USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 58
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a portion of the time on Lord's-day, in the morning at Whitesboro, and in the afternoon at Fort Schuyler now Utica. Deacon Thurston, an eminently good man, rich in faith, yet poor in this world's goods, used to walk from Whitesboro to Fort Schuyler during the intermission, so as to lose no portion of the services of the sanctuary. Mr. Gold. witnessing the deacon's faithfulness, purchased and presented to him a good horse, saddle and bridle.
William G. Tracy was among the earliest merchants in Whitesboro. He soon established the reputation of an hon- est, fair dealer, and this character he well sustained for a long series of years, and Tracy's store was much resorted to on account of the probity of its proprietor. It may not be entirely uninteresting, to give a little incident to show the price of calico in the first year of the present century. In the spring of 1800, the eldest sister of the author having arrived at the age of fourteen, was presented with a new dress as a birth-day present. Her father purchased it at Tracy's, and, while being made, the house of the dressmaker was burned, and with it the new dress. Tracy's store was again resorted to, and another dress procured of the same quality as the first. In consideration of the hard fortune of the former, Mr. Tracy kindly deducted the odd pennies in the price per yard, and this circumstance enables the author to recollect the price. The first was six shillings and six- pence per yard, and the second six shillings. A better and handsomer article of calico, equally durable, can now be pur- chased for from ten to twelve and a half cents per yard.
Arthur Breese was a respectable lawyer, and for a number of years, after the organization of the county, was surrogate. (Tide Utica.)
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Henry R. Storrs was not one of the earliest settlers of Whitestown, but became one of its most prominent citizens. He was a native of the state of Connecticut, and was a grad- uate of one of its colleges. After his removal to the county, lie soon became one of the brightest ornaments of its bar, and for bold, commanding eloquence, stood unrivalled in central New York. He was first judge of the Oneida County Courts for one term, and twice represented the county in the House of Representatives of the United States. He there became acquainted with Henry Clay, and their acquaintance soon ripened into a friendship, personal and political. A few years since, while Mr. Clay was upon a visit to the western part of the state, and subsequently to the death of Judge Storrs, a committee of Mr. Clay's friends in the county, pre- sented him with an invitation to visit the county, and partake of their hospitalities in the city of Utica. Pre-engagements prevented an acceptance of the invitation, and in his letter so informing the committee, he took the occasion to advert to Judge Storrs in a most feeling and appropriate manner.
A few years before his death, Judge Storrs removed to the city of New York, and commenced the practice of the law. In this wider sphere, he had but commenced winning and receiving the golden opinions of the city, when he was cut down by the bursting of a blood vessel while but in the me- ridian of life.
In this connection, it may be proper to mention Ephraim Webster, who, for many years, was distinguished as a member of the Onondaga nation of Indians, and, for many years, as Indian agent and interpreter. He was born in 1752, at Hempstead, New Hampshire. In 1773, with his father, he removed to the banks of the Hudson, in this state ; and in 1778, he enlisted into the army of the United States, and
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served to the close of the revolutionary contest. Returning to his home, he found that the quiet pursuits of agriculture were incompatible with his roving disposition and love of adventure. Furnished with a small stock of goods, he left home for the purpose of trading with the Oneidas, withe whom he had had some acquaintance during the war. This was probably in 1784, as he was present at the treaty of Fort Stanwix of this year ; and after surmounting many difficul- ties in ascending the Mohawk, his partner having become discouraged and returned home, Webster located himself at Oriskany, where he established a trading house. Here he remained two years, doing a successful business and master- ing the Indian language. In the spring of 1786, he accepted an invitation from the Onondagas, to remove his goods and business to Onondaga. There he remained the remainder of his life. He was adopted into the Onondaga tribe, married an Indian woman, by whom he had several children, and re- ceived 640 acres of land, the title to which was confirmed to him by the state. During the Indian war of 1788-94, be was employed, on account of his knowledge of Indian lan- guage and customs, to gain intelligence in the country of the Miamis. In 1812, with the commission of captain in the militia, he proceeded to the Niagara frontier, with about 300 Onondaga warriors, under their chief La Fort, who was elected also head war-chief of the six nations, and who fell at Chippewa. Webster acted as interpreter between General Brown and the Indians, and La Fort dicd in his arms.
Webster died at Tuscarora in 1825, and was buried at ()nondaga. For many years he conformed to the habits and dress of the Indians, to such a degree that it was difficult to distinguish him from a native. Upon one occasion, before the British had surrendered Oswego under Jay's treaty, he was suspected by an officer, at that place, of being a white
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man and spy, but such self-possession and self-command had he acquired, that although plied with liquor, and many de- vices were resorted to, to throw him off his guard, he was discharged as a real Indian. After the death of his Indian wife, he married a white woman of a very respectable family
At the period of the first settlement of Whitestown, the Indian title had not been extinguished to any portion of the country westward of the "line of property." Most of the Oneidas, it was known, had, during the war just terminated, maintained their professions of friendship for the Americans in a consistent and honorable manner. But the fact was also well understood, that the other tribes of the six nations still felt the smart of the blows inflicted upon them at the battle of Oriskany, and by the more recent expedition of Gen. Sullivan into their country, and secretly desired an opportu- nity to take vengeance upon the countrymen of those who chastised them. This rendered Judge White's position upon bis removal to the Sauquoit that of a frontier settler, and re- quired the exercise of much prudence and sagacity in his inter- course with his red neighbors. He soon acquired their good- will, and was so fortunate as to inspire them with very exalted ideas of his character and prowess. For a few years after his arrival. quite a number of the Oneidas resided at Oriskany, where an Indian clearing of more than 200 acres, now a part of the "Green Farms," had been made long before the Revo- lution. The intercourse of himself and family, with this lit- the settlement was of the most friendly character, but it was marked by an incident which illustrated, it may be, the lurk- ing feeling of jealousy as well as the sentiments entertained for him by these his only neighbors.
At the time Judge White's arrival, an old chief, named Han Yerry, resided at Oriskany, who, during the war had acted
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with the royal party, and who had been dubbed with the title of "Colonel," probably from his having held a commission of that grade from the king. One day he called upon the Judge with his wife, and a mulatto woman belonging to him, named Lane, who acted as his interpreter. After some little conver- sation, the Colonel interrogated the Judge with : " Are you my friend ?" " Yes," replied the Judge. " Well, then," said the Colonel, " do you believe I am your friend ?" " Yes, Han Yer- ry," was the reply, " I believe you are." The Colonel then re- joined, " Well, if you are my friend, and you believe I am your friend, I will tell you what I want, and then I shall know whether you speak true words." "And what is it that you want," inquired the Judge. The Colonel then pointed to a little grandchild, the daughter of one of his sons, then be- tween two and three years old, and said : "My squaw wants to take this pappoose home with us to stay one night, and bring her home to-morrow ; if you are my friend, you will now show me." The feelings of the grandfather at once up- rose in his bosom, and the child's mother started with horror and alarm at the thought of trusting her darling prattler with the rude tenants of the forest. The question was full of interest. On the one hand. the necessity of placing un- limited confidence in the savage, and entrusting the welfare and the life of his grandchild with him ; on the other, the certain enmity of a man of influence in his nation, and one who had been the open enemy of his countrymen in their recent struggle. But he made the decision with a sagacity that showed he properly estimated the character of the per- son with whom he was dealing. He believed, that by placing implicit confidence in him, he should command the sense of honor which seems peculiar to the uncontaminated Indian. He told him to take the child ; and as the mother, scarcely suffering it to be parted from her. relinquished it into the
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hands of the old man's wife, he soothed her fears with his assurances of confidence in their promises. That night, how- ever, was a long one; and during the whole of next morning many and often were the anxious glances cast up the path- way leading from Oriskany, if possible to discover the Indi- ans and their little charge, upon their return to its home. But no Indians came in sight. It at length became higli noon ; all a mother's fears were aroused, she could scarcely be restrained from rushing in pursuit of her loved one. But her father represented to her the gross indignity which a sus- picion of their intentions would arouse in the breast of the chief; and half frantic though she was, she was restrained. The afternoon slowly wore away, and still nothing was seen of her child. The sun had nearly reached the horizon, and the mother's heart had swollen beyond further endurance, when the forms of the friendly chief and his wife, bearing upon her shoulders their little visitor, greeted its mother's vision. If a mother reads my tale, she can tell more perfect- ly that mother's feelings, as she clasped the little one once more to her bosom, and felt its warm heart pulsate to her own. The dress which the child had worn from home had been removed, and in its place, its Indian friends had substi- tuted a complete suit of Indian garments, so as to com- pletely metamorphose it into a little squaw. The sequel of this adventure was the establishment of a most ardent attachment and regard on the part of the Indian and his friends for the white settlers. The child, now Mrs. Eclls of Missouri, the widow of the late Nathanich Eells of Whitesboro, still remembers some incidents occurring on the night of her stay in the wigwam, and the kindness of her Indian hostess."
" Another anecdote of Judge White may not be uninteres- ting in this connection. An Oneida, of rather athletic form
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was one day present at his house with several of his compan- jons, and at length, for amusement, commenced wrestling. After a number of trials had been made, in which the chief came off conqueror, he came forward and challenged the set- tler to a elinch with him. This was done in a manner, and with a degree of braggadocio, that convineed the Judge that if he refused the encounter, it would subject him to the cou- staut inconvenience of being brow-beaten by the Indian. and cost him the trouble of being believed a coward. In carly manhood he had been a wrestler, but he had become quite corpulent, and for years unused to any athletic feats. He felt conseious, however, of great personal strength, and he concluded, that even should he be thrown, yet as a choice of evils, the being thrown would be a lesser one, than the ac- quiring of a character of cowardice by declining. He there- fore accepted the challenge, and took hold with the Indian, and by a fortunate trip, succeeded almost instantly in throw- ing him As he saw him falling, in order to prevent the necessity of ever making another trial of his powers, and of receiving any new challenge, he contrived to fall with all his weight, he then constituting an avoirdupois of some 250 ils .. upon the Indian. The weight for an instant drove all breath from the poor fellow's body ; and it was some moments before he could get up At length he slowly arose, shrugged his shoulders with an emphatic. . Ugh! you good fellow. too mueh ' I need not add, that he was never afterwards chal- lenged to wrestle with an Indian "-Tracy's Lectures.
Judge White's opportunities in early life for obtaining an education were limited. In his manners he was somewhat rough and repulsive, yet there was more of the " milk of hu- man kindness " in his heart, than he was usually accredited with, except by those intimately acquainted with him. few incidents will more fully illustrate his character.
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The first summer of Mr. Carnahan's pastorate in Whites- boro, he wishing to obtain pasture for his eow, called upon Capt. Hugh White, who said he had none to spare, but that his father, the Judge, had plenty, and advised Mr. Carnahan to apply to him. He did so, and was met with the reply, .. No! no ! I have none to spare, very scant myself." Mr. Carnahan mentioned the blunt refusal to a neighbor, who laughingly remarked, that the Captain had given him the ad- vice in sport, and that he knew the Judge would refuse. A few mornings afterwards the Judge rode his pacing nag to Mr. Carnahan's door, and rapping with his whip, and upon the appearance of Mr. Carnahan, said, " I have a lot close by you here, turn in your cow and welcome, as long as you please." Upon examination, Mr. Carnahan found first rate pasture, with plenty of water and shade. and although sufi- cient for half a dozen, his cow was the only occupant during the season. In the fall, when Mr. Carnahan called to pay for the pasturage, the money was as abruptly refused as was the pasture.
A summer or two afterwards, the cow failing in her milk, Mr. Carnahan decided to make beef of her. This intention coming to the ears of the Judge, he rode to Mr. Carnahan's door as upon the former occasion, and said, "I hear you are going to fat your cow-too late beginning-you must do the best you can-turn her into my meadow-and give her as much corn-meal and potatoes as she will eat-don't be afraid -- what you put in. you will eat out," and off he rode, without waiting for thanks.
Upon another occasion he also volunteered his aid. One of his neighbors had lost his horse, and it was not found for several weeks. As soon as the Judge heard of it, he rode to the neighbor's, leading a horse, and said, "you have lost your horse-here is one-take him and use him until you find
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your own-when you are not using him turn him into my pasture-it is near at hand."
For a number of years, the Judge kept for his own use an easy going, stout grey horse, which in the day time was kept tied in the shade of a maple tree, near his door, so as to be ready, whenever he wished to visit his laborers. If, perchance. this should meet the eye of any who were acquainted with hint and his manner of riding, it is presumed that the figure of the old gentleman ambling along upon the grey horse, through the streets, and around his farm in his own peculiar manner. will be brought vividly to view. The house and maple tree yet stand, while the " horse and his rider " have long since ceased to exist.
Judge White's intercourse with the Oneida Indians Was most friendly. Indeed, he had been at his new home but a few months, before they proposed to him to become a member of their tribe. The Judge had the sagacity to sec. at once, that policy required him to accept the proffered compliment, and : day was soon appointed for the imposing ceremony. At the day, Scanandoah, Col. Han Yerry, Good Peter, and some other chiefs and Indians appeared at the residence of the Judge. and with much pomp, circumstance and mystery, he was duly initiated into the Oneida tribe.
If, by Jay's treaty, the British had not been induced to give up the posts held by them on our northern frontier, and their intrigues with the Indians had not been discontinued. his Oneida citizenship might have proved as beneficial as that of a Roman, anciently. It is not now known, that he derived any particular benefits from this relation, other than the friend- ship of the Indians, and his share of the salmon caught at the first fishing of each season at Tegesoken (Fish Creek). The next spring after his adoption, Judge White was notified to attend the fishing at the forks of that creek. At the appointed
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time. he and several of his sons, Philo the fisherman of course included, took their batteau, ascended the Mohawk to Fort Stanwix, from thence across to and down Wood Creek, up Fish Creek to the fishing ground, where the ceremonies of catching the first salmon of the season were witnessed, and after receiving the proportionate share for each member of his household, returned to Whitesboro. A more particular de- scription of this custom of the Oneidas will be found in another place.
In a few years after the arrival of Judge White, the set- tlement of Whitestown had so far progressed, that it was thought advisable to organize a company of militia, and Gov. George Clinton was applied to, to commission the requisite officers. The governor informed them, that, if a company of thirty men could be mustered, commissions should be issued forthwith. The names of the required number were soon procured, and with the advice of Col. Staring, who com- manded the regiment to which the company was to be at- tached, the names for the commissions were forwarded. William Colbrath, previously a resident of Herkimer, but who had removed within the beat of the company, was cap- tain, but the name of the lieutenant cannot now be ascertained. Judge White was anxious that his son, Hugh, should receive the ensign's commission, but Col. Staring, who was well acquainted with the sons, said, " No, no, Hugh is not de poy ; Daniel is de poy !" and Daniel C. received the commission. Daniel C. died .early some time previously to 1800. He had, however, lived to receive a colonel's commission, and commanded a regiment of militia, which met in Whitesboro. He was the father of the Hon. Fortune C. White, a man of prominence in the county, and who has been brigadier-gen- eral, member of Assembly and first judge. He now resides at Yonkers, upon the Hudson river.
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The first person who died in Whitestown was Mrs. Blacksly, who resided with and was the aunt of Judge White. She was interred in the orchard now owned by Harvey Bradley. The author has been unable to ascertain the time of hier death, but it was within a very few years after the first ar- rival of Judge White.
The first child bern in the town, or indeed of Yankee parentage in the county, was Esther White, daughter of Daniel C. White, who was born in 1785. She was after- wards the wife of the Hon. Henry R. Storrs, whom she still survives.
INDIANS.
It has been incidentally mentioned, that a branch of the Oneida tribe of Indians resided at Oriskany. When Judge White settled in Whitestown, they occupied six lodges or wigwams. Col. Han Yerry resided in a log cabin, which stood just back of the house formerly occupied by Mr. Charles Green, on the easterly side of the Oriskany Creek. The other five cabins stood on the westerly side of the creek. Col. Han Yerry had two sons, Cornelius and Jacob, and one daughter, Dolly, who married one of the Denny family at Oneida. Hendrick Smith, who afterwards lived in the south part of Vernon at the Indian orchard, was the head of one of the families on the west side of the creek. Cornelius, Han Yerry's eldest son, has been mentioned, as the avenger of blood, in the history of Augusta.
Col. Han Yerry, as before stated, in the Revolution es- poused the cause of the king. A few months after the arrival of Judge White at Whitesboro, his son Philo called at the colonel's house at Oriskany, but found that the family
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were all absent, except the colonel's wife. After talking awhile upon various subjects, the woman proceeded to remove the bunk and bedding from one corner of the room, and then taking up a portion of the floor brought to light a ten-gallon keg, which she soon unheaded. This keg was filled with silver plate, which she carefully took out, piece by piece, and exhibited to her guest. Some of the articles were very val- uable, and among them was a heavy and highly ornamented silver tankard. After thus showing the ware, it was care- fully returned to its hiding-place. In looking about the room, Philo counted eight brass and copper kettles, of vari- ous sizes, and about the premises were many kinds of farm- ing utensils. As Mr. White was subsequently passing down the Mohawk, he called at the public house kept by the widow of Gen. Herkimer ; and, in conversation with the widow, te mentioned the keg of silver plate, and particularly the mas- sive tankard, describing many of its ornaments. From this description, the widow, at once, recognized it as one which had been pillaged from her house during the war. It is probable, that the plate, kettles and agricultural implements were plundered from the suffering inhabitants of the valley of the Mohawk.
The precise year in which the Indian settlement at Oris- kany was broken up, or whether they all left at the same time, has not been ascertained ; but it is certain that they all left previously to 1793.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
On the Ist of April, 1793, a meeting was held to take measures for organizing a religious society, and Thomas R.
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Gold, Aaron Clark, George Doolittle, Jonas Platt, Stephen Potter, Joseph Root, Reuben Wilcox and David Williams were appointed a committee to draft a constitution. This committee, doubtless, performed their duty, but the result of their labor is lost.
The society, by the style of " The United Presbyterian Societies of Whitestown and Old Fort Schuyler," was in- corporated shortly after and the following persons were elected its first trustees, viz. : Jonas Platt, Joseph Root. Thomas R. Gold, Amos Wetmore, David Williams, John Post, Elizur Mosely, Stephen Potter, Enoch Story, Reuben Wilcox, Arthur Breese, Erastus Clark and Silas Clark Part of the trustees resided at each place, Messrs. Post. Potter, E. Clark, and perhaps others at Old Fort Schuyler.
At the close of half a century from the formation of the church, the Rev. Walter R. Long, then its pastor, preached two sermons appropriate to the occasion. The " concluding reflections " contain such a condensed and beautiful history of the church, that they are given entire, with a few slight omissions :
" In closing this historical research, mingled emotions of gratitude, love and praise, have been inspired by the review. We have learned that more than half a century since, when this country was comparatively new, some of the first settlers organized themselves into a religious and ecclesiastical so- ciety ; called a pastor, the Rev. Bethuel Dodd, who was set- tled over them, August 20th, 1794. This was the first Pres- byterian church west of Albany. Fourteen persons were received into the communion, January Ist, 1795. The first house of worship was dedicated in 1804, and the pastor's funeral attended in it a few weeks after. Three houses of worship have been erected by the united societies, two in Whitesboro and one in Utica, at an expense of more than
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$ 15,000. Five pastors have officiated successively in this church, two of whom have gone to their rest. Statistical facts furnish ample occasion for gratitude and praise. This church commenced with fourteen members. About 800 have been added by profession, 317 by letter. Total 1,117. 491 have been dismissed to other churches, to form new ones. Sixty-four have died while connected with the church, and thirty have been excluded. Ten revivals of religion have been enjoyed, some of which were of great power and inte- rest. They are like so many verdant spots, upon which the eye looks back with inexpressible delight. Though numeri- cally this church is not as large as in the palmiest days of its prosperity, when, in 1832, it numbered 393, still its members are more numerous than in the days of Messrs. Dodd and Carnahan, and for some years after Rev. Mr. Frost was set- tled over this church. There were 133 on the catalogue at the close of the fiftieth year since the church was formed, while there were but 129 members connected with the united church of Whitestown and Utica, at the time of the amicable division in 1813. When Mr. Frost was settled over this church, there were only about fifty members living in the vil- lage of Whitesboro, and of these only four were male mem- bers. The society was feeble. There was no separate or- ganization as long as Mr. Carnahan remained. There were only five . male members in Utica; but there were some . twelve or more active, intelligent, pious females, and through their influence the Gospel was introduced and maintained. When Mr. Dodd was settled here, Utica was hardly in ex- istence, and formed no part of his charge. As it increased, he preached there occasionally, perhaps once a month, and then once in two weeks, and before his death one-half the time. Thus we see that from the grain of spiritual seed sown here more than fifty years since, a large tree has grown
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