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 16
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 16
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 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
-
206
HISTORY OF REMSEN
the former. Like the minister he traveled from place to place, teaching in classes the elements of vocalism; and as congregational singing was the vogue in all religious meetings, his work indeed was needful. There were but few hymn-books in the possession of the people, and in any gathering for worship perhaps there might be found only one, and that in the hands of the minister; or possibly there would be none, in which event the minister would recite several stanzas of a hymn from memory, after which, whether recit- ing from memory or reading from the book, he would repeat the first two lines, announcing the meter- long, short, common or proper-to which the hymn should be sung. After these two lines had been sung, the singing would rest while the minister gave out two more lines, and so on in this manner to the end of the hymn. This was called "lining the hymn." To start the singing, the leader must needs get the "key" or "pitch" by the aid of his "tuning fork," after having determined in his mind the tune he would select, when, with a few earnestly whispered necessary directions to his chief supporters, supplemented by supposedly intelligible nods and facial expressions to others of the assembly who had loud if possibly not musical voices-such nods and expressions meaning to convey that they were expected to fill the breach if others should falter or break-he was ready to begin.
To "lead the singing" in a gathering of this kind was counted an important position, second only to that filled by the minister himself, and the leader not only felt, but usually showed that he fully realized the importance and onerousness of his duties. And he was always a brave and resourceful man; for if it were found after singing a few measures, that he had
207
HISTORY OF REMSEN
selected for the hymn announced a tune that failed to fit its meter, nothing daunted he would immediately stop for a fresh start in another tune of correct meas- ure. Or as would sometimes happen, if the dis- crepancy between the meter of the hymn and the tune selected were not too great, so that by slurring a syllable or two in each line or in every alternate line he could partially conceal the defect, he would proceed boldly, covering so adroitly that few of the singers even realized that the tune had been stretched to the verge of "ripping", in order to make it fit the hymn.
Among the singing teachers who came here to give instructions were Rev. Aaron Adams, Austin Ward, and a Mr. Peters, the last of whom taught a large class at Capel Ucha' between 1825 and 1830. The "late Rev. Erasmus Jones taught here in the early '405. In the winter of 1859-1860, a Mr. P. N. Glid- aen, of Elbridge, Onondaga county, used to drive from his home to Utica, and thence north as far as Boonville, making semi-monthly trips, teaching classes in several of the larger villages along the route, Rem- sen included. The late John D. Prichard, of Rem- sen, well versed in the vocal art, at various times taught singing here.
Musical instruments were a rarity in the early days, represented simply by fife and drum, used chiefly to fan the flame of patriotism in the settler's breast on Fourth of July and training days; and the violin of the local fiddler. Under the artistic sway of this musician's practiced arm, its strains were occasionally devoted to lightening the hearts and expending the surplus energy of the young and "frivolous," in a few evening hours spent in the measured steps of the dance. But such diversions necessarily offended the
208
HISTORY OF REMSEN
moral sense of the older and more sedate, who placed dancing in the category of "deadly sins." Even the use of church organs was strenuously opposed by some of the older officers of the churches. We have in mind one venerable deacon who steadfastly op- posed such innovation, though after years of per- suasive argument he finally consented to the purchase of one by the Sunday school, but obstinately refused to permit its use at any other service. Nevertheless, at his death a public funeral was planned as a becoming token to one of his long residence and wide acquaint- ance in the community, for which an extended musi- cal program was arranged-but, alas for respect in the younger generation for the cherished sentiments of the older-the despised organ was brought into service at the deacon's funeral, where, placed in a position of honor in the gallery, with pompous swell of bellows and triumphant tone it led and sustained the singing throughout, and had it been human, of course, would naturally have gloried in the victory it had won over its arch-enemy.
Among the Welsh who settled in and about here there were many, especially the men, who possessed voices of rare quality and richness, some of whom had had advantages of voice culture in their own country; for singing is second nature to the Welshman, and he is a chorister by all his traditions and train- ing. In later years nearly all the Welsh churches have been noted for good congregational singing. Of the Congregational Church, Robert R. Roberts and family, and the family of the Rev. Morris Roberts were noted for skill and excellent voices. The David Prichard family and others of the Baptist church were gifted in this respect, as were Mrs. W. N. Davis
------ - ---- -
1
209
HISTORY OF REMSEN
and Robert Jones, of Bethel, and many others, all of whom gave freely of their services.
THE MILITIA
Militia affairs were important functions in early days. The act of Congress organizing this body was passed May 8, 1792, and continued in effect for more than a century. However much it may have been violated both in letter and spirit during later years, it nevertheless was lived up to in early times with conscientious endeavor. By its terms, every captain was to enroll within the bounds of his com- pany every able-bodied male citizen of his district between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, who, upon due notice of such enrollment, was to pro- vide himself "with a good musket or firelock of a bore sufficient for balls of the eighteenth part of a pound; a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, a knap- sa'k, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty-four cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper amount of powder and ball: or, with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch and powder-horn, twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder." Each commissioned officer was to arm himself with "a small sword or hanger and 'spontoon'." Each guardsman was required to furnish at his own expense these weapons and accoutrements.
While Congress retained the power of calling the militia into the service of the United States, it ex- pressly delegated to each state the authority for ap- pointing its own officers, and for training the militia according to the discipline Congress prescribed. The officers generally took great pride in the soldierly appearance of their men, and instead of indulging in
210
HISTORY OF REMSEN
all sorts of military antics, were disposed to teach them to keep their toes pointed at a proper angle and to hold their arms with the gravity of Macedonians. The militia body was respected, and men of reflec- tion beheld in it a great bulwark of defence against possible enemies of the republic. The plume, the epaulet, the sash, were badges of honor. To be an officer in the militia was a position to be sought by any self-respecting man. The captain became a man of more consequence than he would have been without the right to command forty of his neighbors to ground arms, and to keep their eyes right.
On training days in Remsen, the local companies rendezvoused at the "Upper Tavern," where they formed in line and marched up and down the main street,. then wheeled east across the upper bridge to the lot now occupied by the depot. Then began the ·drill in old style army tactics, which, simple as they were, needed a powerful sight of hard words and pa- tience on the part of the drill-officers; for each succeed- ing training day brought out a fresh lot of raw "plow joggers," who knew as little about military evolu- tions as they did about rendering a classical symphony. However, after consuming much time and wasting an immense amount of vital force and choice language, the drill-masters finally brought the men to such a degree of united control over their legs as would en- able them to march in tolerably straight ranks, though they never attained the solid precision of regulars.
But "General Training" was usually held at Trenton, and was the great public event in the days of "Auld Lang Syne;" for which occasion the hotel-keepers. in that aristocratic burg made extensive preparations in the culinary line-roast pig, baked beans and brown bread-while booth-keepers baked stacks of ginger-
211
HISTORY OF REMSEN
bread and brewed quantities of spruce beer from spruce, dandelion and wintergreen "direct." The militia sol- diers furbished up their rifles, muskets and shot- guns; captains had new gold and silver lace sewed on their uniforms, and cockades fastened to their stove- pipe hats. If fair weather prevailed, the whole coun- try-side turned out, wagon loads of people came pour- ing in, fifes and drums were heard in all directions- and these martial instruments assembled together made all the uproarious din they are so capable of producing.
But these days of patriotic demonstrations were followed by a period of inertia or retrogression in matters military. Owing to a gradual lack of inter- est in discipline and drill on the part of the men, mili- tia training here became demoralized before 1840. And as the country was rapidly increasing in popu- lation, the uselessness of requiring active military Q'ty from the whole body of citizens was obvious, and felt to be an unnecessary burden; notwithstand- ing the United States Militia had constituted the bulk of the fighting force in the war of 1812.
Among those in Remsen who received appointment to office and were thus endowed with military titles that adhered to them through all their remaining years of life, and conceded by common accord to be most deservedly borne as marks of distinction and honor, were: Colonels, Mather Beecher and Griffith James; Majors, Andrew Billings and Samuel Dustin; and Captains Zalmon Root, Russel Fuller, William Rock- wood, Nathaniel Rockwood, Jr., and Thomas Abrams.
THE COLD SUMMER AND GRASSHOPPERS
The year 1816 was known throughout the United States and Europe as the coldest ever experienced.
212
HISTORY OF REMSEN
January was so mild that most persons here allowed their fires to go out, except for cooking purposes. There were a few cool days, though most of the time throughout the month the air was mild and spring- like. February was also mild, though some days were colder than any in January. The first week in March was inclined to be windy. April came in warm, but as the days grew longer the air became colder, and by the first of May there was a temperature like that of winter, with plenty of snow and ice. During this month the young buds were killed by frost; ice formed half an inch thick on ponds and rivers; corn was killed, and the fields were replanted again and again, or until it became too late to raise a crop; and when the last of May arrived, all new vegetation had been killed by the cold.
During the first week in June, snow fell almost with the violence of a winter storm, so that it laid from one to three inches in depth over the whole face of the country. Frost and ice were common during the whole month, and almost every green thing was killed. July came in with ice and snow, and on the Fourth ice as thick as window glass formed throughout New England, New York, and in some parts of Pennsyl- vania. To the consternation of everybody, August proved the worst month of all. Almost every green thing, in this country and Europe, was blasted by frost. There was great privation, and thousands of persons would have perished had it not been for the abundance of fish and wild game. From the 5th to the 15th of September came the mildest weather of the season, while October was remarkable for its cold nights. Snow fell on the 18th of the latter month to the depth of eight inches. It lodged upon the trees, then rain fell and froze upon it, forming so
213
HISTORY OF REMSEN
heavy a weight that the branches were unable to sustain the great load, and forest and fruit trees were badly broken. November was in keeping with her sister months, when sufficient snow fell on the 10th to make good sleighing, and on the 12th the stage passed through here on runners. December was slightly more favorable.
Naturally there was very little hay gathered in 1816, and this was mostly fed to stock before winter set in; and when winter proper came, the settlers turned their cattle out to browse on hemlock boughs or anything they could find to sustain life. Capt. Simeon Fuller, of Steuben, gave much of the hay he had gathered, and some which he had carried over from the previous year, to those who were unable to buy; while those who came to him with money to pay for the accommodation, he sent elsewhere. After his supply was exhausted, he turned his own cattle cut with those of his poorest neighbors, to pick their living as they could.
In direct contrast to 1816, was the year 1827-1828, when there was no winter.
The year 1820 was fraught with a most discouraging outlook to the inhabitants here owing to a plague of grasshoppers. Like the locusts of Egypt, they threat- ened to "devour every green thing," and various means were resorted to in efforts to exterminate the pests. One Welsh settler informed his neighbors that he had discovered a means whereby he thought the plague might be checked. He said he had built a fire under a caldron kettle filled with water, and when the water reached the scalding point, he drove the grasshoppers into it.
A pious dominie, whose farm bordered the Cincin- nati creek, sought to rid his fields of the invaders by
214
HISTORY OF REMSEN
making a straw rope of great length, and going to the side of a field most remote from the creek, he held one end of the rope while his son held the other, and they thus walked together toward the stream, dragging the rope after them, hoping by this means to force the grasshoppers into the water. They had proceeded but a few yards when the dominie, looking back and seeing the air so filled with the hopping and flying creatures that the sun was darkened as by a cloud, in despair dropped his end of the rope saying, "My son, it is useless to fight against the Almighty;" and then, in the words of Eli of old, piously exclaimed, "It is the Lord's will, let Him do what seemeth to Him good."
MURDERS AND GHOSTS
In early times every well regulated community had its haunted house, or haunted locality, a reputation usually gained in consequence of some crime perpe- trated or alleged. Remsen came early to the front in this respect. About 1796 there appeared here on horseback a man named James Bull, brother of the pioneer Amos Bull, who was said to have brought a considerable sum of money with him. After a brief call at the house of one of the settlers in the eastern part of the township, he resumed his journey on the way to a hundred-acre farm he had recently purchased but not settled upon, located in the northwest corner of Lot No. 95 of Remsenburgh Patent. His journey led him east of Fairchild Corners, through a deep hollow filled with densely growing trees and under- growth that crowded closely upon the rude, narrow bridle path. So thick was the growth of trees and so dense the foliage, that the sunlight, even at mid- day scarcely ever penetrated there. In this dismal place the rider was murdered, and ever after it was
L
215
HISTORY OF REMSEN
called "black hollow," or the "haunted place," and many grewsome tales were told of spectres seen there.
Years after, it was said, an old man on a bed of sickness and supposedly near death, sent for a neigh- bor and confessed to having committed the deed. Whether the murderer died of this sickness, or whether he continued to live and suffer remorse for his crime, is to the writer unknown. At least no effort was ever made to bring him to justice.
About the middle of April, 1841, three young men were sent out to fell trees on what was known as the "Wetmore Lot," near the farm of the late Chester Kent. One was a colored man, about twenty-five years of age, named William Johnson, and commonly called "Black Bill." The others were Tom Williams and a man named Rowlands. All being somewhat intoxicated, they soon became involved in a quarrel, the colored man was killed and his body thrown into ¿ pool of water.
His companions fled, disappearing from these parts, and no measures were ever taken to apprehend them. Johnson's body was found and buried in Fairchild Cemetery; but was exhumed at night and carried away, it was surmised, for dissection purposes by doc- tors living in Remsen, and secreted somewhere within the village. The fears and credulity of the people were so worked upon by the many "ghost stories" circulated, that every barn, shed and abandoned loft was claimed by different ones to furnish a hiding place for the body, until children and timid women feared to go out after nightfall. Indignation was roused to a high degree, and threats having been made to search for evidence to use against those suspected of having committed the act, the body was secretly carried back and hurriedly buried. Shortly after, a
-
216
HISTORY OF REMSEN
young woman while walking through the cemetery was terrified at discovering a hand of the corpse pro- truding from the grave. Notice of this fact was given the town authorities, and again the murdered man was given decent burial.
One of our authorities for this narrative says that Johnson was a slave, owned by James Sheldon. An- other says that he was owned by 'Squire Samuel Sizer, of Steuben. Slaves being "portable property," both statements may be correct. Still, since the institu- tion of slavery had ceased to exist in the State of New York several years prior to the death of John- son, it is clear that he was not a slave at the time of his death; though either or both of the men mentioned may have owned him at some period before he was liberated by legislative enactment.
CURRENCY SCARCITY
Much inconvenience was experienced from lack of currency, a condition that of course prevailed through- out the whole country during the early years of the republic, and threatened the very vitals of every commercial enterprise in the land, both great and small. For many years not only the tradesman, but the craftsman as well, was forced to resort to barter and exchange. Hides were tanned on shares, the miller took toll of grist, the blacksmith exchanged his work for products of the farm, and the carpenter received in payment such commodities as his em- ployer had to offer-hay, wood, grain, lard, butter or pork.
It was during this period that a farmer of Steuben, his family having outgrown the accommodations of his domicile, called a carpenter from the village and explained to him the changes he desired to make in
--- --
217
HISTORY OF REMSEN
his house. After carefully going over the matter to- gether, the farmer asked for an estimate of the cost. The carpenter scratched his head in serious deliber- ation for a time, and then, turning to the farmer, abruptly asked: "How much pork have you got?"
Although men of various trades early began to lo- cate here, the settlement was not large enough to afford them adequate employment, and, as we have previously shown, artisans in the newer settle- ments were oftentimes compelled to travel great dis- tances to obtain work. In 1816, Robert M. Jones, a mill-wright and carpenter, and John G. Jones, a stone-mason, having heard that Le Ray de Chaumont, the French nobleman who had settled a colony of his countrymen on his estate in the present County of Jefferson, was about to erect mills and build a number of houses for his tenants, walked from Remsen to Le Ray's purchase, a distance of eighty miles, only to learn that the nobleman had deferred his plan of or rations until the following year. He showed them every courtesy, kindly provided for them until they were ready to return, and expressed deep regret that he was unable at that time to give them employ- ment.
To secure work upon the Palatine bridge across the Mohawk river when that structure was building, these same men walked the entire distance, about fifty miles, carrying their tools upon their shoulders. Starting from Remsen, they took the State road through Prospect, Russia, Herkimer and so on traveling all night, arriving at Palatine to commence labor with the rest of the workmen at sunrise, and continued at their task until sundown.
A stone-mason of Remsen was traveling on foot in search of employment accompanied by his helper.
218 -
HISTORY OF REMSEN
Some distance north of Boonville they secured the building of an out-of-door bake-oven. When about to put the finishing touches on the structure, after several days' labor, the mason noticed that it had begun to settle, causing the walls to crack, threatening im- mediate collapse. He hastily called his helper's at- tention to the fact, directing him to gather up the tools as quickly as possible and start for home, while he should go into the house to collect their pay. This was done, and the mason soon overtook his helper on the road. But they had not traveled many miles before the irate employer came in pursuit of them on horseback. He told them that the oven had fallen to the ground, and demanded that they return at once and rebuild it in a substantial and workman-like manner, or refund the money he had paid them. The mason promptly told him to go to- the Tropics, or some other place of reputed high temperature -- adding that he "did not warrant that oven to stand forever." A true story, but rather a sad commen- tary on the honor of this particular mason.
MINE PROSPECTORS
Our settlers were natural and indefatigable explorers. After they had duly scrutinized the surface of this particular "neck o' woods," and disfigured the earth's comeliness by slashing her rich mantle of choice tim- ber, leaving her disfigured with the blackened patches of their new clearings, they forthwith must delve into the recesses of her secret chambers in search of further treasures that might be appropriated to their use.
About 1831 or 1832, William Platt, then well ad- vanced in years, excavated and drilled in search of coal at a point about forty rods south of the present southern boundary line of the village, on the west
219
HISTORY OF REMSEN
side of the turnpike where there was an aperture or gap formed by the bursting of a spring at some former period. Notwithstanding his age, Mr. Platt did the work unaided, digging, drilling, and removing the earth in a wheelbarrow to the east side of the highway, until he thus reached a depth of many feet; but after penetrating the surface drift, he found only the un- derlying stratum of lime-rock that forms the bed of the Cincinnati at that level of the stream. Having satisfied himself that there was no coal there, he labor- iously wheeled the earth back and nearly refilled the excavation, which of late years has been a receptacle for cobble-stones collected from the adjacent land.
About this time or possibly earlier, Robert M. Jones was building an addition to his house located a mile south of the village, and had at work digging for foundation a man named Reese, a miner from South Wales, who thought that the nature of the soil indi- rated a deposit of coal at no very material depth, so he suggested that he be allowed to continue the exca- vation, his compensation for the labor to bide the result. He was permitted to go ahead with the work, with the ostensible purpose-to the curious-of plac- ing in position a water-power wheel for churning; a powerful volume of water flowing from a spring on the hill-side above making this explanation plausible. After digging to a considerable depth and finding no indications of coal, all further effort was aban- doned.
In Steuben on the road leading south from Store Felen, near the Fuller farm, lived John T. Hughes. He became impressed with the idea that there was a stratum of coal underlying his property. So he em- ployed to do the drilling a young man named Daniel Roberts, son of Robert Roberts (Y Gof), who by the
220
HISTORY OF REMSEN
way was a giant in stature and strength, noted for his great physical endurance and skill in many athletic feats. This work was done in a ravine between the Fuller and Hughes farms, and one whole summer was devoted to it, but without revealing any evidence of a coal deposit.
EARLY SPORTS
The popular games of the present generation, such as base-ball, foot-ball, basket-ball and others of lesser import, were of course unknown here. Sports were simply what the name implies, and were esteemed only for the amusement or pastime they afforded, or as a means of physical development, or for the acquirement of the skill and dexterity that would enable one successfully to meet an adversary at wrest- ling, boxing, jumping, foot-racing and other athletic exercises. Had a prophet then arisen and proclaimed that a day was approaching when games would be exalted to the dignity of a "profession," and that the reports of these games would fill the columns of innu- merable daily newspapers to satisfy the impatient and hungry interest, of not only the youth but many grey- haired men and matronly women of the land, such a prophet would have been discredited beyond com- parison. It was so late as the years immediately suc- ceeding the civil war that the game of base-ball was introduced here, if we omit a game known as "old cat" that was the popular ball game among the boys previously.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.