The location of this village proper, by the original survey, was known as part of settling lot No. 24. The great water power — the Hoosac river then being, much deeper than now — and the probability of the early erection of mills here, must have attracted the attention of farmers and other settlers to this point, as it will be recollected that in the year 1750 Captain Ephraim Williams was bound, in consideration of the grant of 200 acres of land, to “build a grist and saw mill within two years on the Hoosac river, and the same in repair for twenty years.” These mills were erected at North Adams. The dam was thrown across the river at, or near where the furnace and machine shop of James Hunter & Son now stands, just above the Main street bridge. The grist mill was upon the west and the saw mill upon the east side of the river, about where the machine shop is now located. An old-fashioned trestle bridge, uncovered, with no railing except a huge log, on each side, but supported by strong abutments, spanned the river just below the mills, and exactly where the “Phoenix bridge” now stands.

The dam and mills were erected by a Mr. Hurd, undoubtedly according to some arrangement made by Captain Williams with him. Although no data can be ascertained of the time of erection, yet it is reasonable to suppose that it was as early as 1752, in order to conform to the requirements of the grant. Mr. Hurd, perhaps the Jedediah Hurd who was on the committee of safety in 1779, sold the water power and mills directly to Elisha Jones, or to some one who did sell to him, before or in the early part of the Revolution. Elisha Jones was the father of [sic or] Captain Isreal Jones, a staunch Whig, and a member of the first board of selectmen in Adams; but Elisha, his father and several brothers, it is said, were Loyalists, and having left in the year of the battle of Bennington, 1777, probably to avoid the rough Whig discipline of tar and feathers and fence-rail riding, this mill privilege and five acres of land adjoining, principally on the east side, were confiscated to the Commonwealth. Giles Barnes derived his title from a committee of the Massachusetts Legislature, appointed to take care of “spoils” of the Tories.

In 1780 Mr. Barnes had a partner, for at a town meeting held October 25th of that year it was voted that “the bridge near Day Barnes’ mills be repaired at the town’s expense.” Mr. Barnes appears to have been a business man of some ability, for he was chosen assessor at the March meeting in 1780, and selectman and town clerk in 1781. In 1782 he seems to have become sole owner, of the mills again, for a road survey was made on the west side of the river at Mr. Barnes’ mill.” along the very spot from which the iron horse now runs his race with “old Sol” toward the west.

The staunch Whig patriotism of Isreal Jones has been denied. The grounds of denial were that he is believed to absented himself from town in 1777, the year of Burgoyne’s capture; that his family connections were Tories, and fled to the British provinces; that his chimney tops were painted white, the usual telegraphic signal of Torvism in the days of the Revolution. Whatever rumors may have been afloat respecting Mr. Jones’ political sentiments, they did not affect hiss standing among his townsmen, who were zealous Whigs and sagacious observers. His character as a man, a citizen and a Christian impeached. He was a member of the first board of selectmen chosen in 1779, and held town offices innumerable for years, being, very frequently moderator in town meetings. He was chosen representative to the General Court of Massachusetts In 1785, re-elected in ’86, and re-elected again for six years, from 1792 to 1797, inclusive.

Isreal Jones was the fourth of fifteen children, and was born in Weston, Middlesex County, in this state. Hiss father, Elisha Jones, was one of the three original proprietors of the township of Adams. Isreal first settled in Pittsfield, but removed to East Hoosac in 1766. He owned and resided for sixty-three years on the farm now occupied by Robert Harrison. He was extensively engaged in settling and dealing in lands. Many of the early deeds were given by him, either as principal or agent. He was by profession and in practice an excellent surveyor, and was constantly employed in that capacity. Most of the roads described in the town records were laid out by him. The federal government, in 1798, appointed him, one of the commissioners to adjust the line be-