposts of England. Ludlow, Windsor Co., Vt., a large manufacturing village on the Black River, just at the base of the Green Mountains, on the Cheshire railroad. Ludlow, Northumber- land Co. New Brunswick, on one of the branches of the Miramichi. Ludlow, Miami Co., Ohio; Ludlow, Dubois Co., Ind .; Ludlow, Scott Co., Miss .; Ludlowville, Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. Y .; Ludlow. Champaign Co., Ill .; Ludlow, Allamakee Co., Jowa; Ludlow, Kenton Co., Ky .; Ludlow, MeKean Co., Pa.
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HISTORY OF IT DLON
The first biographical theory, presented by the able speaker .it the Centennial Celebration, points to Sir Edmund Ludlow, an ardent republican living in England at the time of the protectorate, who w. one of the king's judges. Always opposed to the idea of the protec- torate, he won a warm place in the esteem of all true patriots by twice standing firmly against the ruling power in the interests of republi- canism. Hle flourished in the middle of the fifteenth century. The theory suggested relative to the association of Ludlow and Hampden. persons and names, seems hardly probable, as there was an interval of thirty eight years between the christenings. Would a tory like Hutchinson have honored the memory of Ludlow?
A second suggested origin of name is from one Roger Ludlow, at prominent citizen in early New England colonial history. He came to Roxbury about a dozen years after the Mayflower arrived, and was over a prominent character. Presented to the people as a candidate for the governorship of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634, he failed of an election. Deeply chagrined at his defeat, and stung by charges against his management as deputy, he left the colony, removing to Windsor, Conn. Here he became a leading man, at one time being employed to draw up for the people a code of laws, long known as Ludlow'S code. This code bears the date 1094. Among its provisions were a fine of five shillings for non-attendance at church, and one of 10) shillings for swearing. Tobacco was not to be used by any under twenty, except on recommendation of a physician. A fine of od. Was to be levied for the use of the weed in public. Roger Ludlow removed after some years to Fairfield, whence, after an altercation with the offi- cials of New Haven colony, he departed to Virginia, and disappeared from public sight at once and forever.
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