USA > New York > Franklin County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 38
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 38
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
midnight, and with infinite peril, the rapid and swollen river. The night was dark and cloudy; there were but three horses to transport the party of nine men, which was at length effected at six times crossing, and the company met that from 'Stockholin at the appointed place, early in the morning, and at once proceeded to plan and execute a good and sub- stantial log bridge-the first one across Deer river-at a point about one hundred rods below the present village of Lawrenceville. The party from Islington, on their return home reached the St. Regis several hours sooner than the time appointed for the horses to be sent to meet them, and as the river had subsided somewhat, one or two of the coni- pany cut each of them a pole to support themselves against the current, and with their boots and axes slung to their backs, forded the river by wading. The horses were sent to transport the remainder, and the whole party returned withont accident. From Deer river to Islington, was 83 miles by the ford, and 15 by Stockholm. From Esq. Hopkins's to the ford 14 miles. Mr. Hopkins was remarkably attentive in assisting set- tlers to cross this ford, and kept a watch to give notice when teams ar- rived, and the young men could go down with two yoke of oxen and a strong sled, cross over to them, fasten their sleighs with withes and ropes to the top of the sled, and so recross. Iu crossing, the empty sled would float, and the ferrymen were obliged to wade by its side and work with all their might to keep it from floating down stream. The sleighs were lightened of their contents, hoisted with levers and skids on to the sled, bound fast, reloaded, and crossed over. Difficulty was often experienced in keeping the load upright, and the screams of the women and children as their craft veered and floundered along the angry stream, formed a picture strikingly characteristic of primitive times and known only to pioneers. In April of this year the sleighing ceased, but people continued to arrive on horseback and on foot, wlio were often disappointed at the difficulties in crossing, and in several instances travelers coming to Islington, after reaching the ford, retraced their steps and proceeded to their destination by the very circuitous route of Stockholm. To obviate these difficulties a foot bridge was built at the ferry, which although rude and temporary was very acceptable. The ford way road is now occupied by cultivated fields, and its route exists only in the recollections of the few remaining pioneer settlers.
In May 1807, the first death (that of an infant) occurred. Previous to this there had been 26 births. In 1809, Abram Sheldon built the first framed house. In 1807 the town contained 48 persons capable of voting for senators. In 1810 a social library was incorporated, 45 persons having subscribed $115 for the purpose. The first trustees were Roswell Hopkins, Amasa Blanchard, Henry Mclaughlin, Rueben Post, Seth Abbott, Stephen Langworthy, Jasper Armstrong, Benjamin W. Hopkins. Dr. Stephen Langworthy was the first physician who settled in town, in a very early day. The second was Dr. Gideon Spragne, from New Haven, Addison Co., Vt., who settled in town in 1811, and is at present the second oldest practitioner in St. Lawrence county. Dr. E. Baker, of Canton, settled thore in 1806. In 1824, Isaac R. Hopkins built a saw mill on the St. Regis river, north of the village, and at the raising it was christened Fort Jackson, which the little village at this place still bears. There are here two churches, saw mill, clothing works, starch factory,
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&c., and in the vicinity a valuable quarry of Potsdam sandstone, which has been used for lining several furnaces. This beautiful building ma- terial should supersede every other in the vicinity, where it can be pro- cured, and would be found more cheap, durable and elegant than any other that the country affords. Blocks of any convenient size and very uniform, can be readily procured here.
On the last of February 1814, after the British party had returned from their incursion to Malone, and had arrived at French Mills, they earned from a citizen spy, who acted as their guide that a large amount of flour belonging to the United States army, was stored in a barn in the vil- lage of Hopkinton, and that there was no guard at that place to protect it. Upon this they detached Major De Heirne, of the British regular service, with Lieut. Charlton, the second in command, and about thirty soldiers, who proceeded in sleighs, by way of Moira corners, to Hopkinton, twenty- seven miles from French Mills, and arrived at that place early in the morn- ing, before the inhabitants were up. They first posted sentinels at the door of every house, and proceeded to search for arms in every place where they might be suspected to be found, and succeeded in obtaining about twenty stand, which had been distributed among the inhabitants. It is said that several muskets were saved, by being hastily laid in a bed, which had been occupied but a few moments previous, and thus eluded the search that was made for them. Their case has been described by the poet.
"'Tis odd, not one of all these seekers thought, And seems to me almost a sort of blunder, Of looking in the bed as well as under."
They found some three hundred barrels of flour stored in a barn owned by Judge Hopkins, and occupied by Dr. Sprague, but having no teams for conveying away more than half of that quantity, they began to destroy the remainder, but being dissuaded by the inhabitants, they desisted, and distributed the remainder among the citizens. During the brief sojourn of this party, they conducted themselves with strict pro- priety, and sacredly respected private property of every kiud, using or receiving nothing for which they did not offer compensation. No parole was required of the inhabitants. Upon the passage of the detachment of the American army through Hopkinton,' on their way from French Mills to Sackett's Harbor, but a very short time previously, the officers in command were importuned by Judge Hopkins and others, for the privilege of carrying the military supplies in their village further west, to a place of greater safety, dreading the very event which soon after hap- pened. They offered to take their pay from the flour, at such prices as would be just and equitable, but no one appeared to feel themselves au-
21
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
thorized to order the removal, and it was not effectual. The surround- ing country would have readily furnished volunteers sufficient for this duty, and gladly undertaken it, had they been allowed the privilege.
In 1816, snow and frost occrrued in every month in the year, and crops of all kinds, except grass and oats, were nearly destroyed. Flour was procured with the greatest difficulty, and sold at $22 per barrel.
Thomas Meacham, a noted Nimrod, who spent many years in hunt- ing, in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, died near this town, on the North west Bay road, May 7, 1849, aged 79. He kept an account of his successes, which resulted as follows: wolves 214; panthers, 77; bears, 210; deer, 2550. Mr. Meacham would relate many amusing anecdotes. His traps were always out and one day in examining them he found two wolves and a bear, and shot another on the way, making, as bounties then were, a profit of $185. A further account of this pioneer was pub- lished by Wm. H. Wallace, in his paper, the St. Lawrence Mercury, Dec. 19, 1849.
Religious Societies .- July 6, 1808, five males and six females, were _ organized by the Rev. John W. Church, a missionary, into a Congrega- tional church. A society was formed Sept. 30, 1814, with Amasa Blanch- ard, Reuben Post and Issac R. Hopkins, trustees; Rev. Hiram S. John- son, now of Canton, was ordained pastor, in December, 1815, and remained till 1822, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Roswell Petti- bone, who was installed, July 21, 1824, and who remained till Aug., 1830. The Rev. Messrs. J. Butler, Cha's Bowles,-P. Montague, Bachelor, J. A. Northrop and E. Wood, have since been employed. The present num- ber in the church is 84. A meeting house was built in 1827, at the cost of $2,800. Dr. Gideon, Sprague, Aaron Warner and Artemas Kent, being the building committee.
A Baptist church was formed by Eld. Rowley Sept. 11, 1808, of but 6 members. On the 12th of Sept. 1808, the sacrament of the supper was administered for the first time to the Congregational church, in the fore- noon and to the Baptist church in the afternoon, in the same house. A Baptist society was formed, Feb. 17, 1818, with Abijah Chandler, Jonah Sanford, Sylvanus C. Kersey, and Samuel Eastman, trustees.
In 1815, these two societies erected a stone building for a place of worship and public business, which by a law of 1841, was repaired by a tax of $250, and now forms the village school house. On the 8th of July, 1830, the name of the Baptist church, was changed to the Hopkinton and Lawrence church, at which time they held their meetings alternately at Hopkinton and Nicholville. On the 5th of Aug., 1843, the word Hopkinton was dropped, and they have been since permanent- ly located in Nicholville. A society of the M. E. church, was formed, Dec. 30, 1839, Josiah Smith, Martin Corey, Hiram B. Sheldon, Rufus Alden, Philip Mosher, Albert Sheldon, Bradley Adams, John Daniels, and John L. Ransom, trustees.
A Free-Will Baptist church was organized in 1844 by Elder John Sweat, and Elder Wm. Whitfield, of 16 members. This church erected a commodious house of worship in 1847, cost $1,000, dedicated Jan. 2, 1848, the rermon by Elder John W. Lewis. Elder John Sweat was
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chosen pastor at the organization of this church, and still retains this relation.
LAWRENCE.
This town was erected from Hopkinton and Brasher, April 21, 1828, to take effect on the 1st Monday of March, following. The first town meeting was to be held at the house of Carlton Mc Ewen. The poor moneys were to be equitably divided, and a part of the town having been formerly set off from Massena to Brasher without their knowledge or consent, and without any division of the poor fund, it was also made the duty of the supervisors of Lawrence and Massena to meet and divide this fund, in the same manner and subject to the same appeal as above stated.
The title is as follows: the proprietors to Harrison, Jan. 1, 1801, and from the latter to William Lawrence, Feb. 17, 1820. (Clerk's office Deeds, b. 5, p. 596.) Parts are now owned by D. Lynch Lawrence, a son of the above.
The town derives its name from William Lawrence, of New York, a gentleman who had spent the prime of his life as a merchant, and eil- gaged in foreign commercial enterprises. Having retired from business, he purchased the unsold portions of Chesterfield, with the view of giving him some employment, and as he told one of his settlers to occupy liis mind and prevent his time from dragging heavily, as he had been actively engaged in commerce in the four quarters of the globe, till, at the age of fifty, he found himself in circumstances which justified his retirement from active business. He died in New York, in 1824. It was his custom to spend his summers in town for two of three years before his death.
Memoranda from the Records .- Carlton McEwen, supervisor ; Myron G. Peck, town clerk; James Trussell, Nathaniel Smith, Newel H. Lampson, assessors ; Enos Burt, collector ; James Trussell, Myron G. Peck, overseers of poor ; Giles Hard,j David S. Murray, John Ferris, com's of highways ; Enos Burt, Warren Day, constables; George P. Farran, Samuel Bent, James Ferris, com's of schools ; D. Wright, N. Higgins, David. S. Murray, Levi H. Powers, inspectors of schools.
Supervisors .- 1829-32, Carlton McEwen; 1833-4, George P. Farrar; 1835, C. McEwen; 1836, Myron G. Peck; 1837, Luther Whitney ; 1838-9, Walter Smead; 1840, no choice, a tie between J. F. Saunders and C. McEwen, who received 140 votes each. The justice appointed the lat- ter, who declined serving, and March 30, J. F. Saunders was elected at a special meeting; 1841, J. F. Saunders; 1842.3, Lucius Hubbard ; 1844, J. F. Saunders; 1845, Jude Clark; 1846-8, C. McEwin; 1849-50, Milo L. Burnham ; 1851, Peabody Newland; 1852, Noah D. Lawrence.
The first settlement, in the present town of Lawrence, was made by - Brewer, who came in as a subagent for the proprietor, Mr.
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Harrison, to show land to settlers; and located on the farm now owned by Carlton McEwen, where he erected a shanty in the summer of 1801 and remained till the summer following, when he sold out his interest and agency to Samuel Tyler. In the fall of 1806, Joseph and Samuel Tyler, from Piermont, N. H., Joseph St. Clair and Avery Sanders, from Middlesex, Vt., and Ephraim Martin from Bradford, Vt., and Abijah Chandler, from Lebanon, N. H., came in and selected farms, but did not move their families till the next spring. Having made a bargain with the agent, Judge Bailey of Chateaugay, for land, Abijah Chandler! and the others above named, moved in to reside, most of them having families. Mrs. Chandler was the first white woman who came into town.
These families first came to Hopkinton by sleighs, and proceeded thence to their destination after the snow had gone. Most of them settled in the central and northern parts of the present town, except Mr. Chandler, who settled a short distance from the present village of Nicholville. In May, 1807, these families were followed by Ira Allen, James and Jonathan Pierce, and Sidney Dunton. In June, Jonathan Stevens, Ambrose Lewis and families, and Jonathan Hartwell, without his family, located in town. The latter moved on in the following spring.
In July, 1807, Jonathan, Green, and James Saunders, and D. C. Bas- tain, and in the same year John Howard, Asa Griffin, and John Prouty, came in. In 1808-9, the settlement was largely increased from Vermont and New Hampshire, and continued till the war, when every family but five are said to have left, and most of them never returned. From this time the settlements languished, and the pioneers were exposed to un- usual hardships from the difficulty of reclaiming their lands, and bringing them under cultivation. This arose from the very level surface, which when covered by forests, was wet and swampy, but which, now it is cleared up and cultivated, forms one of the finest and most valuable agri- cultural districts in the county. Deer were unusually plenty, and con- sequently wolves. An old lady, in relating these hardships, added, that "had it not been for the deer, they must all have starved, as venison was often the only food they had."
The first school was taught in 1810, by Miss S. Tyler, and meetings were held in 1808, by a Quaker from Peru, N. Y. The first framed house was built in 1808, by Daniel Harris.
It is only since the rail road has given value to the grazing districts of this section, that this town has begun to be most rapidly developed. Lands have advanced often one hundred per cent, and this increase is not a fictitious but a real addition to their value, especially for diarying; and this class of husbandry has in itself the elements of perpetuity, for
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the produce of the fields mostly returned to them to refertilize the soil, and when judiciously managed, to preserve it in its original fertility. These remarks apply not to this town alone, but to Northern New York generally.
There are in Lawrence three villages and post offices, viz: Nicholville, Lawrenceville, and North Lawrence.
Nicholville is situated on the east branch of St. Regis river, where crossed by the St. Lawrence turnpike, and mostly upon the north bank, and consequently in Lawrence. In the summer of 1817, Samuel Wilson erected a saw mill on the south bank, and in 1822 a grist mill was built on the same side, but was swept off in 1830 by a flood. John Pomeroy, Eli Bush, Chester Armstrong, Calvin Converse and Horace Higgens, purchased and settled here about 1820. In 1824 a distillery, and in 1826 a stone grist mill, were built. The village is named from E. S. Nichols, of N. Y., the executor of the estate of Wm. Lawrence, who af- terwards absconded with a large amount of funds belonging to a com- pany. For this reason an effort is being made to change the name of the village and post office. The river here runs in a deep and narrow valley, and the water power is occupied by two saw mills, a grist mill, a woolen factory, a machine shop, and the usual variety of mechanic shops; and the village has about a hundred families, three stores, a tavern, and a Baptist and a Union meeting house. The Port Kent road of 75 miles, through the central part of Franklin county, commences here on the north bank, and the old Northwest Bay road (recently reopened), a short distance west, on the road to Hopkinton.
Lawrenceville is on both sides of Deer river, where crossed by the main road from Potsdam to Malone. It forms the centre of business for a rapidly growing district, and has a water power sufficient for the ordi- nary wants of the place. A saw mill was built here in 1809, by Ephraim Martin, but the dam was soon swept away, and no further improvement was attempted until 1821, when another was built by Charles Kellogg, and in 1822 a grist mill. A store was opened in 1822, by Josiah F. Saun- ders, and about 1820 an inn, by John Shepard. In 1828, Dr. John In- man, the first physician, settled in town. In 1827-8, the place began to grow, and has at present three churches, several mills, stores, and shops, a starch factory, &c., and is progressing with the surrounding country in wealth and prosperity.
North Lawrence owes its existence entirely to the rail road, and is situ- ated on the west bank of Deer river, where it is crossed by that road. A location had first been made here many years previous, by John W. Bean, who had erected a saw mill. Chauncey Bristol was the second settler in the vicinity. There is here a depot 50 by 100 feet, which re-
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
ceives the business of the county north and south, three saw mills, one of them having a gang of about 30 saws, and numerous new stores, dwellings, and other buildings, sufficiently indicate its thrift and pro- sperity.
Religious Societies .-- A Tree Will Baptist church was formed July, 1838, by Elder Benjamin Bundy and David Colby, of 5 members. Elders Samuel Newland, Samuel Hart and others; and at present the former have been pastors. Present number, 37. The first Baptist evangelical society in the town of Lawrence, was formed November 19, 1840; Pea- hody Newland, Walter Smead and Stephen Hammond, trustees. Reor- ganized, May 14, 1842. The church established by the Baptists in Hopkinton, and since moved to Nicholville, now numbers 82. The names of clergymen in the order of their succession, since 1808, are Solomon Johnson, Beriah N. Leach, Silas Pratt, Peter Robinson, James M. Beeman and Elias Goodspeed, who is at present employed. A small meeting house was built in 1832, and enlarged in 1836, and in 1852, a church 40 by 50 feet, which was designed to be opened early in January, 1853. These data were kindly furnished by Myron G. Peck, Esq., of that place.
The M. E. church, of Lawrenceville, was incorporated April 6, 1842; David Blish, John Shepard, Charles Kellogg, Samuel Meacham, Chase S. Wise, John F. Carpenter and Thomas Heale, trustees. They have a church reported in the census of 1850, worth $1,200.
The Congregational church and society of Lawrenceville, incorporated August 3, 1840; Heman Shepard, Avery Colling and John W. Bean, trustees. Their church is reported in the census worth $1,600. On the 17th of August, 1852, a church of this order was formed at N. Law- rence, of about 20 members, all but two of whom withdrew from the other for this purpose. They have been recently incorporated, and are about to erect a church.
LISBON
Owes its origin to the following petition, which is said to have been intended as a preliminary to the location of the county seat in this town :
"To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York, in Senate and Assembly convened.
The memorial of the subscribers, for themselves, and in behalf of the settlers on the ten townships of land, situate on the river St. Lawrence, heretofore sold by the people of the state, respectfully sheweth :
That many settlers are now established on the said townships, and have already made valuable improvements thereon ; that great inconve- nience ensues, by reason of their remoteness from the settled parts of the state, and they are daily exposed to loss and injury in their property, by the waste and spoil committed by persons from the opposite side of the river St. Lawrence, and having no magistrates or constables among themselves, such injuries can not be redressed; that the said ten towns are situate in the counties of Montgomery, Oneida and Herkimer; that it has become highly necessary for the encouragement and prosperity of the settlers on the said townships, that they should be incorporated into one town. They therefore humbly pray, that the said townships, as described in the map, filed in the secretary's office, and known by the
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names of Louisville, Stockholm, Madrid, Potsdam, Lisbon, Canton, Oswegatchie, De Kalb, Hague, and Cambray, may be erected into one town, and to be known by the town of Lisbon; and that the same may be annexed to the county of Clinton; and that the town meetings of the said town may be held in the township of Lisbon, being the center town- ship, at the house of Alexander J. Turner, and as in duty bound they will ever pray.
Uri Barber, Calvin Hubbard, James Turner, Benj. Bartlett, Samuel Allen, Ahab Herington, Daniel Herington, Jacob Hoar, Alexander Tur- ner, Jun., John De Lance, David Zoyten (?), Festus Tracy, Jacob Pohl- man, John Tibbets, Alexander J. Turner, Stillman Foote, George Foote, Peter Sharp, R. F. Randolph, John Tibbets, Jun., Wesson Briggs, Benj. Pierce, Andrew O'Neil, Benjamin Stewart.
Received in Assembly, February 9, 1801. Read and referred to Mr. Shurtliff, Mr. Norton, Mr. Danforth.
Lisbon was accordingly erected March 6, 1801, and the first town officers were as follows:
Alexander J. Turner, supervisor ; John Tibbets, clerk; John Tibbets, Jr., Benjamin Stewart, Joseph Edsall, Seth Raney, William Shaw, assess- ors ; Calvin Hubbard, Jacob Redington, Benjamin Stewart, Wesson Briggs, Jacob Pohlman, commissioners of highways ; Peter Sharp, Joseph Furman, John Thurber, constables ; Peter Sharp, collector; Uri Barber, Benjamin Bartlett, John Lyon, poormasters; Samuel Allen, Benjamin Galloway, Wm. Shaw, Benjamin A. Stewart, Joseph Edsall, Reuben Fields, Adam Milyer, Joseph Thurber, pathmasters ; Uri Barber, George Hilman, John Tibbets, Jr., Asa Furman, John Sharp, fence viewers ; Benjamin Stewart, Reuben Fields, pound keepers ; Alexander J. Turner, John Tibbets, Jr., Benjamin A. Stewart, trustees for the glebe.
Supervisors .- Most of the town election records previous to 1831, hav- ing been lost, the following imperfect list of supervisors is given as the best that could be obtained : .
1801, and for several years after, Alexander J. Turner ; 1814-15, George C. Conant; 1816-17, James Thompson ; 1818, Bishop Perkins; 1819-20, Robert Livingston; 1821-8, Wesson Briggs; 1829, John Thompson; 1830-5, G. C. Conant; 1836, Joseph Chambers; 1837, G. C. Conant; 1838-9, David C. Gray; 1840-1, Charles Norway; 1842, Wm. H. Rey- nolds; 1843, D. C. Gray; 1844, G. C. Conant; 1845-9, Wm. Briggs; 1850-1, Aaron Rolf; 1852, David G. Lyttle.
The following return of electors was made in 1801, when this town embraced the present limits of the ten towns. The occurrence of the name of a firm on a poll list, is novel. Except the first two, who were reported worth a freehold of the value of £100 or upwards, the re- mainder were returned as renting real estate worth at least forty shillings per annum :
Ogden & Ford, Elijah Carley, Steven Foot, David Race, Thomas Lee, Benjamin Willson, Kelsey Thurber, Jonathan Comstock, Wm. G. Peck, John Lyon, Jacob Pohlman, Benjamin Nickler, Major Watson, Seth Rainey, Joseph Thurber, Jeduthan Barker, Adam Milyer, Thomas J. Davies, Jonathan Ingraham, Daniel McNeal, John Smith.
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Tibbets's tract of 9,600 acres, lying on the river St. Lawrence, and near its western border, was purchased by John Tibbets, of Troy, from Alexander Macomb, Feb. 22, 1789, for the sum of £860 New York cur- rency. In a mortgage bearing even date with the deed, it is stipulated concerning the interest:
" That should it so happen, that the said John Tibbets, his heirs or assigns, should not have the peaceable possession or enjoyment of the said premises, 'or should he be disturbed or kept out of the possession thereof by any Indians, or by reason of any claim which the Indians may have thereto, then in such case the interest on the above mentioned sums to cease during such time as the said John Tibbets shall be kept out of the peaceable possession of the said premises according to the true intent and meaning of this instrument."
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