HAMPDEN COUNTY --    The early days of Hampden County, MA, and its various towns and townships, are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 65 Page Book, reprinted primarily from two hard-to-find books: the 1839 edition of Historical Collections of the State of Massachusetts by John Warner Barber, and Massachusetts, a Guide to its Places and People, a WPA project. The spiral-bound book has print enlarged for easier reading.

   Inserted in the book is a copy of the Map of Massachusetts which accompanied the Barber book.  Illustrations include: Brimfield, Chester, Congregational Church in Longmeadow, Monson, Court Square in Springfield (full page), Pynchon Huse, Armory Building in Springfield, Chicopee, Cabotville, Westfield, Ancient Church in West Springfield, and Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham. Most are 1/3 page in size.

   The communities mentioned include: Agawam, Blandford, Brimfield, Chester, Chicopee (formerly Cabotville), East Longmeadow, Granville, Holland, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Montgomery, Palmer, Palmer Center, Russell, Southwick, Springfield, Storrowton, Tolland, Wales, Westfield, West Springfield, and Wilbraham.

   The many and diverse topics in the booklet include: Gen. William Eaton bio; Death of Jedediah Smith; Monument Inscriptions; Indian Attack; Grey Lock; Disputes and Militia Avoidance, "Confused" Surveyors; Attack on Springfield; Revolutionary War Incidents; National Armory at Springfield; Shay's Rebellion; Westfield Academy, Wesleyan Academy, and Wilhraham Academy; and a Brutal Murder; a Lost Tomb; a False Indian Alarm, and a Deacon who Killed a Bear; Friction Matches; Labor and Industry; Springfield Newspapers; John Brown, A. G. Parker and the Underground Railroad; Professor James Naismith, inventor of Basketball; and Eleazar Williams, the "Lost Prince,"and other interesting bits of history and trivia. Springfield and Chicopee are singled out in the WPA section.

The book has no index, but surnames in the 1839 section include:
ALLYS, ALVORD, ATWELL, AUSTIN, ATCHENSON, ASHLEY, ALLIN, APPLETON, ATWATER, BADGER, BROOKS, BURT, BLISS, BENTLY, BLODGET, BRIDGHAM, BROWN, BASCOM, BOOGE, BAKER, BURNS,BEDORTHA, BEAMON, BANCROFT, BALDWIN, BACKUS, BRECK, BARBER, BENDICT, BURR, BULL, BLAKE, BALLENTINE, BUTTERFIELD, BRIDGMAN, BALL, BURRHALL, BRANCH, CLARK, CLARKE, CHARLES, COLLINS, COOLEY, CHAPIN, COLTON, COIT, CABELL, COOPER, CODDINGTON, CHAPMAN, COOK, COOKE, CORNISH, CALLENDER, DICKINSON, DEEBLE, DAY, DOBIE, DUDLEY, DORCHESTER, DUMBLETON, DEWY, DEWEY, DAVIS, DWIT, EATON, EMERSON, EDDY, ELY, EDSON, EVERITT, EDWARDS, EXELL, EVELETH, FISKE, FELLOWES, FAY, FOSTER, FELLIS, FERRY, FOWLER, FOOTE, FLETCHER, FOWARD, FULLER, GRAVES, GREY, GREGORY, GILBERT, GLOVER, GRANT, GAYLORD, GRIDLEY, GREEN, GRANGER, GRISWOLD, HINSDALE, HAWKES, HITCHCOCK, HUTCHINSON, HARVEY, HOWE, HORTON, HUBBARD, HOLYOKE, HARMON HUNTER, HENRYSON, HARRISON, GORDON HALL, HOPKINS, IVES, INGERSOLL, JOHNS, JESS, JONES, JENKINS, KEEP, KNAPP, KING, KILLAM, KNIGHT, KILBORN, KINGSBURY, LOMBARD, LEONARD, LANGTON, LAMB, LINCOLN, LEE, LATHROP, LEDOYT, LYON, McCLENATHAN, McKINSTRY, MORTON, MORGAN, MUNN, MOORE, MITCHELL, MOXON, MIRRICK, MUNDON, MATTHEWS, MILLER, MUN, MAUND, MALLEFUILD, MARSHFIELD, MARTENDALE, MERRICK, NICHOLS, NOBLE, NORTH, NORTHROP, OLDS, OSBORNE, PATRICK, PYNCHON, POMEROY, PRITCHARD, PEPPER, PARSONS, PHELPS, PONDER, PERRY, PEPPER, PETTY, RAND, ROGERS, RILEY, RUSSEL, REEVE, ROSSITER, READER, RIEVE, ROBBINS, SHERMAN, SCOTT, SELDEN, SMITH, STEARNS, SCOTT, SCOT, SPRAGUE, STEBBINS, SANDFORD, STORRS, STEWARD, STEWART, STRONG, SERGEANT, SABIN, SAXTON, SWEET, STARR, SEALE, SIKES, SILL, SCARLET, SHEPARD, SACKET, SACKETT, STILES, SEWALL, THOMSON, THOMAS, TOMSON, TREAT, TAYLOR, TERRY, TYNG, TUTTLE, UPHAM, UFFORD, VAILL, VAUGHAN, WARRINER, WARNER, WILLIAMS, WRIGHT, WARE, WOOD, WOODFORD, WOODCOCK, WALES, WALDO, WHEELER, WHITING, WORTHINGTON.

   Names of the famous & not-so-famous mentioned in the WPA section are:
JOSEPH BLODGETT, NATHANIEL HITCHCOCK, JOHN KIRKLAND, AMOS COLLINS, DE WOLF, HIRAM SMITH, EPHRAIM AVERY, DAVID FOWLER, ZECHARIAH EDDY, JAMES TUFTS, ANICE TERHONE & THORNTON BURGESS (authors), WILLIAM SHELDON, AARON BURT (hermit), WILLIAM PYNCHON, BENJAMIN BELCHER, EDMUND DWIGHT, NATHAN AMES, SAMUEL BOWLES, DR. J. G. HOLLAND, REV. DAVID A. REED, PROF. EDGAR M. ROBINSON, AND EDWARD BELLAMY, author of "Looking Backwards."

   The Barber history covers the development of this area until about 1836, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glimpse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities.

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?