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 32
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Watertown has been repeatedly devastated by fires, some of which produced a decided check to its prosperity, while others acted beneficially, by removing rubbish that would, otherwise, have disfigured the village for time indefinite, and from which the place recovered with an elastic energy, characteristic of a progressive age and people.
On the 7th of February, 1833, a fire occurred, which burned the extensive tannery and oil mill of Mr. J. Fairbanks; the pa- per mill and printing office of Knowlton & Rice, and a morocco factory and dwelling of Kitts & Carpenter; loss about $30,000.
The destruction of Beebee's factory, July 7, 1833, has been above noticed.
On the 22d of December, 1841, the Black River Woolen Mills in Factory Village were burned; also elsewhere mentioned.
On the 21st of March, 1848, at 3 o'clock A. M., a fire occurred in an old stone shop, in the rear of the Union Mills, and a little above, which spread rapidly to the buildings on the island oppo- site, and to others above, which, with the bridge, were rapidly consumed; and two men, named Leonard Wright, and Levi Palmer, perished in the flames, having entered a woolen mill for the purpose of rescuing property. Among the buildings burned, were the paper mill of Knowlton & Rice, the satinet factory of Mr. Patridge, occupied by W. Conkey, a row of me- chanics' shops on the island, &c. This fire threw many laborers and mechanics out of employment, and was seriously felt by the public. Contributions for the sufferers were raised in the village, and nearly $1,100 were distributed among them.
Early in the morning of May 13, 1849, a fire occurred in the rear of the American Hotel, corner of Arsenal and Washington streets, which swept over a considerable portion of the business part of the village, and consumed an immense amount of pro- perty. The American Hotel, and out buildings, Paddock's Block, Woodruff's Iron Block, and all the buildings on both sides of Court Street, as far down as the clerk's office, were burned. The Episcopal Church, three printing offices, about thirty extensive stores, the post office, Black River Bank, Wooster Sherman's Bank, Henry Keep's Bank, town clerk's office, Young Men's Association, surrogate's office, and many dwelling houses, were in the burnt district. This was by far the most disastrous fire that has occurred in the county, and nothing more fully proves
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the enterprise of the place than the quickness with which it re- covered from the disaster. While the flames were still raging, preparations for rebuilding were made, by purchasing mate- rials, and laborers were seen pulling the bricks, still hot, from the smouldering ruins, and laying the foundations of new and larger buildings on the site of the former. The sites of the burnt build- ings were, in many instances, sold for a greater sum than the same, with the buildings on them, would have previously brought.
During the ensuing summer the village exhibited an industry, among masons and carpenters, which had never been equaled, and the external appearance of the village has been decidedly improved.
On the 24th of September, 1850, a fire occurred on Sterling street, from which the burning shingles were wafted to the steeple of the Universalist Church, and when first noticed, had kindled a flame not larger than that of a candle; but before the place could be reached, it had enveloped the spire in flames, beyond hope of arresting it, and the building was consumed. With the utmost exertions of the firemen and citizens of the village, the fire was prevented from extending further.
On the 27th of January, 1851, Perkins' Hotel, on the site of the Merchants' Exchange, was burned, with a large block on Washington street, adjacent. The loss was estimated at about $25,000.
On the 16th of October, 1852, a fire occurred on the opposite, or west side of Washington street, which consumed all the build- ings south of Paddock's Block, viz: Hungerford's Block, Citizen's Bank, and Sherman's Block. The loss was estimated at about $14,000, of which the greater part was insured.
Mechanics' Row, below the Union Mills, was burned Novem- ber 5, 1852; loss about $20,000, of which, between $6,000 and $7,000 were insured. From fifty to sixty mechanics were thrown out of employment; and one young man, Hudson Haddock, aged nineteen, perished in the flames while endeavoring to rescue pro- perty.
On the evening of July 23, 1853, a fire broke out in the extensive foundry, car factory and machine shop of Horace W. Woodruff, Esq., on the north bank of the river, opposite Beebee's Island, which, with all its contents was rapidly consumed. About seventy men were thrown out of employment by this calamity, which was felt by great numbers, indirectly concerned in the works, and by the public generally.
On the night of December 11, 1853, a fire consumed the build- ing erected for a tannery, but used as a sash and butter tub fac- tory, on the south side of Beebee's Island, adjoining the bridge, and owned by Messrs. Farnham & Button.
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FUR NACE OUT
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RACEW.WOODRUFFS
FOUNDRY & MACHINE SHOP
Woodruff's Car Factory and Foundry, built 1841, Burned July 23, 1853.
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Soon after the fire of 1849, Norris M. Woodruff erected the spacious and elegant hotel, that adorns the north side of the square, and there arose, simultaneous, from the ashes of the former, a range of buildings, extending down Court Street, and on Washington Street, fronting upon the public mall, that for archi- tectural beauty have few superiors. Prominent among these are the Paddock Buildings, including the Arcade, which, from its containing the post office, telegraph office, &c., has become a point of much importance. This building extends from Washing- ton to Arcade Street, is roofed with glass, and contains, on each side, both on the ground floor and a gallery, a range of stores and offices, the whole of which are airy and well lighted. At all seasons this affords a dry and comfortable promenade, and is a place of much resort.
PADI
LOSSING-BARRITI .. NY
View on Washington Street and the Public Square.
The engraving represents the blocks owned by L. Paddock, R. E. Hungerford, O. C. Utley, William H. Angel, and G. C. Sher- man. The new Masonic Hall is represented in the last building but one, with arched windows.
The plans of these buildings, represented in the engraving, were drawn by Mr. Otis L. Wheelock, an artist resident in the village, by whom most of the new buildings, that adorn the streets of Watertown, were planned. The general features of these edifices are shown by the annexed engravings, and have, for their object, to unite an elegant exterior, with a commodious
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internal arrangement, and where placed in continuous blocks,
AIT CHOWNER HOUSET
Crowner's Hotel, Court Street, Watertown.
as on the Public Square and Court Street, the effect produced is very fine.
LOSSING --- BARNITT
Merchants' Exchange, Watertown.
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The Merchants' Exchange, erected during the summer of 1853, by G. and W. N. Woodruff, will compare, in architectural taste and splendor, with any edifice of the class in the state. It is situated on the corner of Washington Street and the Public Square, having a front of 117} feet on the former, and 85 feet on the latter, with a height of 60 feet. The first story is devoted to stores, the second to offices, and the third to a saloon, which, for size, convenience of arrangement, and beauty of decorations, is unsurpassed by any, except in our largest cities. This room is 65 by 85, and 30 feet high, adapted in its arrangements for concerts, theatrical exhibitions, balls, and public meetings; and its walls and ceiling are adorned by elegant fresco paintings, executed with much taste and ability, by E. H. Whitaker, of Boston. This building was erected after the plans of Mr. Wheelock, at a cost of about $25,000.
The taste which has been exhibited within two or three years, in the erection of private dwellings, can not fail of being noticed and admired by strangers; and this, if continued, will
Residence of O. V. Brainard, Washington Street.
soon render the village as conspicuous among the inland towns of the state, for the classic elegance of its private as well as its public buildings, as it already has become for the immensity of its water power, and the extraordinary combination of facilities for manufacturing purposes which it possesses.
The enterprise which has led to the erection of water works, during the past season, has been already noticed. On the 23d of November, 1853, the pumps were set in operation, and, after working about thirty minutes, the water made its appearance in
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the reservoir, at an elevation of nearly two hundred feet, and distance of a mile from the village. An experiment made with a hydrant, with an inch pipe, showed that water could be thrown over the liberty pole on Factory Square, about 120 feet high, and the question appears to be settled beyond doubt that these valu- able works will answer the end for which they were erected, and that the village will henceforth possess the means of controlling fires, which have so often in times past laid waste the most flou- rishing portions of the place.
A part of this improvement is to consist of a fountain, in the centre of the public square, on each side of which an oval park is to be laid out, and enclosed and planted with trees. The basin of the fountain is forty feet in diameter, and made of cut stone, and the jets will be supplied from a reservoir, one hundred and eighty feet above this level.
Early in 1852, measures were taken for supplying the village with gas light. Messrs. Walworth, Nason and Guild, had, by a village ordinance passed September 9, 1851, secured the exclu- sive privilege of supplying the village with rosin gas for ten years, and on the 28th of Feb., 1852, an association, styled the Watertown Gas Light Company, was organized, with a ca- pital of $20,000. In the same year the principal buildings in the business portion of the village were supplied, and during the summer of 1853, pipes were laid through many of the principal streets and to private houses. A proportionate addition was made to the manufactory, and these improvements will be ex- tended as the wants of the public demand.
Several social libraries have been formed in this town, the first of which was the Watertown Social Library, May 14, 1805; Wm. Huntington, Corlis Hinds, Hart Massey, Henry Jewett, and Daniel Brainard, trustees. The Farmer's Instructor, was a li- brary company, formed June 8, 1813, with Wm. Parkinson, Davis Doty, Cyrenus Woodworth, Cyrus Butterfield, Simeon Woodruff, and Ira Delano, trustees. It was located near the line of Rut- land. The Watertown Franklin Library, formed Feb. 12, 1829, with Chas. E. Clarke, Ralph Clapp, John Sigourney, Daniel Lee, Isaac H. Bronson, Clarke Rice, Otis Colwell, Henry L. Harvey, Baker Massey, Alvin Hunt, Ira Brewster, and Win. Smith, trustees, had formed a collection of books, that were sold in February, 1834, when the society disbanded.
The Young Men's Association, was formed by the appointment of officers, Dec. 3, 1840, and the adoption of a constitution, which provided for the annual election of a president, two vice presidents, a recording and a corresponding secretary, a treasurer, and eleven managers, who were to constitute together, an execut- ive committee, appoint a librarian, and have the general charge
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and supervision of the interests of the association. Citizens of Watertown, between the ages of sixteen and forty, might become members, by paying $1 admission fee, and $2 annually.
On the 17th of April, 1841, an act of incorporation was passed, by which D. D. Otis, O. V. Brainard, S. S. Cady, Abraham Rea- mer, J. M. Clark, George R. Fairbanks, and Samuel Fairbanks, were constituted a body corporate, under the name of The Young Men's Associaton, for Mutual Improvement, in the Village of Watertown, with the usual liabilities and immunities, and power to hold real and personal estate, to an amount not exceed- ing $10,000.
The introductory address was delivered by the Hon. Joseph Mullin, Dec. 17, 1800, and weekly lectures and debates were continued during the winter seasons. A library with about four hundred volumes, was opened, April 3, 1841, and had increased to nearly two thousand volumes, when the premises occupied by the association, were destroyed in the great fire of May 13, 1849, and no further efforts were made to revive it.
The first officers elected, were D. D. Otis, president; Orville V. Brainard, first vice president; Ithamer B. Crawe, second vice president; Joseph Mullin, corresponding secretary; W. Genet, treasurer; Geo. W. Hungerford, S. Fairbanks, James F. Starbuck, A. M. Corss, R. Barnes, J. H. Dutton, J. C. Patridge, F. W. Hubbard, K. Hannahs, M. Beebee, and T. H. Camp, managers.
Religious Societies .- Meetings for religious worship were held by missionaries from New England, almost as soon as the town began to settle; and in 1802, there were three worshipping assemblies in this town and Rutland. On the 3d of June, 1803, a Congregational Church was formed by the Rev. Ebenezer La- zelle, at the barn of Caleb Burnham, at Burrville, consisting at first of fifteen members. Gershom Tuttle and William Fellows were appointed first deacons; and in the same summer stated meetings were held at the house of John Blevin. Missionaries sent out from the New Hampshire and Connecticut Missionary Societies, occasionally supplied the church with preaching; among whom were the Rev. B. Tyler, N. Dutton, and others. On the 25th of October, 1815, the Rev. Daniel Banks was or- dained and installed the pastor of this church, and Rutland, by an ecclesiastical council convened for the purpose; the sermon being preached by the Rev. Isaac Clinton, of Lowville, and the charges given by the Rev. Enos Bliss.
In January, 1821, the form of government was changed to Presbyterian; the first elders being Wm. Brown, James Stone, T. Redfield, J. Van Nest, John Sawyer, Hart Massey, Wm. Hunting- ton, Asaph Horton, and Amasa Herrick. The first deacons were T. Redfield, and Hart Massey.
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Mr. Banks remained the pastor of this church until February 28, 1821, when he left for Potsdam, where he subsequently resi- ded as a pastor, and the principal of St. Lawrence Academy, until his death in 1827. On the 12th of April, 1821, the Rev. George S. Boardman was employed; and July 26, of the same year, he was installed over this church, where he remained until March 8, 1837, when he left, and was succeeded, May 20, 1837, by the Rev. Isaac Brayton who was ordained and installed, August 31st, of the same year, and has since remained the pastor.
Three churches have sprung from this; a Congregational one in 1830, since become extinct. The second Presbyterian Church of Watertown village, 1831, and a Congregational Church at Burrville, in 1836.
The first religious corporation, under the general statute, was formed February 11, 1811, under the name of the Religious Society of Watertown, of which the trustees of first elected were Tilley Richardson,* John Sikes, Thos. Sawyer, Hart Massey, Amos Benedict, Aaron Brown, and Wm. Fellows, trustees; and a vote was taken to erect a meeting house as soon as practicable, but the war which followed prevented. The Watertown Ecclesi- astical Society was formed May 25, 1814, with Jabez Foster, Hart Massey, and Orren Stone, trustees, which, however, effected no- thing; and June 27, 1811, the Watertown and Rutland Union So- ciety had been formed, which also failed to erect a church. The brick academy erected in 1811, on the site of the First Presbyterian Church, was, with the Court House, used for several years for meetings, until 1820, when a stone edifice, occupying the site of the present Presbyterian Church, on Washington Street, was erected, and on the 1st of January 1821, it was dedicated by the pastor, the sermon being preached from Isaiah lxiv, 11.
Early in 1850, it was decided to rebuild the stone church, and in May it was demolished, and the present elegant brick church erected on its site. It is sixty-three by one hundred feet, and can seat one thousand persons. It is built after the plans and designs of Mr. Otis L. Wheelock to whom the village is indebted for the plans of most of the ne v public buildings. The church was dedicated April 10, 1851, the sermon being preached by the pastor, from Psalms cxx, 1. The cost of the house was about $20,000. The church how numbers about 338 communicants.
The Second Presbyterian Church was formed July 20, 1831, by the Rev. Abel L. Crandall, and Geo. S. Boardman, a committee, appointed for the purpose, by the Watertown Presbytery. It consisted at first of thirty-one members, dismissed for that pur- pose from the First Church, and four from the Congregational
* Mr. Richardson died January 14, 1852, aged 93 years. He was a sol- dier of the revolution, and emigrated from New Hampshire, in 1802.
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First Presbyterian Church, Watertown.
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Church; Lewis R. Sandiforth, was chosen Ruling Elder. Pastors, James R. Boyd, installed Sept. 7, 1832; Marcus Smith, Feb. 10, 1836; Wm. E. Knox, Feb. 14, 1844; and Peter Snyder, June 20, 1848. Their church, at the corner of Factory and Mechanic Streets, was built in 1831, at a cost of about $5,500, of which Mr. Beebee, proprietor of the Jefferson Cotton Mills, contributed about $3,000. This church has received nearly 700 members; present number (June 1853) 187. About 100 members fell off within two years, by removals and other causes, resulting from the burning of the cotton mills, in 1833. The society, connected with this church, was formed Oct. 10, 1831, with Josiah W. Baker, Henry Kitts, and Geo. W. Knowlton, trustees.
Trinity Church. The first Episcopal service was performed in the town of Watertown, early in 1812, at the old school house, on the site of the present Universalist Church, by the Rev. Da- niel Nash, of Otsego County. In 1826, it was again performed by the late Bishop Hobart, in the Presbyterian Church, and the same year the Rev. William Lynn Keese, stationed at Brown- ville, preached occasionally, here and at Sackets Harbor. On the 31st of May, 1828, a legal organization was effected, under the Rev. Joshua M. Rogers, of Turin, of which Ira Wright, and Wm. D. Ford, were church wardens, and Wm. Cowen, Samuel McClure, Philo S. Johnson, Loveland Paddock, Forrester Dexter, Henry L. Harvey, Henry Bronson, Wm. McCullock, and Walter Woodward, were vestrymen. Mr. Rogers continued to attend every fourth Sunday for some time. In 1829, they engaged the pastoral labors of the Rev. Hiram Adams, then a missionary of the united parishes of Watertown and Sackets Harbor, at which places he preached on alternate sabbaths. Services were at first held at the Court House. In 1S29, a sunday school was opened, having at first sixteen scholars, and two teachers, and for four years, not more than twenty-five scholars were assembled.
In 1830, a subscription was circulated to obtain the means to erect a church, and a petition for aid was forwarded to Trinity Church, New York; but these efforts failed, and the parish was several months without religious services, except, occasionally, by the Rev. Mr. Gear, the successor of Mr. Keese, at Brown- ville. In the fall of 1831, the Rev. Mr. Salmon was hired six months, but remained a year, and in February, 1832, the efforts to raise means for building a church, were resumed with vigor. A lot was secured, but the sum was still short of that necessary, when Henry D. Sewall, engaged to build the house on the sub- scription, and take the sum to be received from the sale of pews to pay the balance. A wooden church was accordingly com- menced in the spring of 1832, and finished externally the same year. In June 1833, Trinity Church, New York, gave $1,000,
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to the society, on condition that the edifice should be of stone, and, when done, free from debt. As the building was already up, the condition, prescribing the material, was modified. In 1833, Samuel Brown, of Brownville, raised $600, for this church, in New York, and G. C. Sherman contributed liberally towards its completion, by giving the building of a church in Ellisburgh, of which he had acquired the title, on condition that the church should be furnished with an organ and a bell; both of which were procured in August, of the same year. The church being com- pleted, was consecrated on the 18th of September, 1833.
The frame of this building was 40 by 60 feet, with a square tower of 16 feet base, projecting 8 feet from the front, with a belfry formed by two parallelograms, crowning each other, with recessed corners, two feet square, above which arose an octa- gonal tinned spire, tapering to a point at 100 feet from the ground. The church had two windows in the front, and four on each side, with semicircular tops. The external design and details of the tower were modelled from a church in Cambridge, Mass. In 1834, Mr. Gear, of Brownville, was employed a part of the time, and in 1835, the Rev. - Hickox, of Rochester, was called, and the church prospered much under his labors. From May, 1837, till April, 1839, the Rev. Charles Ackley was employed, and in September of the latter year, the Rev. John F. Fish was engaged and remained until Sept. 22, 1844. During his ministry, the numbers of the church increased from 56 to 134; there were 94 confirmations, 127 baptisms, 142 marriages, and 55 burials.
In January, 1845, the Rev. Dr. Wm. M. Carmichael was em- ployed and remained about a year, when he was succeeded in August 1846, by the Rev Levi W. Norton, who continued the rector till the spring of 1853. On the 17th of July, 1853, the Rev. Geo. Morgan Hill was employed, and the parish is now in a very flourishing state, exhibiting in October, 1853, the follow- ing statistics :-
Families, comprising the congregation, 170
Present number of communicants, 175
There is a flourishing Sunday School of 20 teachers and 80 pupils.
The church originally erected was burned in the memorable fire of May 13, 1849, and on the 14th May 1850, the corner stone of the present edifice was laid, with religious services, by the Episcopal clergy of the county. The building is after the plans of Mr. R. Upjohn, of New York, and is purely gothic. The dimensions of the nave are 50 by 100 feet; those of the church, 25, by 21 feet. The tower which rises from an angle of the building, is 160 feet high, and the whole cost from $12,000 to $16000, and can accommodate 1,000 worshipers. It was conse- crated by Bishop De Lancy, January 23, 1851.
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LOSSING-BABBITT.
Trinity Church, Watertown.
The building committee were L. Paddock, R. G. Vaughan, B. Bagley, Joel Blood, and Hiram Merrill.
The building stands on the north side of Court-street, near the county clerk's office. The society received towards its erection, $600 from Trinity Church, New York. We are indebted for most of the facts relating to the early organization of this church, to an Easter memorial, preached by the Rev. J. F. Fish, March 27, 1842, and published soon after in the Jeffersonian.
The Universalist Society was formed at the Court House, April 26, 1820, by a meeting assembled on the call of twelve citizens. Levi Butterfield, Chauncey Calhoun, Henry Caswell, Simeon Scheeles, and Darius Doty, were chosen first trustees. A legal society was formed January 3, 1825, of which Joseph Sheldon, Reuben Goodale, Jehiel M. Howell, Jonathan Baker, and Eliot Makepeace, were the first trustees. This society in 1824, built a stone church on the site of the present one at a cost of about $7,000, which was dedicated Nov. 10, 1824, and
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burned September 29, 1850. The present church was erected in 1851-2, at a cost of from $9,000 to $ 10,000, and dedicated Novem- ber 4, 1852. A church organization was formed June 21, 1823, of 14 members, under Rev. Pitt Morse, the first clergyman, who remained till 1825, and after a year's absence again sustained the charge of the society for many years. He was succeeded by Rev. Wm. H. Waggoner, who remained four years. Rev. H Boynton was next employed, and has been succeeded by the Rev. John H. Stewart, the present clergyman. During the time that Mr. Boynton remained, the church organization was given up, and has not since been resumed.
3
Universalist Church, Watertown.
The church fronts upon the public square, near its south east corner, and is after the plans of O. L. Wheelock, of this village.
A Baptist church was formed in the town of Watertown, at a very early day. In 1809, it reported 38; in 1810, 59; in 1819, it numbered 121. The church at the village, is said to have been organized, under the supervision of Elder Norman Guiteau, May 29th, 1823, of seventeen members. The succession of pas- tors have been, Jacob Knapp, John Miller, Charles Clark, L. T. Ford, W. J. Crane, John A. Nash, and J. S. Holme, the present pastor. A society was formed, Oct. 13, 1827, in Factory Village, with Lemuel L. Grady, Caleb S. Henderson, and Harvey Far- rington, trustees, who erected in 1828, the church now occupied by the Catholics. In 1837, having sold this, they erected a church
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