A history of Lewis County, in the state of New York, from the beginning of its settlement to the present time, Part 22

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885. dn
Publication date: 1860
Publisher: Albany : Munsell & Rowland
Number of Pages: 422


USA > New York > Lewis County > A history of Lewis County, in the state of New York, from the beginning of its settlement to the present time > Part 22


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).


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Supervisors. - 1851-3, Wheaton Burington ; 1854-60, Jo- seph M. Gardner.


Clerks .- 1851, Stephen A. Green; 1852-3, Elias Sears ; 1854, Leonard G. Savage ; 1855, Alfred Green ; 1856, Al- son C. Rounds ; 1857-8, George D. Moffatt; 1859, Bildad Woodward, jr.


A bounty of $3 was voted for the destruction of bears, in 1854.


This town was subdivided into 117 lots by Benjamin Wright in 1805. The courses and distances of its bounda- ries are as follows :


W. side, north, 533 ch., 15 lks. (1795). N. S. 81º E. 551 25 " (1805).


E. " south, 550 " 36 " (1795). S. N.80° W. 554 " (1795).


The lines of 1795 were run by Medad Mitchell.


This town was named from Miss Mary Montague Pierre- pont, a daughter of Hezekiah B. Pierrepont former owner of this town and of large tracts in this and adjoining coun- ties. This lady presented a set of record books to the town in consideration of the compliment. She died in Brooklyn in January, 1853.


The first agent charged with the care of this town, was Dr. Samuel Allen of Denmark, who effected nothing. In 1838, Mr. Henry E. Pierrepont, went with Allen upon the tract, and left arrangements for opening a road from New Boston in Pinckney, southward across this town, but noth- ing was done, until 1844, when Harvey Stephens of Mar- tinsburgh, then agent, got a road opened. He died the next year, and in August, 1845, Diodate Pease, of Martins- burgh, was appointed agent, and has since continued in efficient service. This town remained the undivided prop- erty of the Pierrepont family until 1853; when the east half excepting the parts previously conveyed, fell to the share of Joseph J. Bicknell, and the west half to James M. Miner, both of whom had married daughters of Hezekiah B. Pierre- pont.


The first settler was Solomon Holden, who in the fall of 1846, moved into the town with his family, and wintered in a shanty on the land of Foster P. Newton. There was no


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other family in town during this winter. The first land was taken up by Newton, May 30, 1846, but he never resided in town. Lands were also booked to several others in the year 1846, but they never were known as settlers. Alonzo Garnsey purchased May 10, 1847, and resided a year or two at Gardner's Corners. Joseph M. Gardner be- came the first merchant, and from him the settlement known as Gardner's Corners was named. A saw mill was raised by S. P. Sears, in the fall of 1847, and finished in July 1848.


Samuel P. Sears, Calvin Rawson, G. Savage, Peter Dur- ham, Oliver Stafford, S. A. Green, Wm. D. Bucklin, Isaiah Burr, Alonzo Garnsey, and Zebulon Marcellus were among the first settlers in this town.


In September, 1848, when Mr. Pierrepont visited the town, 4000 acres were contracted, and 600 deeded. In 1850, 13,000 acres were sold, 40 miles of road were laid out, and a saw mill was in course of erection on Deer river. There were then 100 inhabitants upon the town. Montague P. O. was established about 1856. Most of the settlers were from St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties. The town is about two-thirds taken up by actual settlers. The first death of an adult person was that of Caleb Green, Jan. 23, 1854.


The first framed school house was built in 1850. There are now seven school districts in this town, the first teachers in which were as follows :


Dist. No. 1, Jane Johnson ; No. 2, Sarah Kramer ; No. 3, Sarah Hart ; No. 4, Mary Ann Ten Eyck ; No. 5, Anna H. Bent ; No. 6, Mrs. Terrill ; No. 7, Ellen Terrill.


RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. - Two Methodist societies were formed in 1851, and one in 1857. A Baptist society was formed in 1854, but none of these have yet erected a house of worship.


NEW BREMEN.


This town was formed from Watson and Croghan, March 31, 1848, with its present boundaries. The first town meet- ing was held at the house of Charles G. Loomis. Its name was probably applied to render it attractive to European emigrants.


Supervisors .- 1848-50, Bornt Nellis; 1851, David Cleve- land ; 1852-4, B. Nellis ; 1855, Roswell Bingham ; 1856-7, B. Nellis ; 1858, R. Bingham ; 1859-60, Jerome Kilts.


Clerks .- 1849-50, Squire H. Snell ; 1851-8, Jerome Kilts ; 1859, Nicholas Gaudel.


Panther and wolf bounties of $5 were voted in 1848. The population of this town when erected, was 1345, of


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whom 1030 were from Watson and 315 from Croghan. Of the whole number 753 were Europeans.


Settlement began under title derived from the New York Company by Jacob Oboussier, clerk to Tillier, resi- dent agent of the French proprietors. His improvement was made about a third of a mile below the present Illing- worth bridge, on the banks of Black river. Oboussier went off about the beginning of this century, leaving some of his property in the hands of Samuel Illingworth,1 and was never again heard from. He is supposed to have been drowned in the Ohio river, on a journey to the French set- tlements in Louisiana. The title to his tract was contested by Le Ray, as representative of the French proprietors, upon the ground that Tillier had exceeded his powers in selling more than fifty acres in one tract, and the courts sustained the prosecution by setting aside the claims of Gilchrist, who had acquired the title.


Illingworth remained many years the only inhabitant within the town. His location on the river bank rendered this a convenient crossing place by persons on hunting and fishing expeditions into the forest, and a point familiar to all who passed up or down the river, as was more frequently done when the country was new, and the roads in wet sea- sons nearly impassable. No effort was made to bring these lands into market until 1821, when Charles Dayan of Low- ville was appointed agent by James D. and Vincent Le Ray, for the sale and settlement of some twelve thousand acres, east of the cardinal line, and afterwards of other lands, to the west.


The village of Dayanville was so named by Le Ray, in compliment to this agent. It was surveyed in the fall of 1824 by Jason Clark of Plessis, who, in commencing, found it necessary to trace one of the lines from the river. The party had reached Crystal creek just at sunset, and were preparing to cross the stream and encamp on the opposite bank for the night, when they were startled by the howl of a pack of wolves in their rear. There is something pecu- liarly dismal in the cry of this animal, especially when heard by night, and the idea of sleeping in this lonely place was especially unpleasant to some of the younger members of the party, who could not be prevailed upon by any argu- ment to remain. They accordingly returned to the settle- ments on the river, and resumed their labors the next morning.


1 Mr. I. was an Englishman. He died May 4, 1847, aged 86 years.


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New Bremen.


This village is situated on Crystal creek, about one and a half miles from Black river, in the midst of a very level region of light loaming soil, which extends south into Watson and with but moderate undulations, north eastward to the Beaver river. Improvements began about 1826, and one of the first erections was a saw mill. A rake factory was built about 1840 and run several years, and a grist mill in 1847. The first merchant in the village was Samuel Stevens. About 1853 a building, 40 by 100 feet, was erected for a machine shop, in anticipation of the completion of the Sackets Harbor and Saratoga rail road, the route of which passes near, and the work on which had been commenced. The premises remained idle until 1859 when an addition of 40 by 150 feet was made to it for the purpose of a tannery. The firm conducting this business is S. Branaugh & Co., who have fixtures sufficient to tan from 35,000 to 40,000 sides of sole leather annually. Half a mile below are a saw mill, shingle machine, sash shop, cheese box factory and a small manufactory of cotton batting. The village has a methodist church, a large school house of two stories, and about thirty dwellings. The post office was changed in May, 1848, from Dayanville to New Bremen.


At Beaver falls, on the north border of the town, is the gang saw mill and a manufactory of lath and shingles of Prince & Co., formerly known as Rohr's mills.


A small part of the village of French Settlement is in this town. A lager beer brewery has been built two miles above Dayanville on the same stream, and a potato distil- lery in the north part, near Beaver river. This is, we believe, the only distillery in the county.


The bridge, near Illingworth's place, was built by Thos. Puffer about 1833, and a bridge has since been maintained at this place. The supervisors, Nov. 15, 1850, authorized the town of New Bremen to borrow $1,400, to be repaid by nine equal annual installments, to aid in rebuilding this bridge. The town of Lowville was allowed to borrow $975 for a like purpose, and the state constructed the abutment on the east side, the pier next adjacent and the draw between them. The other two piers, the west abutment and the superstructure, were built at the expense of the two towns.


RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES .- The Methodists had held meetings in this town several years before a church was erected. The large school house in Dayanville had been built with refer- ence to use as a house of worship, but difficulties were interposed by a claim of rent, and on the 19th of Feb.,


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Osceola.


1849, a legal society was formed as the First Methodist Episcopal church of New Bremen, David A. Stewart, Grif- fith Meredith, Peter Van Atter, Wm. Holmes, Egbert Arthur, John Wakefield, Frederick Ford, Simeon Dinslow, and Alexander Y. Stewart were chosen first trustees, and a church edifice was completed and dedicated Sept. 20, 1849, at a cost of $1,206. A camp meeting, held in August, 1848, near the village, by appointment of the B. R. Conference, contributed to strengthen this society. The preachers stationed here have been, 1849-50, O. C. Lathrop ; 1851, L. L. Adkins ; 1852, Benj. Brundidge ; 1853-4, T. D. Sleeper ; 1855-6, T. G. Whitney ; 1857, B. E. Whipple ; 1858-9, O. Holmes.


A Lutheran and a Catholic church were built about 1850, the former on the road to the French Settlement, and the latter on a road leading east from Dayanville.


OSCEOLA.


This town was formed from West Turin, Feb. 28, 1844, in accordance with a vote of that town, embracing townships 8, or Rurabella, and 13, or Hybla,1 of the Boylston Tract. The name was applied at the request of a young lady in New York,2 in memory of the celebrated Seminole chief, whose career forms an important item in the history of Florida. This warrior was a half breed and was first known by his father's name Powell but received the title of As-se-o- la (as pronounced in the original dialect), because he could drink a greater quantity than others of a drink of this name taken preparatory to the fast and feast of the green-corn dance. He arose to the rank of chief by the force of his native talent, and began and continued the bloody wars which for years wasted the southern frontiers. The supe- rior numbers and discipline of our troops having turned the war against the savages, Osceola with a train of seventy followers, came into the camp of Gen. Jessup in October, 1837. They were detained and sent prisoners to fort Moul- trie, near Charleston, where he languished and died in the January following. His detention has been severely cen- sured, but facts seem to indicate that his intention was to capture the place and release some prisoners had he found it practicable, but if not, to return and continue the war.


1 Hybly was a town in Sicily. Rurabella is a hog-latin term for "fine country."


2 Miss Jay, now Mrs. Henry E. Pierrepont of Brooklyn. She presented a set of blank record books to the town for the name.


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Osceola.


The Indians had been told, that when willing to remove, they should be received and protected, and they were made to understand, that they could not return when they once came in. Osceola's party under these circumstances could claim no alternative but removal.


Some of the settlers proposed to call the town Greenfield, in compliment to the resident agent, but upon suggestion of the present name, it was approved at a public meeting called for the occasion.


Supervisors .- 1844-8, Seymour Green ; 1849, John Mars- den ; 1850-2, S. Green ; 1853, J. Marsden; 1854-6, S. Green ; 1857, Henry E. Griffin ; 1858, Anthony Rowell; 1859, J. Marsden ; 1860, Wm. Rowell.


Clerks .- 1844, John Roberts; 1845-6, Roswell A. Hub- bard; 1847, Washington Shorey ; 1848, R. A. Hubbard ; 1849-50, David Dunn ; 1851-2, James Roberts; 1853-4, James Mitchell ; 1855, Jairus Rowe; 1856, Henry E. Griffin ; 1857, Henry J. Baker ; 1858, John Gibbs; 1859, John Bain.


The survey of the outlines of township 13, were made as follows :


W. line North, 687 ch., 65 1ks. (1795). M. Mitchell. N. " S. 80° E. 764 " 19 " (1795). " E. " S. 30° W. (1795). W. Cockburn.


S. W. (Patent line), N. 68° 50' W. (1794).


Area 37,041 1-2 acres by Wright's survey. Length of lines, 204 miles, 70 1ks. Cost of survey, £204 17s. 6d.


It was subdivided by Benjamin Wright in 1795, into 151 lots, and re-surveyed in 1839. The note book of Moses Wright, an assistant who was running a line in this town- ship in 1797, has the following entry which sets forth some of the hardships of a land surveyor :


" This 9th day of October, it being Monday, had the pleasure of running all day in the coldest rain I ever was sensible of. The rain that fell the day before yesterday, last night and to-day, raised the brooks and creeks over their banks, and what gave me the worst feeling is, that the hard, pinching hand of Poverty, seven days ago took all the rum." In another place the weary and rumless engineer records : "Lots 112, 113 : 30 chains up the highest hill that ever was. 5,000,000,000 feet high." Had he stopped seven cyphers short, he might have represented with exaggera- tion, the rise from the flats of Salmon river to the high lands which border it, but his hand once started on the cyphers, he let it run !


Township 8 was subdivided into 111 lots, by B. Wright in 1805, and contains 28,419 58 acres. While surveying in this region in 1795, Mr. Wright remarked, that the beavers


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were building a dam on the north branch of Salmon river, that would flow 400 acres of land.


In December, 1795, a negotiation was pending for the purchase of township 13 by John Bernard of Rome, who proposed to form a company for this object. The price then proposed was two dollars per acre, payable by install- ments in four years, with interest from April 20, 1797. The bargain was not closed from the inability of Bernard to find associates.


In 1805 a road was cut out from Fish creek across town- ship No. 1 (now Lewis), and 13 and 8 in this town, to the line of 7, with the design of intersecting the state road in Redfield, but the north end and the portion south of the Macomb purchase were never cut out, and the route soon relapsed into the state of nature. It entered township 13, on lot 137, and in township 8 crossed lots 96, 85, 84, 73, 62, 61 and 50. In the fall of 1805 James Constable and Hez. B. Pierrepont, two of the executors of the estate of Wm. Constable, crossed these towns by this road, and the journal of the former will be read with interest.


"Sept. 7. After breakfast set off from Fairservice's (in Western) towards Fish creek, the first two miles passable for teams, but the rest of the distance to the creek not cut out at all, but it is easy ground and not heavily timbered, and the people promised to do it this fall without fail Forded the creek, and on the other side our road begins. The ascent from the creek very well done, and the cutting appears to be according to agreement, although the clearing out of the timber is occasionally neglected. The soil of the whole of No. 1 is very indifferent, the timber mostly hem- lock except sometimes beech or a hard mossy birch, the face of the country uneven and ridgy though not much stony. I fear it will not settle speedily. The southeasterly part of No, 13 not much better, though we have occasionally some better timber, ash, bass, &c. As we advance to the Salmon river we find better land fit for settlers ; some good swales and very little hemlock. Forded the river, it being here a small stream, and there being some grass for our horses we stopped to bait them and ourselves. A fire being soon kindled each man cut his slice of pork, toasted or fried it, and we made a hearty meal. The brandy brought with us and the water made a good drink. Passed on, the land im- proving till we came to the 13 and 14 mile tree, to a good spring and a brook where there was a good hut of the road makers, and although we might have gone two or three miles further before dark, yet Fairservice being doubtful


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whether we should meet such good accommodations, it was determined to remain here for the night. Another cause was, that we got some hay for the horses. We made our fire, cooked our pork and made our meal with an excellent appetite. Our horses were not neglected.


Sept. 9. After sleeping pretty soundly till daylight, the weather seemed likely to turn to rain, and we resolved to proceed on through the road so far as to insure our getting to Redfield in the course of the day, as the provisions would not hold out longer. Went on to the 18 mile tree, and at another hut prepared and ate our breakfast of pork and bread, with brandy and water for tea. I found these articles less palitable at this meal than the others, however the pork improved (?) very mildly. We went down the road some miles further, leaving No. 13 and going on to No. 8, and found the latter very good land, such as settlers will not re- fuse. The road is equal to roads as new as it is. The weather looked threatening, and to be sure of reaching Redfield in good time, we took a course southwest to strike the state road, and coming to a good stream which was at first supposed to be Salmon river (it is certainly a branch of it), as it afforded some grass for our horses we thought it a proper place to halt and refresh. Accordingly dinner was provided as usual ; we ate heartily, and finished the last of our brandy. We had now to pass through the woods, the south part of No. 7 and north part of Redfield, which was very difficult to ourselves and dangerous to our horses, from the swamps and heavy fallen trees covered with under- brush. We struck one of the main branches of the river, but the brush and fallen logs prevented us from keeping the bank, and the high ground was a hemlock ridge which oc- casioned us much trouble, but after a good deal of fatigue we came to the state road about two miles from Ingraham's, when it began to rain and we were nearly wet through be- fore we got there. The rain did not continue long, and we set out for Johnson's tavern in Redfield, half a mile beyond Butler's, where we arrived early in the evening a good deal tired with this day's journey. It is a better house than Butler's, and we were well provided for in supper and sleeping.


Sept. 9. Mr. Pierrepont having occasion to see a man who lived off the road respecting his lands in No. 13, set off very early intending to follow us on to Rome, but having found the man near, he came and joined us at breakfast, and we all set off together. They are working upon the road and improving it much. The causeways are mostly new


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laid and covered three inches with sand or other earth, so that the travelling on them is equal to any part. Stopped at Lyman's, 11 miles, and at Waring's near Fish creek, but we decided to eat the last dinner cooked by ourselves in the woods at the creek and went there, having bought some brandy on the way. The weather was very hot, but after kindling a fire and bathing in the creek, we ate with as good an appetite as ever. After dinner we paid and discharged Fairservice, and set off for Rome, intending to see the new causeway lately finished near that town, but the road not being cut through, we had difficulty to get to it. We suc- ceeded, and it was worth the pains. The length is two miles, of equal sized logs 18 feet long and covered with earth, so that the travelling is excellent. Arrived at Rome late in the evening. Not liking the thought of White's beds we slept in the hay-loft, and made out pretty well."


Portions of townships 1 and 13 were sold by Wm. Con- stable, July 25, 1801, to John Jones, John McVickar and John Rathbone of New York, in payment of notes and endorsements of Wm. and Jas. Constable, to the amount of $95,704.50. Lynde Catlin received a conveyance, Jan. 28, 1804, of the whole or a greater part.1 At the time settlement begun about two-thirds of No. 13 were owned by the Pierrepont family, and the remainder by G. Lynch, - Goddard, Bush, J. W. Taylor, J. Lawrence, - Gentil, - Stewart, Jefferson Insurance Co., - Pratt, G. Smith, - - Lyndes, S. Stevens, J. and E. McVickar, L. Catlin, Bishop Moore and Wm. Constable, together amount- ing to 51 scattered lots.


Township 8 was divided among the Pierrepont heirs Jan. 1, 1853, as follows : To Wm. C. P. lots 17 to 19 ; 28 to 31; 39 to 44; 50 to 86; 92, 93, W. part of 94, 95, 96, 110 and 111. To Maria T. Bicknell, 87 to 91; 97 to 109; Sey- mour Green, agent. To E. G. Miner, 1, 2, 6, 7, part of 3 and 8 ; D. Pease, agent. To M. C. Perry, (in trust ) parts of of 4, 5 and 8 ; 9 to 16 ; 20 to 27; 32 to 38; 43 to 49; D. Pease, agent. A few settlers have located upon the ex- treme N. W. corner, but the remainder of that township is still a wilderness. One Saunders was the first settler in this part of the town.


The first persons who came into this town were Jabez Green, Christopher Divine and Harvey Potter, who located on lot 138 about 1822, without title, but did not remain. Samuel W. Nash also located soon after, a little above, but not permanently. In 1826 one Clark burnt off a windfall, a


1 Deeds Lewis county, A, 53.


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Osceola.


mile south of Salmon river, and planted corn, which yielded abundantly, but was claimed and entirely harvested by bears. This wind-fall was the track of a tornado that had passed across the town three years before, and the fire, when applied, ran through it with tremendous energy, sending up columns of flame and smoke, which were observed to an immense distance, the former by its reflections upon the clouds at night, and the latter by its dense sombre masses by day.


The first agent of the Pierrepont estate in this town was James S. T. Stranahan of Brooklyn, but then of Florence. Settlement was delayed by various causes, among which was the failure of the proprietors of scattered lots, to unite in an agency for the opening of roads and other improve- ments necessary for bringing the town into market. In July, 1839, Seymour Green was appointed Pierrepont's agent in No. 13, with power to sell lands at $1.50 cash, or $2 on a credit of four years. A road was marked out from Flor- ence village northward, nearly across the township, and reports favorable to the tract gaining currency in the sur- rounding country, the landless rushed forward to secure a homestead with such avidity, that between the first of Sep- tember and Christmas, nearly 18,000 acres were sold under contract with the intention of settlement. The north part of Redfield (No. 7 or Greenboro) was opened under the same agency, and in the above period 1000 acres were contracted upon that township. In May, 1840, the proprietor, in six days, issued 68 contracts and 22 deeds, and received $4,000 in cash. The lands sold amounted to 11,996 acres, and the price to $25,219.35. The following winter was unusually severe, and in 1842 half the lands sold had reverted. As there were no town officers accessible for laying out roads, what- ever was done in this line, devolved upon Mr. Pierrepont, the owners of scattered lots being generally indifferent as to these improvements. In 1843, there were 250 inhabitants, two school houses and 60 children. In 1848 1,600 acres were under contract, and 5,491 acres were deeded. In 1850 there were 400 inhabitants in town. The settlers were mostly from the older towns around. Several families came from the factories at Oriskany, and some from the public works upon the suspension of 1842. The northern part of No. 13 is called Vermont Settlement, from the original locality of the settlers. The first family that actually settled with title, on township 13, was that of Robert Rus- sell, on lot 139, in December, 1839. They wintered here alone, and in the spring were joined by Ira and Thomas Hulbert and others. Roswell A. Hubbard, Wm. G. Smith,


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Pinckney.


Lyman Wellman, David Shorey, Silas A. Fox, Henry J. Baker, Anthony Rowell and others, were also early settlers. Mr. Green,1 the agent, settled in 1842, and at the first town meeting in 1844 there were 37 voters. The first birth was that of Russell Chase, the first marriage that of Captain Edward Humaston and Jane Smith, and the first death that of Agnes Russell, a child, eight years of age. The first school was taught in 1844 by Jerusha Wetmore, and the first two framed school houses were built in that year. The town has now five framed and one log school houses, and two joint districts, of which the school houses are in Redfield. A road, authorized by law in 1859, has been laid out by S. Green and D. Pease from the Vermont Settle- ment to Martinsburgh, a distance of about twelve miles from one clearing to the other, and about 23 miles from the court house to Osceola village. At present the distance around is about 70 miles by the nearest public thoroughfare and over 50 by the nearest passable road.




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