History of
TOWN OF
By Herbert F Keith, C E, Chapter XIII, Pgs 226-230
Transcribed by Michele Valenzano
LOCATED in the extreme southwest corner of
Between these two ranges, which form the
boundaries of the town, there is an elevated area from two or three miles in
width, from east to west, and seven in length, from north to south. This town
among the clouds, as it were, is not only rich in picturesque scenery, but has
an eventful and interesting history. Its location and height of 1,000 feet
above the neighboring towns place it in a disadvantageous position as a
business center, but as a popular summer resort no town in
Its business is wholly agricultural, and the
keeping of summer boarders. Many of the farmers are far better off than would
be expected in such a location.
Who was the first white settler, when he came, and where he was located, are now lost in obscurity; but there is good evidence that several families were living here as early as 1730, if not earlier, for settlements were begun in the adjoining town of Salisbury in 1720, and the Dutch from New York had already pushed their settlements into the Housatonic Valley. In the report to the Massachusetts Legislature of a committee in 1753, in a list of settlers then living west of Sheffield, with a statement of their improvements, time of occupation, etc., are found the following names, most of whom, if not all, were residents on this mountain:
The number of years of occupation previous to 1753, given
by these persons over 130 years ago, indicate a much earlier settlement than is
generally supposed; but when we consider the adventurous spirit of our
ancestors, the proximity of this territory to the early settlements along the
Hudson River Valley, its natural facilities for protection and isolation from
the Indians, who were generally more numerous in the Housatonic Valley, it is
not improbable that the earliest settlements of Berkshire County were within
its limits.
About this time, 1752, we find abundant
evidence of settlements from the voluminous correspondence and petitions of
these and other inhabitants to the Massachusetts government on the one hand,
and of Robert Livingston to the government of New York, and the correspondence
between the two governments in relation to a continual border war that existed
between them and Mr. Robert Livingston for many years thereafter: Livingston’s
grant from the governor of
During these title and boundary disputes, the
line between the States of Massachusetts and New York not then having been
established, many men were carried to the jails at Albany and Springfield by
the respective disputants, and one William
Race was shot dead by the Livingston party, April 14th, 1753, in
the easterly part of the town, probably near Race Mountain, which may have
taken its name from him.
May 7th, 1757, Livingston’s party
burned and destroyed the houses of Jonathan
Darby, Andrew Race, Christian Hallenbeck, Christopher and Henry Brazee, and Simon Burton, who fled
to the
November 27th, 1753, the following
petition was presented to the General Court:
“Petition praying that your honors in your great wisdom
and in your wonted goodness, would be pleased for to setel us in our
possessions, or, if not, for to make a Grant of land to us in a place to the
east of Taghknack (Columbia County) and to the west of Sheffield, to wit in the
mountain, where there is a valley of land lying between two great mountains,
and may contain a few famileys, even to that number as to make a small parish:
but it will cost a great deal of time to make a road in to the mountain on both
sides, or to deal with your poor subjects as in your great wisdom and wonted
goodness shall think fitt, and we your poor petitioners, as in duty bound shall
ever pray.
- Josiah Loomis,
George Robinson, Jan Hollenback, Jacob Loomis, Joseph Oricutt, Michael
Hollenback.”
This petition was not granted.
March 15, 1757, Benjamin Kaukewenakonaunt, sachem,
and Mauhauwee Hunter, both of
Stockbridge, in consideration of £261 New York money, in hand paid, conveyed to
seventy-nine persons, residents of Mount Washington and the adjoining towns,
“one certain large tract of land, situate and being within the county aforesaid,
bounding south on the south bound line of the said Province; north on a line
drawn parallel to said line seven miles distant from said province line, which
is on the township sold to Robert Noble
and others; in part east on the great mountain called Taconock Mountain (that
is the steep mountain); west on a line to be drawn parallel to Hudson River, at
twelve miles distant from said river, & c.” of these seventy-nine
purchasers the following appear to have been residents at the time of the purchase,
viz.” Christopher and Henry Brasie,
Simon Barten (or Barton), Jonathan Darby, Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster,
Michael and John Halenbach, father and son, Christian Halenbach, Jacob and
Josiah Loomis, Joseph Paine, George Robinson, Andries or Andrew Race, William
Race. jr., Elezer Stockwell, Jacob Van Gilder, James Van Deusen, Thomas
Wollcot, Simon Willard, William Webb.
In a tax list of Egremont, of 1761 (with
which Mount Washington voted previous to its incorporation), the following
names are given as mountain men: Nathan
Benjamin, Joseph Benedict, Francis Belud, John Dibble, James H Dosser, Jacob
Fosbrey, Samuel Griffin, Silas Howard, Charles Miller, David McQuire, Nathan
McQuire, Ruben McQuire, Benjamin Osborn, Joseph Osborn, Jonathan Ozbon, widow Shaw,
Philip Welch, Thomas Wolcut, John Wright. This indicates a considerable
change in ownership in four years, but when we consider that the former change
in residents were pioneers or squatters, that the lands were first surveyed
into lots in 1759-60, and assigned to residents, and that the houses of many of
the first named had just been burned and pulled down by the Livingston party,
it is not improbable.
In 1757 the proprietorship was organized by
the choice of Jonathan Darby as
clerk, which office he held for ten years or more. He probably lived some three
quarters of a mile north of Sky Farm, as he sold a lot there in 1764, and
removed farther down the mountain into Egremont.
Most of the roads now in use, with slight
changes, were laid out as early as 1760, with the exception of the Bashabish
and one or two cross roads. An old road, now impassable, from the Lee place,
now P C Garrett’s, on the west side of Plantin Pond, to Bear’s Rock, was in use
as early as 1780. They were all originally laid out four rods wide, but were
reduced to three in 1820, with the exception of that from Bear Rock to the
The early town records, and probably the
first proprietor’s book were destroyed at the burning of the town clerk’s house
some twenty years since.
November 5, 1778, the first recorded meeting
in the second proprietor’s book was held at the house of Stephen Bump, which stood near the boarding house of Henry P Weaver. At this meeting “John Dibble was chosen moderator; John Hulett, proprietor’s clerk; and Captain John King and Peter Woodin a committee to receive the
money of the proprietors, and apply it to the General Court to secure the lands
to the proprietors, or to employ some trusty hand to do the service for them.
Voted to call the place
At a meeting March 1st, 1779, at
the vacant house of Mr. Samuel Dibble,
“Lieut.
John Dibble was chosen moderator, Mr.
Samuel Dibble, clerk; Charles
Patterson, Capt. John King, Mr. Wm. Campbell, and Sergt. John Woodin a com. To take care of the minister and school
lots, clear them from incumbrances, let them out and oversee the undivided
lands; and Lieut. John Dibble, Chas.
Patterson, and Capt. Robert Campbell
a com to assist John King and Peter Woodin chosen at the last
meeting.”
These two meetings were just previous to its
incorporation as a town June 21st, 1779.
Of the doings of
the town from its incorporation to 1796 but little is known, as the town
records embracing that interval were lost. Charles
Patterson was the first town clerk, and the town furnished soldiers for the
Revolutionary war. Colonel Elisha
Sheldon, a distinguished cavalry officer of that war, was a land owner from
1760 to 1788, and possibly a resident of the town.
Previous to 1806 the inhabitants appeared to
have held their meetings at private houses, school house; and barns. Rev. Benjamin Abbott, a Methodist
preacher, said that in 1789 he preached at Esquire
King’s to a fine congregation, considering the place, and had a precious
time. Rev. John Culver, in 1791,
preached there frequently in dwellings, school house, and barns, and in 1801
the noted Lorenzo Dow preached
there.
April 7th, 1806, the town voted “to build a meeting house 24 by 30 feet.”
And chose “Fenner King, David Booth,
and William Lee a committee to
oversee the work, and that they proceed to build this spring, and that said
house be free for all religious sects no intruding upon each other’s
appointments.” At a subsequent meeting $284 were appropriated for the
building, and it was used September 6hth, 1806, for a town meeting. It stood at
the west end of the cross road leading west from the present church. The pulpit
was not built until 1808, and there were no seats until 1818. About that time
the funds derived from the letting of the minister’s lot were divided among the
Methodists, Presbyterians, Universalists, and Baptists. The funds derived from
the sale of the minister’s lot yield an income of about $70, which is under the
control of the town, and is now generally appropriated for the benefit of the
new Congregational society, organized December 11th, 1874. The
present church was dedicated November 24th, 1869. It was built at a
cost of $2,700, contributed by the townspeople, the benevolent people of
A Congregational church was organized here
October 6th, 1881; but by deaths and removals it became extinct.
The old town house and church went to decay.
In 1876 a new town house was erected.
The Methodists had the earliest church
organization here, but the society is now practically extinct.
The first recorded appropriation for schools
was in 1800, when $60 were divided between two districts. There were three
districts in 1809, when the town had its largest population, but there were
only two now.
At an early day there were saw mills in
various parts of the town. There is now only one, which is but little used.
There was formerly also a grist mill, but none now. In 1837 there was a forge
for the manufacture of bar iron, and an axe factory at what is now called the
City; and in 1845, shovels, spades, forks, hoes, and castings were made there;
but all this business was abandoned about 1850.
The patriotism of the people of Mount
Washington was fully equal to that of the other towns in
The increasing annual influx of summer
boarders in
One of the most popular summer resorts is the
“Alandar,” Frank S. Weaver,
proprietor. This house, formerly called the “South End,” and is a deservedly
popular resort for those seeking rest, health, and pleasure among the mountains
of old
Source: History of
Collections of the Berkshire Historical and Scientific
Society, Published Pittsfield, MA, 1886-1913, Vol. 2, Pgs 226-230 Chapter XIII,
TOWN OF MOUNT WASHINGTON, by H F Keith, CE.
Berkshire Anthenaeum, Family History Dept,