The Ashmun family was one of importance in Blandford. Justus Ashmun was the first of the name. He came here from New York (probably the Fort Edward area) in 1777. At first he ran what was then known as Pease Tavern. In 1779 he purchased it from Robert Pease. The tavern was located near the present blinker light at the intersection of Main Street and North Street.
Not only was it an inn for the convenience of travelers on the old Housatonic, or Albany, Road, but it was a place for other public affairs. A number of cold, March town meetings were adjourned to "Justus Arshman's." Also many "vandues" or auctions were held there.
Justus was appointed to Blandford's Committee of Inspection and Safety on April 3, 1775. He was in the same office in 1779 and 1780. He was chosen to represent the town at the Concord Convention for the regulation of depreciated currency. In 1782 he was one of a committee to supply the pulpit. Blandford evidently soon realized that he was a man of ability.
His family was large, consisting of his wife, Keziah, four sons and four daughters. One son, Eli Porter Ashmun, was born June 24, 1770, before the family came to Blandford. He studied Law with Judge Sedgwick of Stock- bridge for four years. In 1794 his father deeded two acres, more or less, to Eli. He built a fine house located at the corner of Main Street and the present Russell Road. It stood in front of our post office and town office. There he practiced law in his little law office erected in the yard of the house and taught a number of young men the intricacies of law Two sons were born here, John Hooker Ashmun and George. John Hooker was born July 3, 1800. He attended Williams College for three years and graduated from Harvard in 1818. He, too, was a lawyer and became the head of the Northampton Law School. Later he was appointed Professor of Law at the Dane Law School of Harvard, the first to occupy the chair founded by Isaac Royall. He was a brilliant man. His untimely death occurred April 1, 1833.
The other son of Eli P. Ashmun was George, born Dec. 25, 1804. He graduated from Yale in 1823. Following his father's footsteps, he be- came a lawyer. In 1830 he was in Springfield in partnership with Reuben Atwater Chap- man, a Russell native.
George became a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives four times 1834, 1835, 1836 and 1841. He was Speaker of the House the last year. He was twice elected to the Massachusetts Senate, in 1838 and 1839. He also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives — 1846 to 1851. He worked for the continuation of the railroad from Springfield to Albany and was also strongly opposed to slavery. In 1860 he became permanent chairman of the Chicago Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln.
On the night when President and Mrs. Lincoln were to leave the White House for the theater, George Ashmun arrived with a friend. Lincoln invited them to be his guests at the theater, but they had another engagement. So Mr. Lincoln wrote a note: "Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come in at 9:00 A.M. tomorrow." Lincoln was assassinated that night. Probably those were the last words Lincoln ever wrote.
To go back to Eli Porter Ashmun's house and law office, the fine old house was torn down (1955?) to make room for a filling station. The filling station is also now gone. The law office had long since been removed to a spot behind a house now standing at the corner of Main Street and the present Wyman Road. In the course of years it was the rented home of some single men, a playhouse for the neighboring children, and was probably used for storage space.
In mid-October of 1992 the building was demolished. So farewell to the last bit of Ashmun history.
From Stone Walls Magazine, Winter, 1992
Not only was it an inn for the convenience of travelers on the old Housatonic, or Albany, Road, but it was a place for other public affairs. A number of cold, March town meetings were adjourned to "Justus Arshman's." Also many "vandues" or auctions were held there.
Justus was appointed to Blandford's Committee of Inspection and Safety on April 3, 1775. He was in the same office in 1779 and 1780. He was chosen to represent the town at the Concord Convention for the regulation of depreciated currency. In 1782 he was one of a committee to supply the pulpit. Blandford evidently soon realized that he was a man of ability.
His family was large, consisting of his wife, Keziah, four sons and four daughters. One son, Eli Porter Ashmun, was born June 24, 1770, before the family came to Blandford. He studied Law with Judge Sedgwick of Stock- bridge for four years. In 1794 his father deeded two acres, more or less, to Eli. He built a fine house located at the corner of Main Street and the present Russell Road. It stood in front of our post office and town office. There he practiced law in his little law office erected in the yard of the house and taught a number of young men the intricacies of law Two sons were born here, John Hooker Ashmun and George. John Hooker was born July 3, 1800. He attended Williams College for three years and graduated from Harvard in 1818. He, too, was a lawyer and became the head of the Northampton Law School. Later he was appointed Professor of Law at the Dane Law School of Harvard, the first to occupy the chair founded by Isaac Royall. He was a brilliant man. His untimely death occurred April 1, 1833.
The other son of Eli P. Ashmun was George, born Dec. 25, 1804. He graduated from Yale in 1823. Following his father's footsteps, he be- came a lawyer. In 1830 he was in Springfield in partnership with Reuben Atwater Chap- man, a Russell native.
George became a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives four times 1834, 1835, 1836 and 1841. He was Speaker of the House the last year. He was twice elected to the Massachusetts Senate, in 1838 and 1839. He also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives — 1846 to 1851. He worked for the continuation of the railroad from Springfield to Albany and was also strongly opposed to slavery. In 1860 he became permanent chairman of the Chicago Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln.
On the night when President and Mrs. Lincoln were to leave the White House for the theater, George Ashmun arrived with a friend. Lincoln invited them to be his guests at the theater, but they had another engagement. So Mr. Lincoln wrote a note: "Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come in at 9:00 A.M. tomorrow." Lincoln was assassinated that night. Probably those were the last words Lincoln ever wrote.
To go back to Eli Porter Ashmun's house and law office, the fine old house was torn down (1955?) to make room for a filling station. The filling station is also now gone. The law office had long since been removed to a spot behind a house now standing at the corner of Main Street and the present Wyman Road. In the course of years it was the rented home of some single men, a playhouse for the neighboring children, and was probably used for storage space.
In mid-October of 1992 the building was demolished. So farewell to the last bit of Ashmun history.
From Stone Walls Magazine, Winter, 1992
