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 61
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The sum raised last year for missionary purposes amounted to upwards of $220.
There are four Sabbath schools in the bounds of the congrega- tion, with an average attendance of fifty in each; there is also a Bible class."
Page 122.
The initials near the bottom of this page might lead the rea- der to erroneously infer, that they were intended for Mr. Wright, which they were not. The surveyor here alluded to still resides in Oneida County.
Page 169.
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF HENDERSON.
This was formed January 1, 1820 of 66 members. Total number, 380; present number, 64. The clergy have been Emory Osgood, Elisha Morgan, Jesse Elliot, H. Chase, Russell Hervey, Alba Wedge, D. D. Read, John Wilder, Elisha Sawyer, Alba Cole, Joseph R. Johnson, and John F. Bishop. The first church erected in 1823, cost $1,800; the one recently built, $2,800.
Page 228.
RODMAN.
The clerk of the Assembly, in the session of 1808, when the present name of this town was adopted, was Daniel Rodman, in compliment of whom, in much probability, the name was given-
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Page 270.
JASON FAIRBANKS.
Mr. Fairbanks is a son of Samuel Fairbanks, who was an offi- cer of the revolution, and afterwards commanded a company sent to suppress Shays' rebellion. The subject of this note was born in 1785, in Mendon, Mass., and at thirteen went to Boston, where he remained a year with Forbes & King, and then bound himself as an apprentice to the saddle and harness business, with James Bragg, with whom, in 1802, he removed to Newport, N. Y. In 1807, he was sent by Mr. Bragg into western New York on business, and with the motive of selecting a place to settle. Remoteness from markets, seemed to promise slender prospects of growth to that section, and he resolved upon removing to Og- densburgh, where natural advantages seemed to promise future prosperity, but, the embargo temporarily checking business, he visited Watertown in June, 1808, where the county buildings were about being erected, and the central location, water power, and fertility of the surrounding country, presented a cheerful pro- spect to the enterprising artizan. There were then but five framed buildings in the village. He accordingly removed, September 1, 1808, and the next day opened a saddle and harness shop in com- pany with Calvin Mcknight, and continued that business 44 years. In 1810, he added shoe-making and tanning to his business, and continued them on an extensive scale 42 years, and was for many years connected with the business of carriage making and merchandise. In the course of these extensive mechanical opera- tions, he had more than 500 apprentices, 365 of whom served out their time; and of this number at least 350 proved to be re- spectable citizens.
The responsibility resting upon employers, in forming regular and correct business habits in apprentices, is universally acknow- ledged; and the indolence, want of thrift, and intemperance, too often seen among mechanics, may frequently be traced to the vi- cious examples and temptations thrown around them, in the shops where they acquired their trades. Mr. F. seldom had his appren- tices indented, and always gave them, each year, a certain amount, for clothing and pocket money, and while he taught them a good trade, he labored to impress upon their minds, that a boy who had not integrity enough to perform his bargain, was not worth keeping. Another rule which he established on the day he first opened shop, and maintained through the whole period, was, that no intoxicating liquors, should be used or brought in. This rule was seldom violated, and he was led to its adoption, from the circumstance that when he first began his apprentice-
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ship, being the youngest in a shop where three different branches of business were carried on, he was required to run half the time for rum and water.
By a very natural train of reasoning, he inferred, that so much loss of time was alike destructive to morals and a bar to success in business; and, while still a boy, he formed the resolution, which he ever after maintained. To this regulation, is his suc- cess in the training of apprentices, to a great degree due. He had usually about twenty at a time, in the different departments of his business, more than half of whom were orphans, and hav- ing ten boys offered, to one that could be taken, he felt it a duty to give preference to those who had no natural protectors.
When their times had expired he freely assisted them in start- ing in business for themselves, by some of whom he lost, while others were quite successful. For more than thirty years Mr. Fair- banks employed over one hundred persons, and one-half of them men of families. He presumes he has fed and clothed full two hundred persons for forty-four years, besides giving three hundred and sixty-five boys good trades.
In a recent communication to the author, concerning the man- ner in which he and Mr. Keyes lynched from Whittlesey the secrets of his robbery, related in the text, and other subjects, he says: " Before we executed it, we had positive evidence of his knowledge of the transaction, and of his guilt; and on the strength of that, we did not mean to proceed to extremities, farther than to frighten him until he informed us where the mo- ney was secreted; but his stubbornness held out much longer than we supposed it would or could. When we put the evidence of his guilt before him, in such a plain manner, his looks were evidence of it. We informed him that there was no doubt about it; and I believe that there is not one case in a thousand, where evidence was so palpable as in this case; but Lynch law is a dangerous one, and I would not advise it. But with other guilty parties, who have stolen from me and have been detected, I believe I have used more mild and lenient measures. I have pro- bably caught twenty persons pilfering property from me, and I have always made them give a confession, in writing, and then promised them, that as they had relations who would be disgraced by their bad conduct, and a punishment to them, that I would keep it a profound secret, until they committed the crime again; I would then prosecute them. I found this plan the surest me- thod of reforming them."
The following anecdote is related under such circumstances, as leave no doubt of its correctness, proving that the indulgence of humor is not inconsistent with the administration of justice, and that the attributes personified in classic mythology might
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be simplified, by combining the characters of Momus and Rhad- amanthus.
While Mr. Fairbanks was sheriff, he on one occasion in win- ter returned to his office at a late hour in the night, and while engaged in writing, he heard, in the back yard, the creaking sound, which, in intensely cold weather, is given by beaten snow when trodden. Stepping to a darkened window, he noticed, in the clear, frosty moonlight, a man loading a hand sled with wood from his pile. He quietly took down a heavy black whip, and repairing to the yard saluted his midnight visitor, by enquiring how many loads he had borrowed, and whether he was using them all alike. The confusion which this detection occasioned was extreme, and the man begged to be released, acknowledging that he had taken several loads from this pile, and from those of Mr. - , Mrs. - , &c. Finding that, in this levy, he had not been governed by the official rate bill of the town collector, having taken from widows and those in humble life, and passed the more wealthy, he compelled him to finish this load, upon the top of which he mounted, and using the whip instead of the reins, drove to the house of one whose ability to pay this tax was limited. He then drove back to his own pile, and subse- quently to others, always riding, whether full or empty, and spent a considerable part of the night in equalizing the assess- ment. Towards morning, having taken his customary receipt from the team, he dismissed him, and the next day explained to his neighbors the cause of the differences that they had noticed in their woodpiles.
While sheriff, in 1821, having noticed, in a Philadelphia paper, that Pennsylvania had produced a grand jury whose average weight was 200 pounds, he availed himself of the privilege, which the law then gave, for selecting, at his own discretion, this jury, and assembled one in Jefferson County, which lacked but 180 pounds of containing three tons, of re- spectability and character personified by twenty-four grand jury- men. These, with the officers of the court (most of whom hap- pened to be spare men), were feasted by the sheriff, and much mer- riment was occasioned by the contrast of the "lean court and fat ju- ry." The names of this jury were sought but not found in the clerk's office. One kept by Mr. Fairbanks, was, with a list of his apprentices, and other papers, lost in the great fire of 1849. Mr. Fairbanks was deputy United States marshall twenty-five years, sheriff six years, and county treasurer twelve years. He has suf- fered repeatedly from fires, by which he has experienced a loss of $25,000. At the age of 68, he enjoys fine health, which is due to diet and exercise. He rises at five o'clock in winter, and four in summer; rides on horseback from two to five miles, or
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walks one mile, every morning, and seldom sleeps more than five hours in the twenty-four. As Dr. Franklin has said that, " three removes are as bad as a fire," he has evinced little inclination for change, and has resided thirty-eight years in the same house.
Page 327. THE CLAIMS OF WILLIAM DEWEY.
This gentleman's zeal in directing public attention to the im- portance of the rail road, at a time when it had lost its interest, and had been in a measure forgotten, occasioned a meeting of young men in the village of Watertown, May 20, 1853, at which B. F. Stillman, James F. Starbuck, Charles D. Wright, George S. Goodale and James R. A. Perkins, were chosen a committee to ex- press their sense of obligation to him for his labors, and present a gold watch as a testimonial of respect.
Page 388.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE IN ASSEMBLY, FOR A TAX UPON THE COUNTY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF .ELLISBURGH ACADEMY.
" That it is in contemplation by the petitioners, provided suffi- cient aid can be obtained, to establish the manual labor system at Union Academy, in addition to the other branches of education now taught there. Your committee have taken some pains to examine the subject, and bring into view the various advantages that are expected to result from such an important combination as learning and labor. It is a general evil, and becoming daily more prevalent, that the young men who attend our academic institutions, are very apt to shake off previously acquired habits of industry, and by those seductive arts that much leisure afford, run riot in indolence, and contract positive evils that will stick by them through life, thereby impairing, and perhaps destroying their usefulness as members of society. If, whilst our young men are learning the theoretic branches of science, they can also exercise their talents in a practical manner during relaxation from study, it is confidently believed, that not only their health will be promoted, but that their services in community as practi- cal men, will be correspondingly enhanced. In this age of phi- lanthropy, much is doing for the amelioration of the human family. A judicious system of education is the grand lever by which we are to sustain those immutable principles, justice and equality, engrafted on our flourishing republic by practical men. It is our sacred duty to foster education and industry, and when we are assured that in Switzerland the manual labor system is flourishing under the most favorable asupices, our beloved coun-
* Assembly Documents, 1831, vol. iii., No. 263.
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try ought not to be behind in the pleasing employment of giving facilities to the poor and industrious young men of our state, thereby enabling them to sustain situations in life which they otherwise could not do, because the avail of their labor at such institutions, during vacation from study, go to defray the expen- ses of that study. All distinction is here abolished; the rich and the poor young man is subjected to the same labor and re- strictions, and that foolish pride of superiority, so foreign to republicans, melts away under the influence of such an equal state of things. Your committee agree with the petitioners, that legislative aid may be properly extended to such an institution, and therefore ask leave to introduce a bill."
Page 479. BRIGADIER GENERAL Z. M. PIKE.
The following notice of this worthy officer, who fell in the attack upon York, is prepared from a more extended article that was published soon after his death. Through the munificence of our government, his memory has been honored by a monument at Sackets Harbor,* that formerly bore his name, with those of Covington, Backus, Mills, and many others.
ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE was born at Lamberton, N. J. January 5, 1779, at an early day received a commission, became familiar with military life, and warmly attached to the service. Feeling the want of an education, he applied himself to the task of self culture, and without the aid of teachers acquired a fair classical and general education. He cherished from an early period a habit of mental discipline, and the tenor of his thoughts may be inferred from a memorandum written by him, on a blank page of a favorite volume.
" Should my country call for the sacrifice of that life which has been devoted to her service from early youth, most willingly shall she receive it. The sod which covers the brave, shall be moistened by the tears of love and friendship: but if I fall far from my friends, and from you, my Clara, remember,-that ' the choicest tears which are ever shed, are those that bedew the un- buried head of a soldier,' and when these eyes shall meet the eyes of our young - let the pages of this little book be im- pressed on his mind, as the gift of a father who had nothing to bequeath but his honor, and let these maxims be ever present to his mind, as he rises form youth to manhood :-
1. Preserve your honor free from blemish.
2. Be always ready to die for your country."
In 1805, Pike was selected by government to explore the
* Of pine boards, now nearly rotten and thrown down, p. 182 .- Author.
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source of the Mississippi in the newly acquired territory of Louis- iana, and the following year, was sent for a similar purpose into the interior of Louisiana. On the occurrence of the war, he was stationed on the northern frontier, and early in 1813, was pro- moted to a Brigadier General. Having spent a portion of the winter of 1812-3, at Plattsburgh, he was ordered to join General Dearborn at Sackets Harbor, to which place he marched by the inland route through St. Lawrence County toward spring. The sentiment of a letter written to his father near Cincinnati on the day before he sailed on the expedition, is expressive of the finest sentiments of patriotism and honor.
" I embark to-morrow in the fleet at Sackets Harbor, at the head of a column of 1500 choice troops, on a secret expedition. If success attends my steps, honor and glory await my name; if defeat, still shall it be said: We died like brave men; and con- ferred honor, even in death, on the AMERICAN NAME.
Should I be the happy mortal, destined to turn the scale of war, will you not rejoice, O My Father! May Heaven be pro- pitious, and smile on the cause of my country. But if we are destined to fall, may my fall be like Wolfe's-to sleep in the arms of victory."
A thirst for military adventure must be distinguished from patriotism, and in forming an estimate of the merits of character, and in examining the motives which actuated the conduct and guided the life of General Pike, we can not withhold from him the credit of being influenced by the latter. It is upon those, governed by sentiments expressed in the above extracts, that our country must depend for defence against foreign aggression and domestic commotion, and without which our liberties are but an empty name, and liable to be seized upon by ambitious despots or intriguing demagogues. It is a stain upon our national char- acter, that our government allows the graves of the officers who fell on our northern frontier during the war, to remain unnoted by any monument, or other memorial of acknowledgment of their merit; not even by a tablet, which our humblest citizens afford as a token of affection to the memory of their dead.
Page 462.
The following interesting letters from the correspondence of General Brown relate to events connected with the county, in early part of the campaign of 1812, and will be read with in- terest:
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GOVERNOR TOMPKINS TO GENERAL BROWN.
ALBANY, June 23, 1812.
SIR: War is declared between the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland and its dependencies, and the United States of America and the territories thereof. This event will call forth the energies of every friend of his country, and more especially of those officers who are assigned to command the military forces. You will have received the General Order assigning you to the command of one of the brigades detached from the militia of this State, in anticipation of the event which is now announced. Our militia law makes provision for calling out the brigade you now command, in case of invasion, and you are hereby empowered to reinforce Col. Bellinger with the mili- tia detachment from Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties, and to arm them and equip them at the State Arsenals at Russell and at Watertown, if in your opinion the safety of the in- habitants, or any important object to be accomplished shall re- quire it. I place much reliance on your abilities and valor in protecting our frontier inhabitants until the arrival of further troops and supplies, which will be forwarded with the utmost practicable expedition.
I am respectfully your obedient servant,
DANIEL D. TOMPKINS.
Gen. Jacob Brown.
P. S. Let Col. Benedict turn out with the St. Lawrence de- tachment immediately, to guard the frontier from Ogdensburgh to St. Regis. Station them as may be best calculated for that purpose. They may arm from the Russell Arsenal.
GENERAL BROWN TO GOVERNOR TOMPKINS.
BROWNVILLE, June 25, 1812.
DEAR SIR: Your order of the 23d instant was delivered ine this day about 10 o'clock. For this additional proof of your confidence in assigning to me the command of a brigade, you have my earnest acknowledgments. I humbly pray God that I may do my duty. This county must be sacrificed, provided it should be assailed by the force now in Kingston, unless we are provided with the means of defence. We will try to keep them at bay until the necessary supplies arrive, which may Heaven and our country grant speedily.
I am, &c., JACOB BROWN.
His Excellency, D. D. Tompkins.
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BROWNVILLE, June 26, 1812.
DEAR SIR: In the course of yesterday and last night I ascer- tained, as I am induced to believe, that the news of the Declara- tion of War against Great Britain, had not been received at Kingston, and by my express I ordered the officer at Cape Vin- cent to prevent all passing, and, if possible, all communication. Perhaps we can keep the news from this post a day or two.
Within one hour after the arrival of Mr. Whigton, I had ex- presses on their way to every Colonel in the counties of Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence, excepting Col. Cox, and his orders I sent by Whigton. The men of this county are now assembling; in the course of to-day and next day I trust that I shall have them at Sackets Harbor. Those from the county of Lewis shall be on with all possible speed, and Col. Benedict has the neces- sary orders for the county of St. Lawrence, and I know that he is of the stuff to do his duty. Our situation as to arms and am- munition will be explained to you by Mr. Whigton; it will be concealed from the enemy as much as possible. We rely with confidence that our country will supply us with the means of defence without any delay. I assure every one that wagons in great numbers are on the way with munitions of war in great abundance.
I observe that Col. Bellinger was not advised by your Excel- lency of my being assigned to the command of a brigade. I humbly submit to your Excellency if it would not be proper that it should be done. My opinion is that a strong detachment should at once be marched on to Cape Vincent, directly opposite to Kingston. A force from Cape Vincent and Ogdensburgh can be concentrated at any time by the aid of boats in 24 hours. From Sackets Harbor they can not advance with so much certain- ty or facility; at the same time a respectable force should be kept up at Sackets Harbor.
Your Excellency will bear in mind that this is a very new country ; that the population is light and generally poor, though very respectable for so new a country, and that if any more men are called from their homes, the crops which now promise a very abundant harvest, must perish on the ground. I mention this to your Excellency as the country expects it at my hands, and much more than my feeble abilities can accomplish: but no considera- tion of this nature shall deter me for a moment from calling out every man in the country if its defence requires it, though I must for the present hope that the force coming on will render such a measure unnecessary. I pray God that our Government will act with that decision and energy which becomes a gallant people.
I am respectfully and humbly yours,
JACOB BROWN.
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P. S. I pray your Excellency to give Col. Gursham Tuttle the command of a regiment if it has not been done, and your Excellency can consider it for the good of the service.
His Excellency D. D. Tompkins.
BROWNVILLE, June 29, 1812.
DEAR SIR: Being solicitous to know with certainty the state of the preparations designed for the safety of this county, I have dispatched Hart Massey, Esq., for that purpose-he being a man in whom you can place confidence. Being deeply impressed with the weight of responsibility that rests upon me, I am so- licitous, among other things, that your Excellency will give me all the aid by instructions that the nature of my situation will admit. I almost assure myself that the munitions of war are at hand so as to enable the inhabitants of this county to sell their lives, if they are to be lost; but this is a subject of so much mo- ment that I can not rest until the people actually have arms and ammunition. Many families are pressing on towards the old settlements, and unless we are immediately supplied I can not say to what extent this disgrace will extend. Your Excellency will probably be surprised at this intelligence. I am loth to state it, and my soul sickens to see a gallant people thus situated.
Many of the guns from the arsenal are in the most wretched condition, and many more totally unfit for use. What powder we have-which by the way is very little-is not fit for such a business as we are engaged in, or for any other but to make squibs.
War is not only declared, but actually commenced along this border. Some of our people, without orders, and in fact without consulting with any person in the service, captured the little garrison on Carlton Island, and the prisoners are now on their way to Sackets Harbor. For the particulars, I must refer you to Mr. Massey who knows whatever has transpired in the county.
I am very much in want of Col. Stone, and all the other offi- cers who are detached for my brigade. Until the return of my brother from the county of St. Lawrence, last evening, I had no person near me on whom I could with safety call.
There is much uneasiness at Sackets Harbor for the want of pay. These poor fellows have but a pittance for their services, and that pittance they want. Col. Bellinger is, I am persuaded, a brave officer and a worthy man; upon the whole I am very much pleased with him as a man.
I have to recommend particularly to your Excellency, John M. Canfield, as Paymaster to my Brigade. I know no man more worthy of confidence, and to him it would be a very plea- sant berth in these times.
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I have given the command at Cape Vincent, for the present, to John B. Esselstyn, and I should be gratified if your Excellency would assign him to a command as Major, which rank he holds in the militia at present.
Your Excellency may count with certainty upon every Indian throughout British America being perfectly armed and prepared for the combat.
Yours respectfully, JACOB BROWN. To Gov. Tompkins.
BROWNVILLE, July 2, 1812.
DEAR SIR: It is with great pleasure that I inform your Excel- lency that the perturbation produced by the declaration of war is subsiding for the present. I have traversed the most of the settlements in the county, had little meetings of the inhabitants, and was much gratified by the manly spirit discovered by most. I advised all those who were disposed to abandon their country in the hour of danger, never to return, &c. Most of those who had started are returning to their habitations. The moment I can put arms in their hands your Excellency will, I trust, hear no more of such disgraceful conduct from this quarter.
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