Whiting of Wrentham, Mass. Pop- ulation, 1830, 653.
Wliitingliam, Vt.
Windham co. Deerfield river passes through this town and forms considerable tracts of valuable in- tervale. The surface of the up- lands is diversified ; with a good soil for sheep, of which many are kept.
Sawdawgapond, in Whitingham, is rather a curiosity. It is a hand- some sheet of water, covering about 500 acres. For many years past earth has been forming over its surface, and from 75 to 100 acres of land now rise and fail with the waters of the pond.
Among the first settlers of Ver- mont, many remarkable instances of longevity and fecundity are found. A Mr. Pike hard 28 children; 19 of whom were living a few years since ; the youngest aged-25 years. Mr. Benjamin Cook died in this town, a few years since, aged 106 years. He had followed the busi- ness, of shoemaking through life. He celebrated his hundredth birth day by making a pair of shoes, without the use of spectacles.
Whitingham was first settled in
1773. It lies 17 miles W. hy S.‘ from Brattleborough, and 18 E. S. E. from Bennington. Population, 1830, 1,477.
Wiekford Village, It. I.
See J\Torth Kingston.
Wilbrakam, Mass.
/ Hampden, co. The people of this pleasant town are principally employed in agricultural pursuits, and are remarkable for equality of property. This town is watered by the Chickopee and several of its small tributaries. The surface is agreeably diversified by hills and valleys, and the soil is well adapted to agricultural and horticultural pursuits. The products of Wil- braham are numerous ; among oth- ers, tbe weight of 2,292 fleeces of wool, sheared in tbis town in 1837, was 6,110 pounds, valued at $3,669. There are some manufactures'’ in the town of boots, shoes, leather, straw bonnets, palm-leaf hats, wag- ons, &c. |
The “ Wesleyan'Academy,55 in . Wilbraham,is an institution of great value, and in high reputation. It fyas considerable funds, and about 240 scholars attend throughout the year. Scholars are received at this seminary from ten years of age and upwards.' The annual cost to a scholar, for .board and tuition, is from $80 to $99. This-institution was incorporated in 1824, and is governed by a board of trustees.-'
Great excitement existed in this quiet town and vicinity by the murder of Marcus Lyon, on the 9th of November, 1805. The mur- der was committed by two foreign- ers, Halliganand Daley, who were hanged at Northampton on the 5th of June, 1S06.
Wilbraham lies 80 miles W. S. W. from Boston, and .10 E. from" Springfield. It was incorporated in 1653. Population, 1837, 1,802.
‘Williams* Rivers.
Williams’ river, in Kermonf, is formed in Chester by the union of three considerable branches, which originate' in small streams in the. townships of Ludlow, Andover, Windham, and Grafton. These three branches unite about a mile and a half to the southeast of the two villages in Chester, and their united waters, after running 15 miles in a southeasterly direction, fall into Connecticut river in Rock- ingham, three miles above Bellows* Falls. Along this stream is some fine intervale, and it affords several good mill privileges. Williams’ river derives its name from the celebrated Rev. John Williams, who was taken by the Indians at Deerfield, Mass., in 1704. and who. at the mouth of this stream, preach- |