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 15
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A house was built at a very early day, on the hill, west of the village, which combined the double purpose of a church and school house. It was an expensive house for the times and com- munity. In a few years it was burned to the ground. The next school house was also a large one, located across the gulf, on the road to the Great Bend. This was also used as a meeting house. A part of it is still standing and is now converted into a dwelling house. Some years later it was determined to erect a church, but the details of this and other movements, I presume, you will obtain more fully from other sources.
Yours, &c. NOADIAH HUBBARD."
The difficulties attending the early settlement of this town, and the country generally, are set forth in the following petition to the legislature, dated the third Tuesday of February, 1801:
" The memorial of the subscribers, proprietors, and inhabitants of Champion, on Black River, in the County of Oneida, in said state, humbly sheweth: That your memorialists, induced by the extraordinary fertility of the soil, have made an establishment in said Champion, and extended the frontier settlements of the state in a northerly direction from Rome to Lake Ontario. That in prosecuting this enterprise, those of your memorialists who have emigrated from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the eastern parts of this state, have not only been subjected to the inconvenience of excessively bad roads, but have been and are still obliged to go around by the way of Rome to Utica, and through Boon's settlements, and Steuben, a distance of at least forty miles further than it would be in a direct line. That from the High Falls, on Black River, on a line tolerably direct to Johnstown, and from thence to Albany, on the old road is but 105 miles; but from the High Falls to Albany, by way of Rome is 145 miles. Your memorialists are informed, and verily believe, that a good road may be made in the direction they have pointed out, by which all the aforesaid saving in distance would be realized. But the country through which it must run, is either not settled at all, or so thinly inhabited that neither the towns through which the proposed road must be laid out, nor individuals, are competent to the opening of said road. Your memorialists would further observe that the road would not only be a great accommodation to them, but would be of so much public utility as to claim the patronage of the legislature. It would save at least forty miles in the travel from Albany to Upper Canada, between which places the commercial intercourse, particularly in the articles of skins and furs, is at present very considerable, and is daily increasing. The fur traders from this state, who have been bound to Kingston, and the bay of Cantie
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(from whence a great proportion of the furs have been brought), have heretofore been obliged to go through Vermont, and Lake Champlain, or through Rome, the Oneida Lake, into Lake Onta- rio, and thence to Kingston, either of which routes ( as is evident from the map) is very circuitous; whereas the road which your memorialists propose, would make the traveling for these traders as direct as possible. Besides, it is believed, that those traders who are bound to Niagara, would find their account in travel- ing the new proposed road, and passing from Black River to Kingston, and taking passage from thence by water. It must also be the post road between this state and Upper Canada. This improvement in the road will rapidly increase the emigra- tion to this part of the country, and consequently the prosperity of this part of the state. Your memorialists therefore pray your honors to take this case into your consideration, and to appoint commissioners to lay out a road from Johnstown, in the nearest direction to the High Falls on Black River, and to grant out of. a future lottery, a sum of money which shall be necessary to open a road, and make it passable, or in some other way grant relief, and they as in duty bound will ever pray, &c."
This petition was signed by N. Hubbard, Benjamin Pike, jr., Eli Church, Harrison Mosely, Timothy Townsend, Joel Mix, Samuel Foster, Abner White, Mathew Kemp, Bela Hubbard, jr., Elisha Jones, William Davis, and William Crowell.
The virgin soil of this town was found to yield bountifully, and return an abundant increase to the hand of the cultivator, but the difficulty of realizing any means from the sales of pro- duce, from the difficulty of getting to market, led to efforts like the foregoing, to obtain aid for opening lines of communication, and we have heard it related from the lips of one who had shared in these privations, that once on an evening, when a few neighbors had assembled to exchange the news, the subject was being discussed, and one more sanguine than the rest, hazarded the prediction, that there were those then living, who would see a weekly line of mail stages pass through the town. This prophecy, like the dream of oriental fable, has come and gone, for although within ten years, not only a weekly but a daily mail was established, and for many years several mail coaches passed daily, the modern changes of routes by rail roads, and plank roads, have withdrawn these lines, and almost de- prived the town of a stated mail service. The proprietors of the town never expended a dollar upon the roads or bridges in it.
The first saw mill in town was built by William Hadsall, and John A. Eggleson, from Greenwich, New York, in 1802, on Mill Creek, near the line of Rutland, where several years after- wards a grist mill was built. In 1804, David Coffeen removed
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from Rutland to the west side of the river, opposite Carthage, and in 1806 built a mill on this side of the river, which was the first hydraulic improvement at that place. Finding the sup- ply of water in the channel insufficient, he constructed a wing dam partly across the river, which was completed by Le Ray, upon his commencing his iron works at Carthage. One and a half miles from the present village of Champion, towards the Great Bend, is a hamlet known as The Huddle, where mills and a distillery were erected several years before the war.
It has been intimated, that Champion had been contemplated as the probable centre of a new county. A special meeting was held November 13th, 1804, to choose delegates to discuss this measure, and Egbert Ten Eyck, Olney Pearce, and John Durkee, were chosen by ballot for this purpose. At the same meeting, the two latter were recommended for appointment as justices of the peace. In 1806, $100 was raised for killing the Canada thistle, to be expended by a committee consisting of Abel Crand- all, Olney Pearce, and [name illegible]. Wolf bounties of $5, were offered in 1807-8-9-10-11-12-13. In 1812, panther bounty $5, and fox bounty 50 cents. In 1815, fox bounty $1, wolf and panther bounty $10. In 1820, 50 cents for foxes; 25 cents for young foxes. Wolf and panther bounty $10. Every man required to cut the Canada thistles growing in the road, in front of his lands, under a penalty of $\ for each thistle. In 1822 a bounty of 50 cents for foxes, both old and young.
While referring to the subject of bounties, the following may not be inapplicable.
The anecdote is related, that a magistrate in this town, having had an altercation with a leading citizen in Lowville, heard that his opponent had offered a bounty of $5 for his head. Feeling somewhat uneasy under this, he resolved to ascertain its truth, and made the journey on foot on purpose to demand satisfaction, or a withdrawal of the offensive reward. Upon reaching the place, he found the person of whom he was in search, in com- pany with several others, and not wishing to make their quarrels a subject of publicity, be requested a private interview. This was promptly refused, on the ground that there was nothing be- tween them that required secresy, and he was told that if he had any thing to say, he might say it where he was. He then com- menced by repeating the story he had heard, and demanded whether it was true. His enemy denied at once the charge, calling his neighbors to witness whether they had ever known him guilty of the folly as the offering of such a sum, but admit- ted that he might have bid twenty shillings, and was very sure he had never gone higher! Finding that it was impossible to get this bounty taken off, he returned home. We are not in-
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formed of the result, or whether the reward was sufficient to tempt the cupidity of his neighbors.
We have alluded to the fact that this town was owned at the time of settlement by Henry Champion, of Colchester, and Lem- uel Storrs, of Middletown, Ct. On the 12th of May, 1813, an instrument was executed between them, by which the latter con- veyed, for $18,300, his half of the sums due for lands in this town and Houndsfield, but this conveyance not being delivered during the lifetime of Storrs, was subsequently confirmed by his heirs .*
At Champion Village is a Congregational and a Methodist church, (the latter newly erected), a stone edifice built for academic purposes, an inn, union store, and about twenty dwell- ings. The academic building was built in 1836, by Freemasons, partly with the funds of their lodge, and partly by subscription; the lower story being devoted to schools, and the upper to a lodge room. It is managed by five trustees appointed by the lodge. The village is on the state road, where crossed by the Great Bend and Copenhagen Plank Road, and is seven miles from Denmark, four from Carthage, five from Great Bend, six from Felt's Mills, twelve from Watertown, and five from Copen- hagen.
The village of Great Bend, is situated mostly on the south side of Black River, about a mile below where it bends from a northern to a westward course, and at the point where the Chas- sanis line crossed the river. A bridge was built here about 1804, which in 1807, was swept off by the spring flood, which in that year was very general in this section of the state, and of extraordinary height. It was soon rebuilt. In 1840, a sub- stantial covered bridge at this place was burned, and a few weeks after, an act was passed authorizing a loan of $2,500 to the town of Champion, $750 to Le Ray, $2000 to Wilna, and $750 to Pamelia, for building bridges over Black River, among which were those at this place and Carthage. These loans were to be repaid by a tax in eight equal annual instalments.
The first improvements at the Great Bend were commenced by Olney Pearce and Egbert Ten Eyck, who purchased a pine lot of one hundred acres in the vicinity, and entered into an engage- ment to build a dam, which was done by a Mr. Tubbs, and a saw mill was erected in 1806. Henry G. Gardner subsequently be- came interested in the improvements, and in 1807, the mill which had been destroyed in the flood was rebuilt. In 1809, a distillery was got in operation, and in 1816, the premises were sold to Watson & Gates, who in 1824, conveyed them to Charles E. Clarke, by whom the water power and mills are still owned.
* Jefferson Deeds, O, p. 286.
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A destructive fire occurred at the Great Bend, March 5, 1840, by which the grist mill, bridge and other property were burned. The loss was estimated at $20,000. The mill was immediately rebuilt on an extensive scale.
The river has here a fall of about sixteen feet, and both above and below a succession of rapids occur, which from Carthage to the lake amount to 480 feet. Of this the Long Falls, below Carthage, have 57 feet, and from thence to this place the fall is 33 feet. .
The village of Great Bend, being at the crossing of an import- ant and early traveled road into the northern part of the county, naturally became a place of some business, and has at present a large grist mill, a saw mill, two inns, two stores, a Baptist church and thirty or forty families.
In 1834, Joseph C. Budd, Wm. Bones, and Benj. Bentley, erected a blast furnace in Champion, west of the river, opposite Carthage, which was 26 feet square at the base, and 32 feet high. It was run but four blasts, the first two on bog ore alone when, it was abandoned in 1836. About 1000 tons of iron were made at this furnace, with the cold blast. No castings were made here. The parties owning it had in Feb. 1833, purchased of Aristarchus Champion, about 320 acres, opposite Carthage, which was surveyed into a village plat, and sold to parties in New York, who caused a new survey and a map to be made by Nelson J. Beach. The speculation failed, and the property re- verted to Champion, who sold it to V. Le Ray, the present owner of the greater part. This village company procured an act in- corporating the West Carthage Iron and Lead Company, with a capital of $200,000 in shares of $500, which was incorporated May 15, 1837. The first directors were Ebenezer Jesup, Jr. Chauncey Burke, Wolcot Hubbell, Ebenezer Griffin, and Carlos Woodcock, and the company was limited in duration to 25 years. Nothing was done towards carrying this into effect.
West Carthage, is now assuming some importance, having 3 saw mills (one of which is an extensive gang mill, built by Co- burn & Rulison, in 1852), 1 grist mill, 2 oil mills, 1 clothing works, 1 tannery, 1 cabinet shop, with water power, and an in- · creasing population. It has a Congregational Church erected in 1852, at a cost of $2000.
A society library, was formed Dec. 24, 1823, at Champion village, with Martin Ellis, Allen Kilborn, Dorastus Wait, George L. Coughlin, and J. P. Johnson, trustees. It has been for seve- ral years discontinued.
Religious Societies .- The first regular religious organization in the county, is believed to have been formed in this town, in June, 1801, by the Rev. Mr. Bascomb, of Chester, Massachusetts,
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who was sent out on a missionary tour by the Ladies' Charitable Society, of Connecticut, and on that date formed a Congregational Church. The numbers that first composed it were small, and only occasional preaching was enjoyed until 1807, when the Rev. Nathaniel Dutton, was ordained. There were present on this occasion, the late Rev. Dr. Norton, of Clinton, N. Y., Mr. Eels, of Westmoreland, and one or two others. Mr. Dutton maintained for nearly forty years, the pastoral relation with this church, and became in a great degree identified with the religious movements not only of the town, but county, and was instrumental in effect- ing numerous church organizations in this section. The fol- lowing notice, published soon after his death, was written by the Rev. David Spear, of Rodman, who for a period quite as long, has labored in the ministry at that place, and whose opportuni- ties for knowing the character and worth of the subject of the notice were most ample.
" Died, in Champion, New York, September 9th, 1852, Rev. NATHANIEL DUTTON, aged 73 years, the first settled minister in Jefferson County. His parents live in Hartford, Vermont. The son, having become pious in early life, devoted himself to the work of the ministry, graduated at Dartmouth in 1802, studied theology under Dr. Lyman of Hatfield, commenced preaching in 1805 under the approval of Hampshire Association, was sent by the Hampshire Missionary Society to labor in the Black River country, and in 1807 was installed pastor of the First Congre- gational church in Champion.
For several years there was almost a continuous revival among his people, with constant accessions to the church. In 1817 he witnessed a general revival, which in a few months added 168 members to the church. Abundant as were his pastoral duties, he frequently visited destitute regions around him, to preach the word and administer the ordinances, and to organize churches. He also made himself useful by directing the studies of young men, preparatory to their college course. But few have performed more labor, or daily exhibited more of the fruits of righteous- ness. His uniformly pious and consistent life gave great weight to his pulpit and other instructions. He was a scribe well in- structed, rooted and grounded in the doctrines of the Bible, and a firm believer in the form of church polity he inherited from his Puritan ancestors. He resided with his people forty-six years; and although the pastoral relation was dissolved several years before his decease, he ever cherished towards them the tenderest sympathy and most affectionate regard. He never ceased his efforts to win souls to Christ, till compelled by disease. The Congregational churches of Carthage and Philadelphia will long remember his faithful labors among them in his declining
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years. The Consociation to which he belonged, have lost a friend and counselor, and a venerated father. His last sickness was short but distressing, which he bore with Christian patience and submission. He died in the full hope of a glorious immor- tality. 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.' "
A convention of ministers and churches, assembled at Cham- pion, September 22d, 1807, voted a proclamation recommending to the inhabitants of the Black River settlements, the observance of the first Thursday of December next, as a day of thanks- giving and praise. This document set forth in general terms the obligations felt toward Divine Providence for the blessings of the year, and advised religious services to be performed in the several churches. It was signed by a vote of the convention, James Murdock, moderator, Nathaniel Dutton, scribe, and pub- lished in the Black River Gazette, at Martinsburgh, then the only paper north of Utica. The governors of the state had not then adopted the custom of appointing a day of thanksgiving, as is now the invariable custom.
The First Congregational Society of the town of Champion, was formed May 7th, 1805, Jonathan Carter, Abel Crandel, Joel Mix, Noadiah Hubbard, Joseph Paddock, and John Canfield, being the first trustees. On the 4th of July, 1807, Champion & Storrs conveyed to the town two acres on the summit of a hill, that overlooks the village, for the site of a church and a public green, and it was contemplated to begin the erection of a church soon after, but the war that followed, directed attention from the object until 1816, in which year Noadiah Hubbard contracted to build a church edifice to be paid in the sale of pews, but it being expensive he never realized the cost. It was completed at a cost of $5000 and dedicated December 25th, 1816. General Champion had promised the town a bell, as a compliment for having had his name given to it, and this was accompanied by the following letter dated Hartford, September 9th, 1816, and addressed to Mr. Hubbard.
" The bell for your meeting house, was shipped from this place for Albany, about ten days past. The tongue is made fastened to the bell. I expect before this it is in Albany. It weighs a little short of 800 pounds, and it is said by Col. Ward to be a very good one. The bell they first cast appeared not to be as perfect as they wished, and of course they broke it to pieces, and cast another. I hope it will arrive safe, and be satisfactory to your society. I am, sir, your very humble servant, Noadiah Hubbard. HENRY CHAMPION."
The first church being in a bleak and exposed situation, diffi- cult of access, and in many respects uncomfortable, was taken
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down in the summer of 1841, and rebuilt in the valley, it hav- ing been completed and dedicated in the fall of that year.
A Baptist church in this town in 1818, reported twenty-five members, and the First Baptist Ecclesiastical Society, was formed October 16th, 1826, with Moses C. Merrill, Elisha Jones, Thomas Campbell, Elisha Bentley, Moses Miller, Sidney Hastings, and James Thompson, trustees. There was no house of worship erected in town by this order until 1842. A church in North Rutland on the 6th of January, 1842, decided to re- build at the Great Bend, and formed, January 27th, 1842, a society with Cicero Potter, Miner C. Merrill, Thomas P. Fran- cis, Daniel Potter, and Henry G. Potter, trustees. In May 1843, a subscription was drawn up for this purpose, and in December the house was completed and dedicated. It is 36 by 48 feet, and cost with fixtures $1400.
The Methodists first organized a legal society December 30th, 1825, with M. Andrews, Wilson Pennock, and Josiah Town- send, trustees. A second society was formed, April 11th, 1827, with Samuel Loomis, William Davis, and Wilson Pennock, trustees. A church was built in 1826 or 7, in this town, two miles from the Great Bend, at a cost of $700. It is a plain and cheap, but comfortable edifice. In the season of 1853, this denomination has built a chapel in Champion Village. On the South Road in this town a Union church exists.
The Congregational church of East and West Carthage was formed in 1830 by Rev. N. Dutton and J. H. Monroe. A society was formed, August 4th, 1838, with C. J. Hewett, Alfred Lath- rop, John Vrooman and S. Gilbert, trustees. In 1852, they erected a church in West Carthage at a cost of $2000. The Rev. J. A. Northrup, C. F. Halsey, W. Woolcot, N. Dutton, H. Doane and H. H. Waite have been employed as stated supplies. While Mr. Doane was in charge of this church, he withdrew from the Consociation and united with the Presbytery, having formed of a portion of the members a Presbyterian church, who have an organization in the village of Carthage.
CLAYTON.
This town, embracing two-fifths of Penet's Square from the west side, with a small tract north and a triangular gore west of that patent, was organized from Orleans and Lyme, by an act of April 27, 1833, the first town meeting being directed to be held at the house of Isaac L. Carter. The name was given in honor of the Hon. John M. Clayton, United States Senator from Delaware.
At the first town meeting, held June 4, 1833, Hubbeil Fox was chosen supervisor; B. F. Faxon, clerk; Jesse Noyes, Abram Burdick, Bariah Carpenter, Jr., assessors; Caleb Closson, James
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Barney, overseers of poor; Samuel P. Payne, Lloyd B. Traver, Elkanah Corbin, commissioners of highways; Alfred Fox, John Consaul, Jr., Joseph Mason, com's schools; Nathan B. Morton, Josiah Farer, David Baker, inspector of schools; Erastus Warner, collector.
Supervisors .- 1833-4, Hubbell Fox; 1835, Edward C. Ban- croft; 1836, Eldridge G. Merrick; 1839, Henry D. Van Camp; 1840-1, E. G. Merrick; 1842, Woodbridge C. George; 1843-4, Alfred Fox; 1845, E. G. Merrick; 1846, Alfred Fox; 1847, Erastus Warner; 1848, James Plumb; 1849-53, Alfred Fox; 1853, at a special town meeting, May 17, Luke E. Fra.ne, to fill vacancy.
' From an intimation on page 38, of this volume, it is learned that at an ancient period there was an Indian fort at French Creek in this town, but of the date and details, or even the locality, we know nothing. In 1799* there was a single log hut at this place, probably that of some timber thieves, who plundered the frontier without restraint or limit, during many years before any one appeared to show title. Mr. Nathan Ford, the pioneer of Ogdensburgh, in a letter to Samel Ogden on this subject, dated Dec. 27, 1799, wrote:
" There are several persons now cutting timber upon the two upper townships. I have no authority to say any thing about the matter; but vast injury will take place upon the townships. and if there are not measures taken immediately, not less than thirty or forty thousand staves, over and above the square timber which is now getting, that will be taken off. Mr. Wilkins, took down the names of several who pretended to settle; their motive was only stealing off the timber. The thing is now working as I told him would be the case, and if something is not done about this business, great destruction will arise. An example ought to be made, and this can not be done without sending an officer from Fort Stanwix. They have got the timber so boldly that they say there is no law that can be executed upon them here."
To Governeur Morris he wrote, July 16, 1800.
" I was in hopes I should have heard something about the road, before now. If there were a land communication to the Mohawk River, we should all experience less depredations. The difficulty of a communication to the southern part of the state, is well known to the timber thieves, and they count upon the almost impossi- bility of bringing them to justice."
As these lands were not within Ford's jurisdiction he could only advise in the matter, but in one or two instances, in which he was directly interested, he took summary measures in hand, and adopted a course that put an effectual stop to these robberies.
* History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, p. 262.
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In the portion of this town embraced in Penet Square, there was more of this lawless plunder, because for several years after the tract began to settle, there was no resident agent, or acknow- ledged owner. This state of things led to many abuses, and gave rise to incidents that will be specified in our account of Orleans, which then comprised the whole tract.
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