The First Settlement of most of the
Hinsdale and Peru area, was first a plantation called Number 2 in 1762, containing the quantity of six miles square lying between Ashuelot Equivalent (Dalton at Wahconah Falls parking lot northeast corner at that time), so called and the
township
called New Hingham (Chesterfield at that time now Worthington), to begin at the northeast corner of said Ashuelot
Equivalent and from thence on the easterly side of said Equivalent southerly six miles, and from thence to extend 20 degrees south as to contain six miles square exclusive to grants already laid out to Elisha Jones, Esqr for 1460 pounds
and have
received of him twenty pounds and taken his bond
together with Oliver Partridge Esqr for 1440 pounds.
Submitted in the name and by the order of the committee.
Passed June 11, 1762 Thomas Flucker
This sale was made under the conditions stated in Chapter 347 Acts of 1761/62
Those persons who shall or may purchase the same complying with and performing the following conditions the same to be the same to be granted and confirmed to them viz;
That there must be reserved for the first settled minister one sixty third part of the township and one sixty third for use of the ministry. And the like quantity for the use of and support a school, and that in the space of five years
from
the time of sale there be sixty settlers residing in the township who shall each have a dwelling house of the following dimensions viz; twenty-four feet long, eighteen feet wide and seven feet stud, and have seven acres of land well
cleared
and fenced and brought to English grass or plowed; and also settle a learned protestant minister of the gospel within the term aforesaid.
Passed February 17th 1762
Province Laws 1771/2 July 1771. Vol. 5 Page 164.
An act for erecting the new plantation called No. 2 in the County of Berkshire into a town by the name of Partridgefield.
Whereas; The erecting of the new Plantation called No 2 in the County of Berkshire into a town will greatly encourage and forward the further settlement thereof and remove many difficulties the inhabitants already settled there labor
under.
Sect 1; That the new Plantation called No 2 in the County of Berkshire bounding easterly partly on Worthington and partly on No. 6, westerly on Ashuelot Equivalent and partly on the new Township called Hartwood; northerly partly on the
new
township called No 4 and No 5, and southerly on said Hartwood, (being the township which was a committee of this court in the year 1762 sold at publick vendue to Elisha Jones Esqr in behalf of himself and others).
The first meeting house was at the top of the mountain and was Partridgefield center, now Peru center. It was then voted to establish a West Parish of Partridgefield and a second meeting house be constructed in the western portion near
the
bottom of the mountain.
The area chosen for the second meeting house was in the area that two county roads connected to utilize the stagecoach roads passing through.
One was the 3rd Massachusetts Turnpike, now Maple Street and Route 143, and the other was a county road from Dalton to Chester.
This road came onto the other at the cemetery and left it at Creamery Road where a tollgate was placed on the corner to maintain that road.
In 1804, Hinsdale was born for convenience of the times. During the early settlements, the pioneers were required to meet weekly
at the meeting houses built on the established building lots during the first property division.
Act of Incorporation.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and four.
An act to incorporate the westerly parrish in the town of Partridgefield, in the County of Berkshire into a separate town by the name of Hinsdale.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, In General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same that the tract of land as described within the following boundaries, with the Inhabitants thereon, be and
they are hereby incorporated into a separate town by the name of Hinsdale, Vizt. Beginning at a stake and stones, the North east corner of lot No. seventy five in the North line of Partridgefield, thence southerly on the East line of the
last mentioned lot, to the North line of lot No. Sixty two, thence turning Westward on the North line of said lot, to the Northwest corner of the same, thence turning and running on the west line of said lot No. Sixty two, to the North
line of lot No. fifteen, thence west three rods to the North West corner of said lot, thence on the west line of said lot No. fifteen, to the North line of Partridge's grant, so called, or Joshua Jackson's farm thence turning Eastward, on
said North 1ine, to the Northeast corner of said Jackson's farm, thence Southerly, on the East line of said farm, to the North line of Lemuel Parson's farm, thence turning on the North line, to the North East corner of said farm, thence
Southerly on the East line of said Parsons farm, to the brook or river, thence running on the said river, to the road leading from the west parish of said town to Middlefield, thence on said road, to the east line of the farm of John
Watson, thence on the east line of said Watson’s farm, to the South East corner of lot No. one hundred and Eighteen, thence on the East line of lots. No. one hundred and nineteen, one hundred & twenty, and one hundred & twenty one, to the
south line of the said town of Partridgefield, thence on the said south line to the Southwest corner of said town, thence Northerly on the West line of said Partridgefield, to the South east corner of Dalton, thence Westerly on the South
line of said Dalton to the South East corner of lot No. Sixty in said Dalton thence Northerly to the Northwest Corner of lot No. thirty two in said Dalton, thence Easterly in the North line of lot No. thirty two & lot No. Nine, to the
South east corner of lot No. Eight, in said Dalton, thence Northerly on the East line of said Dalton to the Northwest Corner of lot No. Seventy two in the North East Corner of Dalton, thence Easterly, in the North line of Partridgefield,
to the bounds first mentioned and the said town of Hinsdale is hereby vested, with all the powers, privileges, rights, and immunities, to which other towns are entitled, and subject to all the duties which are required, of other towns, by
the constitution and Laws of this Commonwealth.
SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, that the inhabitants of the said town of Hinsdale, shall be held to pay all arrears of taxes which have been assessed upon them, together with their proportion of all debts owed by the said. town of
Partridgefield, prior to the date of this act, and the said town of Hinsdale shall receive two fifth parts of the profits, rents or income arising from the Public lots in the town of Partridgefield (now lying in ,the town of Hinsdale) and
shall pay two fifth parts, towards the support of Abigail Thayer, so long as she shall be chargeable to the town of Partridgefield; and all poor Persons who may hereafter become a town charge, shall be supported by the towns of
Partridgefield, Hinsdale, or Dalton, in which part so ever such person may have been born, or in any other way gained a legal settlement in the said towns of Partridgefield or Dalton previous to the division of the said town.
SECTION 3 And be it further enacted that all future State Taxes, which may be levied on the towns of Partridgefield and Hinsdale previous to a New Valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the proportion of two fifths by the town of
Hinsdale, and three fifths by the town of Partridgefield, and that such part of the sum set to the town of Dalton, in the last Valuation, as the said towns of Dalton & Hinsdale shall agree upon, or as the Legislature shall hereafter
order, shall be deducted from the Valuation of the town of Dalton, & set to the town of Hinsdale and the said town of Hinsdale shall be holden to pay in State taxes accordingly.
SECTION 4 And be it further enacted that the inhabitants of the said town of Hinsdale shall at all times hereafter keep up and maintain by metts and bounds, the line between the towns of Partridgefield and Dalton, as it existed before
this act was passed.
SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, that the Inhabitants of the town of Partridgefield, and those that shall be set off from the same and included. in the town of Hinsdale shall at all times hereafter. be entitled to the same
privileges, respecting the passing the turnpike gate, which stands within the town of Hinsdale, and that the Inhabitants of that part of the town of Dalton, which is now included in the town of Hinsdale, shall at all times hereafter be
liable to the payment of toll at the said turnpike gate, in the same way as if this Act had not been made.
SECTION 6. .And be it .further enacted, that any Justice of the peace for the County of Berkshire be and he is hereby authorized upon application therefore to issue a warrant directed to some suitable inhabitant of the said town of
Hinsdale requiring him to notify and warn the Inhabitants thereof qualified by law to Vote in town affairs, to assemble at such convenient time and place as shall be expressed in said Warrant,. to choose such Officers as towns are by Law
required to choose in the months of March or April, annually.
Approved June 21, 1804.
