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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 06251122 9
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The Admiral Franklin Hanford Collection in The New York Public Library · 1929 .
GEORGE MAT
VOODE
FIOR ET BEOULITATE
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EX
LIBRIS
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/ourcountyitspeop00emer
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
A DESCRIPTIVE WORK ON
JEFFERSON COUNTY
NEW YORK
EDITED BY EDGAR C. EMERSON
THE BOSTON HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
1898 1
PUBLIC LIDALER 455550 A
. ENIX AND
ILATIONS
L
PREFACE.
It is now one hundred years since the first settlement was made in the county of Jefferson. About fifty years afterward Dr. Franklin B. Hough published a historical work upon our county, which was followed in subsequent years by other works which have served useful purposes.
It would seem, however, that in none of these publications was any attempt made to trace the history and development of the county, be- ginning with a full and complete description of the prehistoric traces, and following down in chronological order with the evidences of aborig- inal occupancy, the advent of the white pioncers and the complete settlement, growth and development, in the results of which we have our admirable schools, our well established churches, our extensive and prosperous manufacturing enterprises, our patriotic citizenship which prompted nearly seven thousand men to enlist in the army and navy during the war of the rebellion and the payment of over $1,000,000 as bounties to volunteers, and in a population which in character, intelli. genee and publie spirit need not fear comparison with any in the state. This mission it has been the purpose of the present work to perform, thus rounding up the first century of its existence with a full and com- plete history of everything that pertains to the occupancy, settlement, growth and development of our county.
In recording the history of pioneer life, Dr. Hough's narrative has been largely consulted, as this invaluable work is and must always be taken as the ground work of all county historical publications. At the time Dr. Hough wrote, many of the pioneers were yet living, and he was able to record from their own lips the narrative of their privations, hardships and trials, and of their ultimate success.
But while many of the avenues of information which were open to Dr. Hough are now closed, it is believed that the progress of the age,
iv
PREFACE.
the advancement of science and the development in the study of Indian- ology have tended to elucidate many subjects connected with our his- tory which in his time were but imperfectly understood and narrated.
In the preparation of this work the authors have availed them- selves of information gathered from all standard historical works now extant bearing upon the subject, from ancient writings and documents, and from fireside tales and family traditions.
It is not contended that the events recorded are in every instance absolutely correct, as our early history is now largely a matter of tra- dition, and freedom from error is therefore an impossible condition, but every effort has been made to verify as far as possible the accuracy of the statements in the text, and it is confidently believed to be as cor- reet as it is possible for an historical work to be.
The onerous task of making investigations and research, and collect- ing material for this publication, has been mainly performed by Lewis Cass Aldrich, an assistant editor, by means of personal inquiry through- out the county; to him is due in a large measure the credit for the compilation and arrangement of the work.
The matter contained in the departments relating to personal and family history and biography was collected by agents of the publish- ers, and has been submitted for correction to the persons most likely to insure its accuracy.
In enumerating the sources from which assistance has been received it is impossible to name all who have rendered valuable aid, but among such persons, and without being invidious, we may be permitted to mention Col. Walter B. Camp, Levi H. Brown, Dr. J. Mortimer Crawe, Sen., Col. Albert D. Shaw, William G. Williams, Frank A. Hinds, Lawrence J. Goodale, James Dolan, Byron J. Strough, George E. Yost, Wm. M. Thomson, George W. Knowlton, Gen. Bradley Winslow and others, who by valuable information and timely suggestions have aided materially in the preparation of this work.
The territory of our county is historic ground, and stirring events have taken place within its borders. It was the favorite hunting and fishing grounds of the Oneidas and Onondagas, to whom it originally belonged, and the remains of whose villages, fortifications and en- trenched encampments yet meet the eye of the student of county his- tory. Situated at the foot of Lake Ontario, it was the great thorough- fare of travel between the Canadas and the Mohawk and Hudson River Valleys, and for centuries was the theater of the most bloody en-
V
PREFACE,
counters between the Algonquins of Canada and the Iroquois of New York in their repeated contests for the mastery of the region.
Five years before the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers and but one year after the first settler stepped foot on Manhattan Island, our county was visited and traversed by the intrepid explorer, Samuel de Champlain, who noted and described the physical and productive features of its western border. It was again visited over two hundred years ago by De la Barre, then governor of New France, and it was here that the sachems of the Five Nations lighted their famous council fire while holding conference with that doughty Frenchman.
Later on it was the rendezvous where was organized one of the most important expeditions of the French against the English, and it was also the theater of some of the most important events connected with the last war with Great Britain. It was for a considerable time the headquarters of the army assembled for the invasion of Canada, and movements were here inaugurated which to no inconsiderable extent have shaped the destiny of the nation. It was the site of stirring events connected with the so called Patriot war, and from the first its history has been largely a part of the public history of the country.
The object of this work has been to correctly narrate these various important historical events, and it is now submitted to our people in the hope that it may help to preserve the record of the origin and growth of our county, and that when at some future time another chronicler of county history takes up the thread of our story he may be able to record a continuation of that marvelous prosperity which has marked the first century of our county's existence.
WATERTOWN, SEPT. 1, 1898.
EDGAR C. EMERSON.
-
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Europcan Explorations and Discoveries-Evidences of Pre-historic Occupation- Ancient Indian Fortifications-The French in Canada-New France-Sam- uel de Champlain Visits the Territory now Comprising Jefferson County- Dutch Occupation in the Netherlands-1ts Overthrow by the English- French and English Rivalry .1-10
CHAPTER II.
The Indian Occupation-Iroquois Tradition-Origin of the Confederacy-Indian Characteristics-Line between Oneida and Onondaga Territory-Jesuit Fathers Labor among the Iroquois-De la Barre's Expedition in 1684-The Council at La Famine in the Present Town of Ellisburgh-Conflict of Authorities Regarding the Location of La Famine-Extracts from Charle- voix's Letter-French Surveying Expedition in 1793-La Famine and Hun- gry Bay Undoubtedly Different Points-Downfall of Iroquois Confederacy_10-20
CHAPTER III.
Beginning of the French and Indian Wars-Causes Leading to Them-Jesuits Driven out of New York-De Courcelle's Expedition against the Iroquois- De Nonville's Peace Negotiations-French Treachery Costs Montreal-In- vasions and Counter-invasions-English Colonists Become Involved-At- tempt the Subjugation of Canada-Frontenac's Expedition-Treaty of Ryswick 21-25
CHAPTER IV.
Conflicting Claims to Territory in the St. Lawrence Region-Treaty of Ryswick -War Positions along the St. Lawrence-Importance of a Post at Oswego- War Declared between Great Britain and France-Beginning of Hostilities -Forts Built on the Frontier-Attempts at Alliance with the Six Nations- Plans for Colonial Union Rejected-Campaign of 1755-Nothing Gained in 1756-French become Aggressors in 1757-De Villiers Establishes a Strong Post at Henderson Harbor-Attacks Fort Ontario and is Defeated-Vaud-
viii
CONTENTS.
reuil Reinforces the French Garrison at the Harbor-Arrival of the Main Army under Montcalm-Here He Organizes a Successful Expedition against Oswego-Returns to Camp at Hendersen, but Soon Departs for Canada- English Victories in 1758 and 1759-End of the French Dominion 25-33
CHAPTER V.
Return of Peace-Pontiac's League-Devil's Hole and Black Rock-Events Pre- ceding the Revolution-Taxing the Colonies-The Continental Congress- Situation in Tryon County-Sir William Johnson-His Death-Sir John Johnson with Tories and Mohawks Depart for Canada-Brief Recapitula- tion of Events of the Revolution-British Form an Alliance with the Iro- quois-The Oneidas and Tuscaroras Friendly to Americans-Operations in the Mohawk Valley-Indian Outrages-Sullivan's Campaign-Other Events -Close of the War-The Treaty of Paris-British Maintain Armed Force on American Soil-The Boundary as Established 34-41
CHAPTER VI.
Extinguishing the Indian Titles to Land-Treaty with the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix-Special Treaty with the Oneidas-Conflicting Claims of Massa- chusetts and New York-The Hartford Convention-The Macomb Purchase -Its Extent and Subdivision-The Chassauis Tract-Penet's Square. .41-49
CHAPTER VII.
Land Titles Continued-Great Tract Number Four, Macomb's Purchase-The Antwerp Company-Land Operations of Gouverneur Morris, Moss Kent and James Le Ray-Tracts Numbers Five and Six of Macomb's Purchase-The Boylston Tract-The Black River Tract-Lorraine, Ellisburgh and Worth -The Eleven Towns-Survey and Disposition of the Islands in Lake On- tario and the St. Lawrence River 49-56
CHAPTER VIII.
Division of the State into Counties-Tryon County Created-Counties Formed from Tryon-Jefferson and Lewis Counties Erected from Oneida-Thomas Jefferson-Brief Topographical and Geological Description of Jefferson County-The Glacial Period-Towns Formed-The Convention at Harris- burgh Discusses the Two County Project-Locating the County Buildings- History of the Court House, the Jail aud the County Clerk's Office-The County Poor Farm-Several Changes in Superintendency 56-73
CHAPTER IX.
A Brief Tribute to the Pioneers of Jefferson County-Creation and Settlement of the Towns -Subsequent Growth as Indicated by the Census Reports- Boundaries of the County Permanently Established in 1813-Town Bound- aries also Defined 74-84
ix
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.
Events Preceding the War of 1812-15-British Aggressions-The Embargo and Non-intercourse Acts-British Claims of Right to Search -- Depressing Effect of the Embargo Act on the Inhabitants of Jefferson County-Smuggling Operations and Measures to Suppress Them-Arsenal Built at Watertown- The Beginning of Hostilities-General Brown's Militia on the Frontier- Sackets Harbor Becomes the Center of Operations-Brief Review of Events of 1813-Campaign for the Year 1813-British Take Ogdensburgh-Move- ments about the Harbor-Ships Built-York Taken by the Americans- Death of General Pike-The Enemy Attacks Sackets Harbor-A Privateer- ing Expedition-Operations on the Lake-Conncil of War at Sackets Har- bor-Its Results-Expedition to the Champlain Country-Chrysler's Field- Campaign of 1814-Sandy Creek-Operations in Western New York-Militia again Called Out-The Return of Peace 84-105
CHAPTER XI.
Sackets Harbor as a Military Station-Madison Barracks-The Naval Station and Customs District 105-126
CHAPTER XII.
A Brief Chapter Relating to the More Prominent Events of the So-called Patriot War-Reminiscences of the War as Related by a Participant 126-135
CHAPTER XIII.
THE WAR OF 1861-65 135 164
CHAPTER XIV.
The Civil List, Showing the Names of Incumbents of Office under Federal, State and Connty Government from the Creation of the County to the Year 1897 164-170
CHAPTER XV.
THE BENCH AND) BAR _171-198
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 198-229
CHAPTER XVII. 230-245
THE JEFFERSON COUNTY PRESS.
x
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Brief History of the Jefferson County Agricultural Society, and its Kindred Associations-The Jefferson County Historical Society 245-254
CHAPTER XIX.
A Chapter Relating to Internal Improvements in Jefferson County-Public Highways-State Roads-Turnpikes-Plank Roads-Canals-Railroads- Post Routes-Early Lake Navigation-Telegraph Lines 254-264
CHAPTER XX.
THE CITY OF WATERTOWN-THE SEAT OF JUSTICE OF JEFFER- SON COUNTY 269-394
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TOWN OF ADAMS 395-429
CHAPTER XXII.
THE TOWN OF ALEXANDRIA
430-151
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE TOWN OF ANTWERP 452-474
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TOWN OF BROWNVILLE 474-509
CHAPTER XXV.
THE TOWN OF CAPE VINCENT
509-536
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE TOWN OF CHAMPION
536-549
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE TOWN OF CLAYTON 549-573
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGH .573-612
xi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THIE TOWN OF HENDERSON 613-628
CHAPTER XXX.
THE TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD 629-660
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE TOWN OF LE RAY 660-687
CHAPTER XXXII.
THIE TOWN OF LORRAINE 687-701
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE TOWN OF LYME 701-720
CHAPTER XXXIV.
TIIE TOWN OF ORLEANS 720-737
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE TOWN OF PAMELIA .738-746
CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE TOWN OF PHILADELPHIA 747-768
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE TOWN OF RODMAN 769-784
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE TOWN OF RUTLAND 784-806
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE TOWN OF THERESA 806-824
CHAPTER XL.
THE TOWN OF WATERTOWN 825-841
xii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XLI.
TIIE TOWN OF WILNA 844-865
CHAPTER XLII.
THE TOWN OF WORTH 866-875
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL
877-936
PART III.
PERSONAL REFERENCES 1-276
INDEX.
GENERAL
277-312
PART II.
312
PART III.
313-318
PORTRAITS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
PORTRAITS.
Levi II. Brown
facing 191
James M. Cleveland
٠٠
416
Andrew Cornwall
66
885
J. Mortimer Crawe, M. D.
. 4 200
Charles Crossmon
440
Edgar C. Emerson
893
Roswell P. Flower
4 4
894
Robert P. Grant
4 4
565
Hiram Herring
902
Frank A. Hinds
904
Benjamin F. Hunt
907
George H. Mckinley
908
Horace E. Morse
910
Alfred I). Remington
913
1
I
I
1
I
1
I
1
1
1
I
4 4
.
1
1
I
1
xiii
CONTENTS.
William Roberts
facing 763
Azariah Il. Sawyer 342
John Avery Sherman 919
Jean R. Stebbins
922
Byron B. Taggart
357
William W. Taggart
929
Pardon C. Williams
180
William G. Williams
312
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Champlain's Attack on the Indian Fort.
First Steamboat on the Great Lakes.
266
Former Residence of Maj .- Gen. Jacob Brown
507
Fort Pike 109
Glacial Groovings and Potholes near Huntingtonville facing 64
731
Le Ray Mansion, the
670
Line-of-Battle Ship New Orleans
646
Map of Ancient Fortification in Adams
398
399
in Ellisburgh
.577
578
..
580
. 4
. 4
in Le Ray
661
..
=
662
663
in Rodman .4 =
769
771
4 6
in Rutland
826
. .
64
4 4
828
..
. .
44
829
. .
Champlain's Route
G
..
the Macomb Purchase
facing 45
. . Old Fort Carleton.
511
Watertown in 1804
274
in 1812
280
44
in 1824
286
292
Paddock Building, the
392
Southeast View of Sackets llarbor in 1815 694
Watertown-Public Square Looking East
between 276 and 277
-
West
..
1
..
$4
. 4
581
1
I
772
in Watertown
830
in 1856
La Farge Mansion, the
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
CHAPTER I.
Enropean Explorations and Discoveries-Evidences of Pre-historic Occupation- Ancient Indian Fortifications-The French in Canada-New France-Samuel de Champlain Visits the Territory now Comprising Jefferson County-Dutch Occupation in the Netherlands-Its Overthrow by the English-French and English Rivalry.
In 1492, more than four hundred years ago, Christopher Columbus, a Genoese, sailing under the flag of Spain, landed on the shores of the American continent. This event has always been mentioned in history as the discovery of America, yet the first Europeans to visit the west- ern hemisphere were Scandinavians, who colonized Iceland in A. D. 815, Greenland in 983, and about the year 1000 had cruised southward along the Atlantic coast as far as Massachusetts. However, of this mediaeval period of history of our fair land we have at best an imper- feet knowledge, and some writers have asserted that the strange and almost unaccountable implements found in some parts of Jefferson county half a century and more ago were evidences of occupation by the people referred to, while others have attributed these discoveries to the unmistakable presence of the mound builders. Both are tin- doubtedly mistaken claims, and while the present writer readily con- cedes the existence of a race of mound builders, he sees nothing in the discoveries in this part of the State which is inconsistent with the theory of continuous Indian occupation. The Jesuit fathers visited the region almost two centuries ago and many implements and utensils used by them, or which they taught the natives to make, were indeed crude and to ns almost unaccountable. In the towns of Adams, Henderson, Brown- ville, Rodman, Rutland, Hounsfield, Le Ray, Ellisburgh, Watertown, and in fact in almost every town, the pioneers found tools, implements and utensils which were entirely novel in construction, the proper nse
1
2
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
of which was wholly unknown, hence the assumption that they must be evidences of a pre-historic occupation. There have also been dis- covered in various parts of the county remains of rudely constructed inclosures, built as were fortresses at that time, from which the infer- ence has grown that once this region was the scene of great strife and contention between semi-barbarous races.
Prominent among these fortifications is a line of intrenchments, be- ginning in the town of Leray, near Sanford's Corners, and extending at intervals along the brow of Rutland and Dry hills and Sandy creek, in a southeasterly course through the towns of Leray, Rutland, Water- town, Rodman, Adams and Ellisburgh to Lake Ontario. These works. as a rule, are on the highest point of that range of hills. and invariably face toward the northwest. Excavations made by settlers furnished unmistakable evidences that these fortifications were of Indian con- struction, and in fields adjoining them have been found fragments of rude pottery, carved pipes, lines of hearths, stone chisels and other im- plements; also human bones, bones of animals, and skeletons buried in a sitting posture, surrounded with deposits of burned corn. In one of these works was found a large number of skeletons of males lying in great confusion, as if slain in its defense. There have also been found in various parts of the county mounds and bone-pits, which contained large numbers of human remains.
The discovery of these various phenomena clearly indicates that these fortifications were of Iroquois construction. While this powerful people were by nature savage and ferocious, they nevertheless pre sented the highest type of the American Indian; were governed by tribal laws, and were united by a league something after the form of our American union. They built populous towns, the more exposed of which were protected by substantial though rude fortifications, and they also conducted an extensive though somewhat rude tillage of the soil. They were expert in carving on bones, clay and stones, and nothing appeared to possess greater importance in the savage estima- tion than their pipes, which were frequently carved with rare ingenuity and skill.
It was the custom of the Iroquois and kindred tribes to bury their dead in a sitting posture, and to place corn, kettles, pottery, trinkets and bows and arrows in the graves. It was also their custom in occa- sional years to celebrate the " feast of the dead," during which they would exhume the bodies of slain warriors and carry them to a pit pre-
3
EARLY DISCOVERIES.
pared as a place of sepulture, and there bury them promiscuously in a common grave.
The territory of our county was a part of their hunting ground, and was a direct route between the Algonquins of Canada and the Iroquois of New York, between whom deadly feuds and wars had existed for centuries, and frequent forays were made on both sides. It was the Iroquois custom to erect fortifications with embankments and palisades on the sides exposed to hostile incursions, and they moved from place to place and erected new villages and defenses as the soil became tin- productive and as their fire wood was exhausted and not easily secured. Large districts in this State which are known to have been inhabited solely by the Iroquois are now marked with frequent remains of their ditches and enbankments. The writer therefore eontends that these ancient earthworks are the remains of fortifications which were erected by the Iroquois to guard against their Canadian enemies, but at what particular time, or under what circumstances neither history or tradi- tion furnishes us any reliable information. Champlain and De la Barre, the carliest discoverers and explorers, make no mention of their exist- ence, and it is therefore fair to assume that if built before their time, they had then ceased to exist as structures of defense. However, it is not thought necessary to further pursue the inquiry in this place, as in the chapters devoted to town history these works will be described in detail, with drawings of the same so far as is possible to produce them.
Following close upon the discoveries of Columbus and other early explorers, various foreign powers fitted out fleets and commissioned navigators to establish colonies in the vast and unknown continent ; and while hardly within the proper scope of this work to detail the re- sults accomplished by those bold navigators, they naturally led to others of greater importance, eventually rendering the St. Lawrence region the battlefield of various contending powers, each striving for suprem- acy and dominion over a territory of which Jefferson county is an im- portant integral part. These events, however, will be but briefly mentioned, and only those will be detailed which have at least an in- direct relation to our subject.
In 1508 Aubert discovered the St. Lawrence River; and in 1524 Francis I, king of France, sent Jean Verrazzani on a voyage of explora- tion to the new world. He entered a harbor, supposed to have been that of New York, and it is believed that his crew were the first Eu- ropeans to land on the soil of what is now this State. The Gallic ex-
4
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
plorer cruised along the coast about 2, 100 miles, sailing as far north as Labrador, and giving to the whole region the name of " New France " -- a name by which the French possessions in America were ever known during the dominion of that power. In 1534 the same king sent
Jacques Cartier to the new country. He made two voyages and ascended the St. Lawrence as far as Montreal. The next year he again visited that region and brought a number of the French no- bility, all filled with high hopes and bearing the blessings of the church. This party was determined upon the colonization of the country, but after suffering the rigors of a winter at the Isle of Orleans the scheme was abandoned and the party returned to France, taking with them the Indian chief Donnegana, who had been their generous host, and bore him with several others into hopeless captivity and final death.
In 1540 Cartier again visited the scene of his former explorations, accompanied by Jean Francis de Roberval, the latter holding a king's commission as lieutenant-general over the new countries of Canada, Hochelaga and Saguenay, with the plenary powers of vice-royalty. The results of the voyage, however, were no more profitable than its predecessor, and the effect was to discourage further attempts in the same direction until about 1598, when New France, particularly its Canadian portion, was made a place of banishment for French convicts ; but even this plan failed, and it remained for private enterprise, stimu- lated by the hope of gain, to make the first successful effort toward the permanent occupation of the country.
The real discoverer and founder of a permanent colony in New France was Samuel de Champlain, a man born with an uncontrollable instinct of investigation and desire for knowledge of distant regions. His earlier adventures in America have no connection with this work, and it is therefore sufficient to mention that in 1609, having counseled his patrons that the banks of the St. Lawrence River was the most favorable site for a new empire, he was sent to the country and found- ed Quebec. To satisfy his love for exploration, Champlain united with the Canadian Indians and marched into the region to the southward; and the result was the discovery of the lake which bears his name, and a conflict between the Algonquins (aided by Champlain) and a portion of the Iroquois, whose country he had invaded. In the battle the lat- ter were defeated with the loss of two of their chiefs, both of whom fell by the hands of Champlain himself. This ill-timed invasion sig- nalized the first hostile meeting between the white man and the Indian,
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