Middlefield Town (part 1 of 2)

Middlefield Town

Mack, applied to their respective towns asking that land might be set off to join Prescott's Grant to form a new town¬ ship. Concerning this we find the following in the book Town of Murray field, Mass . A. M. Copeland, quoting Murrayfield town records:

"Action touching- the Northwest Corner of the town of Murrayfield. "A special town meeting- was called to be held March 29, 1779 and one article in the Warrant was, ' ' To see if the town will consent to have the northwest corner of this town set off to join with Worthington and Becket corner in order to make a society or town." This was in response to the following petition: "Murrayfield, February 18, 1779.

1 ' Whereas we, inhabitants of the north west part of the town of Murray¬ field being together with the inhabitants of the northeast part of Becket, and the southwest part of Worthington, unanimously think it best to be set off as a town ; Wherefore we request and desire to be set off from this town and adjoin those forementioned inhabitants; our living so remote from the middle of the town makes it very tedious attending any town business especially the preaching of the gospel. Therefore we whose names are underwritten do humbly petition to this town to be set off as far as Thomas Elders." (Signed)

"Becket, March 8th, 1779. 8th Article Put to Vote whether they will hear the request of the People at the North East Corner of the town as they Copeland's Town of Murrayfield, Mass., page 142.

requesting that some part of said town be voted of(f) in order to be erected in to a separate town with other lands adjacent and it Passed in the affirmative also Voted that their be a Committee to affix a Line what part of said town shall be so set of(f) and make report to the town at some future meeting of said town for their approbation or disapprobation as they shall Think best and that James Birchard, Lieut. Jonas Childs and William Watson Jr. be a committee for the purpose afore said."2

It apparently took all summer for the committee to find time to attend to the business and report, for it was not until Novem¬ ber that the report was made.

"Nov. 5, 1779. Put to vote whether they will accept the Report of the Committee appointed to view and report what part of the North East Corner shall be set to the proposed new township they Reporting that all the Land Lying East of North East Corner of 3rd Division Lot No. 33 Running a straight course to where taggarts Brook enters Westfield River, all land East of said Line and north of said River be voted of(f) as Requested and it passed in the negative. ' ' 3

As no entry of any action by the town of Worthington is found in its records we conclude that the adverse results in Murrayfield made the representatives of the Worthington section withdraw their petition. Two years later, under the leadership of Colonel David Mack, the following petition was drawn up and presented to the General Court :

"Petition of Prescott's Grant and others, Sept. 22, 1781. To the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Humbly sheweth the subscribers Inhabitants of the southwest corner of Worthington in the county of Hampshire, and the northwest corner of Murrayfield in the said county and the northeast corner of Becket in the county of Berkshire and the south side of Partridgefield in said county and the tract of land here¬ tofore granted by the General Court to James Prescott, Esq. and others called Prescott 's Grant that there are more than fifty families allreadv settled on the abovementioned tracts of land which contain about fourteen thousand one hundred and forty acres of land of which quantity three thou¬ sand four hundred and forty-six acres are in Becket, two thousand five hundred and ninety-six are in Murrayfield. three thousand six hundred and ninety-one in Worthington, three thousand four hundred and twelve in said tract called Prescott's Grant and one thousand in Partridgefield and four hundred and thirty acres at the northeast part of the town of Washington that all the persons who are settled on said lands live at a distance of five miles and some at much greater distance from the meeting-house in their respective towns on which account many of your petitioners have for several years been obliged either to carry these families the distance above mentioned in rough roads or to educate them without any of the advantages of public institutions except in some few cases in which they have been able to procure preaching among themselves the many disadvantages arising from the Roughness of the Roads Steep Hills and Rapid Rivers that are in the way to their respective Towns are more than many of your Honours would think of that those of your petitioners that live in the tract of land called Prescotts Grant not being annexed to no towns have no Privilidges as other towns have nor ever can have till that August body the general Assembly of the Commonwealth Incorporates them and allows them the Privilidges of other towns your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your honours that a Committee may be appointed and sent to view our circumstances and see if it is not reasonable that we should be incorporated into a separate town and be vested with all the powers and Priviledges and Emunities which towns in this state are by law Intitled to and as in duty bound shall ever Pray

There seems to have been two circulations of the petition for one copy dated in 1782 has in addition to the original signers those names marked in the above list.

' ' Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the house of representatives. Sept. 24th 1781. On the petition of Part of the Inhabitants of Worthing¬ ton, Murrayfield, Becket, Partridgefield and the tract of land called Prescot's Grant, praying for a committee to repair to said Prescot's Grant & the towns adjoining in order to examine and report the expediency of their being incorporated into a separate Town. Resolved that the Prayer of the Petition be so far granted that the Hon. Jahlul Woodbridge Esq. Benja Mills Esq. and Col. Asa Barnes be and they are hereby appointed a committee to repair to the aforesaid Prescot's Grant and the towns adjoining for the purpose above mentioned and to report their opinion respecting the same to this court some Time in their next Session and the said committee shall give due notice of the time and place of their meeting to the Petitioners who are hereby directed to serve each of the clerks of the above mentioned Towns and one of the principal Inhabitants of Prescot's Grant with a, copy of this resolve together with the Time of the Committees meeting at least fourteen Hays before the Time of the said meeting that they shew cause if any they have why the Prayer of the Petitioners should not be granted - -also Resolved that the Petitioners be and they are hereby directed to pay the said Committee Hue Compensation for their trouble and expenses which may arise in obedience to this resolve.

"Pec. 6, 1781. Voted to choose a committee to repair to the North East Corner of the town on the 18th day of this instant to Mr. Havid Mack's to represent the state of the town before the Courts Committee and that Lieut. James Birchard, Nath'l Kingsley Esq. & Capt. Jonas Childs be a committee for the above purpose."5

''This may certify that the Towns of Becket, Murrayfield, Worthington, Partridgefield, Washington and the Inhabitants of Prescot's Grant were

Notified and were all present by their committees excepting Washington, when the Court Committee considered of the Propriety of Incorporating the aforesaid Prescott's Grant with part of the aforementioned Towns Into a separate Town and where the Committee agreed upon this Report.

"The Committee of Both Houses appointed to Repair to a Tract of Land called Prescot Grant and the Towns adjoining to examine and Report the Expediency of their being Incorporated into a separate Town have attended that Service and beg leave to Report as their Opinion - That the said Prescots Grant with part of Becket part of Murrayfield, part of Worthington, part of Partridgefield and part of Washington be Incorporated into a Separate Town agreeable to a plan hereto annexed Bounded as follows, viz. Beginning at a Hemlock tree Standing in the river in Becket Directly south from the southwest corner of the aforesaid Prescots Grant, from thence running north 12 degrees east to the north side of the first square of lots in said Partridgefield. Then south seventy degrees east nine hundred rods to the east line of Partridgefield, Thence northwardly in said Partridgefield east line one hundred and forty' rods, Thence east six hundred rods to the River in Worthington to a Hemlock Tree directly west of Worthington meetinghouse, Thence Down said River to where it crosses Worthington south line, Thence West Thirty five degrees south nine hundred and fortv rods to where the River crosses Becket East Line, Thence up said River to the bounds begun at -

On February 27, 1782 a vote was passed that this matter was "to lie till next session." On March 12, 1783, the Act of Incorporation was passed. This act reads as follows:

"An act for erecting certain lands hereinafter described into a town by the name of Middlefield, and annexing the whole to the county of Hampshire.

' ' Whereas the inhabitants of the south-west corner of Worthington in the county of Hampshire, and the north-west corner of Murrayfield (now Chester) in said county, and the north-east corner of Becket, the south side of Partridgefield, a part of Washington, and the inhabitants of Prescott's Grant (so called), all in the county of Berkshire, have represented to this court the great difficulties and inconveniences they labour under in their Present situation, and have requested that they bee incorporated into a town : Bee it therefore enacted by the Senate and house Representatives in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that said south¬ west, corner of Worthington in the county of Hampshire, and the north¬ west corner of' Chester in the same county, and the north-east corner of Becket, the south side of Partridgefield, a part of Washington and the land called Prescott's Grant, all in the county of Berkshire, and bounded as follows, viz : Beginning at a hemlock tree standing on the river in Becket, directly south of the south-west corner of Prescott's Grant, thence running north one thousand rods to a Beech tree, then north twelve degrees east to the north side of the first square in Partridgefield to a stake and stones ; thence south seventy degrees east nine hundred rods to a stake and stones; thence north one hundred and forty rods; thence east six hundred rods to the river at a hemlock tree, a west point from Worthington meeting-house; thence down the said river to the place where the same crosses Worthington south line at an heart-Beam tree thence west thirty-five degrees south nine hundred and forty rods to the place where the said river crosses Becket east line; thence up the said river to the first mentioned bounds, - with the inhabitants thereon, bee and hereby are incorporated into a Town by the name of Middlefield, and that the said town bee and hereby is Vested with all the Powers, Privileges, and immunities which the towns in this Com¬ monwealth do or may enjoy by the Constitution or laws of the same; and the whole of the said town of Middlefield shall forever hereafter bee considered as a part of the county of Hampshire. And bee it further enacted that John Kirkland, Esquire, bee and he hereby is empowered to issue his warrant to some principle inhabitant within said town of Middlefield, directing him to warn the inhabitants of said town qualified to vote in town affairs to assemble at some suitable time and place within the said town for the purpose of chusing such officers as are Necessary to manage the affairs of the said town. Provided, nevertheless, that the inhabitants of the said town of Middlefield shall pay their proportionable part of such town, county, State and other taxes as are already assessed on them by the respective towns to which they have belonged, and of all public debts, duties, which may be due and owing from said town, until a tax shall be laid by the General Court upon the said town hereby incorporated. ' n

Petition Of Middlefield For Abatement Of Taxes

During the first decade after the incorporation of Middlefield the citizens endeavored to build a meetinghouse. Not only were they hampered by such differences of opinion that seven years were required for the settling the question of site, but their economic conditions made very difficult the raising of sufficient funds to build the structure. In their difficulty they petitioned the General Court to assist them by abating the state taxes. The petition follows :

"To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court Assembly on the 27th Day of Febry 1788. The most Humble Peti¬ tion of the Inhabitants of the town of Middlefield in the county of Hamp¬ shire, Beg Leave to Show, that your Petitioners have settled in this an uncultivated Country and are mostly of the Poorer sort of People and the Publick Expense by the Reason of the Late War Occasioning Heavy Taxes, and Having no Publick lands to assist in the Support of the Gospel or of Schools we are Nesessiated to lav Before your Honors our Circumstances and pray for Some assistance Towards Building a Meeting House for Publick Worship which we are unable to do without your Honours See Cause to Grant Some Support. Your Petitioners Beg Leave further to Inform that we have been Obliged to pay our proportion towards Building Houses for Publick Worship in the Towns to which we formerly Belonged.

"We Therefore pray Your Honours to take our Circumstances into Con¬ sideration and Grant us some Relief by Being Exemped from the payment of Publick Tax or Any other Way your Honours think proper and Your Petitioners will ever pray,

The General Court was probably too busy with problems arising from the late Shays' Rebellion to have any time or sympathy to expend upon the dwellers in the hill-towns who had been active in that insurrection. So we are not surprised that this petition produced no relief. But the situation in Middlefield did not improve and the citizens were led to petition again for relief by abatement of taxes in 1790, as follows:

"To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives of the Com¬ monwealth of Massachusetts, the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Middlefield in Said Commonwealth most Humbly Sheweth

That the Said Town of Middlefield is but in a state of Infancy, it being but a Few years since the Train of Human Beings could be Dis¬ covered therein, that the Said Town was settled By People whose cir¬ cumstances were Low in the World & Having the Burden of the Late War to support and the uncultivated wild to encounter, Occasion them remaining poor, Yet knowing it to Be their Duty to provide for and Suport the public worship of God, Having proceeded on far as to Raise and pay the Sum of Three Hundred & Sixty Pounds in the Compass of Twelve months By which means they Have gone considerable forward Toward Building a House for Public worship of the almighty God - the beforementioned Sum together with tlieir other Taxes is such a Burden on a considerable Part of the Community as to Prevent their completing the Building they have Begun, By which they can have no Advantage of What they have done & in a few years must Occasion the Loss of What they have Expended. We therefore Pray your Honours to take our Circumstances into Consideration & Grant us some Assistance in so good a work. Your Honours are Sensible that we have not the Advantage of any Public Land for the Support of the Gospel or Schools as is customary in other new towns. We therefore Believe and Doubt not But Your Honours in your Wisdom will Compas¬ sionate our Care & Grant us some Relief By ways which your Petitioners will not Pretend to Proscribe & as in duty Bound Your Petitioners will ever Pray.

Petition For Alteration Of Town Lines

In the year 1811 four citizens of Middlefield, evidently think¬ ing their condition or school advantages or proportion of the burden of taxes- would be more satisfactory under changed ar¬ rangements proposed, or at least wishing to have their real estate taxed in one town only, submitted the following petition to the General Court:

"To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Com¬ monwealth of Massachusetts in General Court Assembled A. Domini 1811. The petition of Theodore Coats, John Norcott, Levi Olds & Justus Olds of the town of Middlefield in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth aforesaid, humbly sheweth, that in their opinion it is necessary that there should be an alteration in the town line between Middlefield in the County of Hampshire and Washington in the County of Berkshire, beginning where the town line crosses the north line of Levi Olds, thence westwardlv on the line of said lot to end line of said lot and other lots to the south west corner of Mr. John Norcot's land, thence eastwardly about five or six rods to the original town line and we pray that your Honours would njake the said alteration in the said town line and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray,

1 1 To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled. At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Washington who are qualified by Law to vote in Town Affairs held on Monday the 29th of April last The petition of John Norcott, Levi Olds, Justus Olds and Theodore Coats preferred at the last session of the General Court praying that their lands lying in the town of Washington may be annexed to the Town of Middlefield being under consideration said meeting voted not to agree to said petition or any alteration of the line between the said towns and the said meeting did vote that the selectmen of Wash¬ ington respectfully remonstrate to the Honourable Legislature against such alteration and pursuant to the vote of the said town of Washington do most respectfully remonstrate and object to such alteration to the follow¬ ing reasons which to us appear satisfactory & just.

"1st Because all the reason assigned by the petitioners is the Incon¬ venience they suffer by paying their taxes in two towns; whereas there are twelve of the inhabitants of Washington who own lands in the adjoining towns on the Town line & have the same claim for an alteration as the petitioners and would gladly be accommodated if practicable upon the same principle, and likewise there; are several of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Becket, Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Dalton and Hinsdale who own lands in Washington on the Town line who experience the same difficulty and your Honours will readily see the almost impossibility of accommodating all who have equal claims with the petitioners and that it is totally im¬ practicable as the line between towns must be frequently altered.

"2nd Because the petitioners are Legally and justly holden to pay their proportion towards the support of paupers who have gained a legal settle¬ ment in sd. town previous to such alteration & of course it will be unjust in principle by giving to the town of Middlefield what is our right.

"3rd Because such dismemberment of the Town will operate unjustly in the school district to which such Lands and Tenements now belong by the loss of about one seventh part of the Lands belonging to sd. district with one dwelling House and Barn, some personal estate and three Ratable polls, there being but seventeen polls now in the district exclusive of two or three

District and Mr. Norcott who is one of the petitioners cannot be so well accommodated for schooling' at Middletield as at Present in Washington.

' ' 4th Because the Town line is now a straight line and the proposed alteration will make it a zig zag and of course more expensive preambulating.

' ' For the foregoing reasons which we respectfully submit to your Honours We do and shall ever object to such alteration as we believe it to be the bounden duty of sd. Town of Washington so to do.

There appears to have been no result from this attempt to alter the town lines. The next fall the selectmen of Middletield petitioned to have Middletield taken from Hampshire County and joined to Berkshire County. The petition reads as follows:

1 ' To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives of the Com¬ monwealth of Massachusetts in General Court Assembled, Jan'y A. D. 1812 The petition of Erastus Ingham, John Dickson and Daniel Root, selectmen of the Town of * Middletield in the county of Hampshire, in behalf of said town in praying this petition and in conformity with the vote of said Town passed at their town meeting legally warned and holden on the fifteenth day of November 1811 Humbly sheweth that the town of Middletield is twenty six miles from Northampton in the nearest direction and thirty miles in any comfortable Road for a carriage Northampton being the place for holding the courts for the county Your petitioners further State that the Said Northampton is not in any Direction for any other Business which might be of advantage for the said town to do while attending the courts than sixteen miles from the meeting house in this town to the court House in Lenox in the county of Berkshire and by far the better road and inhabitants of this town Have considerable business to do your petitioners farther mention that about two thirds of this town originally Belonged to the said county of Berkshire, your petitioners therefore pray that they meaning the Town of Middletield may be taken from the county of Hamp¬ shire and annexed to the county of Berkshire and your petitioners as in duty Bound shall ever pray,

This movement was without result and the Senate Files show the following entry for June 9, 1812, that the petitioners have "leave to withdraw their petition."

Appendix Division Op Land In Middlefield

Murrayfield. In the Murrayfield Section the First Division lots were laid out in tiers extending north 10 degrees west from the Blandford line to the north line of the township. Most of these lots were rectangular and contained 108 acres each. They were laid out in October and November, 1762. The Second Division lots in this corner of the township were quadrilaterals of various shapes filling in the area between the First Division lots and the township lines as shown on the map. (This part of the map was taken from a plan found in Alfred M. Copeland's book, A History of Murrayfield Earlier Known as Township No. 9, 1760-83. Springfield, Massachusetts, 1892.)

Bucket. The plan of Becket lots was found among the Becket ToAvn Records. The lots are arranged in more or less regular tiers running north 6 degrees east. The Third Division lots occupy the extreme northeast corner of the township, lying along the north and east lines, with the Fifth Division lots lying south and west of them extending to the Westfield River. The majority of the lots averaged about 50 acres each. David Mack's home lot No. 5 in the 3rd Division contained 53 acres. Lot No. 37 on the West Hill contained 58 acres. Some lots in the Fifth Division like lot No. 51 contained but 45 acres.

Washington. The lots in Washington section belong to the Second Division of that town. The plot was obtained through John W. Crane who obtained the data from the town records.

Partridgefield. The land ceeded to Middlefield by Partridgefield included one tier of five lots containing about 200 acres each. The data covering the numbers and arrangements of the lots was all obtained by a study of the deeds conveying these lots.

Worthington. All attempts to find a copy of Nathaniel Dwight's original plan of the lots in Worthington Section ceeded to Middlefield having failed, a reconstruction of this por- tion of the plan, covering the lots now in Middlefield, was attempted from a study of the deeds on record in Springfield and Northampton. These together with a description of the boundaries of school districts in Middlefield for the year 1833 are a basis for the lay-out shown on the map, which is believed to be in the main correct. The majority of the lots were 100 x 160 rods, containing 100 acres each, and were arranged in tiers running north 2 degrees west. Along the township lines were several Avedge-shaped lots like lot No. 207, where Middlefield Center is located, containing 165 acres; lot No. 223, G. E. Cook's farm, lot No. 222, the old Chamberlain farm and the Bissell Lot, 144 acres, and lot No. 129 in the Den, 85 acres. Soon after the purchase of the plantation, Colonel Worthington made the town a donation of 1,200 acres, to defray ministerial and school expenses. Of this area lot No. 223 was leased on December 18, 1780, to Daniel Chapman, for fifty-seven pounds, for a term of 999 years.

Prescott's Grant. From a study of the deeds at the various county seats it has been possible to reconstruct Josiah Arnold's original plan of lots in the portion of Prescott's Grant which he bought of William Spencer. This area, supposed to contain 2,600 acres, he divided into four divisions of thirteen lots each. The First Division in the East, so called, bounded east on the west line of Worthington and its south line extended west as far as the Hollow. The Second Division in the East, lying west of the First Division lay partly on the West Hill and partly on the Meadows of Factory Brook and extended northwardly to Dick¬ son Hill. The First Division in the West extended from the house of Mr. Eden to the old Wanzer farm, where Lyman Meacham once lived. The Second Division in the West lay west of this and along the former Washington line.

War Records

THE residents of Middlefield have always done their part when there came a call for soldiers. Some are known to have served in the French and Indian War. No fewer than ninety at least of the early settlers had assisted in the Patriot cause during the Revolution, either before or after making their homes in Middlefield.

French And Indian War Revolutionary War

Salah Benjamin. Enlisted for Worthington in May 1782 for 3 yrs. Reported confined for drawing bread on forged due bill. Judgment of court-martial was 70 lashes and $1 from wages, to be remitted on con¬ dition of good behavior in future.

Israel Bissell. Served in Capt E. Wolcott's Militia Co. July- Aug. 1770. Probably the man of this name who carried the news of the Battle of Lexington from Watertown, Mass, through Connecticut to New York and Philadelphia, three hundred and fifty miles, in four days. Justus Bissell. Of East Windsor, Ct. Was in Capt. E. Wolcott's Military Co., in service July-Aug. 1776, enl. 24 June-9 Dec. 1780, levies of 2d Conn. Line Col. Chas. Webb.

Benjamin Blish. He served 1 M'o. 9d as private in Capt Micah Hamlen'g Co., Thos. Marshall's regiment, June 13, 1776 to Aug. 1, 1776, 25d. from Aug. 1 to 26, at Castle Island, also 31 d. in Capt. Sylvan Mantin's

Co., Col William's regt. Sept. 29 to Oct. 30, 1777 in Rhode Island and again at an alarm at the same place 6 d. Capt. Isaiah Hick 's Co., Col. Tlios. Carpenter's regt. Aug 1 to 0, 1780.

Joseph Cary (also given Jr.) Williamsburg, served in the Rev. 9-1-1777 to 9-1-1780, mostly in Colonel's 1st company, Col. Jackson's regiment.

Abner Chapin. Wilbraham, answered the Lexington Alarm in Capt. Paid Langdon's Co. of Minutemen ; served nine days from April 20, 1775; also in same Co. of Col. Timothy Danielson's regt., Aug. 1 to Oct. 6, 1775.

Abel Cheeseman. Enlisted for Braintree in Co. of Minutemen at Lexing¬ ton alarm. Various short enlistments 1776 to 1778 including battle of Stillwater and surrender of Burgoyne.

Ambrose Church. Answered the Lexington Alarm from East Haddam, Ct. Served from May 8th to Aug. 22, 1775 at Roxbury under Capt. Joseph Spencer.

Eliiiu Church. Enlisted for the war from E. Haddam, Ct. Was made Corp¬ oral, July 11, 1780 and sergeant Aug. 1, 1780. Serg. Jan. 1, 1780. Capt. Sanford Co. 5th regt. Conn. Line Jan. to Dec. 1781.

Uriah Church. Answered the Lexington Alarm from East Haddam. En¬ listed for three years in the 1st Regt. Conn. Line. Made Sergeant June 1, 1779. Engaged in battles of Germantown, Monmouth, and Stony Point; in water quarters at Valley Forge, Pa., Morristown, N. J. Pension list 1818.

Elijah Churchill. Answered the Lexington Alarm from East Windsor. Enl. 5th Co. 8th Cont. Regt., Col. Huntington, July 7, 1775; of Capt. Simons' Co., Col. E. Wolcott's State Regt., at Boston Jan. -March, 1776; enl. Corp. May 7, 1777, 4th Troop, Col. Sheldon's Light Dragoons, described as a carpenter, 5 ft. 9 in. tall brown complexion, gray eyes, dark hair, and as from Enfield; but has been counted as from E. W. whicli supported his family.

James Clark. Private in Capt. Enoch Shepard's Co., Col. John Moseley's Regt., 8-11 to 8-23-1777 and 9-21 to 10-17 the same year and in Capt. James Black's Chester Co., Col. David Moseley's regt., one month from 6-15-1782.

John Dickson. A family tradition as to his service according to his great grandson, Andrew Dickson White has been found but record of service has not been identified.

Elijah Dix. Served 3 mos. in Capt. Ebenezer Webber's Co., of Col. Samuel Williams's regt. ; and also marched on an expedition from Worthington to Bennington, Yt., to reinforce Gen Stark, serving 12 days, returning home via Northampton, conducting prisoners from Bennington. (Aug.

Jonathan Ely. Was of Capt. Parkins' Hartford Co., 4th Cont. Regt. Col. Hinman; at siege of Boston, May 19, to Dec. 20, 1775. of Capt. E. Wolcott's Mil. Co. in service July-Aug., 1776; of Capt. Wells Co., Col. E. Wolcott's State Regt. at Boston, Jan. -March, 1776.

Parker Fellows. Engaged for Norwich for three years. Enlisted in 1781 under Capt. Abraham Williams and Col. Ebenezer Sprout in 2nd Regt. Honorably discharged at West Point, 1783.

James Gamwell. Enlisted for Northboro 1777-1779. Other short enlist¬ ments. Was made corporal and sergeant. Reported deserted April 29, 1781. But later furnished satisfactory evidence that he was entitled to gratuities under the resolves of March 4 and June 19, 1801.

Amasa Graves. Enlisted for Williamsburg. Served short enlistments in 1 777 including the alarm at Bennington and expedition to Stillwater and Saratoga. Was sergeant.

James Hamilton, in Capt. Enoch Shepards Co., Col. John Moseley's regt. Served 8-17-23-1777, an alarm at Bennington; also 9-21-1777 to 10-17- 1777 on an expedition to Saratoga. Company marched from Murray¬ field to reinforce army under Gen. Gates.

Solomon Ingham. Answered the Lexington Alarm from Hebron, Ct., and engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston. In 8th Regt. Conn. Line. Pension roll of 1833. Discharged on account of sickness Nov. 1776.

Elkanah Jones. Enlisted in the fall of 1776 when but 15 years old. He was three months in Capt. Elijah Wright's Company and Col. Roger Enos regt. In July and Aug. 1777 he was with Capt. John Skinner and Col. Robert Lattimore; in 1779 with Lieut. Noah Day, two months. May, 1781 six months Lieut. Josiah Burnham and Col. Wm. Ledyard's regiment.

Barzillai Little. Served for a few months as trumpeter in the Con¬ necticut Light House. In 1776 (September) the company was ordered to join the army near New York, but they were discharged when Washington retreated through New Jersey.

Malaciii Loveland. Enlisted for Hebron, Ct. Ensign in Capt. Rudd's Co. Served from Aug. 6 to Sept. 12, 1778. Was in the battle of Rhode Island.

Warren Mack. Served one month at Claverack in Capt. Joseph Raymond's Co., Col. Israel Chapin's regt. 1779; also three months in 1780 in Capt. Wm. Ford's Co., Col. John Brown's regiment.

Timothy McElwain. His name appears on East Windsor, Ct., list of contributors to support of Revolution, and he was honored for his services.

John Newton. Private from Colchester, Ct., Capt. Smith's Co., Bradley's Battalion Wadsworth's Brigade. On pension roll. Enlisted 7-20-1776. Discharged 1-4-1777.

Abel Parker. Answered the Lexington Alarm as Sergt. in Capt. Jonas Lock's Co., of Minutemen, Col. Williams Regt. Served 33 days. Also in Capt. Joseph Stebbins Co., Col. David Wells Regt. from 9-23-1777 to 10-18-1777.

Bissell Phelps. Served for Conn, as Capt. under Quartermaster Maverick Hubbard and under Gen. Lafayette. He is recorded as conductor of teams for transportation of supplies from Conn, for the Continental army 1779-81.

John Pinney. Sergeant. Probably the John Pinney who marched in a company from 1 i Sundry places ' ' in the Lexington Alarm ; was in service 2 months 13 days. Sergt. of the Windsor Train Band, or 8th Co. 1st Regt. of Mil. which was at New York.

John Roads. Worthington. Priv. Capt. Malcolm Henry's Co., Col. David Brewer's regt.; enlisted 6-5-1775; served two months. On list of men joining the Cont. Army for the war or until 1-1-1780; joined Capt. Watkins Co., Col. Brewer's regt. for three years.

William Rhoades. Worthington, Priv. Capt. Malcolm Henry's Co., Col. Brewer's regt.; enl. 6-5-1775; served 3 weeks, 5 days, enl. for 3 years Capt. Watkins Co., Col. Brewer's regt.; also Corp. Capt A. Williams Co., Col. Eben Sprout's regt. Cont. Army 1-1-1777 to Dec. 31, 1779.

Joseph Rhoades. Worthington. List of Worthington men for Cont. serv¬ ice. Capt. Webber's Co., Col. Chapin's regt. Also on list of men serv¬ ing nine months from 6-16-1778.

John Smith. Enlisted as a private in Capt. Eliphalet Holme's East Haddam Co., raised in May 1776; in Capt. Home's Co., Col. Samuel Selden 's regiment, raised in June and enlisted July 1, 1776 for six months; served in New York and on Long Island and caught in the retreat and panic of Sept. 15th; discharged Dec. 25, 1776, re-enlisted April 15, 1777 for three years, Capt. Eliphalet Holme's, E. Haddam Co., Col. Jedidiah Huntington's First Regiment, Conn. Line; was in the battle of Germantown, Oct. 4, 1777 ; endured the sufferings of Valley Forge the winter of 1777-78; was in the battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778; during 1779 was on the east side of the Hudson repelling Tryon; the winter of 1779-80 was in "Morristown Huts" where the distress was more horrible than at Valley Forge; discharged April 15, 1780; received a pension at Middlefield, 1818. (Conn, men in Rev.).

Matthew Smith. Answered the Lexington Alarm from East Haddam. Served at Roxbury during the siege of Boston in 1775. Enl. May 8, 1775 in 1st Co. 2nd Regt. Discharged Oet. 20, 1775.

Joseph Talcott, Priv. Capt. Amos Rathbun's Co., Col. Benjamin Symonds regt., of Berkshire county militia. Served from Dec. 10, 1770 to March 15, 1777.

Heman Taylor. Argeeable to resolve of 0-5-1780. Age 18 years, 5 ft., 8 in., complexion light, enlisted for Worthington, march to camp 7-14-1780. Discharged Dec. 29, 1780.

Lewis Taylor. Enlisted for Worthington and Sheffield. Three months in 1775 in Col. Fellow's regt., three years in Col. Wesson's regt. De¬ scriptive list of Jan. 11, 1781 gives him as enlisted for the war, with rank of corporal. Also entitled to $20 or 200 acres of land by resolve

Samuel Taylor, Jr. According to family tradition enlisted in the Rev. Army in 1780 or 1781. He served as a drummer boy. His widow was not able to obtain a, pension because evidence could not be obtained to show that he served at least six months.

William Taylor, of Worthington. Engaged for town of Mendon. Capt. Watkin's Co., Col. Brewer's regt. Term, for the war. Probably in Col. John Ashley's regt., at Bennington, 1777.

Eliakim Wardwell, on return of Somers men in Continental service in 1775. Elias Wares. Answered the Lexington Alarm from Glastonbury, Ct. Enlisted for the war in 3rd Regt., Conn. Line. Stationed on the Hudson during most of the war. On pension roll.

Abraiiam Washburn. Served for Norwich, Mass., under Capt Kirtland. David West. Answered the Lexington Alarm from Bolton, Ct. Served three years in Col. Canfield's regiment.

Jtidaii Wright. Private in Capt. Shepard's Co., from Murravfield. Ex¬ pedition to Stillwater and Saratoga Sept. -Oct. 1 777. Capt. Black's Co., June, 1782, Alarm at Northampton.

Nathan Wright. Answered the Lexington Alarm from Murrayfield. Was made sergeant in Capt. Shepard's Co. Served enlistments in 1775, 177(3, and 1777, including Stillwater and Saratoga.

War Of 1812

When in 1814, Governor Strong called for troops, Major (afterward General) David Mack, Lieutenant Matthew Smith, Captain Solomon Root, Abel Cheeseman and Abraham Moffett went to the defense of Boston. Clark Durant, Philip Meacham, John Skinner Artemas Ward and Lloyd West, are also said to have been among the volunteers, serving in Capt. Marvin's Co. of Col. Enos Foot's regiment.

Civil War

Edwin C. Bidwell. Asst. surg. enlisted Feb. 20, 1862, 31st Inf., prom, to surg. April 29, 1862; discharged Sept. 9, 1865; was the physician in practice in Middlefield when the war broke out.

Howard Collier. Enlisted Aug. 30, 1862, 37th Regt. Co. D, lost his life in service; died at Brandy Station, Va., Feb. 9, 1864; credited ro Chesterfield as Horace Collier in adjt. general's report.

Michael Stanley. Enlisted March 10, 1864, 57th Inf. Co. I; killed May 6, 1864, at Wilderness, Ya.; substitute who lost his life for the town.

World War

Harold M. Pease, enlisted June 24, 1917 at Ft. Slocum, N. Y. Discharged Oct. 13, 1917 at Camp Funston, Kans., on Surgeon's Certificate of Disability, as a Corporal, Btry. F 21st Field Artillery. Character, not of record.

Nicholas Palmalda, No. 71,471, enlisted Sept. 21, 1917 at Middlefield, Mass. Served with Co. B 104th Inf., Co. G 116th Supply Train, 2nd Co. Service Battalion, Army Service Corps. Overseas service from Oct. 1, 1917 to July 3, 1919. Honorably discharged July 7, 1919 at Camp Lee, Va., as a private* Casual Co. No. 6418 per expiration term of service. Character, excellent.

Francis J. Cone, No. 1,672,293 enlisted June 6, 1917 at Worcester, Mass. Overseas service from March 20, 1918 to May 23, 1919. Served in St. Mihiel Offensive, Sept. 12-16-1918, Meuse-Argonne offensive Sept. 26- Nov. 11, 1918. Honorably discharged June 4, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a private 1st class, Co. E 401st Telegraph Battalion, Signal Corps per demobilization. Character, excellent.

Richard A. Waite:, No. 580,772, enlisted May 8, 1918 at Ft. Revere, Mass. Served with 16th Co. C. A. C. Boston and Btry. B 54th Reg't Coast Artillery. Overseas service from Sept. 23, 1918 to March 6, 1919. Honorably discharged March 13, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a private, Btry. B 54th Reg't Coast Artillery per demobilization. Char¬ acter, excellent.

Bernard B. Fleming, No. 4,168,978, enlisted Sept. 4, 1918 at Lee, Mass. Honorably discharged Dec. 20, 1918 at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., as a private, Supply Co. 2nd Provisional Regiment Engineers Miscellaneous Personnel per termination of service. Character, excellent.

George E. Millot, No. 2,299,967, enlisted Sept. 8, 1917 at Camp Syracuse^ N. Y. Overseas service from July 18, 1918 to Jan. 16, 1919. Honor¬ ably discharged Feb. 21, 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a Corporal Co. D 49th infantry per demobilization. Character, excellent.

Harold A. Boyer, No. 578,579, enlisted Feb. 19, 1918 at Ft. Strong, Mass. Served with 9th Co. C. A. C. Boston and Btry. C 73rd Reg't Coast Artillery. Overseas service from Sept. 25, 1918 to Dec. 23, 1918. Honorably discharged Dec. 31, 1918 at Camp Upton, N. Y., as a private, Btry. C 73rd Reg't Coast Artillery for convenience of government. Character, very good.

John S. Gregory, No. 2,503,813, enlisted Dec. 9, 1917 at Ft. Slocum, N. Y. Overseas service from April 25, 1918 to June 16, 1919. Served in Meuse-Argonne offensive Oct. 22-Nov. 11, 1918. Honorably discharged June 21, 1919 at Camp Devons, Mass., as a private Co. D 23rd En¬ gineers. Character, excellent.

Robert S. Pease. No. 580,988, enlisted May 31, 1918 at Ft. Banks, Mass. Served with 19th Co. C. A. C. Boston and 2nd Co. C. A. C. Boston. Honorably discharged March 26, 1919 at Ft. Banks, Mass., as private 2nd Co. C. A. C. Boston for convenience of government. Character, excellent.

Richard D. Sweeny, enlisted July 12, 1918 at Springfield, Mass., in the Marine Corps; reported for active duty July 18, 1918 at Paris Island, S. C. Served overseas with the 74th Co. 6th Reg 't from Nov. 3, 1918 to July 5, 1919, participating in the march to the Rhine, for the Occupa¬ tion of the Coblenz Bridgehead. Honorably discharged at Quantico, Va., July 24, 1919. Character, excellent.

Ralph H. Pease, No. 4,196,573, inducted Nov. 19, 1918 at Lee, Mass. Honorably discharged Dec. 3, 1918 at Camp Devens, Mass., as a Private 2nd Co. 1st Training Battalion, 151st Depot Brigade, per demobilization. Character, good.

Ernest L. Boyer, No. 127,684, enlisted Feb. 25, 1918 at Boston, Mass., and was given an Ordinary (Special Order) Discharge on Dec. 11, 1918, from the Naval Training Station, Newport, R. I.

Origin Of Settlers

IN STUDYING the pioneer families and the movements of population considerable scattered data has been collected. But as unrelated details the story of emigration in general is lost unless the findings are presented in some systematic way. For the benefit of the student of sociology and local history there are here presented in tabular form certain phases of the story of the coming and going of the settlers of Middlefield, which in a measure can doubtless be considered as typical of the hill-towns of western Massachusetts during the same period.

In drawing up these tables it has been necessary to define the term "settler." In this discussion a settler has been taken as the head of a household, minor sons or sons unmarried at the time of migration, not being separately counted. Married sons, even if living with the father for a while are counted for separate families. In some cases where two or more brothers came without parents and became heads of households, they have been counted for separate families, as have also unattached men, whether they became heads of households or not.

In Table II the families have been divided into two groups, those which became permanent residents, and those which moved on to other towns, within a few years. A little study will show that not only did the state of Connecticut furnish more than

Table Iii

The above table is a compilation of men who left Middlefield during the first half century of the town's history. Men who were heads of households, or were of age when they moved away are included. This enumeration includes natives of the town as well as those who came from outside, previous to the year 1840.

Table Iv

The figures for the years up to and including 1810 show the town to have been a region of scattered farms previous to 1820. The Center began to grow by 1820 but was not in its prime until 1850-60. Factory Village had its boom period 1850-60. The "Switch" began in 1840 and was at its best in 1870. The mark * under 1S40 indicates 1,031 persons of foreign extraction build¬ ing the Western Railroad, and living in the region of the "Switch" and Mt. Gobble. They were counted as separate from the regular population. Smith Hollow has not been listed as a village though this community had dreams of importance in the days of soapstone quarrying. From one family in 1800 it grew to six or more by 1840. What was really the first beginning of a village was the hamlet in the Pease District, of which Taylor's and Blossom ?s Tavern was the nucleus.

Growth And Decline Of Population In

SO FAR as we know the territory now comprising the town¬ ship of Middlefield contained no settled inhabitants np to 1768. In the next year the Taggarts settled in Prescott's Grant, and by 1775 there were probably a dozen families on the plateau to the east, numbering about sixty souls. In 1781-82 the petition for incorporation stated that "more than fifty families were then dwelling in the region. There were fiftyeights signers to that document. The first Federal Census, 1790, enumerated 608 residents, and a decade later the population reached its maximum of 877. This excludes the abnormal figures for 1840 when the normal resident population of the township was swelled to 1,717 by the presence, temporarily, of over one thousand persons of foreign birth who were engaged as laborers in building the Western Railway. With this exception, the population of Middlefield maintained a nearly constant average of about 720 souls during the fifty years from 1820 to 1870. But during the half-century which has elapsed since 1870, the popu¬ lation of Middlefield has declined at a more or less rapid rate, averaging about nine persons a year during that period.

Notes And Genealogies Of Pioneer Families

IN PREPARING this section of the Appendix to the history of Middlefield, the authors have had in view several ob¬ jectives. In the first place they have endeavored to trace each family to the town from which it emigrated to Middlefield, and if possible^ to discover its lineage back to its emigrant ancestor. In the second place they have aimed to present some¬ thing concerning the members of the family, how and where they lived in town, what public service they rendered and what social and religious connections they made, as well as the bare vital statistics. They have further tried to find at least the names of the places to which the family or its members moved upon leaving town, so that anyone interested in tracing family con¬ nections might be assisted in gaining further data elsewhere.

It has been the authors' desire not to duplicate to any extent information already in print in existing histories and gene¬ alogies, but to supplement them with information dealing par¬ ticularly with the doings of the family while in Middlefield, data which is sadly lacking in many genealogies. Many references to genealogies and local histories have been made where further information may be found.

The authors do not claim that this genealogical section is complete. The names of many families have had to be omitted, some because information concerning them was not available, others because time and opportunity have not permitted further research. The list of families includes particularly those of the early settlers and their descendants, though certain families of prominence which came to town in later years have been added.

In studying this data the following points should be kept in mind. For brevity's sake several abbreviations have been used which will be explained below. Dates have been expressed in the familiar numerals, three numbers showing month, day and year, respectively, in the order given; e. g. 7-6-1823 meaning July 6,

1823. Where the name of a town is given without being followed by the name of the state in which it is located, the state of Massachusetts is to be understood. This should be particularly kept in mind in the case of Washington, which is a township bounding Middlefield on the west, and no reference to Washing¬ ton, I). C., is meant unless D. C. is appended.

The names of Richard Abbe and Thomas Abbe appear upon the Pet. Inc. 1781. They were probably sons of Richard Abbe of Enfield, Conn., who were living in Partridgefield when it was proposed to cede a portion of the southern section to make a new township to the south. They did not live in Middlefield. The cellar of an Abbe house is found in what used to be called the "Upper Lot" of the Samuel Smith farm, north of the Rob¬ bins farm.

Alderman

Alderman, Daniel, probably a grandson of 'William Alderman, the first, of the name in Conn, who d. at Simsbury, 1697. Daniel was b. abt. 1735, probably in Granby, Conn., where he m. Thankful Griffin. He d. before 1790. Soon after that date his widow moved to Mid. with her children where her eldest dau. was living; she m. 2nd in Chester 5-9-1792 Benjamin Phelps, of Mid. and d. there 12-17-1835, aged 98.

He moved from Granby to Mid. about 1799. He was liv¬ ing near the Babcock Lot in 1800, near the Chester line. Later he lived in a house which stood south of the dwelling of Henry Pease, on the same side of the highway. His widow, and his son-in-law, Samuel Ingham lived there for manv vears.

Pam. 2. Daniel Alderman, son of Daniel2 and Clarissa (Hol¬ comb) Alderman, was 1). Granby, Conn. 1-20-1799; d. Mid. 11-11-1885, m. (int) 4-13-1823, Electa, clan. Daniel and Electa Wardwell) Root of Mid. (See Root Fam.) He lived first at his father's place but later at farms owned since by

Electa, b. 4-25-1831 ; m. Andrew M. Combs. Lived in Albany. William, b. 1-3-1837; d. 8-28-1910. m. 11-17-1866, Anna E. Hapgood. He lived for some years in Mid. in the 1 1 Gulf ' ' at the Eliakim Root place. He moved to W. Springfield in 1884, where he lived until his death. He was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting at Greenfield.

Pam. 3. Daniel Alderman, son of Daniel3 and Electa (Root) Alderman, was b. Mid. 3-11-1828; d. Mid. 10-6-1895; m. 4-29-1863, Sarah Jane, dan. of Jacob and Sarah Ann (Hazelton) Hawes who was b. 10-16-1840. He was a suc¬ cessful farmer and a citizen prominent in public affairs in Mid. He was selectman in 1883. He used to sing tenor in the choir of the Baptist Church.

nic Institute in 1892. He is a civil engineer in the employ of the War Dept. Washington, D. C. Edwin H., b. 8-4-1870. See Fam. 4) George D., b. 10-25-1872; m. 10-11- 1898, Bessie M. Chamberlain. He was graduated from the Worces¬ ter Polytechnic Institute in 1896.

He is an assistant head draughts- Anna E., b. Mid. 7-14-1877. Lives man for the United Shoe Ma- in Springfield, chinery Co. at Beverly, Mass.

Fam. 4. Edwin H. Alderman, son of Daniel4 and Sarah Jane (Hawes) Alderman, was b. Mid. 8-4-1870; m. 6-9-1896 Rosie May Jones. He was graduated from the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst in 1894. He is a progres¬ sive and successful farmer on the farm early owned by Ebenezer Selden and Solomon Root, He is prominent in local affairs, serving as selectman 1912-16 and 1921-24. Both Mr. and Mrs. Alderman are prominent in the Middlefield Church.

Fam. 5. Romeo Alderman, son of Daniel2 and Clarissa (Hol¬ comb) Alderman, was b. Mid, 9-26-1808; d. 4-12-1879; m. 11-29-1831, Maria, dan. of Erastus John and Vesta (Dick¬ son) Ingham, of Mid. He lived in Mid., in Worthington on the Thomas Bryan Farm, also at Bancroft, Otis, Chester, and last in Becket.

Harvey Alderman, sometimes called "Hervey, " possibly an older brother of Daniel, came from Granby, Conn, to Chester in 1817. He was living in Mid. in 1820, but had returned to Granby by 1842. He m. Sally Holcomb, of East Granby, and had a son, Solomon F.

Daniel Truman Alderman, son of Epaphras Alderman was b. Granby, Conn. 12-22-1786. He was living in Mid. in 1810. Moved to Chester in 1813 where he bought land together with Epaphras and Harvey Alderman ? of Granby, Conn.

Allen

Allen, Timothy, (Noah,5 Joseph,4 Samuel,3 John,2 Samuel1) son of Noah Allen of E. Windsor, Conn., was b. E. Windsor, 11-25-1759 ; m. E. Windsor, 9-21-1780, Peggy, dau. John and Miriam (Harper) Shaw, both of Westfield. He was a soldier in the Rev. War. As early as August, 1781 he was living on lot 219, Worthington, which he had purchased of Timothy McElwain. His house was the dwelling which Captain Babson rebuilt into the cottage now owned by Dwight McElwain. Allen was Town Clerk of Mid. in 1785, and on the school committee 1802 and 1804. He joined the Cong. Ch. in 1792 and was among those signing a petition against calling Mr. Thompson in 1785. The Allens moved to Westfield, to a church in which place Mr. Allen was granted a letter of dismission in 1810.

Arms

Arms, Thomas, m. in 1773 in Worthington, Martha " Roads, " probably dan. of John Rhoads. Was a signer of the Pet. Inc. and probably lived in the Den region.

Babcock

Benjamin Babcock, son of James1 and Mary Babcock, was b. about 1697, d. Coventry, Conn. 2-28-1751; m. Coventry, 2-10-1729, Mary Long. Settled in Coventry 1709-11. Their son, Ebenezer was founder of the Mid. family of Babcock.

Ebenezer Babcock, son of Benjamin2 and Mary (Long) Bab¬ cock was b. Coventry, 1-17-1730; m. Coventry, 8-26-1754 Hannah Preston. Ebenezer Babcock bought of John Jones in 1779, 50 acres, a part of Lot 41 II Div. Mur. now known as the " Babcock Lot," on the west side of Collins Hill. Here he built his house which was the home of the Babcocks for a generation. Pet. Inc. 1781. Was taxpayer in Mur. 11-13-1782. His minister tax rates were abated 4-7-1788, from the time he joined the Baptist Church in Chesterfield, 9-18-1785. Cen. 1790. He signed a petition in 1790 for per¬ mission to pay his taxes for public worship to Rev. Eleazer Rhodes, of the Baptist persuasion. Moved away from Mid. before 1799.

Fam. 1. Benjamin Babcock, s. Ebenezer3 and Hannah (Pres¬ ton) Babcock, b. Coventry, 1-22-1755, m. 1st Coventry 1-13-1773, Julia Judd, m. 2nd (int) 9-20-1792 Hannah Hais of Russell, Mass. Moved to Murrayfield sometime between Sept. 1774 and Sept. 1777, and to Mid. before 1790. Cen. 1790. He was among the people warned to leave town within fifteen days on June 20, 1791. He was living on the "Babcock Lot'7 judging from a school tax list of 1796. Moved away before 1799.

Fam. 2. Daniel Babcock, s. Ebenezer3 and Hannah (Preston) Babcock, b. Coventry, 1 0-9-1756 ; m. 12-4-1787 Zereptha (int. Jerusha) dau. Nathaniel and Chloe (Brooks) Taylor of West Springfield, b. 1765, d. 9-30-1828. (Nathaniel Taylor was brother of Samuel Taylor, early Mid. settler). He was in Murrayfield, living in the "Babcock Lot" as early as 1779. Pet. Inc. 1782. He was among the signers of the petition remonstrating against the town's action in calling Rev. Mr. Thompson in 1785. By 1790 he had moved into the Becket section living at "Ashdod" on the south road to Becket. Pw. 26-1792. In 1796 he bought of Alpheus Streeter Lot 36 III Div. Beck. In 1799 he Avas permitted with others of his neighbors to join a school district in Wash¬ ington. He signed a petition, dated May, 1805, asking for permission for the Methodists of Mid. to join with Metho¬ dists of Pittsfield, Dalton, Hinsdale and Washington. In 1806 he sold his farm and moved to Mina, N. Y. He was a

Pam. 3. Nathaniel Babcock, s. Ebenezer3 and Hannah (Pres¬ ton) Babcock, b. Coventry, 3-26-1765. He lived on the "Babcock Lot." His name appears upon the petition of the Baptists, dated 1790. A Nathaniel Babcock of Westfield m. Hannah Wav dau. John and Mehitable Coats of Mid. 1-6- 1803. He was a soldier in Rev. War.

Fam. 4. George Babcock, s, Daniel4 and Jerusha (Taylor) Babcock, b. Mid. 4-27-1797. Went with his father in 1806 to Mina, N. Y. In 1850 he went west and following the ex¬ ample of his brother, Dolphus, joined the Mormons. He went to California where his wife died. Shortly afterward he returned to Utah and m. Catherine Anderson. Had three children, George, Rozilla, and Rufus, all of whom are mar¬ ried and have large families.

Pam. 5. Rodolphus Babcock, s. Daniel4 and Jerusha (Taylor) Babcock, b. Mid. 2-26-1800 ; d. Spanish Fork, Utah, 3-15- 1872; m. Mina, N. Y. 1821, Jerusha Rowley who d. Salt Lake City, Sept. 1850. He moved with his father to Mina, N. Y. in 1806. In 1817 lie took up some land there built a cabin and kept "Batchelor's Misery" until he married four years later. About 1832 he joined the Mormons and moved to Jackson Co., Mo. Driven from there he moved to Han¬ cock Co., Ill. moved in 1847 to Winter quarters, Nebraska, joining the great Mormon migration under Brigham Young in the spring of that year arriving in Salt Lake Valley in October. Went to California and found gold in 1849. Lived later at Plymira and Spanish Fork, Utah.

Lorenzo, b. Min a, 12-22-1823. Served in Mexican war in the ' ' Mormon Battalion " w li i c li crossed the plains to Calif, in 1847. Married.

Albern, 1). Hancock Co., Ill. 1-28- 1840. m. Hannah King of Span¬ ish Fork Utah, and lived there in old Babcock homestead where their son, A. Rowley Babcock was born. Moved in 1906 to Lost River, Utah.

Ball

Ball, Julius. A native of Windsor, was living in Mid. between 1820 and 1830. He was not a permanent resident, but used to visit his sister, Mrs. Abel Cheeseman, who lived in the old house near the Peru line. He was a tin peddler by trade and died in No. Adams of typhoid fever in his early manhood. He was brother of Jotham King Ball and Mary Ball (Mrs. Abel Cheeseman). The father of Marv Ball is

Julius King Ball had a daughter, Olive Miranda, b. Adams, 4-14- 1829 ; m. 12-7-1848, E d w a r d Thompson Bottum, son of David and Lucy Bottum, b. 3-6-1825 ; d. Mid. 10-16-1884. He used to keep Church's boarding house in Factory Village where he moved in 1869. In 1874 he bought the house in the Center, now owned by Mrs. Abbe, where his widow lived until 1900, when she moved to Suffield, Conn.

Pam. 1. Moses Barnes, a son of Nathan1 and Martha (Hay¬ ward) Barnes, was b. Brookfield, 11-20-1771; d. Becket, 3-13-1813; m. 11-20-1792 Rachel Haskins, who d. Becket, 8-18-1841. He lived at "Ashdod" just over the Becket line. He attended the church in Mid. for he was assigned to Pew 27 in the meetinghouse in 1794, and was on the Minister Tax list for 1799. His farm was lot 65 III Div. Becket. He was permitted to be included in a school district in the town of Washington because he lived close to the Washing¬ ton line.

Bartholomew

Bartholomew, Elijah, (Samuel,4 Joseph,3 William,2 William1) son of Samuel and Hannah Bartholomew, of Woodstock, and Saybrook, Conn., was b. abt. 1758. Was probably the man of this name who served in the Patriot Army from Hebron, Conn. He is said to have come to Mid. in Nov. 1787, and probably worked for Ebenezer Selden at the Blossom Tavern. He took title to this property in 1791, opening a public house and taking out a license to retail spirituous liquors. His intention of marriage to Sarah Alderman, of Simsbury, Conn., was published 4-14-1792. He died prev¬ ious to 5-1-1792, when Aaron Gillett was appointed adminis¬ trator of his estate.

Bartlett

Olive Rowel at Windsor, Conn., Bloomfield Parish, 4-29- 1772. His wife was probably the same as Olive Rowley, b. Windsor, Conn. 1-1-1749, dau. Daniel and Eunice (Loomis) Rowley. Bartlett was in Chester as late as 1788, being men¬ tioned in a road survey there that year. He must have been living in Mid. by 1791 as he opened an account with Oliver Blush that year. He was assigned to Pew 25 in the meeting¬ house in 1792, was assigned to the West School District in 1794, and was on the Minister Tax list for 1799. He lived in Blush Hollow on lot 31 III Div. Becket, probably at the Uriel Cone place. His dau. Olive d. Mid. 2-9-1799.

purchased of Levi Dunham, of Glastonbury, Conn. Lot 21, III Div. Becket. He lived in 1783 on the old road south from the top of Johnnycake Hill, west side, a few rods north of where the road turns west toward Walnut Hill. He was a constituent member of the Cong. Ch. 1783; was assigned to Pew 9 in Meetinghouse, 1792-94. He served on School Committee 1791. He sold out to Dan Pease in 1794 and moved away.

Bell

Bell, John Lindsey, (Samuel,3 Samuel,2 James1) (See McFar¬ land Gen.) son of Samuel3 and Olive (Lindsey) Bell was b. Chester, 8-10-1814; d. 9-11-1889; m. 6-16-1842, Emily, dau. John and Sally (Root) Spencer, who was b. Mid. 8-6-1814 and d. Mid. 4-24-1882.) He first lived in Mid. in the house formerly occupied by Sylvester Smith and more recently by his son, the late George S. Bell. At one time he lived at the Center where Mr. Mulcay lives (1924). Mr. Bell was promi¬ nent in the Methodist Church and in the public life of the town generally. He served as Town Treasurer, and was Justice of the Peace and Selectman for many years.

Fam. 1. George Selden Bell, son of John Lindsey4 and Emily (Spencer) Bell was b. Mid. 11-12-1844; d. Mid. 4-4-1911; m. 11-16-1870, Harriet Adelaide, dau. James and Laura (Bell) Quigley, of Chester. Mr. Bell was for many years a prominent citizen of Mid. He occupied many offices of public trust and service which he filled with fidelity. He was active in the Methodist Church and in later years in the Congregational Church. At the time of his death he was deacon, clerk, treasurer, chorister and Sunday School teacher in the church, and treasurer of the Highland Agri¬ cultural Societv.

Bell, Simpson, b. Chester ,3-19-1779, son of William and Mar¬ garet Bell, m. 7-10-1801, Polly Gamwell in Chester, d. Washington, 8-6-1845. A Simpson Bell was living in Mid. as early as 1792. He was assigned to Pew 12 in the Meeting¬ house in 1792. He was enumerated in Census of 1810. He owned a part of Lot 40, II Div. and lot 52 I Div. Chester.

Benjamin

Benjamin, Asa, (James,5 Joseph,4 Joseph,3 Joseph,2 John1) son of James5 and Priscilla (Burton) Benjamin, was b. Preston, Conn., m. Worth. 1-4-1787, Polly Brumley. Was assigned to Pew 17 in Mid. Meetinghouse 1794. He served on School Committee that same year. He was in Mid. in 1800 living at the north end of Ridgepole Road, close to the Worth, line. Owned Lot 215 north. Worth. He was soldier in Rev. War.

Benjamin, Salah Barnard, brother of Asa was b. Preston, Conn, m. Worth. 2-3-1793, Anna Bromley. Was soldier in Rev. War. Came to Mid. about 1790, purchasing lot 214 Worth, which he sold later to Matthew Smith. He was assigned to Pew 22 in Meetinghouse, 1792. He had moved away before 1800. (See Benjamin Gen., Bailey's Conn. Mar¬ riages; Worthington Vital Records.)

Bissell, Israel, (Jeremiah,3 John,2 John1) son of Jeremiah Bis¬ sell, of East Windsor, Conn., was a soldier in the Rev. War, dying of camp distemper in 177G. His widow, Hannah, m. as his third wife, John Crane of Becket. The wedding took place at the home of one of his sons, being held in the barn, ten grand-children being present peeping out from hay¬ mows and from behind corn shocks. After her husband's death she returned to Mid. where she died 5-30-1799, aged 73.

Fam. 1. Israel Bissell, son of Israel4 and Hannah Bissell, was b. about 1752; d. Hinsdale, 10-24-1823; m. (int) 8-30- 1784, Lucy Handcock of Longmeadow. In 1782 he owned 260 acres of land in Murrayfield, east of the Center. He appears to have come to Middlefield about 1783, and is first mentioned in the town records in the following year. His farm was located on Lot 222, Worthington, being still known as the 11 Bissell Lot" which for many years was a part of the Matthew Smith farm. The cellar hole and well near the stone wall on the west side of the lot mark the site of the house. Bissell was assigned to Pew 16 in the meetinghouse in 1792. Between 1810 and 1820 he moved to Hinsdale. He was a soldier in the Rev, War, and was probably the Israel Bissell who distinguished himself by carrying the news of the Battle of Lexington, by horseback, from Boston to Philadelphia, in four days, a distance of 350 miles.

Fam. 2. Justus Bissell, son of Israel4 and Hannah Bissell, was b. 2-16-1759; d. 9-16-1832 at Aurora, Ohio, m. 12-20- 1779, Ann dan. Ebenezer and Ann (Barber) Blodgett, who was b. 3-2-1760; d. 1-24-1839. He came to Mid. from'East Windsor, Conn, about 1782. His first farm was 36 acres in the south end of lot 215 (south), Worthington. His house stood in what is now the "barn lot" of the Matthew Smith farm. Smith bought this lot and Bissell moved to the Becket section, his house being located on the old highway to Becket, opposite the barway into "Taylor's Pasture," where the West Hill road branches off running north to the Savery place. Bissell was a carpenter and framed the barn on the Solomon Ingham place, now the barn at the Dyer place. He served on the School Committee in 1796. In 1808 he moved to; Aurora, Ohio, and later to Bainbridge. He was a soldier in Rev. War. (See Twinsburg History and Gen., p. 224.)

Fam. 3. Robert Bissell, son of Israel4 and Hannah Bissell, was b. 1770, d. Aurora, Ohio, 1-20-1833. He came to Mid. with Justus Bissell and lived with him until his marriage, in March, 1796, 1o Thankful, dau. of Edward and Margaret (Dyer) Cheeseman, of Braintree. (See Cheeseman Fam.) Bissell acquired lots 51, 58 and 60, 5th Div. Becket. His house was probably the original one on the old Gamwell and Wheeler place east of Mr. Willis Graves' farm. He moved to Aurora, Ohio, 1806.

Samuel, b. 4-28-1797 ; d. Twinsburg, 3-26-1895; m. 1st, abt. 1824, Fanny P. Gaylord ; m. 2nd, Cyn¬ thia Sykes. (See Twinsburg Hist, and Gen. p. 224). Was grad¬ uated from Yale, 1823, Yale Sem. 1825; pastor Twinsburg, O. 1828- 1843 except 114 years when teach¬ ing and preaching at Edinburg ; founder and principal of Twins¬ burg Institute. In Twinsburg 's first century he was her most dis¬ tinguished and useful citizen. (See

Blossom

Blossom, Enos, (Thomas,3 John,4 Thomas,3 Peter,2 Thomas1 - See Barnstable Families - Swift) son of Thomas5 and Thank¬ ful (Paddock) Blossom, was b. Scituate, 8-18-1750; he was probably the Enos Blossom who m. June, 1772, Mary Ellis of Hebron, Conn. He moved to the North East Corner of Becket shortly before 1780. In 1781 he was chosen con¬ stable for Becket. In 1784 the town of Mid. held town meetings at the house of Enos Blossom, Innholder, which establishes the fact that he kept tavern. His house was the one where Arthur D. Pease now lives. Religious meet¬ ings were held there in 1785. His farm included parts of Lots 7, 10, and 11, III Div. Becket and part of Lot 40, II Div. Chester. He sold out to Ebenezer Selden and moved to Pittsfield about 1786.

Thomas Blossom, brother of Enos, was b. 3-11-1753; d. Mid. 11-25-1804; m. 11-7-1776, Mercy, dau. Captain Nathaniel and Pliebe (Lincoln) Sears; b. Yarmouth, 5-14-1756; d. Mid. 4-7-1813. He was living in the northeast corner of Becket early enough to sign the petition for incorporation, 1781. His first land was Lot 6, III Div. Becket, but by 1787 he had acquired a small part of lot 220 Worthington, and a few years later he had the southern part of lot 221. His house stood south of the highway near the fork in the road east of the Center still known as "Blossom Corner." He was first pound-keeper, and served on the school committee. The house was bought by Oliver Blush who rented it to Nelson Spencer for $10 a year. It was later owned by'Sardis Putnam, a shoemaker, who moved it to the Center, where it still stands, nearly opposite the Town Hall.

Blush (Blish), Benjamin, (Benjamin,4 Tristam,3 Joseph,2 Abraham1), son of Benjamin4 and Mary (Adams) Blish, was b. Colchester, Conn. 2-11-1753; cl. Mentor, Ohio, 3-11- 1825; m. 1774, Phebe, dau. of Abram and Phebe (Strong) Skinner, of Glastonbury, Conn, who was b. 1753; d. 10-5- 1844. Mr. Blish and his wife are both buried in the Blish Cemeterv in West Painesville, Ohio.

Benjamin Blish, after serving in the Rev. War for four years, moved to the region of Middlefield, settling first on Lot 19, 111 Div. Becket, located on the windswept summit of Johnnycake Hill. Not finding this a fertile farm he moved to the upper end of Ridgepole Road, Lots 214 and 198 Worthington. At the first town meeting in Mid. he was chosen fence viewer. In September, 1783, he was ap¬ pointed on a committee to find the proper place for the meetinghouse. In April, 1784, he and his uncle, Joseph Blush, were appointed on the school committee which founded the first public school established by the town. Benjamin Blish left Mid. for Ohio, in February, 1804, with his brother-in-law, Captain Abraham Skinner. They

Orrin, b. Mid. 4-8-1797 ; m. 8-20- 1818, Laura, dau. Parker and Dorcas, (Meach a m ) Fellows. Moved to Canandaigua, N. Y. and Chester, Geauga County, Ohio. He d. Willoughby, O. 1845. His wife d. 2-7-1846. They had a son. Henry C. a successful merchant in Cleveland, and a daughter, Laura, who m. Gen. Erastus N. Bates, a wholesale grocer of Chicago.

traveled on the snow to Buffalo, and on the ice of the lake the latter part of the way. Blish bought land and made some preparations for moving his family, returning in the fall to Mid. He moved 6-10-1805, leaving his oldest daugh¬ ter, the wife of Orris Clapp, his family consisting of him¬ self and his wife, six daughters, and two sons aged 21 and 12. They had great suffering and privations, illness from ague, and encountered bad roads and little food. One time Blish had to cut down a tree that the horses might get food off the foliage. They reached Erie July 16, and Painsville, Ohio, July 30. They lived with Esq. Merry until their house was finished in Dec. 1805, on land yet known as the Blish Farm in Mentor. There for twenty years lived Ben¬ jamin Blish, rejoicing, even amid the privations incident to a new settlement, that he had placed his children in a more desirable location than the Green Mountains of Massachu¬ setts, where his entire life had been one of severe labor and close economy, with no better outlook for them.

Blush (Blish), Joseph, (Tristam,3 Joseph,2 Abraham1) son of Tristam and Anne (Fuller) Blush was b. 12-1-1729, Col¬ chester, Conn.; d. Mid. 5-8-1788; m. 3-22-1753, Elizabeth, dau. Daniel and Elizabeth (Hitchcock) Skinner, b. 3-22-1733, Colchester; d. Mid. 7-3-1822 and was buried in old Mack Cemetery. She m. 2nd. 11-26-1792, Joseph Russ. (See Russ Family.) Joseph Blush was town collector in Bolton, Conn., 1771. He moved to Mid. about 1780 and was the first settler to build a house at the Center. The dwelling he erected in 1783, which served as a tavern for many years, is still standing. Town meeting was held here in 1785, the meetinghouse not having been built at that date. He was chosen warden in 1784. He and his wife were charter mem¬ bers of Cong. Ch. 1783. Joseph's sister, Mary, m. Joseph Skinner. (See Skinner Ham.)

Fam. 1. Oliver Blush, son of Joseph4 and Elizabeth (Skinner) Blush, was b. 3-28-1764; d. Mid. 7-18-1846; buried in Mack Cem. m. Chester, 6-1-1786, Sarah, dau. Elisha and Mary (Ellis) Mack, b. 7-6-1767; d. 7-10-1818. He m. 2nd. 12-20-1820, Mary, dau. Zechariah and Priscilla (Crampton) Field. Oliver Blush was for many years the keeper of the tavern at Mid. Center, and his house was a favorite stopping place for travelers. Blush was a jovial man, a good story teller and a popular landlord.

Fam. 2. Amasa Blush, son of Joseph4 and Elizabeth (Skinner) Blush, was b. 7-29-1766; d. Mid. 11-18-1835; m. 2-3-1802, Nancy, dau. Thomas and Elizabeth (Clark) Dnrant, b. abt. 1778; d. 10-15-1841. Amasa Blush was one of the founders of the manufacturing industries at Factory Village. About 1800 he bought the fulling mill which Moses Herrick had built, and operated it many years. He built a sawmill on the west side of Factory Brook about 1805, and also a new clothing mill for finishing custom work. In 1815 he erected a new factory, which stood just north of the " leaning elm tree," a structure 36 by 80 feet and three stories high. The manufacture of satinet and similar products from coarse wool was carried on in this plant in which his sons, William D. and Oliver, succeeded him about 1830.

Fam. 3. Oliver Bllsii, son of Amasa3 and Nancy (Durant) Blush was b. Mid. 9-18-1806; d. Chester 2-10-1877; m. Har¬ riet, dau. Capt. Joseph and Lovisa (Pease) Smith, b. 4-29-1805 ; d. Chester 5-2-1882. With his younger brother William he carried on the manufacture of satinet and doing custom work in cloth made of coarse wool, established by their father, Amasa Blush. After the withdrawal of Wil¬ liam Blush from the firm he ran the business alone for some years and after giving up the woolen business he had a grist mill in the old factory building built by his father. At one time he kept a small store in a small building across the road from his house. This building as well as the factory was totally demolished by the flood of 1874, and never re¬ built. He showed his interest in public institutions by pre¬ senting a large ornamental chandelier to the Congregational Church when it was repaired and decorated.

Fam. 4. Jerome Pitkin Blush, son of Oliver6 and Harriet (Smith) Blush, b. Mid. 6-19-1825. Carried on manufactur¬ ing of woolen goods with his father, and was also a farmer. At one time he manufactured thread. After the flood of 1874 he moved to Chester, where he died. He m. Angeline, dau. of Alanson Lathrop. She d. Springfield 1-14-1898.

Fam. 5. Charles Jerome Blush, son of Jerome7 and Angeline (Lathrop) Blush, b. in Mid. 8-3-1854. m. at Mid. 1-20-1883, Kate Dwyer Morrison, dau. of John and Eliza Morrison, d. Mid.

After learning the woolen manufacturing business in his father's factory, and sharing the partnership with his brother, Oliver, for some years after his father's death, Wil¬ liam D. Blush withdrew from the firm of 0. Blush & Co. and by 1840 had built a three story woolen factory near the site now occupied by the sawmill of Fred Boyer, where he car¬ ried on business under the firm name of William Blush & Co. About 1850 he rented his plant to Boise, Smith & Root who manufactured satinet until the factory was destroyed by fire in 1851. Mr. Blush never rebuilt his woolen factory but replaced it by a turning shop where he manufactured shafts, felloes and wooden wagon parts with considerable success until the plant was so seriously damaged by the flood of 1874 that the business was discontinued. After this Mr. Blush retired to his excellent farm where he devoted himself to the raising of fine stock. A certain Alderney bull he once owned was a splendid specimen equalled by few. Mr. Blush was a connoisseur of fine horses and the teams he drove were matters of pride to himself and to his neighbors. He was in¬ terested in all progressive work in the town. He was active in politics but declined to hold office. He was noted for his kindliness to the common people and for his innate hos¬ pitality. He was a member of the Congregational Church and a liberal contributor. Members of his family were prom¬ inent in the choir and other branches of church work.

Bolton, David. This man was one of the roving pioneers who stay but a short time in any one place sometimes making a clearing where lie has squatted upon unoccupied territory, or perhaps buying lots in tracts newly opened to settlement and living there until he has disposed of them to permanent settlers, and then moving elsewhere. Bolton belonged prob¬ ably to one of the Scotch-Irish families of that name and is said, by Copeland, to have come to Murrayfield from Blandforcl. A David Bolton's name appears on a petition of in¬ habitants living west of Sheffield and Stockbridge in 1759 asking for grants of land and military protection from the Indians. Being apparently dissatisfied with the quantity or quality of land received, he departed and appeared as a squatter in Murrayfield where in 1762 he was permitted to draw lots with other settlers. He was a voter in 1770 and a taxpayer in 1773. He served as a soldier in the Revolution.

In 1777 Bolton launched out into speculation in land, buy¬ ing of Joseph Church several lots in Prescott's Grant. He built a home and settled on Lot 11 I Div. E. in Prescott's Grant, about a quarter of a mile west of the Center near where Taylor's barn used to stand. Bolton apparently tried to give a name to the region for in 1779 he gave his residence as " Shady Grove, Berkshire." He signed the petition for incorporation in 1781 and was a charter member of the Cong. Church 1783. Selling out to Erastus Ingham in 1784 he left town and may have been the Bolton who was living in Rensselaer Co.3 N. Y., in 1790.

Booth

Booth, Simeon, (Caleb,4 William,3 Simeon,2 Robert1) son of Caleb4 Booth b. in Windsor, Conn. Simeon Booth sold two parcels of land in East Windsor, Conn., 1730. He came to Mid. abt. 1789. Lived first near farm of Mr. Sweeney, later near Cranberry Lodge, perhaps at the old Bissell Phelps place. In. 1795 Eton Booth deeded to his father Simeon, the improvements on Lot 215 north, near the upper end of Ridgepole Road where stands the " Booth barn" so called. Cen. 1800.

Booth, Ephraim, of East Windsor bought land there in 1772 and sold it in 1794. He bought Lots No. 8 I and II Divs. W. P. G. 1794 of Abel West. Sold same to Phineas Per-

Brown

Brown, Asa, of Hebron, Conn. m. Elizabeth Dunham May 1774. As early as 1778 he purchased Lots 4 and 13 III Div. Becket. His house stood on Lot 4 where there is a cellar hole west of the road to Harry Pease's arm, a short distance south of the dwelling until recently occupied by Frank Johnson. He signed Pet. Inc. 1781 Cong. Ch. 1783. Sold out to Elijah King. One Asa Brown was living in Worthington, Mass., in 1790.

Brown, Joseph. His name does not appear upon the census lists for Middlefield. In 1803 he bought of Charles Gilbert some 64 acres of land located in the south side of Lot No. 135 Worthington. The Brown farm and house were located in what is now wild land just north of the Den region, and is south or southeast of where the Gilbert house used to stand. An old road runs north into that region and remains of these places may be found. This road was laid out in 1804.

Bull

Bull, Seth, of Montgomery, Mass., purchased of David Carrier part of Lot 21 III Div. B. Tradition says his house stood where is a cellar hole some distance south of The Berkshire House. His name was on Oliver Blush's ledger accounts 1798-1804. M. T. 1799. Seth Bull m. Sally Selden 5-31- 1798. He was in Montgomery 1796-1800. One deed of land

Bush

Bush, Silas. Living on West Hill north of Benj. Eggleston Cen. 1800. M.T. 1799. Mav have been the Silas Bush b. Westfield 3-1-1748. s. Zechariah and Mary Bush.

Butler

Campbell, Robert, of Chester m. (int. 12-12-1785 Asenath dau. Malachi and Priscilla (Norcott) Loveland of Mid. Pw. 21-1794. He bought of William Graham the grist and saw¬ mill built by John Ford on Factory Brook and ran it after 1795. He moved to Pike, N. Y., and was living there in 1820.

Carrier

Carrier, David. Possibly from Colchester, Conn. First men¬ tioned in Mid. Town Records 1784. Cen. 1790. His children David, Dolly, Elias, Joseph, Polly, and Rebecca were bap. in 1793-4. Joined Cong. Ch. 1793. He must have been a fairly prominent citizen for he was one of the committee which wrestled unsuccessfuly with the problem of assigningseats in the meetinghouse in 1791-2. Pw. 11, 1792-4. Sch. Com. 1795. He lived where there is a cellar hole west of the highway to the Alderman farm, a quarter of a mile south of the road to The Berkshire. As a collector of taxes Carrier took the oath of allegiance after Shays 's Rebellion in 1788. He moved away before 1799.

Carter

Carter, John, heads one list of names on Pet. Inc. 1781. He was probably a non-resident owner of certain lands included in the incorporation of the new town.

Cary

The descendants of Dea. Joseph and Phebe (Mack) Cary are thus descendants of the emigrant ancestor of John Mack of Lyme, Conn., who was ancestor of many of the residents of Middlefield. ( See Mack family.)

Tripiiema, 1). Mansfield, 12-11-1763; m. John Starks, of Whatley. 9 chil. ; Moved to Thetford, Vt. Mercy, b. Williamsburg; m. Eliliu, bro. of Amasa Graves ; 8 chil.

enough to sign the Pet. Inc. 1781. His farm was located on the brow of the hill half a mile southwest of the Alderman farm, overlooking the Westfield River valley. Traces of the cellar of his house are still to be found. He owned Lots 27 and 29 in III Div. B. and 41, 52, 53 in V Div. His wife joined the Cong. Ch. 1792. Cary was a chaplain in the Rev. War. He moved to Ontario, N. Y., between 1794 and 1799.

Fam. 2. Abner Cary, son of Joseph4 and Phebe (Mack) Cary, b. Mansfield, 1-21 or 31, 1760. He is said to have married 4 times in Williamsburg. An Abner Cary of Williamsburg m. Annis Stebbins in Mid. 6-10-1807. An Abner Cary of Williamsburg m. Mid. 12-12-1814 Roxana Johnson. Moved to Dupage Co., Ill., where he d. 1845.

Chamberlain

Chamberlain, Edward, son of James and Elizabeth Chamber¬ lain, was b. in England. He m. in Albany, N. Y., in 1858 Ann, dan. of Joseph and Sarah Baker, who was b. in Lei¬ cestershire, Eng. He was a market-gardener in Albany. About 1871 he moved to Mid. and was living on the farm of Samuel Smith, Jr., at the head of the reservoir at the time of the flood of 1874. He then moved to the old Pelt on farm in the northern part of the town. He d. July 19, 1878, a. 60 yrs. His wife d. May 24, 1902, a. 70 yrs.

Chapin

Chapin, Abner. (Abner,5 Abner,4 Henry,3 Henry,2 Samuel1), son of Abner' and Rhoda (Kibbe) Chapin, (sister of Bildad Kibbe, pioneer in Mid.) b. Wilbraham, Mass., 1-12-1771 ; m. 5-30-1793, Polly Adams. She d. 1-10-1823 ae. 66 yrs. Some time in 1798 or 1799 Chapin moved from Wilbraham to Mid. M.T. 1799, Cen. 1800. Lived in S. W. Part of town in Taylors pasture or near "the Switch." Returned to Wilbraham after 1806.

Chapin, Moses A., b. in Somers, Ct., 11-28-1762, s. of Moses and Elizabeth (Dwight) Chapin. He m. Lucina Graves of Hatfield and had ten children b. in West Springfield, 1788- 1809. Was living near Orrin Millard in 1824 when the town voted a bridle path to his land from the Beeket high¬ way. He d. in West Springfield 3-11-1841.

Chapman

Chapman, Benjamin. Was probably the man who owned the mills built by John Ford as Chapman's mills are mentioned in records for 1784. M.T. 1799. (Written Chipman) Pw. 20, 1792. Left town before 1800.

Chapman, Daniel (Ichabod,4 Nathaniel,3 Nathaniel,2 Robert1) son of Ichabod4 and Hannah (Jones) Chapman } was b. 3-12- 1753; m. 1-5-1775, Lucy dau. John and Abiah (Phelps) Talcott, of Hebron, Conn. d. 11-23-1842. She was b. 11-10- 1755; d. 4-19-1809. She was sister of Mary Talcott who m. David Mack. Daniel Chapman of Hebron, Conn., leased in 1780 Lot 223, a school lot in the Worthington section. His house was near and possibly on the site of the dwelling of G. E. Cook. He signed the Pt. Inc. 1781. Was chosen town treasurer 1783-84; on committee to secure preaching 1783- 85; selectman 1785-90; on school committee 1794. He and his wife were charter members of Cong. Ch. 1783 and he was chosen deacon. He moved to Pittsfield, Mass., between 1794 and 1799. (See Cutter's "Connecticut Families.")

Cheeseman, Edward2 son of George and Jane (Duran) Cheeseman was b. Braintree 4-9-1726, d. 1776, m. 4-25-1752 Mar¬ garet Dyer. He served in Rev. War. Children:

Abel, b. 2-22-175S (see Fam. 3) Rhoda, b. 3-15-1760 m. - Bills. Calvin, b. 11-12-1764. Had contract to furnish provisions to Garrison at Pittsfield, War 1812. Thankful, 1). Braintree 8-7-1769 m. Mar. 1796 Robert Bissell. By the death of her father in Rev. War the family of nine children was scattered. Thankful at age of six found home in the family of

Edward b. 1775. moved to Richfield Springs, N. Y. where he was an early settler. Kept store at Federal Corners and manufactured 11 Cheeseman Arabian Balsam. " (1. 8-18-1840.

Fam. 1. Anson Cheeseman, son Edward2 and Margaret (Dyer) Cheeseman, It. 7-14-1752, d. abt. 1813, m. 1774, Elizabeth dan. Joseph and Phebe (Mack) Cary. He moved into the Becket Section 1781. Pt. Inc. 1781. He was the first tithingman elected in Mid. Cong. Ch. 1783. Had 11 children. Moved to Pittsfield in 1790 and was in Benson, Yt., in 1793. He was soldier in Rev. AYar.

Fam. 2. Benjamin Cheeseman, son Edward2 and Margaret (Dyer) Cheeseman, b. Braintree, 9-20-1756, m. Sarah Howe. Came to Mid. about 1781. Pt. Inc. 1781. He lived some¬ where on the south side of Walnut Hill in a spot known as ' ' Cheeseman ?s Hollow." Moved to Nelson, N. Y., his letter of dismission from the Church being dated 1811. Cen. 1790-1800.

Fam. 3. Abel Cheeseman, son Edward2 and Margaret (Dyer) Cheeseman, b. Braintree, 2-22-1758, m. 1780 Mary dan. Elisha and Sarah (Blossom) Mack. (See Mack Gen. p. 446) d. Becket 5-15-1826. Pt. Inc. 1781. Served several enlist¬ ments in Rev. War. Lived a while in Mid. on Walnut Hill. Cen. 1810. Moved to Becket. In Pittsfield 1790. Among their children were :

Fam. 4. Abel Cheeseman, son AbeP and Mary (Mack) Cheese¬ man, b. 1-29-1792 ; d. Mid. 3-26-1877 ; m. 1st Polly, clan. Jno. Ball of Windsor. (See Mack Gen. p. 492. He lived for many years at Factory Village where he was watchman at S. U. Church and Brothers, Lower Mill.

Church

Church. All the Middlefield families by the name of Church, with the exception of Walter Church family, are descendants of Richard Church, the emigrant ancestor, 1630, who was one of the early settlers in Hartford, Conn. (See Judd's History of Hadley.)

Samuel Church, son of Richard1 and Ann Church, b. Hartford, 1638, d. Hadley, Mass. 4-13-1684; m. Mary, dau. Josiah and Elizabeth (Foot) Churchill of Wethersfield, Conn. She d. 1690. He was made freeman of Conn., 1657. Moved to

Fam. 3. Elihu Church, son of John4 and Lydia (Chapman) Church, b. E. Haddam, 2-11-1756; m. 6-26-1786, Lydia dan. of Charles and Lydia (Taft) Sheldon, of Mendon, b. Somers, Conn., 6-18-1742. She was sister of Ephraim Shel¬ don, the Mid. pioneer, (See Sheldon Family). He pur¬ chased lots 9 in I and II Divs. W.P.G., where he settled in 1783. His house was probably on the site of the " brick house" later occupied by Benjamin Eggleston, which stood on the West Hill, east of the road, a quarter of a mile north of the farm of Mr. Drozd. Was elected surveyor of high¬ ways, 1787, collector of highway rates, 1787. Sch. Com. 1790. Sold his farm to Benjamin Eggleston, 1790, and moved to Wash, where he was enumerated in Cen. 1790.

Fam. 5. William Church, son of Capt. William4 and Hannah (Fuller) Church, bap. E. Haddam, 8-25-1745; d. Mid. 3-16- 1818, m. 1769-70, Susannah, dau. Green and Elizabeth (Stewart) Hungerford, b. 1745, cl. 3-12-1808. He was a tall well formed man of good disposition and habits. Like many of the Churches he was a carpenter by trade. Just before the Rev. War, 1773, he purchased eight lots of land in Prescott's Grant (No. 12 I Div. E ; No. 2, 6 and 12 in II Div. E ; No. 11 in I and II Divs. W.) After the war he moved to Mid. about 1783, settled on his I Div. lot No. 12 a' third of a mile west of the Center. His dwelling built in 1787 stood on the west side of the road which turns south a short distance from its junction with the road leading to Blush Hollow. As carpenter Church had a shop across the road from his house and also a sawmill located on Factory Brook, probably the one later owned by the Church brothers. Among the buildings of his handiwork was the meetinghouse for which he was master builder. He worked for some years in the U. S. Armory at Springfield stocking guns as he had done before coming to town. He and his sons were staunch Whigs, voting in town meeting with a minority of six to support the government in the war of 1812. He was a selectman in 1786.

5-10-1803, Nancy, dau. Janies and Margaret (Gaston) Dickson. (See Dickson Fam.) Lived on West Hid opposite the house later built for him by Green Church now owned by Mr. Drozd.

Fam. 6. Green Hungerford Church, son of William5 and Susannah (Hungerford) Church, was 1). E. Haddam, Conn., 1771; d. Mid. 1-29-1848; m. 1st Westfield, 10-13-1793, Dorinda Squires. She d. 8-27-1799, ae. 27. He m. 2nd 7-10-1801, Alice, dau. Thomas and Ann Root. (See Root Family). She d. 10-8-1821; he m. 3rd 7-10-1822, Mrs. Hannah (Root) Stacy, of Wilbraham. She d. Rockland, Pa. Sept. 1866. He was a man of good character, intelligent. He was a carpenter by trade and followed his father on the farm. He represented the town in the General Court, 1835-37, and held many town offices during his life.

Fam. 7. Jefferson Church, son of Green Hungerford0 and Alice (Root) Church, was b. Mid. 10-21-1802, d. 4-12-1885, m. 1st 5-31-1 826, Betsey, dau. Joseph and Polly (Clark) Little who d. 11-8-1846. He m. 2nd 12-18-1850, Eliza Houpt of Utica, N. Y. She d. at Freeport, Ill. He graduated as a physician from the Pittsfield Medical College in 1825. He began practice in Peru in 1826 and a year later moved to Springfield. In company with Dr. Seeger he edited and published "Talley's Materia Medica. " He identified him¬ self with the anti-slavery cause, which action, in the early years of its agitation made him very unpopular with the people and the religious element of that town. He stood almost alone in this position and firmly bore the brunt of many attacks from pulpit and press. His house was always open to those who sympathized with the cause against slavery and many of the leaders of the movement made his house their headquarters. He was an intimate friend of John Brown, who visited him in Springfield in 1846. They agreed on the heniousness of slavery; but while Brown was for open fight, the doctor grew to be a strong Wendel Phil¬ lips sort of an Abolitionist. He was always a friend to the oppressed, and many of them through his generosity found their way to Canada by the underground road.

Pam. 9. Franklin Church, son of Green Hunger ford0 and Alice (Root) Church, was b. Mid. 9-1-1808, m. 12-13-1838, Angeline D. dau. of Luther and Lydia (Ring) Higgins of Worth. He d. 8-29-1843. His widow m. 2nd H. W. Shaw of Plainfield. Moved to New York City, where he d. 7-9- 1889. His widow resided in Newton Center.

Franklin Church was a carpenter by trade. He was a popular teacher in district schools, where he used to teach in winter months. He was a skilled penman, his writing being beautiful, almost equal to copper plate engraving. This much respected, amiable but retiring man died at the early age of 35.

Henry Franklin, b. Mid. 9-8-1839. d. 1924. He was a printer by trade and lived in Boston. He did much research in geneaology and we are indebted to him for much

Fam. 10. Warren Church, son of William5 and Susannah (Hungerford) Church, was b. E. Haddam, 1774, d. Springfield, 9-2-1819, m. Anna Dorman of Ludlow. She m. 2nd 12-10-1835, Jerry Cadwell, d. 8-24-1850 in Beeket. He was a carpenter by trade. Moved to Springfield and was einploved in the Armory. Was a charter member and officer of the Morning Star Chapter, R.A.M. ; he was also charter member of the Springfield Council of Royal and Select Masters. He was buried with Masonic honors.

Fam. 11. Ambrose Church, son of William5 and Susannah (Hungerford) Church, was b. E. Haddam abt. 1776, d. Illi¬ nois, m. 11-30-1798, Phebe Brainard of E. Haddam. She d. in Canandaigua, N. Y. He was a carpenter and built the house of Deacon Leonard, a quarter of a mile south of the Church homestead. He was something of a machinist, and millwright and made most of the machinery used in the early woolen mills of the Churches. He moved to Lebanon Springs, N. Y., where he kept a public house a number of years. Thence he moved to Canandaigua, N. Y., where he and his sons built some of the finest houses in the town. He built and owned the first planing mill there. He was of a roving disposition. Had served in Rev. War. Went to Canada; returned to Mid. before going to New York State. He was a mechanic and tinkered with everything, even hav¬ ing a perpetual motion machine at one time. After the death of his wife he went to Austinburg, Ohio, where his sister Anne lived, and from there to Illinois, where his sister Millicent Bissell lived.

Fam. 12. Uriah Church, son of William4 and Hannah (Fuller) Church, bap. E. Haddam, 5-11-1755; d. Mid. 4-10-1832, ae. 77. He m. Phebe Dickson, dau. James and Margaret (Gaston) Dickson, who was b. 11-23-1763, cl. Mid. 3-2-1819. He moved to Mid. about 1784. In 1792 he bought lot 7, II Div. E. Prescott's Grant, of Geo. Griffin and in 1794 he bought lots 2 and 6 in the same division, from his brother William. He was a soldier in the Rev. War. His home was the house a mile north of the Center, now owned by Mr. Gardner.

in the woolen manufacturing business, establishing the firm of U. Church and Sons at Factory Village, manufacturing the famous "Mountain Mills Gold Band" broadcloth. In his younger days he taught district school. Lyman Coleman, a man of broad education, once remarked that Uriah Church was the best teacher he ever had. Mr. Church was Justice of the Peace, a student of the Revised Statutes and well versed in law questions as well as in the politics of the day. He represented the town in the General Court in 1845.