USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 2 > Part 6
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JUDGE JOHN DICKINSON'S HOUSE.
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THE DELANO HOUSE, BURNED IN IS76.
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452
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
1796, Amherst voted for but one presidential elector, Ebenezer Mattoon receiving 51 votes. In IS04, the electoral ticket bearing the names of nineteen persons, including that of Ebenezer Mattoon, received 123 votes, while the opposition ticket had but 20. This was the year when Massa- chusetts gave her electoral vote to Jefferson for president. In 1820, the residents of Amherst had the privilege of voting for two electors at large and one for the Northern Hampshire district; no votes were cast for electors at large.
When the republican party was first organized it received a strong support in Amherst. At the presidential election in 1856, Amherst cast 418 votes for Fremont, 48 for Buchanan and 28 for Fillmore, the " American " party candidate. The same year the town gave the following votes for representative : Enos D. Williams, republican, 248 ; Noah Dick- inson, " American," 222 ; M. A. Allen, democrat, 37. At the presidential election in 1860, Amherst cast 407 votes for Lincoln, 26 for Bell, 40 for Douglass and 40 for Breckenridge. At that time Amherst had no telegraph connection with the outside world, and the telegraphic and news- gathering systems of the country were not sufficiently complete to afford an accurate estimate of the result of a presidential election until at least 24 hours after the polls had closed. On Wednesday, the day following election-day, a party of Amherst citizens drove to Northampton to get the election returns as early as possible. It was notuntil an early hour Thurs- day morning that they learned the news of Lincoln's election ; returning to Amherst, they awakened people living along the route to tell them the good news. When Amherst was reached the town was quickly aroused, bells were rung, cannon fired, and the day was ushered in with general jubilation. When Lincoln was re-elected in 1864, Amherst gave him 512 votes and but 47. to McClellan.
At the presidential election in 1868, Amherst gave Grant 554 votes and Seymour 86; four years later, when Horace Greeley, the "farmers' friend," was the Democratic and Liberal candidate, Amherst gave Greeley 179 votes to 389 for Grant. In 1874, Charles A. Stevens of Ware was nominated for Congress by the republicans of the Tenth Massachusetts district. There was little personal opposition to Mr. Stevens within the party, but the charge was made that his nomination was the act of a polit- cal " ring," that had long exercised its power in district politics. It was also charged that money had been used by his friends in securing his nomination. Under these circumstances, the friends of Julius H. Seelye, at that time a professor in Amherst College, requested that he permit them to place him in nomination as an independent candidate for Congress. Pro- fessor Seelye gave his consent, and it is recorded that the only money expended by him during the campaign was for the postage-stamp that he
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SUITS AT LAW.
placed on his letter of acceptance. The campaign was sharply fought on either side, and Prof. Seelye was elected, his majority in the district being 294 in a total vote of over 15,000. Amherst gave Seelye 452 votes, Stevens 62.
In 1884, Amherst gave Blaine 374 votes and Cleveland 224. In 1888, Amherst gave Harrison 452 and Cleveland 224. In 1892, Harri- son's vote was 507 and Cleveland's 263. The voters of Amherst have taken part in many interesting struggles over the nomination and election of congressmen, state senators, representatives and county officials, which, although exciting and interesting at the time, were of little historic impor- tance. Members of the U. S. Congress residing in Amherst at the time of their election, were as follows : Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr., 1801-03 ; Osmyn Baker, 1839-45 ; Edward Dickinson, IS53-55 ; Julius H. Seelye, 1874-76. Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr. served as presidential elector in 1792, 1796, 1820 and 1828. Edward Dickinson was a member of the Governor's Council in 1846-47, as was Timothy J. Gridley in 1849-50. The following members of the state Senate were residents of Amherst when elected : Simeon Strong, 1792-93 ; Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr., 1795-96 ; John Leland, 1833-34 ; Edward Dickinson, 1842-43 ; James WV. Boyden, 1858 ; Lucius M. Bolt- wood, 1860. Prior to 1857, each town in the state was entitled to send a representative to the General Court ; in 1857, representative districts were formed. From 1857 to 1866, inclusive, Amherst was in the Fifth Hamp- shire district, with Granby and Pelham; from 1867 to 1876, inclusive. in the Fourth Hampshire district, with South Hadley; from 1877 to ISS5, inclusive, in the Fourth Hampshire district, with Pelham, Prescott and South Hadley; since 1886, in the Fourth Hampshire district, with Belcher- town and Granby. These districts have, with rare exceptions, sent republi- cans as representatives to the General Court.
TOWN LAWSUITS.
The Hadley Third Precinct received as a part of its inheritance from the parent town the suit against John Morton and Nathan Dickinson for encroachments on the highways. The prosecution of this suit may have been responsible in part for the taste for litigation developed among the descendants of the " East Inhabitants." Certain it is that the town of Amherst has been involved in many lawsuits, sometimes as plaintiff, oftener as defendant, and that considerable sums of money have been paid from the town treasury for legal expenses. A majority of these suits have had to do with matters relating to the highways and pauper settlements. .Without attempting a complete record of these cases. brief reference may be made to some few which have attracted special interest within the past fifty years.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
In 1858, the town of Amherst brought suit against the town of Shel- burne, to decide the rightful place of settlement of Norman Smith, an insane pauper. The case was partially tried in February, 1858, and was taken to the Supreme Court on law exceptions which were decided in Amherst's favor. It was again tried before the superior court at North- ampton, in February, 1859, and the decision was given against Amherst. The legal expenses of the suit to the town were $1,859.78; it was also compelled to pay $1,332.38 to hospitals for Smith's support in previous years. In 1859, George W. Lawton sued the town for $10,000 damages, for injuries sustained by his wife in being thrown from a wagon over an embankment, 25 feet in height, Jan. 21, 1858. The suit was brought before a referee, who returned a verdict against the town in the sum of $2,000 and costs, amounting in all to $2,978.85. Sept. 15, 1869, as Francis A. Lyman, a pedlar of tinware, was driving along the mountain road from Amherst to Granby his horse fell down the bank by the roadside. He brought suit against the town and a jury rendered a verdict in his favor in the sum of $4,000. The case was carried to the supreme court on excep- tions, which were over-ruled, and the amount of the verdict and $366.90 for expenses was paid by the town in 1872.
In 1872, Mrs. D. S. Cowles sued the town for damages for injuries sustained upon the highway. The case was not settled until 1874, when the town paid Mrs. Cowles, $1,250, and expenses of the suit amounting to $306.74. In 1885, Giles G. Pratt brought suit against the town for dam- ages sustained by driving against a railing by the side of the highway at East Amherst. The suit was decided in his favor, the total expense to the town being $426.48. During the same year, Olney P. Gaylord brought suit against E. A. King who, while engaged in the discharge of his duties as selectman, cut down trees in the highway limits at East Amherst, the land on which they stood fronting on Gaylord's premises and being claimed by him as his own. The town defended the suit, which was decided in its favor, the expense being a little more than $400. Suits brought against the town in ISS6, by Giles G. Pratt and Emory Squires, for damages sus- tained upon the highways, were decided in the town's favor. In 1891, J. H. Sweetser and the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity brought suit against the town for damages to property caused by the extension of Lessey street. The town settled with Mr. Sweetser, paying him $1, 125; the suit brought by the fraternity was decided in favor of the town.
AMUSEMENTS AND CELEBRATIONS.
The earlier inhabitants of Amherst found little time to devote to recre- ation and amusement. Life to them was a serious matter and time too precious to be wasted. They celebrated the two great holidays of the
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AMUSEMENTS.
year,, Thanksgiving-day and July 4th, and made a half-way holiday of " general muster " day in May. Neighborhood and society picnics were indulged in on rare occasions. In winter the singing-school and lyceum afforded recreation of a certain sort, and quilting-bees, husking-bees and apple-parings broke the monotony of every-day existence. The traveling circus and menagerie, though frowned upon by the older element in the community, found a generous patronage among the young. Theatricals were regarded as devices of the evil one, not to be tolerated in any law- abiding community. As evidence of this sentiment, note the following extract from the New England Inquirer, under date of Sept. 11, 1828 :
" We learn from the Hampshire Gazette that a strolling company of players has been performing at Northampton. We are really surprised that the select- men of the shire town should have given license to what every moral man is bound to regard as an outrageous nuisance."
In 1845, the selectmen licensed a circus to give a performance in Amherst Saturday afternoon ; the proprietors were very anxious to give an evening performance as well, but public sentiment upon the subject was highly wrought up and the selectmen refused permission, on account of the following day being the Sabbath. Van Amburgh exhibited his trained animals in Amherst in 1846. Amherst people were also permitted, for a consideration, to gaze upon that petrified humbug, the " Cardiff giant." Mrs. Scott Siddons gave readings here while at the height of her popularity. There was a great demand for tickets and the hall was crowded. For many years after the organization of Amherst College the annual commencement-day was recognized as a general holiday by the town. Cattle-show day was honored in similar fashion for many years. July 4, 1847, the operatives of the Amherst Manufacturing company held a grand celebration at "Factory Village." About 160 persons sat down to dinner which was provided by the ladies living in the vicinity. The votes passed by the town during the period of the Revolutionary war were read and patriotic addresses were delivered by Samuel C. Carter, Rev. George Cooke and I. F. Conkey, Esq. Many toasts were proposed and responded to. Oct. 12, 1847, members of the Cataract and Deluge Engine companies and their invited guests held a grand banquet at the Amherst house. July 4, 1860, a large party went from Amherst to Westfield to witness a game of base-ball played by Amherst and Williams College stu- dents. Thirteen men played on each side for 31 innings, the final score being 70-41 in Amherst's favor. At the same time and place, Williams won from Amherst at chess.
Amherst, as a town, has held but one public celebration. At a meeting of citizens held at the police court-room June 12, 1876, it was voted to celebrate in a fitting manner, on July 4th, the one hundredth
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
anniversary of the town's organization. At a meeting held June 14, it was voted that Levi Stockbridge serve as chairman of the day, with J. L. Skinner as chief-marshal and Henry M. McCloud secretary and treasurer. Nine committees were appointed to have charge of special features of the occasion. It was also voted to invite M. F. Dickinson, Jr., of Boston, to deliver the historical address. At a special town-meeting held June 22, it was voted to appropriate $250 to defray the expenses of the celebration, also $100 for the publication of the town history. The appointed day was ushered in by the firing of a salute of 38 guns at sunrise and the ringing of church-bells. An enjoyable feature of the occasion, although not on the regular program, was a procession of "antiques and horribles," at 6 A. M. The regular procession for the day formed on the village common at 9-30 A. M. It was headed by the Amherst Cornet band, which was followed by scholars of all the Sunday-schools in town, citizens on foot and a long line of carriages. The procession marched to the College grove, formerly . known as Baker's grove, where the exercises of the day were held. The program included music by the Amherst Cornet band, prayer by Rev. D. W. Marsh, an address by Levi Stockbridge, an historical address by M. F. Dickinson, Jr., and reading of the Declaration of Independence by Rev. Henry F. Allen. In the evening there was a fine display of fireworks.
WEATHER PHENOMENA.
As early as 1835, Prof. E. S. Snell began the collection of meteoro- logical statistics in connection with his duties at Amherst College. This work has been continued since the death of Professor Snell by his daugh- ters, the Misses Mary L. and Sabra C. Snell. The results of these obser- vations are recorded in the " Meteorological Journal of Amherst College." Since the establishment of the Hatch Experiment Station on the grounds of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, very complete and accurate records have been compiled by the meteorological department of the sta- tion. These records are of interest and value, and it is to be regretted that they do not extend back to an earlier period in the town's history. Residents of Amherst have witnessed many interesting weather phenom- ena. Few if any now living can remember the famous " dark days " of 1816 and IS19, but many bear in recollection stories told concerning them by parents and grandparents.
Situated upon a broad plateau, Amherst has been remarkably free from those periodical inundations that visit the lowlands of the Connecti- cut Valley, yet the town has suffered not a little from storm and flood. In the early part of September, 1828, there was a very heavy freshet in the Valley, the Connecticut river rising higher than before in twenty years. Rain began falling Monday evening and continued without cessation until
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STORM AND FLOOD.
Friday noon. The damage to roads and bridges in Amherst was estimated at over $2,000. Aug. 11, 1863, the hardest thunder-shower known for ยท many years passed over the town. The rain fell in torrents filling the streams to overflowing. The greatest destruction caused in Amherst was at "Factory Hollow." There were, at that point, two dams upon the Mill river. Crossing the stream directly above the lower dam was a foot- bridge. After the storm had subsided, three women and a man stood upon this bridge, watching the angry waters. Three of them resided at North Amherst, Mrs. Mary Wheelock, her daughter Miss Wealthy, and Charles Turner; the fourth was Mrs. Rachel Barrett, who resided in Connecticut, but was visiting friends in Amherst at the time. Suddenly and without warning the upper dam gave way, and the descending flood carried away the bridge. The three women were drowned but Mr. Turner was rescued. The waters wrecked the bleach-house of L. M. Hills, containing a large amount of valuable property, and other buildings in the near vicinity were badly damaged.
Oct. 3 and 4, 1869, Amherst was visited by another disastrous freshet. The rain fell continuously for 36 hours, the total precipitation amounting to six inches, as recorded by Professor Snell, the heaviest he had ever known. Fort river rose rapidly and covered much of the lowlands at East Amherst. Porter Dickinson's machine-shop was flooded and a new channel cut through the bank above the entrance to the canal. The dams at the head of canals leading to the mills of E. B. Fitts were carried away, while the canal leading to Kellogg's tool-shop was washed away in many places. The brick-yard of Roswell Howard was flooded to a depth of several feet. Considerable damage was done at North Amherst. John R. Cushman's loss was nearly $10,000. The right wing of the dam leading to his leather-mill was torn away and the mill badly damaged. The dams at Cushman's upper paper-mill and the Roberts mill were carried away. Considerable damage was done along the line of the railroad. No trains passed over the tracks at Amherst from Monday morning until Thursday noon. The damage to roads and bridges in the town was estimated at over $3, 100.
June 14, 1877, two storm-clouds came together above the town of Northampton, the result being a tornado which caused great damage within a limited area. The old covered bridge crossing the Connecticut river between Northampton and Hadley was torn from its piers and completely wrecked. Eleven people and six teams went down with the bridge, one woman being fatally crushed by the falling timbers. Three residents of Amherst were upon the bridge at the time, W. W. Smith. L. A. Williams and J. C. Haskins. Mr. Haskins felt the bridge giving way and ran his horse at full speed ; this probably saved his life as the falling timbers struck
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
the rear wheels of his wagon. Mr. Smith went down with his team, but escaped serious injury. July 16, 1879, a disastrous tornado swept across the state from west to east. The towns in the Connecticut Valley suffered severely. The weather for many days had been intensely hot and atmos- pheric conditions were similar to those which cause cyclones in the West. The storm was at its worst in Northampton, where many of the largest of its famous elm-trees were uprooted. In Amherst, also, the storm was severe. A heavy fall of hail destroyed crops and broke many hundred panes of glass. The Durfee Plant-house on the Agricultural College grounds was wrecked. Lightning struck many buildings, including the almshouse at South Amherst. As witnessed from Amherst, the storm presented a most imposing and awesome appearance.
Sept. 6, 1881, is known in New England annals as the "yellow day." During the early hours of the morning an intense darkness prevailed, lightening at sunrise. About 9 A. M. darkness began to settle down over the earth, the sun being completely veiled from sight. The air was thick, a sickly yellow vapor seeming to rise from the ground, and giving out a very pungent odor. Gas was lighted in the stores at an early hour in the fore- noon, the scholars in the public schools were dismissed and fowls sought their roost as in the " dark days " earlier in the century. The darkness continued to increase until noon, but about 2 P. M. the sun began to show a little through the clouds and by sunset the air wasfairly clear. A curious coincidence in connection with this phenomenon was the fact that the following day, Sept. 7, had been fixed upon by a certain sect as the date when the world should end, and some, even of the skeptical, were not a little alarmed at the "yellow day," which might well have ushered in some extraordinary event. The cause of this phenomenon has never been fully ascertained, but is generally supposed to have resulted from great forest fires in Canada.
New England's great and only blizzard began on March 11, 1888 and continued through two nights and one day. In Amherst, snow began to fall lightly on Sunday evening, continuing through the night and Monday morning with increasing vigor. By Monday noon the wind was blowing a gale and the air was filled with sharp ice-crystals that cut into the flesh of those who were exposed to the fury of the storm. As night drew on the storm increased in violence and nearly every road in town was rendered impassible for teams. The mingled snow and ice was piled by the wind in drifts reaching in many cases to the second-story windows of dwelling- houses. During the night, while the storm yet raged, an alarm of fire was given and in less than an hour Palmer's block and the "Cooper house " were in ashes. Snow was banked about the engine-house so that it was impossible to open the doors, but the hose was dragged out through the
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AMHERST HOUSE.
WARNER HOUSE.
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PALMER'S BLOCK.
MAPLE AVENUE, BEFORE IS6S.
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THE " BLIZZARD."
windows and an attempt made to stay the flames, but this was impossible. The storm continued through the night and, the following morning, resi- dents of Amherst " looked upon a world unknown." The whole outline of the landscape had been changed in a day and night. Teams were at once set at work breaking out the highways but full communication was not established between the center village and the outlying districts until late on Wednesday afternoon. Some drifts at East Amherst measured over twenty feet in depth. Travel on both railway lines passing through Amherst was suspended from Monday noon until Wednesday night. A passenger train on the New London Northern road was stalled near the Amherst depot, while on the Massachusetts Central road an engine was wrecked while trying to force its way through the snowdrifts in the " cut ". to the west of the station. No mails and no daily papers were received in Amherst for two days. Telegraph wires were down, and news of the fire in Palmer's block reached the New York papers by way of long-distance telephone from Northampton to Boston, and then by cable via London, England, to New York. Milkmen were unable to cover their routes, and the supply of fresh meat in town was nearly exhausted ere the blockade was broken. The expense of opening the highways for travel was more than $1,000. Many persons attempting to reach their homes from their places of business Monday evening, had narrow escapes from death by exposure or exhaustion. There were no fatal accidents caused in the town by the blizzard, but many persons were rendered ill by exposure.
Sept. 11, 1895, a tornado passed over the town. Lasting but half an hour, it did great damage to property in a limited area. At the height of the storm the wind-gauge at the Hatch Experiment station indicated a velocity of 92 miles an hour. Rain fell in torrents, and was succeeded by a fall of hail the like of which had never before been noted in this lati- tude. Trees were blown down, chimneys demolished, houses unroofed and thousands of panes of glass broken. Telegraph and telephone wires were broken and tangled. The fruit crop was badly damaged. In less than a half-hour after the storm began the sun was shining brightly.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
CHAPTER LIII.
THE OLD CANNON. - SLAVERY AND THE ABOLITION MOVEMENT. - AUTHORS. -SCIENTISTS .- NATURAL FEATURES .- LOCALITY NAMES. --- PUR- LIC CONVENIENCES .- SOCIETIES.
The struggle in regard to the opening of Triangle street was but an incident in the contest, long continued. for supremacy between the settle- ments at the East and West streets. Another feature of this contest, and a most interesting one, is found in the efforts made by the younger element in either community to secure and retain possession of the "old cannon." After the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne, the American army was well sup- plied with new and improved brass and bronze field-pieces captured from the enemy. Some of the old iron cannon, which had previously been in use by the American troops, were presented by the government to officers who had served with distinction in the campaign. Among the officers thus honored was Lieut. Ebenezer Mattoon, who was given charge of two iron field-pieces, six-pounders, with carriages and all appurtenances. The guns were forwarded to Hatfield, whence they were brought to Amherst by Oliver Clapp and Joseph Blair. One of these guns was loaned to go to New Salem, where it stood for some years on the common, being used in firing salutes on July 4th and other public occasions. It was stolen by boys and hidden for several years, but was found in the early '6os and restored to its place on the common. Soon afterwards a foot or two of the muzzle was blown away owing to overloading. After this accident the gun disappeared in a mysterious manner for the second time and has never been recovered.
Not less eventful, and even more exciting, was the history of the gun that remained in Amherst. Lieutenant, afterwards General Mattoon, willingly loaned it for use in patriotic celebrations, and it was in general demand on July 4th and similar occasions. Gen. Mattoon lived at East Amherst, but this did not prevent the West street " boys " from frequently gaining possession of the gun. Time and again it was hidden away, in anticipation of future use, by one faction, only to be discovered and stolen by the other. It is related that one Fourth of July, when the gun chanced to be in possession of the West-street faction, the young men at East street organized themselves into a regular artillery company, and having procured a cannon from Belchertown marched with it to the West street at midnight on July 3d and fired a salute, hoping that the West-street faction would bring out their gun, when it was proposed to have a pitched battle for
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