USA > New York > Jefferson County > A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York, from the earliest period to the present time > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
Religious Societies. The first Presbyterian society of Lyme was formed at Cape Vincent, December 22, 1824, with Benja- min Holmes, Oliver Lynch, Hezekiah H. Smith; Jedediah C: Mills, and Samuel Forsyth, trustees. A church had been previ- ously formed, which was admitted to the Presbytery in June, 1823. The Rev. J. Burchard was employed in 1824-25; Eber Childs, and David Smith were stated supplies for a few months each; Lucius Foot was hired in 1827. A stone church was built, and temporarily fitted for use, in 1832, and finished about 1840. The society received of Mr. Le Ray the lot and $400. The cost of the church was about $2,800. A bell was procured in 1852. The pews are rented annually to support the minister.
St. John's Church (Episcopal) was formed with the approba- tion of Bishop De Lancey, dated December 26, 1840, by Rev. John Noble, on the 17th of January, 1841. A society was le- gally organized, January 25, 1841, the Rev. John Noble being erctor; John B. Esselstyn, and Nelson B. Williams, wardens;
.
119
Champion.
Nelson Potter, Otis P. Starkey, Robert Bartlett, Calvin K. Pool, Judah T. Ainsworth, Robert Moore, Rice Parish, and William Esselstyn, vestrymen. A lot 8 rods by 20 was given for the purpose by O. P. Starkey, upon which a small but convenient church was erected, at a cost of $3,100, between June 1, and October 1, 1841. On the 2d day of June, 1842, it was conse- crated. The Society has since erected a parsonage opposite the church. Mr. Nobles has been succeeded by N. Watkins, April 6, 1841; Samuel H. Norton, April 13, 1846; Richard Adams, 1850; and James Abercrombie, June 23, 1852. The report of 1851 gave 53 families and 240 persons, as belonging to the church; whole number of communicants up to July, 1853, has been about 70.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of Cape Vincent, was formed October 14, 1851, with William King, George Akerline, William Esselstyn, Philetus Judd, Asa S. Jones, John Hollenbeck, and John Nimms, trustees.
The Catholics, in the summer of 1853, commenced the erec- tion of a church, which is not finished at the time of writing. There is a Catholic church in the French settlement, seven miles from the village.
CHAMPION.
This town, embracing township number four, of the Eleven Towns, was formed from Mexico, by an act of March 14, 1800, in- cluding all that part of the present town of Denmark, north of Deer River. It received its name from General Henry Champion, of Colchester, Ct., who was one of the early proprietors of this town, and was also very extensively interested in lands in Ohio, and in the western parts of this state.
Supervisors .- 1800-14, Noadiah Hubbard; 1815, Wilkes Ri- chardson; 1816, 17, Stowell Warner; 1818-20, N. Hubbard; 1821, Eseck Lewis; 1822-6, N. Hubbard; 1827, Samuel Dean. At a special town meeting in October, Eseck Lewis was chosen to fill a vacancy; 1828, 9, Henry D. Cadwell; 1830-33, Otis Loomis; 1834-38, Richard Hulbut; 1839, 40, David Smith; 1841-43, John Pool, Jr .; 1844, E. Lewis; 1845, James C. Lynde; 1846, David Smith; 1847, John Pool, Jr .; 1848, Wm. Vanhosen; 1849, D. Smith; 1850, Wm. Vanhosen; 1851-3, Benajah A. Lewis.
The town officers elected at the first town meeting, April 1, 1800, were Noadiah Hubbard, supervisor; Eli Church, clerk; Timothy Pool, David Coffeen and William Hadsall, assessors; Ephraim Chamberlain, constable and collector; John Ward and Reuben Rockwood, overseers of the poor; Solomon Ward, Ama- ziah Parker, and Elihu Jones, commissioners of highways; Daniel Coffeen, Wm. Crowell, Timothy Pool and Moses Goodrich, over-
120
Champion.
seers of highways; Levi Barns, fence viewer; Bela Hubbard, pound master.
The following is a record of the first school meeting in town, as it occurs on the records in the town clerk's office:
"Champion, 23d October, 1800. At a regular meeting of the inhabitants of the town aforesaid, it was resolved, that there shall be a house erected near a spring, on the road now running from Noadiah Hubbard's to Daniel Coffeen's, in said town; and like- wise resolved, that said house shall be built with logs, sixteen feet one way, and twenty feet the other way. Also, resolved by said meeting, that Daniel Coffeen and Noadiah Hubbard, shall act as trustees of said school. Attest, ELI CHURCH, Town Clerk."
Champion was surveyed by Moses and Benjamin Wright, in 1797, the former subdividing, and the latter surveying around it; the area, according to M. Wright, was 26,703 acres, and by B. Wright. 25,708 acres. It was subdivided into lots of 500 acres.
This town was the first one in which actual settlements were begun in the county, unless, perhaps Ellisburgh, which was explored with the view of settlement at about the same time. The following advertisement appeared in the Western Centinel,* June 7, 1797.
" Lands for sale, lying on Black River, in the County of Herkimer, and State of New York.
Forty lots of land laid out into farms, containing from 100 to 240 acres each, on Inman's Patent,; so called; in this township there is about forty actual settlers, and a good grist mill within one mile and [illegible] * * on said land. This land is of an excellent soil, and the situation convenient and pleasing for set- tlers. The subscriber will remain on the land the most of the ensuing summer and fall. Terms of payment will be made to accommodate purchasers. Also township No. 4,¿ lying on and adjoining Black River, about thirty miles from Boon's Mills; this township is of an excellent soil; twenty actual settlers will be on this township this summer. For terms please to apply to the subscriber, who will reside on Inman's Patent, or to Capt. Noadiah Hubbard, of Steuben, who is making a settlement on said township No. 4.
Also for sale a township of land lying on Black River, near Lake Ontario.§ These townships are all laid out in lots, and will be sold by large or small quantities, to suit purchasers, and the title indisputable. Also ten lots of land to be leased on first tract."
May 10, 1797.
LEMUEL STORRS. 75, 4m.
* Published by Lewis & Webb, near the post office in Whitestown, County of Herkimer. Four columns; small folio.
t Leyden.
# Champion, § Houndsfield.
121
Champion.
Settlements were commenced in this town by Noadiah Hub- bard, in 1797, the details of which we give in the following letter, which was written at our request, and can not fail of being read with interest:
Champion, June, 1853.
" DR. F. B. HOUGH, Dear Sir: As you requested some months since, I now transmit to you a few of my recollections of the early settlement of this county. I should have complied with your request earlier had it not been for a pressure of business during the summer and autumn, and more recently not being in my usual state of health.
When I consider the long lapse of time since the first settle- ment of this country to the present, and my very advanced age, I can scarcely expect to write much that will interest your read- ers; and, therefore, I give you liberty to use or not to use the simple records as you see fit. I am past the age when most men write at all, being now in my eighty-ninth year, and past events may well be supposed to be becoming dimmed by reason of age, and more like a dream than a reality; yet I have been, and am wonderfully blessed both as respects health and the possession of present memory-some of the choicest gifts of a kind Providence. All the companions of my early youth and of my more mature years, have passed away, and I am left alone to tell the tale. Yet not alone as it respects friends. Others have risen up around me to take the place, in some measure, of those that are gone. Of the friends of my early manhood's years, I often feel to ex- claim where are they? and " echo answers where are they?" Gone to that " bourne from whence no traveler returns." The original landholders, even, of all this region of country are passed away, and have left no trace or name save in the title deeds. I have not very many records of those early days; so full of life and bustle were they, that little time was left to record their stir- ring events; yet some I have, and when I give you dates at all, they are from memoranda made at the time.
I first came to this town, Champion, in the year 1797, with Lemuel Storrs, a large landholder, when he came on for the first time to view his purchase. I was then residing in Steuben, in what is now Oneida County, but then, or shortly before, Herkimer. Mr. Storrs then hired several pack men, whose business it was to carry the necessary provisions for the expedition on their backs. This was late in the autumn. We traveled on foot by what was called the French Road to the High Falls on the Black River. This road had been cut for the accommodation of the French refugees who had made a settlement at High Falls, and had then a log city. Many of these French belonged to the nobility of France, who were obliged to abandon their country
9
122
Champion.
during the revolution in 1793, but who were afterwards permit- ted to return when the star of empire rose upon the Bonapartes. Their settlement was made upon what was called the French Tract, on the north and east side of the Black River, and extend- ing a great distance. From the High Falls we descended the river in a boat to the rapids, called Long Falls, now known as Carthage. Here we landed, and in two days explored the town- ship, then an unbroken wilderness. On our way down, Silas Stow, then a young man, and afterward known as Judge Stow, of Lowville, joined us. On the third day we reembarked and proceeded up the river, and it was two days hard rowing to get back again to the High Falls. As I believe I before mentioned, it was late in November, and the night we were obliged to be out, we encountered a severe snow storm. To protect ourselves from it in some measure, we made a shanty by setting up some crotchets, and laying on poles, and covering them with hemlock boughs. We also scattered branches upon the ground upon which to lie, and by making a rousing fire in front of our shelter, we contrived to be very comfortable. By this time our provisions were nearly exhausted, and we had before us the prospect of a hungry day. But in ascending the river we fortunately killed a duck and a partridge; these being stripped of their feathers in the evening, I cooked them for our breakfast the next morning. I prepared them as nicely as we could with our scanty means; salt we had none. I had a little pork left; this I cut in small bits and inserted into the flesh of the fowls, when it served the double purpose of salt, and butter for basting. To cook them I set up a couple of crotched sticks, laid another across, and from it by strips of bark suspended my fowls before the fire, where they cooked most beautifully, and were all in good time partaken of by the company with rare relish. Indeed, Messrs. Storrs and Stow declared they had never eaten so good. Hunger and a limited supply gave a keenness of relish not often experienced.
In due time we arrived safe and well in Steuben, from whence we had started, where I passed the winter. Mr. Storrs offered me very liberal inducements to come on here and commence a settlement; so liberal that I determined to accept them, though I may say in passing and then dismiss the subject forever, that he failed to fulfil his liberal offers. But in consideration of those offers, I left my home in Steuben the 1st of June, 1798, and started for this place, accompanied by Salmon Ward and David Starr, with fifteen head of cattle. We traveled again upon the French road, as far as it availed us. This township had been surveyed by Benjamin and Moses Wright, the year before, and this year Mr. Storrs had engaged B. W. to survey Hounsfield, and on his way there he was to mark a road to this place, and to
.
123
Champion.
precede me. I met the surveyors agreeably to appointment at a Mr. Hoadley's, and from there we came on to what is called Turin Four Corners. There was only one log house there then. From there we went west about thirty or forty rods to Zaccheus Higby's. There we laid down our maps and consulted them, and came to the conclusion to take from thence a north course. This led us up on to the top of the hill, now known as the Tug Hill. We were entirely ignorant of the face of the country, and of the most eligible route to pursue, and therefore took the one which seemed the most direct, not knowing the obstacles to be encoun- tered. We had before come down by water, and on this route there was not even a marked tree. It was the duty of the sur- veyors to precede us, mark a road and chain it. Mr. W *** started in advance of us for this purpose. It was a beautiful, clear morning and we followed on, progressing finely until the middle of the afternoon, when we came to a great gulf, and an abund- ance of marked trees. We went over the gulf but could find no more trees marked. We then made a fire and took out the stop- pings from our bells, and suffered our cattle to feed around the fire, while we set ourselves to search for marked trees, over the gulfs and up and down, but could find no place to cross, or marks by which to determine what course the surveyors had taken. In this predicament we prepared to construct a shelter for the night of hemlock boughs, &c.
The next morning the sun came up clear and bright, and I called a council. I told the men how much damage it would be to me to return, how great a loss not to proceed, and asked them if they were willing to come on. David Starr replied that he would go to h-1, if I would. Though no way desirous of going to the latter place, even in good company, I determined to come on, if such a thing were possible, without a compass or guide. We then set ourselves to work, and felled trees, with which we made an enclosure, into which we drove our cattle, and then shoved them down the precipice, one after another; they went up slant- ingly on the other side, and much better than we got them down, so that finally they were all safely over, after much toil and trouble I then agreed to pilot the company down, took off the ox bell, and carried it in my hand, leading the way, and steered a north course by the sun and watch. We had the advantage of a bright sunshine. We had to cross a number of gulfs, and one windfall, which was the worst of all. We continued to travel upon the summit of the hill, where we found much fine table land. The cattle would travel as fast as I could lead the way. One man drove them, and another followed, axe in hand, to mark the trees, and leave traces behind us, so that if we could not advance, we could retrace our steps.
124
Champion.
We descended the hill before reaching Deer River. The lat- ter we struck and crossed above the falls-not far from where the village of Copenhagen now stands-and coming on, we succeed- ed in finding the town line, which was identified by marked trees, not far from where the toll-gate now is, on the Champion and Copenhagen Plank Road. We then changed our course, follow- ing the line to the Black River, at Long Falls, where we arrived before night. We there found Mr. W *** and men. They had not arrived more than an hour before us. When seeing us, Mr. W *** exclaimed, "How, in the name of God, have you got here?" I replied, " You scoundrel! you ought to be burnt for leaving us so!" It was a most rascally piece of business. their leaving us as they did. But I suppose the truth was, they thought it im- possible for us ever to get through with our cattle; but this does not excuse them for not having marked the road; 'twas for that they were sent-and if others could not follow, they were not answerable; but their duty was plain before them.
My boat, which I had dispatched from the High Falls, soon after arrived, with my provisions, yokes, chains, cooking utensils, &c., &c. The next day we left one to watch our effects, while the others were searching for a desirable location. In a few days I selected the farm upon which I now live, principally for the reason that it was the centre of the township, rather than for any peculiar advantages it possessed over other portions of the town. Yet the soil has proved good, and sufficiently luxuri- ant with proper cultivation. This was what I sought, a good agricultural location, rather than one possessing hydraulic pri- vileges. Not one tree had been cut here for the purpose of ma- king a settlement, nor was there a white man settled in what is now the county of Jefferson, when I came here. I was the first white settler in the county. I remained here through the sum- mer, and until October, engaged in making a clearing. We then returned to Steuben, where my family was, to spend the winter.
During the summer, some families had come into Lowville, and Mr. Storrs had caused a road to be marked from there to the Long Falls, and by that we returned, driving our cattle home again. These had become fat, by running in the woods, during the sum- mer, and I sold them for beef. I would mention here, though rather out of place, that I found a living spring of pure water, a few rods before where the public house, in this place, now stands, which had its influence in deciding my location. Near it I built my first house, and there I kept " bachelor's hall" two summers, being myself " chief cook." My first habitation was a cabin, erected in a few hours' time, with the aid of my men. It was a rude structure, but served our purpose. We first set some posts, and then, having felled great trees, stripped them of the bark,
125
Champion.
and, with this, covered the roof and three sides of our dwelling, the front was left opened, so that it may truly be said, we kept open house. The covering was kept firmly in its place by withes of bark. After the completion of our house, the next most ne- cessary thing, was an oven, in which to bake our bread, for bread we must have, it being the staff of life. This was soon made, with two logs for a foundation, and a flat stone thereon, the super- structure was soon reared with smaller stones, cemented together by a mortar of muck, from the side of the spring, and crowned by a flat stone. This answered my purpose as well as one of more ela- borate construction. For a door, we split out a plank of bass-wood; and for a kneading-trough, we again had recourse to the bass- wood, from whence we cut a log of the required length and di- mensions, split it, and from one half, dug out, with an axe, and an in- strument named a howell, which we had brought for such purposes, in a short time, a trough, which answered our purpose very well. I bro't some yeast with me, to make my first batch of bread; after that, I used leaven, kept and prepared, after directions given me by my wife, before leaving home. Whatever may be said of our cooking, in general, I am sure none ever seemed sweeter to me, or was eaten with a better relish by others; labor sweetened every mouthful. We had cows; a plenty of milk, &c. We sometimes washed dishes, when we could not remember what we last ate upon them, but oftener turned them the bottom side up, there to remain until wanted again. Some even pretend to say, that when our table needed scouring, we sprinkled salt upon it, and put it out for the old cow to operate upon. However that may be, I am sure, if we ever did do it, it must have come from under her scouring apparatus exceedingly white. But the whole story is rather apocryphal.
Early in the spring, 1799, I sent on two men, to make sugar, before I came on myself. They commenced making sugar, and one day went out hunting, leaving their sugar boiling. The con- sequence was, the house took fire and burned down, with all of the little it contained. During the winter, the Indians had stolen all the cooking utensils I had left, and the potatoes which I had raised, and buried the autumn before. Thus my riches were ta- king to themselves wings, and flying away. I came on soon after. This spring, Esquire Mix and family came on; John and Thomas Ward, Ephraim Chamberlain, Samuel and David Starr, Jotham Mitchell, Salmon Ward and Bela Hubbard, David Miller, and Boutin, a Frenchman, came to Carthage. The above were all young, unmarried men, save Mix. We continued our labors through the summer of 1799, but not with that spirit which we should have done, had not a rumor reached us of the failure of Mr. Storrs, and the probability that we should lose, not only all
126
Champion.
our labor, but the money which I had advanced for my land. But I will not enter into particulars here-let it suffice that I could not afford to lose all I had done and paid, and consequently en- tered into a compromise with him, to save a moiety of what was justly mine-of not only what I had actually paid for, but of what I was to have had, for leading the way in this first settle- ment of a new country, and subjecting myself again to all its dis- comforts and inconveniences. Consequently, in view of making this my permanent home, I moved my family here in the autumn of 1799. We had a very unfavorable time, to come. There had been a snow-storm, in which about six inches of snow had fallen. We were obliged to travel on horseback, the horses' feet balled badly: we had sloughs to go through, and altogether, it was ve- ry uncomfortable traveling in that manner, with children. We arrived at Mr. Hoadley's the first night, and our ox-teams and goods the next day. From there, we came to the High Falls, where I had a boat awaiting us, which I had caused to be built for my own use. Here we embarked with all our goods and chattels, of all kinds, loading the boat to its utmost capacity, so that when all were in, it was only about four inches out of water. We spent one night at the Lowville landing, where a family were living. During the evening, there came in a number of men, wet, cold and hungry. Among them, was one named Smith. He went to pull off the boots of one of his companions, which were very wet and clinging close. He pulled with all his might- the other bracing himself against him as firmly as possible. All at once, and with unexpected suddeness, the boot came off, and poor Smith was sent, with his bare feet, into a bed of live coals. There was both music and dancing for one while.
We arrived at the Long Falls, about noon, the second day from our embarkation. The weather had by this time become warm and pleasant. Our oxen arrived soon after by land, we unloaded our boat, put our wagon together, loaded it with some of our effects, set off, and, before night, reached our "wilderness home." My wife said, in view of the difficulties in getting here, that, if she had any thing as good as a cave to live in, she would not return in one year at the least. She, of choice, walked from the Falls here, a distance of four miles through the forest. We arrived on the 17th of Nov., 1799. The weather continued pleasant until the 27th, when it commenced snowing, the river soon froze over, the snow, of which a great quantity fell, and continuing to fall, lasted all winter, and we were entirely cut off from all intercourse with the world. I kept fifteen head of cattle through the winter, by browsing them, and they wintered well. Isolated though we were, yet I never passed a more comfortable winter. We had a plenty of provisions; my wheat, I had raised here, a
127
Champion.
very fine crop from seed sown in the autumn of 1798, and my pork, &c., was fatted in Oneida County, and brought here by boat. And take it all together, I perhaps settled this country as easy as any one ever settled a new country, as completely isolated as this was at that time, and easier than I settled in Steuben, 18 miles from Utica. At that time we had to go to Utica or Whitesborough for provisions, and it always took one day to go out, and another to return, incredible as it may now seem. In the spring of 1800, people began to flock into the country by hundreds, and, as my log house afforded the only accommodation for wayfaring men, we were obliged to keep them, whether we would or no; some- times, and that very often, my floors were strewn with human beings as thick as they could lie, some so near the huge fire place as not to pass unscorched; one man in particular, it was said by his companions, had his head baked, by too close a proximity to the oven. This rush continued two or three years, and was full of incident and interest, but at this distance of time I can not recall these incidents with sufficient accuracy to detail them here. The town settled rapidly with an intelligent and energetic class of people. The society was good; it might be called good any where. Perhaps there was never a more intelligent and interesting people congregated together in an obscure little inland town, than in this, within a few years from its first settlement. I can not state the order of time in which they came, but the names of a few of them I will record, that in future time, when this place shall have sunk into insignificance, as it too probably will, before the greater lights arising around it, it may be known that we were once honored by having in our midst such men as Egbert Ten Eyck, afterwards first judge of the court, who was then a young lawyer, and married here to one of our beautiful maidens; Olney Pearce and wife, Hubbel and wife, Judge Moss Kent, brother of the late chancellor, Henry R. Storrs, who opened an office here, and afterwards became one of the most distinguished lawyers of the state. Dr. Baudry, a Frenchman, Drs. Durkee and Farley, and many others, too numerous to mention, as well as many ladies of grace and beauty, whom it would be invidious now to particularize. Common schools were soon established. Religious meetings were held on the sabbath, after old Deacon Carter came into the town, and in very few years, I think as early as 1805, the Rev. Nathaniel Dutton came. He was sent out by some missionary society at the east, to form churches in this west- ern world, and coming to this place, was invited to remain, which he did, and continued here until the close of his valuable life, in Sept. 1852, and for the greater part of that time was the pastor of the Congregational church, which flourished under his minis- trations, and enjoyed many powerful revivals of religion.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.