USA > New York > Otsego County > Maryland > A concise history of the town of Maryland from its first settlement. Its geography, productions and striking events; also, the history of the first settlement of the village of Schenevus > Part 2
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first preacher. In 1842 the first house for this denomin- ation was built at Schenevus, and has a seating capacity for four hundred. At the erection of the house the church had a membership of eighty-five, and in 1871 of one hundred and forty. The house and parsonage, at. the present writing, is valued at $7,500. The preacher now, in 1875, is Rev. Mr. Wells.
A Methodist church was organized at Elk creek about 1830, Rev. Lyman Marvin, the first preacher, and had a membership of 'some forty. A house was erected in 1857 at a cost of $800, and had a seating capacity of three hundred. At the time of writing the church property is valued at $2,000. Present preacher, Rev. Mr. Brown.
In 1840 a Methodist church was organized at Crom- horn Valley, with a membership of fifteen. A house was erected in 1841, with a seating capacity of three hundred ; repaired in 1867, and the present estimated value is $2,000.
A Methodist church was organized on South Hill about 1840, and has a membership of twenty-five ; house, with seating capacity for two hundred, erected in 1850, at a cost of $2,500.
Zion's Evangelical Lutheran church, of Maryland, was organized in 1866, by Rev. George W. Enders, the first pastor, with thirteen members. Their church was erected in 1867, at a cost of $3,400, with seating capacity of three hundred. Present membership, fifty- nine.
The Society of Friends, at an early day, had a " meet- ing " house in the west part of the town, but after the
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schism of 1828, caused by Elias Hicks, a house was erected just within the bounds of the town of Milford. .
« There are nineteen school districts and parts of dis- tricts, with 'seventeen school houses. The number of children of school age is seven hundred and forty-nine, the number attending school is five hundred and ninety- nine, and the average attendance is two hundred and eighty-five. The value of school houses and sites is $7,405.
In the above is not included the school and school property of Schenevus. Of that, the cost of grounds, house and furniture, is some $10,000; the number of teachers, three; and the average number of scholars is one hundred and fifty.
CHAPTER III.
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FIRST OF ROSEVILLE, NOW CHASEVILLE.
This place has " figured" considerably at various times, for many years, and, though more by individuals than by the public, it still possesses interest enough for the reader to be afforded a place, but it will be in as. condensed form as possible. Jerahamel Houghton was the first actor, and made the first movement and struck the first blow as a commencement for the settlement of the place. He built the house now standing and known as the " Carpenter House," with stone basement, in the " bank " at the foot of the hill, on the east side of the brook that passes the castern portion of the village. In the basement of that house he had a store of goods as early (as is shown by his still existing sign) as 1794. Soon after this he built a distillery for the manufacture of whiskey, which was the first in town; and not long after he erected a building for an ashery, and commenced making potash. Being a " business man " he soon had an extensive business for those early days. Having arisen by regular gradations in military office up to that of colonel, he was in a position to be looked up to and be held in high respect. The recently closed Revolu- tionary War, and the then threatened second war with
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Great Britain, and finally proclaimed war of 1812, created and kept alive an active and hot war spirit and venera- tion for military men.
Military trainings were frequent, and company train- ings for an extended district, population being sparse, were held at Colonel Houghton's, which drew together a multitude of people and much patronage to his busi- ness.
The natural excitement caused by the war was in- creased by the volunteering of men for the army at the company trainings, and afterwards by the drafting of men. On the flat land across the creek south of Colonel · Houghton's, on the farm of Mr. Rice, afterwards of Mr. Cable, was a clearing on which Colonel Houghton's regiment sometimes paraded and trained, and the evolu- tions of the troops among the stumps was quite amusing, but said by military men to be good.
For several years at " Jaff's," as Houghton was fam- iliarly called by his friends, was a stirring and busy place. About 1814 Houghton sold out to a school teacher by the name of Nathaniel Carpenter and went to Ohio. But, before discharging him, we will relate an amusing anecdote in which he was an actor. In early times, before there was any road from Chaseville north, people in the settlement in that direction, if no more than one mile off, must, to get on the " creek road," go some two or three miles round and come out at the now Maryland station. A road was much needed and much talked of, but any close observer now will see that, as the steep and abrupt side of " Pine hill " extended into the gulch or brook, the difficulty in the way of getting a
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road was very great, and especially with the limited means and amount of highway work of those days. At length, however, a road was " laid out " and work com- menced on it, but the process of building it was tedious and slow. Houghton, of course, was as anxious as any one the road should be opened and be made passable, and encouraged it all he could, for he very well knew it would increase his " trade." Among other things, to encourage and hurry the work, he offered to give a gal- lon of whiskey to the men who should first drive a pair of horses and wagon over the road. Now, none inter- ested " got drunk," yet all loved whiskey, except Phineas Spencer, who was " odd " in relation to the use of intoxicating drinks, as are his descendants, and drank none, and resolved to practice a joke on " Jaff" and at his expense, and get the whiskey. Accordingly the logs crossing the road were cut and rolled away, then a pair of horses were harnessed before a wagon, levers and ropes procured, which, with a sufficient number of men for help to keep the wagon " right side up," the team was driven over the road and " brought up " at " Jaff's." The whiskey was obtained, and a regular " jollification " ensued. They drank and told stories, joked and sang songs, laughed and danced to their hearts content, until the whiskey was used up. How- ever, the joke, as Houghton anticipated, and no doubt as intended by the participants, operated to his advan- tage, for the work on the road was driven forward, and it was soon made passable, and he had their patronage. Where the village now is there was at an early day a saw mill built, a cloth dressing and fulling mill, a
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tavern opened, and various mechanics opened shops. In 1822 Daniel Houghton, brother to Jerahamel, opened a store a little east of the present village. A tannery was built and tanning commenced about 1830, which did, for a time, considerable business, but by misman- agement it involved many wealthy men, and by trickish outsiders, pretended friends and helpers, the property, for a mere song, was wrested from the owners, and a general crash or " break down " followed, crushing many of the best families and entailing much distress and misery. It was finally consumed by fire, causing a loss to insurance companies, but a benefit to the town and vicinity in the saving of timber from destruction. The name of Mr. Cable has been mentioned, and of whom an amusing " yarn is spun," which we will relate : He was a Dutchman, (pure blooded) being honest, upright, in- dustrious and a good farmer, and he had a son, Jona- than. In the season for planting corn he had manured, highly cultivated and nicely planted a field to corn, and in telling his neighbors of it he said, " Jonathan and I have done our duty, now if God does His we will have a fine erop ;" meaning, no doubt, the common expression, " if God blesses it," for he was a good Christian.
CHAPTER IV.
GEOGRAPHY OF MARYLAND-ITS PRODUCTIONS-ITS PROSPERITY.
The town of Maryland is one of the southern tier of towns in the county, and the second one from the eastern boundary. It is bound south by Delaware county, east by the town of Worcester, north by Westford, and west by Milford. The principal stream is the Schenevus creek, to which all others are tributary, and this flows westerly and empties into the Susquehanna river. The valley of this stream is one thousand feet above the ocean, but some fifty feet less above tidewater. It has its rise at a spring on the summit of the Albany and Susquehanna railroad, the same from which rises the Cobleskill creek, which flows easterly and empties into the Hudson river. The Schenevus creek has many tributaries, but the largest, in Maryland, are the Elk creek and the " Platt " creek, and it receives the dis- charges of several small lakes, two of which are in the town. One of some two miles in circumference, near Schenevus, and a quite small one, and that about half grown over with a floating deposit of leaves and other vegetable matter, on " South Hill." There is a lake on the summit of " Cromhorn" of some three miles in cir-
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cumference, and which, though within the boundaries of Maryland, discharges its waters into the Susquehanna river. The streams in early days were bountifully stocked with trout; but in later times the fish in small streams up which the female trout ascended to spawn were taken by bushels with the hands, baskets and nets, the shallow waters being dammed on the rifts or shoals, and the young, small trout by thousands driven into the the pools and then skimmed out. Again, lakes contain- ing pickerel were dammed to raise the water for mills or to operate machinery, and these breaking away discharg- ing their waters carried out the pickerel, which destroyed the trout in the larger streams, and now they are very scarce.
Within the boundary of the town are a portion of five tracts of land, Two called " State's land," one called Spencer's patent, one Provost's patent, and one Frank- lin's patent. The town is hilly, but all hills are culti- vated from base to summit, and produce good crops, even such as descend towards the north. "South Hill," a spur of the Catskill Mountains, has the greatest eleva- tion, and rises from two hundred to three hundred feet above the valleys. The soil is vegetable mold, inter- mingled with disintegrated rocks and rests on hard pan. Its productions are those growing on a rather cool soil, such as grass, potatoes, oats, buckwheat and rye. On and near the surface are found an abundance of excellent building stone, the newly formed sandstone of red, grey and white colors, and the mountain rests on a layer of great depth of a species of limestone.
The productions of the town are wheat, rye, barley,
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corn, oats, buckwheat and potatoes, and it produces abundantly of hops, peas and beans. Fruits, as apples, pears and plums, are good ; grapes are a fair crop, of the hardier kinds, and the small fruits are abundant. It has grounds for fairs or cattle shows containing eighteen acres, in good condition and having good buildings. The annual exhibitions of horses, cattle, sheep, &c., compare favorably with those of other annual Fairs.
When the " country was new" wild beasts were numerous ; deer in multitudes, and some elk were found in the valley through which flows the stream which received its name from those animals, and bears, wolves and panthers were so many that calves and sheep were destroyed almost entirely if allowed to " run at large," and even older cattle were frequently killed. There is one sulphur spring, the only mineral spring at present known. This is some one and a half miles from Schenevus. Lead, nearly pure, was found and used by the Indians and one or two white men, but the place has been lost because the parties to whom it was known refused to divulge their secret. Traces of copper and zine have been detected, and a 'beautiful specimen of graphite was found at the mouth of a mountain stream near the eastern boundary of the town, which indicated there was more higher up the stream. Various kinds of iron ore are found, and of some kinds an abundance. A stream called " Red brook," flowing from a swamp on South Hill, deposits an oxide from bog ore on the stones throughout its entire length in such abundance the water appears red as it passes over the stones, but clear when dipped up. Near the above swamp, but on higher
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ground, and found by its cropping out, is a vein of franklinite iron ore some nine feet thick, and with it is evidently some zinc. This kind of iron ore is considered very valuable for some purposes, and indeed for some purposes no other iron can take its place. This ore possesses a curious peculiarity : when calcined, one end of a piece applied to a magnetic needle will attract it, and the other end will repel it, and the same operation with the opposite pole will produce a vice versa effect. Not far from the above vein is found ore, and near the sur- face of the ground a stone, the under side of which con- tains a coating of a tarry consistence, and this stone is highly attractive to the magnet needle, so much so that a surveyor's compass will not traverse in the vicinity of it. In the village of Schenevus and vicinity are abun- dant traces of clay iron stone. On the lands of Henry Wilcox crops out a vein of this ore of considerable thick- ness. It will readily melt in a " blacksmith's " fire, and then, like putty, can be formed into any shape, and, no doubt, might be made available for valuable purposes. Among specimens of iron ore presented by the writer to an analytical chemist, one of magnetic ore, found near Cromhorn lake, contained ninety per cent. of iron.
Under the franklinite ore there has been discovered a vein of bituminous coal of good quality, and it is thought by experienced miners that while it is geographically high that it is geologically high enough to be an exten- sive deposit. Still lower down, and at the foot of the hill, there is a large stream of water, which proceeds from beneath the above layers, and that constantly, but irregularly, ebbs and flows. This, and for some distance
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down the stream, deposits on the stones a coating of a kind of lime.
Originally large quantities of white pine, about the only species found in this vicinity, of excellent quality, was distributed in various parts of the town, both on high and low grounds, and also on wet and dry grounds. Even where Schenevus now is stood enormous pine trees. Besides pine there are several kinds of oak ; several of maple and birch ; then of the walnut family there is hickory, shagbark, bitternut, pignut and black walnut; of beech there are two kinds, cherry two, hem- lock two, ash four ; then there is a spuce, balsam of fir, butternut, whitewood, hackmatack, tamarack, boxwood, chestnut, and a great number of other kinds. Wild fruits are abundant and of great variety.
The town has an area of thirty-two thousand and two hundred acres, with an assessed value of $430,445. The population in 1870 was two thousand four hundred and two. It manufactories and mills, except six saw mills, are within the villages.
It is difficult for the present residents of the town to realize the hardships endured by the first settlers. In a dense wilderness, amidst howling beasts of prey, and far away from relatives and friends, with no means of see- ing or hearing from them-no postoffices, no mails. Their houses were merely rough shelters of logs, through which the piercing blasts freely entered and cold storms and snows beat. The windows were paper and floors were the earth, as there were no boards before there were mills, and roofs were of brush and bark. The coarsest food sustained animal nature, and coarse and seanty
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clothing covered their limbs, many times the skins of beasts. Sugar, coffee, tea, and the spices and condi- ments now so freely used were nowhere to be found among them. Their physicians were-abundant exer- cise, the pure air, abstemious diet.
Their crop of agricultural productions were small, because the limited space of cleared land could produce but little. Often was a day's work given for a peck of corn, and often did families go to bed on a supper of roasted potatoes. The nearest mills were at Cherry Valley and Schoharie, and the roads to them were mere bridle or cow paths, so that if horses could be had to " go to mill," it would take to go and return two days with a little grist, and often had the grist to be " carried and brought " on the back of a man, and many the tale of the descendants of early settlers, told as handed down to them, of families, " when the grist did not come and the cow could not be found, going supperless to bed." For some years the only fruits the first settlers ate were the wild fruits of the forest.
But the forest fell before the axeman, and the sturdy pioneers widened their domains of " clearings." The forest was " slashed," the trees felled in winrows as far as they could be, and the others and larger ones were girdled. When the leaves and small boughs of the fallen trees became dry the " slashing " was fired, and then, with some " picking up " of the smaller remnants, the ground was considered ready for seed. As the climate was healthy, the water soft and pure, and air " bracing," the people were healthy, and as they were industrious,
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honest and truthful, with the warmest and truest feelings of friendship for their neighbors, it is doubtful, notwith- standing their hardships, if any people amidst the ease and luxuries of the present day, are as truly happy as they were.
As population increased and the " country improved," for the youth amusements began to spring up, and for many miles around the lads and lassies occasionally congregated together. Huskings were of the first that drew a merry company together of an evening. Old and young commingled to husk the loads of corn that were stored on the barn floor, and while in joyful mood stories were told, jokes, laughter and songs had a place, the husked ears constantly flew to increase the golden piles. If among the " young ones " some ears " acei- dentally " went the wrong way and hit some mate it increased the sport. As nine o'clock came the husking was closed up, " pumpkin pie " was " handed around," and it was not uncommon the " youngsters " went to the house, the " things " were " cleared out of a room," and the company had a play of two or three hours. Next came pumpkin, or " pumpkin bees," as they were called, At these, after the company had assembled and was seated in a room " cleared " for the purpose, the pump- kins were brought in and one man with a long knife, a " case " knife or a " butcher " knife, cut the pumpkins through the middle into two parts, or " halves," and then men or girls with iron spoons took out the seeds and " innards," The next move was to " ring them," cut them into rings some half an inch thick, and then they were pared. The ends that would not make rings
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were cut in small pieces after being pared and " stewed " for pies. Previously poles, the thickness of a man's wrist, had been placed at short intervals "overhead in the kitchen," and on these poles the pumpkin rings were hung ; then the girls and the boys " fell to," " cleared the things away " and " put all to rights ;" then was " carried around" the " pumpkin pies," and after this the play began and was " carried on " with spirit.
Soon as the land was cleared and in condition for flax, much of that commodity was raised and prepared for spinning, and spinning bees were in vogue. The flax, carefully hatcheled, was nicely " done up," put up in a very curious manner in packages that would make, of some number of yarn, a " half run " or a " run," as the case might be. Some one of the family went among " the neighbors " from house to house with packages of flax, and each female, and particularly the girls, took what they could spin, (and a pretty generous stock was taken, too) with instructions to spin it such a " number " and return the yarn on a certain day. When the day arrived the girls were " on hand " with their yarn, (and their beaus were there, too) and the yarn was carefully examined-all good, none condemned ; but it would " leak out " which girl was the best spinner, and close observing mammas would see their daughters' beans' eyes " sparkle." In those days " works " told."
Soon " the table was set " for supper, and the boun- teous and generous repast partaken with a keen relish. Appetite good, and unbounded good will and good feel- ing predominant. Supper over, the girls " fell to" to help clear away the things, and the room was soon in
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readiness for the play. But the surprise ! Soon one girl was asked to " dance a figure," and another girl was asked to " dance a figure," and soon there was a " flooring " in readiness, and the fiddle began to serape in tuning, and, oh, the mazy dance ! It had been learned by a few individuals a fiddler had " moved in" a few miles away, and while this was kept a secret he had been privately engaged for the occasion, hence the sur- prise. Orchards had been planted, and apples began to grow, and in the early years "apple bees " came. in vogue. These collected the young people from miles around, and these " bees " were generally attended with a dance. There was exhibited at the " rustic reels " of those days an agility and a suppleness in their " double shuffles " and " cut downs " that would put to the blush many of the gay and " fashionable " dancers of the present time, and there are now living of the dancers of half a century and more ago many that could probably still do it.
With all the hardships and disadvantages of those early days there is no doubt the youth had more true and innocent enjoyment, and more genuine happiness than do the youth of the present day. Instead of being reared to lives of case, amidst plenty and luxury, and taught indolence was refinement and an introduction to the refined circle, they were reared when coarse fare and honest, earnest industry gave health and strength to limb and body, and taught true, noble and manly inde- pendence consisted in producing the necessaries for supplying their own wants. The boys helped clear and fence lands, and " to plow and sow, and to reap and
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mow," and the girls " spun and wove, and parents throve." Girls spun and wove and made their own clothing, linen and woolen, and earned their own " set- ting out " in beds and bedding, in "table linen and towels," and mothers and daughters spun, wove and made the clothes worn by the " men folks." Cotton cloth, if known, was not worn, and " tinware," if known, was not used. There was very little crockery for table use, some pure " china," or porcelain. Pewter was much used for plates, platters, pans and basins, and " brown earthern " pans for setting milk.
From those sturdy, worthy and just pioneers has sprang an intelligent, temperate, moral, industrious and frugal population, and prosperity has followed. Mary- land has grown to be a pleasant and prosperous village, with stores, manufactories and mechanics. The site of the Spencer mills is still occupied by mills, and the Nathaniel Rose tavern, much enlarged and improved from the original, still stands. Roseville-Chaseville- has growu to be a village only second to Maryland, and Elk Creek has arisen to the dignity of being called a village ; while Schenevus has arisen to the importance of claiming space for cons derably extended note here- after. Wealthy farmers, with well-cultivated farms and good farm houses are in every direction, showing im- provement and a general prosperity throughout the whole town. How great the contrast of 1790 with 1875 ! From no postoffice the town now has four. From no comfortable roads, they are now in every direction, and far more, there is the " iron track " trampled by the iron steed, transporting the people where desired in parlors
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for carriages hundreds of miles away in a single day, and in a few days to the remotest parts of the continent ; and then their messages, winged like thoughts, fly to the remotest cities of our own and other countries with almost instantaneous speed.
CHAPTER V.
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STRIKING EVENTS-WIT AND HUMOR.
That the Indians, if not residents in this town any great length of time, there is good evidence they were at least encamped for a period. Innumerable flint arrow heads have been found in the valleys and on the hills, which is evidence they were shot at game in hunting. Elisha Chamberlin, a first settler, had on his farm a rocky ledge, and in those rocks was a spacious room, afterwards called the stone house, which gave evident signs some of it was the work of hands, and there was found in it charcoal and wood partially burned. In excavating around the lake near Schenevus, arrow heads, flint tomahawks, trinkets and various Indian notions were found, also human bones in such positions as the Indians bury their dead.
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