GAZETTEER
OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MASS.
1725-1885
Town of Cheshire
Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child, 1885
Transcribed by Dawn Marie Newton Quinn, 2002
CHESHIRE
lies in the northern-central part of the county, in lat. 42(o)
33' and long. 39o) 51', bounded north by Adams and New Ashford,
east by Savoy, Windsor and Dalton, south by Windsor, Dalton
and Lanesboro and west by Lanesboro and New Ashford. It has
an area of about 18,000 acres, enclosed within an outline more
irregular than that of any other town in the county, its boundary
line having twenty-five angles-obtuse right, and acute, all
degrees. It is said that in laying out the town, the western
line was drawn with reference to the religious views of the
Presbyterians in Lanesboro, thus giving that boundary much the
appearance of a rail fence. The town was incorporated March
14, 1793, being made up from several minor tracts, as follows:
What is now the northeastern part of the town was a tract called
New Providence, about 1,400 rods in length from east to west,
and 600 in width from north to south, which was originally a
grant to Colonel Joab Stafford, Joseph Bennett, and Governor
Cook, of Rhode Island, and was named in honor of Providence.
With this grant was taken a tract of about 600 by 600 rods from
Windsor, a tract 1,400 rods in length and averaging 800 in width
from Lanesboro, and a tract about 400 by 400 rods from New Ashford,
forming them all into a new township by the name of Cheshire.
February 26, 1794, however, a small part of the territory taken
from Windsor was re-annexed to that town, and February 6, 1798,
another small tract was taken from New Ashford.
The surface of the town is sufficiently diversified by hill
and mountain to form a pleasing landscape, yet it is not so
broken but that it is, in general, good farming and grazing
land. Hoosac river flows a northerly course through a rich and
fertile valley in the central part of the town. On either side
of this valley rise gentle hill slopes and mountain crests,
affording many excellent dairy farms, for which the town has
many years been justly celebrated. Rounds Rocks, one of these
heights, was chosen as a station during the trigonometrical
survey of the State a few years ago. Among the Hoosac's affluents,
which come dancing down from higher lands, are Dry brook, South
brook and West brook, affording some excellent mill-sites, and
also bringing constant enrichments to the arable soil of the
valley. Through this valley, also passes the Pittsfield &
Adams railroad.
The geological formation is made up of limestone, quartz and
gneiss rocks. In the eastern part are found bods of serpentine,
and iron ore in the central part. The iron manufacture will
be spoken of later, and the celebrated quartz glass sand produced
has already been mentioned, on page 30.
In 1880 Cheshire had a population of 1,537. In 1883 the town
employed two male and nine female teachers, to whom was paid
an aggregate monthly salary of $47.28 to males and $23.75 to
females. There were 229 school children in the town, while the
entire amount raised during the year for school purposes was
$2,800.00.
CHESHIRE, a post village and station on the Pittsfield and Adams
railroad, is a bright, enterprising town, lying in the central
part of the township on the Hoosac river. It has four churches,
five stores, one hotel, school-house, cheese factory, saw-mill
and barrel-stock factory, grist-mill, iron furnace, works of
the Berkshire Glass Sand Co., one of the Cheshire White Quartz
Sand Co., a carpenter shop, wheelwright shop, two blacksmith
shops, cider-mill and about 1,000 inhabitants.
CHESHIRE HARBOR, a hamlet and station on the Pittsfield and
Adams railroad, is located in the extreme northern part of the
town, on Hoosac river.
The Cheshire Water Co. was organized in 1876, for the
purpose of supplying the village with water. This company, which
is under the control of a president and board of directors,
has a large reservoir, rendering an excellent water supply to
the village. J.D. Northup is president and J.G. Northup, treasurer.
H.C. Bowen & Son's grist-mill, located at Cheshire,
was originally built as a tannery, by Alanson P. Dean, in 1845,
and was used for this purpose until 1874. It came into the possession
of the present firm in 1881, who manufacture about 500 barrels
of flour per annum.
Leonard B. Wood's steam cider-mill located at Cheshire,
was built by Mr. Wood in 1876. He manufactures about 400 barrels
of cider per annum.
The Berkshire Glass Sand Co., whose works are located
at Cheshire, was organized as a stock company in 1879. They
have three mills for pulverizing the sand, and ship about 10,000
tons of sand per annum. F.F. Petitcler is superintendent.
The Cheshire White Quartz Sand Co., was organized in
1876, with a capital stock of $6,000.00, J.B. Dean, president,
and George Z. Dean, treasurer. They have two mills with capacity
for manufacturing 3,000 tons of sand per year, which is used
in the manufacture of glass. Their process is to crush the rock,
without washing.
The Richmond Iron Co.-This company was originally organized
as early as 1829, though it was not incorporated until 1842.
Originally the company engaged in smelting only at the Richmond
furnace, to which was added at the time of incorporation, the
VanDeusenville furnace, and in 1863 was added the Cheshire furnace.
All of these have since been rebuilt, enlarged and improved,
so that the company now produces about 12,000 tons of iron per
annum, giving employment to 700 hands. William H. Barnum, of
Lime Rock, Conn., is president; George Church, of Great Barrington,
treasurer; and R.A. Burget, of this town, agent.
The John Leland Cheese Factory, at Cheshire, was built
in 1870, by the Cheshire Cheese Factory Association. It turns
out about 110,000 pounds of cheese per annum, with J.D. Northup,
superintendent.
Henry Howes & Sons broom factory, located at Cheshire,
turns out 200 dozen brooms per yer.
Charles Belair's carriage shop, located at Cheshire,
was built by Francis L. Jinks, about 1871, and was purchased
by Mr. Belair in 1881, who manufactures new work and does a
general repair business.
A.S. Farnum & Bro's lime kilns, located on road 25,
were established in 1875. They give employment to twenty men,
and manufacture 30,000 barrels of lime per year.
Warren B. Dean's saw and stave-mill.-This business was
established by J.B. & Alanson P. Dean, in 1855, who conducted
it about six years, when George Martin bought out A.P. Dean's
interest. The mill was burned in 1871, and was rebuilt by Dean
& Martin, in 1872. In 1881 Mr. Martin retired, and in 1883
Mr. Dean sold out to his son, the present proprietor. He employs
fifty men and manufactures about 1,000,000 feet of lumber per
annum.
Enos Adams & Co.'s quartz sand mill, located at the
corner of roads 15 and 19, was built in 1862, for manufacturing
sand for sand-paper and for polishing and cutting purposes.
They employ four men and manufacture 300 tons of sand per annum.
The Greylock Cheese Factory, located on road 13, was
built by A.J. Bucklin, S.W. Lincoln, S.L. Lincoln and W.F. Card,
in 1863, the first cheese factory built in Berkshire county.
In 1876 the factory was taken by a stock company, organized
at that time, and is now under the management of Henry F. Wood.
It turns out about 105,000 pounds of cheese per annum.
The Cheshire Harbor Warp Mill, located at Cheshire Harbor,
was originally built by Elisha Jenks, being then used as a cotton
and grist-mill combined. In 1881 it was taken by the present
proprietor, John S. Adams, who employs about forty-two hands.
The mill has 5,000 spindles and turns out about 5,500 pounds
of warp per week, under the supervision of George I. Rider.
The settlement of the town was commenced in 1767, the earlist
and principal settlers being Joseph Bennett, Col. Joab Stafford,
and John Buckland, from Coventry, R.I.; John Lippit from Scituate,
R.I.; Maj. Samuel Lowe, Simon Smith, Amos Smith, Stephen Carpenter,
Shubael Willmarth and John Willmarth, from Providence, R.I.;
Jonathon Richardson from Newton; Isaac Warren, from Framingham;
Charles Saben, from Killingly, Conn.; and John Wells, all of
whom located here previous to 1770. The first town meeting was
held in April, following the incorporation, when James Barker
was chosen town clerk. Daniel Brown was the first representative
to the general court. The first church, Baptist, was organized
in 1769, in the New Providence grant.
J.G. Holland, in his History of Western Massachusetts, speaks
of the political history of Cheshire as follows:-
�In 1813,
Cheshire was, from its firm adherence to Madison's administration,
made a rendezvous for British prisoners. In 1793, John Hancock
had ninety-nine votes for governor, and all others but three.
From that day to 1843, a period of fifty years, the people
were nearly unanimous in their support of Democratic principles,
in the popular understanding of that term. Jefferson was a
great favorite with the people of Cheshire, and to show their
regard to him, and their approval of his policy, they made
for him a mammoth cheese, which was sent to Washington, and
there January 1, 1802, presented to him, by Rev. John Leland,
as a New Year's gift. The mode of its manufacture was the
following: On a given day, the dairy women of the town sent
their curds to one place; but the quantity thus collected
was too great to be pressed at once, even in a cider mill,
so that three additional cheeses were made, weighing seventy
pounds each. The big cheese weighed 1,450 pounds.�
Capt. Daniel
Brown, who at one time owned all the land which the village
of Cheshire now occupies, came to Cheshire, from Warwick, R.I.,
about the year 1767, locating in the eastern part of the town,
where he reared a family of eight children, none of whom survive.
He died in 1840, in his ninety-fourth year. The hotel which
now stands in Cheshire was finished by him in 1797. He was one
of the leading men in public affaires, and was a tone time a
member of the legislature. He served in the war of the Revolution,
and was present at the battle of Bennington. His son Darius,
who was born in this town, lived here until his death, which
occurred in 1835. He reared one son, Daniel B., born in 1806,
who has been engaged in the lumber business and in farming.
He has run a saw-mill in Cheshire for sixty years, and now resides
on road 4.
John Waterman, was born in Coventry, R.I., May 18, 1755. The
first and second years of the Revolution he was a sailor or
privateersman, and annoying the commerce of Great Britain. He
came to Cheshire in the latter part of 1776, or beginning of
1777. His home for two years was in the family of Capt. Daniel
Brown, being there while the Captain was absent in command of
his company, at the battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777. He
was enrolled as a �minute man,� but we cannot say that he did
service in the war after leaving Rhode Island. He married Anna
Hall, a native of Stafford, Conn., about 1780, and his eight
children were born in Cheshire. In 1803 he removed to his farm
adjoining the village of North Adams. The late Col. Wm. Watertown,
of Williamstown, was the oldest of his five sons. He was born
April 6, 1784, at Stafford Hill in Cheshire, in a house still
standing on the southern slope of said hill. John Waterman,
the subject of this sketch, had very limited education in youth,
but became one of the best informed men of his time. He was
fortunate in securing the friendship and society of Dr. William
Towner, who practiced medicine in Cheshire before removal to
Williamstown. Elder John Leland was another associate and life-long
friend. He was a delegate from Adams to the State convention
of 1820, for amending the constitution of Massachusetts, and
also had been a member of the legislature previous to that date.
He was social, kind to the poor and unfortunate. He removed
to Williamstown in 1829, and died May 28, 1830, at the age of
seventy-five years and ten days.
Jonathon Richardson, born December 30, 1753, removed to Cheshire
from Newton, Mass, in 1767, locating in the eastern part of
the town, though afterwards removing to road 20, where he resided
until his death, in 1840, at the age of eighty-six. In 1779
he married Esther Eaton, and reared a family. He was largely
engaged in settling estates, and held many offices of trust.
His son Ira was born in Cheshire, December 18, 1794, and at
the age of sixteen entered a store in Adams, with his brother
Joel, where he remained until 1826, when he returned to Cheshire,
located on the homestead, on road 20, and resided there until
his death, August 21, 1860, at the age of sixty-five. He married
Anna Jenks, by whom he had four children, three of whom, Henry
W., of Pittsfield, Esther residing in this town, and Mrs. Harriet
A. Wilkinson of Binghampton, N.Y. survive.
John Wells came to Cheshire, from Rhode Island, about 1769,
and located on road 18, though removing about 1785 to the farm
where his grandson, John B. Wells, now resides. He reared a
family of four children, none surviving, and died about the
year 1812. His son John, who was quite young when he came to
this town, reared a family of four children, and occupied the
homestead until his death, in 1853. John B., son of John Jr.,
and the only survivor of the family, resides on the homestead.
He has reared a family of six children being the sixth generation
to live upon the old homestead. The house is one of the first
three framed houses built in Cheshire, of which only two are
standing.
Voluntine Barven moved to Cheshire from Swanzey, Massachusetts,
in 1776, and located in the eastern part of the town, on the
farm now owned by Hulbert Jacques. He reared a large family,
one or two of whom served in the Revolution. He resided on the
farm until his death. His son Nathan reared a family and resided
on the homestead for many years, but finally removed to the
southern part of the town, where the Farnum brothers now reside.
A daughter, Mrs. Calvin J. Reynolds, resides in Cheshire.
Asahel Potter, a blacksmith, came to Cheshire, from Rhode Island,
about 1770, and located in the eastern part of the town. He
reared five children, none surviving, and died in 1848. His
oldest son, Aden, went to New York when a young man and died
in Fishkill, in 1832. Aden's daughter, Mrs. George W. Fisher,
resides in town.
Stephen Northrup removed to Cheshire, from Danbury, Conn., sometime
previous to the Revolution, location gin the western part of
the town, reared a large family, and died in 1836, at the age
of ninety-one. He served in the war of the Revolution, and was
at the battle of Bennington. Stephen, Jr., who was born in Cheshire,
in 1781, and resided here until his death, in 1861, reared a
family of seven children, only one of whom, Jared D., residing
on Depot street, survives. Stephen Jr., held several town offices,
and served one term in the legislature. His son Jared D., has
three children, Stephen L., of Lanesboro, Leroy J., residing
in this town, and Mrs. A.M. Howe, of the Sandwich Islands. Jared
is one of the directors of the Water Company.
Edmund Jenks, from Smithfield, R.I., settled in Adams in 1778,
locating in the southern part of the town, upon the farm now
owned by Charles Jenks. He and his three sons, Charles, Samuel
and Thomas carried on a grist-mill for many years where the
paper-mill of L.L. Brown & Co. now stands. Edmund subsequently
removed to this town, and died here in 1818. His son Charles
succeeded to the home farm here where his son Charles now lives,
and died in 1844. Three of his thirteen children are now living,
viz: Charles, Mrs. Anna Richardson, and Dennison R. Henry, son
of Charles and brother of the present Charles, was a surveyor
and died here in 1874. Two of his daughters and one son, Scott,
now reside here.
Nathan Mason came to Cheshire, from Rehoboth, Mass, sometime
previous to the Revolution, location about two and a half miles
northwest of the village. Sometime previous to his death
he went to Adams, to reside with his son, where he died, at
the age of eighty-six. He was a Revolutionary soldier
and was at the battle of Bennington. His son, Nathan,
who was a child when he came here with his father, spent most
of his life in Adams, dying there in 1850. He reared a
family of seven children, four of whom, Ethan A., of California,
Ira N., a physician in Cheshire, Maria D., also of this town,
and one, a minister in Malden, Mass., survive.
Nathan Wood removed to Cheshire from Rehoboth, Mass., some time
previous to the Revolutionary war, and reared a family, two
sons of whom, Nathan and Daniel, served in the Revolution and
were at the battle of Bennington. Daniel located on the farm
where Mrs. Daniel Wood now resides, and reared a family, one
of whom, Mrs. Laura Northrop, is living. He died in 1820. Elisha,
son of Daniel, was born on the homestead, where he resided until
his death, in 1850. Daniel, son of Elisha, was also born on
the homestead, where he resided until his death, in 1881. Several
of his children reside in town, whose children are the sixth
generation to make their home here. Nathan, brother of Daniel
Wood, located on the farm adjoining Daniel, and reared a family
of sixteen children, fourteen living to maturity, but only one
of whom, Mrs. Orisa A. Ingalls, survives. Nathan died about
1842. Mason, son of Nathan, was born in town, where he resided
until his death in 1858. Two of his grandchildren, Mrs. Nancy
L. Leonard and Henry F. Wood, survive.
John Bennett, from Warwick,, R.I., immigrated to Cheshire about
the time of the breaking out of the Revolution, locating on
road 18, upon the farm now owned by Amy E. Brown. He reared
a family of nine children, none of whom survive, and died about
1856, at the age of ninety-four years and five months. His son
Andrew, born here in 1795, died in 1860. He reared a family
of six children, three of whom, Luther M., Mrs. Amy E. Brown,
and William P., who resides on road 26, survive, all residing
in Cheshire. Andrew represented his district in the State legislature
and held other offices of trust.
Rev. Nathan Mason, a Baptist clergyman, from Rehoboth, who came
here at an early day, lived here many years and died in Montreal,
while on a visit there. His son Hezekiah came to Cheshire
about the year 1776, where he lived till within about three
years of his death, which occurred in Stephentown, N.Y., in
1825, at the age of seventy-two years. He reared a family
of eleven children, all of who survive him. But three
of the family remained in this vicinity, nearly all of them
removing to New York, Pennsylvania, and the West. One
daughter, Sally, married Samuel Martin, and died in this town.
Her son, Orrin, now resides here.
Israel Cole came to Cheshire, from Swanzey, Mass., about the
time of the battle of Bennington, locating about two miles west
of the village, reared eight children, and died in Adams, about
1831, at the age of ninety-five. His oldest son, James, always
resided in Cheshire, where he died at the age of eighty-eight.
Another son, Jonathan, who came here with his father at the
age of eight years, went to Saratoga county, N.Y., when a young
man, removing from there to Herkimer county, where he died in
1848. He reared a family of eight children. His son Lansing
is now a resident of the town. Silas Cole, grandson of Jonathon,
was born in Cheshire, lived for many years on the farm now owned
by L.A. Cole, and died in 1878. A son, M.L. Cole, now resides
on road 13 corner 12.
Stephen Whipple, who came to Cheshire from Providence, R.I.,
in 1776, located in the southern part of the town, on the farm
now occupied by Martin Ingalls, residing here until his death.
He had born to him twelve children, all of whom lived to maturity,
and nearly all whom attained an advanced age. Stephen was at
the battle of Bennington. One son, Samuel, who was ten years
of age when he came to this town, resided here until his death,
in 1853, at the age of eighty-six. He reared a family of ten
children, four of whom, D.C., wife of Aaron Richardson, of Attica,
N.Y., Harvey, of Canastota, N.Y., James M., of Windsor, and
Samuel P., of Cheshire, survive.
Jesse Jenks, one of the early settlers of Cheshire, came from
Smithfield, R.I., locating in the eastern part of the town,
where he cleared a farm. He reared a large family, and died
about 1827. His son Jesse, who came here with his father, reared
a family of nine children, of whom one, Jesse A., survives,
and resided in Cheshire until his death, in 1853. Havrille was
born in this town and spent his life here in Adams. He died
in 1853. Of his family of eight children, one daughter and seven
sons, all of the sons survive. One, Towner, served in the late
war and was wounded at the battle of Gettysburgh. Another son,
Marquis D., resides on road 8. Elisha Jenks, born in Cheshire
in 1801, was a print cloth manufacturer at Cheshire Harbor for
over forty years, acquiring a large fortune; and was also largely
engaged in farming. He was twice married, but reared no family,
dying in 1871. His widow, Sarah A., survives him, a resident
of this town.
Samuel Lowe, who resided on the farm now owned by M.V.B. Jenks,
was one of the early settlers. Mr. Lowe was a slave-holder,
owning four slaves at the breaking out of the Revolution. He
freed two, William and Mary Diamond, keeping the other two,
Alhoy and Mary, their children, whom he carried to New York.
�Aunt Mary� remained in Cheshire attaining the great age of
105 years.
Daniel Wood came to Cheshire from Rhode Island, about 1780,
and settled in the northern part of the town, living there till
his death, in 1820. He had a large family, only one daughter,
Mrs. Laura Northup, of Cheshire, aged ninety-four, now living.
His son, Elisha, was born in Cheshire, had eight children, five
still living, and three in this county. Elisha was selectman.
His son Luther D., lives in Lanesboro on road 8, and has carried
on the cheese factory ten years.
Silas Partridge came to Cheshire at an early date. His father,
Josiah Partridge, was in the battle of Bennington. Silas left
Cheshire for Adams and afterwards went to Savoy and Connecticut,
where he died. His son, Joseph S., was born in Cheshire, but
followed his father and died in Connecticut. His son Truman,
born in Savoy, went to Lanesboro, where he now lives on road
22.
Samuel Wolcott, a native of Goshen, Conn., immigrated to Cheshire
about 1778, and located in the southern part of the town. He
was with Ethan Allen at the capture of Ticonderoga. He died
of small-pox. His son Moses, who came to Cheshire with his father,
reared a family of six children, none of whom survive. Moses
was a soldier in the Revolution, and was in a number of severe
battles. He died in 1837. His son Russell B., born here in 1793,
died in 1855. He was a farmer, and at one time owned over 1,400
acres of land. Only one of his four children, John C., a lawyer,
of this town, survives.
Samuel Ingalls came to Cheshire, from Rehoboth, Mass., in 1786,
and located on the farm where David D. Ingalls now resides,
where he died in 1795. He was a man of gigantic stature and
great physical strength. He is said to have carried seven and
a half bushels of corn at a time, up a flight of stairs. Samuel,
his son, came to this town with his father, but went to Cooperstown,
N.Y., about 1796, and died in 1827. Stephen, son of Stephen
Jr., came from Cooperstown to Cheshire, located on the farm
where his son, David D., now resides, and reared fifteen children,
twelve of whom lived to maturity, and nine are now living, their
average age being seventy years, and eigth of whom reside in
Berkshire county. One son, Samuel, was engaged in a manufacturing
business in Adams, and a son of Samuel is now cashier of the
Berkshire National Bank of North Adams.
Jonathon Farnum immigrated to Cheshire from Uxbridge, Mass.,
about 1796, and located on Stafford Hill, where he lived until
his death, in 1834, rearing a family of nine children. His son,
Warren, was born in 1792, and made his home here until his death,
in 1876. His wife, Hannah, now resides in Cheshire.
Pardon Lincoln, from Smithfield, R.I., came to Cheshire about
1795, locating upon a farm in the eastern part of the town.
He reared a family of five children, four of whom, Seneca L.,
Mrs. Alden Jenks, Shubael W., and Mrs. Lucinda Mirick, of Savoy,
survive. He was a deacon of the Baptist church and its last
clerk; he was also captain of the militia. He died in 1870,
at the age of seventy-five years.
Edward Martin immigrated to Cheshire, from Barrington, R.I.,
in 1791, moving his family and goods upon a sled, drawn by two
yoke of oxen. He located upon a farm he had purchased the year
previous, and which is now owned by his grandson, Orrin. Edward
was thrice married and reared a family of eight children, none
of whom survive. Later, he removed to the farm now owned by
L.A. Cole, where he died in 1830. Samuel, son of Edward Martin,
who was six years of age when he came here with his father,
remained upon the old homestead, reared a family of five children,
only one, Orrin, now living, and died in 1854, at the age of
sixty-nine.
Zebedee Dean, who came to Cheshire in 1798 from Taunton, Mass.,
was a blacksmith by trade and a farmer. He had born to
him three sons, Albert G., Dallas J., and J.B. Zebedee died
in Cheshire in 1868. His son Albert G., died at the age
of forty. Dallas J. was for many years a merchant in Adams.
J.B., who has always resided in town, commenced the mercantile
business in 1840, in which he continued until 1883, his son
George Z., being his partner for the last twenty years and is
now his successor. He has also been engaged in the lumber
business and established the business now carried on by his
son, Warren B.
Daniel W. Baxter, a shoemaker, came to Cheshire from Canada,
about 1809, locating about half a mile west of Cheshire village.
He reared a large family of children, three of whom survive,
one son, William, residing on road 26. He died here in 1859.
Ichabod Loomis, from Windsor, Conn., came to Cheshire in 1810.
He was a clothier by trade, in which business he was engaged
in Cheshire for many years. He reared a family of three children,
only one of whom, Luther B., is now living. He died in this
town, in 1849. Luther B. was born in Cheshire in 1812, and resides
on Main street. He succeeded his father in the clothing business.
Daniel Chapman was one of the early settlers in Great Barrington,
coming there some time previous to the Revolution. He was taken
prisoner at New London and kept in captivity for several years,
returning, after his release, to Great Barrington, where he
remained a few years, removed from thence to Windsor, where
he remained several years, coming about 1819, to Cheshire, where
he died about the year 1830. Daniel, Jr., born in Groton, Conn.,
in 1769, removing with his father, located in Cheshire, and
reared a family of eight children, only one, Mason Chapman,
of this town is now living. Daniel, Jr., died in 1857, at the
age of eighty-eight.
James Brown, son of Caleb and Amy Brown, who came to Cheshire,
from Rhode Island, lived here many years, reared a family, and
died in 1854 or 55. His son, Russell C. Brown, born in this
town in 1813, engaged in the mercantile business for many years,
being also identified with the sand business. He was the postmaster
for many years. A son, Fred C., now resides in town. Russell,
another son of Caleb, was a prominent manufacturer at Adams,
where he took an active part in public affairs.
George W. Fisher came to Cheshire, from Franklin, Mass., in
1835, and resided for some time with his sister, in the eastern
part of the town, but settling in 1854, upon the farm where
he now resides. He has been a selectman since 1858, with the
exception of two years. During the war he was provost marshall
for the town, also recruiting officer, and in 1875 was census
enumerator.
Felix F. Petitcler, born in Dampiere, France, in 1839, emigrated
to America with his mother when but six years of age. In 1850
he came to Cheshire and entered the employ of L.H. Stevens,
for whom he worked until the autumn of 1853, when he entered
the employ of the Lanesboro Iron Company. He is said to have
gone to New York in search of workmen for the iron company when
but a lad of ten years. He has been engaged in the lumber business
and in farming, besides other pursuits, and is now superintendent
of the Berkshire Glass Sand Co.'s works. He married a daughter
of Dr. Cole.
Phineas Lamphire removed from Tolland, Conn., to Lanesboro,
at an early day, coming some time before the Revolution. He
reared a family of five children. One son, Amos, born in Lanesboro,
in 1777, resided there until his death, in 1857. Amos, reared
a family of eight children, only one of whom, Chester K., now
survive. Chester was born in Lanesboro in 1807, where he resided
until about thirty years of age, after which he removed to Lee,
remaining there until 1880, when he located in Cheshire, where
he now resides.
Joseph Hathaway came to Savoy, from New Bedford, Mass., about
the time of the Revolution, living there until his death. He
had a numerous family, one son of whom, Jesse, was born in Savoy,
but removed to Adams, where he resided many years, dying in
Savoy. He reared a family of twelve children, six of whom survive,
one son John W., residing on road 16, in Cheshire.
Rev. Edmund Foster was pastor of the Unitarian church in Littleton,
Middlesex county, Mass., in the year 1770. He led his parishioners
in the conflicts at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, and
became known as the �fighting parson.� He was the father of
thirteen children, the oldest of whom was Edmund, who enlisted
in the United States army and was appointed as ensign by Thomas
Jefferson, president of the Untied States, in the ninth regiment
of rifleman, to rank as such from the 12th day of December,
1808. His commission was countersigned by John Smith, acting
secretary of war. On the 6th of July, 1812, he was appointed
first lieutenant in the ninth regiment of infantry, under Col.
Winfield Scott, afterward made lieutenant general of the Untied
States army. This commisson was granted by James Madison, president
of the United States, William Eustiss, secretary of war. He
was appointed a captain in the same regiment of the 13th of
March, 1813 by James Madison, president, William H. Crawford,
secretary of war. He was in the battles of Brownville, Fort
Erie, Lundy Lane and others during the war. Had the command
for a time of the cantonment at Pittsfield, and at the end of
the war was honorably discharged. His next younger brother,
William, was first lieutenant in the same company and his brother
Charles, second lieutenant in the same company. They served
through the war and were honorably discharged at the same time.
His commissions on parchment, signed by Jefferson and Madison,
are now in the possession of E.D. Foster, his oldest son, who
resides in Cheshire. His youngest son, the late Daniel B. Foster,
was first lieutenant in company C, 49th regiment Massachusetts
Volunteers, and served in the war of the rebellion.
Rev. John Leland, for many years pastor of the Baptist church,
was a man of mark in his time. He took an active interest in
all the public affairs of the town. He was a member of the legislature
in 1811, and labored powerfully against the provisions of the
3d article of the Bill of Rights, contending that legislatures
had no power to bind the consciences of men. He was a ready
orator, as well as a writer, and composed his own epitaph, as
follows:-
HERE
LIES THE BODY
OF
JOHN LELAND
WHO LABORED 68 YEARS TO PROMOTE PIETY,
AND VINDICATE THE CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS
OF ALL MEN.
The Baptist Church was organized by Rufus Mason and others,
May 30, 1769, having about seventy members. The first pastor,
Rev. Peter Werden, held the office from 1770 until his death,
February 21, 1808. Their first church building was erected in
1794, and did service until 1849, when the present building
was erected. It will seat 300 persons and is valued, including
grounds, at $8,000.00, its original cost being $5,000.00.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Cheshire was organized by
Rev. John Cadwell, with twelve members, in February , 1844,
Rev. John F. Crowl being installed as first pastor. Their church
building, which will comfortably accommodate 200 persons, was
erected in 1848-49. It is valued, including grounds, at $3,000.00.
The society now has fifty-five members, with Rev. � Hobbs, pastor.
GAZETTEER OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MASS. 1725-1885; Compiled and
Published by HAMILTON CHILD; Permanent Office; Syracuse, N.Y.,
January, 1885; pages 112-123
I kept punctuation and grammar the same, even if it does not
follow our rules today. This is how it is recorded in the book.