USA > New York > Franklin County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 55
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 55
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The first agents for Stockholm (Pettibone and Hulburd), were in 1816, succeeded in the western part of the town, by Nathan Osburne, and shortly after by J. Il. Sanford. The latter held the office for many years, and was the predecessor of Mr. E. M. Foster, the present agent for the proprietors.
The first sheep taken into Stockholm, and the first in the eastern part of St. Lawrence county, were driven from Vermont, in 1803. The flock consisted of about fifty. They arrived in October, 1803. Much trouble was encountered in getting them across some of the streams, particularly
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the Salmon river, where the timbers of a bridge were laid only. A part · of the flock crossed on these, and the rest swam the river. From this little flock the farmers of the neighboring towns derived their stock. Much difficulty was experienced in keeping them from being destroyed by wolves. Every night it was necessary to yard them in an enclosure, well fenced against their troublesome enemies, and during the day, it was found impossible to preserve them unless pastured in the immediate vicinity of dwellings. Similar difficulties were felt in Hopkinton and other towns, and led to the offer of bounties for the destruction of wolves, which in these towns were doubtless necessary, and considered at the time as no more than adequate to accomplish their object.
The first settler who located in the west half of Stockholm, was John Thatcher, from Williston, Vt., who in March, 1805, started from the set- tlement in the east part of the town of Stockholm, taking his wife and children, and the small sum of household articles which he was able to carry in a vehicle drawn by a single horse, to locate in the western part of the town. On arriving at the river, he found it swollen and rapid, but providing himself with a pole to sustain himself against the current, he forded it repeatedly, carrying on his back his children, and his house- hold goods, and finally with much difficulty, assisted his wife in wading the river. Here he constructed a rude shelter of hemlock boughs beside a fallen tree, and kindling a cheerful fire on the site of the present little village of Sanfordville, he spent the first night. The horse was comfort- ably provided for on the opposite bank of the river, and on the following day he returned to the settlements to make further arrangements for his residence. He is spoken of as a man capable of enduring fatigue to an extraordinary degree, and was known to have carried the flour of three bushels of wheat on his shoulders for miles through the forest to his family. The first log house in the west half of Stockholm was built near the line of Potsdam, for a Mr. Dart, in the winter of 1805-6, by some ten or a dozen of the settlers of East Stockholm, who went to the loca- tion a distance of eight miles, cut and rolled up the frame of a log house, and returned in the evening of the same day. George Streight, John Partridge, Stiles Nelson, and Eldad Taylor, were early settlers in the west half of the town.
The first grist mill in Stockholm, was erected at the present village of Bicknelville, and during the first one or two years, the citizens were compelled to resort to Sheik's mill, in Canada, or to Canton, or to. Ro- berts's mill, now Columbia village. In 1804, a mill was got in operation in Hopkinton.
During the first summer, Mr. Pettibone had occasion to resort to the mill at Columbia, through a densely wooded country, without roads wor-
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thy of the name, and the trip was performed under circumstances of peculiar hardship. Dr. P. and a young man by the name of Abel Kel- sey, started with an ox team and wagon, expecting to spend the night in a shanty which they supposed had been built, and was occupied by, a settler, who had commenced a small clearing ou thie west side of Ra- quette river, about a mile and a half below the present village of Pots- dam.' They accordingly neglected to take with them any apparatus for kindling a fire.
At the close of a day. of toil and labor, they found. themselves on the banks of the river, and succeeded in fording it, laying the grain bags on polls across the top of the wagon, to keep it dry ; but to their great disappointment, the cheerful log hut and comfortable fire which they had anticipated as waiting them, was not there, and to add to their misery a cold, drenching rain set in, and continued through the night. They had been already half drowned in crossing the river, and were compelled to crawl under the best shelter they could find, and spend the night in as wretched a condition as possible. On the next morning, Mr. Pettibone found himself shaking with an ague, contracted in con- sequence of exposure, and with the greatest difficulty able to get through to his destination.
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The journey to Foote's mill, in Canton, usually consumed five days, in going and returning, ten bushels being the amount that could be taken at a trip, which was performed with an ox team. Two or three men accompanied to guard against accidents, and clear away the underbrush for the cattle. On arriving at streams, the grain was taken over on their shoulders, or laid across the oxen, to keep it out of the water, and thus all the intervening rivers were forded, except Raquette river, which was crossed by a float, just below the falls, at Potsdam village. This was the only way of crossing at that place, till the erection of a bridge in the year 1809. The ox teamns were driven into the water, sometimes much against their will, and forced to swim the river, their drivers with whips and loud shouts preventing their return to the banks. At night, if the pioneers found shelter and supper in the hut of some settler, it was well ; and if not, it was as well; for they usually succeeded in striking a spark from steel, and setting fire to some dry standing or fallen tree, by the side of which they would spend the night, having care that the fire should not mount into the tree top, and detach the larger branches, or burrow among the roots, and overturn the flaming column upon them.
The journey to Canada was in part performed by canoes on the rivers, more or less difficulty being encountered in passing the rapids. Amid these rude and fatiguing labors, which would dishearten a majority of our present citizens, a certain amount of enjoyment existed. The hand of sympathy was extended to neighbors, and any luck that befel one, was regarded as a common benefit. If any needed a helping hand, his desire need but be announced, to be heeded, and a common interest and a hope of better times, stimulated to exertion, and dispelled gloom.
During the war, numbers of the inhabitants became alarmed, and left the county, from fear of the Indians, and those that remained proceeded to erect defences for their protection. One of these was a double line of pickets around the house of Dr. Pettibone, which enclosed a square area of about a quarter of an acre, and was finished with gate and fix- tures complete. Here the inhabitants assembled on a few occasions of alarm, but no real danger ever presented itself. Another stockade was commenced around the house of Warren Webster, about a mill east of the centre of the town, which was finished on two or three sides only
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and a third was commenced around the dwelling of Jonathan Sager, in the west half. These pickets were timbers set upright in a trench, about three feet deep, in a double row, so that no openings existed between them. They were about sixteen feet high, sharpened at the top, and supported by earth banked against them on each side. On one occasion. of a draft, the greatest fear was entertained from an attack of the St. Regis or some other Indian tribe, they knew not what, and a volunteer company was raised, and a guard mounted and maintained for several days on the road which led towards Canada. Arms were procured at the state arsenal at Russell, and distributed among the inhabitants. From the miry condition of the roads, these were procured with great difficulty, being borne by pack horses, which often required to be relieved in pass- ing swamps and streams.
The miseries of war appear to be not limited to the actual amount of suffering which it directly entails, but include the privations and hard- ships sustained from apprehensions of danger, which often lead the timid to voluntarily encounter a needless amount of suffering.
The roads were at times thronged with groups of timid inhabitants, hastening away with such articles of furniture and provisions as they were able to snatch in their haste, and with such vehicles as they could command, and each augmented the fears of the others, by magnifying the rumors which they had received from those as timid as themselves. It is but just to say, that the class of fugitives did not form a majority of the existing population, and that there were many who ridiculed the fears of the timid, represented the absurdity of the alarms, and earnestly entreated them to behave like men, and stand ready to do their duty if real danger should arise, instead of stealing off in the cowardly manner of some. A portion of those who left the country never returned, and others came back to witness the waste and destruction which their own folly and neglect had brought upon them.
The village of Bicknellville, on the west branch of St. Regis, in the southwest quarter of Stockholm, and about half a mile south of the direct road from Potsdam to Malone, was first begun in 1811, by Amos Bicknell, originally from Barnard, Vt., but since 1806, a resident of Potsdam. In May, 1811, he removed to this place, with his family, con- sisting of his wife, six sons and three daughters, several of whom still reside in the vicinity, and commenced the erection of a grist and saw mill, which were built and got in operation the same season.
About 1815, the proprietor, Mr. Pierrepont, expended a large sum in opening a road from Parishville to Norfolk, which, from its importance as a communication by which potash from the new settlements could be taken to the navigable waters of Raquette river, was called the Market road. This route originally was laid about a mile east of this place, but eventually the principal travel from the back towns passed through by Bicknell's mills, and some portion of the original road has been discon- tinued.
In 1812 or 1813, a carding machine was got in operation at this place, and having a natural advantage in the possession of a good water
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power, it has gradually grown into a small village, with a grist and saw mill, small woolen factory, foundry and machine shop, and a number of mechanic shops. A fork and hoe factory was maintained there several years, but is at present discontinued. It has a Methodist chapel, a union store, a tavern, and about thirty families.
Southville is a small village having a post office of the same name, and situated near the south bounds of the town. The earliest settler in this place, is said to have been Shubel Gurley. Daniel Harrington and some others located soon after in the neighborhood.
Three miles from Potsdam Station, on the Northern Rail road, and on the direct line between Parishville and Norfolk, is the depot of Knapp's Station, which derives its name from Moses Knapp. The first settler in this vicinity was Eldad Taylor, on the farm of Mr. Knapp. The station at this place was first named Stockholm, while that near Brasher falls, also in this town, was named Brasher, and afterwards Stockholm and Brasher, but confusion arising from the similarity of names, the present one was adopted. The post office of North Stockholm is located at this place. This is a flag station, and passenger trains do not stop without a signal. The business at present limited, but is expected to increase with the opening of new routes, and the further settlement of the country. This is one of the points proposed for the terminus of the Potsdam and Watertown rail road, and should it be finally selected, it would become a place of much importance. It is often known by the inhabitants as Plum Brook.
A forge was erected on Trout brook, about a mile southwest of the centre of the town, by Benjamin Holmes and Harry Merrill, about 1825. It was run about ten years on bog ore, obtained from swamps in the vicinity. The enterprise was given up on account of the failure of the supply of ore.
Religious Societies,-In May, 1803, the settlers commenced holding religious meetings on Sundays. The first sermon preached in town was by a Baptist minister, Eld. Webster, from Orwell, Vt., (text, Acts xiv, 9.) and in 1806, the Rev. Amos Pettengill, and in 1807, the same with Rev. E. Hibbard, from Brandon, Vt., came and spent a few sabbaths with the people, which resulted in the formation of a Congregational church of 2 male and 5 female members, March 10, 1807. In summer the meet- ings were held in barns, and in winter, in private houses. In 1813, they employed the Rev. Hiram S. Johnson, who preached half of the time till 1819. In 1821, the Rev. Moses Parmelee was hired till 1824. For 20 years after this they had no pastor, but were most of the time supplied with preaching. In 1845, the Rev. Philo C. Pettibone, was installed over the congregation, and still remains their pastor. The society was incorporated June 6, 1837, with Sidney Kelsey, Ashbel Skinner, and Calvin T. Hulburd, trustees. A church of this denominatiou was formed at West Stockholm, about 1822-3, and consisted originally of 5 members.
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
The Rev. Roswell Pettibone, was employed as their first preacher. There has been no pastor regularly installed over this church. A church edifice was erected in 1831, at a cost of about $1,800, mainly through the influence of Mr. J. H. Sanford.
The Baptists organized at a very early day, but the data of their history has not been received. The society was incorporated May 25, 1822, with Ralph P. Sterns, Warren Webster and Luther Fuller, trustees. It was reorganized Jan. 7, 1839. They have a meeting house in town.
The Free-Will Baptists were organized into a church in June, 1839, by Eld. Samuel Hart, and is at present almost scattered. A Methodist Episcopal church was incorporated in West Stockholm, Nov. 19, 1840, with Loren Ashley, Ziba S. Smith, Ruel Lincoln, Roswell B. Webb, Horace Doud, Martin Strait, Henry B. Sumner, Norman Ashley, and Joseph Page, trustees.
The Wesleyan Methodist society of East Stockholm, was incorporated Oct. 11, 1852, with Ira Beach, Stillman Austin, Elias Jenkins, Hugh Allen and James Kelsey, trustees.
A church of the Christian order, was gathered by Eld. Palmer, many years since, which once numbered 40 members, but they have for some time been scattered and without a pastor.
FRANKLIN COUNTY,
Embraces 15 towns which are organized as follows:
BANGOR, taken from Dickinson, June, 15, 1812.
BELLMONT, taken from Chateaugay, March 25, 1833.
BOMBAY, taken from Fort Covington, March 30, 1833. BRANDON, taken from Bangor, Jan. 28, 1828.
BURKE, taken from Chateaugay, April 26, 1844. CHATEAUGAY, taken from Champlain, March 15, 1799. CONSTABLE, taken from Harrison, March 13, 1807. DICKINSON, taken from Harrison, April 11, 1808. DUANE, taken from Malone, January 24, 1828. FORT COVINGTON, taken from Constable, February 28, 1817. FRANKLIN, taken from Bellmont, May 20, 1836. HARRIETSTOWN, taken from Duane, March 19, 1841. MALONE,* taken from Chateaugay, March 2, 1805. MOIRA, taken from Dickinson, April 15, 1828.
WESTVILLE, taken from Constable, April 25, 1829.
BANGOR,
Was organized as above, the first town meeting being held at the house of Chester Tuller, and the poor moneys being equitably divided. The first town officers were
Joseph Plumb, supervisor ; Eleazer Barnum, clerk ; C. Fuller, John Mar- vin, Isaac Bigelow, assessors ; C. Fuller, collector ; Samuel Silsbee, Elijah Drury, poor masters ; James Lawrence, Barnabas Barnum, Elijah Drury, com. of highways; Eleazer Barnum, David Sayle, constables ; Jehiel Barnum, Gardner Dickinson, Jonathan Bower, Jolın A. Buckland, Ebenezer R. Daggett, fence viewers; David Doty, pound master; Joseph
. As HARRISON, changed to EZRAVILLE, April 11, 1908, and to MALONE, June 10, 1812.
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Plumb, Joel Griffin, Samuel Silsbe com. of common schools; Elisha Drury, Asa Worth, John Marvin, Chester Tuller, inspectors of common schools.
Supervisors .- 1813-17, Joseph Plumb; 1818-20, Noah Moody; 1821-5, J. Plumb; 1826-7, George Adams; 1828, J. Plumb; 1829-32, G. Adam's ; 1833, William Plumb; 1834, G. Adams; 1836-7, James Adams; 1838, G. Adams; 1839, Joshua Dickinson; 1840-2, G. Adams; 1843-4. Tal- madge Barnurn; 1845, J. Dickinson; 1846-8, Abel Wilcox; 1849-50 Allen Hinman, Jun .; 1851, George H. Stevens; 1852, Joseph Eldred.
Town bounties have been offered for "noxious animals" as follows:
For wolves, $10 in 1828-9; $15 in 1813-14-15-21; $20 in 1816-17-18- 19-20; in 1816, half this sum for wolf whelps; for squirrels 12} cents 1817; for panthers, $20 in 1817-18-19-20; $25 in 1821; for crows, 50 cts. 1817-19; for bears, $3 in 1817-18-19; $5 in 1820; $10 in 1821 ; for black birds, 12g cents in 1817; for foxes, $2 in 1818-19-20; $3 in 1816; $5 in 1821; for wild cats, (lynx?) $2 in 1817-19; $3 in 1820; $5 in 1821.
At a special town meeting May 6, 1820, voted that the vote for raising a bounty on wolves, panthers and bears, taken at the last annual meeting, be amended to this effect: "that no person shall be entitled to any bounty from the town except actual residents of the town at this date."
A special town meeting November 21, convened for the purpose, passed a similar resolution. In 1826, voted in favor of building a county poor house, which was done, leaving a surplus poor fund with the several towns. To dispose of this a special town meeting was held December 29, 1830. Voted to apply the poor funds of the town for the purpose of building a town house, and a vote was taken locating said house. March 30, 1831, the vote locating the town house was reconsidered, and a com- mittee of three from three different towns, was named for the purpose of selecting a site. Alric Mann, James Duane and Barnabas Heath, were named such committee. In case any one of these should be unable to attend, the one or two who did attend had power to appoint one or two as the case might be, to fill the vacancy. Such persons might not be resi- dents of the town. The site was to be fixed by the first day of July next. Joseph Plumb, Joshua Dickinson and George Adams, were nominated as a town committee who were to receive from the poor masters, the funds in their hands, and erect a town house on the site designated by the com- missioners. They were also empowered to collect materials, &c., on subscription for the above purpose. Silvester Langdon, was subsequent- ly appointed in place of Mr. Duane. The committee thus constituted, reported,-"That in their opinion the interests of the said town would be best served by locating the town house on the high land between the north and south roads. They accordingly located it on lot No. 16. This decision not giving satisfaction, a meeting was held May 5, 1832, the former vote was reconsidered, and it was voted to divide the public money remaining in the hands of the overseers of the poor, equally be- tween the north and south parts of the town. It was voted to appropriate the said money for the purpose of building two town houses to be located at the centre of the town from east to west, on the north and south roads, unless it should be thought best to vary somewhat from these points. 'Talmadge Barnum, Alanson Green, Jesse Smith and William Plumb, were appointed a committee for erecting the north house, and Jas. Law- rence, John L. Riggs, Joseph Conger and Samuel Brighton, for the other. A committee was to be appointed to see that the several religious societies in town have the the use of these houses in proportion to the amount that each should pay. The foregoing votes were finally reconsidered, and the meeting adjourned.
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On the 7th of December, a meeting was again held, and all former votes annulled. The equal division of the public moneys was again voted, and the central location near the centre from east to west on the north and south roads, again adopted. James Adams, James Lawrence and Silvester Potter, were appointed a committee to erect the south house, and Jesse Plumb, David Doty and Ezra French, the other. The use of these houses was to be divided between the different religious societies in proportion to the amount subscribed by each towards the erection. Both were to be so far completed as to be valued at $1,200 each, within three years from date.
Two public buildings were accordingly erected. That on the north road in 1834, and the other in 1835. The former is of wood, and the latter of stone, and was only completed in 1851. At their town meeting in 1850, the town voted that their meetings should in future be held altern- ately at the village on the south road, and at North Bangor corners. The supervisor was instructed to oppose the plan of removing the site or re- building the county buildings. The town has uniformly voted for the support of schools as much money as the law allows.
Settlement in this town was commenced in the spring of 1806, by Ben- jamin Seeley, originally from Vermont, but who for several years lived in Moira. He located about 23 miles east of the centre of the town. A winter road existed across the town previous to this, which was passable only by sleighs, and no wheeled vehicle had been taken into or through the town till afterwards. The next settler was Joseph Plumb,* in June, 1806, then from Moira, but originally from Middlebury, Vt., who took up a farm two miles east of the centre of the town. In the fall, Jehiel and James Barnum, originally from Vermont, commenced im- provements, and moved on with their families the following winter. Chester Tuller, Robert Wilson, Joel Griffin, and many others, settled in 1807 along the central road, and several families had settled in the south- ern part of the town before the St. Lawrence turnpike was opened .. Among these were Gardner Dickinson, H. Conger, Jonathan Bowen, Levi Sylvester and Andrew Potter, and others, all of whom were from Franklin co., Vt. At the time when the town began to settle, the north half belonged to McCormick. William Cooper owned the S. E. quarter, and Asahel Bacon, the S. W. quarter. Mr. Bacon lived in New Haven, Ct., and his first agent was Joseph Plumb. The Cooper tract was divided among the heirs of that gentleman, and it was surveyed in 1815. N. Baker surveyed the north half of the town in the fall of 1806, and the south half was surveyed by Potter Goff, of De Kalb, in the fall of 1815. The first school was taught in 1808, by Samuel Russell.
Religious Societies .- The first religious meetings are said to have been held by Rev. Alexander Proudfit, in 1808. A Congregational Church was formed in a barn of Mr. Southworthi, near North Bangor, at an early day. It consisted at first of 9 members. This society was incor poted
* Mr. Plumb died in Bangor, in 1838, at the age of 77.
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February 9, 1833, with Joshua Dickinson, Jonathan H. Farr, D. Paine, F. Tilton and Henry Stevens, trustees.
The Christian sect were organized by Elder Uriah Smith and J. Spooner, in the fall of 1818, and was attended by a religious revival. Elder John Smith, was pastor of this church for many years. They have a church and hold meetings on alternate Sabbaths.
BELLMONT,
Was erected from Chateaugay, embracing townships 8, 9, and 10, of the Old Military tract, March 25, 1833, the first town meeting being held at the school house of dis. No. 8. On the 23d of March, 1838, the south- ern tier of mile square lots of No. 7, were annexed.
Supervisors :- 1833-34, Roswell A. Weed; 1835 Henry B. Hatch ; 1836, Jonathan H. Farr; 1837, Roswell A. Weed; 1838-39, John D. Mills, 1840-41, George Winkley; 1842, Pliny C Daggett; 1843, Marcus Head- ing; 1844-45, William Weed; 1846-47, Abraham Reynolds; 1848-49, William Weed; 1850, John D. Mills; 1851, Jonas G. Clark; 1852; William Weed.
The first survey of township No. 8, of the Old Military tract, was made in 1801, by Joseph Griffin. The town of Bellmont, derives its name from William Bell, one of the early proprietors of a portion of the town. Mr. Bell was engaged in mercantile business, and for several of the latter years of his life, was employed as a super cargo in the East India trade. While engaged in settling his lands, it was his custom to spend a portion of the summer months in Franklin county. Mr. James H. Titus, is the present owner of about one fifth part of Bellmont (No. 8), adjoining Malone. The attention of this gentleman, is now person- ally devoted to the settlement and improvement of this section of the county, which previous to the completion of the present avenue to market, scarcely found encouragement for the investment of labor. At present, the settlement of Bellmont is limited mostly to the north part of the town, and to a road running from east to west, parallel with the line of the town. Several romantic and beautiful lakes occur here, and none that surpasses that of Chateaugay lake, near the line of Clinton county:
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