USA > New York > Franklin County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 59
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 59
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FRANKLIN,
Was formed from Bellmont, May 20, 1836, and made to embrace about half of township number 9, and the whole of number 10, of the Old Military tract. The first town meeting was directed to be held at the house of Henry B Hatch.
Supervisors .- 1836-8, Harry B. Hatch; 1839-40, Norman Stickney; 1841, William Knowles; 1842, John R. Merrill ; 1843-4, Harry B. Hatch ; 1845, John R. Merrill; 1846, Norman Stickney; 1847-50, John R. Merrill ; 1851, Hugh Martin; 1852, James B. Dickinson.
The earliest settlement within the limits of the town of Franklin, was begun by the erection of a forge and saw mill by McLenathan and Wells, from Jay, Essex Co., about the year 1827, at the settlement now known as Franklin Falls, but which then bore the name of McLenathan Falls. Difficulties attended these works which were finally suspended, and the place had mostly gone down, until the year 1846, when Fitz Geralds and McLean, from the village of New Sweden, town of Ausable, Essex Co., erected a saw mill for extensive lumbering purposes. One half of their right was sold to Keese & Tomlinson, of Keeseville, in 1847. In February 1848, Peter Comstock, of Port Kent, acquired an interest in the place. At about the time of the first settleinent, at McLenathan Falls, a forge was erected by Uriah Sumner, on township number nine, of the old military tract. This enterprise was also abandoned. These two forges, were supplied by magnetic ore found in the town, which are said to be abundant. This town adjoins an extensive and valuable iron region in Essex county, which has employed a large amount of capital and given promise of future pre-eminence in this department of the use- ful arts. Besides magnetic ores, bog ore is said to occur in swamps, and may be found hereafter of much importance, when worked in connection with other ores, to improve the quality of the irou. The settled parts of Franklin are mostly along the Port Kent and Hopkinton road, and in the southern part of township number ten. The town is less broken than the country to the east and north, and will doubtless hereafter be found a good grazing district. The lumbering interests of the town give a market for domestic products, at present, but the natural outlet of the country to markets is down the valleys of the Saranac and Ausable rivers, to lake Champlain. A plank road with but four miles of interruption, connects Keeseville and Franklin Falls.
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
A most destructive conflagration occurred at the lumbering village of Franklin Falls, on the Saranac, on the 29th of May, 1852. For several days previous, a fire had been running in the neighboring woods, and on the day of the catastrophe, the wind was blowing almost a hurricane, and scattering the fire in every direction, so that all attempts to control it becarne unavailing. On approaching the village, which was situated in a ravine, it burst from the woods upon the settlement with such force, that every building in the place except two small ones was consumed. These were an extensive lumbering mill, together with twenty-three dwelling houses, a large store, a tavern, ane much lumber and valuable property, belonging to the owners of the mill. Nearly all the furniture in the houses was consumed, and some of the inhabitants escaped with their lives only with great difficulty. The principal sufferers were P. Comstock, J. B. Dickinson and Keese & Tomlinson, who were owners of most of the property destroyed. The extent and severity of this con- flagration has never before been equalled in our counties, but the appa- rently hopeless ruin brought upon this place by. its entire destruction, has not served to arrest, although it may have checked the enterprise of its spirited proprietors. A gang mill with a yankee * was commenced soon after, on a larger scale than before, and the village, phoenix-like, is rising from its ashes.
HARRIETSTOWN,
Was erected from Duane, March 19, 1841, and consists of townships Nos. 21, 24, 27, of Great tract No. 1, of Macomb's purchase. The first town meeting was directed to be held at the house of Micah E. Flanders. The circumstances which led to its formation are said to have been these : For several years the inhabitants of No. 21 had complained of the hard- ship of being under the necessity of taking a journey of thirty or forty miles around, to attend town meetings, and many had been accustomed to neglect them from the great labor and expense of time requisite. In 1840, however, by a concerted movement, they got a majority in town meeting, and had it adjourned to their own part of the town. The inha- bitants in the north immediately originated a movement, which was forthwith consummated, by which the town of Duane was divided, and Harrietstown erected; and a provision inserted for a new town meeting in each town for the election of town officers.
Supervisors .- 1841-4, Pliny Miller; 1845, Alanson B. Neal; 1846-50, . P. Miller ; 1851, A. B. Neal.
The town of Harrietstown began to be settled before the year 1812, by inhabitants of the adjoining counties, who located upon the northwest bay road. The town is named after the original or proprietary name of township No. 21. The latter received its name from a daughter of Wm. Constable, the wife of James Duane, Esq., of Duane.
The principal settlement is at present in the north part of township No. 21. Several lumbering establishments are erected and in conten)-
* This term is applied to a number of saws placed in the same frame with a gang of saws, so that they will cut a log to the proper width while the gang of saws is making another into boards of marketable thickness. The two logs are placed side by side on the same carriage. A hotel on an extensive scale is in progress by Mr. Dickinson, and the place will probably before long regain its former size and prosperity. The Ausable river plank road, which terminates at this place, is destined to do much towards promoting its growth. The name of Franklin Falls was given to the village and settlement on the establishment of a post office, on' the 21st of January, 1851.
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plation in this town. The market for this section of the county is entirely down into Essex county and lake Champlain. There is at present no road leading directly from the settlement to Malone, without going through a corner of the town of St. Armand, in Essex county. There are at present three school districts in town.
Township No. 21 is very elevated, and its waters flow into the St. Lawrence, by way of the St. Regis, into lake Champlain, and into the Raquette.
MALONE,
Was erected, as Harrison, from Chateaugay, March 2, 1805, and at first included the whole of tract No. 1, and the Indian reservation. The first town meeting was directed to be held at the house of Jonathan Hapgood. In the formation of Constable, Dickinson and Duane, it was reduced to its present limits, that of townships Nos. 6 and 9, of tract No. 1. The former of these was owned by Richard Harrison, and surveyed by Joseph Beman, in 1801-2-3, assisted by Enos Wood. Its first agent. was Judge Bailey. No. 9 was owned by Constable, Hammond and Mc Cormick. The south third owned by the latter, passed by way of Mr. Pitcairn, to A. O. Brodie, and is now mostly owned by James H. Titus, of N. Y. The middle third passed by deed to the estate of John Titus, N. Prime and Wm. Wallace, prior to 1830. April 11, 1808, the name of Harrison was changed to Ezraville (from Ezra L'Hommedieu), and on the 10th of June, 1812, the original name of Malone was restored.
The records commence in 1808, when N. Blanchard was supervisor ; John H. Russell, clerk; Hiram Horton, Harry S. House and Thos. Spen- cer, assessors ; H. Blanchard, collector; Cone Andrus, Oliver Brewster, poor masters ; Samuel Pease, Jehiel Berry, Wm. Mason, com'rs highways ; H. Blanchard, Joel Griffin and Apollos Lathrop, constables; Solomon Plumb, Stephen Holley, J. Barnum, D. Whipple and J. Lawrence, fence viewers.
Supervisors .- 1808, Nathaniel Blanchard; 1809, Asa Wheeler ; 1810-11, Hiram Horton; 1812, George F. Harrison; 1813-15, Harry S. House; 1816-17, Abel Willson ; 1818-35, Asa Hascall; 1836, Martin L. Parlin; 1837, Asa Hascall; 1838-9, Jonathan Stearns; 1840-2, Asa Hascall; 1843-5, Hiram Horton, 2d; 1846-52, Wm. Andrus.
Bounties have been offered as follows: for wolves, $10, in 1808 to '13; $15, in 1816-17; $20, in 1818 to '21. For panthers, $10, in 1811-12-13; $20, in 1818 to '21. At a special meeting in 1821, called for the purpose of reducing the bounties; no action was taken; but in November of that year, they were rescinded. In 1845, voted against annexing a part of St. Lawrence to Franklin county, and in favor of petitioning for an ap- propriation for Clinton prison.
Settlements were begun in 1802, by Enos, Nathan and John Wood, from St. Albans, the town having been visited one or two years previ- ous by the former. Nowell Conger, Luther Winslow, Jehiel Berry, Noah Moody, Roswell Wilcox, David and Lyman Sperry, and many others, came in 1803, or before. The emigrants of 1804 to '8, were quite nu- merous, and almost entirely from Vermont. The first child born in town, was a daughter of Luther Winslow, who was named Malone, after the township. N. and J. Wood, in 1804, built a saw mill, and J. Wood soon after began a grist mill, but the dam was carried off in a flood, and nothing was done towards rebuilding, till 1809, when Hiram Horton purchased the privilege, and erected a grist mill soon after. From the
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
beginning, the citizens designed to establish an academy among them, and in 1806, they erected a building on a site given by Mr. Harrison, and still occupied, for the purpose. This building still stands, and has been used for a school house, meeting house, court house, jail and academy. An arsenal was built a little east of the village, in 1812. During the war, a volunteer company, consisting mostly of revolutionary soldiers, and styled Silver Greys, was formed under David Erwin. Their age exempt- ed them from duty, but their inclinations led them to it. On the capture of Tilden's company, at French Mills, they started for that place, but did not arrive till after the surrender. A detachment of the army of Gen. Wilkinson occupied the village during the early part of the winter of 1813-14, but left in February. Very soon after, the enemy, hearing from spies, that a large amount of provisions was stored in the village, sent a detachment of about 1,200 regulars and 400 Canadian militia, under Col. Scott, who arrived towards evening on Saturday, February 19, 1814, posted sentinels on all the roads leading from the village, to intercept teams, and proceeded to search for stores. These were in a barn half a mile south of the village, and a considerable amount had been distributed among the inhabitants for concealment. On their first arrival, a considerable amount of firing occurred, principally to arrest teams which were attempting to escape. On Sunday morning, several of the Indians and inilitia commenced demolishing the arsenal, which had been left without arms, by the Americans, on leaving the place. The windows and gratings were torn out, and it was fired, but Colonel Scott, upon the earnest appeals of some of the more influential of the citizens, who represented the barbarity of this wanton destruction, is- sued orders for its preservation, and posted a guard around it for pro- tection. He then convened some of the inhabitants, and gave them the building for educational purposes. For this act of lenity, he is said to have been censured by his government. A part of Sunday was spent in ransacking the town, and forwarding the stores they had seized, using the teams they had pressed for this purpose, and at noon they started on their return, by way of Chateaugay, losing great numbers by disertion. Private property, except arms, was generally respected. Col. Scott is said to have nearly lost his life from a drunken Indian, who reeled up to him, cursed him for not allowing them to plunder, and aimed his loaded gun for firing; but he was instantly seized rudely bound on his back to a train, and taken off. An amusing case of smuggling occurred on this occasion. Jehiel Barnum, a revolutionary gun smith, living in Bangor, had been pressed with others, and sent off with a load of stores, and in charge of two soldiers, for French Mills. His team was young and restive, and gave him much trouble in keeping them from interfering with the sleighs before him, to avoid which, he got permission to turn off on a by-road, which he said would take them out right, and after going several miles, he drove up to his own door. His passengers here first discovered their dilemma, and he withont difficulty persuaded them to remain, while the cargo was found very convenient in supporting the family.
In 1813, there were in town three saw mills, a grain mill, fulling and carding mills, and two bark mills.
The poor house of Franklin county was erected soon after the general law directing their establishment, on a farm of 110 acres, at a cost of $1.200. It has since been burnt and rebuilt. . 1825, the large stone factory represented in our view of the rail road bridge, was built by John Stearns, and for a time gave employment to nearly a hundred
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operatives. It has been for some time discontinued. This extensive building stands in the deep ravine of Salmon river in the middle of the village, its upper story being on a level with the street. The Franklin Manufacturing company, was incorporated May 25, 1836, with a capital of $200,000, in shares af $250 each, for manufacturing cotton and woolen goods, but it was never organized.
A literary society was organized Oct. 2, 1840, for the purpose of pro- curing for the perusal of its members, periodical books, &c., and to es- tablish lectures. It maintained an existence two or three years.
By an act of April 19, 1850, the commissary general was authorized to sell the several arsenals in certain counties, and Jan. 27, 1851, it was enacted, that when the arsenal and lot in the village of Malone should be sold, the proceeds, after deducting $200, should be applied to the improvement of a certain piece of ground, belonging to the state, situated in the village known as the Arsenal green and parade ground. The treasurer was directed to pay on the warrant of the comptroller, to Guy Meigs, Samuel C. Wead, and Hugh Magill, the above sum to be expended for these improvements. The grounds were to be graded, fenced, planted with trees, and laid out into walks, so far as might be without injuring the premises for purposes of military parades. These grounds were never to be sold for private purposes, without an act of the legislature. An appropriation was also made for inclosing and im- proving the grounds around the Academy in the western side of the vil- lage. Accordingly the Arsenal green, has been neatly and tastefully en- closed, and a row of shade trees planted around its border. This beautiful park, is crossed by the Northern rail road, which here required a deep cutting, but the two sides have been united by a foot bridge, and the premises are little marred by this work. There is scarcely a village in the state that can boast of two more elegant public parks than Malone, when this, and the grounds now in process of grading and en- closure around the Academy, shall have been completed, and the shade trees with which they are to planted, shall have attained a respectable growth. The public grounds in cities have been aptly compared to the lungs of the populace, and nothing can be more pleasant and healthful than an hour spent at the close of a sultry summer's day, in the refresh- ʻ ing coolness of a grove.
There is scarcely an inland town in the state, that will compare with Malone, in the thrift and improvement which it has exhibited since the completion of the rail road. Situated in the midst of a rich and rapidly improving agricultural district; enjoying ample facilities for manufactur- ing purposes; and the healthful moral influence of an excellent acade- my, in connection with the cheerful prospect which the southern and unsettled portions of the county exhibit for improvement, the business of which will very naturally centre here, all contribute to promote its growth and wealth. Prominent among the sources of its prosperity, is an extensive quarry of Potsdam sandstone, about a mile south of the village, which is being wrought on an extensive scale, and has already acquired a reputation and created a demand in many of our eastern cities, and in the western states. This stone occurs in a strata of very uniform thickness, and is raised with bars and wedges, marked with a cliisel of any desirable size or shape, and broken with a remarkably even fracture. The great symmetry of size which can be obtained, the free- dom from pyrites or other minerals that would stain or effloresce, by ex- posure; the extreme durability, as evinced by the sharp outlines of masses that have been exposed to the elements for thousands of years, and a
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
delicate tinge of color which it presents, are combined in this material, and gives it a value which is seldom equalled. The quarries in Potsdam and other towns furnish stone equally valuable. The Malone quarry is owned by Mr. T. P. Chandler.
Malone has at present churches of the Presbyterian, Baptist, Episco- pal, Universalist, Methodist, and Catholic denominations. Several of these are finely located, especially the Presbyterian church, which fronts upon the public square, and forms a prominent object in the village.
Two destructive fires, which occurred with a short interval, in the fall of 1852, led the citizens to see the necessity of an organization as a vil- lage, in order to raise by tax the means of providing against these ca- lamities, and for the construction of internal improvements. Two fire engines were ordered, and the incorporation of the village is expected to be soon accomplished.
The valley of Salmon river presented an obstacle to the construction of the rail road, which was overcome by the erection of the elegant and substantial bridge, represented on the opposite page. It is built on the Burr plan with improvements; has a span of 150 feet and an elevation of 82 feet above the water. It has across it a double track, which here possesses a slight curve. The abutments contain 3000 cubic yards of masonry, and are 52 feet high, laid in good lime, mortar, and are very solid and permanent. To the passenger that crosses this viaduct in the cars, there is scarcely an opportunity of judging the merits of the work, or forming an adequate conception of its beauty, which can only be fully realized from the banks of the river below, where like the bow of promise, it is seen spanning the heavens far above the turmoil of the angry river. This highly creditable and successful work, was planned and executed under the direction of Charles L. Schlatter, the engineer of the road.
The settlement of township No. 9, was began in 1831, under the agency of the late Henry B. Titus, who then erected a grist and saw mill, and a scythe factory, at the great falls of Salmon river. It was the wish of the proprietor, James H. Titus, that this settlement should be called Glenwood, but it has lately received the name of Titusboro. After a few years, the investment proving ruinous from the want of an accessible market,[these operations were discontinued, and have only been resumed since the completion of the rail road. The proprietor is now making a systematic effort to settle this tract, and an extensive gang mill has been erected by Meigs & Wead, of Malone, who have improved the Salmon river from near Wolf pond, to their mills for floating logs. Of the origi- nal immigration, a few remain, but the most had abandoned their loca- tions. A large saw mill is about being erected at the outlet of Branch pond, a beautiful and romantic water. On lot No. 58, of the middle third, near Brandon, white limestone occurs, and is found to make ex- cellent lime. This indispensable article is rather rare among the primary rocks of this county. The limestone from this town, has been exam- ined chemically by Dr. Chilton, of New York, and found to contain but two per cent of impurities.
Religious Societies .- In 1806 or 7, the first Congregational church was formed by Ebenezer Hibbard and Amos Pettingill, missionaries, who were also instrumental in organizing several other churches, in this and St. Lawrence counties. In October 1809, the Rev. Ashbel Parinalee,*
* Few clergymen in this section of the state, have seen more of the rise and progress of our religious sccieties than Mr Parmelee. He was a native of Stockbridge, Mass., but at an early age removed with his parents to Rutland county, Vt., where he prepared for the
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WOOLWORTH DEL
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ALBANY.
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A. J HOFFMAN
Brilge of Northern Railroad over Salmon River in the village of Malone, Franklin Co,, N. Y.
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was employed; and on the 18th of February, 1810, he was installed the first pastor. This was the first ordination that occurred in the county, and took place in the upper room of the old Academy. The Rev. Messrs. Lemuel Haynes, of Rutland, Vt., Chauncey Cook, a missionary, Martin Powell, of Mooers, and Simeon Parmelee, of Westford, were present. . About thirty members at first formed the church, but its pre- sent number is between four and five hundred, which is said to be greater than that of any other church of this sect in northern New York.
In 1826-8 a church was erected* and on the 7th of February 1828, it was dedicated. It cost about $1000. A new and elegant edifice was erected in 1851, and dedicated in February 1852. It is of brick and cost about $10,000. The Rev. Mr. Parmelee was succeeded, after a course of pastoral labors of thirty-six years, by the Rev. Elias Woodruff, the present clergyman. In the early part of the year 1816, a religious re- vival of unparalleled extent, occurred in Malone, in common with other places, which resulted in the addition of eighty or a hundred members to this church, among whom were thirty or forty parents of families. The years 1827 and 1831, were also noted as periods of unusual re- ligious excitement. First Congregational church and society of Malone, was incorporated Jan. 8, 1828, with Jonathan Stearns, Asa Hascall and Harry S. House, trustees. St. Mark's church (Episcopal), was formed by Rev. Anson Hard, July 12, 1831. No clergyman employed till July 1833, when the Rev. A. Bloomer was engaged. His successors have been Rev. Amos Pardee, Alex' H. Call, Caleb Bingham, Henry Attwater, Win. Long, Jubal Hodges, and A. C. Treadway. The present church edifice was erected in 1843. A Universalist society was formed not long after the war, but had for many years been lost, when Dec. 27, 1845, it was formed, which now numbers 78 members. It was formed through the efforts of Rev. E. A. Holbrook, who remained six years. A church was built at a cost of $2,300 in 1846. The present pastor is the Rev. G. Swan.
MOIRA,
Was formed with its present bounds from Dickinson, April 15, 1828. The whole of the poor moneys of Dickinson were given to Moira, as most of the settlement was in the new town.
Supervisors .- 1828-30, Jason Pierce, 1831-2, Sidney Lawrence, 1833-6, J. Pierce; 1837, Orrin Lawrence; 1838, J. Pierce; 1839-40, S. Lawrence ; 1841-3, O. Lawrence; 1844-8, Samuel Manning; 1849, Horace Dickin- son; 1850-1, Darius W. Lawrence; 1852, Simon D. Stevens.
1830, at a special town meeting, voted to transfer to the school funds all the poor moneys in the hands of town officers. This was to be, and remain, a perpetual fund for the support of schools in town, agreeably to the provisions of an act passed April 27, 1829. $800 was directed to be loaned on security for the above purpose. All over the above sum was
duties of his station, and preached one year. He still continues his ministerial labors occasion- ally, and is said to have in preparation for the press, an account of his personal. observations upon the progress of religious and other institutions, which have grown up under his notice.
* In April, 1851, there was found in taking down the walls of the Presbyterian church, first erected, a leaden plate bearing the following inscription. It was taken from the corner stone. " Laid by Northern Constellation Lodge, No. 143, Malone, May 30th, A L., 5826. A. D 1826. Ind. U. S. A. 50th. Clark Williamson, M ; Stephen Van Rensselaer, G. M. S. N. Y .: De Witt Clinton, Gov. S. N. Y .; John Q. Adams, Pres. U. S. A .; Rev. Ashbel Parmelee, Pastor Con, So, ; Orren Moses, Sculptor."
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE
to be distributed among the several school districts, in the ratio of the other school moneys of the town were by law directed to be paid.
The town of Moira was apportioned to Gilchrist and Fowler, and the first settlement was made by Appleton Foote, from Middlebury, Vt., who in March, 1803, came into town as agent for the proprietors, to erect a mill and commence a settlement. He brought in Benjamin Seeley and family. to assist him, and the latter was the first family that settled here. They spent the first winter alone in the new settlement, and kept a rude accommodation for travelers, great numbers of whom were then passing through on their way to the new settlements in St. Lawrence county. Jonathan Lawrence and Joseph Plumb came into town on the 1st of March, 1804, having the previous year selected land and made ar- rangements for moving. Lawrence, Plumb, and one David Bates, were the only families that came in to reside in 1804. The first road to mar- ket was to French mills, from which a navigable communication exists to Montreal, and the first team that went through and back, a distance of about thirteen miles, is said to have occupied four days in the journey. In 1805, settlers came into town and settled in considerable numbers. The first Mills were built by Mr. Foote, who in 1803 erected a saw mill on the site of what is now Brush's Mills, and in the year following he added a single run of stones. The title subsequently passed to Luther Bradish, Robert Watts, and Peter Kean, who held the north middle and south thirds respectively. The present stone mill, near the rail road sta- tion of Brush's Mills, was erected by the proprietors about the year 1823. The north and middle thirds are at present owned, with the exception of parts sold to actual settlers, by Henry N. Brush. The first schools in town were opened in 1807.
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