USA > New York > Lewis County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lewis county, N.Y., for 1872-73 > Part 13
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DENMARK-DIANA.
· raised in the town, as soon as it was ready for use. "The first store was opened at this place by Urial Twitchell, and the first inn on the hill south, was kept by Andrew Mills." About 1807, P. Card commenced the manufacture of cloth, principally satinet. below Copenhagen, and the business was conducted by himself and sons many years. The first school house in town was built near the inn of Freedom Wright, the first inn keeper, in Denmark village, and the first school in Copenhagen was kept by Tyrannus A. Wright.
The first religious exercises were conducted by traveling preachers at an early day in the settlement of the town.
The First Congregational Church of Deer River was organized in 1826, by Isaac Clinton, as the Second Presbyterian Church of Denmark, and was changed to the Congregational Church of Denmark in 1833, and to its present name in 1857. At its organization there were forty members ; there are now seventy- two. The first church edifice was erected about 1830; and the present one, in 1859, at a cost of 82,600. It will seat 250 per- sons. The church property is valued at $4,000. The first pas- tor was Rev. - Wilcox; the present one is Rev. Olney Place .*
The Denmark Union Church at Denmark village was built in 1848 and dedicated in 1849, by Revs. O. Shepard, Methodist, C. Graves, Baptist, and L. A. Wicks. In 1871 it was thoroughly repaired and re-dedicated. lis original cost was 82,000; its present value is $3,500. It will seat about 350 persons.t
DIANAI was formed from Watson April 16, 1830,S and a part of Croghan was taken off April 5, 1841. It lies in the extreme north part of the County. its western boundary being formed by Jefferson county, northern, by St. Lawrence, east- ern, by Herkimer, and southern, by the town of Croghan. It has an area of 82,447 acres, and in size is the third town in
* Information furnished by E. L. Hulbert.
t Information furnished by Win. Hartwell.
# It received this classic name in comp.iment to the wishes of Joseph Bonaparte, who then owned most of its wild lands. Diana. according to mythology, was the didaghter of Jupiter and Latona ; a virgin goddess who presided over hunting, chastity and marriage.
§ The Brei town meeting was held at the house of Robert H. Blanchard, May 18, 1830, and the following named officers were elected : Chapman Johnson, Supervisor ; Gieo. W. Bingham, Ton fisk ; Norman Stevens, Enoch Cleveland and Jonathan Aldrich, Ivatives ; Sila& D. Sules John Wilbur and Enoch Cleveland, Assessors ; Wm. Edwards, Caleb Blanchard and Jewar Palmer, Commissioners f High ways ; Daniel Roberts, Caleb Blanchard and G. W. Bingham, Commissionersof Common Schools ; Enoch Cleveland and Mille Sly, Poor Master ; James Edwards, Coletor; Thomas Brayton, John Wil- bur and Norman Stevens .. Inspectore of Common Schools ; James Edwards, Acase Pal- mer and Solomon Ch vetund, toustaffes; G. W. Bingham, Josinh Allen, Frederick Lands. R. M Blanchard. Elas Kingsty and Wilson Fletcher, Overseers of Highways ; and Robert II. Blanchard, Pound Master.
DIANA. 91
the County. It has a level, or gently rolling surface, broken only by two isolated hills in the east part, which rise 300 to 500 feet above the general level. Its streams are Oswegatchie and Indian rivers and their branches. The former flows north through the center, and the latter in a circuitous course through the west part. Bonaparte* and Indian lakes in the north part, and Cranberry, Legiers and Sweets lakes in the east, are the principal bodies of water. Lake Bonaparte, says Dr. Hough, "covers about 1,200 acres, has several wild, rocky islands within it, and is environed by bold rocky shores, alternating with wooded swamps and intervales, presenting altogether one of the most picturesque and quiet woodland scenes which the great forest affords." The soil is light and sandy. Iron ore is found in the north and east parts, and coarse, crystalline marble of a sky-blue tint, on the banks of Indian River, near Natural Bridge. Much of the town is yet a wilderness. In 1870 it had a population of 1,778, of whom 1,449 were native and 329, foreign, and all were white.
During the year ending, Sept. 30, 1871, the town contained twelve school districts and employed thirteenteachers. The num- ber of children of school age was 699; the number attending
* Lake Bonaparte was named in honor of Joseph Bonaparte, or Count de Survilliers, who in July or August, 1823, (Hongh says abont 1828.) first visited it, while on a tour of inspection over his lands. He caused a road to be cut from Natural Bridge, (where he erected a large two story house) to the lake, a boat to be conveyed through the woods and launched upon its waters, and a log house to be built upon an elevation com- manding a fine view of the lake and its shores, where during this and subsequent visits he was accustomed to regale the friends who accompanied him to his summer residence at Natural Bridge, while they were engaged in hunting and fishing excursions. On the site of Alping he had a clearing of some thirty acres made, and a tramed house with ice house, cellars, out-houses and other conveniences constructed, with a view to making that his summer residence. But while the house was yet unfinished he soid to La Farge. The house rotted down and the one on the lake was burned some years after. The Count dispensed his money with a liberal hand, and was affable with those with whom business relations brought him in contact ; hence his annual visits were "awaited with interest and remembered with satisfaction." The following poem evoked by this episode in the Count's life from Caleb Lyon of Lyonsdale, we copy from Hough's History of Lewis County.
BONAPARTE LAKE.
Waters enwound with greenest woods, And jeweled isles, the gift of Pan, Unsought, unseen, where Silence broods, Unwelcoming the feet of man.
Gray clouds in liquid opal burn, Above the jagged hemlock's height, A sanset sky outpours its uru In ripples of the rosiest light.
By sinnous shore the baying hound Tells the stag seeks on silver sands Diana's mirror ; here is fou id Que of Endymion's haunted lande.
The lilies on thy glowing breast Loll languidly in crowns of : old, Where pure Evangels speaking rest Unto an Exile's heart of old.
Brother of him whose charmed sword Clove or created kingdoms fair, Whose faith in him was as the word Writ in the Memlook's ecimiter.
Here he forgot La Granja's glades, Escurial's dark and gloomy dome, And sweet Sorrento's Prathiess shades, In his far off secluded home.
The hunter loved his pleasant smile. The backwoodsman his quiet speech, And the fisher's cares would he bagnile With ever kindly deeds for each.
Hle lived for others not in vain, Hi- well kept memory still is dear, Oney King of Naples and of Spain, The friend of Bernardin St. Pierre.
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DIANA.
school, 539 ; the average attendance, 278 ; the amount expended for school purposes $2,630.61; and the value of school houses and sites, $5,780.
HARRISVILLE (p. v.) is situated on the west branch of Oswe- gatchie River, near the north line, and contains one church, (Congregational,) one hotel, four stores, one grist mill, a saw and shingle mill, a fulling, cloth dressing and carding mill, tan- nery,* harness shop, shoe shop, millinery shop and about 500 inhabitants. It has daily communication by stage with Carthage, from which it is distant twenty-two miles.
STERLINGBUSHt (p. o.) is located on Indian River, near the center of the west line, and contains one church, (Catholic) one hotel, two stores, a saw mill and an iron furnace.
DIANA (p. o.) is situated near the center of the town, three and one-half miles south of Harrisville.
ALPINAĮ is situated at the outlet of Lake Bonaparte. The saw mill here is one of the best arranged mills in the County. Its dimensions are 60x72 feet, with additions of 180x60 feet, and 90x60 feet. It has a single circular saw, but a gang is soon to be introduced. Connected with it is a shingle and lath mill.
The first settlement was made by Hugh Doharty on what is known as the old Russell turnpike, in 1809 or '10. He kept the toll gate for the company. The first farm improvement, how- ever, was made by Thomas and Jeremiah Brayton Jr., who settled in the town in the spring of 1820. Within two years
* This tannery is owned by Beach & Dodge, by whom it was built in 1859, and en- larged in 1866, to its present Bize, 500x 1) feet. It gives employment to sixty men and is designed to tau from 30,000 to 35,000 hides annually.
+ Originally named Lonisburgh by Lewis Fennel and Nicholas, Constant and Chas. Jo- maine, French capitaliste, who, in 1831, commenced the erection of a blast furnace here, on the site of the old saw mill built by Joseph Bonaparte in 1825, which was the first building erected here. The furnace was completed and got in operation in 1832, but owing to lack of experience on the part of the managers it proved unremunerative, aud it remained unoccupied nutil 1536, when Isaac K. Lippencott, Joseph M. Morgan and David D. Reamer, from N. J., purchased the property, including abont 5,000 acres of land, and continued the business with better success until 1849, when, owing to the flnc- tuation produced by the "ups and downs" of free trade and protective tariff's, they were obliged to suspend operations. Mr. Lippencott subsequently purchased the prop- erty, and in 1553 sold it to James and Samuel G. Sterling and Hiram Polley from Jeffer- son county, men of large experience in the iron business, the former of whom was called the " Iron King of Northern New York." Their advent inaugurated a period of prosperity and substantial growth. They tore down the old furnace and erected a new ono, cleared and ditched large tracts of land, laid out roads and attracted new settlers. James Sterling afterwards purchased the property and continued the furnace until 1862. At his death he was succeeded by his eldest ron, A. P. Sterling, who, in 1869, sold to the present company. James Sterling secured a change in the name from Louisburgh to that it now bears .- From a written statement of Um. unn, Sterlingbush.
# This name was given to this locality by Charles Favarger, who erected a furnaco, which commenced operations in 1548, and superintended it in the interest of a company of Swiss, organized in 1815, by Louis Snchard, who purchased a tract of land from Engine Burnand, also a Swiss, who, in 1844, purchased of LaFarge 48,513 acres, embrac- ing 122 lots in this town.
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DIANA.
thereafter George Bingham, Thomas Shattuck, Joseph Elliot, Johnson Willard, Jonathan Aldrich, James and Henry Ed- wards, Frederick Lant and Mills Slye moved into the town. Caleb, Robert and Sherman Blanchard, it is believed, settled here in 1822,* and their brother Daniel came soon afterwards. They were originally from R. I., but immediately from Wilna, Jefferson county, whence many of the early settlers removed. Enoch Cleveland became a resident in the fall of 1828, and John Wilbur, about the same time. Two years later, (May, 1830,) a child of Silas D. Stiles was drowned, and this is supposed to have been the first death occurring in the town. The first mar- riage in the town is believed to have been that of Harvey Pal- mer and Emelia Coon, which was celebrated March 20th, 1832. The ceremony was performed by Justice Silas D. Stiles and wit- nessed by Major H. Goodrich and Uriah Coon, all of this town. June 4, 1832, a certificate was given to Archibald C. Barker on the head of a full grown bear. This certificate was marked " No 1," and was signed by Silas D. Stiles, Justice, and Reuben Keen, commissioner of highways. In June, 1830, two brothers named Palmer were hunting near Lake Bonaparte. One of them who had on a coat which resembled in color that of the deer at that season of the year, remarked to the other that unless he took it off he would get a bullet put through it by mistake. This he neglected to do, however, and his presenti- ment was verified, for a bullet from the gun in the hands of his brother killed him instantly. No attempt at a settlement at Harrisville seems to have been made previous to 1833, on the 25th of September of whichf year Foskit Harris of Champion, under the promise of two acres of land and a water privilege on the Oswegatchie, with other in- ducements from Judge Boyer, the agent of Bonaparte, hired several men and began the erection of mills there. A saw mill was built the first season, and a grist mill with one run of stones, in 1835. Under this impetus other settlers located here; roads were opened and lands cleared. This ten- dency to growth soon, however, received a sudden and disas- trous check. Many of the settlers were from Le Ray and adjoining towns, and when it was known that the lands had been transferred to LaFarge, who was in very bad repute among them, they resolved to abandon them and did so. For twenty
* Hough in his History of Lewis County, says the Blanchard's came about 1524, but we learn from a written statement of Jeremiah Becker of this town, to whom we are indebt- ed for information relative to it, that Caleb Blanchard was employed by Joseph Bons- parte, when he made his first visit to the lake which bears his name, in 1922, to hunt for him. A man named Horace Newell was also employed, and to each the royal sportsman paid $3 per day . Blanchard, says Mr. Becker, shot & loon about sixty rods off white cross- Ing the lake in company with the Count. The latter expressed his pleasure at this pro- ficiency by giving him an additional $3.
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DIANA-GREIG.
years thereafter the place retained little besides a name. In 1858 a grist mill of superior finish, and in 1859 a saw mill, were erected under the auspices of Joseph Pahud, a Swiss, who became interested in the Alpina works, toward the last of the Swiss company's operations, and came to reside here. In'the latter year several other buildings were erected, among which were a chair factory, a sash, door and blind factory and the tan- nery of Messrs. Beach and Dodge, previously mentioned. Mr. Pahud became the agent of Loveland Paddock of Watertown, and D. C. Judson of Ogdensburg, who, in 1853, acquired the title to 30,000 acres of land in this town as security for certain interests growing out of the Alpina management. Harrisville was for a short time, (from 1852-56) the residence of Prince Sulkowski of Belitz, a political exile from Polish Austria, who, during the revolution of 1848, became obnoxious to the govern- ment and fled with his family to America. From here he removed to Dayansville, and was soon after restored to his hereditary titles and estates.
St. John's Catholic Church at Sterlingbush, was organized with 150 members, in 1840, by Rev. Michael E. Clark, its first pastor, and its house of worship, the first erected in the town, was built in 1857 at a cost of $1,000. It will seat 175 persons. The present number of members is 150. The present pastor is Rev. Peter Griffith. The Church property is valued at $1,500 .*
The Congregational Church at Harrisville was organized with twenty members, by Rev. L. Smith Hobart, March 13, 1864. The church edifice was erected the previous year, at a cost of $1,688.42, and will seat 200 persons. The first pastor was Rev. George A. Miller. There are twenty-five members. The Church property is valued at $1,500.t
GREIGt was formed from Watson, April 5, 1828. It lies in the south-east corner of the County, being bordered on
* Information furnished by Wm. Nunn.
t Information furnished by S. H. Beach.
# Originally named Brantingham from Thomas Hopper Brantingham of Philadelphia, "in whom," says Dr. Hough, " the title of a large portion was, for a short time, vest- ed." He is reputed to have been an unsuccessful merchant, untrustworthy and dis- honorable. The present name was adopted Feb. 20, 1532, in honor of John Greig of Canandaigna, who was born in Monat, Dustrieshire, Scotland, Ang. 6, 1779, and died at Canandaigua, April 9. 1:58 ; and who niso owned large tracts of land in the town. He received his education in Scotland and emigrated thence to America at the age of eighteen. After a short stay in New York and Albany he took np his residence at Can- midaigun, in April, 1800, and studied law with Nathaniel W. Howell, with whom. in 1504, (having been admitted to the bar that year.he became a partner, and practiced his profession until the death of the latter in 1-20. In 1806, upon the death of John Johnstone, a Scotch gentleman who accompanied him to this country, he succeeded him as agent of the Hornby and Colquhoun ertate, a position he held until his death. In 1820 he became President of the Ontario Bank, and continued as such until 1856, when its charter expired. In 1425 he became a Recent of the University-an honor he en- joyed many years-and in 1551, he was chosen Vice-Chancellor of the Board of Regents.
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GREIG.
the east by Herkimer county and on the south by Oneida. The town of Watson forms its northern, and the Black River its western boundary .* It contains 87,686 acres, and next to Croghan is the largest town in the County. The surface in the west is rolling, but in the east it is broken, rocky and sometimes hilly. The streams are Moose River, Otter, Stony, Fish, Crystaline, Pine, Copper, Silver, Beauty and Miller creeks, and Cole and Fall brooks, all of which flow in a westerly direction and are directly or indirectly tributary to Black River. Moose River, which flows through the south part of the town, is turbulent, and as in many places it rushes over and between the rocks which fill its bed it presents a spectacle truly grand. The scenery along its course is cele- brated for its wildness and beauty. It, as well as the smaller streams, afford many excellent and unfailing water privileges, and are quite well stocked with trout and other fish. Brant- ingham and Catspaw lakes in the north, and Pine and Copper lakes in the east, are the principal bodies of water. Branting- ham Lake, the largest, is a beautiful sheet of water, inclosing two islands. It is irregular in shape and is entirely surround- ed by forests, which are full of game. The lake is well stocked with fish, pike, pickerel and bass having been introduced four years ago. The pickerel have rapidly increased in number and some weighing three pounds have been caught the present
season (1872.) Lovejoy & Lampman's hotel is pleasantly situated on the southern shore and commands a fine view of the lake and its picturesque surroundings. The soil is prin- cipally a light, sandy loam. Iron ore and ocher are found, and near Brantingham Lake is a sulphur spring. Most of the town is still wild and uncultivated. Vast quantities of lumber and considerable leather are manufactured in the town. The forests are being rapidly depleted by the extensive and increas- ing lumber business carried on. Of the 130,000,000 feet of lumber annually manufactured in the County, about one- third are the product of this town.t
He was long the efficient President of the Ontario Agricultural Society. He was one of the founders and corporators of the Ontario Female Seminary. In 1811 he was elected to Congress. but he resigned at the expiration of the first session. Late in life he was for several years one of the managers of the Western House of Refuge.
* The first town meeting was held at the house of Simon Goodsell. May 6, 1829, and the following named officers were elected : Simon Goodsell, Supervisor ; Joshua Harris, Town Clerk ; Jedediah S. Plumb, Geo. Pinney and Henry Harris, Assessors ; Gilbert Ford and Ezbon Pringle, Overseers of the Poor : Johannes Saut. Simeon N. Garrett and Otis Mann, Commissioners of Highways; Henry Harris, collector ; Henry Harris and Daniel F. Sears, Constables ; Wm. Parks, Jedediah S. Plumb and John R. Myers, Com- missioners of Common Schools ; Simon Goodwell. Ezbon Pringle and Gro. Pinney, School Inspectors ; John Fisher, Daniel F. Sears and Milo Clark, Fence Viewers ; John W. Southwick. Chauncy Carroll and Judah Barnes, Pound Musters.
t The water-power enw mill located on Black River, at Port Leyden, and operated by Feltman & Pullman, contains a gang of 25 saws, gives employment to six mon (in the winter, as in the other mills in the town, the number of employes is largely increased,)
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GREIG.
The population of the town in 1870 was 2,638, of whom 2,149 were native and 489, foreign; 2,634, white, 1, colored and 3, Indians.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained 16 school districts and employed the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age was 962; the number attending school, 636; the average attendance, 306; the amount expended for school purposes, 84,499.05; and the value of school houses and sites, $4,805.
GREIG, (p. o.) located on Crystaline Creek, near Black River, is seven miles north of Lyons Falls, and contains a school house, a hotel, tannery,* saw mill, three stores, a grist
and saws 1.000,000 feet of lumber annually ; Rogere' water power mill, located near the month of Cole Brook, contains a circular eaw, employs eight men and saws about 1.500,000 feet ; Geo. H. Brown's two saw mills, located, one on Cole, and the other on Miller Brook, use circular saws, give employment to ten to twenty men and saw about 1.500.000 feet ; Shedd's Mills, located about 1} miles above the mouth of Moose River, use a gang of 36 saws. besides several large and small circular saws, employ from 35 to 75 men and saw from 3,000,000 to 4,500,000 feet ; White's mill, located near the mouth of Mile Brook, in the south-west corner of the town, saws from 300,000 to 700.000 fee: ; Gaylord's saw mill, located on Fish Creek, about two miles from Greig village. uses circular saws, employs from ten to twenty men and saws about 1,200.000 feet ; D. D. Abbey's mill, located a short distance above Gaylord's, employs from six to twelve men and saws from 800,000 to 1,000.000 feet ; Casler Bros.' mill, located about one mile above the mouth of Otter Creek, uses circular saws, employs from seven to forty men and saws 1,500,000 feet ; Moose River saw mill, owned by H. J. Botchford & Co., and at present operated by G. H. P. Gould, naes circular saws, employs from fifteen to thirty men and saws about 1.500,000 feet : Barnes' mill, located on Fall Brook, near Brown's Tract road, uses circular saw, employs ten men and saws 1,000,000 feet : Henry Brown's mill, located at Brownville, on Moose River, nees circular saws, employs from seven to fifteen men and saws about 1.000,000 feet : Fowler's mill, located on Moose River, at Fowlerville. uses circular saws, employs from five to ten men and saws from 500,000 to 1.000,000 feet : Norton's mill, located on Otter Creek, about 1}6 miles above its mouth, nses circular saws, employs, on an average, about twenty men and sawa 2,000,000 feet ; Van Aernamn's mill, located on Fish Creek, abont } of a mile from its mouth, uses cir- cular saws, employs from ten to fifteen men and saws about 1,000,000 feet ; Higby's mill, located about one mile above the mouth of Fish Creek, uses both circular and npright saws, employs, on an average, twenty men and saws 1,500,000 feet ; D. L. Northrup's mill, located on Fish Creek, is operated by water, uses an upright saw and sais about 250,000 feet ; Eaton's mill, located on Otter Creek, at Eatonville, and built iw 1871, by A. C. Eaton, the present proprietor, employs, on an average, 75 men and manufactures, (in addition to 3,000,000 feet of lath, shingles and pickets,) 6.000,000 feet ; Granger's mill, located in the north part, ou Independence Creek. is operated by water, uses circular sawy, employs five men and raws 700,000 feet ; Abbey's mill, located at Greig village, uses circular saws, employs from eight to twenty-five men and eaws from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 feet ; Partridge's mill. on Otter Creek, uses a gang of 36 saws and circular sawa, employs on the average, 25 men und saws about 3.000,000 feet ; and J. B. Kelty & Co.'s mill, (J. B. Kulty & Co., 721 Broadway. N. Y.,) located on Otter Creek, on lot No. 5. Brown's Tract, the only one of its kind in the County, saws lumber for the manufacture of piano forte sounding boards. About 300.000 feet of this lumber has been cut per annum, but with increased facilities, twice that amount, it is expected, will be cut. In addition to this a large quantity of flooring is made, a matcher and planer being connected with it. A gang of 16 saws is used, and 15 men employed on the average. An ingenions system of dams and chutes has been constructed to convey logs from Otter Lake to the mill, a distance of about three miles. One of these chutes is 1,765 feet long, and another, nearly 1,200.
* Greig Steam Tannery. owned by Col. JJ. Van Woert, contains 102 vats and 5 leaches, gives employment to 23 men and tans about 36,000 sides of leather annually. Connected with the tannery is a store containing a general assortment of goods.
The Brantingham Tannery, located near this, and also owned by Mr. Van Woert, contains 58 vats, 4 leaches, 7 pools and 12 handler's vate, gives employment to 13 men ald tane about 18,000 sides of leather per annum.
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