This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roberts, Smith Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/738.2 Message Board Post: According to "The History of Gill, Massachusetts 1793-1943 by Ralph M. Stoughton, (pub in 1950), Augustus L. Roberts was the son of Alsetus and Elizabeth (Smith) Roberts. Only the name of Augustus L. is mentioned, no other information is given.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Ballard, Holton Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/195.271.1.1 Message Board Post: Hello KG Landry, while not your Philena, there is a reference in the town history of Gill - "Among the names of the first settlers were the following: ..., BALLARD," and another, "BALLARD & JANES have a saw mill, with a pail factory attached, which produces 100,000 feet of lumber, and 40,000 pails per annum." found at the following link - hope you find something! History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Green, Mitchell, Edson, Brooks Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/74.1 Message Board Post: Hello Allan, there is a reference to Windham Co., VT, about the same time frame, not of Green or Mitchell that you seek but concerns two ministers "Rev. Jesse EDSON of Halifax, Vt., ...and, Rev. Edward F. BROOKS was installed in his place, June 25, 1851. Mr. BROOKS was a native of Halifax, Vt., a graduate of Washington College, Pa., and is still the pastor." found at the following link - hope you find something! History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Frost, Barton Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/44.1 Message Board Post: Hello Joan, there is a reference to Leonard FROST - ".....The Methodist church in Gill was formed in 1823, and the following is the list of the preachers who have supplied it: Revs. Messrs. .......Leonard FROST," (among others) no ref. to Barton seen, and the history was written in 1855, so, the "Leonardius FROST, a minister at Montague in the 1870s" that you seek is not listed in the Montague history, in fact, there is no mention of a Methodist church in 1855. found at the following link - hope you find something! History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Webster, Root Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/32.472 Message Board Post: Hello Doug, there is an Ariel list in the Gill town history- "The sympathies of many of the people of Gill were strongly on the side of the insurgents in the time of the Shay's Rebellion. Two of the three men shot at Spring- field, at the time of the attack upon the Arsenal, were from Gill, viz: Ezekiel ROOT and Ariel WEBSTER." found at the following link - hope you find something! History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roberts Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/738.1 Message Board Post: Hi Richard, Although Augustus L. Roberts born 21 Apr 1842 at Gill, MA, is not specifically mentioned there is a reference to ROBERTS As one of the early settlers in Gill. Hope you find a clue. History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Combs Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/719.2 Message Board Post: Hello Theresa, although Jesse E. Combs, b. 24, April, 1804, is not listed individually, you may want to see a COMBS reference in the following town history- History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=893 or, the shorter link - http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 GILL. - Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley

The surnames BARNS, BANNISTER and WARD originally settled in Sudbury and Marlborough. These surnames can now be found in the western part of the state where-in were the descendants of these Sudbury/Marlborough early proprietors of these towns. THOMAS1 BARNES was born Abt. 1646 in England, and died 1679 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He married ABIGAIL GOODENOW July 2, 1662 (marriage to Thomas Barence M.R.) in Sudbury, Massachusetts, daughter of THOMAS GOODENOW. She was born March 11, 1642 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Notes for THOMAS BARNES: He came on the ship "Speedwell" RICHARD1 BARNES was born February 20, 1631 in Penton, England, and died June 22, 1708 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He married DEBORAH DIX December 16, 1667, daughter of widower Leonard Dix, October 16, 1667 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She died January 20, 1689 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He married second Elizabeth Stimpson. Notes for RICHARD BARNES: He arrived in Boston June 26, 1639 on the ship "Jonathan". CHRISTOPHER1 BANNISTER was born Abt. 1636 in England, and died March 30, 1678 in Marlborough, Massachussets. He married JANE GOODNOW in Marlborough. Massachusetts, daughter of THOMAS GOODENOW and JANE. She was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts. WILLIAM WARD Was in Sudbury as early as 1639, and was a proprietor of lands there. He, was living at that time with a second wife. He represented Slid. in 1644, in the General Court; he was several years chairman of the selectmen there. In 1656, he and others belonging to Sudbury, petitioned the General Court for the plantation of Marlborough. He moved to Marlborough in 1660. His wife's name was Elizabeth. He d. Aug. 10, 1687, and she d. Dec. 9, 1700, aged 87. He had fourteen children, four or five of which were born abroad. For much more on these surnames and genealogies go to the History of Marlborough at: http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~historyofmarlborough/ ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 6:14 PM Subject: [MAFRANKL] History of GILL by Josiah Holland, 1855 > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Surnames: Too Numerous To List Here > Classification: Query > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 > > 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 363 - 367 > GILL. > Names found in this transcription: > Andrews, Arms, > Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, > Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, > Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, > Deane, > Edson, > Field, Frost, > Gains, Gill, Gordon, > Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, > Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, > Jackson, Janes, Jordan, > Kimball, > Latham, > Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, > Newton, Niles, Nixon, > Ricketts, Roberts, Root, > Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, > Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, > Tate, Thornton, Todd, > Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, > Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley > > GILL > page 363 > ....Gill lies in the great bend of Connecticut river, in > Franklin county, bounded North by Bernardston and West > Northfield, East by Connecticut river, separating it from > Northfield, South by the rivers, separating it from Monta- > gue, and West by Greenfield, the line being Fall river. It > was originally a part of the territory of Deerfield, and, > later, a portion of Greenfield, which, together with that > part of Northfield known as "Grass Hill," was incorpo- > rated Sept. 28, 1793, and named in honor of Lieut. Gov. > Moses GILL, who gave the people the nails and glass for > their first meeting house, a bible for the pulpit, and their > communion service. > ....The date of the first settlement is not known. Co. Seth > S. HOWLAND, one of the oldest inhabitants now living, says > that his grandfather, (great-grandfather probably, and per- > haps an ancestor still further removed,) had commenced a > clearing, and the erection of a log house, prior to the "Falls > Fight," but was compelled to abandon his labors, and return > to old Deerfield for a term of years, on account of the hos- > tility of the Indians. It would appear, therefore, that an > attempt to settle was made about that time. Among the > names of the first settlers were the following: HOWLAND, > CHILDS, COMBS, SPRAGUE, WARNER, SAGE, GAINS, > WRISLEY, HOSLEY, THORNTON, BROOKS, BASCOM, > BALLARD, BATES SEVERANCE, FIELD, MUNN, and > ROBERTS. The fact that many of these early settlers > were soldiers of the Revolution, shows that no settlement > of any consequence took place until nearly a century after > the Falls fight. The first church in > page 364 > Gill was not organized until after 1790, while the first > meeting house did not begin to be occupied until 1798, and > was not finished until 1805. > ....The famous "Falls Fight" [vol. 1, pp. 175-6,] took > place upon the Gill shore, on the 18th of May, 1676. Tra > dition says that King Philip once wintered, when a price > was set upon his head, near the border of Gill, upon a hill > overlooking BENNETT's meadow, in West Northfield. The > hill is to this day known as "Philip's Hill," and a ver > ancient pine upon its summit bears the marks of a (his?) > camp-fire upon its trunk and roots. Gill was a favorite > home for the poor "Orphans of Providence." The plough > of the farmer often turns up form their long rest the > crumbling bones of the hunter and warrior; and many > Indian relics are found along the river districts, and the > coarse of the brook which winds its way through the cen- > ter of the town. These relics are arrow heads, stone > pestles, fragments of rude pottery, pipes, stone hoes, beads, > fish-spears, tomahawks, stones worn into grooves in dress- > ing bow strings, &c., &c. Mr. J. D. CANNING has in his > possession a broken pipe and a copper tomahawk, which > were unearthed, together with the gigantic skeleton of an > Indian, by Mr. Horace BURROWS and others, a few years > since, while repairing the highway in the river district, > doubtless belonged to a warrior renowned in his day and > race, and was probably brought from the region of Lake > Superior. > ....The principal attraction of the spot, for the Indians, was > the immense quantities of shad and salmon procurable at > the Falls. Since the settlement of the whites, the best > fishing place on the river was at the Falls. > > - - - "All in the merry month of May, > - - - When snowy shad trees blossomed gay, > - - - To show the fishermen the time > - - - When fish were plentiful and prime," > > The fishing business was prosecuted with vigor at the > falls. The old-time "election days" - the last Wednesday > in May - usually brought together a large collection of > fishermen and buyers of fish, idlers and lookers-on. Old > men describe the gatherings at these times as similar to the > page 365 > cattle shows, musters, &c., of the present day. Games of > chance, trials of skill, feats of strength, &c., were the order > of the day, and there was noise and tumult from other > fluids than those that tumbles over the falls. > ....The early church records have been lost. In the diary > of Rev. Roger NEWTON of Greenfield, occurs the following > entry: "May 22, 1796, voted, members of this church re- > siding in Gill, might with others form themselves into a > church, by themselves, in that place." The peculiar form > of this entry would seem to show that there was no regu- > lar church organization in the town previous to that time, > and the church was probably formed during that year. The > meeting house, to which allusion has already been made, > was dedicated Nov. 20, 1805. The house was remodeled > and refitted in 1848. Before the settlement of a minister, > Rev. Zephaniah SWIFT, Rev. Jesse EDSON of Halifax, Vt., > and Rev. Joel BAKER of West Granville, in turn minis- > tered to the people. The first pastor was Rev. John > JACKSON. He was ordained June 10, 1798. He was a native > of Petersham, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1792. He > was dismissed Oct. 10, 1801. Rev. Jabez MUNSELL, a grad- > uate of Dartmouth in 1794, succeeded him, May 26, 1802, > and was dismissed May 28, 1805. Jun 11, 1806, Rev. > Josiah W. CANNING of New Braintree, a graduate of Wil- > liams College in 1803, was ordained in his place, was dis- > missed June 11, 1827, preached as stated supply from 1832 > to 1839, when, Sept. 24th of that year, he was re-settled. > He performed pastoral duty until Sept. 6, 1846, when he > was disabled by a shock of the palsy. He died in 1854, > his pastoral connection with the church not having been > dissolved. And here it is pleasant to record the virtues of > one so recently gone, while they are yet fresh in memory. > Mr. CANNING was a fine scholar, and, in former years, was > accustomed to have his study filled with young men fitting > for college, or the various professions, many of who have > risen to eminence. His dignity and modesty, always prom- > inent traits in his character, did not exceed his worth as a > man, his purity as a christian, or his devotedness as a min- > ister of the gospel. > ....After the dismiss ion of Mr. CANNING, in 1827, the pulpit > was supplied by Rev. F. S. WHITING and Rev. James > SANDFORD, the latter of whom was settled as the pastor of the > page 366 > church, Dec. 25, 1829. He was dismissed April 21, 1831. > Rev. William MILLER of New Braintree, a graduate of Am- > hers in 1842, was settled Feb. 21, 1849. He was dis- > missed June 4, 1850, and Rev. Edward F. BROOKS was > installed in his place, June 25, 1851. Mr. BROOKS was a > native of Halifax, Vt., a graduate of Washington College, > Pa., and is still the pastor. > ....The Methodist church in Gill was formed in 1823, and > the following is the list of the preachers who have supplied > it: Revs. Messrs. John NIXON, Alexander HULIN, Elisha > ANDREWS, John B. HUSTED, F. W. SIZER, James C. > BONTECOU. William TODD, O. E. BOSWORTH, Windsor WARD > Horace MOULTON, E. P. STEVENS, Daniel BANNISTER, W. > KIMBALL, C. HAYWARD, Wm WILCUTT, Lyman WING, Asa > NILES, Culver S, HEATH, A. LATHAM Philo HAWKS, John TATE, > Wm. GORDON, David TODD, Ichabod MARCY, H. CLARKE, > John RICKETTS, W. A. CLAPP, Charles BARNES, Moses > STODDARD, Leonard FROST, D. L. WINSLOW, Homan CHURCH, > Jarvis WILSON, J. W. P. JORDAN, Solomon CUSHMAN and > Horace SMITH. > ....Gill opens a rich field for the explorations of the geolo- > gist, which has been occupied in a measure by Dr. HITCHCOCK, > Dr. DEANE and Mr. MARSH. In the vicinity of Turner's > Falls, at the "horse-race," and other localities, tracks > of birds and early animals have been discovered in the > sandstone, specimens of which have been discovered in the > geological cabinets of the old world. Near the ferry, > above the Falls, on lands of Mr. T. M. STOUGHTON, the > late Mr. MARSH, the self-taught man of science and the > enthusiastic collector of natural curiosities, obtained some > of the finest specimens of his now dispersed cabinet. These > tracks are also found on the farm of Mr. Roswell FIELD, > about three-fourths of a mile above the last mentioned lo- > cality. Stationer's black sand, of the finest quality, is also > obtained at one or two localities on the river. > ....The sympathies of many of the people of Gill were > strongly on the side of the insurgents in the time of the > Shay's Rebellion. Two of the three men shot at Spring- > field, at the time of the attack upon the Arsenal, were > from Gill, viz: Ezekiel ROOT and Ariel WEBSTER. > ....The town is divided into six school districts, and the old, > dilapidated school houses are rapidly giving place to neat > page 367 > and convenient structures. The amount appropriated for > school purposes in 1854 was $500. > ....The leading industrial pursuit is agriculture, for which > the territory is admirably adapted. There are many water > privileges, but few of them have been improved. BALLARD > & JANES have a saw mill, with a pail factory attached, > which produces 100,000 feet of lumber, and 40,000 pails > per annum. John ARMS is the proprietor of another saw > mill, which saws 75,000 feet of lumber per annum. E. A. > BATES has a small cotton batting factory, which turns > out 150 lbs. of that product daily. About 3,000 dozen > palm leaf hats yearly are the product of female industry. > ....Gill has not made a great noise in the world through the > lips of eminent natives, but a Gill boy laid the cap stone > of Bunker Hill monument, a Gill boy built the first hotel > at Saratoga, and Gill boys were the only -volunteers,- from > the county, in the last war with Great Britain. It has > given birth to two poets, whose graceful verse has adorned > the pages of the Knickerbocker Magazine, and other lead- > ing periodicals, viz: E. W. B. CANNING, still a resident > of Gill, and familiarly known to the public as "The > Peasant Bard." E. W. B. CANNING graduated at Williams > College in 1834. > ...The amount of money raised in Gill by taxation, in > 1854, was $1,000. The town owes no debt, has 172 rata- > ble polls, contains 19 square miles of territory and 37 > miles of roads. The population in 1840 was 778; in > 1850, 741: decrease in ten years, 37. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > = = > Printing Tip Reminder- this transcription can be printed with > the URL, the email of the poster, &, without using all your color ink! > You get a nice printable document without any advertisements. > > For those of you reading this via an email from the MAFRANKL-L > email list, (200 folks strong!) - Click the link in the email message. > When you get to the message board posting look inside the msg box. > Click the link "print message" - *inside* the message. > > For those of you reading this on the message board, you should > Click the link "print message" - *inside* the message. < = = > > > ==== MAFRANKL Mailing List ==== > NIMS database over 6000 individuals from Franklin Co., MA & Windham Co., VT > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?surname=NIMS&start=1 > (link may line wrap, may have to cut & paste) > >

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Too Numerous To List Here Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/893 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 363 - 367 GILL. Names found in this transcription: Andrews, Arms, Baker, Ballard, Bannister, Barnes, Bascom, Bates, Bennett, Bontecou, Bosworth, Brooks, Burrows, Canning, Childs, Church, Clapp, Clarke, Combs, Cushman, Deane, Edson, Field, Frost, Gains, Gill, Gordon, Hawks, Hayward, Heath, Hitchcock, Hosley, Howland, Hulin, Husted, Jackson, Janes, Jordan, Kimball, Latham, Marcy, Marsh, Miller, Moulton, Munn, Munsell, Newton, Niles, Nixon, Ricketts, Roberts, Root, Sage, Sandford, Severance, Sizer, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stoddard, Stoughton, Swift, Tate, Thornton, Todd, Ward, Warner, Webster, Whiting, Wilcutt, Wilson, Wing, Winslow, Wrisley GILL page 363 ....Gill lies in the great bend of Connecticut river, in Franklin county, bounded North by Bernardston and West Northfield, East by Connecticut river, separating it from Northfield, South by the rivers, separating it from Monta- gue, and West by Greenfield, the line being Fall river. It was originally a part of the territory of Deerfield, and, later, a portion of Greenfield, which, together with that part of Northfield known as "Grass Hill," was incorpo- rated Sept. 28, 1793, and named in honor of Lieut. Gov. Moses GILL, who gave the people the nails and glass for their first meeting house, a bible for the pulpit, and their communion service. ....The date of the first settlement is not known. Co. Seth S. HOWLAND, one of the oldest inhabitants now living, says that his grandfather, (great-grandfather probably, and per- haps an ancestor still further removed,) had commenced a clearing, and the erection of a log house, prior to the "Falls Fight," but was compelled to abandon his labors, and return to old Deerfield for a term of years, on account of the hos- tility of the Indians. It would appear, therefore, that an attempt to settle was made about that time. Among the names of the first settlers were the following: HOWLAND, CHILDS, COMBS, SPRAGUE, WARNER, SAGE, GAINS, WRISLEY, HOSLEY, THORNTON, BROOKS, BASCOM, BALLARD, BATES SEVERANCE, FIELD, MUNN, and ROBERTS. The fact that many of these early settlers were soldiers of the Revolution, shows that no settlement of any consequence took place until nearly a century after the Falls fight. The first church in page 364 Gill was not organized until after 1790, while the first meeting house did not begin to be occupied until 1798, and was not finished until 1805. ....The famous "Falls Fight" [vol. 1, pp. 175-6,] took place upon the Gill shore, on the 18th of May, 1676. Tra dition says that King Philip once wintered, when a price was set upon his head, near the border of Gill, upon a hill overlooking BENNETT's meadow, in West Northfield. The hill is to this day known as "Philip's Hill," and a ver ancient pine upon its summit bears the marks of a (his?) camp-fire upon its trunk and roots. Gill was a favorite home for the poor "Orphans of Providence." The plough of the farmer often turns up form their long rest the crumbling bones of the hunter and warrior; and many Indian relics are found along the river districts, and the coarse of the brook which winds its way through the cen- ter of the town. These relics are arrow heads, stone pestles, fragments of rude pottery, pipes, stone hoes, beads, fish-spears, tomahawks, stones worn into grooves in dress- ing bow strings, &c., &c. Mr. J. D. CANNING has in his possession a broken pipe and a copper tomahawk, which were unearthed, together with the gigantic skeleton of an Indian, by Mr. Horace BURROWS and others, a few years since, while repairing the highway in the river district, doubtless belonged to a warrior renowned in his day and race, and was probably brought from the region of Lake Superior. ....The principal attraction of the spot, for the Indians, was the immense quantities of shad and salmon procurable at the Falls. Since the settlement of the whites, the best fishing place on the river was at the Falls. - - - "All in the merry month of May, - - - When snowy shad trees blossomed gay, - - - To show the fishermen the time - - - When fish were plentiful and prime," The fishing business was prosecuted with vigor at the falls. The old-time "election days" - the last Wednesday in May - usually brought together a large collection of fishermen and buyers of fish, idlers and lookers-on. Old men describe the gatherings at these times as similar to the page 365 cattle shows, musters, &c., of the present day. Games of chance, trials of skill, feats of strength, &c., were the order of the day, and there was noise and tumult from other fluids than those that tumbles over the falls. ....The early church records have been lost. In the diary of Rev. Roger NEWTON of Greenfield, occurs the following entry: "May 22, 1796, voted, members of this church re- siding in Gill, might with others form themselves into a church, by themselves, in that place." The peculiar form of this entry would seem to show that there was no regu- lar church organization in the town previous to that time, and the church was probably formed during that year. The meeting house, to which allusion has already been made, was dedicated Nov. 20, 1805. The house was remodeled and refitted in 1848. Before the settlement of a minister, Rev. Zephaniah SWIFT, Rev. Jesse EDSON of Halifax, Vt., and Rev. Joel BAKER of West Granville, in turn minis- tered to the people. The first pastor was Rev. John JACKSON. He was ordained June 10, 1798. He was a native of Petersham, and a graduate of Dartmouth in 1792. He was dismissed Oct. 10, 1801. Rev. Jabez MUNSELL, a grad- uate of Dartmouth in 1794, succeeded him, May 26, 1802, and was dismissed May 28, 1805. Jun 11, 1806, Rev. Josiah W. CANNING of New Braintree, a graduate of Wil- liams College in 1803, was ordained in his place, was dis- missed June 11, 1827, preached as stated supply from 1832 to 1839, when, Sept. 24th of that year, he was re-settled. He performed pastoral duty until Sept. 6, 1846, when he was disabled by a shock of the palsy. He died in 1854, his pastoral connection with the church not having been dissolved. And here it is pleasant to record the virtues of one so recently gone, while they are yet fresh in memory. Mr. CANNING was a fine scholar, and, in former years, was accustomed to have his study filled with young men fitting for college, or the various professions, many of who have risen to eminence. His dignity and modesty, always prom- inent traits in his character, did not exceed his worth as a man, his purity as a christian, or his devotedness as a min- ister of the gospel. ....After the dismiss ion of Mr. CANNING, in 1827, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. F. S. WHITING and Rev. James SANDFORD, the latter of whom was settled as the pastor of the page 366 church, Dec. 25, 1829. He was dismissed April 21, 1831. Rev. William MILLER of New Braintree, a graduate of Am- hers in 1842, was settled Feb. 21, 1849. He was dis- missed June 4, 1850, and Rev. Edward F. BROOKS was installed in his place, June 25, 1851. Mr. BROOKS was a native of Halifax, Vt., a graduate of Washington College, Pa., and is still the pastor. ....The Methodist church in Gill was formed in 1823, and the following is the list of the preachers who have supplied it: Revs. Messrs. John NIXON, Alexander HULIN, Elisha ANDREWS, John B. HUSTED, F. W. SIZER, James C. BONTECOU. William TODD, O. E. BOSWORTH, Windsor WARD Horace MOULTON, E. P. STEVENS, Daniel BANNISTER, W. KIMBALL, C. HAYWARD, Wm WILCUTT, Lyman WING, Asa NILES, Culver S, HEATH, A. LATHAM Philo HAWKS, John TATE, Wm. GORDON, David TODD, Ichabod MARCY, H. CLARKE, John RICKETTS, W. A. CLAPP, Charles BARNES, Moses STODDARD, Leonard FROST, D. L. WINSLOW, Homan CHURCH, Jarvis WILSON, J. W. P. JORDAN, Solomon CUSHMAN and Horace SMITH. ....Gill opens a rich field for the explorations of the geolo- gist, which has been occupied in a measure by Dr. HITCHCOCK, Dr. DEANE and Mr. MARSH. In the vicinity of Turner's Falls, at the "horse-race," and other localities, tracks of birds and early animals have been discovered in the sandstone, specimens of which have been discovered in the geological cabinets of the old world. Near the ferry, above the Falls, on lands of Mr. T. M. STOUGHTON, the late Mr. MARSH, the self-taught man of science and the enthusiastic collector of natural curiosities, obtained some of the finest specimens of his now dispersed cabinet. These tracks are also found on the farm of Mr. Roswell FIELD, about three-fourths of a mile above the last mentioned lo- cality. Stationer's black sand, of the finest quality, is also obtained at one or two localities on the river. ....The sympathies of many of the people of Gill were strongly on the side of the insurgents in the time of the Shay's Rebellion. Two of the three men shot at Spring- field, at the time of the attack upon the Arsenal, were from Gill, viz: Ezekiel ROOT and Ariel WEBSTER. ....The town is divided into six school districts, and the old, dilapidated school houses are rapidly giving place to neat page 367 and convenient structures. The amount appropriated for school purposes in 1854 was $500. ....The leading industrial pursuit is agriculture, for which the territory is admirably adapted. There are many water privileges, but few of them have been improved. BALLARD & JANES have a saw mill, with a pail factory attached, which produces 100,000 feet of lumber, and 40,000 pails per annum. John ARMS is the proprietor of another saw mill, which saws 75,000 feet of lumber per annum. E. A. BATES has a small cotton batting factory, which turns out 150 lbs. of that product daily. About 3,000 dozen palm leaf hats yearly are the product of female industry. ....Gill has not made a great noise in the world through the lips of eminent natives, but a Gill boy laid the cap stone of Bunker Hill monument, a Gill boy built the first hotel at Saratoga, and Gill boys were the only -volunteers,- from the county, in the last war with Great Britain. It has given birth to two poets, whose graceful verse has adorned the pages of the Knickerbocker Magazine, and other lead- ing periodicals, viz: E. W. B. CANNING, still a resident of Gill, and familiarly known to the public as "The Peasant Bard." E. W. B. CANNING graduated at Williams College in 1834. ...The amount of money raised in Gill by taxation, in 1854, was $1,000. The town owes no debt, has 172 rata- ble polls, contains 19 square miles of territory and 37 miles of roads. The population in 1840 was 778; in 1850, 741: decrease in ten years, 37. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = = > Printing Tip Reminder- this transcription can be printed with the URL, the email of the poster, &, without using all your color ink! You get a nice printable document without any advertisements. For those of you reading this via an email from the MAFRANKL-L email list, (200 folks strong!) - Click the link in the email message. When you get to the message board posting look inside the msg box. Click the link "print message" - *inside* the message. For those of you reading this on the message board, you should Click the link "print message" - *inside* the message. < = =

OK, I've taken a quick look at the book. It is indexed. I can do some look-ups, if anyone has specific questions. Regarding genealogy, it has a couple of pages of the life of John Erving, and a reproduction of a portrait. Several names are associated with early land grants: Shepherd family, Alexander family, Col. Asaph White. Rubbings of two headstones, reportedly the only two Revolutionary War soldiers are shown: Asa Albee and Joshua Austin. Town officials and veterans are listed. Since the town starts in 1838, the records are only that old. Most of the photos are relatively recent. It is over 250 pages, so there is a large body of information. Sara

That's great news! The Colrain library did a reprinting a few years ago and a member of this list helped with the organization of it. Maybe a few tips will come your way...? Gill researchers, it took about three months for the Colrain reprinting if I remember and it was about 27.00 worth it. Sarah, keep us posted, okay? On Thu, 2 Dec 2004 13:40:20 EST , [email protected] sent: >"The History of Erving Massachusetts 1838-1988" was published in hard cover >in 1988 by members of the local historical society. 500 copies were printed. >Betsy at town hall is making a list of interested buyers, before the >reprinting is undertaken. The town newsletter says cost "may be as high as $25" Call >423-422-2800 x 101 >I haven't seen the book yet. ---- Msg sent via CWNet - http://www.cwnet.com/

"The History of Erving Massachusetts 1838-1988" was published in hard cover in 1988 by members of the local historical society. 500 copies were printed. Betsy at town hall is making a list of interested buyers, before the reprinting is undertaken. The town newsletter says cost "may be as high as $25" Call 423-422-2800 x 101 I haven't seen the book yet.

From Guilford, Windham County, VT, Cemetery Records per town clerk: "Mary W. Mowry's date of death was February 14, 1848 at the age of 33 years 9 months. She was the eldest daughter of E. & A. Cushman and her husband was Rev. J. W. Mowry." [Note: Rev. James Wheaton MOWRY born 20 April 1808 in Guilford, Windham, VT, is my 3rd great grand uncle.] Jan Jordan

On page 95 of "Timely Tombstones" for Whitingham, Windham County, Vermont by Iva Roberts: Mattie A. SAWYER May 12, 1852-May 12, 1891, wife of Lucius MOWRY, along with a small stone 'our baby' with no dates. ================================== In the 1899 Diary of Orval H. Crosier, of Rutland, VT, my great grandfather, which I have here, it mentions Uncle Lush's [my note: Lucius Mowry, twin son of Lucius Potter Mowry and Desire Kenyon, was b. 21 June 1849 in Leyden, Franklin County, MA] married 29 June 1899 2) Mrs. REYTER. I phoned the Fair Haven, VT, town clerk and his 2nd wife was Lillian Litmore REYTER or REITER. From this diary on 13 Jan. 1899 Uncle Lush from Boston, MA, took my great grandmother, Mattie A. POWERS CROSIER, to see her father, Milton POWERS, in Halifax, Windham County, Vt. when he was dying. 1890 Boston, MA City Directory Lucius Mowry lived at 106 Brook Avenue; his occupation was a clerk. In 1920 Stoughton, Norfolk County, MA, census he was a widower, lodging in the home of Irving C. Warren. His occupation was a grocery clerk. Jan Jordan

The town history is being reprinted. I believe they were taking 'reservations' at Town Hall. Sara

Sarah, Do you know who authored the history & pub. date? Thanks, Sue On Wed, 1 Dec 2004 16:29:36 EST , [email protected] sent: >The town history is being reprinted. I believe they were taking >'reservations' at Town Hall. >Sara ---- Msg sent via CWNet - http://www.cwnet.com/

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Atwood, Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/82.251 Message Board Post: Hello R. Bradley Potts, although there are no ATWOOD folks listed in the town history at the links below, it may shed some light on others in your "very large database of New England ATWOODs" of whom you say you'd share information. Hope you find this small history helpful, it was written in 1855. History of ERVING by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/892 (or, the long one-) http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=892 Surnames Listed in the history include: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/477.1 Message Board Post: Hello Patricia, a Gould is mentioned in the Erving town history Excerpt- one chair factory, carried on by HALE & GOULD, that produces 160,000 wood-seat chairs per annum, - - you can see the whole history- History of ERVING by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/892 (or, the long one-) http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=892 Surnames Listed in the history include: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Green, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/878.2 Message Board Post: Hi David, although there are no GREEN folks listed in the town history below it was written in 1855, and may shed some light on the reason Joseph was in Erving, or, may provide clues to another surname listed, good luck... History of ERVING by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/892 (or, the long one-) http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=892 Surnames Listed in the history include: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/87.35 Message Board Post: Hello c LaCount, Erving family mentioned in the following - excerpted below, see the whole history at... History of ERVING by Josiah Holland, 1855 http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/892 (or, the long one-) http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.counties.franklin&m=892 Excerpt- ...."Erving's Grant," as the tract was originally and for many years called, which constitutes the town of Erving, and forms a portion of other towns in the vicinity, was purchased of the province in 1751, by individviduals who sold it to John ERVING of Boston, to whom the grant was confirmed by the General Court, Jan. 22, 1752. It was originally about 12 miles long and two miles wide. Surnames Listed in the history include: Erving, Goddard, Gould, Hale, Hayward, Stone, Trask, Tucker, Washburn, White