History of Shutesbury, Massachusetts, USA

Shutesbury, Massachusetts
This town is on high land, 10 miles E. from Connecticut river, 9 N. by E. from Amherst, 16 S.S.E. from Greenfield, and 78 W. by N. from Boston. Incorporated, 1761. Population, 1837, 816. Copper ore, and soapstone, are found here. On Swift river are three shingle mills and a wheel factory. There is a mineral spring of some note in this town, containing, in solution, iron, sulphur, &c. There is also a pond, covering about 700 acres, with an abundance of fine fish.

Ephraim Pratt lived in this town many years, and died here in 1804, aged 116 years. He married at the age of 21, and could count 1,500 descendants. He was a very temperate man, so much so that for 40 years he took almost no animal food. He was a farmer, and his health was so uniformly good that he was able to mow a good swath 101 years in succession. He was born at Sudbury, 1687.

This town was named after Samuel Shute, who was a worthy Governor of the State from 1716 to 1723.

It was first settled by persons from Sudbury, one of whom lived to the great age of one hundred and sixteen years.

On a branch of Swift River are some small manufactories.

The land is elevated, and the inhabitants mostly farmers.

Distance from Greenfield, 16 miles; from Boston, 78

This town was incorporated in 1761. The town was first settled mostly by people from Sudbury, in 1754, and was at that period called Road Town. The land is uneven, encumbered with stones, and the soil is generally of an inferior quality. The Rev. Abraham Hill, the first Congregational minister, was settled here in 1742. Imbibing political sentiments hostile to the American cause, Mr. Hill was alienated from his people, and was regularly dismissed, in 1778; the church was reduced to one member. It was reorganized in 1806 with 20 members. Rev. John Taylor was settled here, 1816; his successor was Rev. Martyn Cushman. Population, 816. Distance, 16 miles from Greenfleld, 9 from Amherst, and 78 from Boston. In 1837, there were 22,000 palm leaf hats manufactured.

The following account of Mr. Ephraim Pratt, of this town, who lived to a very advanced age, is from the second volume of Dr. Dwight's Travels, page 358.

"He was born at Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1687; and in one month from...

Shutesbury, a post-township in Franklin co., Massachusetts, 76 miles W. by N. from Boston. Population, 912.

Shutesbury lies in the southeast corner of Franklin County, 112 miles west of Boston, and has New Salem and Prescott on the east, Pelham on the south, Amherst and Leverett on the west, and the latter and Wendell on the north. The assessed area is 16,665. There are about 8,500 acres of woodland, from which six saw mills, employing 11 men, prepare various forms of lumber. Large quantities of charcoal are made for market. Other manufactures are agricultural implements, carriages and metallic articles. The value of goods made in 1885 was $7,125. The value of the product of the 130 farms was $44,145. The population was 485, of whom 147 were legal voters. The valuation in 1888 was $152,820, with a tax-rate of $25 on $1,000. There were 124 taxed dwelling-houses. The school-houses were seven in number, and valued at some $4,000. The two churches are Baptist and Congregationalist.

The land of this town is rocky and uneven. The highest eminence is Morse's Hill, which overlooks Lock's Pond...

Shutesbury, shoots'ber-e, a post-hamlet in Shutesbury township, Franklin co., Mass., 6 miles E.N.E. of North Amherst Station, and about 17 miles N.E. of Northampton. The township has 2 churches. Pop. of the township, 558.