USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 50
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In the autumn of 1805, a revival commenced in that part of Westmoreland, now known as Lowell, and spread into the eastern part of Verona, although not into the western part, and about forty were added to this church. This was the fruit of the labors of a Methodist preacher, who preached statedly at
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Lowell for a short time. On the 23d of September, 1807, the Rev. Israel Brainard was installed, and set over the church. He continued his labors with this people about thir- ty years, and was then dismissed from his charge. He yet lives and resides near the line between this town and Vernon. Although to some extent superannuated, he occasionally preaches to the destitute.
In 1817, there was a general revival, and more than one hundred were added to this church, and a number to the Baptists.
In February, 1818, the church placed itself amenable to the presbytery, retaining its congregational form and mode of government.
In a new year's sermon preached January 1st, 1825, by Mr. Brainard, he stated that 300 members had belonged to its communion. The church and society had previously built a convenient and good sized meeting house, some two miles east of Verona Village. In 1828, the church and so- ciety divided, forming a second Congregational church and society, who built a new house for worship in the village. This state of things remained until June, 1837.
During the continuance of the two societies, the Rev. Mr. Brainard preached to the first, and the Rev. Messrs. Luther Myriek, E. Spencer, and - - Lewis to the second. In June, 1837, the two churches and societies happily united, and only occupy the house for worship in the village. Since the union the Rev. Messrs. Benjamin Loekwood, Charles F. Butler, Washington Stickney, Henry Kendal and Nathan Bosworth have been the preachers, and the Rev. J. S. Bar- teau is the present pastor. The church at this time num- bers about 144 members.
Seventh-day Baptists .- In the year 1805, Daniel Wil-
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liams, of this denomination, removed from Hopkinton, Rhode Island, to the west part of the town of Rome, near what is now called Rathbunville, in Verona. He had a family of seven sons and one daughter, two of the former and the lat- ter coming with him. Within the succeeding four years the remaining five sons had moved into the vicinity, a part in Rome and a part into Verona. In the same period of time, his brother, Joshua Williams, with a large family of sons and daughters, had removed from Hopkinton, and settled on an adjoining farm in Rome. These two families formed a colony of twenty-four persons, all of the name of Williams. Although not quite all professors of religion, they were all firm believers in the observance of the Sabbath as set forth in the decalogue and as practiced from whence they emigra- ted. In 1809, these twenty-four persons formed themselves into a family association for religious improvement and Sab- bath worship. From this germ thus formed has sprung the two seventh-day Baptist churches of Verona. In 1820, they with others of the same belief, were constituted a church, numbering fifty-one communicants. In March, 1828, they organized a society under the style of " the first seventh-day Baptist society of Rome and Verona," numbering ninety members. The next year the society erected a house for public worship, although not large, it was respectable and convenient. From the first this body had been supplied with but itinerant preaching.
In 1837, Elder John L. Kenyon became their first settled pastor. At the commencement of Mr. Kenyon's pastorate. the church numbered 116 members. This year the second seventh-day Baptist church of Verona was organized at Durhamville, with forty-one members, sixteen of whom were taken from the first church, the original body at this time taking the name of the first church of Verona, although some
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of its members yet reside in Rome. Some of the descen- dants of the original Williams emigrants are prominent mem - bers in the second church.
About two years of faithful pastoral labor closed the earth- ly career of Elder Kenyon. He died in 1839, greatly la- mented.
In 1841, Charles M. Lewis was ordained, and became pas- tor of the first church. At the time of his ordination this church numbered 141 members. In 1847, Elder Lewis re- moved to Newport, Rhode Island, and Elder Christopher C. Chester, from that State, assumed the pastoral charge of this people, and still labors with them. In 1849, the church num- bered eighty-two, their numbers having been reduced by re- movals to Lewis County and the western states. The second church has thirty-one members. This year (1850) the sec- ond church are erecting a house for worship about one mile east of Durhamville. These two societies are all of the de- nomination in the county, but this is no evidence but that their belief is founded in truth. A contrary position would place Mahomedanism higher than Christianity, and Paganisni higher than either. As to the question whether the distinc- tive portion of their belief is founded in truth or error, the au- thor has nothing to say. That they are conscientious no one can doubt. Maintaining as they do a belief that it is a duty to observe a day of worship different from that observed by all those around them, and strictly adhering to their belief, are evidences of their integrity and stedfastness, and " so worship they the God of their fathers." The denomination have four associations in the United States. The eastern, central, western and south-western, which meet annually. They have also a general conference which meets once in three years. Their belief except as to the observance of the
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Sabbath is the same as that of the great body of the Baptists.
Methodists .- The Methodists have three societies in the town. The society in Verona Village has stated preaching by a local preacher. They erected a neat and commodious house for worship in 1830. This society sustains a respecta- ble standing and has a good congregation.
The society in New London in 1843, purchased the meet- ing house previously occupied by Rev. Mr. Brainard, took it down and removed it to that village. In its re-erection its external appearance was much improved. They have a good congregation and have the only house for worship in the village.
There is a society in Durhamville who have a small house for worship in that place.
Baptists .- There were formerly two Baptist churches in the town, but the second church in the vicinity of Higgins- ville has lost its visibility, or became merged in the Baptist church at Oneida Depot, formed about the commencement of the year 1847.
Baptist Church at Durhamville .- In 1811, Eliphalet Frazee removed to this place, and was the first settler of the village. In 1812, he with Benjamin Newcomb, Dyer D. Ransom, Roswell Barker, and a few others, all Baptists, set up and maintained religious worship statedly until 1815, when they were organized into a church of twelve members. Mr. Newcomb preached to them the most of the time until 1819, when he was ordained and became the pastor of the church. At the time of his ordination the church numbered thirty six members.
The church was highly prosperous under his ministration
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In 1833, they raised a meeting house, thirty-eight by forty- eight feet, with a steeple, and in 1834 it was completed. The church this year numbered 150 members. Elder Newcomb was very active and energetic in procuring the ways and means for the erection of this house, but the Great Head of the Church, for whom he had so zealously and successfully labored, in His wisdom, called him from his labors ere he had once broken the bread of life to his flock within its walls. Death closed his labors in the church militant in March, 1834, and the first sermon preached in the house was at his fune- ral. Sixteen years have not effaced his memory, and he is yet spoken of with great feeling and affection.
Dyer D. Ransom had, previously to the death of Elder Newcomb, removed to Peterboro, Madison County. where he was ordained to the ministry. After the death of Elder Newcomb, he returned to Durhamville, and became the pas- tor of the church, and continued as such eight years. The church maintained its numbers during his pastorate. He was succeeded by Seymour W. Adams, from Vernon, a young, but, popular preacher. He remained but one year, in which time he received ordination. He was succeeded by Elder R. Z. Williams, and he by William J. Loomis, who preached to them sixteen months. He was succeeded by Elder Albert Cole one year.
In February, 1850, the present pastor, Elder Harry White, came to preach to them. In September, 1850, this body re- ported 120 members to the Oneida Association, and Rev. Messrs. Harry White, R. Z. Williams and B. C. Crandall as amembers of the church. Several members of this church re- siding in the vicinity of Oneida Depot, have become mem- bers of the church at that place. In 1850, Elder D. D. Ran- som was reported as a member of the church at the Depot.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
VIENNA.
THIS town was organized in 1807, by the name of Orange ; in 1808, the name was changed to Bengal ; and finally in 1816. to Vienna. It comprises townships No. 9 and 10 of Scriba's Patent, and is a part of the original grant to Nicholas Koose- velt of New York. The latter not complying with the terms of sale, a large share of his purchase was re-sold to George Scriba, a native of Germany, but then a merchant in New York, and the remainder, including this town, was subse- quently sold under proceedings in Chancery against Roose- velt ; and General Alexander Hamilton, John Lawrence and John B. Church, became the purchasers.
The face of the land in the western part of the town is com- paratively level, in the north-east it rises into hills, while the southern portion slopes gradually to the Oneida Lake. The soil in the northern part is a light sandy loam, with oak openings; in the eastern part, on the banks of Fish and Wood Creeks, alluvion, which is annually inundated, and is not inferior to portions of the flats of the Mohawk. About one-tenth of the whole town is of a light sandy soil, with clay at a short distance below the surface, and here both kinds of pine are indigenous. In the south part of the town is a con- siderable section of yellow or pitch pine plains. Previous to the use of coal in the propelling of steam vessels, large quan- tities of pitch pine from these plains were eut into cord wood
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and taken to Albany on the Erie Canal, and used for that purpose. The native forests of this town, except the plains, were composed of a large proportion of evergreens, hemlock and white pine. Most of the pine, both yellow and white, has been sawed into boards and plank, or manufactured into shin- gles, for the use of the surrounding country, or sent by the Erie Canal to the eastern market. The hemlock is now fol- lowing the pine to the tide water, and the increasing demand in market, and the large quantities used in plank roads, now the popular hobby of the day, bid fair soon to strip the for- ests of their giant hemlocks. The " maple flats," in the north- western part of the town, are worthy of notice. They com- prise a strip of land two miles in length, and about one in breadth, mostly timbered with rock maple-hence the name. In viewing this place one is reminded of a stony beach, and the resemblance is nearly perfect. It is supposed by many that this was formerly the shore of the lake, although now at an elevation of a hundred feet above it; centuries, however, must have elapsed since this was thus covered with water. The maples are of the largest size, and a large amount of maple sugar is manufactured annually. It will be, in the opinion of many, well for the interests of the inhabitants when the last boat load of lumber for market shall have left the town. Just so long as lumber is depended upon as a staple. so long will agriculture, the only sure and great source of prosperity, be neglected. The soil of this town is capable of great improvement, and when her farmers look to it alone for all their income, give their farms their undivided attention, then will they become doubly prosperous.
In the vicinity of Vienna Village, and along the shore of the lake, it has the appearance of an older settled country. We here see signs of husbandry not easily to be mistaken. The farms of Messrs. Parker, Matoon, Bailey, Wadhams,
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Rac, Mclaughlin and Bushnell, among others, give sufficient evidence of the capability of the soil for producing. This can be made a good fruit growing town ; its proximity to the lake being a preventive against the early frosts which so often destroy the hopes of the pomologist in this northern latitude. Agriculture is beginning to receive the attention it demands. and not without bringing its reward.
There is a good quarry of building stone in the east part of the town, near the place long known as Parker's tavern. This town is in part bounded by the east end of Oneida Lake. Large quantities of bog iron ore have been raised from the marshes on its shore, and used in different furnaces.
Oncida Lake is a handsome sheet of water, twenty-one miles in length, and from three to seven in breadth. It freezes over about the 1st of January, and the ice is sufficiently hard for crossing with teams until the month of April, at which time it generally breaks up and floats down the Oneida Riv- er which is the outlet, or is piled in huge masses on the shore by the force of the wind. The view from the north side of the lake is truly beautiful, the hills of Madison and Ononda- ga rising in the distance, with their waving fields of yellow grain and green forests, with the clean sheet of water inter- vening, now " calm and motionless," now lashed into fury by the winds and storms. Since the improvement of the Onei- da River a new impetus has been given to navigation on the lake. A number of steamboats have been built to ply up- on its waters; and it is not uncommon to see thirty or forty boats in a single tow, freighted with the products of the far west. The trade is being diverted from the old channel in no small degree ; being twenty-five miles nearer, it is a gain of "nearly a day's time, over the Syracuse route, besides saving , toll, etc. A stage leaves McConnellsville, on the arrival of the Rome and Watertown cars from the cast, for the lake. It is
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but a short drive of four or five miles, most of the way over a plank road.
By the last census this town contained 2,867 inhabitants, and 640 voters. There are in the town thirty-seven saw- mills, two grist-mills and eight shingle-mills.
The first settlers of the town were Timothy Halstead, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Jarvis, Peter Gibbons, Isaac Babcock, Alexan- der Graves, Jonathan Graves, Eliakim Stoddard. Allen Nich- ols and David Stone. Mr. Jarvis built the first framed barn in town. There is some difficulty in ascertaining the precise time when the first settlers moved into the town. Eliakim Stoddard moved to Camden in 1799 ; in 1803 he removed to Vienna, where he resided five years, then returned to Cam- den. He was the first supervisor of this town. As in all new settlements, the first inhabitants were troubled with the wild tenants of the forest. Messrs. Halstead and Fisher, on a certain occasion, were hunting bears. They started one in a swamp on the lake shore, and after following it a short dis- tance, and in passing a place made hollow by the roots of a tree partly turned over, Mr. Halstead broke through to his armpits, when out sprang the bear. They succeeded in kil- ling it and left; but had not proceeded more than cighty rods, when they found where the she bear and two small cubs resided, under the roots of another fallen trec. They effect- ed a dislodgment of the old one, who shared the same fate as its mate, and secured the two little now orphan cubs. It was a very cold day, and to preserve the lives of the little fel- lows, Halstead placed one in his bosom and Fisher the other in his pocket. They were, however, so little inured to the cold, that before the hunters reached home, they were both dead. Our hunters however consoled themselves with the reflection, that they had four less of these troublesome neighbors than in the morning.
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After Mr. Eliakim Stoddard had removed to Camden, he and one of his neighbors started to go to the widow Jackson's for salt, each with a yoke of oxen and sled, as it required this amount of team to draw through the woods, where there was no road or track, their supply of this necessary article, a bar- rel each. They struck the lake shore, and while making their way on the beach, saw, directly in their route, as they supposed, a fine greyhound. As they neared the animal, they discovered, that, instead of a hound, it was a wolf, and which, from his famished appearance, and the disposi- tion it showed to stand its ground, they concluded intended to satisfy its craving appetite at their expense. All the 'weapons they had, offensive or defensive, were those necessary accompaniments of all woodsmen, their axes. After a con- sultation, it was decided to proceed, and try titles to the right of way with the wolf, and further, that upon no consideration fras either to throw his axe, but to retain his hold on it at all events. As they came nearer the wolf, it commenced an angry growl and was evidently on the point of springing at them, when the neighbor let fly his axe, without at all disabling the animal, and the only perceptible effect was to render it more savage. Mr. Stoddard, now seeing that he must rely #olely upon his own resources, stood on the defensive, until the wolf had got within striking distance, when with a well aimed blow, he laid his adversary at his feet, and by a quick repetition, deprived him of life.
In 1800, a Frenchman, from New York, came to this town on a hunting expedition. He was possessed of the two most necessary articles to the hunter, a valuable dog and a good gun. He stopped at Barnard!s Bay, and his first essay was in hunting deer. He went into the woods, and had not pro- ceeded far before his dog discovered, what Mons. Crapeau supposed to be, a fine deer in a tree top. He shot at the
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animal, wounding, but not disabling it. It leaped from the trec, and on reaching the ground, was grappled by the dog. A fu- rious fight ensued, but the dog was however soon put hors du combat, when our hunter thought it time to interfere to save the life of his favorite. He had nothing but his unloaded gun, and valuable as it was, it did not come in competition with the life of the hound. The first blow broke it in two at the breech, without in the least stunning the doubly infuriated animal, now disposed to make fight with both master and dog. Our hero nought intimidated, and having a good club in the breechless gun barrel, gave a Incky blow which broke the "critter's " back. This rendered the contest far less doubtful, and the decr's life was soon taken by repeated blows. The Frenchman now started for his boarding-house to tell his wonderful feat in deer killing, while poor Tray, too badly wounded to accompany him, was left with his fallen foe. Ar- riving at his home, the hunter soon spread the news of his good fortune, when all hands repaired to the woods to assist in bringing home the venison. At the place of the exploit, instead of a deer, a monstrous panther, measuring nine feet from " tip to tip," lay stretched before them, while the leaves and bushes gave indubitable proof of the fierceness of the death struggle.
In the year 1820, great depredations were committed in this town by the wolves. It having been ascertained that they had taken up their abode in a swamp on the lake shore, it was determined to make a general rally of every man in town and in the adjoining part of Camden, who was able to carry a gun, and by what in the far west is called a " ring hunt," to surround and storm the swamp. For this purpose between three and four hundred persons collected, and officers were chosen who proceeded to marshal the men for the on- slaught. The line was formed in a half circle, with each wing
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resting on the lake, so that when it advanced, the game would be driven to the lake, that being a sufficient barrier on that side. Every sixth man was furnished with a horn, so that when the charge was sounded, every one could perceive the progress of the various sections of the line. When this force had been thus formed in line of battle, the commandant soun- ded the charge, and his blast was answered by every horn in the line, and all moved forward steadily and in good order. As the length of line decreased by the advance, it soon be- came so close that nothing could break through and escape the unerring aim of the marksmen. The trophies of the day were three wolves and about fifty rabbits. When the line neared the lake shore, it is said the fur shot from the backs of the rabbits so filled the air that it resembled thistle down in an autumnal brecze !
Mc Connellsville is a thriving little village in the town, and received its name from a man named McConnell, who kept a public house at this location for many years. There are three dry-goods stores, one grocery, two taverns and a double saw-mill. The village is located on the westerly branch of Fish Creek, which is the boundary at this place between Vi- enna and Anusville.
North Bay is a thriving little village on a bay of the same name. It is situated on a rise of ground overlooking the bay and the surrounding country. It has a fine water pow- er. and numerous manufactories for the making of pails, wooden and stone ware, also an extensive tannery. There have been thirty-five canal boats built here in a single season. The inhabitants of this village are indebted to Mr. Alexan- der Rac, the present county clerk, in no inconsiderable de- gree (also Mr. H. J. Mycr, who has built a large share of the
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buildings), for the prosperity of their village. There are two inns, two stores, mechanic shops, etc.
Vienna Village, formerly called " Parker's Corners," is a small village, with good water power, and numerous manufac- tories of leather, etc.
West Vienna and Fish Creek Landing are also villages in this town.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
There are two Methodist and two Baptist societies in this town. But in relation to their history the author's materi- als are short, from his correspondents having failed to furnish them as was anticipated.
The Methodist society at MeConnellsville is quite flour- ishing. They have a well finished meeting house, thirty- eight by fifty feet, with a steeple.
The other society has a meeting house near Vienna Vil- lage, of the same size of that at McConnelsville. These churches are both supplied with circuit preaching.
There is a Baptist church at North Bay, which has a small meeting house at that placc. This church was admitted into the Oneida Baptist Association in September, 1841, and probably had been then recently formed. The venerable Elder Samuel Bloss, was its first pastor, and continued as such in 1843, '44, '45 and '46. In 1842, the church reported eighteen members. Since 1846, Elders A. Dunham, Thomas Martin,
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1. Cole and Oren Beckwith, have been reported as members of the church, and Messrs. Cole and Beckwith as pastors. Number of members in 1850, sixty-two.
The other Baptist church in the town does not belong to the Baptist Association, but is included in that branch of the denomination which claims to be of the old school. A more particular account of the belief of the Old School Baptists will be found in the history of Westmoreland.
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WESTERN
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CHAPTER XXVII.
WESTERN.
TITE town of Western is bounded on the north by Ava and Boonville, east by Steuben, south by Floyd and Rome, and west by Lee. It contains about 27,000 acres of land, of which according to the last census returns, over 18,000 acres were under improvement.
The settlement of the town of Western was commenced in the year 1789, by Asa Beckwith, and his four sons, Asa, Reu- ben, Wolcott and Lemuel, and who were soon followed, and in the same year, by Henry Wager. These pioneers. over- leaping the Dutch and German settlements, in what is now Herkimer County, Judge White's at Whitesboro, and those of the few settlers at Fort Stanwix, located themselves upon the Mohawk River in this town. What is quite an anoma- ly in the settlement of new countries, these first settlers, with one exception, continued to reside on the farms where they thus early located until their deaths. They were literally frontier or border settlers, as the country north to the Cana- da line was an unbroken forest. The fertile lands on the Mohawk soon induced others to follow. Their nearest neighbors were at Fort Stanwix, from eight to ten miles distant.
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