USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 30
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ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY.
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During the same year, Phineas Owen and the father of Nathan Gurney settled on lot No. 40. In April and May of this year, Sylvanus Dyer, Asahel Bellows, Nathaniel Ford, Henry Knowlton, Jonathan Stratton, and a Mr. Clark, settled in the town. These were all the families in the town in 1792. Nathaniel Ford assisted in surveying this township in 1789, and moved on to the lot selected at that time. Of the actual settlers, he was the first man that came into the town. He is yet living upon his original farm.
A very heavy frost early in the fall of 1792, which entirely destroyed the corn erop, put an end to emigration until 1794. Even those already in the town made up their minds to remove, if the ensuing season should prove as unfavorable and disas- trous. In the month of May in this year, a serious accident happened to Mr. Clark, who had taken up the lot lately owned by Oliver Robbins, deceased. It was a misfortune incident to the settlement of a new country, where a heavy forest has to be made to give way to agriculture. He had his leg badly broken and erushed by a falling tree ; this happened on Saturday afternoon. He was immediately taken to the house of Mr. Hale, which had but just been erected, and made as comfortable, for the time being, as circumstances would permit. As a surgeon was necessary, Mr. Hale started in quest of one, and rode the only horse in town, and that had but recently arrived on Mr. Clark's farm. He started by the light of a torch, which he carried, and his only guide as to the proper course, was the moss on the north sides of the trees. Early in the morning he arrived at Whitestown, but finding no physician there who dare perform amputa- tion, he procceded to old Fort Schuyler, where he found Dr Guiteau, who returned with him. This is supposed to have been Dr. Francis Guiteau, brother of the late Dr. Luther Guiteau, Senior, of Trenton. After examination, he did not
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wish to operate without the counsel and assistance of an older practitioner. Dr. Petrie, of Herkimer, was therefore sent for, and upon his arrival, on Tuesday, the two, with the assistance of Dr Elmer, of Paris, amputated the limb.
In the month of July in this year, Mrs. Zerah Phelps became the mother of a daughter, which was the first child born in the town. What formed a somewhat peculiar co- incidence was, that Mr. Phelps, being so fond of border life. afterwards left this place, and was one of the pioneers of the town of Batavia, Genesee County; another daughter, born there, was the first child born in that town. If Mrs. Phelps had happened to have lived under a like dispensation with the spouse of the Patriarch Abraham, perhaps we might yet hear that she was the mother of the first born of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Mr. Phelps was also a member of the first grand jury ever impanelled west of Genesee river.
In the month of April, 1792, the town of Paris was organ- ized, and township No. 20 was included within its boun- daries ..
The year 1792 did not pass without its false alarms from the Indians. They were frequently seen, and sometimes in considerable numbers, while on their hunting and fishing expeditions from Oneida to the Unadilla. They had a well trodden trail, called the Oneida Path, which entered the town about two and a half miles east of its north-west cor- ner, and left it but a few rods west of its south-east corner. Mr. Phelps built his first house but a few rods from this path. Col. Willett, when the conveyance was made to Mr. Ford, remarked that he would give a warranty against every thing but Indians; those the purchaser must take care of himself. As yet, however, they had given the set- tlers no cause for fear, still prudence dictated them to carefully cultivate their friendship.
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One afternoon in the early part of October, all the men in the town, eight in number, were collected together, con- structing a bridge over the Oriskany Creek, near where Bacon and Goodwin's woolen factory now stands. While thus engaged, they heard the hum of many voices, and a scout who was dispatched, soon reported that about 150 Indians, of all sizes, were passing on their path to the Unadilla, about 200 rods from where the men were. Mr Hale, knowing that if nothing worse happened, his wife would be sadly frightened, started for his home, but did not arrive as soon as the Indians. Mrs. Phelps, who had just finished baking when she saw the Indians, left all but her infant, and ran to Mr. Hale's, and on her arrival, Mrs. Hale, who was equally frightened, proposed to run to the men. Mrs. Phelps, however, objected to this, on account of her being burthened with her infant, and at that moment they saw through the window a single Indian approaching the house. Mrs. Hale concluded that the two could conquer him, and if not, they would meet the worst as they best could. The Indian, who from his appearance she supposed to be the son of a chief, addressed her in the Indian dialect, which of course was not understood. Mrs. Hale, in haste to see the end of the matter, pale and frightened as she was, assumed an air of unconcern, and said, "If you want any thing, use plain language, and say what it is ; if I have it you shall have it." He immediately responded, " Bread," and was almost as soon supplied with all she had. The Indian took out of his belt of wampum a silver brooch, of the value perhaps of a shilling, and offered to pay for the bread, but this was refused, and he was told it was given him. He left with a smile upon his face, and was soon with his comrades, who were in full possession of Mrs. Phelps' house, and a shout of laughter, which made many broad
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acres of the forest ring, announced his arrival. Mrs. Hale said she presumed the merriment was caused by his descrip- tion to the Indians of the ridiculous figure she made when, pale and trembling with fear, she assumed so bold an air while addressing him. Mrs. Phelps, to her astonishment, upon returning to her house, found her own bread untouched, and every thing precisely as she left it, as if no one had been there.
On the 20th of January, 1793, Seneca Hale, son of Mr. and Mrs. Minierva Hale, was born, being the first male born in town.
Oa the 9th of February of this year, and about three weeks less than a year from the first settlement by Zerah Phelps, Col. David Norton and family moved into the town. From a diary, yet in the possession of the family, of his journey from Arlington, Bennington County, Vermont, to view the western country, the author was permitted to make the following extracts :-
" May 28th, 1792 .- Set out from Arlington to view the western country.
" June 1st. - Rode to Whitestown, thirteen miles from German Flats, to James Ferguson's, from thence to Col. Sanger's, four miles, from thence to Samuel Ferguson's, two miles. Whitestown is mostly level, the soil rich, but poorly watered. The timber is maple, beech, elm, bass, hemlock, and butternut.
Monday, June 4th. - Went to Clinton, and thence through the Indian lands, the soil of which is excellent, the ground being covered with nettles, and other herbage, four miles ; from thence to the twentieth township, which is thirteen miles from Col. Sanger's, by way of Clinton, and lodged at Stratton's.
" Thursday, June 7th .- A rainy day, viewed in other
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parts of the town. Land rich, hilly, and well watered Lodged at Dyer's.
" Friday, June 8th. - Went to view lots No. 41, 38, and 27. Level, timber mostly maple, with some bass, elm. beech. butternut, cherry, and two cedar swamps, with pine and hemlock ; a branch of the Arisca [Oriskany] running through 38, and a small pond on 27. Lodged at Stratton's.
" Saturday, June 9th .- Returned to Col. Sanger's by Col. Tuttle's [Paris Hill], and bought of Col. Sanger lots Nos. 38 and 27, and tarried at Samuel Ferguson's."
The diary from which the foregoing is copied, although much discolored and worn, is very neatly written, as were all the writings of David Norton. For the first ten years of his residence, he was emphatically the first man in town He was the first Justice of the Peace, the first Supervisor. the first Captain in the Militia, the first Colonel, and the first Postmaster after the post office was removed to the Centre. In all the early enterprises of the town, religious. civil, political, and social, Col. Norton's name is almost uniformly foremost. All the first writings, deeds, contracts. school bills, and papers of the various kinds connected with the formation of all sorts of associations, are by his hand. The correspondence between the Baptist Society and other denominations, was usually done by him. He was very methodical and particular in his business transactions, and was strictly honest in his dealings, and through life a devoted Christian.
The first marriage in town was that of Sylvanus Dyer and Hannah Norton, the Colonel's eldest daughter. They were married October 30, 1793, and Esquire Tuttle officiated in the ceremony. The bride (now Mrs. Dyer) is yet living in the town of Marshall, and says "it was the first knot of the kind the Esquire ever tied." Every person in town was
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invited to the wedding, and Mrs. Dyer believes there was not one who failed to be present.
The season of 1793 was as extremely favorable, as the preceding one had been unfavorable. Corn, and all other kinds of grain and vegetation, matured and ripened in the greatest perfection. This caused a brighter era to dawn upon the town, and emigrants by seores greeted the eyes of the pioneers. In the spring and summer of 1794, about forty families moved into the town. Among these were Daniel Brown, Saul Smith, Thomas King, Daniel King. Solomon Williams, Samuel Williams, Justus Hale. Eben ezer Hale, and Benjamin Dewey. Ebenezer Hale was the father of the late John W. Hale, of Clinton, who represented the county in the Assembly of 1836, and of Mrs. George Bristol, of the same place. Of these, only two are now living, Solomon and Samuel Williams, who yet reside on the farms they originally purchased and cleared. Mr. Dewey settled on a lot purchased of Col. Sanger. It is said he was the creditor of a person, for whom, by an arrange- ment, the Colonel was to pay the debt in land. The Colonel accompanied Mr. Dewey, to point out to him his land, and took him first to No. 44, then a very repulsive, gloomy lot. but now quite productive. After viewing it to his satisfac- tion, Dewey felt indignant, and considered it an insult that the Colonel should seek to pay an honest debt with such a tan- gled, solitary waste, and turning to the Colonel, he impatiently exclaimed, "Well, Colonel, if you have got any more land just show it, for I'll not take this bear's hole, any way."
Mr. Zerah Phelps built the first framed house in town, and Ebenezer Hale the second. At this time no bricks were to be had for ovens, and as it is a proverb that the first settlers of a country hold all their goods and chattels in common, Mrs. Minierva Hale's bake-kettle was in great
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demand, and as it was the only one in the settlement, it was for most of the time in requisition, with hardly time to cool. Mrs. Ebenezer Hale, now residing in Clinton, says that she baked in it the flour and meal of forty-two bushels of grain, and mostly by the fire of burning log-heaps in the clearings near the house. This, by two bushels, beats Mrs. Samuel Royce, one of the first settlers in Camden. The first summer she lived in that town, she baked eight barrels of flour in her bake-kettle. In the fall, Mr. Hale procured brick, and constructed an oven, when his wife in turn dis- pensed its benefits to the neighborhood.
The first store in the town was this year opened, by Messrs. Justus and Ebenezer Hale, in their dwelling house, where they also kept accommodations, for the benefit of way- farers. This summer, Polly Dyer taught a school in Col. Norton's house, which was the first kept in town. In this summer occurred the first death, which was that of Sibyl Knowlton, daughter of Henry Knowlton. Her mother also died about a month afterwards. They were buried near the residence of Nathaniel Ford, where their remains, in com- pany with some others, await the last sunnnons.
By an act of the Legislature, passed March 5, 1795, the township was erected into a town, by the name of Sanger- field, and was so named in honor of Col. Jedediah Sanger. of New Hartford. In consideration of its being thus named, Col. Sanger agreed to present a cask of rum at the first town meeting, and fifty acres of land to the church of any religious denomination which should build the first house for publie worship.
Many of the first settlers had selected New Lisbon as the name for their new town, and their disappointment and chagrin were manifested by giving that name to the Congre- gational Society, which was formed soon afterwards, and thus
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they made the society with the rejected name the recipient of Col. Sanger's bounty. It does not appear that the Colonel was at all chargeable with the "unfair means" which were attributed by those displeased with the name, to those who had been instrumental in procuring it. His promise was honorably fulfilled, by furnishing a cask of choice rum for the first town meeting, and by conveying twenty five acres of land to the Congregational Society, and twenty-five acres to the Baptists, the former being the first religious society, and the latter erecting the first church edifice. The two twenty-five acre lots were parts of lot No. 45.
By the act organizing the town, it was provided that the first town meeting should be held at the house of Zerah Phelps. This house was on the farm now owned by Warren Kellogg, eighty rods east of his present dwelling. Agree- ably to the law, the electors of the town met, on the 7th day of April, 1795, at the house of Mr. Phelps, when, as the record informs us, "After the meeting was opened they voted to adjourn to the barn," so that in fact this first town meeting was held in Mr. Phelps' barn. At this meeting, Daniel Brown and Levi Carpenter, Esq., officiated as clerks pro tem.
David Norton was elected Supervisor, and Thomas Brown, Esq., Town Clerk.
Soon after the town was organized, and probably in 1796, a post office was established at Waterville, and Amos Muzzy appointed Postmaster. He was succeeded by Col. John Williams. In 1808, the office was removed to the Centre, and Col. Norton appointed the successor of Col. Williams. Col. Norton held this office until the time of his death. He died universally lamented, in 1829. After Col. Norton's death, his son-in-law, Daniel North, succeeded him as Post- master, which office he has held, through all the different administrations, mem. con., until the present time.
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In 1796, the number of taxable inhabitants in what is now Sangerfield, was eighty-five. Total amount of real and personal property assessed 84,475, and the tax upon it. in- cluding collector's fees (85 35), was $108 56. Benjamin White was the highest on the list, his tax being $5,04.
In the month of September, 1795, Dr. Stephen Preston became a resident of this town. He was the first regular physician within its limits, and for more than thirty years enjoyed an extensive practice in his profession. He used to say that when he first came into this section, the enquiry was, " Where can I obtain a doctor?" but after a few years it was. "What doctor shall I employ?" The Doctor was somewhat eccentric, but notwithstanding, a man of sterling good sense and judgment. IIe held the office of Justice of the Peace for many years.
On the 24th of March, 1797, the town of Bridgewater was erected from the east part of this town, the boundary be- tween them being the third quarter line of the township.
By an act passed March 15, 1798, the County of Chen- ango was formed from the Counties of Herkimer and Tioga. and the town of Sangerfield was included in the new county.
On the 4th of April, 1804. an act was passed taking the town of Sangerfield from Chenango County, and annexing it Oneida County ; and here the fact is accounted for, that in the census returns of 1800, Sangerfield is not found among the towns of Oneida County.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
On the 5th day of January of this year, the first step was taken to procure the services of a clergyman, by circulating a subscription paper to pay for preaching. On the 14th of
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the same month, a meeting was held to appoint a committee to earry into effect the wishes of the settlers. David Norton was chairman, and Nathan Gurney elerk. The members of the committee were Nathaniel Ford, Ebenezer Tenney, and Justus Hale. The last vote passed was as follows: -- "Voted that the above committeemen shall hire a minister four Sundays on probation." This was the first organized effort to secure preaching, and was the germ of the First Congregational Society.
Between January, 1795, and March, 1797, religious ser- vices were usually held on Sunday, and occasional preaching by the Rev. Mr. Steele, Rev. Aaron Bogue, Rev. Mr. Minor, Rev. Mr. Mozier, and the Rev. Mr. Crane.
The regular stated meetings were held as follows :- two successive Lord's-days at Col. Norton's at the Centre, and alternately one quarter of the time at the house of Giles Mix, at the east end of the settlement; and the remaining quarter at the house of Ebenezer Tenny, at the west part of the town. Col. Norton read sermons one half the time, Col. Dyer one quarter, and Ebenezer Tenny one quarter.
The First Congregational Society was probably formed the latter part of 1795, or the fore part of 1796; the preeise time can not now be ascertained. There is a subscription paper yet in being, dated September 8, 1796, made payable to the "Trustees of the Society of Lisbon, in Sangerfield." The style of the same society, or corporation, has been variously written, as the "Trustees of Lisbon Society," "Trustees of Lisbon Congregational Society," and "The First Congregational Church of Sangerfield." .
The church was formally organized as an independent body on the 15th day of March, 1797. It then consisted of eighteen members, eleven males and seven females. None of its original members now survive, and but very few of the
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congregation. Nathaniel Ford, who has been mentioned as chairman of the original executive committee, is still living He is a member of the church now, but was not originally.
The first settled pastor over this church was the Rev James Thompson, who was settled in 1800.
The following list comprises the several pastors, with the year they severally commenced and ended their services --
Rev. James Thompson,
from
1800-1806.
Samuel Rich,
CC
1806-1816.
Evans Beardsley,
1816-1823.
John D. Pierce,
1825-1830.
H. J. Lombard,
1831-1832.
F. II. Ayers,
1834-1835
John B. Fish,
1838-1844.
E. S. Barrows,
1836-1837.
Mr. Beecher,
1837-1838.
Mr. Butts; and Rev. Mr. Wilkins, who preaches at the present time.
In 1804 this society erected their house for public wor- ship, on the village green at the Centre. This green is eighteen rods wide and forty long, and was conveyed to the Society for that purpose, the 17th day of October, 1796, by David Norton, Ebenezer Ilale, Justus HIale, and Oliver Norton.
In 1823, about one half the church and congregation seceded, and formed the First Presbyterian Church and Society. In 1824 they removed their church edifice to a lot a short distance northerly on the road to Waterville. In 1846 it was taken down, and the present building erected
The Baptist Church in Waterville was organized in the
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year 1798. Previously to the 14th of April in this year, the few Baptists in town had met and worshipped with the Congregationalists ; but " feeling themselves excluded from the privilege of social worship in that church," they agreed, " by the advice of Eld. Peter P. Roots, to meet at the house of brother White Osborn, on that day, and consult as to what measures were best under the circumstances." Accordingly, on the 14th of April, eight persons met at Mr. Osborn's. which was on Stanton Parks' farm (where Sherman Bartho- lomew now resides), and formed themselves into a society for worship, which they kept up, although perhaps not regularly, until the 19th of December following, when they met at Benjamin White's, in Waterville, and were received into the fellowship of the neighboring associate churches. The first clergyman who preached to them was Eld. Peter P. Roots. The first regular settled minister was Eld. Joel Butler, who commenced his labors carly in 1799. In the year 1800, they erected their first house of public worship, on the "green," as the entire triangular plat was called now in the centre of the village of Waterville. This plat had been gratuitously granted them by Benjamin White for that and other church purposes. This church edifice was taken down in 1833, and the present brick church erected on its site the same year. The " green" is now all enclosed and built over, and is held by leases in perpetuity from the church, at a small annual ground rent.
Elder Butler preached about five years, and after the ex- piration of his term of labor, there was occasional preaching by different clergymen. Eld. Joy Handy preached a short time early in 1806. Eld. Hezekiah Eastman preached oc- casionally for short periods, as the society desired. From 1807 to 1814 it can hardly be said that the church had any existence. There was but occasional preaching, and no
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regular organized system for its support. There are no church records of this period, and the blank can only be filled up with the recollections of those who witnessed its decay and torpor. In June, 1814, the Rev. John Upfold assumed the charge of the church, and by his zeal and energy, restored it to unusual vigor. The following are the names of its pastors from that period to the present :-
Rev. John Upfold,
from 1814-1817.
Joel Clark,
1817-1823.
Daniel Putnam,
1824-1832.
Chancellor Hartshorn,
1833-1837.
Warham Walker,
1838-1841.
David Wright,
1841-1843.
"! John N. Murdock,
1843-1846.
George W. Davis, : 1846-1847.
Mr. Pierce,
1847-1848.
I. W. Hayhurst,
1849.
By the published minutes of the Oneida Baptist Asso- ciation, to which this church belongs, it appears that in September, in the years 1847 and 1848, they had no settled minister, and that there were 107 members belonging to the church. This is a smaller number than they had formerly reported, which the author finds to be the case with most of the churches of the different denominations in the county. Perhaps this may be mostly accounted for in the number of new churches formed.
On the 19th of May, 1823, the First Presbyterian Church in Waterville was organized, by twenty persons, who pre- sented letters of dismission from the Congregational Church in Sangerfield. The Rev. Evans Beardsley became the first
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stated supply of this church, which office he held until April 27, 1824. In the latter year, Rev. Daniel C. Hopkins was installed pastor, and dismissed in 1828. Rev. John R. Adams, was the stated minister, during the following year. At the close of his term of service, Rev. E. S. Barrows, was invited to become the minister, and remained in this capacity until February, 1833. The next pastor of the church was the Rev. Aaron Garrison, who was installed in 1833, and dismissed February, 1836. Rev. Salmon Strong, was then obtained for several months, as stated supply, and October 5th, 1836, Rev. Joseph Myers, was installed pastor, and re- mained in the office until June, 1839. Rev .. John Frost, was next obtained as minister of the church. In March. 1343, he was removed from the field of his labors by death. Rev. Samuel W. Whelpley, was installed pastor in May fol- lowing, and dismissed in June, 1843. Rev. E. S. Barrows was again obtained as a stated supply, and closed his labors in April, 1845. In May of the latter year, Rev. A. D. Gridley was invited to become the minister of this people. and February 22, 1847, he was installed pastor." The above is extracted from the "Manual," recently published by this church. Rev. A. D. Gridley still continues their pastor.
In the summer of 1823, they erected their house for pub- lic worship upon the " green," purchased and prepared for that purpose, at the west end of the village. In 1844, this building was sold to the Methodists, and a-new one erected opposite the Bank, in the central part of the village. The old building is still standing ; but from the inability of the Methodists to retain it, it has fallen into the hands of a pri- rate individual. The ceremony of laying the corner-stone of this edifice took place in June, 1824, and a variety of me- mentos of the time, such as newspapers, American coin, etc.,
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