USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Gazetteer and business directory of St. Lawrence County, N.Y. for 1873-4 > Part 14
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101
CANTON.
The first birth in' the town was that of a daughter of L. Johnson, in 1803; and the first male born in town is said to have been a son of P. R. Leonard, the same year. The first school was taught in 1804, by Wm. Barber. The firstinn was opened by S. Foote soon after his settlement.
The first religious services were held in 1804, and a Church was organized by the Presbyterians three years later-the first in the town.
The First Presbyterian Church, at Canton, was organized with seven members,* by Revs. Amos Pettengill, a missionary from
his term, to accept the position of State Comptroller, to which he was chosen Jan. 27, 1829. While in Congress he served as a member of the Committee on Manufactures, and took an active part in the tariff investi- gations and discussions in 1828. He served as Comptroller from the time of his election till his election to the U. S. Senate in January, 1833. He was re-elected U. S. Senator in February, 1837, and again in 'February, 1843, and continued to serve as such until December, 1844, when he re- signed, having been elected Governor of New York the previous Novem- ber. The nominations of Governor in 1842 and Vice-President in 1844, were tendered him, but declined. He entered upon the duties of Gover- nor, Jan. 1, 1845. In 1847 he retired to private life, devoting himself to the cultivation of his farm and the society of his early friends. Aug. 27, 1847, he was suddenly attacked at his residence by a severe illness, which caused his death in two hours.
While in the U. S. Senate he served most of the time on the Committee on Finance, and introduced the first Sub-Treasury bill, which became a law. A seat upon the bench of the Supreme Court was offered him by President Tyler, and cabinet positions and foreign missions were tendered him by other Presidents, but declined. Previousto his death he consented to deliver an address at the State Agricultural Fair at Saratoga Springs, in 1847, and the address, which was prepared by him, was delivered a short time after that event by his friend, Gen. (now Gov.) Dix. He appeared twice in the Supreme Court of the United States to argue cases of high importance, and established in that tribunal a marked reputation as a lawyer.
His mercantile friends evinced their esteem by a testimonial consisting of 125 pieces of silver, each bearing an appropriate inscription, the whole valued at about $1,900, which was procured during his lifetime and pre- sented to his widow after his death. His friends and neighbors testified their high appreciation of his character by the erection of a monument over his remains at Canton. With the avails of a subscription, each con- tribution to which was limited to $1, and its circulation to this county, was erected a simple shaft of pure white marble, from the Dorset quarry, fifteen feet in height, resting on a base of Canton granite one and one- fourth feet high, and inclosed by a neat iron paling. On one side of the shaft is inscribed his name and dates of birth and death, and another, " Erected by the citizens of the county of St. Lawrence." The citizens of Weybridge, Vt., also erected a monument to his memory in that village, at a cost of $4,400. The main shaft is twenty-eight feet high, three feet square at the base, and seventeen inches at the top. It stands upon a mound, and is supported by three bases; the first eight, the second six and one-half, and the third five feet square, and a die four feet square, upon which it rests. A beautiful and accurate medalion bust, executed by E. D. Palmer of Albany, is inserted in the monument, which is sur- rounded by a circular iron railing six rods in diameter. The only inscrip- tion it bears is "Silas Wright."
* These members were, Geo. Foote, John Richardson, Weltha Foote, Betsy Donegly, M. Conkey, Jane Ross and P. Richardson.
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102 .
CANTON-CLIFTON.
New Hampshire, and Ebenezer Hibbard, of Vermont, in 1807, as a Congregational Church, and was changed to Presbyterian in 1821. It had no settled pastor until 1823, when Rev. Hiram S. Johnson was installed. The church edifice was erected in 1831. It will seat 450 persons. The present pastor is Rev. James Gardner, our informant. The number of members is 160. The Church property is valued at $10,000. The Church has had comparatively long pastorates, and furnished many ener- getic members to build up churches in the west.
The First Congregational Church, at Rensselaer Falls, was organized with seventeen members, May 22, 1847. The church edifice, which will seat 200 persons, was erected the following year, at a cost of $1,000. Rev. Gorham Cross was the first pastor ; Rev. G. A. Rockwood, our informant, is the present one. There are ninety-six members. The Church property is valued at $5,500.
The M. E. Church, at Rensselaer Falls, was organized with 150 members, in the fall of 1867. The first house of worship was erected in 1859; and the present one, which will seat 400 persons, in 1867, at a cost of $10,000, the present value of Church property. It is a handsome brick structure. The first pastor was Rev. G. P. Kinney ; the present one is Rev. H. O. Tilden. The number of members is the same as at its organi- zation .*
Of the First Baptist Church of Canton, in the village of Canton, the First Universalist Church, in the same village, and the Trinity Chapel, at Morley, we have only been able to learn that the former has forty-five members ; erected its house of worship, which will seat 300 persons, in 1871-2, at a cost of $4,000 ; has no pastor; and that its Church property is valued at $6,000: and that the last two have an existence, but no pastor, the former with an edifice, which will seat 300 persons and the latter, one which will seat 250.
CLIFTON was formed from Pierrepont, April 21, 1868, and the first town meeting was ordered to be held at the school house owned by the Clifton Iron Company, on the first Tues- day in June, 1868.+ It is an interior town, lying south of the center of the county, and contains 61,930 acres. It is watered by Grass and Oswegatchie rivers and their tributaries. The former flows north-west diagonally across the north part, and the latter almost directly west, south of the center. The surface is too much broken to admit of profitable cultivation.
*Information furnished by J. W. Brown.
+ It embraces Townships Nos. 10 and 13, or Clifton and Chaumont, of Great Lot No. III. of Macomb's Purchase.
103
CLIFTON-COLTON.
The magnetic iron ores which have been known for several years to exist in the town are believed to be immense. In 1864 the Clifton Iron Company was formed for the purpose of work- ing these ores into iron and steel. A large tract of land was pur- chased, roads were opened, and a furnace and buildings erected. A tram railroad was constructed to East DeKalb, a distance of twenty-four miles, but proved inadequate for the purpose for which it was designed, and has relapsed into disuse. The furnace was discontinued after one or two blasts. A steel factory was erected by a separate company and other improve- ments made, but the former was burned in September, 1869. The Clifton Iron Company is dissolved and its property passed into the hands of individuals, who, in 1872, organized the Clifton Mining Company. The ore has yielded in the furnace over fifty-four per cent. of pig iron, but nothing at present (March, 1873,) is being done to develope it. The town has an abundant water power.
The population of the town in 1870 was 221, of whom 142 were native and 79, foreign ; 220, white and one, colored .*
During the year ending September 30, 1872, the town con- tained one school district and employed one teacher. The number of children of school age was 50; the number attending school, 37; the average attendance, 26; the amount expended for school purposes, $200.71; and the value of school houses and sites, $300.
CLARKSBORO (p. o.) is located at the high falls on Grass River.
COLTONt was formed from Parishville April 12, 1843,} and a small part of that town was annexed Nov. 18, 1851. It is a long narrow town, lying in the south-east part of the county, and extends from the center to the south border. Next to Hop- kinton it is the largest town in the county. It contains 123,- 229 acres. The surface is broken and hilly, and nearly covered
* While the iron works were in operation the population of the town was about 700.
+ Its name is derived from the middle name of Jesse Colton Higley, an early settler. It embraces Townships Nos. 1, 4, 7 and 10, or Sherwood, Harewood, Granshuck and Matildavale, of Great Lot No. II. of Ma- comb's Purchase.
¿ The first town meeting was held on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 1844, and Paine Converse was elected Supervisor; James H. Bridge, Town Clerk; Zina E. Hepburn, Silas Hawley and Hiram Pierce, Justices of the Peace; James S. Ellis and Clark D. Norris, Assessors ; Israel C. Draper, Pliney Hepburn and Henry Gibbins, Commissioners of Highways; Jesse C. Higley, Su- perintendent of Schools; Hiram Leonard, Constable and Collector; and Hiram Pierce, Overseer of the Poor. The whole number of votes cast was 67.
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104
COLTON.
with forest, the north part only being inhabited. It is watered by the Racket, Oswegatchie and north, middle and south branches of Grass rivers, and their tributaries. Racket River crosses the north part in a circuitous course; the Oswe- gatchie forms a bend in the south part, entering on the west border and leaving it on the same, and the three branches of Grass River cross it about the center, in a north-west direc- tion. In the south part are numerous lakes, the principal of which is Cranberry, through which the Oswegatchie flows. Lumbering and tanning form the chief pursuits of the inhabitants. In 1870 the population of the town was 1719, of whom 1403 were natives, 316, foreign and all, white. .
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained eight school districts and employed ten teachers. The number of children of school age was 734; the number attending school, 532; the average attendance, 264; the amount ex- pended for school purposes, $2,184.62; and the value of school house and sites, $3,600.
COLTON,* (p. v.) situated on both sides of Racket River, in the north-west corner of the town, ten miles above Potsdam and thirteen east of Canton, is a thriving village of 633 inhabit- ants.t It is an important lumber station, and contains three churches, (Baptist, Catholic and M.E.,) one hotel, six stores, two blacksmith and mill ironing shops, a grist mill, wood eaves-spout manufactory, a cabinet ware manufactory, a large saw mill and one of the largest tanneries in the State.f Racket River, which here plunges down a steep declivity of about sixty feet, furnishes an excellent waterpower.
SOUTH COLTON, (p. o.) is located at "Three Falls," about four miles above Colton.
The first settlement was made March 24, 1824, by Abel Brown and his son James, who located a little south of Colton, and were soon followed by Asahel Lyman and Wm. Bullard. Horace Garfield, of Potsdam, erected a saw mill in 1825, and Samuel Partridge, a forge in 1828. The latter was built on the east .
* Originally called Matildaville. The name was changed soon after the erection of the town, to correspond with that of the latter.
+ Census of 1870.
# The St. Lawrence Tannery is owned by E. A. Spaulding of Boston and managed by Mr. A. Young, to whom we are indebted for these facts. The main building is 400 feet long and 42 wide. It contains three leaches, each 18 feet in diameter, 8 feet deep, and capable of holding 22 cords of bark, and 320 vats. Allen & Warren's Patent Sprinkler is used. Thirty-five men are employed, 5,000 cords of hemlock bark used and 40,000 sides of heavy leather tanned annually. Five hundred cords of wood and a quan- tity of leached tan bark equal to 800 cords of hard wood are annually con- sumed to generate steam, with which the building is warmed.
105
COLTON-DE KALB.
bank of Racket River, near the head of the falls, and was kept in operation till about 1840, magnetic ores being used chiefly. A grist mill was also built the latter year by Jonathan Culver. A factory for making starch from potatoes was built in 1844, and operated a few years, about thirty-five tons being made annually. Several extensive gang saw mills were erected at Colton, in 1850-52. The first school was taught by Miss Young, in 1826. The first death, which occurred in 1829, was that of a child of James Brown.
The first religious meetings were held by the "Christians" at the house of Asahel Lyman. The Methodists and Univer- salists were the first to erect houses of worship. Both these societies were engaged in the erection of churches in 1852 .* That built by the latter is now owned and occupied by the Catholics. There are three churches in the town, all of which are located at Colton village.
The M. E. Church separated from Parishville Church with seventy members, July 26, 1856. The organization was effected by Revs. Peter D. Gorrie, the Presiding elder, and David Fer- guson, the first pastor. The church edifice will seat 300 per- sons, and was erected at a cost of $2,000.(?)+ There are seventy- five members, who are ministered to by Rev. Wm. Riley Helms, our informant. The church property is valued at $3,000.
St. Patrick's Church (Catholic) was organized with 144 mem- bers, in October, 1864, in which year the house erected by the Universalists in 1852 was purchased for $1,200. It will seat 275 persons. The first pastor was Rev. P. J. McGlynn ; the present one is Rev. Joseph Tanney. The number of members is the same as when organized. The church property is valued at $1,500.t
The First Baptist Church was organized with fifteen members by Rev. I. N. Hobart, in 1869. The church edifice will seat 300 persons, and was erected in 1860, at a cost of $2,500. The church numbers forty members, but is without a pastor. Its property is valued at $3,000.
DE KALB§ was formed from Oswegatchie, Feb. 21, 1806. A part of DePeyster was taken off March 24, 1825, and a part of
* Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties.
+ We are not advised when this building was erected, but it is probably the one erected by the Methodists in 1852.
* Information furnished by Michael Brennan.
§ Named from Baron DeKalb, a native of Alsace, who received a mili- tary education in the French army, and visited this country near the close of the Seven Year's War, as a secret agent of that government. While engaged in that service he was once arrested on suspicion, but as nothing was found to confirm the suspicion he was released, and soon after re-
106
DE KALB.
Hermon, April 17, 1830 .* It is an interior town, lying south- west of the center of the county, and contains 49,657 acres. Its surface is broken by disconnected ridges of limestone and gneiss, separated by narrow valleys. Near Coopers Falls, in this town, is a locality of considerable interest to geologists. Upon a high cliff of rocks is a cavity of unknown depth worn in the solid rock, known locally as the natural well. The hole is about three feet in diameter, perfectly round and has a per- pendicular descent. It is now nearly filled with debris; but previous to the recent war a few young men undertook to clean it out and succeeded in reaching a depth of thirty-seven feet. Its origin can only be conjectured; though scientists who ex- press an opinion regarding it refer it to the drift period-to an immense grinding agency, as of a compact mass revolving in water, traces of which are found in various localities. The town is watered by Oswegatchie River, which flows diagonally through the center ; Beaver Creek, which forms the boundary between this town and DePeyster ; and Harrison Creek, which crosses the east angle, and their tributaries. The soil is excel- lent and is generally in a good state of cultivation. It is well adapted to dairying.
The population of the town in 1870 was 3,116, of whom 2,585 were native, 531, foreign and all, white.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained twenty-two school districts and employed twenty-four teachers. The number of children of school age was 1,142; the number attending school, 800; the average attendance, 424 ; the amount expended for school purposes, $7,193.97 ; and the value of school houses and sites, $8,970.
turned to Europe. In the spring of 1777 he again visited this country, in company with LaFayette, and espoused the cause of the struggling colo- nists. Holding the rank of Brigadier in the French army, and coming highly recommended, he was commissioned a Major General by Congress, Sept. 15, 1777, and immediately joined the main army under Washington. He was active in the events which preceded the encampment of the army at Valley Forge, and his experience acquired in the French army ren- dered his services valuable to the Americans. He served with distin- guished ability and heroism. He fell at the battle near Camden, S. C., in the summer of 1780, pierced with eleven wounds, while rallying the scat- tered American forces, and died three days afterwards. His remains were interred at Camden, whose citizens, in 1845, erected an elegant mar- ble monument, fifteen feet in height, the corner stone of which was laid by LaFayette.
The town originally embraced No. 7 of the Ten Towns, whose name it perpetuates.
* The first town meeting was directed to be held at the hotel in the town. The following named officers were elected, and were sworn before James Cooper, justice of the peace, March 18, 1806: Isaac Stacy, Super- visor ; Amos Comly, Town Clerk; James Burnett, John Seeley and Thomas Benedict, Assessors; Potter Goff, Timothy Utley and Elias Alexander, Commissioners of Highways; Eseck Whipple and Timothy Utley, Over- seers of the Poor ; and Elijah Farr, Collector and Constable.
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DE KALB.
The Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg R. R. enters the town in the south angle and traverses it diagonally.
In the south-east part of the town is a lead mine. The vein contains lead, copper, zinc and silver. The zinc crystals are very fine. Pyrites containing thirty-six per cent. of sulphur and free from arsenic, and barytes, or heavy spar, are found here, the latter north of the Oswegatchie, and is used in mix- ing paint. Feldspar, mica, clay and sand are found in the north part.
RICHVILLE,* (p. v.) situated in the south angle of the town, one mile west of the R. W. & O. R. R., contains two churches, (Baptist and Congregational) four stores, one grocery, one hotel, two harness shops, two shoe shops, two blacksmith shops, two carriage shops, one cabinet shop, a grist mill and saw mill, a tannery, cheese factory,} two cooper shops and about 200 inhabitants. The Richville lime kiln is situated near the station.
Richville I. O. of G. T. was organized Aug. 6, 1866. Meetings are held every Saturday evening. No license has been granted since the erection of the new hotel, to replace the one burned, and this result, it is fair to presume, is measurably if not wholly due to the efficiency and salutary influence of this institution.
DEKALB,§ (p. v.) located on the east bank of the Oswegat- chie, near the center of the town, and two and one-half miles west of the railroad, contains a church, (Presb.) a hotel, two stores for general merchandise, a drug store, shoe shop and store, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, about twenty houses and 150 inhabitants.
DEKALB JUNCTION, (p. v.) located in the east part at the junction of the R. W. & O. R. R. and the Potsdam branch of that road, contains a hotel, two stores, telegraph and express offices, a blacksmith shop, carriage shop and a flour and feed store.
EAST DEKALB, (p. v.) located two miles south of DeKalb Junction, contains two churches, (M. E. and Presb., the latter
* Named from Salmon Rich, who settled there in 1804, and originally called Rich's Settlement. The present name was adopted in 1824, when the post office was established. The first postmaster was John C. Rich, son of Salmon.
+ Richville cheese factory was built in the spring of 1863, by John W. Barker, the present proprietor, who claims to have made the first factory cheese in the county. The first cheese made here was on the 17th of May, 1863. The milk from about 600 cows is received.
# At this establishment from seven to ten persons are employed and 30,000 bushels of lime annually manufactured.
§ Originally called Coopers Village, from Wm. Cooper, its founder.
108
DE KALB.
is forsaken,) a hotel, school house, blacksmith shop and half a dozen houses.
" De Kalb Lodge" (I. O. of G. T. ? ) was organized Dec. 21, 1869, with about fifty members. The present number of mem- bers is 114. Meetings are held every Friday evening.
COOPERS FALLS, is a hamlet on the Oswegatchie about two miles below DeKalb, containing a small store and cooper shop.
The first settlement in the town was made by Judge Wm. Cooper, the father of J. Fennimore Cooper (the author,) and founder of the village of Cooperstown in Otsego county. He purchased the town from Samuel Ogden, and in May, 1803, in company with thirty-three* persons, mostly from the towns of Otsego and Richfield in Otsego county, he started to commence its settlement. Most of the party proceeded by way of the Black River country and the old state road to the clearing of Abram Vrooman, near Ox Bow, Jefferson county, their effects being conveyed in two wagons, each drawn by a span of horses, and a cart drawn by two yokes of oxen. The inferior road from that point rendered it necessary to transfer a part of the goods to the water. Two log canoes were made under the direction of Jehiel Dimick and lashed together, and a portion of the goods was removed to them and conveyed down the Oswegatchie, under the care of four of the party, while the remainder proceeded by the road, and spent the first night in a deserted shanty, five miles from Ox Bow. "In the night", says Dr. Hough, " the party were alarmed by the cries of one of their number, who discovered that a large dry birch tree, which they had fired to keep off the musquitoes, was about to fall upon them. They fled in the greatest haste, just in time , to save themselves, for the tree fell with a heavy crash upon the hovel, crushing and consuming it. A part of their bedding was lost by this misfortune."
The second night was spent at Bristol's, in DePeyster, where the women were left while a road was opened to DeKalb-a task which occupied eight days. The party were joined there on the 12th of June, by Alex. McCollom, Potter Goff and Stephen Cook, who came from Albany by way of Oneida Lake, the St. Lawrence and the Oswegatchie, with a load of goods purchased by Judge Cooper, to stock a small store. The first
* The party consisted of Wm. Cooper, the proprietor, Salmon Rich, Isaac Stacy, Escck Whipple, Richard Merrill, Elisha Cook, Wm. and Gardner Brown, Wm. Stone, Asa Ransom, Sen. and Jun., Timothy and Elijah Utley, Abner Wright, Andrew and Alex. McCollom, James and Elijah Farr, wife of the latter and her sister, Joseph and Wm. Wood- house, Dr. Robert Campbell, Ralph R. Bell, wife, sister and daughter, Elijah Stockwell, Jehiel Dimick, John Hewlett, Wm. Sloan, Potter Goff and Stephen Cook.
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DE KALB.
day they erected the frame of a house, in which they slept at night, without a roof. Another house was built the second day, and a store the third, all of which were constructed of logs and covered with bark. Clearings were begun in several places, a saw mill was built, and Wm. Brown cleared two acres and sowed it with winter wheat that year. Three families and most of the party remained the first winter, during which and the following spring they were joined by many others, among whom were Salmon Rich, Isaac Stacy,* James Farr, Jonathan Haskins, James Merrill, Richard Merrill, Timothy Utley and family, Sackett Dodge, Dr. J. Seeley, Barton Carver, Setht and Elias Alexander, Elijah Pooler, James Burnett,
* Isaac W. Stacy, a merchant at Somerville, is a descendant of this pioneer.
+ Mr. Seth Alexander, who is now in his 94th year is the only one of these settlers now living in the town. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and the following incident which occurred during the summer of that year is related of him in Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties. It will doubtless be read with interest by those of his friends into whose hands these pages may come :
" An alarm had required a hasty draft of recruits from the militia of the adjacent towns, who arrived in the forenoon, and were from the necessity of the occasion put upon duty the same evening, before they had had time to learn the discipline of a camp, or the duties of the soldier. The articles of war were read in their hearing, in which the penalty of death was declared the doom of every offender, who should violate the rules of order, or should be found wanting in deeds of omission, as well as commission, in the routine of the soldier's duty. To those who had just been called from the quiet labors of the field to participate in the events of war, and act a part in the rigid discipline of a camp, the soldier's life appeared to depend on more contingencies than casualties of battle, and the profession of arms to be a path beset with pitfalls and dangerous passes, so straight and narrow, that the utmost caution was required so to conduct one's deportment as not to incur the death penalty. Such doubtless was the sentiment of [Mr. Alexander,] when on the evening of his arrival, he was placed on duty as a sentinel, with the injunctions to allow no one to pass without the countersign.
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