USA > New York > Franklin County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 32
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 32
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having been overrun by a fire in the summer of 1849. This destructive fire spread through the woods, from Norfolk across the towns of Brasher, Bombay, Fort Covington, and Westville, taking in its course every thing combustible, and killing most of the standing timber, which still re- mains a dismal monument of its ravages. Many thousands of dollars worth of pine and other choice timber were destroyed; in some places every thing valuable of the soil was burned, fields of grain were over- run, miles of fenecs swept away, and many houses and barns burned. The work of destruction continued several weeks, but was most violent and uncontrollable about from the fifteenth to the twentieth of July. The efforts of the inhabitants succeeded in some instances .in checking the conflagration, but in other cases human efforts were unavailing, and flaming surges swept onward without restraint. The scenery of the burning forests, especially at night, is said to have been awfully sublime and impressive.
An accident happened at the furnace, in September, 1843, which de- stroyed the building and fatally burned one of the laborers. This was caused by the blowing up of the furnace, an accident to which those supplied by loam ore, are more liable than others, and against which nothing but the greatest care of those having charge, can effectually guard. It is caused by the clogging up of the inside, by which the mass of ore and fuel does not settle down as the parts below waste away, before the blast, thus forming a cavern of intensely glowing heat. When the mass above becomes detached and falls, the water in the damp ore being instantly changed to steam, expands with terrific vio- lence, always throwing out of the furnace whatever it contains, and usually setting fire to the wood work on the premises, and effectually putting a stop to the blast. On the occasion of the blowing up of this furnace in September, 1843, the liquid iron at the bottom was thrown out by the violence of the explosion, miserably burning one of the firemen, who died a few hours after in the greatest agony. Similar accidents have happened at Carthage, and other furnaces in Northern New York, that are supplied with bog ores.
The village of Brasher Falls, near the south west corner of the town on St. Regis river, about a mile below the junction of the two branches, and the same distance from the Brasher and Stocholm depot on the Northern rail road, was first commenced by John Crapser, of New York, who, in the fall of 1826, built a dam and saw mill on the falls in the river at this place. The saw mill was got in operation for lumbering, and two or three dwellings erected the following spring; but no increase occurred in the place until the fall of 1839, when Calvin T. Hulburd, of Stock- holm, purchased a tract of six hundred acres of land, on both sides of
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the river, including the site of the present village. In 1841 hie com- menced and finished a grist mill and dwelling; a small woolen factory was built soon after. A bridge had been built, partly at the expense of the town, several years previous to 1839. A fork and hoe factory was established by F. and T. R. Taylor in 1846, a manufactory of agricultu- ral implements, by Davis & Co., from Maine, in 1851, and a foundery by the same company in 1852. The facilities of this place for manufactur- ing purposes, are worthy of especial notice; as the amount of water power is immense, and still but partly appropriated, and its vicinity to the railroad, gives it a direct access to market. The St. Regis river, the two branches of which unite near the rail road bridge, a mile above, here descends a declivity which, in a state of nature, must have presented a rapid of singular wildness and beauty. The volume of water is here amply sufficient for a large amount of potver, and admits of being re- peatedly used within a short distance. Among the manufactories at this place, those of forks and hoes, by Messrs. Taylor, and of agricultural implements, by Davis & Co., are quite extensive, and give employment to a great number of laborers. The former of these deserves mention' from its being the pioneer in the business of manufacturing cast steel polished forks in the country. Mr. F. Taylor commenced this business at Parishville in 1831. In 1840, he erected at Bicknellville machinery for facilitating the business, and here during five or six years, the number of forks and hoes made, ranged from fifteen to twenty thousand a year. In 1846 the manufactory was removed to Brasher Falls, where from twenty to thirty thousand forks, and from six to twelve thousand hoes, are made annually, and exported from hence to nearly every state of the union.
Religious Societies,-The First Presbyterian and Congregational church of Helena, was organized June 1, 1837; Benjamin Nevins, Linus Kibble and Grant Johnson, trustees. A church edifice was built in 1837-8, and the Rev. Messrs. Rufus R. Demming, of Massena, - Howe and Charles Jones have been employed as a partial supply, there having been no settled pastor. The First Presbyterian society of Brasher Falls, was incorporated under the general act, February 24, 1845. Ebenezer S. Hulburd, Martin Smith, Hiram Holcomb, Sidney Kelsey, Justin Bell, Jehiel Stevens and Elijah Wood, being the first trustees. The church was formed July 8, 1844, by about seventeen members, mostly from the church in East Stockholm, who employed the Rev. S. S. Howe, as their first clergyman. He has been succeeded by Rev. Charles Jones and Hiram Dyer, the present pastor. A church edifice was erected in 1847. The church at present numbers about 60. The First Society of the Methodist Episcopal church of Maple Ridge, was incorporated February 29, 1848; D. Wait, William F. Wait, Luther S. Carter, Benjamin Bell and V. G. Carter, trustees. The First Society of the M. E. church of Brasher Falls, incorporated April 10, 1848, had David Richards, Heman Holmes, Joseph Eester, Ethan Johnson and John S. Hall, as its first trustees. Each of these societies has a chapel,
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the one at the falls having been built in 1851. At Brasher Iron Works, a Baptist society has existed, but has been scattered. A Freewill Bap- tist church was formed in this town in July, 1848, by Eld. John Sweat. Its first number was 9, and present 13 members. Eld. A. P. Walcott is pastor. In 1851, a catholic church was built half a mile east of the village, by the Rev. Mr. Keveny, of Hogansburgh.
CANTON
Was erected from Lisbon, March 28, 1805, with its present limits, the first town meeting being held at the house of Stillman Foote. The poor moneys were to be divided by the last tax list. During this session, the settlers of Oswegatchie, Madrid and Massena had petitioned for a divi- sion of these towns, and Mr. B. Wright, in the assembly, from the com- mittee to whom the matter had been referred, reported March 26th, that " they found their situation peculiarly inconvenient, as they had to travel from fifteen to thirty miles to town meeting."
Memoranda from the Town Records .- In 1806 and 1812, $5 bounties offered for wolves, and in 1810 and 1816, $10. In 1810, a fine of $12 imposed on all jngglers, monntebanks and wire dancers. $50 raised, for securing the rights and privileges of fish ; and S. Foote, D. Campbell and N. Walker, a committee for the purpose. This was afterwards a matter of solicitnde with the town, and of legislative action. In 1815, C. Wilson, F. Tracy and Win. Richardson were appointed a committee for making Grass river navigable for fish of all kinds to come up and down at pleasure, and $50 voted for the purpose. On the 12th of April, 1824, a law made Grass river a public highway, from its month to the high falls, in Canton, and dams were allowed to be erected, on condition that passages or sluices should be made for fish to pass. Neglecting this, or setting nets or weiers, was punishable by a fine of $25. As early as April 5, 1813, a law was passed, " that no person should draw any seine, set any net, or make any obstructions, in Oswego, Racket or St. Regis rivers, under a penalty of $25. The avowed object of this law was, to protect Salmon, which frequented these rivers in early times, and in 1806-7, were caught as far up Grass river as Russell. In 1825, the town appointed Minot Jenison and Thomas D. Olin to enquire into the con- dition of dams, and proseente any violation of the law; promising to indemnify them for losses arising from law suits.
In 1811, resolved to preserve in the town records, the dates of births, deaths and marriages, which were to be reported to the clerk under a penalty of $1; and in 1812, it was made the duty of the assessors to collect these data. In 1823 and 1825, $500 voted for the support of the poor, and similar but smaller sums voted in other years. In 1835, the legislature was petitioned for a law, to tax the town $500, to be paid to the trustees of the public lands in trust for the academy, to be invested for its benefit, on condition that the trustees execute bonds for the convey- ance of the lot and buildings for a school. In 1836, M. Jenison, J. H. Conkey, S. D. Olin, R. N. Harrison, D. Mack, J. Ames, 2d, C. Foote, S. Wright Jr., L. Moody, D. Clark, H. Barber and A. Smith appointed a committee to superintend the academy, and employ a teacher, and to attend to the interest of the town therein. In 1837, voted a tax of $500 for three years for the academy, on condition that a subscription of an equal sum be raised. In 1840, a crow bounty of one shilling, and in 1841-2, one of ten cents voted. In 1846, $1,000 voted for a town house,
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in three equal sums. Benjamin Squires and Cyrus Abernethy a com- mittee to erect it. In 1849, at a special meeting, the legislature was petitioned for a law taxing the town $6,000, in six equal sums, for build- ing a plank road, from the village to town line, towards Gouveneur, which was done. Luman Moody, Theodore Caldwell and Joseph J. Merriman were recommended as commissioners to build the road.
Supervisors .- 1806, Stillman Foote; 1807-8, Daniel Walker; 1809-12, Daniel Campbell; 1813-22, Daniel Walker; 1823-4, Thomas D. Olin; 1825-6, Jeduthan Farwell; 1828-30, James Parkill; 1831-3, Silas Bald- win Jr .; 1834-5, John Heaton; 1836-40, Lemuel Buck; 1841-2, Henry Barber; 1843-4, Richard N. Harrison; 1845-6, Henry Barber; 1847-8, Cyrus Abernethy ; 1849, William F. Cahoon ; 1850-2, Hiram S. Johnson.
Canton was surveyed by Amos Lay, assisted by Reuben Sherwood and Joseph Edsall, in the summer of 1799. Their labors included both townships of Canton and Lisbon. Among the men who were employed to assist, were the following: Festus and Septimus Tracy, Nahum Allen, George Goss, Abner Hazelton, Alvin White, Jacob Redington, - Thompson. The supplies of provisions for the summer's operations, were boated up in canoes, through Oswegatchie river and Indian creek (natural canal), and up the Grass river, to the site of the present village of Canton. While working near the St. Lawrence, their supplies were carried directly over at whatever point they might happen to need them. The survey of the two townships being completed, the hands returned to New England through Canada. While the survey was going on, the parties engaged on it were frequently back and forth from the front settlements in Canada, and the subject of the value of the lands was much discussed, and a high idea was entertained of their probable value for agricultural purposes. This led to the formation of an association, consisting of thirty or forty Canadians, who proposed to form a settle- ment on the tract, and who sent one of their number to Albany, to negotiate a bargain with the proprietors, for a purchase. This agent is said to have effected a conditional bargain for one-quarter of a township, wherever the company might wish to locate, in Lisbon or Canton. Upon receiving this intelligence, the whole party decided upon traversing the tract, to learn its actual value, by direct observation ; and accordingly, taking several days' provisions on their backs, and guided by persons who had been employed in the survey, they separated in small parties, and pursued their course in various directions, through the woods. At night they would meet at an appointed place, kindle an immense fire of logs and dry materials which they collected, and camp around it for the night.
Every thing proceeded agreeably for a while, but unfortunately for their harmony, numbers of them came from different quarters upon a remarkably beautiful tract of land, in the southeastern part of Canton'
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where the hard timber was unusually clear and lofty, and a meandering stream wandered through the forest between banks that, in their native growth of timber and herbage, and the soil at the surface, betokened unusual richness and fertility. Here, without the knowledge of each other, several parties resolved to locate their interests, and in accordance with the prevalent custom, commenced slight improvements, which, in their opinions, would confer a preemption right to the soil. These pro- ceedings soon became known to the whole party, and the overlapping claims of rivals engendered a party strife, in which each loudly vocifer- ated his claims, and insisted upon the priority of his arrival, and 'in an incredibly short space of time, the schemes of the whole party were dissipated. Of confidence in each other's honor, they had none; and the mutual distrust led to the dissolution of the company, who scattered immediately, and by different routes, sought the St. Lawrence, and crossed again to Canada. Some being ignorant of the course of the rivers, wandered from their way, and did not reach the great river, till they had arrived in Louisville; and when they gained the settlements, were well nigh exhausted with hunger and fatigue.
The first land that was taken up with the view of actual settlement in the town of Canton, was by Daniel Harrington, a native of Connecticut, but who had afterwards lived in Vermont, and in Canada. In 1800, he took up a tract of land on the east side of Grass river, where Canton vil- lage now is, having commenced a small improvement the fall before, which consisted of a slight clearing, near the present agricultural fair ground, and on the bank of the river, where he sowed less than an acre of land to wheat, in the fall of 1800; and having no team to assist him, he harrowed in the grain with a hand rake. The crop was sold to Mr. Foote, and when harvested, yielded more than sixty bushels, notwith- tanding the immense numbers of squirrels of that year. By a striking coincidence, the officers of the society in selecting their fair grounds located them almost exactly on the spot which had thus early betokened its capabilities for agricultural improvement. The cabin of this pioneer, stood on the spot where the flag staff of the fair ground is erected. In the fall of 1799, several men came into town, and made slight clearings, supposing that thereby they acqired a preemption right; but the first per- manent settler, was Stillman Foote, Esq., from Middlebury, Vt., who came into town to look for lands, in 1800, and purchased the mile square, on which Canton village now stands. Harrington's title, including the wheat crop, he purchased for a horse, saddle and bridle. In March, 1801, Mr. Foote left his home in Vermont, for his location, with two teams laden with provisions and furniture ; but upon the approach of warm weather, he was obliged to leave a great part of his load at Willisborough, on Lake
18
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
Champlain, to be taken, together with the irons for a mill, by the more circuitous route of Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence river to Lisbon, the nearest accessible point, about 18 miles from his destination. A very poor road conducted our emigrants as far as Chateaugay, where every trace of a road ended, and they were obliged to seek the St. Lawrence at St. Regis, where they crossed and proceeded along the Canada shore to opposite Lisbon. From this place they were guided to Canton by an ob- scure trace marked for a road. Mr. Daniel W. Church, who had been engaged as a millright, followed by water, having charge of the mill irons ana remainder of the loading left at the lake. From his diary before us. the following memoranda are taken :
" March 27th, took leave of my family and home. 29th, went to Bason Creek, and waited some days. April 1st, got a passage for old Mr. Foote, [Daniel F., the father of S. F.,] to Plattsburgh, in company with one Mr. Storer, who had a spare horse there, and sent my two men with him. Thought I had taken a prudent step to keep the old gentleman from catching the small pox, which he would be much exposed to, should he go with me through Canada. 4th. Got our loading on board, and set sail ; got myself set on shore at Carlotte to get more loading. The vessel could not wait; I got aboard of another with Johnson, and set sail. Just at night the wind rises, and the evening is very dark. The passengers, of whom there were 50, begin to be very sick. The vessel is poorly manned, and I remain on deck to assist the captain in working it, as it is in some danger. Run in at Peru, and lay at anchor in the swell all night. Could hardly see land when within 20 yards ; and suffered intolerably with cold, having no blanket, nor even great coat. 5th. The wind dies away, and we set our passengers on shore, and sail with a moderate breeze till the morning of the 6th, when we reached St. John. Met with Johnson and my other company, and walked to Laprairie. 8th. Go to the Indian vil- lage, 9 miles above Laprairie, and ferry across to Lachine. The Indian village is the handsomest town I have seen in my whole voyage, except Mt. Real. To see the Indians at their homes was quite new to me. 9th. Went back to Mt. Real, on foot, after a canal ticket. Set out just at even- ing, and it was dark before I left the place. Lost my way, and returning, was hindered some time, but arrived at my company in so short a time, as to surprise them. 10th. Agree with Mr. Tuttle concerning a boat, as follows: He is to have a boat and two hands, or one hand and work him- self; and I am to find the rest of the help, and pay the canal ticket. Tuttle is clerk to one Crystler, and takes a passage in another boat, and agrees with Mr. Grant to hire two hands, but the latter can not, because it is seed-time with the Canadians. We set out without any help, but can not get along, the current is so strong. Happen to hear of two hands, who will go to Pt. Clair, 8 or 9 miles; hire them and arrive there. 11th. Go to Cedars with great difficulty. 12th. Arrive at the King's locks, where the hands being all beaten out, leave the boat, and we hire Cana- dians in their room. I go in the boat and come very near getting lost in the rapids. Meet with as much hardship as I know how to get along with, and after toiling as hard as possible, arrive at the head of Lake St. Francis, between 9 and 10, in the evening. 13th. Sail across the lake a little below Cornwall. 14th. Go above Cornwall. Tuttle hires 2 hands, one good, the other worse than none. We find it impossible to get any farther with our loading. 15th. Arranged business, and set out on foot,
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hardly able to stir. Go to Crystlers, and have dfficulty in settling with - who refuses to allow some borrowed money. 16th. Arrive at Lis- bon, at the house of James Turner. 17th. Reach Canton, with seventeen blisters on my hand, occasioned by rowing and pulling the bateau along. Find Thomas down with the fever and ague."
Mr. Church was accompanied by Libeus Johnson and sons; John Flannegan, a journeyman, Thomas Marvin, an apprentice, and one or two others. He found in the camp Mr. Foote and his father, who had come through on horseback, and others to the number of twelve, who all occupied the same shanty, and without the first convenience; as every article not of prime necessity, had been left at Cornwall until a road could so far be cleared as to allow of the passage to teams. An entire week was consumed in getting the teams from Lisbon, and on Saturday night they were still three miles from camp, where the cattle were left to browse, and the men came on. The whole party then proceeded to return to them, and the loads were got in. The first clearing was made on the west side of the river near the water's edge just below the present bridge. The party immediately set about preparing the frame of a saw- mill, but had scarcely begun operations, when the camp was visited by sickness, and one of the number stricken down by death. On the 2d of May, Mr. Church, the mill-wright, was attacked by an intermittent fever, contracted the summer previous, and about the same time, the elder Mr Foote was taken with symptoms, at first not understood, but soon too sadly recognized as the small pox. Five of the company had been in- oculated, and this operation was forthwith performed upon the other six. Although nearly four score years of age, the invalid bore his sick- ness well, and at one time it was hoped he would survive. But on the accession of the secondary fever, he grew worse and died. His last words were: "God's will be done." Mr. Church at this time, was not able to sit up in his couch of hemlock boughs, and the symptoms were beginning to appear upon those who had been inoculated. Stillman Foote had fallen a few days previous, and broken a rib, which disabled him from rendering assistance. They kept the corpse until the third day, watching it by turns, and then committed it to the earth, wrapped in the hammock on which he died, with a few hemlock boughs below him, and the bark of an elm tree for a coffin. There was at this time, no medical aid to be had, nearer than Johnstown, in Canada, and even this was not to be reached, as the heavy rains had rendered all the streams impassable, so that a young man who had been sent out, was obliged to return. This is believed to be the first death of a white per- son in Canton, and occurred May 10th, 1801. We will here resume our quotation from Mr. Church's diary, which describes the difficulties of
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the settlers with vividness. It covers some of the events above de- scribed :
" May 2. Myself had the fever and agne. 4th. Had an intolerable fit of it. Gloomy times. 5th. Worked. Very rainy at night; camp leaks everywhere; no place to lay down in. Sleep none at all. Have free scope for my thoughts, not having anything to interrupt me, but the snoring of the rest of the company, soaking in water. With great diffi- culty I prevent the rain dropping on old Mr. Foote. Let any person imagine himself in the woods, fifteen miles from any house, sick of the fever and ague, one of the company rotten with the small pox, one with his ribs broke, one other ghostified with the fever and agne, three in- oculated with the small pox, and only three well ones, and let him imagine himself exposed to all the rains, without physician, or nurse, or medicines ; then let him awake and find it a dream, and see how glad he will be! 10th. More trouble; the old gentleman died, and I am growing worse every day. The three well ones bury the old man as well as they can in his hammock, and put some barks over him. Hard times for poor Stillman, who had to lay his own father in his winding sheet. 13th. Ride out to Lisbon with extreme difficulty. I can not sit on a horse. Ride bare-backed. Get wet with rain through and through. From Canton to Lisbon settlement is fifteen miles without the least opening; very little road, and very many swamps and mireholes. 14th. Go to Dr. Adams's and back on foot, fourteen miles. Half an hour be- fore I set out while the fever was on, I could not walk across the house. 25th. So far recovered as to ride back to Canton."
. Mr. Church was soon compelled to go back to his friends, and the rest of the party having partly finished the mill, returned back to spend the winter in Vt. In the spring of 1802, Mr. Foote returned with his family, consisting of a wife, two sons, and a daughter, and they took up their abode in a corner of the saw-mill. Mr. Church and three companions proceeded through the woods from Chateaugay, a distance of about 70 miles, without mark or guide, but a compass. Their goods were borne by a pack-horse, and they were five days on the pathless road, most of the time in the rain, and towards the last of their journey, so short of provisions, that they were obliged to subsist upon pork and partridges, of the latter of which they chanced to kill a few on the way. During this summer a single run of rock stones driven by a tub wheel, was got in operation in a part of the mill, and this was the first and only grist mill in town, until after the war.
During the summer of 1802, a thrilling incident happened, which well nigh proved fatal to one of the party. On a sabbath morning about 20 persons had assembled at the mill from the several clearings to spend a day in social intercourse, and discuss the news. Two men were cross- ing the river in the only boat in the place, and had gained an island, when the current unexpectedly caught the boat, and was taking it down stream. One jumped out, but in so doing, threw the bow of the boat further into the current, and the remaining one finding it impossible to
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