USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 46
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
Utica City Lodge, No. 16. Independent Order of Good Samaritans, chartered February 21, 1850.
Fountain of Health Lodge, No. 15, Daughters of Samaria, chartered July 15, 1850.
Oneida Division, No. 98, Sons of Temperance, chartered October 11, 1845.
Schuyler Division, No. 316, S. of T., chartered February 8, 1848.
Rail Road Division, No. 433, S. of T., chartered September 25, 1848.
62
UTICA.
Utica Union, No. 59, Daughters of Temperance, chartered June 28, 1848.
Excelsior Seetion, No. 20. Sisters of Cadets, chartered August 28, 1850.
· Utica Temple of Honor, No. 39, S. of T., chartered May 3. 1847.
1
Oneida Council, No. 19, O. U. A. Mechanics, chartered July 6, 1848.
Utica Loge, No. 25, des Alt Deutschen Ordens der Haru- garie. chartered October 11, 1849.
Eintrachts Loge, No. 29, A. D. O. H., chartered February 11, 1850.
1
NEWSPAPERS.
On the 1st of January, 1822, a Presbyterian periodical was commenced entitled " The Utica Christian Repository," published by Merrill and Hastings, and printed by William Williams. It was published monthly, containing thirty-two pages octavo, and was continued several years. It was de- voted exclusively to religious intelligence, and the discussion of religious questions. Subsequently the " Western Recor- der," a weekly religious newspaper, of the same denomina- tional character, was published for a few years, and is believed to have been the successor of the former.
About the 1st of April, 1827, the Evangelical Magazine, an Universalist newspaper, was established, edited and pub-
628
ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY.
[CHAP.
lished by Rev. Dolphus Skinner, then recently settled in Utica, and Lemuel Willis of Troy, and printed at the Oneida Observer office. It was published semi-monthly until Janu- ary 1, 1830, when the Gospel Advocate, an Universalist paper. commenced at Buffalo, in 1823, and the Magazine were uni- ted, and thence forward published weekly. For a consider- able number of years, while under the charge Mr. Skinner. the paper was highly prosperous, with a large subscription list, and conducted with much ability. It was subsequently. at different periods, conducted by the Rev. Aaron B. Grosh, C. C. P. Grosh, Orrin Hutchinson and Albert Walker, with various corresponding or assistant editors. It was discon- tinued, for want of requisite support, about the year 1848.
The " Baptist Register," now the New York Baptist Reg- ister, a weekly newspaper, was established in Utica, February 20, 1824, under the editorial charge of Rev. Messrs. E. F. Willey, Elon Galusha and J. Lothrop, and printed at the Ob- server office by A. G. Dauby. In the first volume, each number contained eight pages, about five by ten inches square. Feb- ruary 4, 1825, Alexander M. Beebee, Esq., previously a law- yer in good practice in Onondaga County, took charge of the editorial department of the paper, a post which he has filled with fidelity and marked ability to the present time. The second volume was greatly enlarged, and at its comple .. tion the paper became the property of the New York State Baptist Missionary Convention, but the convention has since. at various times, leased and released its property and interest to the various publishers. The paper has been printed or published by Cephas Bennett, (for many years past a mis- sionary in Burmah), Dolphas Bennett and Edward Bright. jr. ; by Bennett, Backus & Hawley ; and for some years past by Dolphas Bennett. The Register is devoted to religions
629
UTICA.
intelligence, the discussion of religious questions, and the ad- vocacy of the peculiar views of the Baptist church, and is in a highly prosperous condition.
The Gospel Messenger was established at Auburn about the first of February, 1827, by the late Rev. John C. Rudd, D. D. About the year 1835, this paper was removed to Uti- «a, where it was conducted with the characteristic talent and wisdom of its venerable founder, until he was removed by death, and since that time, it has been under the editorial «harge chiefly of Rev. William A. Matson. The Messenger is exclusively a religious newspaper, devoted to the Episcopal Church, and is the organ of the bishop and convention of the diocese of Western New York. Dr. Rudd was a ripe scholar, a sound theologian and fine writer, possessing a cultivated literary taste, and an intellect enriched by large acquirements. He possessed the most simple and gentlemanly manners, his temper was amiable, and his life was devoted to the principles and duties of his holy calling.
The Sentinel and Gazette was owned by Messrs. North- way and Porter, and subsequently Rufus Northway owned and published the paper, and its successors the Oneida Whig and Daily Gacette. Theodore S. Gold was for seve- ral years editor of the Whig, and the Whig and Gazette were for a considerable period edited by Alexander Seward. Messrs. H. C. Potter and Erastus Clark are the present edi- tors.
E. A. Maynard succeeded A. G. Dauby as publisher of the Observer, and the former was succeeded by Eli May- nard. Eli Maynard a short time before his decease sold his interest to John P. Bush, and in a short period Mr. Bush
630
ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY. ECHAP.
died while the owner of the paper. These two young men were cut off in the morning of life, and the beginning of their usefulness. They were universally beloved and respected and were ornaments to their profession, to society, and the church of which they were members. John F. Kittle sue- ceeded Mr. Bush, and with him A. M. Beardsley became a partner, and subsequently Mr. K. sold the balance of his in- terest to J. M. Lyon, and Messrs. Beardsley and Lyon are the present publishers and editors. J. Watson Williams, Luther R. Marsh, P. Sheldon Root, William L. Walradt. Morven M. Jones, Huet R. Root, and may be others have. at different times, been the real or " irresponsible " editors ot the Observer since Mr. Dauby ceased to be the ostensible editor, although it is well known that since then, in emer- gencies, he has lent his pen for the benefit of the paper and his party.
The " Utica Democrat" was established about the Ist of August. 1836, and for some time was mainly edited by John (. Floyd. It originated in the political excitement which followed the distribution of the Oneida Bank stock and some other difficulties in the democratic party. It was published by Edward Morrin for several years and until his decease. For different periods Jarvis M. Hatch and Benjamin Welch. jr., were its editors, and for several years past DeWitt (. Grove has been editor and publisher.
The " Oncida Democrat" was established in Utica about the 1st of October, 1833, as the organ of a portion of the den- ocratic party, called the " Rome party " the " anti-regency" party, etc., which had split of the party that year, in opposi- tion avowedly to prominent members of the party in Albany and Utica, styled the " Albany regency " and " Utica regency
631
UTICA.
XXIII. ]
This Democrat was discontinued for want of support, after an existence of nearly two years.
The Oncida Standard was established at Waterville, Oc- tober 25, 1833, as a democratie paper, occupying a common ground with the Utica Observer, with respect to divisions in the party. This paper was subsequently removed to Uti- ca, and after the extinction of the Democrat, it assumed the name of ". Standard and Democrat." In the fall of 1835, af- ter changes in owners and editors, it became obnoxious for its advocacy of abolitionism, or doctrines and measures akin to it, in relation to slavery and the holding of the first anti-slavery state convention in Utica, although it still kept the names of' Van Buren and Johnson at its head; and on the evening of the 21st of October, the printing office was entered by a mob and part of the type, etc., thrown into the street.
The Standard and Democrat was succceded by the " Friend of Man," edited by William Goodell, and that by the " Liberty Press," edited and published by Wesley Bailey, both organs of the anti-slavery party-and the latter was dis- continued about the Ist of October, 1849. The " Tectotaller." a temperance paper, was established by Mr. Bailey at the last named date, and has continued in a flourishing condition, and is a popular, useful and well-conducted exponent of the prin- ciples of temperance.
" The Lever," a weekly paper, was established in Utica by William S. Spear, October 21. 1831, and discontinued May 22, 1832. It started as a neutral literary paper, but in a few weeks came out as the advocate and defender of the United States Bank, a branch of which had been located in the place.
632
ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY.
[CHAP
On the 11th of August, 1814, an anonymous literary weekly paper was commenced in Utica, entitled " The Club. by Henry Goodfellow, Esq., & Co." Its motto : " Open to .all parties-influenced by none." A portion of the sheet was devoted to original tales, essays, etc., which were very credita- ble. evincing considerable talent and good taste-while other portions were devoted to personal attacks and vulgar slang and blackguardism. So much incongruity could not prosper for its bad was none the better because its good was doubted. From the best information obtained, it seems that after vari- ous attempts to put an end to its existence by those who had been its victims, when let alone, like many other cvils, it ceased to live for want of life.
During the days of anti-masonry, the " Elucidator," a po- litical anti-masonic paper, was published for several years in Utica, and edited by B. B. Hotchkin.
The first daily paper in Utica was the " Daily News," com- meneed January 1, 1842, published by Joseph M. Lyon and John Arthur, and edited by C. Edwards Lester and Jarvis M. Hatch. It was neutral in politics, and for want of sup- port and capital to give it a more extended trial, was dis- continued at the end of seven months.
The Utica Daily Gazette was commenced the 1st of March, 1842, in connection with the Weekly Whig.
The daily Oncida Morning Herald was commenced about the first of December, 1848, by Messrs. Robert W. Roberts and Richard U. Shearman, the former having charge of the publishing, and the latter of the editorial departments. The. Werkly Herald was established at the same time. For a
633
UTICA.
xxm.]
short period Erastus Clark was associated with Mr. Shear- man as assistant editor. Ellis HI. Roberts is the present ed- itor and publisher.
The daily Utica Observer was commenced about the 20th of May, 1849, by Messrs. Kittle & Beardsley, and Messrs. Beardsley & Lyon are the present editors and publishers. These are the only dailies which have yet been established in Utica, and the three which survive hold a respectable rank among their cotemporaries, are apparently prosperous and have a good prospect of permanency. The Gazette and Herald are organs of the whig, and the Observer of the dera- ocratie parties.
A long list of papers beyond those named, which have been, might be compiled, of all sorts and sizes, good, bad and in- different, but it would possess little interest. A considerable number have been " campaign papers " published " until elec- tion," several children's and youths' papers, a few anonymous sheets, devoted to personalities, etc., etc .; such as are spring- ing up daily in our large towns and cities-but to the public at large their histories are of little or no importance.
[CORRECTION .- On page 512, fifth line from bottom for "earlier," read "early."]
634
ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY.
[CHAT.
CHAPTER XXIV.
VERNON.
TinIs town, although settled at a later period than several other towns in the county, still contains much that is of in- terest to the historian and general reader. In this town was situated Kanonwallohnle, the principal village of the Oneida Nation, but as this tribe and village will be noticed in anoth- er place, anything farther of them will be omitted in this chapter. In the south part of this town was also a large In- dian orchard, noticed more fully at the close of this chapter.
It has been often and truly said. that more wealth was brought into this town by its first settlers, than into any oth- er town in the county. The reason for this is obvious. The town is located on each side of what was originally the " south (enesce " or state road. afterwards the " Seneca turnpike." and now the Seneca plank road. For many years previous- ly to the construction of the Erie Canal and Syracuse and Utica rail road, this was the great thoroughfare from the valley of the Mohawk to the then far west, the "Genesce country," and a few years more recently the " Holland pur- chase." The lands on and in the vicinity of this road. soll for a higher price per acre than those farther west, and those emigrants with larger means, who wished to avail themselves of this location, paid the increased price, while those with smaller capital, or perhaps with nothing but strong arms and a firm resolution, struck deeper right and left into the
635
VERNON.
XXIV.]
forest, or " ten mile woods," as the Oneida Reservation was termed, which reached from the westernmost settlements in Westmoreland to the Oneida village. On the east line of Vernon, upon the plank road, is Bleecker's south patent, one mile square. It was termed the " south patent" to distin- guish it from one of the same size, owned by the same paten- tee and located north-easterly some two miles in Westmore-, land. South and south-westerly of Bleecker's Patent was Baschard's Patent, or as it was more usually called by the early settlers, " Baschard's location." This Patent contain- ed 4,911 acres. Vernon Centre is located upon it, and it extends nearly to Vernon Village.
By an act passed April 1st, 1796, it was enacted as fol- lows: " And whereas, Abraham Van Eps has been very in- strumental in forwarding the negociations between the agents aforesaid, [Philip Schuyler, John Cantine, David Brooks and John Richardson, agents appointed by an act entitled 'an act for the better support of the Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga Indians'], and the Oneida tribe of Indians, and has made them considerable pecuniary advances of which there is little prospect that he will be reimbursed. And whereas the said Indians have strenuously insisted with the said agents, that they should in good faith recommend to the Legislature cer- tain compensation to the said Van Eps, by a grant of a part of the land, ceded by the said Indians to the people of this state, therefore, Be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said agents to set apart the following tract of land, to wit : a tract of two miles square, to be gran- ted unto Abraham Van Eps, which tract shall be part of the tract purchased from the Oneida tribe in 1795." " And le it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the said agents, and they are hereby required to lay out a tract of one mile square, adjoining the land called Stockbridge, for John Sar-
638
ANNALS OF ONEIDA COUNTY.
[CHAP.
geant, minister of the gospel, who now resides among the In- dians of Stockbridge aforesaid, and to certify the same to the commissioners of the land office, who shall thereupon cause letters patent to be issued for the said tract of one mile square so laid out, thereby granting the same to the said John Sar- geant and to his heirs and assigns forever."
Van Eps' Patent is interseeted by the present plank road, and Vernon Village is upon the easterly part of it. Sar- geant's Patent was located as directed, and was on the high land between the Oneida and Seanandoa Creeks, in the south part of this town. The remainder of the town was what was known as the "late Oneida Reservation," purchased of the Indians in 1795, and sold at auction in 1797, excepting the Oneida Village and a small tract of land adjoining, to which the Indian title has been more recently extinguished.
First Settlers .- The first white inhabitant who " moved " within the limits of Vernon, was Josiah Bushnell. He set- tled upon the north-westerly corner lot of Bleecker's south l'atent. This lot of forty acres was sold to defray the e.x- pense of surveying the Patent long anterior to the sale of the remainder. Mr. Bushnell's purchase comprises a part of the farm of Ezra Dyer, Esq., situated directly opposite the house of Col. Grove Lawrence. Mr. Bushnell emigrated to this town as early as 1794, and perhaps a year earlier, from Tyringham, Berkshire County, Mass. He had one son and three daughters. His youngest daughter Ficha Bushnell, a girl of six or eight years of age, died very suddenly, it is be- lieved in 1795, before any other white inhabitant had located in the town. Her remains were brought to Westmoreland, and interred in a burying ground on the farm of the late Judge Dean. This was the first death of a white person within the limits of Vernon.
637
VERNON.
XXIV.]
As before stated, in August, 1797, the Oneida Reservation was sold, and about the same time a company of wealthy far- mers in Connecticut purchased the easterly part of Bas- chard's location, and portions of Van Eps and Sargeant's Patents were also sold and purchased by actual settlers. A large portion of the town thus having come into market at about the same time, and the far-famed productiveness of the earlier settled portions of tlre " Whitestown country " having been heralded in every nook and corner of the " land of steady habits," her hardy, enterprising inhabitants, in many instances, without taking the trouble to come and view this el dorado of their imagination, emigrated at once by dozens, and scores to the " Oncida woods." Massachusetts also con- tributed a " large sprinkling" to this shower of emigration, while New Hampshire spared a portion of her indomitable sons of the Coos country, to settle Vernon. Very few lots in all the tracts mentioned, were so poor but that they were " taken up " by actual settlers in 1798, '99 and 1800.
The names of the first settlers on Baschard's location were: Rev. Publius Bogue, Deacons Hills and Bronson, Samuel Wetmore, David Bronson, Levi Bronson, Seth Holmes, An- son Stone, Asahel Gridley, Heman Smith, Eliphaz Bissell, Adonijah Foot, Stephen Goodwin, Seth Hills, Eli Frisbie. James De Votie, John De Votie, Samuel Austin, Ezra Stan- ard, Matthew Griswold, Joseph Frisbie, David Alvord, Leyi Thrall, Asahel Wilcox, Russell Church, Abijah P. Bronson. Thomas Spencer, Stephen Carter, Benjamin Carter, Levi Marshall, Seth Marshall, Harvey Marshall, David Tuttle, a Mr. Bush, a Mr. MeEwen, Huet Hills, Asahel Wilcoxson, Elijah Webber.
These were all, or nearly all from the parish of Winsted. in the town of Winchester, and the town of Torrington, and the parish of Torringford, taken from it, Litchfield County.
635
ANNALS OF ONDIDA COUNTY.
[UHAP.
Connecticut. This company laid out a town plot in an ob- long square of six acres, now known as Vernon Centre. On this green all protestant denominations have a right to erect meeting and school houses. Around the green it was sur- veyed into one acre lots, and on these a number of these first settlers located. The first settlers on Sargeant's Patent were the Rev. John Sargeant the patentee, Mr. Codner, Mr. Marvin, Zenas MeEwen and Ezra McEwen.
On the Oneida Reservation, the first settlers were : Gide- on Skinner, Ariel Lawrence, Samuel Shed, Thomas Gratton, William Deland, Mr. Spalding, Mr. Grant, Mr. Kellogg, Na- than Carter, Thomas Tryon, David Moore, Josiah Simons, Joseph Doane, Ezra May, William Mahan, Stephen Page, Ebenezer Ingraham, Sylvester Crocker, Chester May, Jona- than Graves, Augustus Soper, Philo Soper, Ashbel Norton, Charles Dix, Rufus Vaughan, William Wright, Samuel Cody, Mr. Kelsey, Mr. Raymond, Mr. Alling, Mr. Haseltine, Mr. Carpenter, Jacob Hungerford, Asbel Norton. Joseph Bailey, Jedediah Darling. These settled in the easterly part of the town, on the Reservation.
Those in the south-westerly and westerly part of the town were : James Griffin, Ebenezer Webster, Elisha Web- ster, Eli Webster, Russell Webster, Allen Webster, Mr. Freeman, Captain William Grant, Doet. Samuel Frisbie, Jo- seph Stone, Eliphalet Hotchkiss, Joshua Warren, Calvin Youngs, Simon Willard, Andrew Langdon, Edward Webber.
Those in the north part of the town were: Amos Brock- way, Mr. Cole, Moses Upham, Aaron Davis, Jonathan Blount, Thaddeus Brookins, Joseph Day, Robert Frink, Stephen Campbell, Jonathan Ney, Calvin Huntington, Luther Hun- tington (twin brothers, like the Hubbells, of striking resem- blance), and a Mr. Cook. 1
On Van Eps' Patent the early settlers were : Abraham
633
VERNON
xxIV.]
Van Eps the patentec, Richard Hubbell, Gershom Hubbell, Benjamin Hubbell, Gad Warner. Benjamin Pierson, Allan- son Pierson, David Pierson, Josiah Patten, William Root and Elihu Root.
Of these settlers, on Van Eps' Patent. Richard Hubbell was the carliest. In 1798. when the town commeneed its rapid settlement he had resided some few years, perhaps three or four, on the ridge north of the glass factory, in the north part of Vernon Village. The author recollects in that year to have seen the log house in which he resided, and which was then considerably weather beaten, unmistakeable evidence that it had been built some years. The north Gen- usee road running near his residence was at the time mueli travelled. Gersham Hubbell, a twin brother of Richard, and between whom there was a most striking resemblance, resided at the village before 179S.
As has been stated, the first settlers on Baschard's location were from Litchfield County. Conn .. many others from the same towns and parishes settled in the other parts of the town. A considerable proportion of them were in the merid- ian of life, with families of children, and were old acquain- tances, neighbors and friends. New settlements are prover- bial for their unity and the sentiment of equality cherished by all. Here, to some extent isolated from the rest of the world, and enduring the privations consequent to their forest homes, friendships ripened into an union, bordering on broth- orhood. True, here, as in other communities, they had the different religious creeds. and political platforms; true, like all associations of poor fallen humanity, they had their minor difficulties, bickerings and heart burnings, yet rarely indeed is the community found, bound together, as this was, with the close strong ligaments of affection. If an injury was received by a member from without the pale of their cirele, they would
640
ANNALS OF 'ONEIDA COUNTY.
[CHAP.
unitedly see that at least evenhanded justice was adminis- tered in the premises, and as they were a moral people, per- haps they were quite excusable in finding the wrong oftener without than within their precincts.
Their descendants in very many instances occupy their farms, and with their father's freeholds they have to a consid- erable extent, retained their traits of character, their friend- ships and affections.
Coming upon their new farms generally with more than sufficient money to pay for them, they were able to hire a por- tion of the improvements to be made. Notwithstanding. very few of the proprietors were found during the busy seasons of the first few years, out of the fashionable gear of all new set- tlements, to wit : the tow frock and pants, and in the logging seasons if these did not by their hne show that they had been in frequent contact with the blackened logs of the fallow, the wearer was considered a rather poor specimen of the pioneer. They were however exempt from many of the hardships and privations of the earlier settlers of the county. Mills sufli- cient for their use had been erected in the neighboring towns and merchants and mechanics were within their reach. Still their descendants can hardly appreciate the toil and self de- nial of their fathers. Luxuries were foregone and they la- bored with the most patient unremitting industry. Such was their economy of time, that if two barns were to be raised in the same neighborhood, matters were so arranged that they were framed and ready, and raised in the same afternoon, to prevent an unnecessary hindrance from their labors. It was remarked to the author by one of these early emigrants when considerably advanced in years, that those early pioneers, in- ured to toil in cletring the forests, would raise two barns in less time than it took their sons to raise one.
Log houses were the order of the day, and usually for the
XXIV.]
VERNON. 641
first year or two were covered with bark stripped from the basswoods, elms and hemlocks of their forests. These, low- ever, soon gave way to small comfortable framed dwellings, and it was but a few years, before very respectable family mansions greeted the eye of the traveller through the town.
The first marriage in the town, was that of Aaron Davis and Amy Bushnell, daughter of the first settler, Josiah Bushnell. The time of the wedding cannot be ascertained, but it was previous to 1798. The first child of emigrant pa- rentage born in town was Edward Marshall, son of Levi Mar- shall. He was born April 19th, 1799. About two weeks afterwards, it is believed, a daughter of Gershom Hubbell was born, but of this there is some uncertainty.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.