Tag Archives: Lenox Early Settlement

Judge William Walker and Judge William P. Walker

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Judge William Walker – Photo of Portrait Hanging in Pittsfield Probate Court

William Walker was born in Rehoboth in 1751.  This location is not far from one of the early Puritan settlements,  and he is undoubtedly one of the many Lenox settlers who was three-four generations removed from the Puritans of the Great Migration of the 1630’s.

William Walker came to Berkshire County at 20 years of age in 1770, Lenox in 1773. He, like Egleston and Paterson, signed the non-importation agreement, was in Boston during the battle at Bunker Hill, the failed invasion of Canada, the crossing of the Delaware, the battle of Princeton and at the battle of Bennington (part of the defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga) and marched as captain with a company of Lenox men to Sheffield to put down Shay’s rebellion .

A lawyer by training he attended the Berkshire Convention in Stockbridge in 1774 and was a member of the convention that framed the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. He was instrumental in important business enterprises including the iron industry in Lenox Dale and land development. He was a stockholder in the Phelps and Gorham purchase in central New York.

As the list of offices he held indicates, William Walker was a true pillar of the community:

  • President Berkshire Agricultural Society in 1820
  • President of the Berkshire County Bible Society from 1817-1831
  • Member of the Congress of Deputies of Berkshire held at Stockbridge July 6, 1774`
  • Member of the convention which framed the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780
  • General Court in 1778, 1780, 1784, 1787, 1791, 1794 and 1795
  • Appointed by Gov. John Hancock February 16, 1781 as Register of Wills for Berkshire County (until 1785)
  • Selected by the two branches of the General Court on October 16, 1783 as State Senator for the District of Berkshire
  • Samuel Adams appointed him Judge of Probate for Berkshire County (resigned 1824 when his son succeeded him)
  • Appointed February 25, 1794 by Gove. Samuel Adams as one of the justics of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Berkshire
  • James Sullivan appointed him a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Berkshire County in 1807
  • Associate justice of the Berkshire Court of Sessions in 1809 and from 1811-1814 (commission from Gov. Elbridge Gerry)
  • Presidential Elector in 1824 for Berkshire.

His most important role was as a judge for Berkshire County with court being administered from 1789 to 1868 in Lenox. He was described as “tall with white locks and of great personal dignity.”

Continue reading Judge William Walker and Judge William P. Walker

Azirah Egleston

Azirah and Hannah Eggleston from D. Wood Book_NEW

He was born in Sheffield in 1757,  son of Seth Eggleston and Rachel Church Eggleston. Like many of his generation, his father was born in Westfield and emigrated west – as his father may have done before him. Many Revolutionary War veterans were 3rd or 4th generation descendants of the Puritans who had landed in Boston in the 1630’s.

About 200 Lenox residents are listed on the Revolutionary War rosters. Not all would have served as long as Major General Paterson or Major Egleston, but it was clearly a town with strong patriot sympathies.

Azirah must have been very committed to the Revolution since he enlisted as a Private in April 1775 at age 18 and participated in many crucial battles and left the service as a Major.

Continue reading Azirah Egleston

Jonathan Hinsdale – First Settler in Lenox

Jonathan Hinsdale  was the first known European inhabitant of Lenox.  He was born March 17, 1724 in Hartford, CT.  Many early Berkshire residents came from Connecticut.  It may have been easier to move up the Housatonic River Valley then to cross directly from eastern Massachusetts.

As has been discussed elsewhere, the main reason to come to frontier territory (which Lenox would have been at the time) was to get land which was increasingly in short supply to the East and the South.

Continue reading Jonathan Hinsdale – First Settler in Lenox

7 Hubbard St., Israel Dewey House – 1760-1770

7 Hubbard St., Israel Dewey House - c. 1770
7 Hubbard St., Israel Dewey House – c. 1770

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Colonial Revival style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been altered. It now has a 4-bay, wood frame; mansard roof with a dentiled band at the cornice, gable roof dormers and shed dormer on the rear ell. It has wood clapboard siding. There are 4 brick chimneys-1 on front wall, 1 rear wall; 1 side wall & 1 interior on side/rear ell. The house has some early 12 over 1 and 6 over 1 windows. There is a full front porch with fluted Doric columns and dentils. The front door is surrounded with molded header, architrave, and 2/3-length side lights. The 2-story right side ell extends to the rear and probably incorporates the original kitchen wing off of the right rear corner (depicted on 1876 Beers Map). The rear porch has Doric columns at the interior corner of the main house & west side of rear ell. It has a 1-story faceted bay window on front of right side ell and authentic window blinds on the 2nd story windows on the front facade and bay window.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

The original portion of the structure was the home of Israel Dewey, one of Lenox’s earliest settlers. Dewey, who established a home in the area by 1764, was one of the proprietors of Lenox and served in a number of public positions. Like many Berkshire householders, Dewey was licensed as an innkeeper. He left Lenox for Vermont in the early 1790’s, and after several changes in ownership the property was acquired by Zadock Hubbard in 1798. He enlarged the house and opened it as the Hubbard Tavern. In 1806 the building was sold to Azariah Egleston, a locally prominent man, and converted back to a private residence. The house was substantially enlarged and altered after Mary Loring bought it in 1868. In 1885 it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Dana of New York and was remodeled for use as a summer home. The Dana family retained ownership until 1953, when it was sold and returned to use as an inn.

The property was sold to Toner Associates Inc. in 1991 and then to Ellen Gutman Chenaux in 1999.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Not shown on1854 Clark Map. 1939 Sanborn Map depicts current footprint.

The Book of Berkshire, Clark W. Bryan, 1886

Lenox – Massachusetts Shire Town, David H. Wood, 1969

County Atlas of Berkshire, Mass., F. W. Beers, 1876

Atlas of the Garden Spots of Berkshire, Barnes and Jenks, 1894

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

30 Pittsfield Rd., Capt. Oliver Root House – c.1792

36 Pittsfield Rd
36 Pittsfield Rd., Capt. Oliver Root House -c.1792

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Federal period dwelling is wood framed, two stories tall and has a 5-bay, center entrance facade. There is a brick endwall chimney on each side. The house has a gable roof with decoratively incised verge board, a gabled rear dormer, and two small 4-light attic windows in each gable (on either side of the chimneys). The original house has wood clapboard siding. A front entrance porch, an early addition, has four chamfered pillars and two pilasters supporting a hipped roof, and a millwork railing. Originally two bays deep, the house has received several rear extensions, as evidenced by various surface treatments. The first addition was a 2-story, cross-gabled ell, three bays deep, constructed of brick with red mortar. The window lintels in this section are of stone. On its south side is a 2-bay-wide entrance porch with hipped roof, four chamfered pillars, and millwork railing incorporating incised banding below the balusters. A second extension, tacked onto the rear of the first rear ell is probably wood-framed with a brick veneer in a decorative Flemish bond pattern. This section has a hipped roof, a gabled wall dormer above the second floor window and wood corner boards. A tall chimney is located on its rear side. A set of five 8-light casement windows is on its side.

The house is accessed via an access point onto Pittsfield Rd; a long paved driveway, with adjacent parking area, runs along the north side of the house. A low stone retaining wall encircles a portion of the front yard.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Capt. Oliver Root, a blacksmith, was one of the early settlers who came to the Berkshires from Southington Conn. about 1778. He obtained the Lenox property in 1792. When he sold the property to Luke Gates in 1797, it consisted of a house, barn and blacksmith shop. Capt. Root had seven children and there are many descendants in Berkshire County.

1792    Capt. Oliver Root (Blacksmith)

1797    Luke Gates

Miss Elizabeth Love Godwin/ Miss Frances B. Godwin

1976    Dr. and Mrs. George J. Hashim

 

At the Lenox Town meeting on 10/24/84 the Hashims were denied their request to change zoning of the residential parcel from residential to commercial. Their plan was to build town houses and turn the farmhouse into an inn and shopping area.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

 

Registry of Deeds

East St. Book (Lenox Library)

Berkshire Eagle

Lenox Assessor’s database

 

 

266 East St., Bartlett Farm-c.1797

265 East St
265 East St., Bartlett Farm – c.1797

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This wood-framed Federal period house exhibits the classic characteristics of the type: gable roof, two stories, five bays, central entrance and large brick end wall chimneys. The chimneys have been painted white with black bands at their flared tops. The current door surround may or may not be a restoration of the original. It has a very large arched pediment with key block; within it is a smaller pediment with sunburst design over the door section; fluted pilasters flank the ¾-length, 8-pane sidelights. The door appears to have been replaced. Lantern light fixtures on either side of the door surround. A 2-story cross-gabled rear ell, has a rear extension with slightly lower gable roof and off its rear is a 1-story lean-to. On the left side of this ell is a side entrance porch with a polygonal extension at the back, Doric columns and millwork railing. On the right side of the rear ell is a 1-story cross-gable extension, which has a brick end-wall chimney. Windows are primarily 12-o-12 double hung sashes with authentic window blinds. The foundation is stone. A later 2-story porch/balcony addition to the left side of the house is slightly recessed from the front facade and wraps around to the rear of the house. It has a hipped roof supported by Doric columns and engaged columns on the second floor; the first floor is a screened porch. The house has been resided with metal clapboard.

A large c.1882 basement barn is located behind the house and embanked into a small hill on its right side, which provides direct at grade access to the threshing floor. The left side has the exposed stone basement that originally served as the animal quarters. There are two other farm outbuildings on the property, each wood framed with gable roofs, and located to the rear and left of the barn. A wood picket fence runs along the driveway and the outbuildings, which leads from East Street past the left side of the house back to the barn. An in-ground swimming pool is located to the left of a stand of mature coniferous trees to the left of the fence.

NOTE: The earlier Form B states that the rear ell was the original farmhouse. Unless a physical examination by a qualified architectural historian has confirmed this, it is far more likely that the rear ell is the original kitchen wing for this high style house.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Thomas Rockwell of Ridgefield, Ct. first settled in the Bartlett Farm, circa 1770. He is believed to have built a log house a few rods sought of the present dwelling. In 1795 Rockwell deeded the farm to Jeremiah Osborn, also of Ridgefield, CT. Osborn sold the property February 16 1797 to Zadock Hubbard. Hubbard built the frame house that is the rear ell of the present house.

Allen Metcalf purchased the property in 1808. Originally from Sharon, Ct., Metcalf had settled on the farm later owned by George O. Peck in about 1794. Metcalf was a joiner and a house builder who constructed the front 2.5 story part of the house in 1810. Edmand Dewey laid the cellar for him. Mr. Metcalf also ran the Lenox Coffee House. Later his son, Allen C. Metcalf, purchased the Sabin Farm of 50 acres south of his father. Allen C. Metcalf died in 1846 and his father and mother moved to Ohio.

John Kellogg purchased the property and stayed for 2 years. The farm was then purchased by William Bartlett in 1849. B.F. Bartlett inherited the farm upon his father’s death on July 6, 1857. A fire on June 24, 1881 destroyed the Old Sabin barn, house and shop. The present house narrowly escaped. A barn was built to replace the Sabin barn in 1882.

The property was acquired by Stephen Pavlosky from Rufo in 1991 and then acquired by Judith Ann Pavlosky in 2000.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Maps

The East Street Book, pages 9-12

Lenox Assessor’s database