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 9
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 9
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 9
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At the time of the construction of the Black River Canal feeder, many Irish Catholic families settled about Forestport; and when the Black River and Utica railroad was built, families of the same faith and nationality located in Remsen. A priest from Forestport frequently visited here.
There were some families in Steuben who, on their arrival from Wales, had settled among Quakers in or near Philadelphia, embraced the precepts and thereafter lived in accordance with the practices of that sect.
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there were formed in the east associations to devise means for supplying missionaries to itinerate in the new settlements; and in 1795, in an address to the inhabitants in these new settlements, it was declared to be the design of the associations to send to them "settled ministers, well reputed in the churches, to , preach among them as occasion might offer, to gather and organize churches, to administer sealing ordinances, to instruct their young people, to catechise their chil- dren, and to perform all those ministerial duties which are usually practiced in the churches and congrega- tions of the east."
Rev. Caleb Alexander thus sent out by the Massa- chusetts Missionary Society, visited Steuben in 1801, where he organized a church. Under date of No- vember 15 of that year, he makes a note in his jour- nal of the "sum of $9.66" having been contributed to the Missionary Society by the people here.
The first Welsh sermon ever preached in Steuben was by Rev. James Harris, a Baptist minister of Utica, in the barn of Ebenezer Weeks, near Ty Coch corners, in 1798; and the first religious discourse in Remsen, was delivered by an itinerant preacher in the barn of Stephen Hutchinson, on what was later known as the "Price place," half a mile north of the village.
In January, 1802, at Northampton, the Hamp- shire Missionary Society was organized. As expressed in its constitution, "the object and business of this society is to promote the propagation of the gospel among the inhabitants of the new settlements of the United States, and among the aboriginal natives of this continent." It would seem that they soon sent a missionary to the field of "Western New York," as all that part of the state west of the Hudson river counties was then termed; for in the Documentary
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History of New York there is printed the journal of Rev. John Taylor, giving an account of his labors there from July to October, 1802, from which we quote the following:
"Steuben, Thursday, August 5 .- At Deacon Mitch- ell's. Visited a number of families. In this town there is a church of about 30 members. The church was formed by Mr. Alexander in 1801. They keep up reli- gious meetings on the Sabbath, and are a religious peo- ple. There is one Baptist church-numerous-vacant. One-third of the inhabitants are Welsh, and they have appointed one of their number to preach among them- selves.
"Friday 6 .- Spent the day in visiting a number of families, and a school of about 35 children.
"Saturday, 7 .- Visited various families. Afternoon preached to an attentive audience. Appearances agree- able.
"Sunday, 8 .- Communion. Most of the Baptists present. Baptised 6 children-had a church meeting after services-and apparently, and I hope effectually, settled an unhappy difficulty which has subsisted in the church with one of its members for more than a year. Appointed a lecture on Monday among the Baptists.
"Monday, 9 .- Visited some of the Welsh people. They appear to be a religious and regular body, a few excepted. Afternoon. Preached to a very attentive audience-visited a school of about 20 children, engaged some books.
"Tuesday, 10 .- Spent the day in visiting-called on 9 different families. The people appear to be poor but very considerate; and I have reason to believe that there is more piety in Steuben than in any town on Connecti- cut river. I find the schools very destitute of books of all kinds. The people are progressing, however, very rapidly toward good order and good schooling. No meeting-house. The church being in want of books to be read on the Sabbath, I gave them one volume of the Select Sermons. I think it proper to return to this place again."
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After visiting the western part of Oneida county and some of the towns in the present counties of Lewis and Jefferson, Mr. Taylor visited "Boon's Upper Settlement," now Boonville. Under date of Tuesday, September 21, he writes: "Rode to Remsen, -14 miles. This is a broken society. The people are very ignorant and very wicked."
It is impossible that Remsen society justly deserved this sweeping condemnatory accusation that Mr. Taylor in his journal thought fit to register against it; for it is an incontrovertible fact that there were then many excellent families settled here, who in point of intelligence compared favorably with the dwellers in any new community and whose morals and general conduct were above reproach. Still, it must be admitted that there were also living here those whose lives in some respects were so at variance with established principles as to merit censure and the most forceful reproof. But in this connection it should be borne in mind that Mr. Taylor's visit to Remsen was made not many years after the close of the war of the revolution; and it is well known that camp vices had sown the seed of recklessness, and the whole land had to contend with the consequent growth of immorality and infidelity for a long period after peace was declared. Matters of religion often were neglected, drunkenness fearfully increased, and social life generally was sadly lowered in tone. At the time of Mr. Taylor's visit and some years subsequent thereto, there were couples living here as man and wife under the simple agreement of union and without official act or religious rite of sanction; and they thus lived together for many years, and reared their fam- ilies before any ceremony legalizing their relation was performed. After a lodge of Free Masons was insti-
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tuted in Remsen, some applicants were denied ad- mission to membership on this account. And this circumstance, together with a religious awakening attendant on a revival conducted by an itinerant preacher, caused these delinquents to look upon their lives in a new light, and their marriages were respec- tively duly solemnized in regular form, some of them then the parents of children grown to manhood and womanhood.
The Journal also contains the following items :-
"About three months since a stranger came into the town, who appeared to be a pert coxcomb, about 28 years of age, who calls himself Alexander. He soon ob- tained a school, and in about a fortnight set up preach- ing, and pretends to preach every Sabbath. Who and what he is I know not-but that he is some notorious villain I believe there is no doubt. Many of the people -especially the wickedest part-are very much at- tached to him. There is no church in town and but one professor, who belongs to the church in Steuben.
"Wednesday, 22 .- Preached a lecture-not more than 25 people present, and a number of these were far from being decent in their behavior, and it was not in my power to make them feel reproof nor the force of truth.
"Thursday, 23 .- Drew an order for a number of books for the people in Remsen, and such of them as I have not disposed of myself I have left to the dispo- sition of Mr. [Ephraim] Hoyt, ye only professing per- son in the town and an excellent character."
We find it recorded that "Rev. Eliphalet Steele, pastor of a Presbyterian church at Paris Hill, as- sisted at the organization of a Presbyterian church at Steuben, in 1797;" but we have been unable to establish whether this society was organized at Steu- ben Corners or in the vicinity of Sixty Acres, nor indeed to find anything further relating to it. In any
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event it must have ceased to exist before the visit of Mr. Taylor, for he makes no allusion to it in his journal.
In the "Annals of Oneida County," (1850), it is stated that, "The first religious society in the town of Remsen was a Presbyterian society, which was formed "at an early day, now extinct." This statement, so far as it relates to the "town" is incorrect, for there was a Baptist society organized in the eastern part of the township in 1809, which was some years before the Presbyterian body referred to was organized. The first religious society in Remsen village was or- ganized in the latter part of December, 1817. The following account of its organization is taken from their records :-
"These certify-That at a meeting holden at the school house, in District No. 1, in the town of Remsen, in the County of Oneida and State of New York, for the purpose of forming into a Religious Society, agreeable to an act entitled: 'An act to provide for the incorpor- ation of Religious Societies, passed the 27th day of March, 1801.' The meeting having been legally warned agreeable to the third section of said act, met on the 22nd day of December, 1817, when, after reading the law, Lemuel Hough and Oliver Smith were chosen to preside, make returns of Trustees to the Clerk, etc., and also the meeting proceeded to the choice of six Trustees, when Zalmon Root, Earl Bill, Nathaniel Johnson, Wil- liam Platt, Heman Ferry & Broughton White were chosen, & after drawing for the time for which they should serve, Nathaniel Johnson and William Platt drew No. 1, Zalmon Root and Broughton White No. 2, Earl Bill and Heman Ferry No. 3 years each, by the name style and title of The Trustees of the First Con- gregational Society in Remsen;
"Witness our hands and seals in Remsen, this 22nd day of Dec. 1817.
Recording and
Lemuel Hough, Oliver Smith, Returning Officers."
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There is a record of a meeting of this society held October 16, 1848, at the office of George A. Yeomans, called by the order of the trustees for the next three years, when the following trustees were chosen:
"John Smith and Obadiah Owen, for one year; Math- er Beecher & Andrew Billings, for two years; Zalmon Root & William E. White for three years.
"Oct. 16, 1849. Met at the Academy. A. Billings & O. J. Owens, chairmen, Wm. E. White, Clerk. S. Douglas, Treas., Benj. F. Grey, 6th Trustee.
"Trustees as follows: O. J. Owens & J. H. Smith for one year; M. Beecher & A. Billings for two years; Z. D. Root & B. F. Grey for three years. Adjourned to Oct. 16, 1850.
"Oct. 16, 1850. Met at the Academy. A. Billings chairman, Wm. E. White, Clk. Adjournment to Oct. 30, 1850.
"March 15, 1854 at Academy. M. Beecher chair- man, Wm. E. White Clk. S. Douglas Treas. Trustees M. Beecher & Ezekiel Jones for 1 year; A. Billings & O. J. Owens for 2 years; Z. D. Root & B. F. Grey for 3 years."
The best account we have been able to obtain of this society is from reminiscences of Mrs. Eveline Rockwood, who came to Remsen as a child, in 1818, from which we quote the following :-
"About 1821 or '22, my mother was received into membership of the Congregational church, in the old school house, in Remsen village. There were two serv- ices, one in the forenoon and one in the afternoon. At the afternoon service on the same day, three of her chil- dren were baptised. I think Rev. Evan Roberts was the minister. I remember the communion service and the Sabbath school. Other churches united with us at different times, holding special meetings for one, two or three days, first in Trenton perhaps, then Holland Pat- ent, Western, etc. Rev. Evan Roberts served this
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church for some time-Dr. Everett came often. Then a Rev. Wilcox became pastor, and about 1825 there was a religious revival, and many came into the church. In 1830-31, an evangelist spent several weeks here, and a general revival of religion extending through the several towns, Remsen was greatly blessed, and over sixty join- ed the church, myself among the number. A. Rev. Waters from New Hartford was pastor at this time. Among the converts was our Dr. Earl Bill, then over sixty years old. His son, Charles Oliver Bill, was ex- pected to join the church the same day, but did not. The next day, August 2, 1830, he, with two lady cousins and his sister, visited Trenton Falls. The water was high, the rocks slippery, and while walking with his sister near the edge of the chasm, his foot slipped and he went into the current and over the falls to the bottom, where his body was found on the following Wednesday. And what added to the sadness of the tragedy, the young man was just ready to join the father in business, to make lighter his burden of visiting the sick, and to be the staff of his old age. He was a young man respected and beloved by all who knew him.
"About this time (1830-31), measures were taken to bring about a change in church government or affilia- tion. I was present when action was taken, changing from Congregational to the Presbyterian church gov- ernment by uniting with the Presbytery. My father was a delegate, and I remember to have seen him start from home to go with others to represent the Remsen church in the Presbyterian assembly. Removals be- gan which weakened the society, and those left, having no one who was accustomed to lead, and being unable to sustain preaching, all gave up.
"A little band afterwards started a church of some name-Union Church, I think. Members of the for- mer society, with some newly joined,formed this church, but I do not remember that it stood long. Services continued to be held in the Academy until the society became extinct."
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We quote again from the church records :-
"Jan. 24, 1857, met at Post Office. Present, M. Beecher, A. Billings, Z. D. Root, B. F. Grey, O. J. Owens & Evan Jones, Trustees. M. Beecher, chair- man, Wm. E. White, clerk.
"On motion Resolved that the Society adopt a seal by which the said Society be known as a corporation, and to be used for all purposes of said Society in legal proceedings and for conveying real estate, and that the seal, of which an impress is here made, be the seal of said Society.
Wm. E. White, Clerk.
"On motion resolved that when the society is much in debt, and unable to pay except by sale of its real estate, that an application to the Supreme Court be made for the purpose of selling the real estate, and for the payment of debts thereof, from the amount of said sale.
"March 31, 1857. At office of O. J. Owens. Prest of Trustees, A. Billings, chairman; Wm. E. White, Clerk.
"An order having been made by the Supreme Court, authorizing the sale of the real estate of the Society, which order was dated Feb. 24, 1857, and said real estate having been accordingly put up, at public auction, on March 21, 1857, at which sale was made to John J. Owens of Remsen for $217, that being the highest bid, therefore voted that the deed of the Society be executed to the said John J. Owens for said real estate, being the Academy lot, so called. Voted that Mather Beecher and Ezekiel Jones be a committee to receive the money and with it pay all costs owing by the Society and all debts owing by the Society. Wm. E. White, Clerk."
Thus terminated the first religious organization in the village of Remsen, and this after a faithful endeavor of forty years, in which the society had accomplished much good. At this time the village
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and farming districts for miles around had become populated largely by people of Welsh origin, most of whom had come directly from Wales, until they com- prised nearly if not quite two-thirds of the commu- nity, and the Welsh language was more frequently heard than the English. They already had their own relig- ious organizations, where services were conducted en- tirely in their own tongue, and these naturally were their choice, while the English speaking residents found a church home with the Methodist Episcopal body, organized only a few years before the dissolution of the Congregational society.
The hyper-Calvinism of early days was here strongly preached from the pulpit, expounded in the family and in the Sunday school, and received by the people generally, especially by the Welsh. The majority of these were strongly Calvinistic in doctrinal belief -Presbyterian or Calvinistic Methodist, Calvinistic Baptist, and Congregational. Austere by nature, exacting, inflexible and unemotional, the austerities of Calvinism appealed to their temperament. Only a comparatively small percentage of the Welsh have ever embraced the milder doctrines of Wesley, or those expounded by the National Church of England; but whatever their religious belief, they are steadfast in it as the hills and never wont to be "carried about by divers and strange doctrines," nor impulsively to follow any theological bellwether. The characteris- tic inclination of these people toward a religious life has been beautifully exemplified in the characters of many of this nationality who for years have comprised the bulk of the population of Remsen village and vicinity. An instance of their Christian zeal may be cited in the case of a woman who walked nine miles . through the wilderness carrying a babe four months
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old in her arms, to attend the first prayer-meeting, held in the house of William C. Jones, at what after- ward was the Lewis Everett farm, about half a mile west of Remsen village.
The early Welsh preachers had neither titles, suf- fixes, nor degrees, and except in rare instances no scholastic attainments other than the Welsh Bible afforded them. One has said of these men that, "Their familiarity with their native language, rich in theological terms, sublime in diction and phraseol- ogy was perfect, and their oratory of the loftier strains wonderfully resembled those of the Hebrew prophets of old: like all ancient nations their discourses were largely of the recitative type, with musical intonations, with exquisite sonorous cadences, to which is given the name 'hwyl,' a word meaning 'full sail on,' filled with celestial breeze carrying them along to the Bet- ter Land."
And who could but marvel at the power and moral effect of their preaching-those guileless and sincere men, who seemed like the Apostles to speak "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Since the days of the Apostles no other nation has produced such preach- ers as Wales has produced; nor have any other people, except by priestly domination or the enforced demands of an ecclesiastical hierarchy, ever held so closely to their religious precepts and observances. Yet the material recompense of these men was small and their creature comforts few, making it imperatively necessary for most of them to follow a secular pur- suit in addition to their ministerial labors.
The following historical sketch of the First Welsh Congregational Church of Steuben (Capel Ucha), was compiled by Miss Mary H. Everett, of Remsen. It is a valuable contribution to the history of this
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locality, and it is with her kind permission that we present it here :-
"The first Welsh settlers came to Steuben September 15, 1795, and located in this immediate neighborhood. There were five families, consisting of about eighteen persons. Several American families had preceded them, and welcomed the new-comers with great kindness and hospitality. For over two and a half years they had no religious services in Welsh, and only occasionally did a faithful missionary find his way here through the forests and preach a sermon in English.
"In June, 1798, other Welsh families came, mostly Christians. They immediately established a prayer meeting, held twice on the Sabbath, and a church soci- ety (seiat) was held once during the week. In 1800 there were twelve members. With no stated place of worship, they went from house to house for their ser- vices. Those cottage prayer meetings, the cradle and nursery of the church, thus early begun, flourished, with few lapses, often with power, and always with profit, over these hills and in the valley for over one hundred years. They have served to bind together, in loving harmony, as with links of gold, our scattered membership.
"These earnest Christians labored in this way, with- out Welsh preaching, until the first week in November, 1801, when Mr. John G. Roberts came from Pennsyl- vania. He had been licensed to preach by the Congre- gational Church in Ebensburgh, Pa., years before, was cordially received by the church here, and ordained as pastor, previous to May 12, 1802. This relationship continued with faithful service until he died, at the age of 48, in New York City, October 19, 1817. He was buried at Trinity.
"Mr. William Pierce commenced preaching early in 1807, was ordained as pastor, and as co-laborer with Rev. John Roberts, December 25, of the same year. He preached 40 years, 21 in this church. He died De- cember 29, 1847, aged 79 years. He was buried at Nant.
"This was at first a union church, its members being
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from Calvinistic Methodist, and Congregational church- es in Wales. One in Christ, and in all points essential to salvation, and working together in Christian fellow- ship, they still retained their early individual beliefs, honestly held, as to those minor matters, which make the distinction between denominations. March 19, 1804, the church was incorporated as the 'First Welsh Methodist Society of Steuben.' At this time there were in Steuben radical and intelligent Congregation- alists, members of long standing in Wales, who, though worshiping with this church, and contributing to its finances, as though they were members, did not unite with it. Of this number Nicodemus Griffith and two or three others visited the Utica Welsh Congregational Church early in the winter of 1804-5, to confer with them as to the advisability of their uniting with that church, or of forming a Welsh Congregational church in Steuben. The latter course being decided upon, a meet- ing was held in April, 1805, at the house of Nicodemus Griffith for the purpose of forming a Welsh Congrega- tional church. Rev. Daniel Morris and others of the Utica church were present, by invitation, to assist in the regularity of the proceedings. Articles of creed and society by-laws were adopted, and a Congregational church was organized. Due notice of this meeting hav- ing been given the previous Sabbath at the regular ser- vice held that day, at the house of Deacon William C. Jones, nearly all the Methodist brethren and sisters were present, and wished to come with the Congrega- tionalists into this new church. Thus the church, pre- viously existing, was merged as it were, into this new one. Rev. John G. Roberts was invited to remain as pastor of the new organization. Although from this time, April, 1805, it was strictly Congregational, self- governing, choosing its own officers, &c., the corporate name remained the same until April, 1829, as will be seen farther on.
"The half acre lot 151, for the original cemetery and church building, was bought of Col. Benjamin Walker, for 50c. (Date of this transaction is April 2, 1804.) It was a gift, promised in October, 1801. Griffith Row- land had a lease on the land, which the church bought
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of him for $3.50. (This transaction is dated February 20, 1804.) Two plots of similar size have been added since 1861, the Price and Griffith additions.
"The first to be laid in this now populous, but quiet city of the dead, was a young lady of 19, who died Sep- tember 30, 1798, Gwen Jones, daughter of Deacon Wm. C. Jones. Her grave, with those of her parents, is just east of the northern end of this building. The number of burials, by actual count recently taken, is, in the old cemetery, 326, in the Price lot 171, in the Griffith lot 26, total 504. Doubtless the many unmarked graves in the original cemetery would increase the number to 600, or possibly 700.
"The first church building erected in Steuben, among the Welsh, was of logs, and placed on this spot in 1804, during the pastorate of Rev. John G. Roberts. It was to be used for school purposes as well, was completed about the last of November, and school opened Decem- ber 1st. On Christmas night, December 25, it was acci- dentally burned with all its contents. During the fol- lowing year, 1805, a frame structure was built on the same site. In this they worshipped until it became altogether too small to accommodate the many who assembled to hear. Hundreds of Welsh settlers came over in 1818, and, as is stated in the church annals, 'some were dropping in every day.' In 1819 the frame building was removed to give place to the commodious stone edifice, which was two years in building, one for the masonry and one for the frame work. It was built during the pastorate of Rev. William G. Pierce, and completed in 1820. This stood for 83 years, and would have done good service for many years more had it not been for a spring under the N. W. corner of the founda- tion, which, with its alternate freezing and thawing, slowly but surely undermined that corner, and racked the entire structure; even as evil principles in the heart undermine and ruin the noblest work of God. Stren- uous efforts were made to stay the bulging walls by placing strong upright braces on the sides without, kept in place by iron rods, running through the church, and later by iron girding around, above the windows, but the persistent spring, noiselessly and insidiously con-
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