USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 36
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above Fort Schuyler, which, he says, was erected to guard the passage across the river.
The author has not dug up these two references to the ground and soil upon which Utica stands, because he thinks they foreshadowed or were prophetic of the beautiful and thriving city now spread ont upon them, but, may be, to gratify that innate propensity for tracing ourselves and our things back to their origin, or, may be, from a desire to record something old enough to possess a little of the mist and won- der-fog of history, or, may be, because they possess some his- toric worth as facts, or, for all these reasons put together. He is too conversant with the sentiment of the country, to- gether with what his eyes have seen, not to know that Utica is indebted for what she is to the energy and perseverance of the last and present generations of her citizens, and not to any natural advantages of location, or power for driving ma- chinery, or richness of soil, nor to any thing which men long since gone from the earth and forgotten, ever did, or design- ed for her.
. The " Itinerary " of the spy gave a minute description of every fortification, fortified dwelling and other object of in- terest to an invading force, between Oswego and the Hudson, and upon both sides of the Mohawk, and from which it seems there was no fortification upon the site of Utica, in 1757, as none is mentioned. Leaving Fort Williams and taking the path on the north side of the Mohawk, he says, " is estimated to be twelve leagues.77
** " This path leads over hills and small mountains, and can be travelled only afoot or on horseback. Eight leagues must be traversed by this path before reaching the forks of the high road that comes from the other side or right bank of the river."
The name of the site of Utica in the Oneida tongue is Ya-nun-da-da-sis, i. e. around the hill. The a's in the syl-
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lable Ya and first da have the ordinary long sound, the a in the second da has the sound as in father, and the syllable is fully accented, but there are, as in case of most Indian names, a variety of pronunciations of the word, even by natives of Oneida. The author took the opportunity of their presence at the Mechanics' Fair in Feb. 1851, to ask the Oneida chief, Beech Tree and two other younger Indians, to give the pro- nunciations of this name. Each of them pronounced it very many times, both before and after consulting among them- selves as to the manner of doing it, and the author wrote it then, U-nun-da-da-ges. The first syllable scemed a mere deep aspiration and was caught by the car with much difficul- ty-the second, third and fourth syllables were pronounced as above, and the last like ges or jes or zis or j soft or 2. In the first instance above, the author has followed Mr. Morgan in his " League of the Iroquois." As given by him the name in the Seneca dialect is Nun-da-da-sis, in the Cayuga De-o- nun-da-da-sis, in Onondaga None-da-da-sis, in Mohawk Ya- ya-none-da-ses, and in the Tuscarora, Ya-nun-na-rats. Af- ter Fort Schuyler was in ruins, the place was called Twa-dalı- ah-lo-dalı-que, i. e. ruins of old fort. The author being in doubt as to his orthography of the word, asked one of the na- tives above mentioned to write it, who wrote as follows : Tuu- len-hen-ro-ta-que ! saying however that the author's pronun- ciation as above was correct.
The close of 1758, Fort Schuyler was erected upon the south bank of the Mohawk, and named in honor of Colonel Peter Schuyler, an uncle of Gen. Philip Schuyler of the Rev- olution. Lord Chatham having taken a place in the minis- try of Geo. II., a new spirit was infused into affairs, and the most energetic measures were adopted for retrieving the losses of previous years in the prosecution of the war with France. This fort was designed to guard the fording place just above
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it in the Mohawk, and to form one in the chain of posts be- tween Fort Stanwix and Schenectady. These forts gene- rally contained small garrisons, whose duties were to inter- pose a check upon advancing parties of French and Indians, to exert an influence over and protect the six nations, and furnish scouts for traversing the forests between the Mohawk and Canada. By the achievements which soon followed ; the taking of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Niagara, Quebec, etc., the " old French war " was brought to a close and Fort Schuyler doubtless soon became useless and tenantless. The walls of the Fort were composed of earth which inclosed but a small area and were probably surmounted by pickets. It stood between Main Street and the Mohawk, just below Sec- ond Street. A block house was erected at some period pre- viously to the close of the revolution, which stood upon the site of the depot of the Utica and Scheuectady Rail Road and was occupied by Moses Bagg, sen., as a blacksmiths' shop for a time between 1790 and 1800.
The Edinburgh Encyclopedia, American edition, says that this fort "was also the scene of several skirmishes between the Indians and the whites, the flats of the Mohawk and the country adjoining, being the possession of the Mohawk tribe." Notwithstanding this may be true, the author has found neither records nor traditions confirming it, and from the time of its erection the Mohawks were the firm friends of the English. It is believed that the fort was not garrisoned in the revolution, but may have been temporarily occupied by troops in their passage to and from Fort Stanwix and the Indian country. From an attempt made in the revolution to change the name of Fort Stanwix to Schuyler, some con- fusion in historical reminiscenses has been created, some transactions having been located by those unacquainted with this fact, at the site of Utica which should have been at Fort
-
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Stanwix. In 1762, Cosby's manor was surveyed by Chris- toplier Yates. On the 31st of August, 1786, John R. Bleecker, one of the proprietors, completed a survey of the manor and a map of the same, upon which was designated all the original lots, and by which the land was divided between Messrs. Schuyler, Bleecker, Bradstreet's heirs and Scott. The manor extended from the mouth of the Sauquoit Creek, cast- wardly upon the Mohawk cleven miles and seventeen chains. by six miles wide, being three miles on each side of the river. The lots are about sixteen to seventeen rods wide and three miles long. The city of Utica according to its present limits is bounded on the east upon or near the east line of great lot No. 82, and on the west by the west line of great lot No. 99. Nos. 82, 92, 93 and 94 belonged to J. R. Bleecker, Nos. 83, 84 and 85 to J. M. Scott, Nos. 86, 87, 88, 98 and 99 to Gen. Schuyler, Nos. 89, 90, 91, 95, 96 and 97, to Gen. Brad- street's heirs. Lot No. 92 extends to a point near the west end of Broad Street basin bridge, No. 93 to a point a few feet cast of First Street canal bridge, No. 94 extends to a line a few feet east of Charlotte Street, and strikes the east line of Genesee Street near the south-east corner of Genesee and Catharine Streets, No. 95 extends to a line a few feet cast of Broadway, No. 96 extends to a line beginning near the head of State Street, and thence north upon the line between the Cooper and Huntington property, crossing the canal a few rods west of the foot of Cornelia Street, No. 97 extends to the south-east corner of Varick and Fayette Streets, No. 98 extends to the cast side of the Vulcan Works, and No. 99 ex- tends to the line of Whitestown. According to Bleecker's map of 1786, it appears that clearings had then been made on lot No. 86, designated as MeNamee and Abm. Broome's "improvements " lying on both sides of the Plate Kill, that the " old fort " was upon lot No. 93, that two houses belong-
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ing to Cunningham and Damuth stood upon lot No. 94, (at lower end of Genesce Street,) that the house of Mr. Chrisman stood upon lot No. 95, and that McNamee had an "improve- ment " upon lot No. 96. These houses, clearings, etc., were upon or near the old road to Fort Stanwix, corresponding nearly with Main and Whitesboro Streets. The author's father removed past old Fort Schuyler to Dean's Patent (in Westmoreland), in January, 1787, and he many times said " there were three log huts or shanties, then near the old fort," which dwellings must have been built in 1786, or previously. Most, or all of the notices of Utica heretofore printed, have stated that the place was first settled in or about 1788 or 89, but truth will allow two, three or more years to be added to its age. By the Bleecker map, Nail Creek is named " Nagal Kill." Some twenty-five years age Mr. Joseph Masseth, a German, established a " dog nail factory " as it was called, upon the banks of Nail Creek, for the manufacture of wrought. nails. His bellows were blown by two dogs, who in turn ran in a wheel after the manner of modern dog churns, and a description of his factory (at first a mere shanty) went the rounds in most of the newspapers of the United States. Mr. Masseth now resides in West Utica, having obtained a hand- some competency from his "dog nail factory," and it is very generally believed that Nail Creek received its name from these circumstances. But " Nagal Kill" is German and Dutch, and translated means Nail Creek, thus showing it an ancient name, but from what or when it received the name, or what kind of a " Nail " was intended, will doubtless ever remain a mystery.
On the 7th of March, 1788, the town of German Flats, Montgomery County, (Tryon County formed March 12, 1772, from Albany, name changed to Montgomery in 1784,) was divided, and the town of Whitestown formed, with less than
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200 inhabitants. The new town was bounded on the east by a line crossing the Mohawk at the fording place near the house of John Cunningham, which stood near the site of Bagg's Hotel, at the lower end of Genesee Street, and run- ning thence north and south to the bounds of the State and included all west of that line. Upon the formation of Oneida County, in 1798, this cast line was thrown eastwardly to the present line of the city and county. Utica is situated in latitude 43 deg. 6 min., and longitude 1 deg. 41 min. cast from the meridian of Washington.
The late William Alverson, father-in-law of Theodore S Faxton, Esq., came with his father Uriah Alverson to old Fort Schuyler in 1788, and the latter leased a portion of lot 98, of Gen. Schuyler. He erected a house upon the site of the boat yard, now owned by Messrs. Penfield and Dean. At this time a family named Morey, Philip the father. and . Solomon, Richard and Sylvanus his sons, from Rhode Island, were living as squatters on lot 97. and Francis Foster was then a squatter ou lot 96. A man named Silyea was also a squatter at a very early period near the fort. Sylva- nus Morey and Mr. Russell in 1789, purchased Foster's " bet- terments" or "improvements," on lot 96, to use new country terms. and they in turn sold in 1790 or 91, to Joseph Soule. who subsequently took a contraet for the land of Judge San- ger, the agent of the Attorney for the executor of some of the devisees of Gen. Bradstreet. Soule subsequently sold his in- terest to James S. Kip, who took a deed from Evans and Gould. Deacon Stephen Potter arrived in April, 1790, and purchased the whole of lot 97, but soon sold parts of it to other settlers. (Some particulars as to first settlers may be found in the subsequent account of the titles to real estate.)
Neither the soil nor its location, at an early period, hield out inducements to emigrants to settle at this place. Nearly all
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the ground now built upon, was then an almost impassible swamp. All that was then anticipated was to make the place a " landing" upon the Mohawk, and as the adjoining country was cleared up and this stream became smaller, its prospects were greatly improved by its being at the head of navigation. The first business men of the place could only hope that the village of old Fort Schuyler would be the port of the cities of Whitestown and New Hartford. They consequently kept close to the banks of the river, and for many years the busi- ness part of the place was that part of the " Genesee road " below the line of Main Street and the "Whitestown road " and the banks of the river. The residences of those who did not live in the same buildings with their shops, stores, etc., were scattered along upon Main and Whitesboro Streets. The old Indian path from Ya-nun-da-da-sis (site of Utica) to Ga-no-wa-lo-hale (Oneida Castle) here intersected the road from Ska-na-tat (Albany) to De-o-wain-sta (the portage from the Mohawk to Wood Creek), and made it a natural and convenient location for a trading house for the Indian trade.
John Post, the first merchant in what is now Utica, was engaged for some years previously to 1790, in connection with Mr. Martin, of Schenectady, in trading with the six na- tions, particularly in the purchase of ginseng, then exported in large quantities to China, as a supposed remedy for that fatal disease the Plague. Mr Post was born at Schenectady in December, 1748, and faithfully served his country during the entire period of the war of the Revolution. He be- longed to the staff of the army, and was at the taking of Bur- goyne, in Sullivan's expedition, in the battle of Monmouth, and at the surrendry of Cornwallis. In the spring of 1790, having purchased and leased real estate near old Fort Schuyler, upon Cosby's manor, he removed thither. With his wife and three infant children and a carpenter, placing a
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stoek of merchandize, furniture, provisions and building ma- terials in boats, he embarked upon the Mohawk at Schenec- tady, and in eight or nine days landed at his new home. So deep was the mud in the road, now Genesee Street, that the children had to be carried to the log palace previously erect- ed, where they all arrived " cold and uncomfortable." The - persons then residing here were Uriah Alverson, John Cun- ningham, Jacob Christman, and Widow Damuth, and their families, and probably some others named elsewhere, or whose names have not been ascertained. Christman served as a boatman for Mr. Post several years, and removed to or near the farm now owned by Colonel Nicholas Smith, in the cast part of the town. In a communication recently received by the author from Mrs. Petrie, a daughter of Mr. Post, she says : " As the place was then much resorted to, my father sold lots to mechanics and traders. The first settlers were men wanting in energy and enterprise, and he re-purchased the lots of them, and soon sold to others, who also proved in- efficient in building up the place. which my father fancied would-must, considering its location, in due time, command much trade. Again he re-purchased the lots, and he did not wait long before lie, a third time, sold them to such men as became permanent residents and acquired a competency." At first Mr. Post kept his goods for sale in his dwelling, but in the next year (1791) he erected a building for a store. where he had an extensive trade with the Indians and the early settlers of the surrounding country. Of the Indians he purchased furs, skins and ginseng, (called by them Ka- lon-dag-gough, the panax trifolium,) in exchange for rum. paints, cloths, powder, shot, ornaments of various kinds, beads. small mirrors, etc., etc. It was a common occurrence that thirty or forty Indian men, women and children remained at his house through the night, and if the weather was cold
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they occupied the floor in front of the immense kitchen fire of logs, but in summer they lodged in the barn, or if too drunk to get into the barn, then they lay upon the grass plats by the side of the log and brush fences near the corner of Gen- esee, Whitesboro and Main Streets. Mr. Post is said to have been a man of most strict integrity and great kindness of heart, but the "light of our day " had not shown him the great wrong he inflicted upon the poor natives, by gratifying their unconquerable passion and thirst for " fire-water" in the shape of New England rum. The store, owned and oc- cupied by Mr. Post, stood upon the northerly corner of Gen- esee and Whitesboro Streets, upon or near the site of the store now occupied by J. E. Warner & Co., and he also sub- sequently had a store at Floyd. and another at Manlius.
While here, and under the influence of rum. the Indians frequently engaged in bloody figlits, were frequently turbu- lent and troublesome, and sometimes showed their knives when none but Mrs. Post and her children were in the house. In or about 1792, the celebrated Saucy Nick entered the dwelling-store with another Indian, and learning that Mr. Post was absent, they demanded in most imperious and in- sulting tones of Mrs. P., pipes, " backer " and rum. Nick at the same time drawing his knife struck it into the counter handle up, and also shut the door of the room As they were about compelling Mrs. P. to draw more rum, she found an iron rod upon the floor, and seeing a hired man, named Ebenezer Henderson, passing the window, she called him in. Niek would not permit him to enter until he told him that he was called to get more rum. Mrs. P. then directed the man to throw the Indians out of the house, she at the same instant striking the knife beyond their reach with the rod. and with her assistance, her order was literally obeyed. Nick ever afterwards treated the family with proper respect. At
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another time, Mrs. P. interfered to put an end to a fight among several Indians who had passed the night by the kitchen fire, when one of them rushed toward her with his knife. She seized a chair with which she defended herself. until another Indian came to her relief by attacking her ad- versary. These instances are given to show the perils and dangers under which the pioneers of this country began the work of reclaiming the forests to the use of civilized maz. aud as a few of the many instances which might be given of the spirit and courage of the women of those days.
Mrs. Petrie says : " As ours was the first house which could accommodate travellers. a sign was put up, though re- luctantly, and my father kept tavern no longer than until some one with means, etc., could be prevailed ou to leave a more privileged place to settle here, for the sole purpose of keeping a tavern. In those days men in that business were very independent, and if travellers or 'movers' wished to ' put up' at a tavern, they had to help themselves, water their own horses or oxen, harness or yoke them again, and if they asked to be served with aught, the landlord or his family would sometimes ask, ' who was your waiter last year ?' Sometimes, if persons did not look well to themselves. they received rough words and usage from these back-woods land- lords." At that period, a sort of independence prevented the Yankees from doing anything which had the appearance of service. While Mr Post kept a tavern, upon one occasion. the celebrated Indian Chief, Joseph Brant, became his guest for a night. Brant was on his way to Canada, from the seat of government, where he had been to transact some business with Congress. A Mr. Chapin and another gentleman were also guests at the same time with him. The Chief called for one bottle of wine after another, until they were all in a pretty happy mood, when the two gentlemen declined drinking any
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more. After being repeatedly urged to drink, and as often de- chining, they were told by Brant sportively, that unless they drank he would pour it down their necks. Becoming somewhat mettled at their decided refusal, Brant made some other proposition to Mr. Chapin, and from something said or re- fused to be done by the latter, the Indian flew into a tower- ing passion. Angry words passed, and Brant dared Chapin to fight him, which the latter refused, and then tried by fair words and persuasion to satisfy the chief that no insult had been intended, but failing in this, he made an effort to leave the room-and the rest of the company also attempted to calm the excited passions of the great Mohawk warrior. Brant however drew his sword, and drove Chapin into a cor- ner of the room, and there by the most bitter taunts and re- proaches, by making passes at him with his weapon, and by rushing furiously towards him, attempted to compel him to fight. Chapin coolly bared his breast and said, " I will not lay hands upon you, but here is my bare breast, pierce it with your sword, if a victim you wish." Mrs. Post, at this crisis. recollecting to have heard that an Indian could be moved by the sight of an infant, instantly took her youngest child. but a few months old, and holding it in her arms, placed herself in front of the infuriated Brant, telling him that he must destroy her and her child before he injured their guest and friend. " How would it have looked," she continued, " if sev- eral ladies had met here for a social visit, and they had ended it in strife ? Put up your sword, and here, take my babe and hold it as you often have the others-see, it smiles and you look so angry !" The heart of the savage Thayendanegea was touched, he, who had revelled in scenes of blood and cru- elty at Oriskany, and in the whole extent of the Mohawk valley, was now conquered by the smiles and innocence of an infant. The expression of his features was instantly changed,
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and laughing, he exclaimed, " what a fool I have been ! Cha- pin, let us forgive each other." After this reconciliation, they retired. Mr. Post was not present, but this scene was wit- nessed by Mrs. Post and her children.
July 13, 1792, Mr. Post purchased of the representatives of Gen. Bradstreet, eighty-nine and a half acres of lot 95. which now includes the heart of the city, and he had a lease of twenty-five years of a small piece of lot 94, where his store stood. Doing an extensive business, he was apparently pros- · perous, and doubtless in a few years amassed a considerable property. He had taken as a partner his son-in-law, Giles Hamlin, and in making collections they had received a large amount of wheat, pork, etc., to take to market, with which. and a large sum in bank notes, they intended to purchase largely for their several stores. This was in 1806 or 7, and a most disastrous fire swept away the whole, goods, money. etc., in a few minutes. Not more than $100 of the whole was saved, and Mr. Post was ruined as to property. In the decline of life, with a family of seven daughters, he could not recover from the blow, nothing but a mere pittance could be saved, and broken in spirits, infirm from age, Mr. Post ended his days in pennry and want. In view of his revolutionary services, and his efforts to build up Utica in its infancy, he sometimes felt hie ought to have been spared at least a home in the place. The Masonic Lodge, of which he had been an officer, aided him with a small sum on two occasions. He died December Gth. 1830.
Mr. Post erected a warehouse of wood, three stories high. upon the river, and afterwards another of brick, which stood a few rods above the Mohawk bridge, at the foot of Genesee Street. It is now but a few years since that part of the brick warehouse left standing by time and the floods was taken down. the last relic of the navigation of the Mohawk
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Hle owned several boats which were employed during the sea- son of navigation in taking produce, etc., to Schenectady, and bringing back merchandize and the families and effects of persons removing into the new country. After a while. he fitted up three stage-boats, the Accommodation, the Diligence and another, with oil-cloth covers, seats, etc., for the accom- modation of travellers between Utica and Schenectady, who preferred this mode to wagons and afterwards stages, over rough and muddy roads. Mr. Post was the first post-master in this place, but held the office but a few years.
In or soon after 1794, the following persons resided in this place, and probably others whose names, or the dates of their removal thither, have not been ascertained, viz : Deacon Ste- phen Potter, farmer-date of his purchase given elsewhere- the father of the late Wm. F. Potter. He was an excellent man and citizen, a devoted Christian, and one of the founders of the first Presbyterian church. He died September 18, 1810, aged 72 years, and Sarah, his widow, died March 18, 1812, aged 72 years. Moses Bagg, senior, opened a tavern upon the site of the present Bagg's hotel, an establishment known by his name as far as any tavern in the country. He work- ed for a time at his trade of a blacksmith. He died Sept. 12, 1805, aged 68 years, his wife having died the 21st of March preceding, aged 65 years. John House kept a tavern for some time, on the corner of Genesee and Main Streets. fronting the "wood market " square. His oldest daughter became the wife of Myron Holley, a man distinguished in western New York in the days of anti-masonry. Gurdon Burchard was a saddler, and many years afterwards kept the tavern known by his name, upon the site now occupied by the McGregor House, and after whom Burchard Street was named. This tavern was destroyed during the great fire, March 31, 1837. Mr. Burchard died of cholera, August 18,
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