USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Gazetteer and business directory of St. Lawrence County, N.Y. for 1873-4 > Part 15
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"This was not given him either through accident or design, and the omission was noticed by him at the time, and he enquired of one of the party who had previously known something of the usages of the camp, what he should do in this emergency, who replied that he must do as he had been ordered. He accordingly formed the resolution to obey orders to the letter; to know no man in the dark, and to stop all persons passing by land or water. * * *
" The guard had all been posted and the sergeant and his party of some six or eight men, were returning to the guard house, when on approaching the spot where [Mr. Alexander was posted. ] they were ordered to stop and one by one were commanded to advance, lay down their arms and sit down upon the ground. Here they were kept in perfect silence by the resolute orders of the sentinel, who noticed every motion, and with loaded musket threatened instant death to the first one who should offer to leave his place, or make the slightest move towards recovering his arms. The answer that the sergeant had returned, on being first hailed, which was the remark that Colonel had given orders to allow a boat to pass up, had made the sentinel suspicious that something was wrong. About eleven o'clock at night, when preparing to go the grand rounds, the cap- tain of the company on duty, made inquiry for the sergeant of the guard and his relief. No one knew what had become of them as they had not
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DE KALB.
Nathaniel Holt, James Cooper, a brother of the proprietor, and Elisha Griffin. Salmon Rich, from Cooperstown, and Richard Merrill, from Goshen, N. Y., located in the vicinity of Richville, where the former, in company with Jonathan Haskins, also from Cooperstown, made the first settlement in March, 1804. Other early settlers in this locality were Solomon
been seen since dark. The corporal of the guard was also found missing. Captain Hawkins, to whose command these belonged, Adjutant Church, and two privates, immediately started to go the rounds and ascertain the cause of the absence, and were proceeding along in single file, the two pri- vates in advance, when they were stopped by the customary challenge, ' Who comes there,' to which it was replied, 'Grand rounds.' This was as unintelligible as Greek to the new recruit, who abruptly replied, 'I'll grand rounds you,' and he ordered the first one to advance and be seated. The captain was next disarmed and placed on a level with his privates, which altogether formed a group of a dozen or more, including all the missing ones, who were not only kept in their places, but kept still and silent by the resolute sentinel armed with a loaded musket. The other private was soon added to the captive party, and Adjutant Church was next ordered to advance, an order which with characteristic firmness, he promptly refused to obey. No sooner had he refused, when the sentinel instantly fired, but it being dark, the shot took no effect. Captain Hawkins, upon this sprang to his feet and endeavored to seize the musket, but he was collared and kept at arm's length by the iron grasp of the sen- tinel. A struggle ensued in which the bayonet was loosened from the musket, but retained by the owner, and the captain received a severe wound in the arm, The sergeant was also wounded in the leg, upon which the party retreated, leaving their arms on the field. In the excite- ment of the moment, the captain had ordered the stubborn guardsman to be shot, but a second thought dictated a more humane policy, and a line of sentries was posted around him to keep others from falling in his way till morning. The line beyond him was at length relieved, much wonder- ing what strange event had kept them on duty so long. Meanwhile, our soldier, conscious of having committed some error, the nature and conse- quence of which he knew not, resolved still to act strictly upon his orders and to trust to common justice the event. He neatly stacked the weapons he had captured, hanging the swords and hats upon the bayonets, and upon the top of all he placed the military hat of his captain, and resumed his duties resolved to defend his position, at least as long as practicable. Two or three companies were ordered out to take him forcibly from his ground, but upon a little discussion it was thought expedient to let him remain. A young officer hearing of these occurrences offered to go alone and get him off, and he parted with that design, but nothing more was seen of him till after sunrise the next morning, when he was found sitting very quietly under guard, not far from the stack of trophies, of the last night's adventure.
" The sentinel refused to let him off, notwithstanding some of his neigh- bors went to intercede in his behalf, until the man who had given him the orders on leaving him the night before should grant him the authority. But the latter had been wounded, and was unable to walk, and he was ac- cordingly carried to within speaking distance of the sentinel, and suc- ceeded in procuring his release. He still refused to leave his post until assured by the officer with whom he was acquainted, that no harm should come from the last night's proceedings, and he appeared deeply affected at the mistake he had committed, and especially at the unhappy consequences that had resulted from it. The censure of public opinion, as soon as the first impulse was over, fell justly upon the officer who had placed a sentinel on guard, with injunctions coupled with the death penalty, to stop all persons passing, and at the same time neglecting to give him the counter- sign."
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Rich, from Cooperstown ; Charles Borland and James Taylor, from Goshen ; and Ezra Pratt, and Abijah, Samuel and James Phelps, from Massachusetts. Seth and Elias Alexander, James and Elijah Farr, James Farr, Jun., Isaac Stacy, James Cooper, Sanford Green, Eseck Whipple, Josiah Anderson, Jacob Preston and Levi Holt settled in the east part of the town. In 1805 Philo Lord, Thomas B. Benedict, Horatio Johnson, Obadiah Johnson, Jacob Preston, Wm. Cleghorn and Daniel Smith and sons (Harvey, Nathaniel, Daniel, Phineas and Richard,) the latter from Canada, came in. Mr. Cooper commenced the erection of a grist mill in the spring of 1804, under the direction of Cyrus, Asahel and Asa Jackson, three brothers, the latter of whom was severely injured at the raising of the frame, by falling upon his head. "Dr. John Seeley," say Dr. Hough, "performed the operation of trephining, with no other instrument than a steel thimble, which was fashioned into an annular saw, and fitted on a handle. This was the first surgical operation performed in the town, and was successful." In April, 1804, Jonathan Has- kins built a small log house at Richville, near the river, a shanty having been previously erected and overflowed on the approach of warm weather, and the following June, Mr. Rich made a clearing on the site of the village and built a log house, which he covered with bark. A house afterwards built by Haskins, became the first school house here a few years later. Joseph Kneeland, the first teacher, was shot at the taking of Ogdens- burg. The death of George Cowdry, who was drowned by going over the falls in a freshet, Sept. 13, 1804, was the first one in town. Mary Ann Rich, now, Mrs. Harlow Godard, born May 19, 1804, was the first female child born in town .*
The first marriage was contracted by Elisha Cook and Letta Willey, May 27, 1804, and the ceremony was performed by Stillman Foote, of Canton, the nearest magistrate. The marriage of Alex. McCollom and Olive Sprague the following day, by the same magistrate, was the second. The first school in the town was taught at DeKalb village, in the winter of 1807, by Bela Willis, a Methodist minister. The first hotel was built in 1805, by Judge Cooper, at DeKalb. It was sixty feet square, three stories high and inclosed with a curb roof. It was first kept by Isaac Stacy, who was soon succeeded by Wm. Cleghorn, by whom it was kept some time. After a few years it fell into decay. The first tannery was built by Nathaniel Holt. The first assemblyman from the town was Asa Sprague; and the first state senator, Col. Abel Godard.
* Dr. Hough says the first birth occurred in the family of Jehiel Dimick, in 1804; and the second a daughter in the family of Salmon Rich, May 16, 1804. The latter doubtless refers to Mary Ann Rich, who was born as stated above.
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The First M. E. Church in DeKalb, at East DeKalb, was organized with six members, in 1812, by Rev. Isaac Puffer, its first pastor. Their house of worship was erected in 1839 and in 1866, $1400 was expended in its repair. It will seat 200 persons. The present pastor is Rev. D. Fulford, our informant. This Church, including two branch .societies, has about 100 mem- bers. The Church property is valued at $4,000. Its parsonage was burned with nearly all its contents, July 9, 1872.
The First Presbyterian Church of DeKalb, at DeKalb village, was organized with ten members, by Rev. James Johnson, in 1817. The first edifice was erected in 1831; the present one in 1853, as a Union Church, which is now owned by this Society and is undergoing repairs which will give it a seating capacity for 300 persons, and will double its value. Its original cost was $1,500. The Church property is valued at $4,000, when the house is finished. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Cannon ; the present one is Rev. R. T. Conant. There are thirty-three members .*
The First Congregational Church of Richville was organized with sixteen members, by Revs. Thomas Kennan and Richard Hand, June 19, 1828. Their first house of worship was erected in 1840; the present one, in 1859, at a cost of $2,700. It will seat 200 persons. The Methodists own a fourth interest in it. The present number of members is thirty-one. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Brewster; the present one is Rev. Gorham Cross, our informant. The Church property is valued at $2,000.
The Baptist Church of Richville was organized with sixteen members, June 4, 1834, by a council called by the Gouverneur Baptist Church. The first church edifice was erected in 1836; the present one, which will seat 400 persons, in 1855, at a cost of $4,000. The first pastor was Elder Allen Guernsey; the present one is Elder Reuben Jones. The present number of members is 89, and the value of the Church property, $5,000.t
The Kendrew M. E. Church erected its house of worship, which will seat 200 persons, in the spring of 1859, at a cost of $1,000; but we are not advised of the date of its organization. The edifice is located in the north-east part of the town. The first class was formed by Thomas Kendrew, Sen. Rev. W. C. Lent was the first pastor; Rev. H. O. Tilden is the present one. The Society numbers seventy-one members. Its property is valued at $1,500.±
* Information furnished by Dr. John M. Dow.
+ Information furnished by H. Godard.
¿ Information furnished by Charles A. Kendrew.
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DE PEYSTER.
DE PEYSTER* was formed from DeKalb and Oswegat- chie, March 24, 1825.+ It is an interior town, lying in the west part and contains 27,432 acres, being the smallest in the county. The surface in the north is level, and in the south it is broken by parallel ridges. The principal streams are Oswe- gatchie River, which, with Black Lake, forms the north bonn- dary, and Beaver Creek, which forms the south boundary of the town. Nearly three sides of the town are bounded by water. Mud Lake, in the south-west part, covers an area of about 600 acres. The "Old State Road," the first traveled route through this part of the county, extends through this town.
The population of the town in 1870 was 1,138, of whom 889 were native, 249, foreign and all, white.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained nine school districts and employed the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age was 378; the number at- tending school, 313; the average attendance, 159; the amount expended for school purposes, $1,959.63; and the value of school houses and sites, $2,763.
DEPEYSTER (p. v.) is located on the " Old State Road," a little south-east of the center, and contains two churches, (Cong. and M. E.) one hotel, two stores, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, a cooper shop and about 100 inhabitants.
De Peyster Lodge No. 573 F. & A. M. was instituted July 4, 1865, and has 68 members.į
EDENTON (p. o.) is a hamlet near the center of the west border.
KINGS CORNERS is a hamlet near the center of the town.
The settlement of the town was commenced in November, 1802, by Samuel Bristol, a native of Sandgate, Vt., who had previously resided a short time on the St. Lawrence, four miles
* Named from Frederick DePeyster, a merchant of New York city and former proprietor, who acknowledged the compliment by contributing $300 towards the erection of a Union church in the town. In 1840 his son presented a fine bell weighing about 700 pounds. It was at first proposed to name it Stilwell, from Smith Stilwell, a prominent resident, but he declined the honor with the suggestion that a handsome present might be obtained for the town if named from one of the proprietors.
+ The first town meeting was held at the house of Thomas Morris, Tues- day, May 3, 1825. Smith Stilwell was elected Supervisor; Timothy Morris, Town Clerk; John Wilson, Moses King and Horace Plympton, Assessors ; Jonathan Morris and Bela Bell, Overseers of the Poor; Levi Fay, Philo Hurlbut and Ransom Armstrong, Commissioners of Highways; Smith Stilwell, Timothy Morris and George W. Barber, Commissioners of Com- mon Schools; Eli White, Constable and Collector; George W. Barber, Edward Plympton and Ransom Armstrong, Inspectors of Common Schools ; and Samuel Bristol and David Day, Pound Keepers.
¿ Jacob H. Bellinger was the first Master, Wm. Perry, the first Senior Warden, and Gates Curtis, the first Junior Warden.
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above Ogdensburg. He came with his family, (which was a large one,) at the instance of Judge Ford, who desired to estab- lish here a stopping place for the accommodation of travelers from the central and southern parts of the State, who were then coming in in considerable numbers. He erected a house for a tavern, and cleared thirty acres of land, three of which he sowed with wheat, the first summer. This family remained the only occupants of the town until the winter of 1803-4, when Thomas Wilson, from Hebron, N. Y., Joseph Rounds, Samuel Barnard, Robt. Hill, Ichabod Arnold and - - Green, from R. I., Frederick R. Plympton, from Sturbridge, Mass., and David Day, all of whom, it is believed, except the latter, had families, moved in. The following winter a school was opened and was taught by Bela Willis, who was also the first local preacher in the town. This school was kept in the house of Samuel Bristol. Philo Hurlbut and Joshua Sweet came in 1805. A tavern was opened by Silas Kellog, west of DePeyster, in 1806. Rufus Washburn, who was one of the first settlers, removed this year to Macomb. Smith Stilwell, a native of Saratoga county, removed here from Albany and purchased lands in 1809, but did not remove his family till the next year. Other early settlers were Mansfield and Levi S. Bristol, Lemuel Day, Josiah Thornton, John Parker and C. Hurlbut. The lat- ter came in 1812. Some of the difficulties which taxed the energies of the early settlers are detailed in the following ex- tract from Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties.
"This town suffered its full share from the cold and backward seasons which form a striking epoch, from which many of the oldest settlers are able to date events. In 1815 little was raised in consequence of the cold, and most of that little was claimed by the birds and squirrels, which in that year are said to have been extremely numerous.
"In 1816 many families were obliged to live without bread, as flour was very expensive and difficult to be bought at any price. During this year, the first barley in town (about two acres) was raised by Mr. Stilwell. While it was still growing it was watched by the neighbors with great interest, and they would stand by the fence which enclosed it, and count the number of days that would elapse before it would be suitable to cut, with an anxiety which proved how much their hopes depended upon that little field for food. It was scarcely ripe, when with the owner's permis- sion, it was reaped, dried, threshed and ground in small quantities by his neighbors. Oats and potatoes sold for $1 per bushel, and wheat at from $2 to $3 a bushel."
Reuben Hastings, Jonathan Curtis, Wm. B. Wheelock, Moses, Amasa and Zenas King, (the latter two were from Vermont,) Lewis Dimick and Nathan Deam were among the first who settled in the vicinity of Kings Corners. Eli White kept an inn there previous to 1820.
Mrs. Julia Ann Hurlbut, daughter of Joshua Sweet, and Mrs. Betsey Day and Oliver Rounds, also early settlers, are still
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living. From the former we learn that in 1812, all the inhab- itants of the town, some seventy in number, including men, women and children, collected at Kellog's tavern, on the Old State Road, in consequence of a report that the Canadian Indians had crossed the St. Lawrence. This was one of the many frights to which the border settlements were subjected at that period. The first store was kept by James Averell, 2d, a lad of eighteen years, near Kellog's tavern. He was established in business by his father.
Deer, wolves and other wild animals were very numerous in this town at an early day and were a constant source of annoyance and anxiety to the early settlers. Few, perhaps, of the many daring adventures with wild beasts which are recorded display more courage, or rather, perhaps, a lack of the sense of fear, than the following which we extract from the author above quoted :
"A son of one of the pioneer settlers who on sundry occasions had evinced that acuteness which led to his being called by bis father, 'his ingenious,' was distinguished for nothing so much as for personal courage, and a dis- regard for consequences, in the attainment of his objects, This lad, being at the time of the incident about to be related, but seventeen years of age, was out with a dog and gun hunting, late in the fall of the year, [about 1821.] A light snow being on the ground, he discovered the tracks of an unknown animal, which he traced some distance, to a place where they entered a cave. Determined not to be hindered from the attainment of his object, and finding the opening of convenient size for entering, he crept in some distance, with gun in hand, keeping his dog behind, until having reached a part of the cave where it was quite dark, he discovered at no great distance from him two globes of fire like brilliancy, which gleamed in the dim obscurity full'upon him. He here paused, and bringing his gun to bear upon a point directly between them, he deliberately fired. His dog upon this rushed past him to attack whatever the enemy might be, while he retreated, and was soon followed by his dog. Hearing no noise, or signs of life within, he, after a short delay, again ventured into the den, and listened for some time, but heard no noise, and at length ventured up nearer, and groping in the dark, he laid his hand upon the paw of an animal, evidently dead, which he with much difficulty dragged out, and found to be a panther, of large size, which on being measured, was found nine feet four inches in length. The ball had entered a vital part of the brain, and proved instantly fatal."
The First Congregational Church, at DePeyster Center, was organized with fourteen members, by Rev. W. Hurlbut, in 1822. The first house of worship was the one before alluded to. It was erected in 1829 by this and the Methodist Society. The present house was built in 1862, at a cost of $5,000. It will seat 500 persons. There are sixty-five members, who enjoy the ministrations of Rev. S. Nelson, our informant. The Church property is valued at $5,000.
EDWARDS * was formed from Fowler April 7, 1827.t
* Named from Edward McCormick, brother of Daniel McCormick, the patentee of Great Lots Nos. I. and II. of Macomb's Purchase.
+ The first town meeting was held at the house of Wm. Martin. The
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EDWARDS.
A part of Hermon was taken off April 17, 1830, and a part of that town annexed Nov. 17, 1852. It is an interior town, lying near the south border of the county, and contains 32,583 acres. Its surface is broken by ridges of primitive rock, separated by narrow valleys. It is watered by the Oswegatchie, which flows diagonally through near the center, and numerous small streams tributary to it. It is dotted with several small sheets of water, especially in the south part, the principal of which are Cedar Lake on the north line, and Bonner, Beaver, Clear and Mud lakes in the south-west. The soil is generally a light, sandy loam, and in the valleys is very productive. It is best adapted to grazing. The town is sparsely settled, the princi- pal settlements being in the east and central parts. The population in 1870 was 1076, of whom 961 were native, 115, foreign and all, white.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained nine school districts and employed nine teachers. The number of children of school age was 418; the number attending school, 357; the average attendance, 172; the amount expended for school purposes, $1,971.87; and the value of school houses and sites, $2,650.
EDWARDS, (p. v.) situated on the Oswegatchie, in the north- east part, is a small but thriving village of about 500 inhabit- ants. It contains one church, (Union) one of the largest hotels in the county, six stores, one tannery, two blacksmith shops, one carriage shop, one flouring and grist mill and one saw mill.
SOUTH EDWARDS,* (p. o.) situated five miles above Edwards on the Oswegatchie, in the south-east part, contains one hotel, two stores, a grist mill, saw mill, starch factory, (potato) shoe shop and blacksmith shop, and possesses an almost unlimited water-power.
FREEMANSBURGH,t on the Oswegatchie, is a hamlet in the west part.
Settlement was commenced in January, 1812, by Asa Bray- ton, who came with his family and located on the St. Lawrence
officers there elected were, Orra Shead, Supervisor ; John C. Haile, Town Clerk; J. C. Haile, Asa Brayton, Jr., and Wm. Teall, Assessors; Roswell Lillie, Arba Collisier and Peleg Haile, Commissioners of Highways ; J. C. Haile, Asa Phelps and Wilkes Richardson, Commissioners of Schools; Warren Streeter and Guy Earl, Overseers of the Poor; J. C. Haile, George Allen and Wm. Teall, Inspectors of Schools.
* Formerly locally known as Shawville, which name it derived from Elijah Shaw, who settled in this vicinity in March, 1825, and was the first merchant. 1
+ Named from A. Freeman, who erected a furnace here in 1830, which was burned in 1847.
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EDWARDS-FINE.
turnpike, which was finished this year. Joseph M. Bonner, John Britton, Samuel and Elijah Jones, Guy Earl and several families named Johnson came in that year and the following winter-1812-13. The first birth occurred in the first year of settlement and in the family of the first settler. The child was John B. Brayton. We are advised that the first death was that of a Mr. Shipman, in 1811, butas this was a year previous to the settlement there is doubt as to the accuracy of the in- formation. It is not impossible, however, that this is the fact, as the St. Lawrence turnpike was in construction from 1810-12. Mr. Shipman may have been engaged in this service, although our information is silent upon this point. French, in his Gazetteer of New York, and Hough, in his History of 'St. Law- rence and Franklin Counties, each agree that the first death was that of - Partridge, who was accidentally killed in 1813. A grist mill was built in 1814, by Orra Shead, from Russell, who was the first supervisor of this town. Mr. Shead also built the first saw mill five years later. Robert Brown, Alexander Noble, Alexander Kerr, Robert Watson, John Laidlow, James Greives, John Whitehead, Wm., Andrew and Thomas Cleland and James Wilson, Scotch emigrants, settled in the town in 1819 .* The first six had families, who came with them ; the remainder were single. ' The first marriage is believed to have been contracted by George Allen and Sally Chapin, in 1821. Job Winslow came from Potsdam in the fall of 1824 and com- menced the settlement at South Edwards, on a farm lying around the falls, purchased the year previous, where he erected a saw mill and house. The following year he built a grist mill. In this year Elijah and Noah Shaw settled in the vicinity of South Edwards.
The first religious meeting was held in 1819, by Rev. Elijah Morgan, a local preacher of the M. E. church.
FINEt was formed from Russell and Pierrepont, March 27, 1844.į It lies about the center of the south border, and contains
* Hough says these emigrants came in 1817.
+ Named from Hon. John Fine, of Ogdensburg, who was largely inter- ested in the lands it comprises and under whom the settlement was begun. It embraces Townships Nos. 12 and 14, or Scriba and Bloomfield, and the south half of No. 9, or Sarahsburgh, in Great Lot. No. III., formerly in Russell, and No. 15, or Emilyville, in the same tract, formerly in Pierrepont.
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