USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 34
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CAVERN AT TRENTON FALLS .- The following article pro- ving the existence of this cavern, with a description, is copied from the Friend of Man, an anti-slavery newspaper, formerly published in Utica. The exploration was made by several gentlemen, students in the "Oncida Institute " at Whitesboro.
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4
"The entrance of the cavern is to be found at a distance of perhaps a mile and a half from the recess directly upon the creek, on the west side, and about two hundred yards from its bank. It is on a feld owned by Stephen Buffington, and has immediately around it a clump of bushes.
"Before entering we entirely changed our dress, putting on old clothes which we had provided for the occasion, and taking in our hands candles, hammers, matches, ete .- (a preparation which was afterwards found to be essential to safety.) We also left at the mouth some person to build a fire, (a precaution which we would also recommend to others for their comfort on coming out.) It is not convenient for more than three or four persons to enter at a time. Each one should carry a candle or other light, as it greatly facili- tates the progress, and a single one is every moment liable to be extinguished. We were able to enter by stooping slight- ly, but the passage immediately contracts, so that but one person can pass at a time, and that only upon his hands and knees. The way is arched in the rock above, and has in its bottom a fissure of considerable depth, in which flows a stream of pure water. It is nearly horizontal, in a direction towards the creek, and uniform in size, except here and there when it is partially closed by pieces of rock which have fallen from above. At a distance of about ten rods from the mouth, this passage opens into the upper part of a circular room about twelve feet in depth, which from its figure has been called the bottle.
"It presents nothing very remarkable. Ascending from this, the passage is continued forward of the same form, and in the direction as before, for a distance of thirty yards, when it is firmly closed by rocks. Here, however, the fissure in its floor is enlarged in several places. Through one of these openings we found a passage ; and, descending in the posture
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of a chimney sweep, through a space of fifteen feet, we came to the channel of the brook. Following this, we found a straight and narrow route, in form and course like the one above, for forty yards. Through this it is necessary to go on the hands and knees a part of the distance, and occasion- ally to lie flat down and crawl like a serpent, carrying one arm before with the candle, and applying the other closely to the side of the body, and even with this expedient, a person of greater than ordinary size might stick fast in the passage, and be unable to extricate himself without assistance. At length the way became wider, and higher, and its sides began to be covered with an incrustation of carbonate of lime, which being crystaline, presents, by the reflection of the light, a handsome appearance. Soon it expands more, and passes an apartment of considerable dimensions. Here all our toil was awarded. Our eyes were gratified with the sight of stalactites, hanging in numbers from the roof, and running in ridges like little columns along the sides. The whole sur- face of the rock, and the pebbles on the floor, are covered with an incrustation, white in some parts and brown in others, pre- senting an appearance truly beautiful. The stillness which pervades this deep part of the cavern, in connection with the thoughts that we are separated from the living world above by such depth of solid rock, produces a peculiarly solemn impression on the mind, while the reverberation of our voices returning upon our own cars in greatly magnified notes, make a very singular sensation
"Passing still onward, the passage continues for many yards of various dimensions, and, as we crawled along, a pleasant sound as of falling water fell upon our cars ; and indeed we soon entered a cavern larger than either of those we had seen, from the side of which issued a living spring, or a brook, which, like the one we followed, has found the way
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trom the surface of the earth, and here falls from a ravine in a perfect sheet, like a cascade in miniature. This cavern was more beautiful than the former. Its sparry roofs and walls, and its white pebbles, with the water reflecting in its fall the light of our candles, and breaking the profound stillness. which would otherwise prevail, produce an effect altogether pleasant and more easily imagined than described. The rill makes its way through the rock to the creek, but cannot be followed more than twenty feet from this cascade, the way being then closed by large stones. At this point bones were found, indicating it to have been the resort of the beasts of prey. On starting to come out, our first impulse was to make extensive depredations on the encrusted walls and roof, but the recollection of the narrowness of the passage preven- ted, and we contented ourselves with takingone or two pieces of a foot or more in length, which we brought out singly, and filling a bag with smaller pieces, which we rolled along. the paths before us. We arrived safe at the mouth of the cave, having been absent two hours and a half.
" The whole distance we estimated at three hundred feet. The air was pure, and although cold and damp, our constant exercise kept up free circulation, and we sustained no injury except the bruises we received by our heads from the rocks Thus, in addition to the well-known grandeur and beauty of the works of the Author of Nature seen in the vicinity, we have seen another curiosity fully equal to the former, giving to the spot new interest and greater variety. True, it is difficult of access, but those who enter it will be richly paid for their labor-the lovers of adventure, by the novelty of so romantic a journey into the bowels of the earth."
Trenton village (formerly Oldenbarneveld,) is a small but pleasant village, situated, as has been stated, near the
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confluence of the Steuben and Cincinnatus Creeks. There are two stores, two taverns, several mechanics' shops, and abont sixty private dwellings. The family mansion erected by Col. Mappa, is of stone, and is equalled by but very few private dwellings in the county. The district school house is of stone, two stories high, with a town hall in the upper part, and is a respectable, durable structurc. There are three churches, Unitarian, Presbyterian, and Methodist. Capt. John Bil- lings, is the post-master at this place. He received the ap- pointment in the spring of 1805, his commission bearing date the 19th of June, thereafter, and is believed he is now the oldest post-master in the United States. An article pub- lished in the Utica Observer some two or three years since, claimed this honor for Mr. Billings, and was answered by a statement that there then was a post-master at some place in the Mohawk Valley, whose commission was dated in the latter part of President Washington's administration. Since then the obituary of that post-master has been published, and it may now be fairly inferred that Trenton village can claim the "oldest post-master."
South Trenton is situated in the south-east part of the town, in the valley of the Nine Mile creek. A singular circumstance connected with this stream is that in all its course it is nine miles from Utica, uniting with the Mohawk that distance above the city. South Trenton contains about forty dwellings, and two hundred inhabitants. It has a post office, one physician, two taverns, one store, four shoe shops, two carriage shops, two blacksmiths' shops, two paint shops, one tailor, one harness maker, and one saw anill. It has also a flourishing division of the Sons of Tem- perance.
There are three houses for public worship, viz. : a Union house belonging to the Baptists and Presbyterians
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that of the Independent Baptists, and one belonging to the Welsh Baptists.
The district school house stands on an elevation a little north of the village, in which about one hundred pupils are taught, ten months in the year. The school is divided into two departments, in one of which is taught the higher branches of education, usual in academics, by competent teachers, thereby relieving the inhabitants from the necessity of send- ing their sons and daughters abroad to complete their edu- cation. The villagers, by their laudable exertions, liave raised the character of their school so high, that it has been frequently termed " the model school."
The first settlers in this part of the town, were Col. Thomas Hicks, an emigrant from Rhode Island, John Garrett and his two sons, Cheney and Peter, from Branford, Connecticut, and Edward Hughes and Hugh Thomas, from Wales. Che- ney Garrett built the first framed house in the village, which is yet standing on the bank of the Nine Mile creek.
HOLLAND PATENT .- This was a grant of about 20,000 acres, and lies principally within the limits of the town of Trenton. It was granted by the British crown to Henry, Lord Holland, and by him sold to Seth Johnson, Horace Johnson and Andrew Craige. Under their direction it was surveyed and divided into lots of about 100 acres each, in July, 1797, by Moses Wright, a surveyor, then residing in Rome.
At the time the Johnsons came upon the Patent, Noah Simons, who also claimed to be an owner of it, was engaged in making a survey, but soon left, and never came to the Patent afterwards. The heirs of Noah Simons have within the last twenty years been to great trouble and ex- pense in tracing out the title in England, and have to their
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satisfaction found the record of the original conveyanee to their ancestors, and which, if attended to in season, would have secured the tract to the Simons family ; upon further examination, however, they found that the Johnsons and Craige, had so long since sold the whole of their rights to the settlers, that they were barred by the statute of limitations, and have now abandoned all hopes of obtaining what they consider their just due.
Seth Johnson, the senior partner of that firm, was born in Middletown, Connecticut, November 2d, 1767, and died while on a visit to Holland Patent, December 8th, 1802, and was the first person buried in the burial ground he had given for the use of the settlers upon his lands.
A few families moved upon the Patent previously to 1797, having purchased of Simons. The date of the first settlement can not be precisely ascertained. One of the author's infor- mants was of the opinion that Holland Patent was settled a little earlier than Trenton Village. Of the settlers under the title of Simons, Rowland Briggs and Eliphalet Pierce only survive, and who with Eliphalet Cotes, Benjamin White and a few others long since dead, purchased of Simons, and repurchased of the Johnsons and Craige. Soon after the sur- vey, the proprietors (Johnsons and Craige.) wishing to estab- lish an actual and permanent settlement, sold one quarter of the Patent to Bezabel Fisk, Pascal C. I. DeAngelis, Hez- ekiah Hulbert, and Isaac Hubbard, for the location of which these four drew shares, after selecting two lots each. In this way a nucleus was formed, around which gathered a band of hardy pioneers, the descendants of whom to this day bless their memory. They encountered many hardships, and suf- fered from many wants and privations. Bears and wolves were also quite too plenty. One of these pioneers, Eliphalet Cotes, was at the killing of forty-nine bears. It was the uni-
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form custom when they met for public worship, to take with them their guns, and on one occasion, worship was adjourned, that they might repair to the neighboring forest to kill one of the pests of the pig-sty, a bear. Mrs. Kelsey, the wife of an carly settler, having been to Whitestown to dispose of some of her handy-work, on her return became lost in the woods, . and for the want of a more convenient sleeping apartment, spent the night in the top of a tree, she climbed to a sufficient elevation to save herself from being made the supper of some of the wild beasts, which had almost undisturbed possession of that section of country. She did not very highly enjoy the music of her serenaders, although they were adorned with the mustaches and whiskers so necessary to modern musical excellence, yet she comforted herself with the reflection, that if she had been less fortunate in securing a place of safety, she would soon have lost all power to listen to the music, as harsh as it was. Day-light, however, made her persecutors retreat. and she reached home in safety.
The following are obituary notices of the four persons who purchased one fourth of the Holland Patent, and settled upon it in 1797.
Hezekiah Hulburt died while upon a visit to Connecticut, in January, 1800, aged 50 years.
Bezabel Fisk died also in Connecticut, aged 88 years.
Pascal C. I. DeAngelis, died at Holland Patent, in 1839, aged 76 years.
Isaac Hubbard died in. Ashtabula County, Ohio, in 1848, aged 99 years.
The village of Holland Patent is centrally located on the Patent and contains sixty-five dwellings, and about 500 in- habitants. It has a post-office, two stores, one tavern, four
+
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shoe shops, one harness shop, one grist mill, one shingle ma- chine, one cabinet shop and four physicians.
Hobart Hall Academy was incorporated by the legislature in 1839, and Pascal C. I. DeAngelis was the first President.
It occupies a commodious edifice, and is under the direc- tion of fifteen trustees, has a male and a female department, and is under the care of Mr. Arnold Petrie, A. B., as prin- cipal : over 120 students were in attendance the past year, and its future prospects are favorable.
There are five houses for public worship in the village, belonging to the Presbyterians, old and new school Baptists. Episcopalians and Unitarians. Leonard Pierce was the first. child born upon the Patent, and he is now living aged 55 years.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
There are seventeen houses for public worship in the town of Trenton, some of which are very handsome and commodi- ous buildings. This unusually large number of religious societies will prevent the author's giving a very extended history of either, as to do so would fill a considerable volume.
From the first settlement of the town the families of Judge Vander Kemp and Col. Mappa, were constantly in the habit of meeting together for religious services. After some time a school house was erected in which the first settlers used to meet for public worship. The Rev. Mr. Fish, a Presbyterian cler- gyman and a native of New Jersey, was the first preacher who visited the town. The author has not learned the exact time of his arrival, but it must have been within three or four years after the settlement commenced. for he is found
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named as the first pastor of the Presbyterian church at Hol- land Patent, which was formed in 1797. The Presbyterian church at Trenton village, was organized at an early period. Previously to 1822, the Rev. Dr. Harrower preached alter- nately at the village and Holland Patent. This church is now in connection with the Presbyterian church in South Trenton, and its services are held alternately at the village and in the union house at the latter place.
The Rev. John Sherman, an Unitarian minister, came to the town of Trenton in or about the year 1805, and with his family removed to Trenton Falls in 1806. He was accep- table to the people, and here became pastor of the first church of that denomination in the State of New York, and their house of worship was erected in this town in 1814. At its organization this church numbered fourteen members. After Mr. Sherman's resignation, which was soon after the erection of their house, the Rev. Isaac B. Pierce, from Rhode Island, was settled over this church, and preached twenty-five years, to the entire satisfaction of the congregation. In 1840, the Rev. Edgar Buckingham, from Massachusetts, assumed the pastoral office for this church, which relation he still sus- tains, officiating a part of the time at Holland Patent. Mr. Sherman established an academy at the village, which he sustained several years. He died at the Falls, August 2d, 1828, aged 57. He was a grand-son of Roger Sherman, the signer of the declaration of independence, and was a man of superior education and talents.
The Presbyterian church, as has been stated, was formed at Holland Patent in 1797, and Mr. Fish was its first pastor. The former records of this church are lost, so that little is known of its early history. In 1812, a Congregational church was formed at the Patent, by the Rev. Elijah Norton, to which he preached as " stated supply " a short time, and was suc-
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ceeded by the Rev. Dr. Harrower, who preached for both Presbyterians and Congregationalists, who met together for worship at that place and at Trenton village. On the 2d of January, 1821, near the close of the labors of Dr. Harrower, in this place, the two churches united, and assumed the name of "the church of Christ in Holland Patent." This union has resulted in continued prosperity, in increasing the efficiency of the church and the number of members. In 1822, the Rev. William Goodell, was regularly installed its pastor. In 1829, Mr. Goodell was succeeded in the pastoral office by the Rev. Stephen W. Burrill, who was duly installed. The present pastor, the Rev. James W. Phillips, was installed by the pres- bytery of Utica, the 12th of February, 1850. The records show 133 communicants.
First Baptist Church .- This church is located at Holland Patent, and was constituted March 26th, 1812, with sixteen members, seven males and nine females. Elder Joel Butler, who was the first pastor of the Sangerfield church, was also the first minister in this church. He was a successful preach- er and many were added to its numbers. In 1813. the church and society erected a small but comfortable house of worship. The successive pastors of this church have been as follows :
Elder Joel Butler, from 1812 to 1819.
Norman Guitcau,-
1819 " 1820.
Simon Jacobs & J. Stevens, 1820 " 1821.
.: Griffith Jones, - 1822
" 1825.
Dyer D. Ransom,
1825
1827.
Robert Z. Williams, 1827 " 1834.
:: Nathaniel Wattles, 1834 " 1837.
Thomas Roberts. 1937 # 1841.
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In 1840, the church had increased to over one hundred members, and their house had become too small for the con- gregation worshipping in it. A new house of stone was built this year, at a cost of $3000.
In 1841, Elder John Dill was called to the office of pastor. In 1842, an unhappy division took place, and about thirty- five members retired. In 1843, during a protracted meeting their almost new house of worship was burned, but which has since been rebuilt. In 1847 and 1848, the Rev. Leland J. Huntley was pastor, and in 1849, Rev. Thomas Owens. The minutes of the Oneida Baptist Association, show that the church consisted of ninety members in September, 1850.
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church .- On the 25th of April. 1821, the Rev. Henry Moore Shaw, James Wetmore, and others, took the preliminary steps to incorporate this church at Holland Patent, and the records show that it was fully or- ganized on the 21st of June, of the same year. Rev. Henry Moore Shaw was chosen rector; James Wetmore and Abra- ham Diefendorf, wardens ; and Aaron Savage, Seth Wells, Robert MeArthur, Samuel Cande, Bryant Youngs, John P. Warner, Samuel White and Aaron White, vestrymen. The -society has now a good church edifice and parsonage.
There are also at Holland Patent, a Welsh Baptist and a "Welsh Congregational church, and also a society of Univer- salists, who hold meetings once in four weeks.
There is a Baptist church, which meets a part of the time at Trenton, called the " North Deerfield and South Trenton" church. The portion of the church residing here, united with the branch of the Presbyterian church of Trenton vil- lage, in erecting a union house for publie worship. In 1843, and 4, Elders A. F. Rockwell and S. S. Hayward; in 1845.
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Elder Nelson Ferguson ; in 1847-8-2, Elder William A. Wells ; and in 1850, Elder Albert Cole, were pastors of this church. It meets a portion of the time at North Gage, in Deerfield. In 1850, it reported fifty-four members.
There is also at South Trenton an independent Baptist church, which has recently created a house of worship.
There is also at this place a Welsh Baptist Church, of forty members. They have a house of worship, in which they have preaching in the Welsh language, regularly every Lord's-day.
At Trenton Falls is a small Baptist church, which was form- ed at the village about the year 1833, of thirty-nine mem- bers. They have a house of worship which was erected in 1838, and in which the Rev. Philander Persons preaches at present, one half the time. Elders A. F. Rockwell, John Stevens, Jesse Jones, R. Z. Williams, Van Rensselaer Waters, James Mallory and - Salmon have, at different periods, preached to this church.
There is also a a small church at Prospect, in the town of Trenton, consisting of twenty members, in which the Rev Robert Littler at present labors one-fourth part of the time.
BIOGRAPHIY.
Doctor LUTHER GUITEAU was born at Lanesboro', Massa- chusetts, in the year 1778. Not a little remarkable in the history of his family, was their connection with the medical profession. For many generations it is well ascertained, that they had in succession, furnished one at least, who did credit to himself and honor to the science. There seemed to be a peculiar adaptation. It is said of the Swiss that their moun-
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tains become them, and they become their mountains. With no less truth it may be said of the Guiteau family, the med- ical profession becomes it, and it becomes the profession.
In his youth and early manhood the subject of this notice, exhibited a more than ordinary degree of talent, as evidenced by his being frequently selected to address public assemblies, on occasions of festivity and joy. His youth was also char- acterized by great gentleness and amiability of character ; qualities that adorned and beautified his after life.
The residence of his brother, Doct. Francis Guiteau, in Utica, a name eminent in the early history of that city, soon attracted the attention of young Luther to this section of country. At about the age of sixteen he came to Clinton, in this county, which then afforded good opportunities for study, where he remained one or two years. Unfortunately we have no information as to his success as a student, but judging from his aptitude, his thirst for knowledge, and his acquire- ments afterwards exhibited, guides that will hardly permit of an erroneous conclusion, he must have ranked high. He seems to have had a strong inclination (constitutional per- haps), to the study of medicine. At an early period his in- quisitive mind was active in the acquirement of medical knowledge. This is shown by a dissertation on " Typhus Fever," read before the Oneida County Medical Society in after life, in which he quotes his experience in the treatment of that disease, as early as the year 1793, when about fifteen years of age.
His professional studies were pursued under Doctor Buel, of Sheffield, (Mass.,) and immediately on completing them he removed to Trenton, then Oldenbarneveld, in the year 1802. Here he commenced, and continued in the practice of his pro- fession the remainder of his life, a period of about forty-eight years. He died February 12th, 1850. His death although
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not unexpected, caused an unusual sensation of grief through- out the extensive circle of his acquaintance and practice.
Of his estimation as a physician and a man, it is almost superfluous to speak. His well-carned reputation is both history and eulogy, while the respect and love with which he was regarded by the entire community, and the "sympathet- ic tear " at his loss, unerringly proclaim the wide spread pub- lic estimation of his character.
He was for many years President of the Oneida County Medical Society, and frequently gave them dissertations on the important subjects of the profession.
Although he held decided political opinions, yet he never sought political preferment. The love of his profession was too engrossing. He however accepted from his fellow citi- zens a seat in the Legislature, in the year 1819, but he was afterwards frequently heard to say that political considera- tions would never again induce him to relinquish his prae- tice.
In medicine and politics Doct. Guiteau was conservative, but not to the extent of distrusting the future, or sighing for the past. He predicted for his country a glory unknown in the annals of the world, and fondly cherished the time when the science of medicine would be freed from conjecture and superstition. It was innovation as innovation, that he dis- trusted, and the ignorance and superstition that impeded the progress of truth, that he viewed with feelings akin to horror and disgust. The following grotesque description of a pre- tender, occurs in an address of his to the students of the Fair- field Medical College. " And shun as the bane of your pro- fession, any approximation to that senseless, brainless, cold- blooded, semi-vital being, denominated a quack."
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