A history of Lewis County, in the state of New York, from the beginning of its settlement to the present time, Part 28

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 28


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246


West Turin.


The village of Constableville is the most important business point in the southern part of the county, and enjoys an extensive trade with the country south and west.


Collinsville, on the East road 1} m. west of the falls, was formerly known as High Falls village, and received its pre- sent name from Levi and Homer Collins. It was an im- portant business point in former times, and Jabez Foster, Levi Collins, John Hooker, Richard Coxe and others carried on extensive mercantile operations at or near this place. The Collinsville Institute was incorporated by act of May 2, 1837, which appointed Dr. David Budd,1 John Whittlesey, Hezekiah Scovil,2 Ela Merriam, Alburn Foster, Jabez Rock- well, Jehiel H. Hall, Morgan Cummings, Rev. Russel Way, and Sylvester Hart, trustees. A school was taught in the basement of the Union church, a few terms, by A. W. Cum- mings, when the enterprise died out. It was never recog- nized by the Regents, and issued but one catalogue. The business of this village has been almost entirely transferred to other places.


Lyons Falls, is the name of a small village and P. O., at the High falls, where the Black River canal enters the river which is navigable from this place to Carthage. The falls themselves, and a narrow strip about three acres in extent on the west side belonged to the Brantingham tract. A lot of 50 acres adjacent, was bought about 1835, upon specula- tion by an association, and some part is still held in undi- vided possession. The water power belonged to Caleb Lyon at the time of his death. In 1829, an act was pro- cured for a manufacturing co. at this place, rather to call attention to its facilities than with a view of actual con- struction. The water power now amounting to 70 feet fall including the state dam above, has hitherto been improved only by a saw mill, and the importance of the village as a business point is mostly prospective. The high falls during freshets, present a scene of wildness and grandeur well worthy of a visit, but in low water the torrent is confined to narrow channels worn in the gneiss rock, down which it rushes with immense force. Tradition relates that in the revolution, a white man pursued by Indians, leaped safely


1 Dr. D. Budd was born in Schoharie, Sept. 30, 1798, attended one course of lectures at Phila., received a diploma from the Schoharie Co. Med. Society June 10, 1821, and removed in that year to this town. He died in Turin village Nov. 4, 1848, having held for several years the offices of judge and justice of the peace. He was a man of scientific attainments and devoted some portion of his time to mineralogy. His son Dr. Charles D. Budd is en- gaged in medical practice in Turin.


2 Died Oct. 12, 1856, aged 75 years.


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West Turin.


across these channels and escaped from his pursuers, who paused at the verge of the fearful chasm, and dared not fire their pieces at the heaven protected fugitive. Several fatal accidents have happened here. In May, 1837, two men named Graves and Brown were drawn under the falls in a boat one Sunday and drowned. The body of the former was found a year after at an island below, having apparently been buried in the sand most of the time.


On the 5th of May, 1842, a son of Noble Phelps, aged 5 years, playing in a skiff above the falls, was drawn into the current, Mr. J. Lewis Church seeing the peril, seized a log- hook from the mill yard, sprung upon the bridge, dropped down on the slope of the pier, caught the boat as it was passing down the falls, and saved the child's life at a great risk of his own. On the 9th of Jan., 1857, John Post, jr., aged 22, while cutting ice in a flume above the falls, stepped upon a cake which broke and dropped him into the stream. He probably passed over the falls immediately.


The house of D. H. Green, adjacent to St. Paul's Church cemetery on the West road, was burned on the evening of Dec. 7, 1859, and two boys aged 12 and 13 years, who were sleeping in the chamber, perished in the flames. The family had retired to rest, and were awakened by the fire, which barely allowed Mrs. Green and two younger children to escape. The stairway was already in flames, and the lads stifled and bewildered by the smoke, sank down within hearing of their mother. The husband was away from home, and as the night was intensely cold, no help was rallied until the work of death was accomplished.


RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES .- Missionaries named Hart and Robinson, from Conn., came through the country and held meetings at an early day. During the summer of 1796, regular prayer meetings were held. About 1803, a revival occurred, in which most of the converts joined the Baptists. A church was formed at that time, under Rev. Stephen Parsons from Middletown, and for several years was much the most thriving in town. A Baptist society was legally formed in this town June 15, 1835, with Aaron Parsons, Jesse Miller, and Nathaniel Wadsworth, trustees. After existing at Constableville several years, it has become nearly or quite extinct.


About 1803, a Presbyterian church was formed, which became Congregational, and its meetings were removed to Turin village. On the 14th of Feb., 1843, the Constableville Presbyterian church was organized by the Watertown Presbytery, consisting at first of 4 males and 11 females.


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West Turin.


A Presb. soc. had been legally formed June 13, 1835, with Edwin Miller, Nathaniel Wood and James Miller, 2d, first trustees, and changed to Congregational Oct. 22, 1838. This society has no church edifice, but owns an interest in the Union church at Constableville.


The first church edifice built in town, and the first of its denomination north of the Mohawk valley, was St. Paul's church, which stood about a mile north east of Constable- ville, near where the Canal turnpike ended. This society was organized April 7, 1817, at the house of Levi Collins, in Collinsville. The first vestrymen were Nathaniel Mer- riam, and Thomas Alsop, and the first wardens John Kentner, James Mc Vickar, Giles Foster, William Constable, Walter Dewey,1 Willard Allen, Calvin Roberts, George Davis, and Timothy Miller.


Arrangements were first made to build of stone near Col- linsville, but the influence of Geo. Davis, T. Alsop and oth- ers determined its final location. The first rector was Joshua M. Rogers, who was sent hither as a missionary, and labored with great zeal and success to promote the objects of his mission.2 He was succeeded by the Revs. Amos G. Baldwin, Edmund Embury, Lawrence Sterne Stevens, and for a short period by others. St. Paul's Church was con- secrated by Bishop Hobart, Aug. 16, 1818,3 and the grounds were deeded to the society in October of that year. The edifice having fallen into decay was taken down, and its lo- cation being inconvenient, the society was reorganized Jan. 30. 1835, under the Rev. Mr. Embury for the purpose of rebuilding in a more convenient site. Edward McVickar and Wm. Van Coughnet were chosen wardens, Seth Miller jr., Wm. Constable, Edwin Miller, Brock McVickar, Wm. D. Shaler, James C. Duff, Bryant Collins and Bard Mc Vickar ar, vestrymen. During that year St. Paul's chapel was built on the south border of Constableville village, upon a site deeded to Trinity church, N. Y., from which it received $600 in aid of the building.


After some attempt to build separately, the Presbyterian, Open Communion Baptists, Baptists and Meth. Episcopal churches united in 1835, and built a union meeting house in Constableville. There is at present no stated preaching in


1 Dr. Dewey died at Collinsville, Feb. 26, 1821, aged 35 years.


2 Mr. Rogers was born at Hudson, N. Y., May 15, 1782, of Baptist parents. He was ordained deacon in 1816, and as priest in 1817. In 1833 he accepted a call to Trinity church, Utica, and in 1851 resigned and retired to Easton, Pa., where he died March 1, 1858. He was buried near New York.


3 Two years before this date, there were but two Episcopal families in this vicinity. In 1817, there were 16 communicants.


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West Turin.


this house, except by the Methodists. In the winter of 1842-3, a revival occurred in which nearly all these sects united.


An Open Communion Baptist church was organized in this town about 1812, from the Baptist church previously existing, in which Jeduthan Higby1 and Russell Way2 be- came prominent ministers. They mostly resided near Col- linsville. They are now much reduced in numbers, but con- tinue to hold their covenant meetings.


The union meeting house at Collinsville was built of stone, in 1836, by the Presbyterian Congregational, both Bap- tist, and Prot. Episcopal sects, each to use it in proportion to subscription. The society was formed Sept. 29, 1836, with Ansel Stocking, Lyman Lane and Lyman Hoadley, trustees. The church has been thoroughly repaired within a few years.


An independent Baptist society was formed March 22, 1842, with Newton Clark, Benham Webb, Edwin Payne, Ja- son Paine and Horace C. Ragan, trustees, but no edifice has been built.


On the 13th of March, 1848, a Calvinistic Methodist church (Welsh) was formed at Collinsville, with John Hughes, Evan Roberts, Edward Reese, Robert Evans and Robert Morris trustees, but no edifice was built by them until 1855, when the society was reorganized Jan. 22, and a neat church edifice built in that year. The first trustees under this organization were Rev. Thomas Williams, Thomas Lewis, Evans Evans, John Lloyd, John Hughes and Griffith T. Williams. A church of this sect was formed in Con- stableville, March 13, 1848, and has a small edifice. In both of these the Welsh language is used.


The church of St. Michael in this town, four miles south of Constableville, was first built by a society legally formed, Nov. 2, 1843, having as trustees, Casper Houck, Joseph Bali, Jacob Detenbeck, Joseph Ryan and Nicholas Kresbeck. It was rebuilt in 1851, on the plank road near the summit of the land dividing the waters of the Black and Mohawk rivers. It is of ample size and has a bell. Preaching is done in the German language, and a German school was opened adjacent in 1857.


The next Catholic church formed in the town was St.


1 From Middletown, Ct. His son of the same name became a Presbyterian minister, and an associate of Gerry of Denmark.


2 Eld. Way was from Middletown. He died at his home in Collinsville, Feb. 23, 1848, aged 68 years. His father, Moses Way, died in this town April 7, 1813, aged 67 years.


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Early Roads.


Mary's, mostly supported by the Irish, and situated half a mile west of Constableville. It was built in 1846. A third church of this denomination, named St. Peter's and St. Paul's, was built in 1854, near Fish creek in the extreme south west corner of the town. It is attended from St. Michael's church, and is also almost entirely supported by Germans.


A Methodist Episcopal society was formed in 1849, with John R. Scovill, David C. Higby and James Crofoot first trustees, and a chapel named the Ebenezer was built in that year, about two miles west of Constableville, on Crofoot hill, at a cost of $1,050. About half this cost was defrayed by James Crofoot and his sons William, John, Levi and Benjamin. Other sects assisted, and may use it to some ex- tent.


A German Union Evangelical church was formed Dec. 5, 1854, with Geo. Long, Samuel Miller and Andrew Hays trustees. They have a small church on the plank road, three miles south of Constableville, near Olmstead creek.


CHAPTER V.


STATE TURNPIKE AND PLANK ROADS.


The first road projected through this section of the state was designed to extend from the Little falls on the Mo- hawk to the High falls on Black river. The measure was urged upon the legislature by Arthur Noble and Baron Steuben in 1791 and received a favorable report but no further action.1 The first road actually opened in the county, was made at the expense of the Castorland Com- pany and led from Rome to the High Falls. It was cut out about 1798 by one Jordan, and was used several years, but as its course lay across the current of travel as it was soon after directed, it soon fell into disuse and not a mile of it is now in existence. It is said that a branch from this road led to Whitesboro. The French also caused a road to be laid out and cut from their settlement at the falls to Beaver river, but this can now only be traced by a line of second growth trees through, the forest, or the rude vestiges of its bridges. It was nearly direct in its course, and appears to


1 The petition of Steuben and Noble is given in the Hist. of Jeff. co., p. 307. The diversion of the Canadian fur trade to Albany was urged as a prominent motive.


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Early Roads.


nave been laid out rather with a view to shorten distance than to accommodate settlement along its course. It was cut by Judah Barnes in 1797-8.


A bridle path run with a pocket compass, with very little reference to the most favorable location, was opened about the time of first settlement. It led from Collinsville to Tug Hill west of Turin village and across the hill, down to the place first settled by Ezra Clapp ; from thence northward along near the line of the state road, passing west of Martins- burgh village and below Lowville to Deer river and Cham- pion. The idea of climbing a hill over five hundred feet high, and again descending on the same side, when a level and nearer route might have been taken, is sufficiently absurd to one acquainted with the topography of this region, and affords a striking proof of the ignorance of the surveyor. Along this path known as " Dustin's track," the first settlers toiled their weary way on foot or on horseback (for it was not passable for teams), until a more favorable route was dis- covered and opened.


The first routes through the county were surveyed and chiefly cut out at the expense of the land proprietors, but the principal cost of construction was borne by the settlers along their route. One of the earliest of these in the north part of the county, was that leading from the village of Lowville through Copenhagen to Rutland, or township 3, and on this account still named the " Number Three Road." It was surveyed by Joseph Crary, before 1800, and cut through about 1802 or 1803. The east road in Lowville and Denmark is a little older, and has scarcely been changed from its location in advance of settlement. Through Den- mark it is often known as the Base Line road from its running along the line from which offsets were made in sur- veying the lands adjacent to the river.


Nathaniel Shaler, in 1797, caused a road to be cut from Constableville southward to Rome. It meandered along the valleys not far from the present route, but in no place for any considerable distance on the same line. He established a family named Jones at the half way point in the present town of Ava. He also opened a road in the western part of Turin, which did not settle through and is now partly grown up. Both of these routes were known in their day as the Shaler roads.


The first state patronage for roads in this county, was obtained in an act of March 26, 1803, by which the sum of $41,500, was to be raised by a lottery, for public roads, chiefly in the Black River country. The governor and


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State Roads.


council of appointment were directed to appoint three com- missioners to lay out and improve a road from within two miles of Preston's tavern, in Steuben, to within three miles of the High falls on Black river, and thence through Turin, Lowville, Champion, &c., to Brownville, to intersect another road ordered in the same act to be built from Rome through Redfield. Walter Martin, Silas Stow and Jacob Brown were appointed commissioners for constructing this road, but subsequently Stow was succeeded by Peter Schuyler, and Brown was succeeded by Nathaniel Merriam, Feb. 5, 1820. The location through Lewis county was made by Stow and Martin, and an active rivalry was excited, espe- cially in Turin, between settlers who had located on differ- ent routes. The east road through that town was already opened and traveled as far north as a mile beyond Eleazer House's location, and the farms on its route were all taken up by actual settlers. The road nearer the hill through Houseville had been laid out, but led through swamps diffi- cult to pass, but the interests of Ezra Clapp, a sub-agent, and incidentally those of one or two of the commissioners, lay in that direction. Professing no concern but for the greatest good to the greatest number, the offer was made that the route should be given to the parties who would subscribe the greatest amount of free labor. Upon com- paring it is said that notwithstanding five hundred days signed by Clapp for Shaler, the east road out numbered the west. Whether so or not, the location, perhaps predeter- mined, was that of the present plank road.


Thus deprived of their object, the disappointed party re- solved to connect their road with the east road in Lowville, and by the utmost effort finished in the summer of 1803, a branch five or six miles long, and from a quarter to half a mile east of the state road, connecting the two east roads. It was never much traveled and soon fell into ruin. This route was known as the Oswegatchie road, as it formed a continuation of the road from the Long falls (Carthage) to the Oswegatchie at Ogdensburgh.


The cost of the State road is said to have been about $30,000 to the state, and its commissioners were continued about twenty years. In 1814 they were authorized to change the southern location.


An act passed Feb. 25, 1805, appointed commissioners liv- ing in Oneida co. to lay out a road from Whitesboro, through to intersect the State road in Turin. The road was surveyed by John Hammond, but its proposed location gave much dissatisfaction in Turin. In 1807 memorials were sent in


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State Roads.


for a lottery to construct a road from Whitestown to Turin, but these failed in consequence of the great number of similar grants that had been made.


A road from Turin to Emilyville, or township 15, great tract 1 of Macomb's purchase, St. Lawrence co., was author- ized April 15, 1814, and James T. Watson, Robert McDowell and Levi Collins, were appointed to locate and con- struct it at the expense of adjacent lands. This act was kept alive about 30 years, and a road was cut through from Independence creek to the old Albany road. By a con- strained but perhaps justifiable interpretation of the law, a portion of the money was finally applied upon collateral and tributary roads upon which settlement was progressing. the labor spent on the northern end of this route was lost, as it still lies in the great forest and has never been traveled.


A State road from Lowville to Henderson Harbor was authorized April 17, 1816, and Robert McDowell, of Low- ville, Eber Lucas, of Pinckney, and Abel Cole, of Rodman, were appointed to lay it out. The route was surveyed, and the map filed in the clerk's office May 2, 1818. It was located chiefly upon roads previously laid out, and the expense of its improvement was assessed upon adjacent wild lands. In 1820, David Canfield of Denmark, Tyrannus A. Wright of Pinckney, and Sanford Safford of Harrisburgh, were appointed commissioners for completing the road. It runs from the stone church in Lowville nearly parallel with the south lines of Lowville, Harrisburgh and Pinckney, into Jefferson county.


About 1824, a road was cut out from the Black river in Watson, north eastward to the St. Lawrence turnpike. It was wholly built by Watson and Le Ray, and still bears the name of the Erie canal road. It passes through Belfort and the Bent Settlement.


A road from Cedar Point on Lake Champlain to the Black river was authorized April 21, 1828, and the commissioners emerged from the forest on a preliminary survey on the last day of August of that year. They reported that 68 of the 73 miles were saleable lands and estimated the cost at $23,- 259 besides bridges. The latter would cost but $350. The eastern end only was opened. A bill appropriating money for this road was rejected in the senate April 8, 1829.


A road from the West road on the north line of Lowville towards Denmark village, was ordered to be laid out by an act of Feb. 19, 1829, naming Pardon Lanpher, Harvey Stephens and Homer Collins as commissioners for this pur- pose. This road was laid out and has been since traveled.


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State Roads.


By an act of April 9, 1831, Peter Mann and Silas Salis- bury were appointed to lay out a road from one mile east of Watson bridge north to the Lower falls on Beaver river, and the north line of Watson. This road was also opened.


By act of April 14, 1841, David Judd of Essex, Nelson J. Beach of Lewis and Nathan Ingersol of Jefferson counties, were appointed to construct a road from Carthage through township 4, of Brown's tract, to lake Champlain in Moriah or Crown point, the expenses to be defrayed by a tax on the non-resident lands to be benefited. The road was sur- veyed in the summer of 1841, and opened during the next half dozen years so as to be passable by teams. The east- ern portion now forms the usual route from the lake to the Long Lake settlements, but a portion westward has fallen into decay, and is growing up with trees. It is settled upon and traveled from Carthage to about a mile east of Belfort.


Several acts have been passed concerning this road, among which was one in 1843, releasing from the tax certain lands in Denmark and Lowville which came within the limits first defined by law.


A road from Port Leyden to the old forge on township 7 of Brown's tract, Herkimer county, and another from the residence of Hezekiah Abbey to intersect this, were author- ized June 8, 1853, to be constructed under the direction of Lyman R. Lyon and Francis Seger, by the aid of highway taxes upon unsettled lands adjacent. The act was extended to 1867 in 1859, but as yet the roads are not fully completed. They follow mainly the routes opened by John Brown about sixty years since.


An act passed April 2, 1859, appointed Seymour Green and Diodate Pease to lay out and open a road from the northern settlements of Osceola through to some road al- ready opened in Martinsburgh, and granted most of the non-resident highway taxes upon the lands of the towns through which it passed, for a period of five years for its construction. Surveys have been made and the route has been partially opened.


The foregoing list embraces, with an exception to be noticed, all the roads located within this county by virtue of special acts of the Legislature, excepting turnpikes, of which more have been projected than built and of which the last rod has long since been merged in common or plank roads.


The Mohawk and Black River Turnpike Co. incorpo- rated April 5, 1810, had power to build a turnpike from


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Turnpike Companies.


Rome to the residence of Ezra Clapp in Turin. It failed to organize.


The St. Lawrence Turnpike Co., incorporated April 5, 1810, constructed a road across the northeastern border of the county, but no settlements were formed upon it and in 1829 its charter was repealed and the road was divided into common districts. In 1830 an act was passed to tax the adjacent lands for improving this road, from the tenth mile post beyond Carthage to the line of St. Lawrence county. The road was surveyed by B. Wright and Chas. C. Brod- head in 1812.


The Black River and Sackets Harbor Turnpike Co. was incorporated March 30, 1811, to build a road from Low- ville through Copenhagen to Watertown, capital $37,500. Nothing done. The Sackets Harbor Turnpike Co. formed by the same act had power to build a turnpike from Copen- hagen to Sackets Harbor, but did nothing.


The Lewis Turnpike Co. was incorporated April 8, 1811, to construct a turnpike from Steuben through Boon- ville and Martinsburgh villages to Lowville, but effected nothing. The parties named in the act were Isaac W. Bost- wick, Silas Stow, Walter Martin, Chillus Doty and Peter Schuyler, who might associate others with them. Capital $37,500.


The Boonville Turnpike Co. completed their survey in May, 1816, and about one mile and a half of their road extended into Leyden. This road was constructed and maintained many years, but no gate was erected in Lewis county. It was kept up until a plank road was constructed.


The Turin and Leyden Turnpike Co. capital $10,000, was formed under an act of March 26, 1819, and laid out by Pelatiah Ballou, Broughton White and Peter Post. It was surveyed by Mr. White in June 1819, and was constructed from the State road in Leyden, south of Talcotville, directly through to a point on the State road, a mile north of Turin village. It was completed and put in excellent condition, but no gates were ever erected upon it. One of the princi- pal objects of the projectors of this enterprise was, to pro- cure a direct route where every other means had failed, through the opposition of parties interested in other roads. Application to the town commissioners and the legislature had been tried in vain when this measure was resorted to with success, and the route was left free of toll in the hope of diverting travel upon it. It was given up soon after as a common road. The corporators of this road were Jona- than Collins, Wm. Constable, James McVickar, Geo. Davis,




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