===================================================================== Match: Bowles Source: MAFRANKL-L@rootsweb.com From: sudown@cwnet.com Subject: History of SHELBURNE by Josiah Holland, 1855 This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/921 Message Board Post: Holland, Josiah Gilbert History of Western Massachusetts. The Counties of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin & Berkshire Springfield, MA: Samuel Bowles & Company, 1855. Vol. I, 520 pp; Vol. II 619 pp, three parts. Call number 974.4, H71 Vol. II, Part III. pages 422 - 428 SHELBURNE *Note: Links to pictures are on the message board at the end of the posted message. There are five. Names found in this transcription: Alden, Allen, Anderson, Ashley, Bailey, Bates, Bowles, Bronson, Bull, Burke, Butler, Case, Catlin, Chandler, Childs, Clark, Clarke, Coleman, Colton, Conant, Cook, Cooke, Cushman, Dalrymple, Fisk, Foster, Freeman, Goodnow, Gray, Green, Hart, Heath, Hemenway, Holloway, Howard, Hubbard, Hunter, Huntington, Johnson, Kellogg, Lamson, Lawson, Long, Lyman, Nightingale, Nims, Packard, Parmelee, Pratt, Remington, Ryder, Sargent, Severance, Smith, Taylor, Thompson, Ward, Wells, Whitney, Willard, Willis, Wilson page 422 ....The territory of Shelburne was originally included in Deerfield, and was at first called the "Deerfield Pasture," and afterwards "Deerfield North West." It began to be settled not far from 1756. The first two settlements were made near Shelburne Falls, by families from Deerfield. The early settlers were soon obliged to retire, on account of the French and Indian war. The first permanent set- tlements are supposed to have been made about 1760. The following are the names of the first settlers, viz: Jonathan CATLIN, James RYDER, Robert WILSON, John TAYLOR, Daniel NIMS, Martin SEVERANCE, Samuel HUNTER, Ebenezer FISK, Watson FREEMAN, Mr. ASHLEY, Mr. LAWSON and Mr. THOMPSON. Several of this number came from Deerfield, and some of them were Irish families who had lived for a time in Londonderry, N. H. In 1762, the whole number of families in the town was fourteen. ....The early settlers stood in great fear of the hostile In- dians. When the left their homes in the time of snow, to Hunt, or to make maple sugar, they were often afraid to return by the same route, homeward, lest by their track, they should be discovered and massacred by their foes. Sometimes they were obliged to flee to the neighboring forts for safety. Robert WILSON, who resided in that part page 423 of the town adjoining Coleraine, was once obliged to escape with his family in the night to the Coleraine fort. He had been warned in the evening of danger from the Indians. His wife had a babe only a few weeks old. A deep snow had just fallen. It was several miles to the fort. He took his gun and the oldest of his two children, and his wife took the babe, and they waded on foot through the snow, in the darkness of midnight, towards the fort. As they approached it, the firing of guns was heard, and they knew the fort must be attacked by the Indians. As they knew of no other place of safety, they went on towards the fort, and found all the Indians were on the opposite side of it, and went directly up to it and entered safely. ....In the early settlement of this mountainous town, such wild animals as wolves, bears and catamounts were not unfrequent. A company of wolves having committed depredations in one of the farm yards one night, they were soon pursued by a company of resolute men, who fired and killed one, and drove another into a cave on Ball Mountain, in the West part of the town, and by filling the cave with smoke, suffocated him, so that one Samuel HOWARD went in and drew out the animal. As Daniel NIMS was return- ing home, one evening, on horseback, through the woods, guided by marked trees, by the increased howling of the wolves he perceived that he was followed by the ravenous beasts, and that they were gaining upon him. He made all possible speed, and had just reached his house, secured his horse, and entered the door of his dwelling, as a pack of hun- grey, howling wolves entered his yard. In the morning, he found they had carried off a fine calf from his premises. ....The town was incorporated June 21, 1768, and was named after Lord Shelburne of England, who according to the usual tradition, gave the town a bell which, as usual, was lost after it had arrived at Boston. The first town meeting was held October 31, 1768, at the house of Daniel NIMS. Capt. John WELLS, from Deerfield, was the first town clerk; Ebenezer FISK, constable; John WELLS, John TAYLOR, and Robert WILSON, selectmen. ....Quite a number of men from this town were soldiers in the Revolution. Several of them survived to become pen- sioners under the enactment of Congress, and one is still living in town, who is nearly on hundred years old. A page 424 considerable number of the inhabitants took and active part in the scenes of the Shays Insurrection. The most of them were on the side of the Government. John HUNTER took part with the insurgents. He was among the few who were killed on the 25th of January, 1786, at Springfield, and his remains were taken to Shelburne for burial. ....The first Orthodox Congregational Church in Shelburne was probably organized about 1770, with 12 members. The first religious meetings were held in the dwelling house of Mr. Daniel NIMS. November 6, 1771, the town "voted to repair the log meeting-house, to plaster up the cracks with mortar, to make a door, to obtain three windows, and to make a pulpit." The second meeting- house was built in 1773, about half a mile North of the present Congrega- tional meeting-house. This house was demolished in 1832. The early meetings were called together by the blowing of a conch shell. The third meeting-house was built in 1832, and burnt March 9, 1845, while the people were assembled for their Sabbath worship. The fourth and present house was built the same year. The first settled pastor was Rev. Robert HUBBARD, a native of Middletown, Ct., and a grad- uated of Yale in 1769. He was settled October 20, 1773, and died at Middletown, while pastor of the church, Novem- ber 2, 1788. He was succeeded, March 21, 1792, by Rev. Jesse TOWNSEND of Andover, Ct., a graduate of Yale in 1790, who was dismissed April 12, 1797. Rev. Theophilus PACKARD, D. D., succeeded him February 20, 1799, and his nominal pastorate was continued until the present time, a period of 56 years. Dr. PACKARD was a native of Bridge- water, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1796. His active pastoral life was closed February 20, 1842, and he has since resided in South Deerfield. During the early part of his life, when academies were few, he fitted many young men for college, and 31 students who became preachers studied theology with him. Rev. Theophilus PACKARD, Jr., was ordained as the fourth pastor of the church, associated with his father, March 12, 1828, and dismissed December 6, 1853, and now resided in Lyme, Ohio. In leaving the State, he bequeathed an invaluable legacy to the county of his birth, in his History of the Churches and Ministers of Franklin County, --a work of thorough research and sys- tematic execution, from which the writer has drawn largely page 425 in his history of the towns in that county. The Shelburne church is now without a pastor. ....The Second Orthodox Congregational Church was or- ganized at Shelburne Falls, March 6, 1850, with 44 mem- bers. The first and present meeting-house was completed the next year. The first pastor, Rev. George F. BRONSON, was ordained February 19, 1851, the same day on which the meeting-house was dedicated. He was dismissed No- vember8, 1853. Mr. BRONSON was a native of Middle- bury, Ct. ....A notice of the Baptist Church of Shelburne will be found in the history of Deerfield. After the division of the Deerfield and Shelburne church in 1832, the Shelburne branch had for preachers, Rev. Messrs. Anthony CASE, B. F. REMINGTON, and Elder DALRYMPLE and others. April 11, 1839, the Shelburne division was dissolved. ....The Second Baptist Church was organized at Shelburne Falls, November 6, 1833, with 19 members, and had, in 1853, 240 members. Their preachers have been Rev. Messrs. John ALDEN, Wm. HEATH, Gaius SMITH, Edgar H. GRAY and Wm. H. PARMELEE. ....The Methodist Church was formed at Shelburne Falls in October, 1842, with 12 members. Their meeting-house is within the limits of Buckland. The following have been their preachers: Rev. Messrs. G. W. GREEN, H. CLARK, A. A. COOKE, W. WARD, TAYLOR, S. CUSHMAN, A. G. BOWLES, S. W. JOHNSON, Wm. BUTLER, John BURKE and Mr. HEMENWAY. ....A Unitarian Society was organized in Shelburne, April 14, 1828, and a church organized in October, 1841, with 17 members. They have never built a meeting-house, or settled a pastor. The following individuals have preached for them: Rev. Messrs. Dan HUNTINGTON, Winthrop BAILEY, Henry COLEMAN, Samuel WILLARD, Luther WILSON, Craw- ford NIGHTINGALE and George F. CLARKE. ....A Universalist Society was organized at Shelburne Falls, February 26, 1853. Rev. J. H. WILLIS has acted since as their pastoral supply. They have no house of worship. ....District schools were commenced in the town in 1770, and the means to support them were raised by tax. For a long time the number of school districts has been nine, but for several years past ten schools have been in operation. page 426 The amount of money raised for schools in 1854 was $800. The following person, originating in Shelburne, have been graduates of colleges: Lewis LONG, Robert HUBBARD, Jr., Amariah CHANDLER, Ezra FISK, Pliny FISK, Samuel I. WELLS, William WELLS, George BULL, Theophilus PACKARD, Jr., Levi PRATT, Joseph ANDERSON, Giles LYMAN, Alvan S. ANDERSON, Pliny FISK, 2d, Daniel R. FISK, Stephen KELLOGG, John F. SEVERENCE, Samuel FISK, 2d, Waldo W. HOLLOWAY, Ezekiel ALLEN, Aaron LONG, Josiah LONG, Lawson LONG, Silas LONG, D. O. LONG, Wm. HART and Ebenezer CHILDS. ....The years 1777, and 1802 and 1808 were distinguished by unusual sickness and mortality. In 1777, the malignant dysentery carried off about seventy persons, and the most of them within the space of two or three months. Many of the men being absent in the army, and it being the sea- son of haying and harvesting, it was with great difficulty that sufficient help could be obtained to take care of the sick, bury the dead, and gather the crops. In 1802, about 40 died of the dysentery. In 1808, a new disease swept off quite a number, with great suddenness. Five burial yards have been opened in town, and about 1,000 people buried in them. ....At the time when slavery was legal in the province of Massachusetts, a few families held slaves. A fugitive slave from the State of New York once settled in the town, and was recaptured and taken from the place, but was finally rescued, and taken back to Shelburne, where he died a few years ago, at an advance age. A furious hurricane passed through the place in 1788, doing considerable damage to forests, fences and buildings. One Congregational meet- ing-house and five dwelling houses have been consumed by fire in the town. Since the establishment of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, probably one-fourth of the premiums, in number and value, have been awarded to cit- izens of Shelburne. The first post office was established in 1822. There are now three offices and two daily mails at each. ....Shelburne is eminently an agricultural town, and more eminently manufacturing than any of its neighbors. The page 427 village of Shelburne Falls is located partly in Shelburne and partly in Buckland, and is one of the leading manu- facturing villages of Franklin county. At this point is located the cutlery establishment of LAMSON, GOODNOW & Co. This has been in operation nine years. At first, only butcher knives were manufactured, but about six years ago, they commenced making table cutlery in all its varieties, and the Shelburne Falls works now turn out some of the finest specimens of the article made in the world. They employ 275 hands, and annually produce cutlery of the value of $200.000. The same firm manufacture from 150,000 to 200,000 scythe-snaths per annum. These are now made by the inmates of the Vermont State Prison. -- An extensive auger manufactory is a also carried on by Ran- som COOK and the above company. The auger is an in- vention of Mr. COOK, a scientific mechanic, and bores a solid oak stick with the ease that accompanies the use of the gimlet. The works are not yet in full operation, but the product now amounts to $30,000 per annum. --Charles W. COLTON manufactures daily $50 worth of his patent auger handles, an invention approved wherever used or known. --BATES & WHITNEY manufacture carriage-wheels to the amount of several thousand dollars annually. -- SARGENT & FOSTER manufacture a patent apple-parer which illustrates the perfection of Yankee genius and gives such satisfaction that $60,000 worth are made annually. The same firm carry on an iron foundry, with an annual product of $10,000. --There are also at Shelburne Falls an ax factory, carried on by J. PRATT & Son, an satinet factory, a shop where steam engines are manufactured, a rake factory, a stocking factory, a carriage factory, and two cabinet ware shops. Shelburne Falls also contains the largest, and most commodious and costly hotel in Franklin county. It is built of granite. At the middle of the town, Mr. CONANT manu- factures an excellent quality of chairs, to the amount of several thousand dollars annually. ....In 1852, the number of children between five and fifteen years of age was 262; average attendance in the district schools, 222; ratable polls, 290. The State tax of the town in 1853 was $252. The valuation of property and polls in Shelburne, in 1841, was $255,944; in 1851, page 248 $470,874. The population in 1790 was 1,183; in 1800, 1,079; in 1810, 961; in 1820, 1,052; in 1830, 995; in 1840, 1,034; in 1850, 1,226. ===================================