USA > New York > Oneida County > Steuben > A narrative history of Remsen, New York, including parts of the adjoining townships of Steuben and Trenton, 1789-1898 > Part 12
USA > New York > Oneida County > Remsen > A narrative history of Remsen, New York, including parts of the adjoining townships of Steuben and Trenton, 1789-1898 > Part 12
USA > New York > Oneida County > Trenton > A narrative history of Remsen, New York, including parts of the adjoining townships of Steuben and Trenton, 1789-1898 > Part 12
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The Black River Circuit, Methodist Episcopal, was formed in 1804, embracing the whole northern portion of the state. Its appointed ministers that year were Revs. Griffin Sweet and Asa Cummins, though it is not positively known that they visited this locality to hold services. Still, we would infer that they did, as it is natural that they should take in all the settlements from the Mohawk valley to the northern boundary of the state. Griffin Sweet and Seymour Ensign were the circuit riders in 1805; Matthew Van Duzen and William Vrendenburg, in 1806; Datus Ensign, in 1807; Matthew Van Duzen and Luther Bishop, in 1808; Luther Bishop
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and William Jewett, in 1809; Joseph Willis and Chand- ley Lambert, in 1810; William Snow and Truman Gil- lett, in 1811; Joseph Kinkead, in 1812; Isaac Puffer and Goodwin Stoddard, in 1813; Chandley Lambert, in 1814; Ira Fairbank and James Hazen, in 1815; Ira Fairbank and Goodwin Stoddard, in 1816; Joseph Willis, in 1817; Andrew Prindle and Abraham Lippet, in 1818; Andrew Prindle and Henry Peck, in 1819; Nathaniel Reeder and Joseph Willis, in 1820; Benjamin Dighton, in 1821; Chandley Lambert, in 1822; Truman Dixon, Squire Chase and Elijah King (Superintendent), 1823; Ben- jamin G. Paddock and N. Salisbury, in 1824; B. G. Paddock and Squire Chase, in 1825; John Ercambrack, in 1826; Isaac Puffer and Isaac Stone, in 1827; John H. Wallace and Isaac Puffer, in 1828; Calvin Hawley, in 1829; Josiah Keyes and L. Whitcomb, in 1830; and An- son Fuller, in 1831-32. And subsequent to 1832, church organizations of this denomination were permanently es .ablished in many of the settlements covered by the itinerary of these faithful and self-sacrificing mission- aries.
Some of the earliest and most substantial families here were of the Methodist Episcopal persuasion, among whom were the Mitchells, Greens, Brooks, Adams, Kents, the Witherells and many others. They were devout and earnest believers in the principles of early Methodism, characterized by simplicity of life and zeal- ous efforts to convert the unbeliever. With them all public amusements were interdicted, and personal adorn- ment considered a transgression. Indeed the Method- ists of those days were "a peculiar people, zealous of good works," and the outward manifestation of the in- ward joys their religious faith afforded them caused them to be more or less the butt of ridicule, and by some to be regarded as a deluded, fanatical sect. And they
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were sometimes ill spoken of in consequence of their proclaiming the tenets of a free and full salvation, the witness of the Spirit, and a possibility of a falling from grace, in contradistinction to the Calvinistic dogmas of predestination and election. However, they bore these ordeals with meekness, and eventually turned them to the benefit of their opposers, we believe, by leading them to a more scriptural charity. But with the mod- ern increase of numerical strength, and wealth of indi- vidual members, there has come to them also denomina- tional pride, greater conformity to general customs and usages, so largely at variance with their former simple practices, until the distinctive features of the Method- ism of early days are almost entirely obliterated. There now is little left in their manner of life or mode of wor- ship to distinguish them from most other religious sects.
"The Methodist Society," says Mrs. Eveline Rock- wood, in a letter to us, "had their meetingsand sustained preaching from year to year. The custom was for the minister to lead the class after preaching, when there was preaching. The first layman to act as class leader that I have any knowledge of was Mr. Harvey Phelps. Andrew Nash was a leader for many years, until his death, which occurred in 1835. He usually led the prayer meetings of his church, and often closed with a particular hymn, which I will repeat from memory, as I helped to sing it oftentimes when I was present at their meetings :-
" 'This, this is the God we adore, Our faithful, unchangeable friend, Whose love is as large as his power, And neither knows measure nor end.
"''Tis Jesus, the first and the last, Whose spirit shall guide us safe home; We'll praise him for all that is past And trust him for all that's to come."
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"At a very early day Methodist quarterly meetings were held in the barn of Harvey Phelps, the school house being too small to accommodate the people. The gran- ary, which was built across the north end of the barn, was arranged to accommodate the ministers for pulpit. A Rev. Blackburn and Rev. William Jones, brother of Erasmus Jones were early Methodist preachers here, as was Rev. Aaron Adams, who was later a presiding elder."
The "First Methodist Episcopal Church of Remsen" was organized May 31, 1852, Rev. Aaron Adams, pastor. The first trustees were Josiah Griffiths, James Ray, Didymus Thomas, Milo Mitchell, Solo- mon Dayton, Caleb Steves and Silas Kent. The first church edifice of this society was dedicated Tues- day, January 4, 1853, and stood where the present M. E. church now is. Rev. Aaron Adams, who was presiding elder of the Herkimer District in 1840-41, when & young man was a teacher of singing and a school teacher in Remsen. He was a son of Moses Adams, an early settler at Steuben Corners, and was born June, 1796. He served as a drum-major in the war of 1812.
The "Second Methodist Episcopal Church of Rem- sen" was organized January 27, 1854. Trustees: Lewis P. Lewis, Hugh Hughes, Peter W. Jones, Thom- as Morgan and Isaac Worden. This was at Fair- child, which locality in the early days was a greatMeth- odist stronghold. Their services were held in the first school-house built in the township, which stood east of the old part of the cemetery. About 1841, some years before they incorporated as a society, a large and commodious church was erected at the Corners. It was a very creditable building for the times, and stood until the early '70s, when, after
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having been abandoned except for an occasional funeral service when a burial was made in the neigh- boring cemetery, it was torn down.
The "Second Independent Congregational Church of Remsen" was organized at Bethel, September 5, 1842. Trustees: Robert G. Jones, Hugh W. Hughes and William N. Davis.
A society consisting of several members of the de- nomination known as "Christians," or "Campbel- lites," or as they prefer to be called "Disciples of Christ," was early organized at Ninety Six, by Elder Cross. Elders Carr and Webb were pastors of this society, and held services in the school-house. They also held yearly camp-meetings at Ninety Six.
The "First Calvinistic Methodist Society in the Town of Steuben" is at Cobin, organized January 4, 1856, Rev. Edward Reese and John R. Hughes receiving the votes. The trustees elected were Jo- siah J. Owen, Griffith E. Griffiths, William J. Owen, Robert J. Hughes, Robert E. Jones and Daniel Griffiths.
The "Welsh Whitfield Calvinistic Methodist Church in Steuben" was organized at French Road, June 18, 1857. The first trustees were John O. Roberts, Evan Parry and Robert G. Meredith.
"The Enlli Welsh Whitfield Methodist Church of Remsen" was organized June 1, 1860.
"The Society of Pen-y-Graig of Remsen" was or- ganized and incorporated June 13, 1860.
"North Steuben Methodist Episcopal Church" was formed and duly incorporated November 5, 1864. Trustees: George H. Wooleber, John Stannard, Aaron Fulmer, Gamaliel Williams, Aaron Fitch and George Clark.
The "Methodist Episcopal Church of Ninety Six" was organized April 26, 1895.
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Several of the above organizations were in exis- tence long before the dates we have given; these sim- ply designating the dates of their incorporation.
Services of the Protestant Episcopal Church were formerly held in the Academy in Remsen village, Rev. Brayton, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church at Holland Patent and other rectors of that church coming here to officiate.
Ministers of the Universalist denomination at various times came here to hold services and to preach, their meetings being held in the Academy.
There have lived here also a few followers of Robert Sandaman, founder of the Sandamanian sect. The elder of the local society was Humphrey G. Roberts, who died here June 1, 1852.
Some members of an early and prominent family of Steuben became converts to the doctrine and prac- tires of the "Millenial Church," commonly called "Sha kers," and removed to Watervliet, N. Y., where they joined a colony of that sect.
A Welsh Methodist Episcopal Society was organ- ized at Sixty Acres in the '50s. Revs. John R. Wil- liams and Thomas Thomas were its pastors.
By reason of the cessation of direct emigration from Wales to these parts, and the depletion by deaths and removals, most of the Welsh religious societies that once were so strong and flourishing are now en- feebled and waning. With few exceptions, English has superceded the ancient language of Wales in the churches, and the later American-born generations prefer it; but not so with the older, for the native- born Cambrian, next to his God, his country and his family, loves his language. While he will labor in broken English to transact business and to carry on social converse with his American friends and
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neighbors, he must have his native tongue for relig- ion and literature. To him the change is of sadly vital consequence.
In former times the churches were watchful over the conduct and morals of the individual members, and extremely zealous in enforcing what they con- sidered a nearly perfect standard of moral and Chris- tian ethics, which standard differed widely, it must be admitted, from the commonly accepted modern- day system of moral principles. Contentions or quarrels that arose between members of the congre- gation were frequently referred to the church for adjudication and adjustment, when, in these matters among their own membership, each to some extent assumed the powers and jurisdictions similar to a court of law. Charges of infraction of some church precept, or of misconduct, or of small offenses or omis- sions, and even complaints of domestic infelicities viere submitted to this authority; when the offender or delinquent would be cited to appear for trial and discipline before the tribunal of "Ruling Elders," or before the whole membership body, if the polity of the denomination to which the accused belonged so provided.
Trivial indeed, and seemingly unworthy of notice, were some of the charges preferred, as will be seen by the following authentic cases: A prominent member of many years standing was charged with an offense so insignificant as that of attending service at a church of another denomination, when there were services in his own church which he could have attended. Expulsion was strongly urged on the part of a few, who maintained that on account of the prominence of the offender and his long connection with the church the act was all the more culpable, as it intensified
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what they termed "a bad example." Nor were their ministers exempt from the vigilant scrutiny of zeal- ous deacons and elders, who, as a pastor once laconi- cally remarked, "were made when timber was scarce;" and no doubt there was then scant choice of material to select from. Rev. Thomas Hughes, who lived in the vicinity of the Fuller farm, so shocked and scan- dalized his people by picking a mess of peas on the Lord's day, stirring up such a spirit of vehement disapproval in the church he served, that he soon after left these parts. He removed to Ohio, where he shortly after died.
And again, an aged retired pastor, who had long and faithfully served a church in which an unfortu- nate division had led to the organization of another society, was requested to supply the pulpit of the seceders for one Sunday, some years after the separa- tion had taken place. Believing that it was his mis- sion to preach the gospel when, and wherever oppor- tunity offered, his whole life having been devoted to that end, he readily accepted. For this he was sum- marily dismissed from the church he had labored for and nourished from the days of its infancy to the years of its mature strength, and was forced to seek church fellowship elsewhere.
Shortly after the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Society, a young member, daughter of a prominent family of the village, was censured for the grave offense of wearing artificial flowers in her bon- net. Under pain of dismissal the offender was for- bidden to continue so sinful a practice, as it not only betokened pride and vanity, but was calculated to foster in the wearer of such trifling finery a spirit of worldliness unbecoming a professor of religion, if it did not really constitute an offense against modesty
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and decency. The innocent cause of the grievance was removed from the bonnet, and the transgressor permitted to insert a simple ruching in place of the flowers. By this compromise was the offense condoned.
On the other hand, as arbiters the churches accom- plished much good; serious disagreements and con- tentions are known to have been effectually and amicably adjusted in this way instead of by recourse to law. But trials for offenses and short-comings oftentimes proved vastly disturbing to the peace, harmony, and general welfare of the society called upon to exercise the judicial power; and not only this, but the ill feeling engendered sometimes extended to other societies; particularly so if the person tried were found guilty and dismissed, and on application was admitted to the fellowship of some other body, as has occurred, and seemingly received in his new church- home with greater demonstrations of joy than is mani- fested over the recovery of one who had strayed from their own "ninety and nine."
Possibly the churches may have held too lightly the right of individual liberty of conscience, and they may have been over rigorous in measuring out disci- pline. But if it be assumed that they erred, they at least erred on the side of safety; and judge them as we may, they unquestionably are entitled to admira- tion for their whole-hearted devotion to the highest ideals they knew.
A rigid observance of Sunday was most firmly main- tained by nearly all professing Christians. Not only was every form of labor except the most necessary duties avoided, but all signs of mirth and levity were regarded as unbecoming, if not absolutely sinful on the Lord's Day. Conversation was restricted to sober themes; and discussions, when indulged in, were mostly confined
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to doctrinal questions, then so often the subject of pul- pit discourses. While there was diversity of opinion on these and other matters of faith, it is a curious fact that the doctrine of eternal punishment for the wicked, usually the first of the tenets of orthodoxy to be im- pugned by one now seeking a more liberal and good- natured creed, was then seldom questioned.
Attendance upon public worship was considered obligatory upon all church members, and many who had no means of conveyance came long distances on foot to fulfill the obligation; and often in like manner came those who possessed horses and oxen, for it was commonly believed that the precept in the decalogue which applies to "thy cattle," as well as to "thyself, thy son and thy daughter, thy man servant and thy maid servant," should be distinctly and religiously observed.
The early settlers from New England brought with them the Puritan custom of observing the Sabbath from sundown on Saturday to sundown on Sunday. Before night set in on Saturday, all manner of work in the former New Englander's home was set aside, and the family put on their holiday attire. That evening was spent-as was Sunday if there were no religious services to attend-in reading sermons or the scriptures, or from such other religious books as the family possessed. No big dinners were cooked on Sunday in those days, though the board was well supplied with food prepared the day before; for on Saturday was taken from the great stone bake-oven beside the fire-place, the roast of meat, huge loaves of "rye and Injun" bread, mince pies, pumpkin pies and much more, enough to last the family until the next baking-day a week ahead.
Then at sundown on the Sabbath the house-wife
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put away her Sunday gown and cap and kerchief, and brought out the spinning-wheel, or took up the patch-work quilt, the knitting or the family sewing to begin another week's work. And the small boy, during the reading of long and tedious sermons rele- gated to a seat on the dye-tub in the chimney corner, having undergone a general suppression of his buoy- ant spirits the entire day, was released to run and caper and shout, in short to be a boy once more, doubt- less rejoicing in the fact that life is not one eternal Sabbath of the kind he had just endured.
TEMPERANCE CAUSE
Respecting the use of alcoholic liquors by the early inhabitants, it should be borne in mind that total abstinence was not incorporated in their "articles of religion," or "profession of faith" and the clergy as well as laity saw no offence in it. The minister, considered the "first best" man among them, was served wherever he went with the choicest the house afforded in the way of meat and drink; and it was the cause of great disquietude to the mind of the worthy housewife if the family decanter chanced to be empty when he called. Whenever she was thus taken una- wares, some young member of the family was secretly dispatched by way of the back door to the house of the nearest neighbor, and the deficiency supplied.
No farmer thought of going to his work in the har- vest field without a goodly supply of "rye" or alleged "New England rum," and at "loggings" and "raisings" it was considered a necessity, where it was passed round as freely as water is to-day among section hands working on a railroad. "Drinking," says one author- ity, "was considered no impropriety then, and was so common that only the sot, who got dead drunk
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was censured." Under such conditions then, with the traffic in whisky unrestricted and no moral re- straint placed upon its use, it was obvious that the community could not thrive long, nor advance any great degree in moral or intellectual attainments. Ultimately, the people awoke to a realization of this fact.
An anti-spirits association, organized in Saratoga county in 1808, is considered the first modern tem- perance society, and this example was soon followed elsewhere. The early societies all advocated only the restriction to moderation in the use of distilled liquors, placing no inhibition on fermented drinks. The work made further progress when the American Temperance Society was founded, in 1826, and by 1830 some of the reformers began to inhibit as a bev- " erage, the use of alcohol in any of its forms, and total abstinence pledges were required of all members. Soon, small societies were formed here, pledging their members to total abstinence from all intoxicants, and temperance became a theme in some of the pul- pits. Rev. Evan Roberts, a Congregational minis- ter, was an early and earnest advocate of the cause, as was Rev. Dr. Everett, who came to these parts in 1838. In 1841-1843 a wave of temperance swept the country. Intense interest was awakened, and the greatest efforts promoted in behalf of the cause hitherto known. It was called the "Washingtonian movement," because it was supposed to be in line with the opinions of Martha Washington, whom the society had adopted as their patron saint. Branches of the society were organized in almost every school district, and large gatherings were held throughout the state. For years largely attended enthusiastic weekly meetings were held in the Academy, where
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home talent was brought to the front, some of whom became speakers of no small ability. Among these was Rev. Erasmus Jones, whose first effort as a pub- lic speaker was made here; while about this time he also began to be known as a singer of more than or- dinary merit. He soon became a teacher and con- ductor of large choirs of juvenile singers, who proved important allies in the great reformation.
Some years later the Rechabites,* another tem- perance organization, enrolled many members here doing valiant service for the cause; and that the work of both these societies bore fruit is evident from the following, taken from Jones' "Annals of Oneida County," where, concerning Remsen he says :-
"This place was formerly conspicuous for its intem- perance, and the means it furnished its own and neigh- boring inhabitants.
"A respectable merchant who has now banished alco- holic drink from his store, informed the author that at one time he sold 3,500 gallons of whisky in five months. He said: 'Such was the press that we did not stop to measure it, for when a customer brought a keg, we in- quired its capacity, placed it under the tap and filled it, rolled it away and under with another.' 'Yes,' said a partner who was sitting by, 'and we did not make one penny with all the liquor traffic, for at the same time we were retailing goods on credit, and with our strong drink we sent out among our customers such a flood of bank- ruptcy, ruin and death, that in the end we lost more than we made by it.' The inhabitants in this cause have adopted one of the Welsh traits-perseverance. They less rarely break their pledge than any other people. Comparatively little alcohol is now used as a beverage.
* Previous to 1850 Major Andrew Billings added a third story to his store, which gave to the village a public hall. There the Rech- abites held their meetings, and from this circumstance it for many years was called "Rechabite Hall."
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There is a Rechabite tent of over one hundred members and they are making sober men of the intemperate."
BURIAL GROUNDS
For several years after the first settlements were established, burials were made in the settlers' "clear- ings" in the forest; and as these clearings were very limited in area, it resulted that the graves of the dead were often very close to the abodes of the living. At Ty Coch, the grave of the first wife of the pioneer Evan Griffiths, is only a few rods from the door. On the adjoining farm east, a short distance from the house, are the graves of the wife of Ebenezer Weeks, who died in 1797, and of Mr. Weeks who died in 1813, and of a young man named Park, who was killed by a falling tree in 1805. On Starr's Hill is the grave of Sarah, wife of Capt. Joseph Ingham, who died in 1804, and some others. About two miles south of Remsen village, on the farm of Joshua G. Jones, which in pioneer days was successively owned by Jacob Nash and Filkins Beadle, may be found a short distance north of the house and between the high- way and the R. W. & O. railroad tracks, the graves of several of the pioneers of that part of Trenton township, notably of John MacDonald and Andrew Nash, who once were well-known in the community. The former died in 1824, and the latter in 1835. The markers that once identified the graves of those buried here have fallen and been covered from sight by the grass and weeds of years' accumulation, while the inscriptions yet visible on the stones are nearly or quite illegible. Half a mile south of the village, upon the top of the hill, thirty rods or more west of the highway, are the graves of Owen Jones, a veteran of the war of 1812, and of his father and mother, who
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settled this farm, known as Pen-yr-allt, as early as 1801. On the Dayton farm, in East Remsen, the Dayton family burial plot we are informed is walled about and still cared for.
The first burial in Capel Ucha' Cemetery, in Steu- ben, was that of Gwen Jones, aged nineteen years, daughter of Deacon William C. Jones, who died September 30, 1798. Mr. Jones and John Evans (Boon) cut the first trees on this lot to clear a space for this young woman's grave. When the stone church adjacent to this cemetery was built, in 1820, her remains were removed and the church built over the location of her first grave. At the time of the first burial this lot was held by Griffith Rowland un- der a lease issued by Baron Steuben to John Platt, Sr., but by the executor of the Steuben estate, for a nominal sum a deed was given to the church so- ciety, Mr. Rowland at the same time relinquishing all rights he might be entitled to under the lease.
The late Smith Nichols is authority for the state- ment that the first burial in Fairchild Cemetery was that of a colored man, a servant or slave of James Sheldon. The first white person buried there was a young man named Theodore Rogers, a nephew of the late Bohan Smith.
Graves in this section were sometimes desecrated by the students of Fairfield Medical College. Fre- quently after a burial, watch was kept for several nights by men armed with old-time flint-lock muskets. The watchers usually secreted themselves in the church, where one was contiguous to the cemetery, but in those remote from church buildings lights were displayed upon the newly-made grave, and these watched from some convenient shelter or house nearby.
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