USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 10
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The Black River Canal feeder extends from the river at Williamsville. nine miles to Boonville village, at which is the summit level. Extending upon this level about two miles in a south-westerly course from the village, it enters the ravine (for valley it can not be termed) of Lansing Kill ((reek); and keeping in the frightful chasm of the Kill a number of miles, it debouches into the valley of the Mohawk in Western.
The Missionaries of the Cross early visited the " Black River Country," as the valley of that river and its vicinity was termed by the early emigrants. The Congregational Church of Boonville was formed by the Rev. Daniel Smith, a missionary sent out by the Massachusetts Missionary
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Society, in the summer of 1805. Its records previous to 1822 are lost, and little is known of its carly history. A committee was appointed a few years since. to look up its early statistics, but very little was obtained. This com- mittee, however, reported, " that the Church at its formation consisted of nine members, five males and four females ; that there were occasional supplies of preaching by mission- aries from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut; that religious meetings were kept up upon the Lord's-day when there was no preaching." The committee could not ascertain the number of those who had been added previously to the time the present records commence. In April, 1931, a branch church was formed in the south part of the town, which consisted of twelve members, six males and six females. The church contained, January 29, 1850, 170 communicants.
The Boonville Baptist Church was organized Feb. 3, 1810, by Elder John Upfold. It consisted of seventeen members, ten males and seven females. The first pastor of the church was Elder Timothy Day, who filled the pastorate three years. The pastors since that time have been Samuel Marshall, Charles Clark, Norman Chase, A. D. Truman, John Hitch- cock, Wm. Thompson, Perley P. Parsons. and Eliada Tuttle, the present pastor (1850). Up to 1826. the church held its meetings in the school house in the village, and in private dwellings. In that year they erected a respectable and commodious house of worship. Previously to, and after the formation of the church, and before it had a stated pastor, those veteran pioneers, Elders Stephen Parsons, John Stephens, John Clark, Williams and Way, occasionally preached to the Baptists in this vicinity. After the church had stated preaching, sometimes intervals of months occurred during which they had but occasional preaching from mis sjonaries and others. The Rev. Peter P. Roots, Simeon
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Hersey, Tillinghast Green. - Ashley, - Beeles, and D. G Corey, now of Utica, occasionally supplied the pulpit.
The aggregate number of those who have joined this church since its organization. as nearly as can now be ascer- tained. is 275; and the present number of communicants is sixty-six. This body has never joined the Oneida Baptist Association, but has retained its connection with the Black River Association.
There is a Methodist Church in this town, with a con- siderable congregation, and which has erected a chaste and commodious house for public worship.
Boonville village is a very thriving and handsome place. situated upon the plank road leading from Utica to Turin and Lowville. The construction of the Black River Canal has added much to the importance of this village ; and in amount of business, its inhabitants concede a superiority. of places within this county, but to Utica and Rome. The village contains seven dry goods stores, one drug store, 130 dwellings, and about 1,000 inhabitants. It has no Academy. but its common school house is a commodious two story stone building. Two teachers are employed in it, who have an average attendance. of about ninety students.
Alder Creek village and post office are situated seven miles southerly from Boonville village, where the plank road crosses the creek of that name. This place has a small union church building, which was erected and has been occupied as a house of worship by the Methodists, Baptists, and Pres- byterians. Here are an extensive tannery, and some other branches of mechanics ; also a store and two taverns. The first settler at this place was John Platt, who commenced here about 1805, and who is still living in the vicinity.
Williamsville is a small village at the head of the Black River Canal feeder, upon the line between Boonville and
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Remsen. Here are two saw mills, a store, planing mill. butter-tub factory, and several dwellings.
According to the census of 1845, there were then twenty- five saw mills in the town of Boonville, the largest number in any town in the county, excepting Vienna ; also two grist mills, two carding machines, two iron works, three asheries, and three tanneries. The population of the town was 3,653.
The first town meeting in Boonville was held at the house of Joseph Denning. Jacob Rogers was elected the first Supervisor, but held the office but one year, and was sue- ceeded by Philip Schuyler, who held the office one year. Job Fish one year, John G. Post two years, Martin South- well thirteen years, John Dewey four years, Henry Graves nine years, Philip M. Schuyler three years, Stephen Ward five years, Wm. S. Jackson two years, and Wilson B. Grant three years : the last first elected in 1849. The decrease in the population of this town, apparent from a comparison of the census returns of 1840 and 1850, is to be accounted for in the facts that Ava, with a population of about 1,000, was taken from this town in 1846, and that in 1840 many hun- dreds of laborers upon the Black River Canal, and their families, were then inhabitants of this town, but most of whom have since removed to other sections of the country where publie works were in progress.
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CHAPTER VII
BRIDGEWATER.
This town is located within and upon the sides of a valley: which extends through it from north to south. and its cast. and west lines are upon the highlands which form the sides of the valley. This valley is known in this section of the State by the name of Bridgewater Flats. The Flats at the north line of the town are about one mile wide, and decrease gradually to the south line of the town, where they are about half a mile in width.
These Flats are celebrated for their fertility, and in gen- cral are very highly cultivated. Portions of them in the central and southern parts of the town are quite sandy. and in the northern part they are somewhat stoney, with an oe- casional bowlder. The State geologist, when he visited this town. gave as his opinion that no rock existed underlaying this valley, within 1.000 feet from the surface, and this opin- ion is partially sustained by the fact that no rock has been found in the deepest wells which have been sunk. One of the head-waters of the Unadilla rises in Paris, and passes through this valley to the south. Upon the banks of this stream was originally a dense cedar swamp, from twenty to sixty rods in width, which served to fence the farms in the vicinity, and much is left for future use. Another branch of the Unadilla rises near the north-west corner of Bridgewater, and empties into the above described stream. a short distance
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above the Corners, near the south bounds of the town. The " Line of Property," so called, extends from a point west of Rome upon Wood Creek, opposite where the Canada Creek empties into it, to the head of this last described branch of the Unadilla. This was the longest line upon the same point of compass in the county. Its original course was south 2? degrees east. A sketch of the history of this "Line of Property," so often referred to in old Indian treaties and in conveyances, may be interesting. For a great number of years. the want of a settled boundary between the Six Nations and their dependencies, on the one hand, and the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mary- land, and Virginia, on the other, was the source of many difficulties. These resulted in complaints and outrages on the part of the Indians, and encroachments and wrongs on the part of the whites. For half a century, at nearly every annual meeting of the Indians with the Governor of New York at Albany, these difficulties were the subject of nego- tiation and "talk." To remedy these evils, a convention was held at Fort Stanwix, Nov. 5, 1768, in which the colonies were represented by Sir Wm. Johnson. General Indian Agent, Wm. Franklin, Governor, and Fre. Smyth, Chief Justice of New Jersey, Thos. Walker, Commissioner for Virginia, Richard Peters and James Tilghman, of the Coun- cil of Pennsylvania; and the Six Nations by Tyorhansere. alias Abraham, Chief of the Mohawks, Canaghaguieson, of the Oneidas, Seguareesera, of the Tuscaroras, Otsinoghiyata, alias Bunt, of the Onondagas, Tegaaia, of the Cayugas, and Guastrax, of the Senecas. The boundary established be- tween the Indians and colonies began at the mouth of the Tennessee (then. Cherokee or Hogohege) River, near the junetion of the Ohio with the Mississippi, thence up along the south banks of the Ohio to Kittaming, above Fort Pitt
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(Pittsburgh), thence to the west branch of the Susquehanna. and across the Alleghany Mountains to the east branch of the Susquehanna, and thence up that branch to the Owegy (Owego), thence to the Delaware River, and up that river to a point opposite where the' Tianaderha (the Unadilla) falls into the Susquehanna, thence across to and up the west branch of the Unadilla to the head of the same, thence in a straight line to the junction of Canada Creek with Wood Creek. "at the west of the carrying place beyond Fort Stan- wix." This was the "Line of Property," but that part of it from the head of the Unadilla in Bridgewater to Wood Creek, is more generally known by that name than the other por- tions. The Patent of Coxeborough, granted soon after- wards, extended the entire length of this part of the line, and was bounded upon it on the west. After the Revolution, the tracts granted by the Oncidas to this State, were bounded on the east upon this "Line of Property," and in subsequent conveyances, this Line has been constantly referred to, and that too by many who, wondering at the singularity of the term, knew little or nothing of its history. The south part of the Patent of Coxeborough was called, prior to the Revo- lution. the township of Carolana, and the north part the Township of Coxeborough, the line between the two being the Oriskany Creek. See notice of Coxeborough at the close of Chapter II.
Another small branch of the Unadilla is made from springs, and crosses the plank road near the centre of the town. Upon the banks of this stream there is a belt of small cedars. giving it quite a picturesque appearance. The water is so pure, that it is a favorite resort of the speckled trout.
In the north-east part of the town is a quarry of excellent limestone for building purposes. This quarry extends over
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some three or four hundred acres, and lies about thirty fect higher than the flats opposite. In the same section, lying higher than the limestone, and upon the farm now owned by Peleg Babcock, a small quantity of coal has been discovered. The vein is very thin, and the quantity so limited, that very little hope is entertained of there being sufficient to render it of any importance. According to the theories of geolo- gists, this vein scems out of place, "for although vastly higher than the coal region in Pennsylvania, it is too low for coal. In other words, the dip of the coal beds in that State is such, that it would rise much above any section of this county. In the same formation with this stray vein of coal, iron pyrites are found, which are quite inflammable, and burn like wood."
The hills upon the east and west sides of the valley, are quite dissimilar in soil and formation. In the north part of the town, south of the limestone, the side hill contains much slate ; opposite, on the west side of the valley, there is shale. On the east hill, the soil is a gravelly loam ; on the west, the soil is clayey.
FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
In the year 1788, Joseph Farwell came to the south part of this town, and commenced a clearing at the place known as Farwell's Hill. This was the commencement of the set- tlement of Bridgewater. Ezra Parker came later in the same year. In March, 1789, Farwell, in company with Ephraim Waldo and Nathan Waldo, removed their families from Mansfield, Conn., to Farwell's Hill. They came by the way of Albany, up the valley of the Mohawk to Whitesboro, and
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from thence by the way of Paris Hill to Bridgewater. From Paris Hill they were obliged to make their road as they progressed. following a line of marked trees. Their team consisted of two yoke of oxen and a horse, and the vehicle an ox sled. They arrived on the 4th of March. The snow at this time was about one and a half feet deep, but soon increased to the depth of four fect. They had two cows, which, with the oxen and horse, subsisted until the snow left upon browse alone. Upon their arrival, they erected a shanty in the most primeval style. Four crotches set in the ground, with a roof of split basswood. overlaid with hemlock boughs, with siding composed of coverlets and blankets. formed the first dwelling house ever erected in the town of Bridgewater. The three families continued in this miserable apology for a house until midsummer, when two of them, having more comfortable dwellings provided, removed to them, while the other remained for a year. Farwell's house was of logs, built upon the hill where he commenced the previous season. About three years afterwards, he erected the first framed house in town.
Ezra Parker removed with his family into the north part of Bridgewater in 1789, and built a log house, which soon afterwards he opened as a " house of entertainment." The same year, a Mr. Lyman settled upon the present location of Parkhurst's tavern. Three or four years subsequently he erected the second framed honse in town. and this is the house in which the tavern is now kept by Parkhurst. All the families in town in that year have been named. The first two years, the settlers were obliged to go to Whitestown to mill, a distance of twenty miles. as their circuitous path by marked trees then ran. In 1790, two men of the name of Hubbard settled in the west part of the town. This year Maj. Farwell constructed a saw mill upon the west branch of
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the Unadilla River, and which stood about three-fourths of a mile below the junction of the West Branch and the Tiana- dara Creek. This is propably the same name given above as Tianaderha, slightly changed. In 1791, Jesse Ives, Joel Ives. and Abner Ives, settled upon the hill known as Ives' Hill. where Jesse Ives yet resides.
In 1792, Ephraim Waldo built a store and a blacksmith's shop upon Farwell's Hill, and.these were the first in town. This year, Mr. Thomas built the first grist mill in town, upon the same stream and a short distance below Farwell's saw mill.
Soon after the settlement of the town, a son of Ephraim Waldo, eight years of age, while in the woods, discovered a small young bear by the side of a log, asleep. The little boy, intent upon securing the animal, noiselessly retreated until he found a small elm, from which, with his Barlow knife, he succeeded in peeling a piece of bark suitable for his purpose. Having fixed a noose in the end of his lasso, and creeping to the opposite side of the log, he had the good for- tune to slip the noose over little Bruin's head, at the same time making sure of his prize by tightening the cord so that it could not utter a cry. He was too much of a back-woods- man not to know that the dam, in such cases, is always within hailing distance of her young. Then came the "tug of war," in the process of dragging the animal towards. home. and which manifested the strongest evidence of its not having been previously broken to the halter. The old bear, soon missing her cub, followed upon the trail a con- siderable distance, until she came to the highway, where .. fortunately for the boy, she was discovered and shot by Jesse Waldo. The boy, now free from danger, kept on his way home, where he arrived in safety with his trophy of success in bear hunting
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Bridgewater is the smallest town in the county. It is about four and a half miles in width from north to south, and five and a half in length from east to west. According to the last census, it was the smallest in population, contain- ing at that time 1,358 inhabitants.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Presbyterian Society in this town was constituted March 8, 1798, with thirteen members. In 1805, they erected a house of worship, in which they continued to meet until 1834. The Church was then divided, and a new house of worship built at Bridgewater Corners, in the south part of the town. The other portion of the body formed the Class- ville Church, and erected a meeting house at that place. Neither church has now a pastor. The following persons have been pastors of the Bridgewater Church, viz .:- Rev. John Southworth, Rev. A. Miller, Rev. C. Matchin, and Rev. Edward Allen. Mr. E. Allen was dismissed in the spring of 1846, went to Wisconsin, where he soon afterwards died. Since Mr. Allen left, the church has had no settled pastor. The present number of members is 112.
The Friends formerly had a considerable society in Bridge- water, and built a good and commodious house of worship. The society has become so scattered, that they do not now maintain worship, and their meeting house is fast going to decay.
The Baptist Church of Bridgewater was constituted July 12, 1826, with sixteen members. They settled the Rev. Amasa Smith as pastor, who labored with them about nine
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years. The church was, prosperous during his ministry, and increased to sixty members. The second pastor was the Rev. Jonathan P. Simmons, who commenced his labors in April, 1835. He was a successful preacher. for during the first year of his ministry, the church was increased to 114 members. Mr. Simmons was succeeded by the Rev. Jason Corwin, and he by the Rev. Daniel Dye, who was followed by the Rev. P. W. Mills, and he by the Rev. D. W. Smith. Rev. Mr. Smith is still connected with the church, but not as pastor, he having assumed the charge of the Female Seminary. Since the pastorate of Mr. Simmons, the church has experienced prosperity and adversity. its numbers having varied from 60 to 120. This body is well united at this time. Present number, 98. Their house of worship was erected in 1826, upon the hill a short distance west of the village. In 1840, it was removed to near the centre of the village, when it was repaired and much improved, and is now a very convenient house of worship.
The Universalists erected a respectable house of worship a little south of the village in 1834. Their first preacher was the Rev. L. D. Smith. Messrs. Grosh, Brown, and Woolly, have since preached to this society. At present they have no regular preacher. They number about forty members.
An Academy was established at the village of Bridge- water in the year 1826, and continued to flourish for about ten years, but was discontinued in 1839. A large and commodious building had been erected at a cost of $2,500 for the use of this school, and furnished with a good chemical and philosophical apparatus and library. For the first ten years of its existence, it averaged one hundred
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pupils, and maintained a high character for its efficiency in instruction. Its decline, and final extinetion, was most un- fortunate for the interests of education in that portion of the county.
Another school was instituted in December. 1847, by the name of the "Bridgewater Seminary," which in May, 1819. was altered to that of "Bridgewater Female Seminary," and is now conducted for the education of females. This school is very prosperous, with about ninety young ladies in attendance. Many attend, from its high reputation, the department of music. In this branch of education it has few equals. This school is under the supervision of the Rev. D. W. Smith, and its flourishing state is ample evidence of his fitness for the duties he has assumed ..
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CHAPTER VIII
CAMDEN
The town of Camden is composed of the seventh and one half of the eighth townships of Scriba's Patent. It was taken from the town of Mexico, and organized in 1799. The first town meeting was held at the house of Samuel Royce, Esq., at which John W. Bloomfield was chosen Supervisor, and Samuel Royce Town Clerk.
Every person who visits Camden village notices the beau- tiful cottage at the head of the main street. This cottage occupies the site of the log house at which the first town meeting in Camden was holden.
In this town there is considerable variety in soil, and the country is quite varied. The soil of the shores of Mad River is a sandy loam, with a preponderance of sand ; yet it is very fertile. The road leading from McConnellsville. in Vienna, to Camden village, is quite level, and few farm, in the county are more productive than a number through which this road passes. In the west part of the town is a section known as Hillsboro, which. is hilly, and its soil is more gravelly and stony, and is better adapted to grazing than grain.
Several quarries of good building stone are found on Mad River, particularly in Camden village, near Curtis' Mills
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FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
Judge Henry Williams was the first permanent settler of this town. Jesse Curtiss, father of Jesse Curtiss, Esq., of Clinton, came to the town and erected a saw mill previously to the arrival of Judge Williams, but his family did not arrive until afterwards. The frame of this saw mill was raised by eight persons, viz .:- Maj. Jesse Curtiss, and his son Elisha, Samuel Royce, Esq., Aaron Matthews, Esq., and his two sons Aaron and Lyman, and son-in-law Church, and daughter Rosetta. Some are of the opinion that three or four other families came into the town about the same time Judge Williams arrived, but all of them, with the exception of the latter, returned to the older settlements to remain the first winter. This leaves the Judge the first permanent settler. The first settlers were Henry Williams, Levi Mat- thews, Daniel Parke, Seth Dunbar, Joel Dunbar. Aaron Matthews, Thomas Comstock, Jesse Curtiss, Elihu Curtiss (father of Gen. Lyman Curtiss), Samuel Royce, Noah Tut- tle, Andrew Tuttle, Benjamin Barnes, Benjamin Barnes, Jun., Philip Barnes, Israel Stoddard, and Mr. Carrier. Judge Israel Stoddard came to Camden in 1798, and pur- chased a farm, upon which was a small house, and he again arrived with his family about the middle of May, 1799. Upon his arrival at his house, he found that a funeral was being attended within it. A Mrs. Bacon, with her infant child, and another woman, whose name was not ascertained by the writer, were crossing Mad River in a canoe, and when near the middle of the stream, the canoe was acciden- tally overturned, and the three left to the mercy of the rapid current. Mr. Carrier, who was near by, plunged in and rescued the woman, but Mrs. Bacon and child were
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drowned. It was the funeral of the mother and child which the Judge found when he and his family arrived at their new home. These were the first deaths in the town.
Camden village, a very handsome, thriving place, is located upon the east side of Mad River, and contains about five hundred inhabitants. The village contains two common school districts, with about 125 children each. An unincor- porated Academy occupies the lower story of the town hall. and has usually from fifty to sixty students in attendance. The common schools in town and village are generally well attended, and flourishing. There are fifteen districts, and parts of districts, in the town.
In the village there are a good flouring mill and two saw mills, four shingle machines, two tanneries, six stores, one grocery, six blacksmiths' shops, a woolen factory, employing from ten to twelve persons, and two iron foundries, connected with machine shops and plow factories, in which are mann- factured all kinds of mill irons, and various patterns of plows, three taverns, and four churches.
In West Camden there are a store and a tavern. There are twenty-two saw mills in the town.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The First Congregational Church in Camden was organ- ized in Paris, in this county, on the 19th of February, 1798. by the Rev. Eliphalet Steele, then the pastor of the Con- gregational Church of Paris Hill. It consisted of eight members. four males and four females, who were dismissed from Mr. Steele's church, viz .: - Benjamin Barnes and Jemima his wife, Noah Tuttle and Thankful his wife. Philip Barnes and Laura his wife, Ruth Barnes, wife of
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