Abel Bliss was born February 18, 1708, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was the middle child (7th out of 13 children) of Thomas and Hannah (Cadwell) Bliss. Upon reaching adulthood, he left his hometown of Springfield to become one of the early settlers of Wilbraham, Massachusetts in 1736.
He was reputed to have had great physical strength and was supposed to have been instrumental in cutting the path from Springfield to Wilbraham, a distance of about 10 miles. Along with Thomas Merrick, he was responsible for drawing up a petition about 1740 to have the Outward Commons (Wilbraham) set off as a separate precinct, and his activity in organizing the first church there in 1741 was substantial.
Abel was married to Jemima Chapin on January 16, 1735/36. Born on January 5, 1705, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of John Chapin and Sarah Bridgman, and the great-granddaughter of the immigrant Deacon Samuel Chapin of Springfield, Massachusetts. Abel and Jemima settled in Wilbraham, where they raised their 5 children.
Abel and his wife Jemima arrived in Wilbraham in 1736 and constructed a log cabin that year near the vicinity of 223 Mountain Road. The site of this home was not very close to any spring or brook which made it impractical. It was not common practice to dig a well in early colonial times.
In 1744 he began to erect a large two-story house (32x40 feet) at 182 Mountain Road near a brook, the tallest ever built in the Mountains to that date. The events relating to the construction of the house are interesting. The plan for the pretentious new home brought Abel face to face with the strictures of the Worthy Noah Merrick.
The pastor, learning what a grand mansion his parishioner was about to build, no doubt feared that at least one of his church families was becoming inflated with worldly pride. It was necessary to check this tendency without delay. On a Sunday morning, the text of his sermon was, “Build not your house too high”. Abel, properly rebuked and penitent, cut off the upright posts of his house approximately 7", lowering the first story by that much. The house is said to have been the first in this section to have square panes of glass in the windows, all other houses to this time having had diamond-shaped panes set in lead.
The story goes further to indicate that Abel erected a tar kiln on the river, gathering candle-wood from the area, and as a by-product of this endeavor, made 200 barrels of tar which he sold to raise the money to start his house. This 1744 home built by Abel Bliss at 182 Mountain Road in Wilbraham still stands today and is pictured in the referenced 1963 History book.
During the Plantation and Colonial Period, the main road called the Bay Path went along the back side of this property to Twelve Mile Brook then along Calkins Brook into Monson from 1636 to 1732. This road connected Boston to the Town of Springfield and further points west. This portion of the road was discontinued in 1732 and moved slightly north along the present-day Boston Road then up to Mountain Road to Maple Street and back to Boston Road.
Abel was commissioned as an officer of the military sometime before 1754 and may have seen service in the French and Indian War. He was mustered with the South Hampshire (Massachusetts) Regiment on the training field in July 1754 at the age of 45 years. He received an Ensign’s commission under Colonel Worthington of Springfield, which was dated August 27, 1754. He also received a Justice’s commission under the crown from Governor William Shirley before 1759.
Ensign Abel Bliss died on April 30, 1762, and was buried at Adams Cemetery in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. His widow, Jemima, died on January 9, 1772, and is also buried at Adams Cemetery, where several of their children and grandchildren were later buried.
Some interesting facts were gathered from a letter written by Ensign Abel Bliss’s Great-Granddaughter Antonette Catherine Mary Bliss (Speer) dated December 30, 1878.
• The original home (log cabin) that was built in the “old orchard” was used as a hospital, where they kept any traveler or soldier who was so unfortunate as to have taken smallpox.
• Antonette has stated that she found one of the upright timbers approximately 7" in length that was cut by her Great-Grandfather from the frame of the new house under the house. This was in response to Reverend Noah Merrick’s fierce sermon. It would be interesting to know if that piece of wood still exists today.
• When the house was used as a tavern the Boston Road passed over the hill alongside their property. General George Washington would pass over this road to or from Boston. Antonette’s Father, John Bliss, and some other boys would go out to the corner to see him and were much gratified when the stately Chieftain bowed to them as he rode by.
• When Marcus Lyons was murdered a short distance away down by the old bridge, his saddled horse was found the following day in Bliss’s pasture near where the railroad crosses today. Most of that pasture and stone wall exists today. John Bliss had to go to Northampton as a witness in the Halligan and Daly trial.
• Antonette would often hear stories of soldiers returning from the Revolutionary War, spending the night there stacking their guns in the corner and lying down on the floor to sleep with their feet to the fire.
The Bliss family along with other families have played such an important role in Wilbraham's history. All these early families were connected and made the town into Wilbraham what it is today. So as you travel throughout the town, really look around. There is a story to be told!