xt7m901zh110 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7m901zh110/data/mets.xml Historical Records Survey (Mass.) United States. Work Projects Administration. Division of Service Projects. Massachusetts Historical Records Survey (Mass.) United States. Work Projects Administration. Division of Service Projects. 1942 2 v.: ill. 27 cm. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Library Program libraries and the Federal Information Preservation Network. Call Number FW 4.14:M 382/3/no.2/v.22 books  English Boston, Mass.: the Survey  This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Massachusetts Works Progress Administration Publications Pittsfield (Mass.)--Archival resources Public records--Massachusetts--Pittsfield Pittsfield (Mass.)--History Inventory of Town and City Archives of Massachusetts. No. 2, Berkshire County, vol. XXII, Pittsfield, 1942 text Inventory of Town and City Archives of Massachusetts. No. 2, Berkshire County, vol. XXII, Pittsfield, 1942 1942 1942 2020 true xt7m901zh110 section xt7m901zh110 OF

TOWN AN D CITY

ARCHIVES

MASSACHUSETTS

No.2 BERKSHIRE COUNTY
VOLXXII. PITTSFIELD '

PART§I

i-JVERIIMENT PUBLICATIGE‘Z‘.‘,

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PRESERVN
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Boston Massachusetts

THE HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY
ServiCe DIVision

wark Projects Administration
" I942

 

  

"To bring together the records of the past and to
house them in the buildings where they will be preserved
for the use of men living in the future, a nation must
believe in three things. It must believe in the past.
It must believe in the future. It must, above all,
believe in the capacity of its people so to learn from
the past‘that they can gain in judgment for the creation

of the future."4 --------- Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

 H I S T O R Y

of the

C I T Y 0 F D I T T S F I

 

Including SKetches
of
Governmental Offices
and
State Archives
Pertaining to Pittsfield

Prepared by
The Historical Records Survey
Service Division
Work Projects Administration

 

The Historical Records Survey
Boston, Mass.
1942

 

 The Historical Records Survey Program

I Sargent Br Child National Director
7 Paul A. Baker State Supervisor of the Historical
- Records Survey in Massachusetts

Service Program DiVision

Florence Kerr Assistant Commissioner
Agnes Cronin Chief Regional Supervisor
Harold G: Dunney State Director

Margeret D. Wallace Chief, War Services Section

Work Projects Administration

F. H‘ Dryden Actirg Commissioner
R. C: Branion Regional Director
Denis w, Delaney State Administrator

Sponser of the Historical Records Survey Project in Massachusetts

Fredric W. Cook Secretary of the Commonwealth

 

 ical
tts

This Hist9§y_o£ Pittsfield is Part I of a twouvolume unit in the
series bearing the title inventory or the Town and City érchives g:
Massachysettsfl prepared by the Historical Records Survey in.Massachusetts
EEEE“ii includes an inventory of the public archives of Pittsfield, as
well as sketches outlining its governmental organization and record—
keeping system Th: quantity and diversity of the material covered in this
unit presented a technical publishing problem.wlich has been solved by
dividing it into two separate parts The present volume, therefore, has
been prepared to include a survey of the history of Pittsfield, and
sketches analyzing the development and functions of the various governmental
offices Together these two volumes constitute the first in a series of
such surveys covering the cities and towns of Berkshire County It iS'
anticipated that-eventually the records of every governmental unit in the
State will have been covered Copies of this and every publication of the
Massachusetts Historical Records Survey, a list of which may be found at
the end of this volume, are dist Ftutod among the libraries throughout
the country

 

In addition to its regular work of preparing and publishing inven"
tories, guides, calendars, check lists, and indexes, the Survey has a
new and important task in the present period of crisis, endorsed by th«
Massachusetts Committee on the Conservation of Cultural Resources To
survey housing and storage facilities in restricted areas for emergency
deposit of archives, manuscripts, records, and museum treasures, and to
ssist curators and onetodians in preparing priority lists of such materials.

The field research on which this history is based was prepared under
the direction of Mrsl Dora W Eastman,the editorial work was under the
supervision of Mr George A. Weiner, and the work of publication was under
the supervision of Mr M Louis Haffer The Survey is indebted to the
city officials of Pittsfield for the cityis sponsorship of this work and
for their cooperation with the Survey's field personnel, and to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Mr Frederic W Cook, sponsor of the
Massachusetts Historical Records Survey

Paul A Baker
State Supervisor
Historical Records Survey

 

 

 

  

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface ............................ .. ..o ................... ..i
Plan of the Town of Pittsfield ........................... ....iv
Map of the City of Pittsfield ................................ v
Chart of City Government ................................. ....vi
Abbreviations, Symbols and Explanatory Notes ................. vii
Chronology of Historical Events ............................. .viii
List of subjects ................................. . ........... x
Part A4 History of Pittsfield .............................. ..l
Population Trends ............................................ 59
Part B. Sketches of Municipal Offices.... .................... 61
Part C. Sketches of Defunct Offices .......................... 134
Appendix

State Archives Relating to Pittsfield ........................ 148
List of Sources., .................................... . ....... l6l

List of Publications ......................................... 164

 

 

  

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ABBREVIAEIUNE, CYABULE AND EKPLANAEQHY NOEES

Abbreviations

 

Bk book
CL Chapter
Col Colonial
d. degrees
ed editor
Et. East
Etc , et seq and so forth
hdw handwritten
ibid. s.me reference
idem. the same
Mass Massachusetts
nofs) number(s)
on CJU. work cited
:0 , pp peed 5)
Rec Records
sec(s) section(s)
Fern series
So South
st street
Wt, West
SVV'WIL s

X by

~— Continues to date

" inch( 3)

‘ foot, feet

..~. denotes ommission

in quoted matter

Explanatory Notes

Footnotes which cite entry numbers refer to inventory of records
contained in Part II

 

 

 June 27

Sept. 21

Mar. 13

I745
Sunnner

1743
October

1749
Spring

1755

1755
June II

1755
July

1754
March

1761
Apr, 7

 

CHRONOLOGY OF HISTORICAL EVENTS

I. Boston Township Eg._§

General Court grants the Town of Boston
5 townships located in the wilderness,

Selectmen of Boston vote to give John
Wendel a deed to Township No 3

Deed signed and given to John Wendel,
General Court authorizes a survey of
the grant be made by John Wendel,

Survey of the plat completed.

Survey allowed and signed by the
Governor.

First attempt to settle the land.

Settlement abandoned because of the
French and Indian War.

Owners return to resume settlement

Inhabitants petition General Court for
authority to hold proprietorsv
meeting and conduct affairs,

General Court grants above petition,

II. Pontoosuck Plantation]

 

First meeting of Plantation proprie-
tors. Officers chosen.

Second meeting, election of officers
confirmed.

Proprietors vote to petition the General
Court for town incorporation.

viii

Documentation

Province Resolves,
XII, ch. 69.

Boston Town Records,
l740—42, pp, 124, J25

ibid., p. 186.

Erovince Resolves,
I759, XII, ch° 239.

r

Hass» Archives, flaps
and Plans.

lProvince Resolves,

 

1758—1759, ch. 96.
Mass. Archives,
Towns.
Idem,

, XVIII, 570

Ibid.

Erpvince Resolves
1755, XV, ch. 15.

Town Records, pp. 4,
5, see entry 54.

Ibid , p. 6.

Province Resolves,
17 l, V, ch. 34.

 Lute Dccumentaticn
‘76] Generfi: : finenrwu— Province Resolves.
Apr 21 rate 9 town 17617 IV, ch. 34.

 

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_761 lire? own ‘ a:#d. Town Recards, I,
May 1] 28-50, gee entry 7 .
1875 The first effer+ to incorpurate into .5??? 1875, ch. 166.
a city A. unswcecncful
1889 Legislature Lessee an act to lbid , 1889, ch. 4".
June 5 rate, subject to adoption by vcte
of tee town
1890 Act of cizy Buwn Records, IX,
T '. ll tn: voters: 422, see entry 54.

IV‘ Citz of Pittsfielg

1890 Election of city officers held figfifi, 1889, ch. éll.
December

1891 City government inaugurated Charter Records of th City
January becomes effective. Council, see entry l.

 

   

 

LIST OF SUBJECTS

Part A. Historical Sketch

Exploration and Settlement ........ 1
Pontoosuck Plantation ........... 7.9
Incorporation..................n.15
Church and Town Policy ........... 17
Revolutionary War Period ......... 20
War of 1812 ..... . ................ 32

Part B. Sketches
Mayor. ........................... 61
City Council ..................... 62
Clerk of committees .............. 66
City Clerk ............. a ......... 66
License Board .................... 68
Registrars of Voters ............. 69
Board of Assessors ............... 71
Tax Collector .................... 74
Treasurer ........................ 77
Auditor .......................... 80
Retirement Board ................. 83
School Committee ................. 85
Superintendent of Schools ........ 88
Berkshire Athenaeum ..... a. ......... 91
Welfare Commissioners ............ 94
Bureau of Old Age Assistancepla,399
Warden of City Infirmary...cu.c.100

State Aid and Soldiers’ Relief .101
Commissioners of Public Healthz,102

City Physician-n.....u ....... 3...104
InSpector of Animals"..‘..~.a ..106
Milk and Sanitary Inspector ..... 106

n

()5

Civil War Period ............... 34
Establishment of County Seat..c37
Industrial Development ......... 58
Transportation e..c‘ .. ........ 51
Civic Organizations ............ 53
Summation. ...... .. r57

Eunicipal Offices

Inspector of S.3_aughtering.. ..108
Burial Agent ......... 109
Public Works Commissioner. .".110
Park Commission ... ..,uh,un.312

Planning Board . ......... ”1115
Board of Zoning Appeal ........ 114
City Solicitor_.....r.,.¢.. ..115
Constable‘ ................ c.q116
Police Department. ........... 117
Fire Department ........ . ...... 120
Superintendent of Fire and

Police Signal Systems ....... 125
Inspector of Buildings ........ 125
Inspector of Plumbing ....... 126
Inspector of Wires. .......... 127

Superintendent of Buildings 127

Sealer of Weights. Measures . .129
Dog Officer3 .................... 130
Forest Firewarden . .iia 1....130
Public Weighers,fi,..= . ...r.151
Field Driversg 1‘39 ....... 0151
Fence Viewers ...... 1., ..... ....153

Part Ca Sketches of Defunct Offices

District.........,...¢..i..a.333354

Town and City .............. ...141

 
  
 
    
  
 
 
   
   
   
    
  
   
  
    
  
   
  
 
 
    

 

  

   

 

   

   

   

    

11“” _

All V
on Qannda and
J—

      
   
 
 
 

      
 

318d 1r
1

that in Lo¢'

    

had granted *:
sane area,“

fluent aniony to

 

 

'e ijme of Hudson's voyag;
.Lng the upper Housetonic
wfitflrn the bounigries of POL; “
‘ »« Hue name 0 From Hudson"s description of

(w

he visited near ochodec on the Hudsun In 1609. we must draw

 
 
   

   

WLg
”r”

|

    
 

   

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

3/
0‘ in“ ‘quG of These predecessors of the English founders of Pitmsfieic
i flue first wn be men to r>netrate beyond the mountains left
at at account of EMS scene. Hudson wrote-
”‘ 3anjed me the shore en LHG of their canoes w1th
rm , men who was the an; “ of the tribe comelsting
w” Forty men and seventeen women; These I saW'thereA
,“-- ‘ J] constructed of oak bark, and circular
"at it had the appearance of being
I . arched roof It contained a large
quaniity cf maize ...and beans of last year 8 growth;
and anere lay near the house for fine purpose of drying
load three ships, besides what was grcwing in
On our coming into the house, two mats were
to sit on, and some food was immediately
served in well~made red wcccen bowls; two men were also
1 John.Fis;e, fine Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: 1. 83 90
2 Ibid a p 105
5 Tames Truslow Adams, The Founding of New B filand, n 48

 

(1]

J: Edward Adams Smith, History f Pittsfield, Kass . I, 4

 

 

  

Historical Sketch

dispatched at once in quest of game, who soon after
brought a pair of pigeons which they shot They like
wise killed a fat dog, and skinned it with great haste,
with shells which they had got out of the water "1

Five years later the Dutch erected a trading post on the site of the
old French blockhouse just below Albanyzfrom.which they went out to scour
the countryside in search of furs and to establish amicable relations with
the Indians 3 These Dutchmen were undoubtedly the first Europeans to
visit the villages on the Housatonic 4 How many traders ventured across
the lofty Taconics we do not know, but the finest skins came from the
westward and the eyes of the Amsterdam_merchants naturally turned in that
direction b Even the Dutch settlers who followed them up the Hudson moved
eastward only as far as the mountains

Eventually. however, the English pushed westward from their foothold
on the seaboard to the Connecticut River? establishing the town of
Springfield in 1641 6 Soon other villages sprang up along the river and
inland to the Hoosacs where these hardy pioneers halted for a time to
build their homes and later to defend them from the French and indian
invaders 7 The colony of New York, which had inherited from the Dutch
its muchmdiminished claims continued for some years to assert its rights
to the Berkshires,9 although in 1662 this area had been incorporated by the
General Court as a part of Hampshire County 10 When a few years of peace
followed the treaty of Utrecht the doughty pioneers of the latter colony
unsuccessfully petitioned for the disputed land beyond the mountains In _
1772 two townships on the "Housatannuck River" received legislative sanctionll
and ten years later one of them.was legally incorporated as the town of
Sheffield 12

As the population of Massachusetts Bay had increased rapidly during
the preceding century and many settlements were beginning to feel crowded
it is not strange that other groups should begin to take interest in the
Berkshires

 

 

1 Iohn Romeyn Brodhead, History gf_flgw 193;; I1 30

2 Fiske1 op cit , l, 106

3 Brodhead,ygp gig.) l, 67

4 Smith. ,9}; gig ., 1, 2O

5 Brodhead, Qp‘ git , l, 8?

6 Reggrds 2f the Govenor and'annany 9:.the flssasghusetts has in
flgw'finglandm lags iggp, compiled by N B Shurtleff, Boston, 1854, I, 520
322; hereinafter cited as 991_ Beg

7 Smith, 9p. git , I, 55, 56

8 Brodhead, 9p git ) I. 745

9 Smith, gp_ g1: , I, 60

10 991 Egg , IVa Part 2, p 52

11 Commonwealth of Mass , The Acts and Bgsglywsd Euhlig and Brivate,
9f.th§.Province Q: th§.flgssachusetts Bay” 1722, X, ch 82, hereinafter
cited as the Ergyingg Resolves

12 'lbid‘, 1733, II, ch 1

 

h—h h-rt

 ,.

Historical ck Ketclz

fi -

o1 beaten tresentdfl to the General Court a

" ' ed about their tremendous welfare burden,
mole. and the size of the:i_r n1c1iuce tax,
iftr o: Cthe tatal assessment upon the colony.

t

ies under which they were laboring, they asked

 

In 1755
memorial in whi
the cost of m-id‘ 1
which amounted to one
Considerirg the dif ficul
for three 01" four L’,Z‘In°’]"09 in the Ham‘qsl‘lire Wildlands to be St"

   

1,

 

  

L led as
circumstances required' In 2;nswer to th_is petition? the leg': lature
granted to Boston on June 27. 1713 three townships,:3 and the f