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 4
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 4
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 4
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In addition to most of the names given by Mr. Green as the prominent men of Remsen in those years, Mrs. Rockwood gives the following: "Agur Fairchild, and his son Samuel; Caleb Nichols; William G. Jones; Jer- emiah Bonner; Judson Witherell; Tyler Mitchell; Perez Farr; Bohan Smith; Evan Owens, school superintend- ent, and justice of the peace; Whitman Morgan, who married Electa Franklin; John D. Tefft, who married Sophia Messenger; Elisha Larabee; Enoch, James and Raymond Hall; Hugh Hughes, who built the Jerome Witherell stone-house, and ran it for many years as a public house; Pliny Morgan; Harry Sheldon; and a Mr. Bowles, the last three being located on the State road."
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To those residing in the village Mrs. Rockwood adds the following: "O. J. Owens; Griffith W. Roberts; Orange Hopkins, a wagon-maker, who built the Rev. E. C. Evans house, and the one next south, the latter used as a wagon-shop; Caleb Steves, a justice of the peace; Ja- cob Lewis; Samuel Johnson, who was a very useful mem- ber of society, and active in every good work; and his brothers, Sylvester and Selden Johnson."
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On the turnpike six miles north of Remsen village, is the little settlement called "Bethel," where, about this time, several families located. Among the early dwel- lers there were William Jones (Plwyf Bryncroes); Wil- liam Hughes, father of Hugh Hughes, and of the late Mrs. Owen O. Owens, Mrs. Herbert Williams, and Mrs. Richard Thomas, of old Steuben station; Jacob Melen, a German, who had served in the British army; John O. Hughes, with his sons Griffith, Evan and John; Jacob Williams; and John M. Jones, brother of Robt. M. Jones.
The census enumeration of 1840 showed a population of 1,630; and in 1845 the village was incorporated by act of the legislature. The completion of the Plank road, in the fall of 1848, added very materially to the facilities for transportation of merchandise, diminished the time of transit, lessened the exertions of both men and teams, and brought to travel in general here a de- gree of ease and comfort before unknown. For the first two or three years after the road was completed, every man who owned a horse was accustomed often to go for a drive "up the Plank," or "down the Plank," to test his animal's speed, if not his endurance, which latter was frequently taxed to the utmost, and the rustic gallant who did not take his "Dulcinia" for a drive on the new speed-way, soon lost favor in her estimation; with the result, finally, that knee-sprung or stiff-jointed, many a good roadster was relegated to ignominious farm work.
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In 1849-50 the State dam was constructed, as a feeder to the Black River canal; and this stimulated settle- ment in the section now known as Forestport, but then a part of this township. The entire northern section had but few settlers before this work was begun; but it soon thereafter became a lumbering center of consider- able importance. Some of the largest lumber mills ever erected in the state were located here, also an immense tannery. The completion of the canal afforded an out- let to market for the vast amount of timber standing . throughout the region.
According to the census of 1850, Remsen had a popu- lation of 2,384, and, shortly after this date, the subject of a railroad through the town began to awaken interest. There was much discussion as to the prospective bene- fits therefrom; for instance, one farmer saw in it a great advantage to the local farmers, since they could have train-loads of manure from the livery stables at Utica hauled for use as fertilizer. It is needless to say that he did not take into consideration the schedule of freight- rates that afterward went into effect. Some even pre- dicted that the railroad would bring such a volume of prosperity to the community that, ultimately, Remsen would have to apply for a city charter. The township was heavily bonded to aid the enterprise, and the stock was liberally subscribed here, which showed what great faith the inhabitants really had in the undertaking. However, with the failure of the first company their faith in the soundness of railroad securities was so badly shaken that, at the reorganization, only one man in the township paid the assessment, John T. Griffiths (Creu- giau), who lived to enjoy substantial dividends from his stock. But the railroad never brought to Remsen the commercial prosperity many had anticipated; for in- stead of bringing wealth into the community, all the
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available currency was carried to Utica, where the peo- ple went to take advantage of the cash sales offered, and when their cash was gone, returned to the local mer- chants for credit.
In 1855 occurred what Broughton W. Green denom- inates "Obadiah's unequalled failure." Obadiah J. Owen, a man prominent in social and religious circles, and a merchant of varied and extensive interests, had gained the unbounded confidence of the commu- nity. The people carried their money to him as they would to a bank, taking as security his individual notes; and if they did not bring the money to him voluntarily, he sought them out and asked them for it. Then reverses came to him, and he was unable to meet his obligations, in consequence of which very many were brought face to face with financial ruin. He removed with his family to St. Louis shortly after, where he engaged in the commission business. It was nearly thirty years before the people here regained even the semblance of a foothold on "the stepping stones to prosperity" after this failure.
In 1860 when the population had increased to 2,670, it shared in common with the rest of the country the dark foreboding of the terrible civil strife that was so soon to break out, deluging our land with blood. But the generous contributions of men and money which these townships so freely gave for the Union cause in the following four years are matters of public record, and it would be superfluous for us to rehearse them here in detail; though it seems appropriate in this connection to mention that the first to volun- teer in Remsen village, if not in the township, under the first call of President Lincoln for troops was Owen, a son of Thomas O. Roberts.
For a number of years the question of a division of
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the township came up periodically for discussion among the tax payers of Remsen. The measure most strongly advocated was that of erecting the northern half of the territory into a new township, to be known as Forestport. This was strenuously urged by the peo- ple who lived in what is now Remsen township, and as steadfastly opposed by those who lived within the limits of the present township of Forestport. The motive for the division on the part of those who urged it, was relief from the comparatively enormous tax . burden imposed each year for the building and main- tenance of bridges across Black river, and for damages , caused by that river's overflow in the time of freshets; and, furthermore, they argued that these bridges were of no direct benefit to them, since they seldom had occasion to visit those parts, but were almost exclusively maintained for the use and benefit of the people of the northern section.
In 1869 the question was submitted to what would now be termed a "referendum," or in other words to a vote at town meeting, which that year was held in Remsen village, and almost the entire voting popula- tion of both sections was on hand. Naturally there was much excitement, and great delay was encoun- tered owing to the challenging of votes, to wrangling, and to fistic encounters between some of the rival partisans, in consequence of which voting progressed very slowly. Late in the voting hours an athletic young fellow of the village, now a prominent railroad man in one of our western states, was seen to pick up a ballot-box and dash out of the voting place. Some one started the cry that the ballot-box had been stolen. Instantly the whole of Forestport's delega- tion, suspecting trickery, started in hot pursuit of ballot-box and boy. The latter ran through streets,
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cut corners, jumped fences, dodged into lanes and backyards, with the voters of Forestport almost to a man at his heels; and when he had reached the open, fled like a deer along the hillsides, with the more stal- wart and long-limbed of the northmen in close pursuit, while the winded and less fleet stopped, and in gaping amazement stood watching the chase.
After the boy had led his followers a long and a merry run over the hills, he dropped the box, and with personal safety in view took to the tall timber. The box recovered, the chase was at an end. But examination disclosed it to be a ficticious ballot-box. Then the pursuers, in a torrent of rage and with curses loud and vehement, hastened back to the voting place, only to find the polls closed, and to learn that the measure against which it had been their intent to cast their votes had been carried by a safe majority.
Subsequently, it was charged that the ballot-box had been "stuffed;" but inasmuch as the men of For- estport had been enjoying a diversion elsewhere, while the voters of Remsen were attending religiously -as all good citizens should-to the duty of voting, they were unable to substantiate their charge, and the result, in favor of division, was duly confirmed. Forestport was accordingly set off and organized as a township November 24, 1869.
Following the division, the census enumeration for 1870 showed the diminished territory of Remsen to contain a population of 1,184. Two years later, a new village charter was obtained, under the general act for the incorporation of villages.
In Durant's History of Oneida County (1878), it is said that of the entire population of the village at that time there were but two families which were not wholly or partly Welsh.
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The following few paragraphs briefly mention some of the early merchants, and those engaged in other lines of trade in the village. Most of these began their business career at the lowest round of the ladder, and several of them built up commercial enterprises of considerable magnitude for their time. They bought, sold, and shipped farm and dairy products extensively, also lumber and shingles; and each fall they bought up droves of dry and fatted cattle which were driven to Utica and Albany, whence they were shipped to New York for market.
"Set up in business," as the saying was, in a small shop slenderly stocked with such goods as were need- ful in country trade, each morning the young mer- chant took down his shutters, opened his doors, swept out his store and dusted his goods himself-and this was completed by the time the gray dawn broke- for those were the days when men prospered by rising early and attending to the details of their business themselves. Many started their commercial career with no capital other than their reputation for indus- try and punctuality. Honest dealing and hard labor were then much the fashion.
In an historical address delivered at Trenton July 4, 1876, Hon. John F. Seymour, describing Trenton village as it was in 1804, says: "At that time there was no Prospect. There was Remsen, but no store there." This clearly is an error, for it may be proved beyond question that Remsen had a store in 1803, established by Broughton White. Succeeding him at the same location on the north corner of the turn- pike and the Steuben road, was Jacob Betticher, who later had for a partner John Mappa, son of the agent of the Holland Land Company, Adam Gerard Mappa, of Trenton. Betticher & Mappa sold their business
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to Heman Ferry about 1811. In 1820 the latter moved into his new store, which he built on the main road-it could not then properly be called a street- about ten rods north of the corner.
Between 1825 and '30, Maj. Andrew Billings opened a store on the south corner of these roads, and here was the postoffice in 1831. Later he built a store farther north, on what is now Main street, now owned by Dr. E. G. Williams and occupied by Mr. Sanborn. He continued to act as postmaster until 1849. After some years Obadiah J. Owen succeeded Mr. Billings, Evan Jones being associated with him as partner a portion of the time, Mr. Owen receiving appointment as postmaster in 1853.
Theodore Smith, nephew of Bohan Smith, was early in mercantile trade here. Before 1835 Selden Johnson built a store immediately north of the resi- dence of the late Hugh Thomas, Sr., where he sold groceries. The building was afterward used by Wil- liam R. Roberts for a carpenter and coffin-making shop, he being for many years the local undertaker, and later being succeeded by his son Robert W. in the same business there. Another early prominent merchant was Griffith W. Roberts, who built the store now occupied by R. O. Griffiths. Luther Conkling was also in business and served one term as supervisor.
The store that stands on the north corner of Main and Prospect streets was built by Broughton White for his son, Thomas Broughton White, who was in trade here for some years, and then engaged in the commission business in New York city, where he was very successful, finally retiring and settling in Vernon, N. Y., where he died. About 1834 Isaac W. Roberts succeeded T. B. White in the business he had estab- lished here, but in 1838 bought out Heman Ferry,
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securing the business, the stone store, and the dwell- ing immediately south, which originally was Mr. Ferry's store, but was remodeled by him for his resi- dence. In the "Annals of Oneida County," 1850, this building is mentioned as the oldest in the village. Sometime in the early '40s Mr. Roberts sold his stock of goods to Jonah Howe and John Billings, the latter of Trenton, and they continued the business for two or three years under the firm name of Howe & Bil- lings, when Mr. Roberts re-purchased the goods and was there until 1857.
A co-operative store was established about 1848, called "The Farmer's Union," occupying the present hardware store of R. O. Griffiths. This "Union Store" was under the management of James B. Ray, who also was postmaster from 1849 to '53. About , 1855 the business was closed out. William White was in the grocery business at the same place from 1858 to'63.
John J. Owens, after carrying on a general store at Prospect, conducted a grocery and confectionery store in the building later occupied by George Jones, directly across the street from the Griffiths hardware store. Gilbert Thomas at one time kept a grocery at the same stand. William Evans, of Steuben, in the early '40s conducted a grocery business where Howard's jewelry store now is, as did also John Jones and Robert Griffiths somewhat later. Jonah Howe was in general business for some years in the R. G. Griffiths store, which was built by him, and was suc- ceeded by James P. Owen, who, about 1866, sold out to William H. Owens. He in turn was succeeded by Robert G. Griffiths, who has continued in the business, first, as a partner with Mr. Owens, and later alone, for a period of nearly fifty years.
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Robert R. Roberts was for many years a merchant tailor and clothier, doing business in the store next south of R. G. Griffiths, and was succeeded by Thomas Morgan. Morgan Owen, a representative business man, and postmaster from 1861 to '66 and from 1867 to 1881, was for many years in the boot and shoe business. He was succeeded by Evan Roberts, who continued the same for nearly forty years. John Powell, brother of Horace Powell, at one time con- ducted a grocery in the Remsen National Bank build- ing. William S. and Owen S. Evans, brothers, car- ried on the same line in the Billings store from 1857 or 1858, to 1864, after which Owen S. Evans conducted the business alone, there and at another location on the east side of Main street. From 1858 to 1861, William S. Evans was acting postmaster for Nathan C. Phelps, and Owen S. Evans filled this office for two terms, from 1881 to 1885, and from 1889 to 1893.
About 1856 Thomas O. Roberts and John B. Jones formed a co-partnership under the name of Roberts & Jones. . This partnership was dissolved about 1860, T. O. Roberts retiring and James Roberts taking an interest with John B. Jones, under the firm name of Jones & Roberts. They did business in the store now occupied by Owen Griffiths, though Jenks Jones and Samuel Johns, respectively, carried on a general merchandise business at the same place after the dissolution of the Jones & Roberts firm. John B. Jones, after retiring removed to Independence, Iowa, where he engaged in banking in partnership with Wallace Francis, another ex-resident of Remsen; and James Roberts removed to Utica where he soon took his place among the foremost merchants of that city. Owen Roberts, a brother of James, was later in business in the Billings store.
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Griffith O. Griffiths dealt in farm implements and machinery, introducing here the first mowers, thresh- ing machines, horse-power wood-saws, etc. John Ed- munds was a clothier and merchant tailor, carrying on business in a store that stood north of the stone store. Mr. Edmunds formed a partnership with B. F. Gray, and the firm was known as Edmunds & Gray. Mr. Edmunds removed to Utica about 1857, and, about the same year, Mr. Gray removed to Racine, Wis., and later to St. Louis, where his sons have attained eminence as business men. Succeeding the last named firm, Lewis & Morris conducted the ready-made clothing business for a few years. James Edmunds was a merchant tailor here for many years and moved to Utica about 1866. John P. Samuel was long a clothing merchant, doing business on the south corner of Main street and the street leading past the site of the old Baptist church. John J. Roberts also had a clothing store here in the '70s. About 1863, Richard R. Jones and Richard Richards opened a grocery in the stone store. Later they re- moved to the Remsen Bank building, where they carried on a general store for some years, when Mr. Richards retired and Mr. Jones continued the busi- ness alone.
The first druggist was Dr. Thomas Morris, and the second, Dr. E. G. Williams. Formerly all general stores carried a very complete line of drugs and patent medicines. Delos Beaurhyte and John Pugh were makers and dealers in harness. Reese Roberts was the first tin-smith and Owen Roberts succeeded him. William H. Davis was in the tin and hardware trade up to 1867, when he removed to Mankato, Minn., and was succeeded here by William H. Williams. Thomas Jones and Humphrey Pugh were in the cus-
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tom boot and shoe business, though not in partnership. The former died here and the latter removed to Bangor, Wis., about 1866. John B. Jones, 2d, kept a general store for several years, and was postmaster from 1885 to 1889. Hiram Johnson, Selden Johnson and Jonah Howe began their business careers as clerks in the store of Andrew Billings, and became successful busi- ness men. Obadiah J. Owen acquired his first exper- ience in mercantile life as a clerk in the store of Heman Ferry. Didymus Thomas, James Edmunds and Robert Everett, Jr., when young men were daguerreotype art- ists who preserved to many the features of their an- cestors.
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CHAPTER III
PIONEER CONDITIONS
The early settlers acquired only small farms as a rule, say of forty, fifty, or sometimes sixty acres, as being amply proportionate to their needs and means. To clear only a few acres of the heavy tangled growth . of primitive forest, and afterward to prepare a small portion of the clearing for cultivation upon which the family must solely rely for support, required much physical energy and no little courage and boldness. Provided with only the rudest implements, it was perforce by the might of his own hands that the set- tler conquered both the forest and the rugged soil.
In consequence of the small number of acres in the original farms, the rural districts were then more thickly populated than at present. In many cases · several of these small farms or homesteads of early times are now included in one; and evidences of this are sometimes noticeable in the midst of cultivated fields, where, perhaps in and about a depression that has been nearly leveled by the plow, may be found bits of earthen-ware, broken crockery, and remnants of fire-cracked and vitrified chimney-stones, indicat- ing the site of a former home. Again one finds a group of wild plum trees, or a cluster of some domestic shrub or plant marking an abandoned garden-plot. In these a few useful herbs and flowers of the common- est varieties were about all that then were cultivated -tansy, wormwood, chamomile, horehound and sage among the former, while marigolds, grass pinks, peonies,
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hollyhocks, live-forever and ribbon-grass adorned the little cultivated plots, or bordered the walk leading to the door.
Their log cabins were hastily constructed and rudely fashioned. In most of them the well-packed earth was the only flooring, though some had what was known as "punchion floors," that is, logs split through the center and laid with the flat side uppermost. Oiled paper was used instead of window-glass, though not transparent, admitting some light. Sawed lum- ber being scarce, blankets were used instead of doors; and as wolves were sometimes numerous and trouble- some, a table set on end against the opening often had to serve for protection at night.
A prominent feature of the dwelling was the fire- place. Its chimney built entirely outside the house, had much the appearance of having been first on the ground. If it "drew well," like some hired speakers of to-day, nothing further was required. They were made of the abounding field stone, their outer edges projecting at all angles, which enabled the small boy of the family easily to clamber not only to the roof, but to the chimney-top as well, when an elevated view was desired to see if the cows were in the corn, or if an expected visitor were approaching.
In all well-regulated families the fire was supposed never to be allowed to die out; but occasionally, when through carelessness or unavoidable lack of vigilance the last vital embers in the fire-place were suffered to blacken and die, some one must needs go forthwith to the nearest neighbor for the necessary fire-brand to rekindle the blaze. It was a common ironical inquiry, when a caller prepared to depart with seeming haste: "What's your hurry, did you come after fire?" A blaze sometimes necessarily was kindled in a quan-
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tity of tow by flint and steel, though the process of starting a fire in this manner was slow, requiring much patient blowing by means of the breath or the hand- bellows; the latter very useful article being found in nearly every household. The match was a luxury unknown, for the invention of "lucifer" and "loco- foco" matches occurred within the memory of peo- ple still living.
Other lighting than that afforded by the open fire- place was first furnished by the "rush candle," which was made from the soft rushes found growing in moist pastures and by the side of streams. The rushes were · gathered in mid-summer, kept in water to prevent their drying and shrinking, and finally peeled of their outer case, all except one narrow, regular strip from top to bottom, left to support the pith. Thus prepared they were placed upon the grass to bleach and receive the dew for several nights, then dried in the sun, when they were ready for dipping in fat. Some adeptness was re- quired to dip them in the scalding fat or grease, though the knack was soon acquired by practice. And these homely rush candles gave a good clear light.
In process of time, when twisted candle-wick could be procured, candles were made by tieing a number of pieces of wick of uniform length on a stick, two or three inches apart, then dipping them in melted tallow. A rack or frame-work was arranged to support a number of these sticks, so that when the wicks on each had been dipped and placed upon the rack, the first treated had become sufficiently hardened to permit redipping; and thus the process was. repeated, until the required size and symmetry were obtained. ,
When it happened that the candle supply of a house- hold became unexpectedly exhausted, it was common to improvise a substitute by submerging a strip of linen in
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a saucer of lard, one end resting on the edge of the dish, where the light was applied. In the short days candles were much used in the dairy and in the kitchen, both morning and evening; but in the long winter evenings the huge logs burning in the mammoth fire-place caused the feeble candle-flame to pale into dismal insignifi- cance, when it would be discarded and the domestic and social duties continued by fire-light.
Few families possessed either clocks or watches, and this lack of mechanical device for measuring time was among the many inconveniences that must be endured. Still, they marked the passing hours quite accurately without these aids. On days when the sun shone, they could reckon time's pace very correctly by reference to marks drawn upon the floor or window-sill; naturally the shadows varied a little each day, by reason of the earth's ellipse, for which allowance was duly made. In cloudy weather, however, the hour was largely a matter of conjecture, based on the expressed opinion of differ- ent members of the household. At night the barn-yard fowls were reliable proclaimers of the speeding hours, for the roosters started crowing at eleven-thirty or twelve o'clock, and repeated their call at half-hour in- · tervals until after sunrise, with a precision equalling that of the bell-watch on shipboard. But withal, con- jectures as to time would occasionally go very wide of the mark, as the following incident will illustrate :-
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